Trail of Herts: When a 55 miler turns to a 60

Trail of Herts: a 55 mile trail race from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, heading down to London via The Chilterns Way, Hertfordshire Way, Chain Walk, canal and riverside paths and where sticking to someone who knows how to read maps is the answer to finishing this race.

It's 8:20 am in Berkhamsted cricket club, Cliff King, the race director is giving the inaugural security briefing of the first edition of Trail of Herts. In front of him are about 40 trail runners anxious to hit the trail. For some it will be their first ultra, for others it will be an add-on to an already long list of ultra running accomplishments. For us, what should have been a "training" run to prepare for the Endurance Trail, 103km at the end of October and our first 55 miles will become a "survival" run where "stalking" someone (like Mick likes to call it) will be the key to see the finish line.

8:33 am, the race starts with a flat warm up section before giving us the first taste of the Chilterns Hill, there are very happy marshals guiding us through the trail and road crossing. We hit our second hill, we are quite far back and there are not many people around. In front of us is Glyn and Anna, Glyn is this cool dude with a lion crown who ran the Grand Canal Union and some other crazy races, and with Anna, they run marathons pretty much every weekend! This thou, will only be revealed after 2 long miles where 10 of us got lost twice before reaching the first checkpoint and when 5 of us decided instinctively to stick together and count on Glyn to guide us through the rest of the race with his map skills and with Anna spotting these damn markers with her eagle eyes.

 After checkpoint 1 and our not so fun lost experience, we are already having trouble finding the next path, this moment feels hostile and quite stressful for me, while Mick is so chill! We've only been on the run for 10ish miles (should have been 9) and I have a feeling that this challenge will last for God knows how long...note to myself: funny how being lost and counting on others gets me out of my comfort zone. We finally find the trail and carry somewhat steady until a junction, we all stop, not sure where to go as what's in front doesn't look like what's on the map.The worry creeps in, one wrong turn can lead you 4 miles away from the original path (which is what the lead group ended up doing).


Glyn and MapMan discussed of the road, while I find myself in a vicious spiral of negativity, this uncertainty added to the pains I'm getting all over my left leg is the right cocktail for a DNF!   I'm not feeling it at all, I need a distraction but there are no hills or rocks to play with,and we keep running and braking...you get to pass under very nice big old bridges thou, this distracts me for a while, that and Anna's conversation :)


After a while, I can't control myself any more. I need to say something but I don't want to let anyone know how maybe they feel too. So I look at Mick and he sees it, he could feel something was wrong as I was limping and making faces, but had no idea of how bad it was in my head. He listens to my pain, ignores my moody comments and tell me all of these nice things, to which my mind answers by running to the next 10 miles with better...attitude! 35 miles to go.

We are now on our way to Hoddeston, the trail is following the Chain Walk and passes on the border of Hertford, it's a mixture of typical English country side (large fields) and small forests.  We passed the half way mark of the race but still looking at the map and searching for markers. It becomes a game which Anna wins with her eagle eyes. MapMan is very good at reassuring Glyn that we are on the right track. It's a nice feeling, we feel very comfortable in the little group but wonder how others are doing hoping they are not alone. We are now in Box Wood which according to the map is close to checkpoint 4, but we are still running searching for it. Anna and I agree that this was the longest 7 miles of the race at this point! When we reach it, the volunteers are ever so welcoming with warm smile and with so much attention that it lifted the mood of everyone.
I need to pee thou! it's hard to stop for it when you are in a group and when Mick keeps telling you to keep up because who knows how we could find our own way around this route...So instead of just do my business, I know have to wait till each checkpoint, let the group there while I find a nice tree or bush, do my business and be joined back on time.How fun is that ladies heh?

We leave the checkpoint and follow the river trail to Enfield. The back pain has moved to my left foot and knee. For some reason, it's easier to run than walk, which...doesn't really help when the plan was to do 25 min running, 5 minutes walk strategy. The river path is nice, full of willow trees and so quiet and I attempt to distract myself from the little voice like Mick told me to. I'm so focused on this that I don't realise the group is splitting. Glyn and Anna stopped and tell us to carry on, they will catch up. I hope so, Anna and I had decided to finish together as we were the first 2 ladies. Funny enough, we had argued who would cross the line first, 15 miles in the race. I was convinced that she would be first, as I was debating if I was ever going to finish this not so fun training run..... I check up on Mick. He doesn't say much about his pain, but I know his feet are hurting, his knee has been bothering him for the last month. Everyone looks like they having some internal debate with themselves too. Mick tells me it's part of the deal, the longer you run, the more you get to challenge yourself both mentally and physically, welcome to the ultra world....Ick...it's not very welcoming then is it?

