Burn, burn, burn, The Ring O Fire

"Epic" is the word that jumps into my mind as I reflect on the events of this last weekend. Race website

The essence of the race is simple; you race round the entire coastal path of Anglesey in a clockwise direction, keep the sea on the left. Day 1 is about 35 miles, Day 2 a whopping 65 and finally a quick sprint of 33 miles back to the finish at Holyhead. How hard can it be?

Tracey and I headed down to Anglesey on Wednesday, which gave us a nice easy drive, with a full day on the island before the start on Friday lunchtime. It was sometime during this period that an email came through from the organisers that the Duke of Cambridge would be the official starter for the race and, while this would obviously put some extra pressures on the pre-start period, it was a massive coup for the race organisers and made the start of the adventure even more special.

As soon as we arrived at the event on Friday, you could see that it was going to be a special occasion, largely due to the number of police in attendance. As we walked to the event centre and registration, we played the who-might-be-a-security-guard game but it was a bit like shooting fish in a barrel as the all had ear pieces and suits on. Obviously they didn't do their homework otherwise they would have been in Hokas, shorts and t-shirts (with ear pieces).

Registration was a quick affair and we were able to have a relaxed chat and take in the wonderful views out over the bay before heading back to the car the get changed and be back at the start for the pre-race briefing. I spent some time chatting with fellow WHW race competitor Karl and his wife Fiona; I would spend much of the weekend with Karl and greatly enjoyed his company along the way.

Registering alongside George

Once the briefing was out of the way we waited the arrival of the royals. I say that in the plural as The Duchess had decided to be a part of the great event too, making this her first public engagement after the recent birth.

The royals with race directors Q and Bing

They spoke to the organisers and a few of the runners as us mere mortals waited in the pre-start area. I was not really sure of the royal protocol for this occasion but I really needed a call of nature, so once they had all gone past where I was standing, I found a quiet area at the back of the waiting pen and had a quick pee, fighting back the image of me locked up in The Tower of London being fed energy gels by a Yeoman guard.

Finally, we were ready for the off. There was a 10 seconds countdown and The Duke rang the (newly acquired) Ring O Fire brass bell and off we went - just under 100 souls with an adventure ahead. I had an original game plan of taking things nice and easy for the first part of the day, with the understanding that it was not just a 35 mile race but had to be followed by another 65 miles and then another 33 miles. However, my usual discipline in this situation somehow got left behind. I did not wear my GPS watch for this race and simply got too carried away with the route. After about 4 miles, I was running along with Euan (as would for many hours over the next couple of days) when he commented that we were running at 7:30 min/miling! Oh, bugger. Euan slowed at that point, but I thought in for a penny...

Approaching feed station near Llanfachraeth

I made good time to the first feed station and was really enjoying my running, though I remember commenting at the time that I was going way too fast. As this was not my A race for the year I continued with the idea that I would just keep going with the flow and see what happens later; I'm sure you can all see where this is going!

I made more good time on the next section to the half way feed station, feeling great and still running just about everything the terrain could throw at me. I was totally on my own for this section but was able to take in the stunning views to help carry me along.

As the terrain started to get a bit more hilly over the last third of the course, I managed to catch up a couple of runners and started to think that this might be my day, however, just before the third feed station near Wylfa Point we cross a shingle spit at Cemlyn Bay, the best part of a km long. I trudged across fine, but as soon as I hit the tarmac on the other side, I got cramp in both hamstrings so had to take some time to stretch and then just had a walk for a while. It's amazing how quickly you can got from great to crap in these events. From this point on it was going to be a case of get in to the finish as best I could.

Tracey met me just after this point which was a perfect tonic and just enough to keep me trudging in the right direction. The final push has a lot of ups and downs which was a bit of a blessing as I was just able to walk the ups and shuffle the downs, though at least the threat of cramp had started to diminish. The views continued to be awe inspiring so I tried to concentrated on the journey rather than my embarrassing shuffle.

A few runners came past and I just had to let them go, concentrating purely on the finish at Amlwch which eventually came, although the extra mile from the coastal path to the finish at the leisure centre was a killer.

Finished Day 1 (only just!)

I knew I was in a bad shape and desperately wanted to lie down and start to regroup so quickly went round the corner and into the campervan in the car park where Tracey had thoughtfully left the bed out ready for me to collapse on to. Initially, I just got wrapped up in a quilt to stop shivering and then started to get some coke in, along with the magic salt and vinegar crisps. Only after a couple of hours was I able to start eating some proper food and finally, just before bed time, I hobbled into the leisure centre to get a shower.
Having now seen the results, I finished in 11th place, taking 6:07 hours for the 35 miles. I was 41 minutes behind the winner, Richard Ashton, which in the cold light of day now seems a whole lot better than it felt that evening.

Trying to stop shivering

It was a shame to spend all this time in a state like that as one of the special points of this event is the craic in the evenings with fellow runners/sufferers but on this occasion I had to just look after myself and try to get myself into a state where I could go out again the next day and run 65 miles.

