Stort 30

The Stort 30 is a race that has been on my bucket list ever since crewing for Paul back in 2013 at what was his first ultra. Organised by Challenge Running, it is a Trail Running Association Middle Distance Championship race which attracts runners of all abilities. The course is 15 miles out and back with no navigation needed along flat terrain making it an ideal beginner friendly ultra.

The Stort 30 had been pencilled into my 2018 running goals, however I was waiting to get the RAT out the way before committing myself to entering the race. Having accomplished a finish at the RAT (which arguably was more challenging and 2 miles further) I was confident that the Stort was within my capabilities so converted some volunteer points into a race entry.

I was hoping I could continue where my training for the RAT left off giving me a good shot at finishing the race comfortably. This was wishful thinking! I struggled with fatigue when I did get back to running (possibly latent muscle damage) where a 10k run may as well have been 100k, then I missed a couple of weekends of long back to back runs and added to that I had a cortisone injection in my foot to treat plantar fasciitis which forced me to rest for over a week. The final 2 weeks of my training program left me full of self doubt and wondering whether I was up to the task, my last long run was 15 miles, half the distance of the Stort and seemed to be really difficult for some reason. On a positive note I was still far more prepared than I have previously been when attempting long distance races and my plantar fasciitis had totally cleared up!

In a complete switch of roles, I was on the start line of an ultra whilst Paul would be my crew! The clocks going back afforded us an extra hour in bed which was welcome and avoided what could have felt like an early start. I have to admit I'd not slept well the night before, possibly due to an overactive brain but also due to a painful shoulder as a result of going wild in the garden with my new leaf blower (note to self, taking it easy before a race really means just that). The temperature on the morning had dropped to single figures, it had been a while since I last had to contend with the thought of being cold during a run. I decided to still brave shorts and wear a long sleeve layer with the option to remove layers if need be. One thing was for certain, my lucky mascot Maurice Mammut bought back with me from Chamonix would be accompanying me again for the race.

Maurice the ultra Mammut

We arrived at Bishops Stortford Running Club, the race HQ with plenty of time to kill. Being a local race we bumped into various friendly faces who we've met over the years of running. On my many trips to the toilet I marvelled at the fact there was either no or little queue for the ladies, a real rarity in life but perhaps one of the perks of being a female in the world of ultra marathons! On that note, the Stort had a pretty decent female representation, of the 188 runners starting, 67 of those were women.

Shortly before 9am, we gathered outside for the race briefing and it started raining. Fortunately it was short lived and stopped just in time for the start of the race. I placed myself close to the back of the 188 runners gathered on the start line. The race started in a field which we had to complete 2 laps of before picking up the short section of road to the river path. I was conscious not to go off too fast as tempting as it was, although I was conscious that I didn't want the be separated from the main pack until we were by the river.

All smiles at the start of the race! (Photo: Stuart March)

Once on the river path I could relax knowing that I just had to keep running alongside the water until I reached the turn around point at the Rye House, Hoddeson. I had planned to implement 25/5 (25 minutes of running followed by 5 minutes walking) from the start of the race. I'd got into a nice rhythm and the lady in front of me was setting a good 6 min/km pace which felt good. Wanting to instill some discipline early on in the race I tried to slow and walk after the first 25 minutes were done. The pack was still quite bunched so I pulled off to the side of the narrow path cut into the grass that we were following. The grass was long and wet from the rain and dewy temperatures, the first few runners that passed asked if I was OK, walking 25 minutes into a 30 mile race must have made me look pretty unprepared! It was too awkward and I realised that I wasn't going to be able to do 5 minutes walking without frequently stopping to allow runners to pass me so I decided to continue running until I reached the first check point just over 5 miles in which would be when I'd start my 25/5 plan.

The check point came just after 5 miles into the race in Sawbridgeworth and I was surprised at what a relief it was. I decided to stop and take the opportunity to grab some food and drink. The event is cup-less (kudos to Challenge Running, the world of trail and ultra running seem to be doing their bit to reduce the environmental impact of organising races) so I pulled out my soft cup and filled it with some coke. I took a couple of orange segments and a Freddo Frog and walked out the aid station to continue with my 5 minutes of walking as to not throw coke all over myself! Having practiced 25/5 in training getting back into a good rhythm when I started running again was no bother and it didn't take long to feel like the miles were passing with relative ease.

Captured with a Freddo Frog in hand! (Photo: Stuart March)

Driving me along to the next check point was knowing that's where Paul would be waiting to see me for the first time in the race. The next 5 miles seemed pleasant enough and my body felt generally good. The 25/5's were working well enabling me to preserve my energy and on the walk breaks take on some hydration and nutrition. Eating during runs is something I have found quite easy. Earlier in the summer I'd adopted the nickname 'trail piglet' for my wild berry trail foraging skills! Having crewed for Paul 4 times at the Stort 30 I had become familiar with the landmarks which helped give me an idea when I was getting close to a check point. Just when I expected I approached check point 2 in Harlow and there was Paul waving at me. Another brief stop, cup of coke and onward I went.

My motivation to get to check point 3 was knowing that was half way and at the turn around point. Psychologically it helped me thinking of each section individually and gave me a focus for getting to that next check point. Thinking about the race in its entirety would have mentally crushed me! With each step between mile 10-15 I noticed that my legs were beginning to fatigue a little. I had a moment of self doubt realising that in training, as to manage my training load and avoid injuries we'd focused on back to back long runs and the furthest I'd run in a single training run was 15 miles, albeit on already tired legs from a run the day before. I was becoming concerned that I'd make it to the turn around and the 15 mile stretch back would essentially be a death march.

I managed to navigate the weir (apparently the only potential banana skin in the navigation) and knew that the turn around would be soon. There were a few supporters out on the course so I knew I must be real close. Paul's smiley face came into view and I felt a sense of relief to have made it to half way in 2:45 hrs, slightly ahead of my predicted pace. I took a bit of time at this check point having a couple of cups of coke and half the peanut butter sandwich from the crew bag (Paul moaned that he carried the crew bag throughout the whole race and all I had from it was a peanut butter sandwich, now he understands how it feels to be crew)! It was nice to see fellow runner and friend Naomi who was waiting at the check point for the cut off before assuming the duties of tail runner and sweeper for the return leg. With some friendly words of encouragement, another Freddo Frog and a fig biscuit I was off and homeward bound.

Scenery distraction along the way

I began to notice a bit of a slow down in my pace on that return leg and realised that I soon needed to think about adjusting my strategy to a 20/10 to keep myself going for as long as I could. My legs were starting to feel a little fatigued and my knees had developed an ache, different to what I have had before. Even though the sun had come out, there was a biting wind which made it quite cold and I was feeling it in my exposed knees. I'd periodically stop to try and stretch and give them a bit of a rub but the relief was only temporary. I had taped my right knee as a precaution as this is the one I really suffered with during the RAT. However, it was a shock for both knees to have hurt so badly. I eventually reached the check point at 20 miles in. I munched on the other half of my peanut butter sandwich knowing I needed some filling calories as I was starting to feel hungry, took another cup of coke said I'd see Paul at the finish and rejoined the tow path. We estimated the final 10 miles would take me at least 2 hours so Paul had enough time to go home and collect my Mum and return to the finish to wait for me.