 ...We reach checkpoint 5 where nice chocolate cookies and cool doggies along with cheerful volunteers shows me that this is also part of the ultra world and it is actually worth the pain. I wait till I see Anna and Glyn and hear myself telling Mick to rally me,  the cookies must have hit a spot because I can actually carrying on...as long as I'm running. Mick, Anna and Glyn catch me up to follow the river which leads to the Grand Union Canal. After 2 miles in, I realised I've been wanting to pee for a while but the river path even thou is nice to run on, has bikes and people so...how do you pee?..where where where....Can't believe not finding a spot to pee can be such a "traumatic" experience. I feel bad, super bad, I want to go home and it feels so far away...
We find a small bush along the canal, and I gain my sanity again. Anna and Glyn are quite far, I'm happy to see her go, she will finish strong. With my sanity back on track, we attempt to have a discussion about the places we just ran and naturally slow down to a walk... my groin hurts,slowing down is making it worst. I hear myself moaning again, Mick whispers encouragements and stick to my side, never letting me go lower in my vicious cycle. He tells me to just run and not worry about the strategy or his own feet. He is so understanding but find it crazy that the only way for me to feel better is to run and not walk...so twisted!  I keep repeating to myself, it's only 16 miles away, just 16 miles so much so that we rally Anna and Glyn. A bike is coming towards us...I can't slow down so I pass them quickly. Something clicks in my head, I'm now on some sort of survival mode, I'm going faster, a part of me has enough and just want to go home, and this part has overcome everything else. 13 Miles to go

Mick catches me up, telling me to slow down, I try but it's stronger than me, we soon reach checkpoint 6, I barely speak, I need to go, I just need to go, I tell Mick to rally. As soon as he is at my side, I speed up, I have no clue where this is going and when I'm going to crash and he is worried that I won't last to and ask me slow down. I'm getting frustrated again because the canal path is not straight forward and I need to stop and look at the map, arrh everytime we stop it hurts me so bad...the canal is bigger, the environment more residential and industrial, we reach Hackney Marsh but we are looking for Hackney Wick. Note to myself: really need to Reece the route before a race!
I'm praying that we are on the right trail as there is no marker, we carry on running when I turn around and see no one behind. Anna is out of sight,...what have I done? 7 miles to go

Last check point, the guy says it's only 5 miles away, just go up the bridge and carry on straight...ya right, if it was that easy heh? We stop again to check the map and ask a cyclist the way...home...we follow his recommendation and just run, as fast as possible  in these conditions. Thoughts of that guy who physically crash 300 yards before the finish line in this legendary American race creep in.  I look back, hoping to see Anna, Mick tells me I'm first woman, and to just slow down that we are ok. He hasn’t get it thou, I don't care about the place in the race, I just want to go home...suddenly we see two runners in front of us, it's number 9 and 10 spots, they are running but we are flying past, where is the finish line? I get a call from Cliff wondering where I am...I'm also wondering where we are and why we are not there yet...when suddenly...out of nowhere...the end of the trail. Finally! Home is almost there....ah it's over.

In a blur, I thanked Cliff for organising the race and the marshals and just sat there. I can't believe I won...where is Anna? I so wanted to be here with her and share the joy. So much so that even thou we want to go home, we stay until they arrive, because I know that without them, we would not be here right now,... probably still lost between checkpoint 3 and 4 or else.

What a day! 12 hours, 60 miles of England sights discovery with it's country side, canals and rivers paths. 12 hours of a gruelling one to one with a body and a mind that have a "mind" of their own. 60 miles of counting on others to lead the way. What a race! what should have been a training run finished in a competition with oneself. what could have been a DNF ended up in winning a trophy. How more swirly can I be?

Trail Etendard: fuel over mind

It’s 6 am on Sunday 25/08/2013, at the edge of the canal, 45 pairs of legs are waiting, eager to stumble upon this first edition of Trail de l'Etendard: a 63 Km trail race joining Bourg d'Oisans to Saint Sorlin d'Arves in France.

The night before the small village had been drenched down and we had all wondered if today was going to be the same...but little time is left to debate. Laid in front is a flat road section offered to us as a warm-up by the river Romanche. All we can see is the dancing headlights and all we can hear is the sound of the water and chatter from runners around us. Warm-up is over as soon as we reach the forest path; in front of us is the first 1000m climb to Villard Reculars, sleepy village nested below the famous ski resort village of Alpes d'Huez.