Anyhoo, the body is an amazing thing, and when the alarm went off at 4:30am the next morning, my immediate thought was that I'm up for this! Would go back to doing what I do best; start steady and try to finish strong, certainly in better condition than the day before. I met up with Karl on the start line and with a very relaxed countdown, we were off for the big day.

Stick to the game plan! Stick to the game plan! I kept that mantra ticking over in my head as we made our way out over the cliffs beyond Amlwch. The process was made easier with the stunning sun rise which you just had to slow down and take in and the beautiful smooth rhythm that Karl was setting, his running gait is so metronomic it just draws you along for very little effort; exactly what I needed.

As a pair, we ran with no stress, taking in the views, just quietly ticking off the miles, occasionally running in a larger group of 6 or 7 runners. By the time a couple of hours had passed and we were approaching the first feed station, my legs had started to loosen up and I felt that I might get through this day.

With Karl approaching 1st feed station

One thing I was determined to do on this day was be more relaxed at the feed stations. I generally wanted some savoury items at each one and would use my usual gels/shot bloks/energy bars in between. I also just had a few swigs of coke at the stops and drank plain water out on the trails. This combination seemed to be working on this day, so I just stuck with it all day. If it ain't broke...

I felt the next section was important as it would take me to Red Wharf Bay and the place where I started my recce run so I would be back on familiar ground which always makes me less stressed when racing; I don't like surprises, I want to know exactly what is coming up ahead. Along this section you can see right out to eastern end point of the island at Penmon which is a great vista but a reminder of just how far we have to run; the point is not even half way on today's route.

Looking across to Penmon Point

Checkpoint at Red Wharf Bay

One little note to self - when you leave a checkpoint (Red Wharf Bay) knowing that you have 2 hours to the next one (Penmon Point) on a hot day, don't forget to fill up your second water bottle too as you might end up running 100 yds out of the checkpoint, remember your mistake and have to run back to sort yourself out. Oops!

After the long, flat run round the bay, we faced a climb with a detour to avoid a landslip. Initially, I thought this climb would be tough but, in fact, it came at just the right time. It was a steady walk and allowed some time to sort out food and drink and have a nice easy walk and therefore a much needed change to the constant running shuffle. I was running on my own for a few miles here as Karl had dropped to a walk earlier to take on some food (as he does every 30 minutes, you can set your watch by it), then I was passed by a group including Euan, Matt and Wolfgang (from Austria). I would be spending a lot of time with these chaps, but for now, I just let them run on ahead to the checkpoint at Penmon.

Penmon Point. Euan (left), Matt (right)

Penmon Point

I left the feed station with Karl and Wolfgang and we made our way towards the halfway checkpoint at Beaumaris. I was quite happy to slot in behind "The Austrian Collection" and let them set a nice rhythm until Karl arrived at his own personal feed station provided by his wife, Fiona, leaving Wolfgang and I to trudge on to the long shingle beach section to the town. Quiet simply, this was tough! It is about 2 miles of 3 steps forward, 1 step back. Some of the time, a walk was just more economical than a run even though it was basically flat.

As ever, the halfway house is such a reassuring place to reach. To be able to restock with some of your own trusted food, a change of socks or shirt, etc, etc. I spent a couple of minutes longer at this station than most of the other ones and about 7 or 8 other runners were congregated there which, along with the marshals and spectators, gave a great atmosphere. Karl caught me up at this point having already changed his trainers and we left, along with Wolfgang, Matt and Euan, making the long steady climb along the country lane out of the town.

It was really getting quite hot at this point and about half a mile out of the checkpoint I realised I had made a schoolboy error! I was so concerned at the feed station with getting my new food and maps sorted that I forgot to refill my water bottle. Aaagghh! I mentioned this to Karl, who immediately offered some of his as he said he had plenty for this relatively short leg. What a star; I certainly owe him a big favour for this one. We had a slight navigation error as the path cuts off the road and crosses a lightly wooded area. The sign was a bit ambiguous in it's direction and we all veered off to the wrong side of a small copse. It only cost us about a minute in wasted time, but those that know me will understand when I say it took a lot of effort to get that out of my mind.

We made our way into the town of Menai Bridge and under the two famous bridges onto the island. There was some kind of festival going on and it was heaving but the marshals involved in the festival had obviously been briefed about the race by the few extra race helpers there and we were efficiently guided through the traffic and onto the quieter paths under the bridges.

By this time, our group had thinned to just myself and Wolfgang, though the others were all within close proximity. One thing I was very pleased about on this day was how I just ran my own race; if others slowed, fine, if others pushed on, fine. As ever, what look like big gaps at the time, soon shrink and you are all back running together. This is exactly what happened as we reached the checkpoint just after the Britannia Bridge; back to the happy crew.

Having done a recce a few weeks ago, I knew that the next couple of hours were fairly flat and easy under foot so it was a good time to tick off some miles before the final , tougher couple of hours when I knew I would be hanging on. That next leg to the Sea Zoo checkpoint was fairly uneventful; our group made steady stress-free progress and I came into the feed station feeling fairly good, still locked stride for stride with Matt and Wolfgang. I was further boosted by meeting Tracey here for the first time that day and I enjoyed some coke and sausage rolls which really seemed to hit the spot. I could tell I was feeling good as I was the first of the group ready and willing to push on, inevitably taking Matt and Wolfgang with me.

