Looming in the distance are dark clouds onto the South Downs way but in my head this time, there is no doubt, this is “only” a training run to help me with the Barcelona Ultra Trail, so I just need to do as much as I can until I think my training is done. There is no crazy sub hours pace to follow or a early bus to catch. This time we will run to make it for the 9 pm bus, and Mick says we can run it easy for a 9 hours finish. All seems to be quite manageable so why not?
So I do everything I've learnt from last year from breakfast: eggs, bacon, broccoli and avocado washed down with a cinnamon cocoa coffee to a clif shot 15 min before the start
With that in mind and Mick on my side, we start the SDW race at a slow pace and because it rained the day before, we are a bit like balls in bobsledder track trying to maintain balance while not running over each other. It is a bit exhausting so we give up passing other runners and wait to be in a bigger clearing to get into a comfortable pace. But to do 9 hours finish Mick tells me we need to run an average of 6.30min/kilometres and I don’t know how a 6.30 min feels like in a long run, so I just nod and follow him
Reaching the clearing it is time for serious running with a clear strategy: run the flat, downs and shallow hills, walk the stepper ones. It works for the first 27 miles and after passing CP4 (last year drop out) I get tired and start to have some cramps... I haven't had cramps for the last 3 years... I forgot how it feels and that makes me moody! I need to slow down I know it but it's so hard I really want to run with Mick. He makes it look so easy and is looking at his watch ...aiaia getting paranoid I ask him how bad it is. It's quite bad the average is off...so I try to accelerate but the cramps are quite violent...I'm pressuring myself in running with Mick...not such a great idea we decide and just before CP5 after much debating that he is going to drop me. Mick goes off to complete it in 8hours33 while I plot along managing the cramps and decide I need to finish this as I'm not doing it again!Arriving at Alfriston I gorge myself of tea and fruits as I found it eases the cramps. Knowing there is a lemon drizzle to die for at the last CP I find some motivation to go a bit faster but aware I'm no longer following the initial pace and finally finish in 9hours18 min! Which surprises me quite a bit and gets me hyper because we can catch the 6:30 pm bus and go home earlier then predicted!
I'm so glad I did it thou as I got to see so many familiar faces and new ones! What a great community is the ultra running one :) but what a training day! I never ran that much in my life and I'm glad I've completed it! I'm no keen on this running strategy and rather want the run the downs walk the rest haha so I really hope Barcelona Ultra Trail will have less running involve! For sure I'm a mountain runner...