This is a tough 5 km climb as there is already a significant gap in between runners, no one dare talking, we are sleepy zombies climbing up that mountain searching for the first rays of sun. My sleepy head is not registering anything and I feel like a turtle moving up so ever slowly that I wonder if I'm last!
The climb is never ending, no rest allowed unless you decide to hang around the first CP. No one really does thou, we all want to reach the summit as we know the 12 lakes are eagerly waiting to play. Second CP on the border of Alpes d’Huez, village is still asleep but the volunteers are trying their best to cheer anyone looking gloomy. Again,I don’t stop; I want to carry on as there is another 1000m of ascent to reach the Col Blanc CP. I haven't eaten anything for the last 2 hours, but I don't realise it until...I’m struggling to run on these darn shallow ascents made of road and tiny fields. Looking up,  I wonder where Mick is, I wanted to race with him as this is my "A" race and wanted to do a good time. Feels and looks like, I’ve made a mistake with my fuel and the motor is just not going strong…To distract me from my poor performance I decide to take pictures :) as usual in these moments I forget that this should be a race and just breathe in the grandeur of the mountain.

I finally reach the Col Blanc CP, the volunteers are so cheery but are looking at me a bit concerned…I’m not looking great, a volunteer who saw me at the first CP wonders if I’m going to make it . In my right hand one volunteer forces a cup of tea with sugar and fizzy water, in the other hand a sweet lady put a piece of Pain d’Epice, a piece of butter cake and waits for me to eat, telling me that I won’t be going anywhere unless I put this in my motor! I dutifully start eating, scared that I won’t be allowed to carry on. As soon as I finished with the tea, I’m handed a glass of cola. It all looks strange to be taken care of by unfamiliar faces, but heh, at this point I know my chances of doing great have dissipated so why not?  I finish the two pieces of cake on top of the two drinks, ask if I’m allright to go, get a tap in a back and there I go, hoping to the lakes.

At this point, we are less than half way from the finish.The path is made of different types of rocks, big ones, tiny ones, shiny ones, by then the sun is up, kissing my face and making the lakes shine so softly. I hear a voice, so I decide to follow while searching for the tiny flags put to guide us in between these rocks. But the voice is now behind me, shoot! Did I get it wrong? No here’s another small flag and the descent to the GrandMaison Barrage. The voice had it wrong and looks moody. I attempted to cheer the voice up while trying hard to slalom between rocks and high grass. We reach Col du Couard and a massive torrent. The path is now made just of high grass and funny looking floor leafs.The voice and I missed the flag leading to an “easy” passage of the torrent so we end up finding our own pass. It is quite exhilarating to be in the middle of a torrent, hoping not to fall and toboggan slide the rest of the way while trying to reassure the voice! The voice belongs to a 64 years old kind gentleman,  after we cross one, we both struggled to pass the other massive torrent and our butts are now all wet, but heh! It’s refreshing and feels so good on the legs and at least...we didn't toboggan slide!
We reach the “dangerous” passage leading to the Barrage, it is made of sliddy rocks and dirt. On one side you have your shoulders brushing the cliff, on the other side, your feets are struggling to not go down this "nice" deep slid ( I didn't take a picture, in case you suffer from vertigo!)  We decide to walk it and stay together until one of us has enough and run. It’s nice to have a bit of company. He tells me to eat, so I obediently do so as I realise that I am actually feeling better since the “forced gluttony” of LacBlanc PC.We talk about my island, about trail and soon enough we reach the road leading to the Col de la Croix de Fer. The road is a shallow ascent which everyone seemed to be walking it. Stubborn as I am, I ran it until I couldn't anymore and decided to hop/walk until the CP, leaving the gentleman behind. There I find out that we are now more than half way, 43 Km and there is only 20 kms to go. Some grumpy runners moan about it and so in an attempt to cheer them up I decide to sing a kiddy french song about kilometres, which makes everyone laugh and give me the opportunity to get ahead of them hihi! I run the piste until I see this massive ascent, its HUGE! I can’t even see the end of it! My my! I look back looking for the grumpy runners 1 &2 wondering if they feel the same, I see their face and give them a big encouraging smile and start the long ascent to Glacier de l’Etendard. The path looks like a big rock which had his heart  broken into pieces and laid there. I can feel the pain but the smiles of tourists and encouraging comments they give makes me want to just carry on. So I pass the refuge de l’Etendard after eating some nice “chouquettes” from there, and begin another dreadful shallow ascent to the Glacier. At this point, I'm running with Benoit, a cool dude from Belgium but living in Mick's hometown. From there, we can see on the other side of the lake (le Lac Blanc) other runners going towards Saint Sorlin.
It makes me think that we are almost done and so I start running thinking that soon after we reach the end of the lake, we are going to the finish line. But I'm sooooo wrong! I should have really study the profile because not only we reach the end of the lake, and there is no turning point, but we are climbing towards a glacier! This affect my poor mind, and at this point, I just don't want to run anymore!Benoit tells me to eat, that he had noticed that I haven't had any proper fuel since the HUGE ascent, so I eat half of my Cliff Bar while I let Benoit disappear in the horizon. Where is the darn turning point? By the time I finish eating, I reach a big rock in the middle of nowhere, there is a control point with a dad and kid, they are telling me that this is the turning point and I don't have much left to do. It doesn't make me feel better because we are carrying on going up and I wonder how far do I need to go on before I reach the point where I saw the other ones...why do the mind pay attention to these types of details?! Why do