Arriving at Sea Zoo with Wolgang

Right, now it was time to get more of a game face on. Psychologically, the toughest section of the whole race (for me, anyway) was just around the corner. Some easy trails and a bit of road lead you to Newborough Forest which, when you look at it on the map, appears to be a nice flat trek round the woods and a jaunt up the estuary to the next checkpoint. If you are reading this and you ran this section of the race, I'm sure you will appreciate what I am talking about - it is a KILLER! Firstly, you have a mile and a half along deep soft sand to reach the beach, then you glance up to see a wonderful vista of beach and headland only to realise you have to run up to it and then repeat the distance again the other side, all on sand and then run the best part of 3 miles up the trails to the checkpoint. Throw a large, elderly, nudist bloke into the mix (yes, really) and you have one tough cookie to crack. You can only imagine how good it felt as Matt and I finally rolled into the feed station with our respective support crews there to meet us.

With Matt at Newborough

On the latter stages of that section we had overtaken a couple of runners who were both struggling with injuries (including Macca, who I would spend some of the following day with) but we had no idea of our position; our only thought was to get to the finish before darkness. We were now setting off on the last section to the finish at Aberffraw and just wanted to maintain the positive vibes we were both giving out, feeding off each others enthusiasm. Within 10 minutes we had closed on another couple of runners and four of us were making our way across some fields before the final sting in the tail - yes another sand dune and beach run. It then got a bit more interesting as a herd of cows blocked our way and the bull in charge wanted to protect his interests. A quick, careful check of the map showed that we could skirt round some woods and rejoin the path beyond them but it did involve some barbed wire crossing which we all helped each other through and then Matt and I took off on the last loop to the finish.

Just before the finish

What a great day out we had had. We just maintained a good solid pace for the full route and finished in far better condition than we could have hoped for. 13:30 hours for the 65 miles, about 1:55 hours behind the winner but in a fantastic 6th place. When I looked back to how I felt the previous evening, there was no comparison; I was fighting fit and ready to do battle again the next day.

Again, I was straight into the van for a lie down, but this time I was able to start drinking and eating again quite quickly. No showers were available at the small village hall so it was bed bath time with a large packet of wet wipes, but it is amazing how little you care after a day like that. This time I felt good enough to go back into the hall and socialise a bit with the other runners as they shuffled in after a long day out. I was just pleased to be able to get to bed at a reasonable time, knowing that some would only have a couple of hours between finishing the day (22 hour time limit) and starting the next.

Oh, it was a tough drag out of bed the next morning at 4:30am. Most parts of my body said enough is enough but the most important part, my head, seemed to be looking forward to the last day. Psychologically, it was far easier to cope with only 33 miles and I felt like I knew this section really well as it went past the area Tracey and I had made our base for our series of short holidays on the island.

I think by this time of the race, the field had been reduced to almost half the numbers that set off from Holyhead two days previously and most were at the point where getting to the finish was the only priority. I actually felt OK once I got moving and slotted in with the usual characters, running all the way to the first checkpoint with Euan and Karl. It was nice to be back on the interesting terrain again after the flatter paths of the previous day and we ground out a nice relaxed rhythm along the cliff tops, single track and beaches.

 We arrived at the first feed station in Rhosneigr to be greeted with bacon butties outside the bistro in the main street. I didn't want to force down a full buttie having only had breakfast a couple of hours earlier but once one mouthful went in it was quickly followed by another and I was soon on my way, knowing that this next leg was quite easy underfoot and not a particularly long haul.

There were a couple of points along this section to Four Mile Bridge where one or two groups around me made some small navigational errors, just getting the wrong side of a fence or hedge, and it highlighted to me how important the recces were. I did not waste any time at all but, more importantly, I did not worry about the possibility of a mistake. By this stage of the race, it is mostly psychological and any negative thoughts that nudge in can have a significant impact on the final outcome.

As I approached the feed station, I was running along with Macca (John McBurney) who had made a fantastic recovery from injury the previous day; we would keep each other company for much of the day from this point.

We left the checkpoint just behind Matt who was having another strong run and a quick glance at the watch showed that I had covered the first two sections about 30 minutes quicker than I thought I would. This was a great psychological boost as I was feeling so good but a disaster for Tracey who drove past the checkpoint looking for somewhere to park just as I made my way out onto the estuary shore.

The next section proved to be significant for a number of runners, for all the wrong reasons. The course heads south to a small sandy cove, Silver Bay, but if you are not reading your map carefully, there is a subtle track junction that you need to take to keep on route. If you miss the junction and keep on the road, it brings you out on the coast about a mile out of position. On the beach at Silver Bay is a book that you have to tear out a page from and hand it in at the next checkpoint to prove that you have been there. Macca and I made no mistakes, picked up our pages from Harry Potter and padded off on the beautiful cliff tops towards Treaddur Bay and the next checkpoint. It was only when we were 6 or 7 minutes along the tops that we me Matt and a couple of others hacking back having missed the turning. I was gutted for them, especially Matt who was obviously have a superb run in his first ultra adventure and felt like a good friend after our hours of running together. On the plus side, he was still in good spirits and pretty philosophical about the whole thing.