I walked for a little while to eat some more food although I think I may have eaten a bit too much in a short space of time as my appetite seemed to disappear only to not return. I really was feeling like I was at the business end of the race now. I was two thirds of the race down yet those final 10 miles seemed like a huge task. Along this stretch I ran briefly with a lovely lady called Nicola who was running her first ultra. It was really nice to have someone to talk to and share some of the run with. I explained that I was running 25/5's so would be shortly stopping to walk. Unfortunately I didn't get to catch up with Nicola again as that was more or less it for my running. My knees had become incredibly painful and my stints of running were becoming shorter. I guessed it may be tightness in my IT bands as the pain was only noticeable when running and eased during walking.

"1769 - the River Stort open to navigation, flowing into the Lea and onwards to the Thames, then out to sea and so to all ports of the World"

It was my mission to get to that last check point as soon as I could. I could just about comprehend having 5 miles left, especially if it was going to be spent mostly walking. I chose this time not to stop, I had plenty of food and water and didn't want to delay myself any longer than I had to. I was now really struggling to run, a little jog and then I'd have to slow to a walk again. I tried setting myself targets like run to the next tree or run as far as the bridge then walk to cross it just to keep pushing me forwards. Every time I found a bridge or a railing I'd stop to try and stretch out my quads which I believe to be part of the reason my knees were sore. However, with the lack of varying terrain e.g. it was pretty much flat for the entire 30 miles I found that when I was trying to stretch my quads, my hamstrings would go into cramp. Breaking the final stint into smaller chunks, my next milestone was making it to marathon distance which I covered in 5:02, slower than my best marathon time but not my slowest.

I was trying to work out how many kilometres were left to go but was too exhausted to figure it out. I knew that I had roughly 4 miles left to cover. The initial 5 miles and final 5 miles of the course had to have been the worst. The terrain was awkward and the scenery was just a bit dull (apart from the fluffy cows). I tried to listen to some music, I have a heavy metal playlist which I had hoped would distract me from the pain and power me through but it didn't help and I couldn't always hear when runners came up behind me so I gave up and put my headphones away. I put my sunglasses on as to avoid having to make eye contact with anyone and kept my gaze staring firmly at the floor. It's fair to say at this point I was really struggling and wanted it to all be over with, I reminded myself that it was my choice to be there and no one had made me enter the race so I just had to suck it up and get it done. I kept seeing trains whizz past the river and I know that the course runs close to the train station so I had hoped we'd not got far left to go. All running had pretty much stopped by this point and I just walked as fast as I could telling myself with each step I was a step closer to crossing the finish line. It was pretty frustrating as I felt I still have energy left in the tank but was just incapable of turning it into anything other than a fast walk.

Fluffy cow

I had finally reached the end of the tow path and popped out onto pavement in Bishops Stortford. It was one of the greatest feelings as I knew that I was now real close however, everything seems a lot further away than you remember in the late stages of a race. I looked at my watch and I had approximately 7 minutes to cover just over 1 km to get in under 6 hours. I'd not really set myself a time to aim for but had said I'd be around 6 hours to finish. I knew that 7 minutes to get back and do a final lap of the field was going to be a big ask. I tried to run again only not to make it very far so went back to walking with purpose. At this point I was passing runners who had finished and were walking back to their cars with medals around their necks. Everyone was so encouraging and supportive which helped push me along.

I'd made it back to the race HQ and at the gate back into the field I spotted Paul and my Mum. Wanting to make them proud (and also because everyone was cheering) I did my best to run, breaking to painfully step up the kerb into the field. I was given a temporary boost which enabled me to run as far as the corner of the field. Bugger, the field felt a lot bigger than it had done in the morning when I'd run 2 laps of it. Paul joined me jogging by my side willing me on but I had to tell him to stop and go to the finish to see me as I had to walk again. I was grateful for his encouragement but just wanted to get my head down and get it done. I had about one third of the field left when Paul came running back towards me telling me to run as there was a lady behind me who was catching. Apparently I was currently 3rd in my age category and that the lady behind me was 4th. Out of nowhere I was able to run again and for some reason running faster was not making my knees hurt (the joy of adrenaline)!

After one last effort and what felt like a sprint finish I crossed the finish line in 6:01 hrs and was greeted by Lindley the Race Director who placed a finishers medal around my neck. I didn't hang about before telling Lindley never again, I wasn't going to do another ultra, let alone do the Stort again. I think he mentioned something about St Peters Way (45 miles) and I possibly told him where to go! Then another volunteer came and handed me a bronze Trail Running Association Championship medal for placing 3rd in the V35 category. I could not believe it, surely there must have been a mistake! I was just happy to have finished but this was the icing on the cake and made those final miles of suffering seem worthwhile.

Double bling (Photo: Stuart March)

Back in the club house we caught up with the other runners and enjoyed a celebratory drink before heading home so I could have a soak in the bath and to consume my body weight in pizza!

The days that followed the Stort 30 I had quite mixed feelings. I was pleased to have finished my 2nd ultra marathon but a little disappointed with my own performance. It was never about going for a time but I was annoyed that I ended up having to walk as much at the end, I had hoped I would have been a lot more capable. I would estimate that the walking at the end cost me around an extra 30 minutes. I often pride myself on my ability to finish races strongly and having I struggled more than I anticipated, I felt like a bit of a fraud collecting an extra medal for my efforts. I did a lot of analysing on where I thought I could improve and I'm still unsure whether it was missing a chunk of runs from my plan or the lack of long distance and opting for shorter back to back runs that cost me.

Anyone looking to push beyond 26.2 miles, I would highly recommend the Stort 30 as a first ultra marathon. It's fantastically organised, check points are every 5 miles and are well stocked, flat and requires no navigation.

The most prized medal in my collection

As a soft tissue therapist and a graduate sports scientist, I know that I need to look at some sort of strengthening and mobility program to injury proof myself and try and delay the break down of my body. I seem pretty well equipped for distances of up to half marathon but going beyond still causes me issues. Training to get time on my feet is one thing, I however need to give myself the resilience that when fatigue sets in that my form doesn't go to total sh*t and lead to the issues I have suffered with my IT band and knees. I suspect it all starts with the glutes, a vital asset for runners (when they work)!

I realised that I had been training with little rest since the start of the year so thought it'd be wise to take the rest of the year off before targeting some races next year. Within a week, Paul had signed us up for the 2019 Stort 30 and I had entered the Flitch Way New Year's Day Marathon (Challenge Running). Never believe anything a runner says in the days following a race!

