Week 10

D33 race report.

No, I don’t want another f**king energy sweet!  It was the 2011 D33, my youngest brothers’ first ultra and only my second.  Badly paced, we both made the newbie error of running out too fast and blowing up on the way back.  With eight miles to go spirits were low, to keep us going all I had was a packet of energy sweets.  Every ten minutes or so I would hand out one of the sweets, rationed to see us through to the finish.  It was during one of the sweetie offerings my brother blurted the now ridiculed sentence above.  Five years later I didn't expect to make the same mistake again.

Saturday 12^th March, time for my first ultra of the year.  The weather wasn't too bad although rain was forecast later on.  I wore a teeshirt with breathable jacket and opted for a waist bottle belt.  I packed a cheese sandwich, crisps, boiled eggs and double decker in a half way drop bag and put a Mrs Tillys fudge in my pocket.  First mistake of the day, I thought the fudge bar would see me through to half way.

 

I met and chatted before the race with Gary, an ex work colleague.  At kick off, Gary joined the crowd farther forward than me.  I joined about half way which turned out to be my second mistake of the day.

We were sent on our way, once the field thinned out I checked my watch for pace.  9.20 minute miles, the pace was way too quick. I didn't train enough for this.  Another mistake, I did not slow down.

All was okay though, I chatted to some familiar runners including Fiona and Neil.  

Photo by Fiona Rennie

Checkpoint 1 came and went.  I didn't stop, preferring to push on nibbling on the fudge bar. 

This will go down as the year of the squashed frogs, there were a good few on the road and I wondered if they had been flatted by runners or vehicles.

The run out was steady, then time to applaud the returning runners, starting with the elite who were flying.  Cheered through Crathes and restored railway, this was where I began to feel the lack of training, chickens were about to come home to roost.

I began to feel numb but still ran stubbornly on at the same pace, willing for the half way turn around.  I arrived at the checkpoint and obtained my drop bag, this was going to be the magic potion that would allow me to continue at the same pace, so I thought.

It was time to visit the freebee table.  Result, there was a couple of bottles of coke.  I gulped back a cup, binned the cheese sandwiches, greedily scoffed a packet of crisps as fast as possible, peeled and ate one of the two eggs and walked out of the checkpoint.  I peeled the second egg and proceeded to run and eat it at the same time.  This wasn't fun, try it some time.  The dry egg slowly tried to choke me as I fought for breath with the effort of running.  I had to stop and gulp water before trying to continue.

 

It wasn't happening, I couldn't get back into rhythm.  I checked my watch, 11 minute miles, that’s all I could muster.  My target of under 5 hours 30 minutes went out the window.  It was a sneaky target that wormed it’s way into my head anyway.

It was time for damage limitation.  I tried to concentrate and keep a steady pace but it got slower and slower.  By Drumoak I was doing 12 minute miles, I needed to take a breather and began to walk.  As runners passed me by, I began to realise what was wrong.  I hit the wall. 

All I could do was continue and wait till the half time food supplied energy.  Needless to say, it never arrived.  The following miles were a “run” walk to the next checkpoint.  I felt tired and just wanted to lie down and sleep, as if this was the last section of the WHW race.   Eventually I arrived at checkpoint 3, time for another visit to the freebee table.  I downed a lucozade sport and chatted to Hamish before shuffling on, only eight miles to go.

By Peterculter I resigned myself to walking in before there was a familiar voice behind.  Norrie just happened to be having an off day as well so we hooked up and run / walked all the way to Garthdee. 

The finish line beckoned so we managed to run the last couple of miles, Norrie slightly quicker than me.  I was relieved to make it back to the Duthie Park and over the finish line to collect my sixth D33 medal.

So what went wrong?  Lack of training, pace, fuelling and mind set.  I should know better.

I’d like to thank George, Karen and the marshals for organising yet another amazing D33 ultra, Aberdeens premier running event.

Tues 10, Sat 33.  Weekly total 43 miles.    

Week 9

I mud tested the Saucony Xodus 6 Goretex trail shoes the other day.  I took them on my usual Braes training route which was drier than normal.  On the few muddy sections they performed admirably, I've forgotten how decent grip gives so much confidence, especially on side slopes.  The fit is good with no need for me to go a half or full size up from 9.  The downside is cushioning, I've gotten way too used to Hokas over the years so anything else seems bone jarring on a hard surface.
It's difficult to find a race where I can put them to good use, all races I have entered contain road sections or hard compacted trails.