The magic Harry Potter book in the box

I think Macca and I took heart from our shrewd bit of navigation and made good time into Treaddur Bay, running with Richard (Heath, who was suffering with injury). I was able to meet Tracey as she had sussed that I was running well ahead of schedule. This was the last checkpoint before the finish and the marshals (as ever) really whooped it up and sent us on our way for the final push. Richard was really suffering in pain, to the point where I thought he might have to pull from the race, but as is so often the case, he was somehow able to continue running and I was really pleased when we saw him finish (not long after me and beating me convincingly overall) - real man-suit time.

With Macca and Richard at Treaddur Bay

Right, here we go! Round the cliff tops towards Holyhead Mountain, I started to feel really good, probably on of those endorphins rush things I keep hearing about but never experience. We were both confident of a good finish and I was really looking forward to getting onto the final hilly section as I felt I would be on my style of terrain. Matt was steadily catching us and I knew I was in good enough shape to go with him when he did and, in fact, after our hours together over the race, I quite wanted to run in with Matt (and hopefully Macca) at the finish. When Macca took a quick pit stop, I was off. It was like I was suddenly let off a leash and I was just flying. All the hills on that final section that I should have been walking, I simply bombed up, running almost everything. I can't remember the last time I felt that good when out running; almost invincible. By now I was running with Matt who was in that same mindset; fast legs and big smiles!

Going full bore over Holyhead Mountain with Matt

As we came round a corner with one steep climb to go, about 200 yds ahead of us were the 3 guys in 2nd place. Matt and I exchanged a glance and went for it! Now you have to bear in mind that these chaps had spanked us in the overall race and would go on to form two thirds of the podium, finishing the best part of 2 hours ahead of us the previous day, but it felt amazing to suddenly be running alongside these top class athletes and having my first taste (if only on this short occasion) of what it might be like at the very front of an ultra race. Matt and I ran most of the hill and put enough distance between us and the chasing pack on the descent to be able to really enjoy the final run in to the finish. As we rounded the final corner, the race theme tune (yes, the obvious Jonny Cash one) blared out and we crossed the line to take 2nd place on the day in 6:00 hours, only 6 minutes behind the winner and Ring O Fire champion, Richard Ashton.

Finished!!

This time I didn't need to sit or lie down, I didn't need to find a quite corner and curl up in a ball, I didn't have my usual blood pressure drop; I was just buzzing and for once could enjoy the atmosphere at the finish. As every runner came round that final bend, the deep tones of Jonny Cash blared out, almost drowned out by the whooping and cheering from the crowd. Everyone who crossed the line to complete this amazing event got the same treatment and everyone knew what each competitor had had to go through to get to this point. Bing and Q (race directors) were there to high five everyone in and I congratulated them on putting together this beast.

In the overall competition I came 7th which I'm delighted with. I felt stronger as the days went on, or at least less knackered than those around me and felt that I learnt some more lessons which will, hopefully, make me a better ultra runner. I got the impression that all my new found friends over the long weekend also had a great time and probably claimed better results than they were expecting. Richard came through his injury pain to claim 5th, Matt, in his first ultra experience came 9th, George (Bate) who I didn't get to run with but had some nice chats with over the weekend came =10th with Macca, Euan with his orange calf guards came 15th, Karl and his smooth running style took an effortless 16th and Wolfgang made the long train journey worthwhile by claiming 17th. Thanks for your company over the weekend guys. 53 hardy souls made it round the full ring.

I would just like to once again say thanks to Bing, Q and the team for giving up so much time to allow us to experience an event like this and I must say a very special thanks to Tracey who really looked after me, especially on that Friday night when I was in bits - you know it is love when she takes your shoes and socks off for you at the end of an ultra!

Video clips from the Grand Tour of Skiddaw race

Just having a bit of a play around with my new camera, trying different settings and upload options.

This is a short video of the runners, both on the way out and the way back at the Caldbeck checkpoint on The Grand Tour of Skiddaw race.

If I have managed to adapt the embed code properly, I'm hoping the video should play in some sort of HD mode giving much higher quality than all my previous videos.

The Grand Tour of Skiddaw

Just a quick post to get a few pictures out there from The Grand Tour of Skiddaw yesterday. I spend a happy day marshalling at the Caldbeck checkpoint which the runners visited twice on the route.

Looks like a cracking event that will grow and grow. Definitely one I have placed on the to-do-list.

These are all snapshots I have taken from video clips on a new mini HD video camera. I have upgraded in the hope of improving the quality of my video clips for the blog, so once I have had a good play around with the settings, worked out how best to upload to Yourtube/Vimeo and sussed out how to embed in HD, we'll see how it works out.