MudCrew Black R.A.T

Despite having once run 38 miles in one day (Saltmarsh 75), I've never really considered myself an ultra runner. I didn't start day 2 of Saltmarsh so didn't complete the race and didn't receive a medal, therefore I don't feel like this really counts on my running CV. I was also hideously under trained, injured and struggled from 13 miles onwards, I was naive to think I could run 75 miles, let alone just about drag myself around 38.

Wanting redemption, I decided last year I wanted another crack at running an ultra marathon but to do it properly, e.g. actually train and try and enjoy the process. I have long had a love affair with the coast and in particular Cornwall. We visit at least once a year and will often scan for events which are on in the area. This led me to become aware of MudCrew who organise the brutal Arc of Attrition. Having some sense I knew that a 100 mile coastal ultra in winter probably wasn't the place to make my ultra debut! However, I spotted the Roseland August Trail (RAT) series of runs. With distances ranging from 11 to 64 miles it seemed a good place to start. I suggested to Paul that I would like to sign up for it and would he also be interested in running, he assumed I meant I'd like to run the 11 or 20 mile distance. He was a little shocked when I said I'd already signed us both up to the 32 mile (the black RAT) distance! 

Whilst I signed up for the race on a bit of a whim (I panicked when I saw that the race was filling up), I had at least allowed myself a decent run up to actually plan and do some training. Well aware that I still carry the same injuries as I did 3 years ago when I last tried to crack the ultra distance, managing my training load was going to be vital if I was going to succeed. I browsed the web for training plans but most seemed to require 5-6 runs per week which seemed excessive on top of other cross training I do. Paul who now has several years experience running ultra's (ranging from 30-145 miles) and has been the recipient of coaching himself had a pretty decent idea of what training I'd need to do (as well as my fragility) so put together an alternative training plan purposely designed to avoid overloading.  

My training started in May, shortly after the Hapalua half marathon which provided me with a decent base of running fitness to start off from. I was well aware that it wasn't just distance that would challenge me, with over 2000m of elevation along some unforgiving coastal terrain, I was going to have to factor in some hill training into my plan. This was going to be a challenge since I live in a pretty flat part of Essex, popular local spots for hill training include a bypass bridge and a man made 14m hill in the local country park! Fortunately my summer plans included a few opportunities for hill conditioning with running 30k at Box Hill as part of the Salomon Trail Running Festival and walking trips to Snowdon and tapering in Chamonix the week before the race.

Training went pretty well, I only missed a couple of sessions and most importantly I didn't suffer any new injuries or worsening of existing ones. I still couldn't help but doubt whether I'd done enough to get around, the longer runs towards the end of my plan took some effort and made me wonder how on earth I'd crank out double the distance on race day, however 'coach' Paul assured me that I would be fine. With it being an unusually warm summer I was just about acclimatised to running in the heat, however I wasn't sure about running an ultra in the heat! Fortunately the week before the race the weather took a bit of a turn and finally rain was falling from the sky and the temperatures eased off. This was a relief although it led to new doubts, I had bought the On Cloudventure trail shoes specifically for the race (they provided enough comfort/cushioning to not cause my plantar fasciitis to flare up) and had done most of my training in them but in dry, dusty conditions. I'm not sure that they had been in the wet once so had no idea whether they'd stick on a muddy, rocky coastal path! I reminded myself that On originate from Switzerland where they have mountains so they will of course be fine!

Friday morning we made the 300 mile journey south west to Porthpean. It was a pretty long journey made worse by sat nav deciding we'd take A roads from the M4 onwards (there was an incident/delays on the M5). Much to my relief we were at the campsite ready for opening and were able to pitch the tent in the daylight and before any sign of the forecasted rain. The campsite was right on the coast at the Porthpean outdoor centre overlooking the sea. We'd not bothered packing anything to cook and were relying solely on the campsite food vendors. Much to my delight there was a good selection from stalls offering burgers, Thai, pizza and coffees - each vendor provided a vegetarian and vegan option (big thumbs up for the use of biodegradable packaging and cutlery) - kudos to MudCrew who know their clientele! I didn't take long to decide that pizza would be the pre-race food of choice - pizza is my favourite! In addition to the food stalls, the race village also offered a stall selling race kit, physio services, MudCrew merchandise, bar and shower/toilet facilities. It was compact set up but in a way perfect as it meant nothing was too far from the tent - something that would be very important come Saturday night!

Campsite overlooking the sea

We registered early, collected our race packs and purchased a reusable plastic MudCrew RAT pint glass. Not only did we get to take a memento of the event home with us, we could also feel smug about all the single use plastic cups we'd be saving whilst having a few celebratory ciders Saturday night. My next focus was to get my kit laid out and bag packed for the morning as it would be an early start. I secured Maurice the Mammut to my race vest. He was my lucky trail charm I had picked up in Chamonix, hoping some of the alpine spirit would rub off and power me up the coastal hills. With food, registration and kit checks taken care of, I caught up with Paul Coker (Move Cornwall Physiotherapy) who was providing free taping and injury advice to runners. Paul had taught me on the RockTape FMT 2 course the previous year. With a queue of runners forming Paul asked if I would like to jump in and assist with some taping. Most of the runners I taped were setting off on the Plague that evening, I was glad for the distraction as it diverted my mind from fretting about what I was doing myself the following day!

Helping out Move Cornwall Physiotherapy (photo credit: Paul Coker)

I turned in around 10 pm optimistically thinking I'd get some sleep, I couldn't have been more wrong! As total noobs to this race we'd positioned our tent near the start/finish line and the toilet/shower blocks, seemed like a sound strategic decision at the time. With the Plague (64 mile) runners setting off at midnight there was a constant buzz of activity within earshot. I should have dug out the ear plugs but didn't want to leave the warmth of my sleeping bag. I was just about drifting off when I heard the beating of drums and the call of "bring out your dead!", the Plague runners were getting ready for the off. It was quite rousing and made me almost wish that I was also running the Plague! I then lay pretty much awake until 5 am when we got up.

The three muskateers 

Almost on cue it started to spit with rain as we were eating our porridge, great it looked like it was going to be a wet race, thank goodness we had half decent waterproof jackets! We headed over to the race briefing at 6:40 am, at this point sh*t really was starting to get real! Much to my relief there wasn't much navigation, just the simple enough instructions of keeping the sea on your right. Even in my sleep deprived state I could manage that. We were loaded onto coaches to make the hour long journey to the start at St Anthony's Head. Random fact: St Anthony's Head lighthouse was used as a location for filming the children's TV series Fraggle Rock! Throughout the journey I tried to doze off and distract myself from how far it was we were travelling and trying to imagine myself running it.