I care so much about not being where I wanted to be?! I pass a cute couple and asked them if they are going to Saint Sorlin, they laugh and say that's too far away for them to consider...I smile and think, it can't be, I only had 20 kilometres to go...10 kilometres ago...right? But the energy of the bar start to kick in and because I'm not sure of where I am on this trail, I start to run and reach a pretty cool snowy path, so I do the "Mont Blanc slide"( butt slide) and feel much better. The path is now the one I had seen when I was on the other side of the lake, it's a one track going up towards l'Aiguille Rouge. I can feel the downhill to Saint Sorlin coming up, so I run towards it, passing more tourists puzzled to see me and telling me I'm the first lady. Hahaha! no I say, I'm the last one with a big smile of my face. Who cares right? the scenery is so nice and the people so great, why should we care which place we finish? So I go down on the ski slope, killing my knees with wishing-my jumps-were-gracious thoughts but knowing that I must look like an elephant trying to ballet dance. I reach another control point, the man tells me that I have 1.5 km of piste left and then I'll reach the field path to the finish line. I'm relieved, I'm almost there. I do the 1.5 km very quickly as there is nothing to see, and reach the field path  but wait! what's this?...too late, in front of me was an electrical wire for the cows, but I didn't see it and tangled myself till it broke and have my face laid flat on the ground (no cow poo) !!! Ooops sorry farmer! I get up, brush off the dirt and blood and wonder how the other runners managed to see this thing! At least the people after me won't have to worry about it! right? So I carry on the downhill, the path changes from field, to road, to forest trail, to field again in the space of 4 kilometres, it's amazing! I can't believe my eyes, my feet can't have enough of it, I want more. It's funny how knowing you are on the end of the line make running easier and your spirit high, 2 small kids start running with me to the end of a road and I'm feeling grateful to be living a moment like that. I reach another downhill cowfield wondering where is the finish line when it suddently turn and there it is: the finish line with everyone looking and the microphone blaring my name. I feel like a superstar ;) and I thank everyone for cheering up so loud. I can't believe it, 11:20 and some seconds ago I was a zombie searching for sunlight, I now feel like a soldier at the end of the battle cheering for every moment of the way. 
Writing the panic button entry had made me reflect on mind over body. Writing this one made me realise, that fuel plays such an important part and in this equation of mind over body that I'm really grateful to have had all of the volunteers and other runners around me to tell me to eat as without them, I would still be a zombie stuck in one of the CPs!
11hours 40 mins and some seconds, 63km and 4100m of ascent, not bad for a sunday run ;)

The panic button

One week before the "A" race: you know that  race, the one you've prepared for ages, the one you set yourself to give it all. For me, it is the trail de l'Etendard. A 63 km, 4100m of ascent in the beautiful mountains of Savoie, France.

Trail de l'Etendard Route View

But I've hit it. The panic button, the one which makes everything fall apart. I'm sure we've all been there, we pressed it and fell in the black hole of self-doubt.


Why? I should have no reasons for it: I had faced the unknown when running the Mont Blanc back in July, I know what I am about to face. I've carefully prepared myself to make it feel like an "organised" run in the mountains where nothing can faze me.This time, it felt like the expectations set seemed reasonable. Like when you tell yourself: no worries, you've done the race before, or nah, you'll be fine,you've completed the distance, or/and no sweat mate, you've trained hard, put the hours in, change your diet...all and all, it will all work out!

Darn! stupid button!

For ages, everything seemed fine. Training was going according to Mick's plan, experimenting with low carb diet was not as traumatising as I first believed, I had been able to keep that little voice at bay.  But as I sit there looking through the window of the Eurostar, reflecting on the last few weeks effort, this little voice shout outs: for this race you need to run better than ever before. That's it, nothing else, no ugly thoughts telling you that you can't do it, just that : you better run better.
And as the mind impregnates these words,and start looking for reassuring thoughts  only one thought prevails : I'm not ready. I'm one week before the race and I haven't ran once last week, I had painful runs the week before, and next week looks brutal.  Fatality comes crashing down: there is no point, this is never going to work the way others are going to expect it. These expectations are so high, what was I thinking believing it's ok!