Ring O Fire preparation

It's all been a bit strange in the build up to the Ring O Fire race in just over a week's time. For my previous long ultras like the West Highland Way and the Lakeland 100, I have carefully planned a 3 week taper and have had no problems keeping to the plan, this time I have found it difficult to stop myself from going out for a run and have, in fact, done probably too much training over the last four weeks, to the point where I now have to take some rest days to stop myself from getting injured.

The obvious difference in the build up to this race is that I will have been off work (school holidays) for the six weeks leading up to the race. When I am not charging round like an idiot at work all day long, I have so much more time, energy and inclination to go out training - so I do!

On my previous visit down to Anglesey to have a look at the course, I definitely overdid the first day of running (45 miles in hot conditions) and then compounded the body-kicking with 23 miles the next day. It took me some time to get over that physically, though it was great, psychologically, to run those two big days back to back.

Last week, Tracey and I went down again to spend another few days on the island and I planned to do a couple of 20 milers, back to back as my last big push before easing back in the final couple of weeks. Unfortunately, I made a bit of a schoolboy error and miscalculated the distances between checkpoints and ended up doing 30 miles on the first day and then the planned 20 miles on the following day. Still, I felt fairly good doing it and finished strong on day 2, again giving a confidence boost that I might be able to cope with the full 3 days.

There are a few interesting points on the course, including times when you have to wade in the sea round rock out-crops on the beach. On my recce it was only thigh deep, but it could be interesting on race day if the tide is any higher! One thing I am going to do is carefully check the high tide times just prior to the race, estimate what time of day I will be at the significant points round the course and then make a decision as to whether I need to take the slightly longer but much drier options along the coastal path.

My route round the outcrop!!

Having done these two back-to-back sessions in the space of two weeks, I am feeling the effects a little and have, therefore, really backed off the running and am just going to trot out a few easy jogs in the final two weeks build up. I am starting to put together a battle plan, but am going to have a very different focus for this race than I had for the West Highland Way Race a couple of months ago; it will be interesting to see how things work out. I'll put some final thoughts together just before I head off down to Anglesey again for the race proper in the middle of next week.

This weekend, I am really looking forward to marshaling on the Grand Tour of Skiddaw Race. I'll be helping to look after the runners at the Caldbeck checkpoint, so if you are in the race, good luck and I look forward to seeing you spring in and out of the checkpoint on your way to achieving whatever goals you have set yourself.

Recovering and moving on

Following the WHW, I had a rough plan of recovery in mind; roughly three weeks of occasional jogging then try a normal easy week of training with the aim of being back in full training by the end of the summer term. This would give me time to get four weeks of good training done before a short taper for the Ring O Fire Race at the end of August.

The first part of this plan went well and I limited myself to some easy jogs and was quite happy to do nothing on some days and not beat myself up about it. After three weeks it was time to get the old mojo flowing again and what better way to do that than spend another weekend training with Richie over some more of the Lakeland 100 route? We spent a couple of hours running back to Keswick from Buttermere on the Saturday evening climbing via Sail Pass.

Dropping towards Braithwaite

On the Sunday, we had a look at the final few sections of the route, from Ambleside to Coniston and once again spent most of the time trying to take in the full beauty of The Lake District looking her Sunday best. I have really enjoyed showing Richie around the Lakes and again, as last year with John, watching someone else obviously loving this part of the country, it reminds me how lucky I am to live here. Mojo levels through the roof.

Langdale

The final week of term, when I intended to have a normal steady training week, kind of didn't happen. I found that having spent a lot of the day out in the sun, by the time I got home I had had enough and just wanted to stay inside the house where it was a bit cooler. Part of me was saying this was such a waste but, on occasions, I really felt it would be ridiculous to spend another hour or so back in the sun. In an ideal world I would have gone out training in the morning but my body clock does not live in the real world, my body clock likes to live snuggled under the sheets on a nice fluffy pillow.

I made my annual pilgrimage to The Open golf championship on the weekend of 20/21 July and, as you can imagine, on a lads weekend away there was no time, energy, inclination or desire to train so, despite the rough plan, training post WHW started on Monday 22 July, just over four weeks from the race.

Tracey and I decide to spend a bit of time away in the camper van and headed off down to watch the start of the Lakeland 100 in Coniston. It was great to catch up with friends and watch this amazing event from a totally different perspective compared to last year. Folk kept asking me if I wished I was running and, for the most part, the immediate answer was no. This event was never on my radar this year and it was nice to just chat to friends and not worry about how the next 24+ hours would pan out. The only time I did waver and felt like I wanted to set off on the adventure again was as we watched the runners go past us on the way up to the Miners Bridge just after the start. A short run along the shore of Coniston Water seemed to get that feeling out of my system.

The adventure begins

I wont go into the full blow by blow account of the race itself, you can see details on the race website or for more personal accounts try the race Facebook page, needless to say I spent most of the Saturday glued to my phone checking for updates on friends running the race.

I spent another day watching golf on the Saturday, this time at Birkdale for the Seniors Open and then we finally made our way in the van to Anglesey so I could have a look at some of the route for the Ring O Fire race.

What a spectacular course it is! In essence it is really simple; three days of racing round the 131 miles of the coastal path round the whole of the island. I had it in my head that it would be relatively flat with a few ups and downs but, if nothing else, the recce has given me some food for thought with regard to a race plan.