Last picture together before setting off

Once at the start there wasn't too much hanging around fortunately, after queuing for the porta-loo's we had a chance for a few photographs and then we were off! I knew I wouldn't see Paul again now until the finish, this was something we'd already agreed on. I was running with a friend, Mark (aka Sparkles). We set off together with the view to running our own race when we found our natural rhythms. I made the decision very early on that I was not going to run the hills and conserve my energy, running only on the flat and downhill, it was after all going to be a long day and I wanted to leave something in the tank for later on in the race. The jacket and warm top I put on earlier needed to come off within the first few miles, I was soon starting to feel like I was trapped in a greenhouse. It was 4 miles to the first check point at Porthscatho over some very runable ground. Feeling good we grabbed a flat coke and refilled our water bottles, the next CP was not for another 12 miles.

Mizzly but beautiful SW coast path

Early steps (photo credit: Sparkles)

During the next 12 miles there was a noticeable change in mood. The terrain began to get more challenging and the elevation started to really bite. Then Mark asked me to not let him DNF at the next check point. I initially thought he was joking but having only just reached 10 miles I think the realisation of the task in hand had sunk in. I realised that we'd not eaten and had been going for almost 2 hours, I enforced a walk break to take on some food in the hope it would raise both blood sugar and our spirits. It's not really one of those races you can compare to anything else you've done, however by the time we'd reached half marathon distance we'd being going for 3:21 - the only goal I had was to get the race done but I knew it was going to be a long day on the trail, nutrition and hydration were going to be crucial to our success.

The rocks which look like a rat

After almost gate crashing a wedding marque (I thought it was a fancy check point) we made it to Carhays. More flat coke and an opportunity to graze on some check point food. Whilst refuelling I had a little stretch out, my knee was starting to feel cranky, the downhills were beginning to hurt and I recognised the onset of IT band syndrome. I should have got it taped by the onsite therapist but heard the CP would be closing in 35 minutes and panicked. To me this sounded a lot like we were chasing cut off times so decided we should hang around no longer and make a move. I asked for directions out of the checkpoint and was pointed to a gate in the corner of the field. There was a massive puddle filling the area around the gate. The sensible thing would have been to either climb over the gate or walk a few extra yards to the gate we'd entered the field from, instead not wanting to walk out in the opposite direction only to come back on myself I thought I would stand in the puddle to see how deep it was. BIG mistake, my feet whilst already damp were now fully submerged in water, my shoe was heavy and squelching, blisters now seemed inevitable!

Locals

We'd officially covered half of the distance in 4:14! Once you have reached the halfway point in any run I feel a lot more positive, you can start counting down the miles and it truly felt like we were on the home stretch. Over the next 5 miles my knee moaned on every downhill whilst Mark started to struggle going uphill due to cramping. We'd hit a patch of the course with a decent chunk of ascent. We had quite a few stops to try and get the cramps under control, breaking out some salt and vinegar Hula Hoops which were a treat for the taste buds after eating mostly sweet foods. Whilst walking we overheard another runner say that the next CP at Gorran Haven closes at 1:45 pm, I checked my watch and the time read 2:09 pm! Cue panic and confusion, surely the CP wouldn't close until the tail runner had been through and I don't recall being passed by the tail!!! Luckily Mark had printed some handy laminated reference cards with the CP times and we could relax as it closed at 3:45 pm! 

Looking back at where we ran from

Just before Gorran Haven I decided it was time for Mark and I to part company, I was slowing him on the downhills with my knee and he was struggling on the uphill. I needed to get moving as I could feel various parts of my body beginning to seize. At the CP I headed straight to the physio, I needed to get some tape on my knee. After some poking and questioning the physio disagreed with my diagnosis of IT band syndrome and seemed intent that I had damaged my meniscus. Despite my reassurances he reluctantly taped my knee to provide me with a 'distraction'. Mark had come into the CP, we said goodbye and officially parted ways until the finish. Mark was in a much better place and whilst he was hurting (as were we all by this stage) he seemed confident which made me feel a lot happier to go off alone.

(photo credit: Sparkles)

Whilst grateful for the company of Sparkles in the initial stages, it was quite nice to be on my own. I was able to take some time to reflect on the race so far and knew that my only focus was getting myself to the finish line. This was until I entered a field of bulls all alone! A bull was stood close to the gate, I tentatively entered hoping that the bull would take little notice of me whilst thinking "friends not food", he looked up at me from what he was chewing and let out a disgruntled huff and carried on chewing. I took this as a sign that I was allowed to continue and made a swift passage across the field. Unfortunately, the tape which had been applied to my knee was already coming unstuck on the sides (possibly applied too tightly), my knee also seemed to be hurting more, not less. So much for the 'distraction' as I was now doubting my own injury knowledge and wondering if the physio's diagnosis was correct. I decided to remove the tape as it seemed to be not helping at all. In fairness I should have probably asked to apply the tape myself!

Approaching the fishing village of Mevagissey were a series of confusing switch backs which led to a long set of stairs. Luckily there was a handrail which enabled me to hold my body weight and skip down several steps at a time lessening the strain on my knee. Most people seemed aware that there was an event taking place and gave words of encouragement as you passed, this was such a lift at this stage in the race. Once down by the harbour it was very crowded and people seemed far less aware that there was a race taking place. I weaved through the crowds and narrowly avoided taking out children and dogs in my path, my ability to swerve at this stage was limited! Once the harbour had been negotiated I spotted a collection of hi-vis vests which indicted the route, these marshals were armed with some food so I grabbed a handful of cheesy Wotsits and salty popcorn (Wotsits tasted amazing, I may have to pack a bag for future races). Sticking to the plan I walked the hill, it then became unclear which way the path went to rejoin the coast path. Not wanting bonus miles I asked some passer-bys whether there had been runners on the path that they had come from which confirmed I was headed in the right direction.

Cornish 'flat'

I quite enjoyed the next section, I passed the time chatting to a couple of runners in the Plague. I was totally in awe of those donning the green vest, these guys had been out on the course for 15+ hours and were still willing to hold a conversation. One thing that was noticeable was the mutual respect between all runners regardless of whether you were running the 64/32/20/11 mile option. I reached Pentewan at 27 miles in, the final CP and was handed an ice lolly by a marshal. I had heard a lot about the final 5 miles of the course and heeded the advice I had been given. I was expecting a lot of hills/steps so headed to the physio couch. A very helpful massage therapist did her best to loosen of my ITB digging her elbow into my quads and hip. It certainly provided some immediate relief and made me feel a little better that my initial gut feeling had been right. Not wanting to hang around too long I got my bottles refilled and grabbed a handful of food. Walking out the CP it started to rain once more so I stopped again to pull on my waterproof for what felt like the 10th time that day!

Almost immediately after turning the corner from the main road we were climbing uphill again. This was to be the theme now until we reached the end. My watch battery warning flashed up indicating that my battery was down to 5% remaining. Despite having turned off all of the smart features on my watch, it as looking doubtful it'd last the duration. With every set of steps I thought they must have been the steps that everyone had spoken about, that was until the next set of steps seemed worse! My knee was really starting to protest especially as the steps became longer and higher, I was reduced to walking down sideways like a crab. The Plague runners I was with also felt my pain so were in no hurry to pass taking the pressure off me.

