16 October 2020 32.5 miles with EnduranceLife Events
My first Ultra.
I trained for about 3 months for this event gradually building the mileage from 13 miles to around 25 miles. A mix of training, hills, distance and speed work averaging around 40 mles a week and peaking at about 65.
The event was well organised with all the extra precautions around Covid19. Staggered start over a few hours.
I got away about 0900 sped down the hill at the start and felt an immediate twinge in my leg. Not a great start. Pace wise for the first 13 miles averaged around 8:30 min/mile. A flat course but quite muddy with beach sections. Water stops every 4 or so miles with food and a foot operated water pump.
Passed Marathon distance in 4hr01min and was starting to fatigue a little. The course had passed through a few water logged areas and a mile or so of sandy beach, by this point I was on a second loop of the extension to the course taking you to Ultra distance( Marathon distance only passed the loop once).
After another dip in a submerged section I was on the final run in with just under 3 miles to go. Heavily fatigued by now having passed my previous 'furthest distance run' at 26.2 miles. Pace had dropped to 10 min miles.
A fair slog the last 3 miles along the beach and heather land into Dunwich. I crossed the finish in 5hr 09min. Overall pleased with the result.
Kit used : Salomon 5L s-lab vest/Hoka ATR shoes/Patagonia Lightweight Jacket
Consumables: 2 x 500ml water ( refilled once)
8 x Gels
Picture is me- Top left- my running buddy (who finished 25 mins ahead of me) and bottom Kevin Ward the other Big Sky Coach> ran the marathon.
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