In an effort to make logistics a bit easier, I ran a long first day (around 45 miles!) and a shorted second day (23 miles) and have now covered all of Day 1 and Day 3 of the race. For the most part, the route is really well signed so navigation is not too much of an issue, though I did spend odd minutes here and there just making sure I had got the correct route. What was important is that I now know what to expect with regard to the terrain which I think is really important so I know how pay out my energy levels over the course of the day.

Top tan lines!

One thing is for sure; if the weather is good it is going to be a stunning journey and if the weather is bad it is going to be man-suit time in a big way. Check out the video of the two days to get a flavour of the route.

Ring O Fire Race recce from Recovery Beyond on Vimeo.

Sun setting on the Mother Ship

Although I am not making the race a major priority for the year, I am really looking forward to the run and cannot wait to see how my body will cope with three consecutive days of ultra marathons. My right foot has been very sore the last couple of days (I think I may have tied my laces too tight on the first day of the recce) so I have taken a few days off and will spend this weekend having a couple of cycle rides before I try running again. I'm not sure if I will have time to go down to Anglesey again before the race to recce the full 65 miles of the second day but I may have a look at some of the route. Any excuse to get out of decorating/gardening!

West Highland Way Race video

Here are some photos and video clips that give a flavour of how the day went for me and my crew.

West Highland Way Race 2013 from Recovery Beyond on Vimeo.

West Highland Way Race 2013

Everything was so different this time round. The build-up, the pre-race emotions, the feelings as I ran the race and the immediate post-race aftermath were all so far removed from how I felt in 2010 when I last toed the start line in Milngavie.

This year, I have made a few tweaks to my training; slightly increasing the overall mileage (though still not in the same ball-park as others), I've thrown in more back to back long runs and also added some carbo-depletion sessions, all in the hope of a big improvement on my PB of 20:21 hours from three years ago.

In more recent weeks, I've also experimented with my pack and hydration system, trying to avoid having a bum bag tight round my stomach, to this end I have been training with a small back pack and a hand-held bottle. After much deliberation, I decided to start with the pack and hand-held bottle, having the option to swap to the trusted bum bag if I wanted.

The really significant difference this year, compared to 2010, was my psychological state going into the race. Three years ago, although I was confident, it was still a step into the unknown and much of my pre-race emotion was focussed on trepidation and some anxiety as to how I would cope. This time, partly after the confidence boost of last year's performance in the Lakeland 100 and partly due to the solid training undertaken this year, I went into the race without any anxiety, only excitement; I wasn't here to get round in an OK time, I was here with my game face on!

A change to the support crew this year seemed appropriate as most other elements have been tweaked; my step-father Paul teamed up with Tracey to look after me for the duration of the race and what a super job they did.

Team Troman 2013

I did not want to spend too long at registration as I knew it would be easy to stand around chatting, spending time on my feet that I could better use later in the proceedings, so it was in and out very efficiently and back to the hotel to get my feet up. I do remember feeling restless during the evening, spending a lot of time fidgeting around with kit and race food - just something to occupy myself with really.

As with all runners, it is simply a relief once the briefing is finished and we can finally think about putting one foot in front of the other in a bid to get to Fort William.

Minutes to go before the start

I had a quick chat with John Kynaston just before the start and it was good to hear him being so positive about the challenge ahead and even more pleasing to see that he managed to put together a great run. Then it was the hooter sounding and off into the crowded pedestrian street of down town Milngavie.

They're off!

The general game plan was to run a good, solid first half to Auchtertyre and then hope that I could put together one of my strong 2nd half runs to keep things going when all around me fell apart. What I did discover during the course of the day is that nearer the front of the field there is a lot less falling apart, everyone runs their own race, at their own pace and no one really slackens off; I suppose it's the difference between completing and racing!

I settled in nicely to various small groups, usually tucking in at the back, letting any early whippets have their rope, confident I would see most of them again later and met Tracey and Paul for the first time at Gartness. I prefer this spot for a splash and dash pit stop as it divides up the run from Milngavie to Balmaha into a more even split and avoids the chaos at Drymen. Tracey counted me through Gartness in about 32nd place which sounded about right, giving me plenty of runners to use as a hare over the next couple of hours.

In 2010, I remember it was a crystal clear night and I could have turned my headtorch off before Drymen; again, 2013 was a different beast altogether. I finally felt safe to go with natural light somewhere after the large deer fence on the way to Conic Hill, had a great climb up there, then promptly needed to light up again as I went into the woods on the drop to the car park.