Steps!!! (photo credit: Sparkles)

Knowing I must be getting close to the finish, I started to look for landmarks or visible signs of the campsite. At one stage I was sure I could hear the music but the horizon gave nothing away. Those final 5 miles seemed to be taking an age. I had hoped to get in under 9 hours but this was slipping away (not that time mattered as I had just wanted to simply finish however I'd got competitive with myself). Finally we reached the point that we turned off the coast path. Some lovely marshals greeted us at the end of the path, dressed brightly in fancy dress (this was a bit of a blur they may have been fairies but equally could have been mermaids!) and offered me a 'cocktail', I have no idea what it was but it was sweet and refreshing. Knowing I was heading away from the sea I knew the end must be close now! This gave me hope (as did my desire to reach the finish before my watch battery died), the final uphill push I powered up actually jogging for a change. A marshal did ask me if I was OK, I must have looked like some crazed lady by this point! A strong finish is often something I am often quite good at and having been out for over 9 hours was not going to stop me.

Finally I recognised I was in the grounds of the campsite as cheers erupted from the crowds as did the sound of cowbells ringing! I was elated, I had made it, time to empty the tank and give it my all as I triumphantly powered through to the finish line crossing in a time of 9:17 hours. I did not spot Paul (turns out he missed my finish as he'd popped into the tent). I received my medal, at which point Paul had found me and gave me a hug and a kiss. I looked down at my watch which was surprisingly still alive as it read 49.8 km, what?! I am not going to end my first ultra on 49.8 km!!! I handed Paul my medal and continued running, past the water station and the bar until I reached 50 km.

The look of triumph and relief

I had honestly expected to be an emotional wreck at the finish, in fact I was quite the opposite! I was not expecting to be as coherent, let a lone capable! Paul kindly offered to get me a celebratory cider, however, with my sensible head on I insisted on first showering and getting some warm, dry clothes on before beginning the celebrations. Around an hour later Mark crossed the line and the celebrations could truly begin.

Proud owner of a Black RAT finisher medal

Still raining outside, we headed to the bar which was fortunately undercover. I think it's the only time I've gone to a bar for celebratory drinks wearing joggers and flip flops, however anything goes after an ultra! I indulged in a couple of pints of my favourite cider, Cornish Rattler which tasted particularly awesome. The post race refuel took the form of a bean and lentil chilli heaped over some tortilla chips. With the party mood in full swing I just about managed to dance from my chair, I certainly wasn't going to be cutting any shapes since I was moving like an extra from the Walking Dead (stupid knee). Not long after 10 pm I decided to call it a night and turn in for some much needed sleep leaving the party to continue until the small hours of the morning (Sparkles can vouch for this). Turns out the floor is surprisingly comfortable after an ultra marathon, I managed to sleep until the tent started leaking water early morning!

My favourite cider couldn't have tasted sweeter!

Conclusion:

What a race! In hindsight I could have chosen something a little less challenging for my first ultra. The RAT had over 2000m elevation, this was like climbing Snowdon (from sea level) twice! Considering the elevation worried me more than the distance, I am rather proud of what I achieved. I was also concerned that this experience could potentially tarnish the way I look at Cornwall, however although tough I literally loved every second of it! I've run parts of the SW coast path so possibly had a good idea of what to expect as well as a strong feeling of connection with Cornwall. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I can say that MudCrew put on an awesome event, I will be back in 2019 without hesitation!

After the event, I physically felt like I was back to normal after a couple of days, not something I was expecting. I have hurt more after some half marathons. I suppose although I ran further, the effort was probably not as intense as running shorter distances. I am really impressed with the resilience of my body, I had long resided myself to the fact I'd probably only ever be a half marathoner as things tended to go wrong for me any time I ran over that distance. It just goes to show that with consistent, sensible training (thanks Paul), anything can be achieved. I intend now to take a bit of rest to let the body and niggles recover but I am already planning to run another ultra soon!

Experiences of crewing for an ultra-marathon runner

I have wanted to write this blog post for some while, partly as a reminder to myself but also for those who may find themselves being asked to crew for an ultra-runner for the first time. I am by no means experienced but wanted to share what I have learnt in the handful of races I have crewed. I have only crewed for my Husband Paul so some of my experiences may be rather specific to his quirks and diva-ish outbursts! My experiences have been drawn from a races over the past 2-3 years over distances ranging between 30 miles to 145 miles, sometimes on my own and with the support of friends and family over the longer distances.

GOLDEN RULE #1 - look after yourself first! I learnt this lesson pretty early on in my crewing experience. You may feel like you are cheating on your runner, however you are no use to them if you are hungry, thirsty, tired and in need of the toilet! Find the time to take care of yourself and you'll be at your best to focus on the needs of your runner. Bear in mind, the longer race distances may mean that you're out crewing for over 24 hours, consider whether you need someone to help support you as it can be a long, exhausting and lonely experience otherwise.

Kit organisation - The first time Paul ran Grand Union Canal Race (GUCR) we wanted to be prepared, 145 miles is a long way and anything can happen over that distance. So we packed up everything including the kitchen sink and filled the boot and the rear seats of our family sized hatch. We had boxes for food, separate bags for clothing, shoes, medical supplies, camping gear (stove, kettles, pans, chairs etc), there was a lot of stuff! Sure we were prepared for all eventualities but the reality was, most check points were on the canal and parking was often a short walk away so we were unable to crew from the boot of the car. We ended up lugging boxes and bags down to the check point which became hard work (especially at night when visibility was limited) and we often overwhelmed our tired runner with too much choice. We ended up taking a lot of stuff home that we didn't use!

As it would happen, Ultimate Direction released a new Crew Bag about a month before Paul's 2nd GUCR. It's a little pricey however if you shop around you can find it a little cheaper. Having tested out the Crew Bag I can say that Ultimate Direction got it spot on! We packed the bag with a complete change of running kit and trainers, first aid kit, head torch, battery pack and chargers, a variety of food and drink and some water bottles, cups and cutlery. Each time something was used from the bag it was replaced so it was stocked and ready to go at the next check point. The other awesome thing about the bag is whilst it's like a holdall, it can be worn as a rucksack leaving your hands free for carrying anything additional such as chairs.

Thumbs up for the Ultimate Direction Crew Bag

I'm not suggesting you need this bag but you will want to give consideration as to how you will get what your runner needs from the car to the check point with as little effort as possible. It will otherwise get tiring and tedious very quickly. Before Paul leaves a checkpoint, I will tell him how far it is to the next checkpoint and ask him if there is anything in particular he wants. This means we can get organised ahead of his arrival and can minimise the time he spends at the checkpoint. 