 

What felt like an eternity later: Reason started kicking in, asking me if I was going to feel this way every time a race is about to start?! So dramatic! There must be a reset button after you hit the panic one, how and when do you hit reset?

So I decided to try a few things I've read in the past and made fun of (sorry) Breathe:in this short laps of panic, I actually held my breath for so long, that the guy beside me started to panic! So at each deep breath, facts started flowing in: I'm a runner, I love the mountain, I have prepared, it's all going to be fine.
Physical Check up: Then I checked myself up. No pain, legs don't look as I've lost any muscle! I can still go up the stairs without breathing hard, I've walked alot without being tired. And you know what, you don't loose physical fitness because you stop running for a week, even 2 weeks, especially if you are doing other activities such as biking or shopping ( yes shopping ladies!) so there! hum...ok, I feel a bit better
Mental Check Up: As Stuart Mill aka UltraStu says: it's all in your mind! If I take this race as a journey goal where what I want to accomplish is getting to the end, then I just need to complete the race and I'll be ok! It doesn't matter the way I would feel before, during or after the race, if I've decided it's a journey goal then so be it! screw the bigger expectations! Now if I take this journey as a "bad ass journey", then mastering  self doubts is the battle and acknowledging that confidence tempered with humility is what makes the difference between a good finish and a bad one, then so be it!


So...it's now less than a week before the race, if I get lucky I might get to run tomorrow, if not then heh! at least I've looked at the course profile and I've decided that I'll start the race as a bad ass journey and will see if I finish it this way or if I get to finish it as a journey goal. As I am reading others' blogs and finding out about their journey, I can see that we all have one thing is common: We all freak out at one point in our running journey, but it looks like the key is finding our own ways to reset our mind and think that whatever the little voice says, I've signed up for that race, and whatever it takes I'll finish it!

Destinations to run before we die: Reunion Island

Before calling myself a runner I used to have a list of places I wanted to visit before I die.

Since I'm a runner, I now have a list of the places I want to run and race before I die and well, I thought I would share it with you and see if you knew other places I was missing out on. I've split this list in different posts so don't worry it won't be super long and you'll have time to comment :)

Destination 1: My Island

http://www.reunion.fr/en/

OK, it's not mine per se, but it is where I am from ;)

Reunion Island is a volcanic island with a sleeping volcano Le Piton des Neiges, its highest peak (3070m, 10,070 ft), an active volcano La Fournaise and 3 calderas: Cirque de Salazie, Cirque de Mafate and Cirque de Cilaos.



In one go, you start your run in a sugarcane field, meet up giant bamboo trees

St Suzanne Trail

  Go up to a forest type like trail with waterfalls, rivers, and root trees. With temperatures changing like the clouds in the sky.









And finish your day by follow the beach path trail for a rewarding dip in the Indian Ocean Lagoon.

 

 

Races

You have the infamous Diagonal des Fous, a trail race of 162 km and 9643m of ascent, in October, loved by Kilian Jornet, who won it twice!

Diagonale des Fous Profile

If the kilometres are a bit too much, you also have la Cimasalazienne in August a trail run of 53 km with 3700m of  vertical gain, covering the 3 calderas. It's a beautiful route where you will come across some of the best canyons and nature jewels.

View of Mafate Caldera from Salazie Caldera

More: the other Grand Raid de la Reunion, le Raid 974, a 101 km with 4500 m of vertical gain, in July. This route crosses the west side of Reunion, with beautiful views of the Ocean and 2 of the calderas. You have the 53 km shorter option with as much as vertical gain that you could also attempt.

So this island is a concentrate of every thing you could wish for: weather, trails and rewards!

So what do you think?

Best time of the year to go there: March to November as it is the winter. Days are shorter but you get a nice not too hot weather. From November onwards, it's the summertime with loads of rain and hot temperatures
Places to Stay while there: The South West side as it the less raining side
Foods to die for:
Fruits: Ananas Victoria (Victoria Ananas), tiny bananas, goyaviers, letchis, longani,
Meat: sausages from Salazie, boucane from St Suzanne, duck from le Tampon
Meals: Rougaille saucisse, boucane bringelles, vanilla duck, carry tijaques
Deserts: Anything you fancy from the Patisserie
How to get there: You can either take a plane to Mauritus and another to Reunion Island. Or you arrive in Paris, and take a plane to Reunion.
Recommended minimum time to stay: 3 weeks

Glynde to Eastbourne and back: Trailing out on the South Downs Way

It's time, the South Downs Way trail is calling, it's been waiting for us for 2 months, since we attempted to run the South Downs Way to Eastbourne but due to sickness we had to cut it short.