Like most runners, I just wanted to reach Balmaha without any dramas and feel that I'm ready to take on the loch-side route up to Beinglas Farm. Paul met me at the trail entrance to the car park, quick dib and jog across to the car. Like a well drilled pit crew, Tracey and Paul and all my various options ready and I just grabbed what I needed to get the Rowardennan, said a quick hello, thanks and goodbye and trotted out of the car park - no fuss and ready to do the next battle. (15th place apparently, 3:02 hours)

Balmaha

I must admit that the exact sequencing of events and in particular, people that I met and briefly ran with are very sketchy from this point on. My over-riding memory of the rest of the day is that I basically ran on my own for the next 15:30 hours all the way to Fort William. Obviously I passed a few runners, some at checkpoints, some out on the trail, we always chat, pass the time of day, encourage each other, offer food or a drink if it seems that it might be needed, usually these social events are imprinted on my memory as they are so important in an event such as this; one might say they are integral to the race but this time it's all a bit of a blur. Again, I think for me, it's the difference between running with a game face focus from an early stage of the race rather than just clocking up the hours before the later battles. Another sign of this was how little I took out my little video camera during the race; regular readers will know that I usually do quite a bit of filming during my races but this time I think I only took the camera out 5 times - don't worry though, I still have enough photos and footage from a number of sources to put together a video of the day!

The section to Rowardennan went well apart from a confidence crisis as I made one of the small climbs and thought "this doesn't quite look right", I tried to convince myself that I was on the wrong path and that I should be on a lower one. Fortunately, just as I was about to blast through the woods to find another track, I recognised a large boulder and short steep bit of path and had a right go at myself for being so stupid. I managed to pull up a couple of places and reached Rowardennan in 13th place, 4:26 hours.

Rowardennan

In the Fling, back in April, I managed to run all of the hill out of Rowardennan, just managing to set a nice easy jog all the way which covered the ground so much faster than walking but didn't do much damage to my legs; same again this time, I thought to myself. Once I had made that decision, it gave me the motivation to do it and it was a real confidence boost to make such good use of the forest road. Little boosts like this are all part of running a race like this and even more so along this section, where you do not see your support crew for such a long time.

I always like to reach Inversnaid. The marshals did a great job of sorting drop bags, helping me with my bottle and taking any rubbish I wanted to get rid of. A metaphorical rub of the hands and off into one of my favourite sections of the race. I've said this before, but there is no secret to getting through this technical section - all you have to do is stay relaxed, don't fight the trail and remember that everyone around you will cover the ground slower too. The more frustrated you get, the more energy you will waste. Simples!!

Without seeing many runners along the trail, I had somehow managed to pull myself up to 9th palce (7:10 hours) by the time I reached Beinglas Farm; where your support crew are fighting sleep and midges. I always feel that I should spend a bit more time with my crew at this point as they have stood around waiting for me, not leaving a single bare patch of skin open to the little blighters and I just rock up, say hello and get the hell out of there before I get attacked. Selfish, I know.

Beinglas Farm

Leaving Beinglas Farm, quickly!

I was really pleased with the way I was covering the ground, still running almost everything but I was conscious of the fact that I was finding it more and more difficult to get drink and food into me. A few years ago, this would have really bothered me but I have learnt that there is no need to panic or get frustrated as this only makes matters worse, the body will cope, so I just got in what I could, little bits at a time.

 I managed to avoid the bad patch through the rollercoaster woods that I endured in the Fling and felt pretty good as I arrived at Auchtertyre knowing I was going to have a slightly longer stop and change my clothing and shoes - aahh, bliss. My weight had dropped down to the lower limit at this point but I felt good and was certainly running a good steady pace, though I made a mental note to try and get some more into me before I got to Kinlochleven.

It was great to spend just a few minutes with Tracey and Paul instead of just a few seconds, so I had a sit down and a full kit change which always reinvigorates me and sets me up for the second half.

Time for some Skin-so-Soft

2nd half here we come!

Having arrived at Auchtertyre in 7th place (9:04 hours plus a 9 minute stop) I was thinking somewhere between 18:15 and 18:30 hours would be a target for the full distance if I could hold things together. On my last long training run on the WHW, about three weeks before the race, I had tried to run much of the 2nd half at a really easy jog, with the minimum outlay of energy. This was to be my approach again in the race; run as much as I could without pushing myself into the red zone. I kept thinking back to 2010 and the places where I walked then, using that as a stick to keep me running as much as possible this time.

I hardly walked at all on the way to Bridge of Orchy, only pausing to put on my jacket for one particularly heavy shower. I'm not saying it was a fast run, far from it, but psychologically it felt great to still be running at this point in the race.

Running into Bridge of Orchy checkpoint

Being near the front of the field (still in 7th place, 10:53 hours) meant that Tracey and Paul were able to get the car parked at the checkpoint so I had a full choice of drink and food for the yomp over the hill to Victoria Bridge. Once again, I set myself the target of running some (but not all) of the climb out of BoO and was pleased to at least look like I was running well as I met Murdo on his knoll at the top of the climb. Your support crew have to tell you that you are looking good and running well, its their job, but it was nice to be told that be someone outside of Team Troman, so thanks for that Murdo!

I met Tracey and Paul again at the car park just before the Forest Lodge and decided that Rannoch Moor warranted some music as it was going to be a lonely couple of hours over to the ski station. So, earphones in, I trudged off to battle the moor. I stuck to my plan of slow run all the way which seemed to be working, rather than mixing walk/run and managed to get a little more liquid in me on the way. Apart from the half mile climb before the final drop, I managed to run all the way to the ski station but I was a little disappointed to not see another runner anywhere ahead of me; I half hoped I would see someone to give me a little boost and perhaps a target to chase.