Training is still not happening, this time I completed some midweek runs then completely junked the weekend outings.  My head is not in run mode, the D33 is looming and confidence is low.  There's a choice of ways to look at this, I'm either seriously under trained or well rested, I'll pretend it's the latter.

The usual calf niggle is shadowing me, unable to shake it off I've carried this coming up for two years.  I can say with certainty, there won't be any PB's for me so I'm just going to go, enjoy the race and try to finish without injury.  Hopefully, by taking part on Saturday I will get my mojo back and manage some serious training.

Tues 3, Thurs 4, Fri 3.  Weekly total 10 miles.

  

Weeks 6,7 & 8

It's been a downward spiral these past few weeks.  I have not been in running mode and junked practically all midweek running.  By the time I got home from work it was cold and dark where I had no inclination to head out and run on country roads.  In years gone by, a steely determination would see me complete a training program whatever the weather or how I was feeling.  This is probably the one thing that's got me through a lot of ultra events.  With grit absent I am concerned and with my first race two weeks away (the D33) I'm seriously questioning my fitness.

In desperation I headed out to my North Sea route.  I definitely wasn't fit enough for the full Aberdeen to Peterhead 37 miles so I cut it short, catching the bus from Peterhead to Newburgh instead.

I've blogged this part of the world a couple of times before but there was a section of coast still not covered, between Collieston and Whinnyfold.

Saturday 27th Feb, I parked in Peterhead and caught the number 63 bus to Newburgh.

I got off at the first stop just inside the village and headed north.

Forvie nature reserve was as spectacular as ever with the stunning Hackley Bay.

A beautiful day with clear views across the bay to Aberdeen.

Uncharted territory for me, the coast path from Collieston climbed out of the car park.

A great view back towards Collieston.

This was difficult terrain, muddy sheep tracks made for slippery progress.

With steep 45 degree grass slopes and cliffs extreme caution was required.

Some slopes showed signs of land slips, on some sections I had to resort to clinging to the barbed wire fence.

Old Slains Castle soon came into view with a spectacular setting for the house nearby.

At Slains I had a choice, take the farm track to the road to Whinnyfold or continue the precarious journey along the coast.  I had enough of the exhausting slippery trail and settled on the farm track.  After half a mile I realised it was taking me back towards Collieston, I had no choice but turn back and join the coast once more, it was going to be a long day.

The trail didn't improve, in fact it got worse.  I regretted my choice of Hokas for the day, they don't cope with mud very well.

This turned out to be a muddy hike, with 22 minute miles at one point.

On the plus side, I didn't meet a single person between Collieston and Whinnyfold.  It was about as remote as the North East can get, the solitude was amazing.

Eventually, Whinnyfold came into view.

It was good to get onto the beach at Cruden Bay but the slippery trail had taken it's toll, I was exhausted.

It was time for some lunch at Cruden Bay in the warm sun.  I still had around 11 miles to go to Peterhead.

I've photographed this coast before but make no apology for posting more images, the scenery was simply stunning.

   
The terrain had taken it's toll, a relatively short 23 miles felt like much more.  Good training for the Cateran and WHW races I suppose.  I'm not so sure about the D33 in two weeks time though, it could be ugly.


Week ending 14th Feb - Thurs 3, Sat 10, Sun 16.  Weekly total 29 miles.
Week ending 21st Feb - Thurs 1, Sat 12, Sun 10.  Weekly total 23 miles.
Sat 23,  Weekly total 23 miles.

Weeks 4 & 5

I'm struggling to match the training program.  Week four was okay, a 20 mile long run meant only one mile under the total.  Last week was supposed to be a fairly easy week but I managed to make a meal of it.  A week totalling 28 didn't start well, I just couldn't be bothered with the Tuesday three.   A dismal run home from work (only 3 miles) in the pouring rain dodging vehicles in the dark wasn't the best run I've had.

Things didn't improve at the weekend where I just couldn't fit in a long run.  In the end I settled for three short runs but just couldn't make it out for a fourth, settling for some core strength exercises instead.

I think I'm bored of the cold, dark and all too familiar local roads which have been my training ground this winter.  I think it's time to find a different training area, if I can be bothered.

Week ending 31st Jan - Tues 5, Thurs 5, Sat 20.  Weekly total 30 miles.
Thurs 3, Sat 4 & 5, Sun 7.  Weekly total 19 miles.