The sun is hiding behind the clouds but the warmth is at the rendez-vous. We are at Glynde Station and are making our way to our first ridge of the South Downs Way.20 miles away Eastbourne sea is waiting. We cross the A47 and soon climbs to join the South Down Way trail.

First Hill of the day

I'm surprised, my mind is blank, I have no apprehension of the heat,... last week's lesson seems to have done me good and the fact that it's not hot yet is helping too. There is no whisper. We cross fields of lamb, cows and wheat. We enjoy the views from both sides of the ridge. I feel like we are on the back of a sleeping dinosaur, going up and down its spine.

From the left side of the dinosaur

You can see Seaford on your right, and infinite fields from your left. The sun is playing up with the clouds  and we are going up and down the ridge until Alfriston. It is a nice cute village with tiny local shops where quietness and birds' song welcome you open arms. There we cross the small bridge and run flat to Litlington, another small village with a nice pub The Plough and Harrow. and when available a CAKE stand!

Hill just after Litlington

Check out the Descent/Ascent to Westdean

7 miles in with not much heat and the wind is sweet. I'm trailing out, my eyes are closed, we just finished climbing another staircase of roots and trees and and I let myself go. My feet caress the groundm I can feel the sun kissing my skin.



I should have kept my eyes open thou...we've missed a turn and I don't recognise the trail. We stop and look for an opening, I'm sure we need to go down.  We are on top of Westdean but where is the trail? I can feel it, we carry on walking until we find an opening and there it is: the descent to Westdean below the tree lines. The descent is marvellous and we have no regrets to not have follow the south downs way for this bit.

Up the staircase to the Park

We go up a deep staircase reach a small wall before descending towards the Seven Sister Country Park. The air is a mixture of sea air and...lamb poop. It's a bit hotter but the wind is chasing the heat, and somehow makes is enjoyable. The whispers are hiding away, it's seems easier to follow Tanya's advice when the sun is hidden behind clouds!





We are now on top of the Seven Sisters'Park. The views are impressive and even thou the path is filled up with tourists, their sound is covered by the sea wind blowing in our ears.

Seven Sisters'Park View

10 miles to go until Eastbourne and the 7 sisters are waiting.
I'm emptying my head of all thoughts of work life, routine and planning the following week. It's a hard thing to do to push it all out. So I am trailing out, the same way people pass out or black out.  I am not forgetting where I am nor do I see the dark, as my heart skips to the trail beat and my steps run the trail flow. None of the cliffs sisters are the same. Your first sister cliff starts with a relaxing flat and shallow descent, no holes, nice grass. Its other face thou, is a tourist playground with happy faces and cute message.

First Sister Cliff

The second sister has a deeper descent, some holes, less grass and its other face doesn't have any tourists drawing. You keep undulating...by the fourth sister, your quads are now feeling it, you pay much more attention to your footing and tummy tucks as the descents become more and more demanding. By the last sister, you are thankful for the wind pushing you up and slowing you down, while refreshing you all along.

It's beautiful, the clouds colour the sea of different shades of blue, the cliffs are not white nor yellow and the choices of trail paths are indefinite. You are now in Burling gap, with its nice National Trust Cafe and parking lot. We decide to stop for a toilet break and a nice Tango. We have time, only 7 miles to go until Eastbourne seaside. We enjoy the views and the company of others, we lock eyes and share a moment of plenitude with the nature around us.

An air of South of France

Belle Tout Lighthouse tucked in between sea trees which are making the trail looking like South of France, is longing for us. We reach the lighthouse and are now making our way to up towards Beachy Head pub. The descent to Eastbourne Sea is close by.
1 mile left before the trail becomes a seaside promenade where the sound of the waves is mixed with laughs of kids... 20 miles with no whisper... Welcome to Eastbourne.

View of Eastbourne from Beachy Head Pub

Day 2:It's 9 am, we are ready to go back. After a nice breakfast at May Day Cafe, an OK night of sleep at Victoria hotel we are heading back towards Beachy Head Trail.

Happy Mick!

Breakfast of a champion

There is no clouds in the sky, a small sea breeze caches my hair, reminding me that she will be with me throughout the whole way back. We can already feel that the temperatures won't be like yesterday. Eastbourne seaside promenade is already buzzing of locals and tourists alike enjoying this exceptional weather. We walk to the trail, enjoying the fact, that we don't have to sweat too much yet! our ascent towards Beachy Head and the lighthouse begin. We run all we can as we don't want to get struck by the heat. Little whisper is waiting, but this time I'm ready for it. We don't stop until Birling Gap. It's HOT, I wet my buff with cold water, do the same with my neck and my shoulders. I'm ready for you whisper. The last sister becomes sister one, she is a soft ascent, warming your muscles up, getting you ready for her others sisters. Sister Cliff 5 becomes number 2, her descent becomes a steep ascent but your reward is her floral design:

One of the sisters' floral design

Yesterday ascents become descents and vice versa. I close my eyes on each ascent. You have to try it, it's the best feeling in the world. Obviously don't do it on a narrow path or when there is loads of people around! But here, by closing your eyes you show how vulnerable you are and so the trails guide you to this peaceful place where you can walk up a hill faster than you ever thought you could. You are no longer in a challenge with that hill, you can embrace it and release any tension.