Nutrition - An experienced runner will know how much they need to eat and how often. On average you're looking at roughly 300 kcal per hour of running, it's important calories are consumed from early on in the race. As crew, it is your responsibility to keep tabs on just what your runner is eating and whether it is adequate. It's inevitable at some point in a long race I will have to force Paul to eat something even though he isn't hungry or doesn't feel much like it. Essentially ultra-running is a food eating contest! In the crew bag I try and keep a varied selection of food (of which is a personal choice), powders (energy, electrolyte and protein) and snacks both savoury and sweet. At night and the early hours of the morning, hot food can work wonders and really lift the spirits of your runner, I always bring a camping stove for heating up food or making hot drinks. I will also pick up surprises on route which Paul is not expecting like a egg and cheese breakfast muffin to give him a boost. Sometimes these are appreciated, other times you'd think I was trying to poison him!

Eat! Force feeding at check points

One handy tip is to carry a pack of peppermints, they can be really good for settling dodgy tummy's or for when your runner cannot stomach food. I have also heard ginger beer works well. You may also wish to carry some extra provisions in case you meet other runners in need, especially those who are unsupported during races.

Crew kit - There are a few items I have found to be really useful additions to the crew kit which have made life a lot easier when out on the road:

• Portable camping stool - lightweight and small, great for while you patiently wait.
• Thermoelectric cool box - ordinary cool boxes and ice packs don't last on multi-day events.
• Power bank - essential for keeping all the tech charged.
• Plenty of warm clothes - even in summer it's pretty cold in the middle of the night!
• Decent shoes - not all check points are easily accessible and may require some walking. 
• Gas stove - who doesn't love a hot cup of coffee/tea?
• Head torch/lamp - makes seeing what you're doing in the dark much easier!
• Baby wipes - great for cleaning up your runner (and you) as well as mess and spills.
• Thermos flask - boil water when you have the time and store it for later.

Car park kitchen

General admin - Sounds obvious but be organised and don't just try to turn up and wing it. Know what the plan is, where you have go and when you have to be there. Make sure your crew vehicle is prepared too, tyre pressures, fluids and fuel. The last thing you want to be doing is hunting for a petrol station whilst on empty when you should be on the way to meet your runner. One thing that is useful especially if you are crewing in shifts is an info sheet containing phone numbers (runner, other crew members, race HQ etc) and notes, also a list of check points with postcodes, include some additional columns to record the time the runner arrived at the checkpoint, when they left and estimated time to reach the next checkpoint. This really helps judge timings especially when tired and things become a blur! I have been known in the night to drive in a circle only to arrive back at an earlier check point as I had misread the list!

Aim to arrive at the next checkpoint as early as possible. Last year Paul's GUCR night crew followed sat nav to a checkpoint only to find that the road was closed. They could see where the pub car park they needed to get to but had to drive a further 15 minutes around diversions to get there which left them in a mad rush. Best to arrive early, get prepared and relax. It's also useful to keep a collection of loose change in the car, whether for parking or grabbing a coffee on the go! If crewing at night it's certainly an advantage to have two of you, that way one can sleep whilst the other keeps watch, it's also nice to have the company. 

Be prepared to adapt plans - Things will not always go to plan and you will sometimes have to think on the fly! Last year Paul developed a taste for tea whilst running, he wanted a cup of tea in one of his water bottles at most check points. His evening crew were in charge and had a slight mishap with the gas stove which put it out of order in the small hours of the morning. Paul was pretty upset about this! Luckily the guys came up with a plan, unable to replace a gas stove at 2am they found a McDonalds and ordered 7 cups of tea which they decanted into the thermos - Paul's race was saved! This year we missed him at the 2nd unofficial checkpoint, luckily he had been able to stock up at a previous official checkpoint and another runners crew had told us we'd missed him which saved us from hanging around needlessly. Things in a race can also change pretty quickly, weather, the mood of your runner etc. 

Managing temperature changes - It's a pretty good idea to pack kit/clothing for all eventualities regardless of what the forecast says. Temperature can change pretty rapidly especially as night falls.

Hot
In hot sunny weather your runner will be sweating a fair amount. Kit changes may be required to help with freshening up. It's also worth changing kit just before the sun goes down, sweaty kit and cooler conditions can lead to feeling a chill. A water spray bottle (the sort you get for household plants) is handy for cooling/refreshing your runner in hot weather conditions. Ice is also a good addition, whilst not probably practical to be carrying around ice cubes, I keep a few small instant ice packs in the kit bag. Electrolytes are also lost in sweat, during ultra-marathons your runner will be sweating for some time. I often monitor hydration (make sure liquid is being drunk) but also ask when the last time my runner had a pee. Electrolytes can be replaced by eating salty foods but I also look to electrolyte tablets and drinks which have electrolyte content. A lack of electrolytes (due to sweating) can lead to muscle cramps and stomach issues.

Cold
It's all about layers and lots of them! Hats and gloves should also be packed in the kit regardless of the time of year. At night, temperatures drop and your runner may be moving slower, a hat is especially useful in preventing heat loss from the head. Hot food and drink can also help your runner deal with the cold. If your runner is stopping at night (or in cold conditions) to take on some food, think about having some spare clothing they can wear to stay warm whilst they are not moving. A Dryrobe is brilliant for this and can also be used by the crew whilst waiting at checkpoints.

Dryrobes are an excellent addition to the kit bag 

Wet

Getting a soaking isn't ideal. It's a requirement for most ultra-marathons to carry a rain jacket as part of the minimum kit. If the conditions are wet make sure socks and trainers as well as other items of clothing are changed before blisters and chaffing occur as a result. You can get blister prevention powder to put in socks as well as handy sachets of anti-chaff wipes.

Tough love - Chances are you like your runner, perhaps even care about them, why else would you offer to give up your time and chase them around to pander to their every need? This is what makes this next point really difficult. I learnt this on day 2 of a 75 mile race. I met Paul at the final check point 8 miles from the finish. When he did eventually turn up he was broken and was having a real low. He'd just covered 13 miles of the most desolate coast path in England (fact). He'd not seen or spoken to anyone in over 2 hours and had run out of food and water and was feeling cooked by the sun. He vented, tried to lean against a wall and slipped and fell on his back side then sobbed a bit. Any caring wife would tell him it's OK, give him a hug and offer to go and get the car so the suffering would stop and go home. I was tempted to offer him this route out as naturally I was concerned for his well-being. Luckily his coach Lindley Chambers was also there. After a chat to Paul, it was clear that he was just suffering mentally and physically as you'd expect 68 miles in. We shoved a bit of food in his face to help with the low blood sugar and topped up his water, then pointed him in the direction of the finish and to quote the motivational words of Coach Chambers "suck it up buttercup" and off he went. It seemed a bit harsh at the time but it was completely necessary. There was nothing medically wrong with him, apart from blisters and aches and he wasn't injured, just fatigued as you'd expect (no one said it'd be easy and it wouldn't hurt). A day or so later I asked Paul if I offered him the option of quitting and jumping in the car would he have taken it, at the time he said he would have. Seems bonkers, with just 8 miles left to go could you imagine how regretful he would have been had he taken the easy option at the time. Sometimes, you have got to be tough even when you feel their suffering.

Our team mantra:
"Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must. Just never give up". Dean Karnazes

Your runner is likely to experience some highs and lows of emotions throughout the event, this is perfectly normal. Sometimes runners say things which they don't mean, especially when tired, hungry, hurting, physically and mentally drained! If your runner gets a bit snappy be kind and keep your cool, the likelihood is they're feeling more tired/grumpy than you!

Crewing for an ultra-runner is hard work and at times can feel like a lot of responsibility. Your job is to do all that you can so that your runner can just focus on the task in hand and keep moving. The pride you feel seeing your runner cross the finish line makes it all worthwhile. It is both an epic and unique experience which allows you to feel like you're also part of the event.

When you are crew and the wife your duties do not end at the finish line! After driving your runner home (because they'll be in little state to do this themselves) there's the post-ultra aftermath of emptying the car, washing minging kit (before it walks away on its own), undressing/dressing your runner (hubby can't pull up his own pants after running 100 miles), fetching endless supplies of food and drink, not to mention playing physiotherapist and medic! Oh and don't be surprised to hear the words "I'm never running another ultra again" only for the planning for the next one to begin only a couple of days later!

Post ultra aftercare 

Hawaii 5-0 - A Hawaiian Trail Running Adventure and a Half Marathon

When my Sister told me that she was thinking of getting married in Hawaii, I didn't need to think before answering her invite! I was lucky enough to visit Hawaii 5 years ago for my 30th birthday and it's a place I would loved to have returned to but always assumed we'd never go back because it's a bloody long way and costs a fortune. As coincidence would have it I would be there again for my birthday! Having some knowledge of the island from our previous visit, we set to looking at what we could do during our 2 week stay. As if by fate we discovered the Hapalua Half Marathon on the 8th April - my birthday! At $115 each it has to be the most expensive race I have entered, however for the novelty of entering our first international race it was worth every cent.

Determined to give myself the best possible chance of a pleasant race, I embarked on a training plan at the beginning of January. For the first time in a long time I actually followed the plan, missing only a handful of runs due to either illness, unfavourable weather or other commitments. No surprise, the usual injury niggles were there like familiar running buddies, however with a bit of RockTape and self-management I didn't let them disrupt me too much.

I felt pretty confident ahead of the half marathon. My half marathon PB stands at 1:57:48 and was set back in 2013, however with the uncertainty of how I'd handle the heat I didn't want to get excited thinking I could break it. I had to chuckle to myself when my training plan went into 'race simulation' phase, suggesting I should do my long run wearing the kit I was planning to wear on race day. I had in fact treated myself to a new pair of shorts and a vest for the race, it also happened to be on a weekend when we had a fresh covering of snow! It was at that point I realised there was no point pinning any expectations on my race performance and I should just go and enjoy the experience.

The last long run

The Flitch Way

When out in Hawaii, we met up with Julie who runs the Oahu Trail Run Club. Paul had been speaking with Julie ahead of our trip so we could meet the group and go on a few runs whilst visiting. After a couple of days acclimatising (it took 30 hours travel time to get to Oahu!) Julie kindly came and picked us up for a run. We drove a short while inland to the Makiki Arboretum Trail. As we began walking up to the start of the trail Julie casually mentions that this is where the HURT 100 (100 mile endurance race organised by the Hawaiian Ultra Running Team) is staged and that we would be running on part of the course. Paul and I were well aware of the race prior to our trip, we'd seen the race video trailer on the HURT 100 website (check it out, it's gnarly). The 100 miles is run over 5 laps in semi-tropical rain forest and covers 24,000 ft of elevation. Being in the rain forest there are a lot of tree roots, rocks, mud, exposed ridges, narrow trails and several streams to cross. It's an extremely technical trail. Being conscious of trying to pack light I had only bought the shoes I'd be running the half marathon in, these are road shoes - idiot.

The view from the trail

It was a sunny day and around 27-28 degrees celcius. When we arrived at the parking lot, I noticed a freshness in the air compared to in Waikiki. This was short lived, the sweat was rolling off once we started moving! We started the run and seemed to be climbing uphill, that was the theme for quite sometime, occasionally running and breaking to step up rocky terrain where it was too steep. I felt bad for Julie who is an accomplished ultra runner patiently waiting for us as we trailed behind struggling to keep up. Being British, we made our apologies for a lack of hill conditioning - Essex is pretty flat to be fair. It wasn't helped by the presence of vog (volcanic fog), that's not a typo! Vog can contribute to shortness of breath, coughing, sore throat and headaches, it made sense as we were blowing out of our backsides on the run and largely put it down to our travel hangover. Eventually the course allowed a short break from the elevation and levelled out for a short while. It was on one of the 'flats' that I stupidly rolled my ankle, on either a tree root or rock. Fortunately it seemed to spring back, however from the instant pain I could tell that I'd done some ligament damage. I was able to continue running, taking each step with trepidation, conscious that I wasn't really somewhere accessible and I didn't want to get stuck needing assistance. Trail shoes would have been preferable especially on some of the stream crossings where it was a little slippery on rocks although I don't think they would have prevented the ankle roll. We covered just under 8 km in 57 minutes which is a testament to how challenging the run was! Massive credit to those who grind out the 100 miles on that course!

Walking another hill!

Scrambling my way down

The Sunday before the half marathon I managed to squeeze in one final run with the Oahu Trail Run Club on some trails around Waimanalo. We started out on road running through a quiet neighbourhood as we headed out to pick up the trail. I was totally in awe of the scenery, all around you could see rocky mountain ridges carved out by nature. In the days preceding there had been quite a bit of rain, this made the trail was really boggy in places. Again regretful of not bringing any trail shoes I had to make do with my Brooks Ghost and hope they kept me upright. This trail had less elevation which meant I was able to continuously run, still taking it a little easy whilst nursing the ankle back to strength. We covered 11 km in total which was perfect as my last run before the half marathon. Our trainers on the other hand were fully covered in mud, thank goodness we were staying in an Airbnb where we had an outdoor sink where we could give them a good clean!

The views on the way to the trail

Mud!

After the run it was suggested that we check out Dave's ice cream, we didn't need telling twice. Keeping it local, Paul opted for ube flavour which is purple yam! Whilst sounding a little strange, it did actually work. My choice was macadamia nut, I was trying to get my fix of mac nut as much as possible as they're hard to come by in the UK.  After the ice cream Julie asked if we fancied going for a swim at Lanikai beach. I felt a million miles away from my run at home the previous Sunday battling through the wind and snow with a coffee and hot bath as my post run reward! We're really grateful to Julie and the Oahu Trail Run Club for welcoming us like ohana (family) and showing us some beautiful places that we wouldn't have known existed. Experiences like this are what truly make a holiday memorable!

This is not Dave's ice cream, it's Paul's!