Core Cooling

We are back on first sister, and Cuckmere River Beach. It's 11:30 am, the sun is up high, and we are sweating. The water is so mesmerizing that we run down to the pebble beach and decide to have a strawberry break and a cool down. Water is looking like the Mediterranean beach and it's soo tempting. We decide to take a dip. The water is COLD! but it cools down our core and we feel contempt. I would like the time to stand still, the waves are kissing the pebbles, the sound is so calming

Take a deep breath, take a picture...I wish we could lay there all afternoon but we still have 10 miles to go and Titine the car is waiting for us. I wet my buff again, drown my fully clothes self one more time and trail out to Alfriston. 

The White Horse

It's flat,... there is no wind. Sweating...we reach the churchyard looking for fresh water. It's on the side of the church. Another wet buff, cooling head and mind. We walk up towards Jerry's Pond, crossing more lamb poop land, before arriving to White Lion Pond. It is the last descent to the car, I'm going to enjoy it, I won't be closing my eyes as the trail becomes a broken road but I will make it last as I don't want to go back to reality, back to the city where work is life and trail is a round of a park. But just 5 more days, trail and I'll be back to your arms.

If you want details of this gateway, please check the route page :)

Reigate Hill to Otford: 2 days on the North Downs Way: run, heat and little voice

Day 1

It's 10 am, on Wray Lane parking lot on Reigate Hill. The sun is shinning and temperatures are high.
We are getting ready to do 20 miles on the North Downs way to Otford.
I'm quite excited, I never ran in the heat before. The highest temperature was 23 when we were in Madeira. Mick decides to take a large coffee before heading down  towards Merstham....I don't think it's wise...it is quite warm already and  raising my inside body temperature might not be a good idea...but I take a sip anyway....he said caffeine boost the system...hum....I can feel the warmth and sweat building, but before it gets me thinking, we have started our descent in Gatton Park,it's nice and cool under the trees.

 We reach Merstham and are heading towards Caterham viewpoint. We briefly stop in Ste Catharine churchyard where we wet our caps under a tap. Best idea Mick had so far! it is so nice to cool your head down, never thought it would have such an effect! .... we have only done 2 miles but it feels so much more. Legs are heavy, body temperature high but mindset is ok. We carry on, it's nice to talk, take pictures and chat with walkers and cyclists along the way.

 

Tower of Tower Farm

After thinking we got lost and backtracked near Tower farm, we finally arrived at the view point.
It is a nice view we get of the south downs and England countryside, temperatures are much higher. I think I'm enjoying myself, but I am not too sure,trying to keep cool and carry on is not as easy as it sound.

We are so engrossed with the scenery, we miss a turn and end up doing a detour on a road....not cool. Watch out, the NDW is right inside the view point, don't go down the road. By the time we realise it, it is too late to go back up...so hoping to join back the trail we begin a long descent on the road. Quads are working hard and I can hear a whisper. I take more sips of electrolytes,  it distracts my brain from cramping and boredom as well as shutting down the whisper. I need to remember that... Let's play with the roots, avoid the gravel. Another whisper, caffeine effect ran out 3 roads ago and I don't really know what to do with myself...it is such a weird feeling. Whisper becomes a voice asking me to stop, telling me that I hate the road and this is not a nice trail to run on...I need a distraction fast...let's keep up with Mick... he makes it looks so easy.

Where is the shade? Let's play looking for the shade. Running is my gateway to nice places and where I can feel blissfulness. Right now thou we are on this looong stretch of road with no shade and all I am feeling is the sweat all over me and the urge to cool down. 
We join back the north down way and head up towards Tarbridge hill before arriving at Oxted Down. There is a nice descent with bumps just before Oxted view point. Mick says we should take a rest.I don't think he has a clue of what's been going on in my head. I don't say anything about it, it's watermelon break! It tastes and feel soo nice!  It was worth carrying the weight!!! We've done 11 miles. Thanks to watermelon, whispers are gone! We carry on towards Tilsey Hill, looking down you can see there is no escape from the sun, but watermelon effect is still on! and we soon arrive to this nice shady long hill where I decide to get some food down. Watermelon is great for water but not energy, I'm not hungry thou, it's a struggle...Are you hungry when you heat run?

Still smiling

Mick is laughing and comments on the fact that I am from a tropical island but I'm struggling from a tiny bit of heat...It gets me thinking: he's right, I'm struggling, so I decide to debate if it is in your blood to be temperature adaptable  in which case I suck or if you should be training to be heat adaptable? in which case, I'm screwed! Things you take for granted!
We arrived near Knocknolt, but we do another wrong turn. Whispers are back...Where is Otford? We run down and go back up. Whispers are shut down when there is enough visual distraction and ascent but come back when it's flat...and when out of water. 2 1/2 litres are not enough.I don't want to take it on to Mick, we have been running for 5 hours now and it is not his fault for getting the path wrong 3 times already. It will be better on our way back, right...We are so thirsty! I wonder how on earth people manage to run so fast and far under this scorching sun !  Mick tries to distract me and talks about James and the Spartalon and the ability to run in extremely hot temperatures??  So thirsty...we find a house with a kind gentleman who refills our bladders. I love the countryside for this feeling of community and entraide. We have been running for more than 20 miles...the guide got it wrong, right? It doesn't matter thou, we have water for another 20 miles under this sun...how far off can we be?

The wrong descent

We reach a main road, its quite dangerous to cross as there is no pedestrian path...I wonder how runners cross during the NDW 100. We have reached another field after many roads crossing.  Its a lavender one! It is beautiful and smells so good. I'm back in my happy place. I can feel the end of our  journey, and without expecting it, we are in Otford! I'm grateful, the sun is down and the temperature feels nicer. Or is that a mind trick? We just done 28 miles...we were not prepared for it, but then I wonder if we would have done it if I knew it...thank you watermelon and lavender field, you made the day!

Lavender fields near Otford

Day 2 should have been the same type of manageable struggle, but for some reason, it didn't happen this way, I couldn't find my happy place, my body was fine but my mind couldn't cope with the fact that I was having a hard time handling the heat.  We start the run and realise that maybe it has something to do with my ego and the fact that I like to think I'm a "strong" person and can cope with anything that life throws at me.

Otford Pound

But this heated run seemed to get the better of me. It's only 20 miles for pit sake! I need to get a grip. We are on the bottom of our first hill, this should help me get to my happy place....it's too late,  the whispers are now a voice screaming to STOP. I ignore it, put it on the side of my mind. But I'm getting distracted, the voice is now an action! It starts with the top, it's giving me a skin rash, so we slow down for me to be able to change top. We are on the top of the hill, it's a flat session, I know what is coming, the road is like the back of my hand since we done it yesterday. I now know every turn, flat, trail and road sections of it and what's coming up it's not looking good, darn visual memory! I have shut down, my mood is grumpy, poor Mick, he knows I need some time alone.

He goes further up the road, giving me the space I need but I'm thinking it's not a good idea, something up with my breathing. what's going on?! I'm breathing but feel that I am not. I look up for Mick,I'm zombie running and Mick is disappearing further and further. Is this a heat stroke? Little voice says no just messing with me!... Mick comes back, he says that I maybe I should stop, that maybe it's too much, maybe I need to eat. I'm not hungry but craving for watermelon, wishing to have kept some. I want to carry on, it's not too much, I know what's coming up with the trail, this is where I need to be, not on a side of the road waiting for rescue, this is not a race, this is a gateway. I need to be winning against this little voice who feeds on disappointment and bitterness. Mick carries on, I feel for him, I too would not want to be with myself right now. We are 15 miles in. I decide to think about this blog, this post and why I am doing this run. I want people to know about this trail and wanting to try it. It's a nice trail, mixture of everything from road to fields to woods. Come on, there is a hill just after this turn, a wood and Tilsey hill descent  Living in the moment is not actionable right now, so I'm looking to the future trail, visualising it, embracing it.Voice is back to a whisper. We meet Ultra Stu in Oxted down! how cool is that! he talks about his next race and all and it's nice. There, whisper is gone, breathing is back. We eat an orange at the same bench we were a day ago and without noticing it we are back to Tower Farm. I hear voices, cyclists at a pub, just by the road. NICE! we decided to stop for a coke and refill the water bladder. We note that we need to organise these runs with refill point. Coke feels nice and cools down the core. I'm ready to tackle the next flat section near the posh houses, I know we are not far from Mertsham, just another field and we are back in Ste Catharine Church yard and the water tap. We wet our caps and ourselves. Another note, we should have done that before leaving the B&B...we are at the Wray Lane Parking lot, I'm  happy to see the car safe and I know a nice protein cake and fresh drink is waiting for us. Now this is what I call a gateway ;)


PS:  if you want to know more about the route, check the Running Routes Pages for details