With a week to go before the half marathon the ankle fortunately healed well and the swelling settled. With the focus being on my Sister's wedding I didn't have time for surfing/hiking/running/mischief so rested well. Once the wedding was over our holiday properly began, I hired a surfboard for the remainder of our stay and surfed everyday! In the crowded line-up of Waikiki Beach I managed to avoid potentially dangerous collisions with other surfers. I am however a hazard to myself and managed to catch my calf on the fin of my surfboard. Anyone who knows surfboards will know just how lethal fins can be. This encounter left me with a pretty epic bruise and an indentation in the muscle. Luckily this didn't seem to cause any problems and my calf, although painful it felt OK to run on.

Race day arrived, we had to be up pretty early as the race started at 6 am. I necked a bowl of cereal and walked to the start line. Whilst everyone in their hotels slept, 7000+ runners gathered along the iconic Waikiki beach front. I was quite excited to see how the race differed to any half marathon I had done back home. In fairness it wasn't a whole lot different, there were still queues for the portaloos! It felt strange that it was still dark as we waited for the start of the race. The chatter of the crowd fell silent as a young singer belted out the American National Anthem - this was a novel experience as I don't recall singing God Save the Queen at any half marathon I have ever done! With the formalities done the race started and we filtered our way through to the start line.

At the start line

The Hapalua Half Marathon does not have a cut off time, this means it attracts runners of all abilities as well as walkers. This is my only criticism of the race, there was no organisation of the field, this meant I spent the first 5-7 km of the race weaving around walkers (some of which were having chats with family via FaceTime - I kid you not!) and slower runners. This didn't kill my pace as much as I expected it would, however it did mean I clocked up an additional 0.7 km over the race distance which confused my pacing towards the end of the race. The race is an out and back along the closed streets of Honolulu with the final 6 km running around the outside of the Diamond Head State Monument. I began to understand why the entrance fee for the race was so extortionate as every intersection was manned by police officers and a what appeared to be the local motorcycle club.

The first 15 km of the race felt good. My pace wasn't far off my target of 5:30/km, with some fluctuation due to crowds or water stops. Once I headed back in towards Waikiki I started to feel the heat and it became a struggle to maintain my pace. Almost ready to walk I spotted my Mum who had headed out shortly before the start to watch the race. This kept me going and boosted me knowing that there was just 6 km until the finish. It had been an almost completely flat run to this point, then the race threw a huge curve ball. We hit the first hill which lasted 2 km! I did my best to run up as much of that hill as I could, then my legs naturally slowed to a walk. I needed to catch my breath and regulate my body temperature as I could feel the heat and humidity starting to take its toll. I walked for a bit then spotted a water stop, I think I also got a handful of jelly beans from somewhere but I have to admit everything had become a bit of a blur. The Lululemon store were out in support with high-fives and motivational signs which read "Run now, beer later", "Your badass-ness is showing" and "Your legs hurt because you're kicking ass-phalt". Their support really embodied the aloha spirit which is something I came to love about Hawaii. Feeling rejuvenated I kicked on and started to run again knowing that I didn't have much further and needed to get the job done.

A nice little section of downhill followed which was a welcome break but no sooner were we running up hill again. This did me in, I was hot, tired and feeling a bit funky at this point. Although a little overcast, the temperature was 27 degrees celcius. I'd not trained for the heat, all of my training had been done over the course of what felt like the longest and coldest winter ever! At this point I could see that any hopes of a PB had gone, this didn't bother me in the slightest. I looked over to my left and could see over the cliff edge the ocean, hey I was in Hawaii running a half marathon on my birthday, that's pretty cool, right?! Then I could hear music, the beating of drums - an awesome group of Japanese kodo drummers were playing, I looked at my watch which suggested the finish was close, my pace picked up again. Unfortunately I mistimed my sprint finish as I was of course out by 0.7 km. I knew I was going to be over the 2 hour mark so just put one foot in front of the other until I saw the finish line. I spotted Paul (he'd already finished) and my Mum cheering at the side of the road and then as I approached the finish line heard the announcer call my name. I crossed the finish line in 2:02:57 and was handed the prettiest medal in my collection yet!

Captured by Paul just before crossing the finish

Finishers medal and t-shirt

I rejoined Mum and Paul and queued for my post race goodies of shaved ice and fresh pineapple juice which we're both welcome and extremely refreshing. I could have had a malasada (donut) but I didn't want to spoil my second breakfast! After a couple of victory photo's we headed back to our apartment for a shower and to get ready for the rest of the day. 

Shaved ice and epic medal

1st Brits home!

Little did I know at the time of finishing the race that Paul was the first British athlete home and I was the first female. I know what you're thinking and no, we were not the only ones! Turns out there were 6 of us who were representing!

I ended up having the BEST birthday spent with my family doing all my favourite things. After the run we headed out for second breakfast. I sat outside eating my Banan bowl (more about this in a bit) gazing at Monserat Avenue which is the scene of that first hill that tried to sabotage my race. I was reflecting on the race and how I felt, whilst of course it would have been nice to have gotten a new PB it didn't matter at all as I had run for the enjoyment of it, even the elite runners were 4 minutes off their PB times that day. I also finished the race with a smile on my face and didn't trash myself which can only be a good thing. After a suitable refuel we headed to the beach and I surfed the rest of the day away whilst the family relaxed on the beach. That evening we went to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel for their famous Mai Tai cocktail before heading out to dinner. We were lucky enough to gate crash some kind of conference and got some free evening entertainment courtesy of a Korean boy band and fire dancers as we drank our cocktails. I didn't want anything fancy for dinner so suggested we headed to a sports bar which had a good vegetarian selection and a lot of beer from all over the world (although I stuck to beer from the Hawaiian islands). As birthday's go it was pretty epic, it's going to hard to top!

Re-hydration solution

Birthday deep fried cheese curds

I just wanted to give a quick nod to some notable food outlets from our visit to Oahu as after all this blog is about food too!

Banan
Dairy-free soft whip made from bananas served in a bowl stuffed with fruit and other goodies such as puffed quinoa. All sourced locally working in partnership with local farms. We also found their Waikiki beach shack and became addicted to their smoothies. They were great post surf!

Birthday 2nd breakfast

I could eat this every day!

Post surf protein smoothie

What it Dough
Vegan artisan pizza, possibly the best pizza I have tasted! The toppings were always interesting and a breath of fresh air compared to the usual veggie offerings. Their homemade seitan was pretty epic. If pizza this good was available at home I would be vegan. I tried veganism once before but pizza broke me.

Ruffage Natural Foods
Getting a wholesome lunch was sometimes a problem when in Waikiki. However, we discovered Ruffage on our previous trip and they do proper sandwiches with great fillings. Our personal favourite was the sunflower special: cheese, alfalfa sprouts, mayo and sunflower seeds.

Hawaii was awesome and I could have happily stayed for the people, trails and the food. Sadly just as we were settling in to life in Hawaii it was time to come home. Once home the jet-lag was pretty horrific, however I put waking up at 5 am and the lighter mornings to good use and went out for a few runs to tick over until I start my next block of training began. Next up the Braintree 5 and Hatfield Broad Oak 10k...