Glencoe Ski Centre (7th place, 13:03 hours) is always a sight for sore eyes after the desolation and isolation of Rannoch Moor. Paul ran down the access road to meet me and find out what I wanted at the support point - ever efficient!

Approaching Glencoe Ski Centre

Clocked in

It was another sub-1-minute stop and as I left, the marshals commented on what an efficient crew I had - nothing I didn't already know! This was illustrated perfectly at Kingshouse where Paul, a doctor, decided he should force a pit stop on me and make sure I had taken another small drink and a gel before I was about to tackle the Devil's Staircase. That is the crew doing the thinking for the runner as he starts to make less than satisfactory decisions - top crewing.

Leaving Kingshouse

On the way to the base of the Devil's Staircase, I started to convince myself that there was another runner closing in on me. At each of the last two checkpoints I saw the same support crew, then again at Altnafeadh they were there, looking back down as I made the long climb, I thought I could see someone gaining but Paul, who had ran up the climb ahead of me just to take a few photos (bless!) told me, when I reached the top, that there was no one in sight.

Climbing the Devil's Staircase

It was on the long drop into Kinlochleven that I really had my first difficult patch. It was not that I was suffering badly, I just could not get my legs to carry me as fast as I thought I should be going. By this point I had realised that my finish time would be a lot closer to 18:30 hours than it would be to 18:00 hours so, in a way I felt that a bit of pressure was lifted and I could afford to just make steady progress down into the village. On the way down I met Peter Duggan running up and we quickly said hello and remembered when we had ran together for a number of hours in the 2010 race.

At the checkpoint in Kinlochleven (yes, still in 7th, 15:21 hours) I was pleased that I had managed to put a bit of weight back on, though I was still under my starting weight. Now you feel that you are heading for home but it is still quite a trek to those leisure centre doors. I split this long section into a few mini-targets; reach the top of the climb and onto the military road, the large ruin just after the col, round to Lundavra, on to the forest road, Braveheart car park and finally the finish. Sounds easy!

Leaving Kinlochleven

As soon as I started the climb out of Kinlochleven, I knew I was going to have to really dig in for this last section. I felt like I was having to put in an inordinate amount of effort for relatively little forward progress. I thought back to the Lakeland 100, where my plan was not to go into the red on any climbs so I could run the rest and I guessed this would be a good time to replay that scenario. I was near the end of a super run, looking at a top 7 finish but was suddenly faced with blowing it all and crumbling over this last section. I took the climb nice and easy and told myself that I would get back to running once I was on the military road. Once on the main track, I did manage to get into a run but I say that in the widest sense of the word; I just figured that my slow run was comfortable enough and much faster than a walk so on I trudged.

Not much foot lift there!

No matter how many times you run over Lairigmor, you never get a feeling for how far it will feel come race day when you have 80 plus miles in your legs; it just goes on for ever. One thing that kept me going was the memory of how hard I found this in 2010 when it was a subtle blend of run, walk, swear, walk, run, cry, run, etc; at least this time I was running most of the trail and was able to feed off that psychologically.

Eventually, the checkpoint at Lundavra came into view and it was nice to be greeted by some familiar faces in the Neil and Caroline, who whooped it up for me (and long into the night, I hear) and sent me on my merry way feeling better. I almost forgot to refill my bottle for the last leg but Neil sorted me out and off I trotted on the final push.

Even this last section felt different; there was no beaming smile and inner glow of satisfaction at having completed the route that I had in 2010, this time it was still very much concentrate and finish the job off - more pragmatic than euphoric.

I'm glad that I had a look at this final section a few weeks ago as it looks so different now that there has been a load of felling; it is still an obvious track, just not how I remembered it. I had a few final checks behind and could see no one in sight so didn't really have to go full bore on the long drop to the Braveheart car park and, at last, started to let the events of the day and the final outcome start to sink in, let a smile edge across my face.

Braveheart car park

  
I finally reached the leisure centre and the finish of the West Highland Way Race 2013 in 7th place with an official time of 18 hours 30 minutes and 59 seconds - knocking 1:50 hours off my time from three years ago - well happy with that!!

Finished!

Tracey and Paul were right there to join in the celebrations (relief?!) and we had a few minutes together enjoying the moment. I think there were a number of others around who passed on their congratulations; sorry, but I was in no fit state to acknowledge you. I got reweighed and discovered that I had dropped just below my lower limit for weight loss which was a bit of a worry (and something I need to work on for my next adventure) but the main problem was my usual blood pressure drop as soon as I stop running these stupid distances.

No need to panic - I know the drill; lie down with my feet elevated to keep blood flowing round my core and head. To this end, I spent the next 20 minutes lying on the floor in the leisure centre next to Mike Raffan (6th place) as we both tried to recover. Apart from feeling a bit light headed, I didn't feel too bad so after some soothing from Tracey and light medical support from Silke (thanks), Paul brought the car right up to the steps of the leisure centre and I readied myself for the big push - well, 20 yards to the car! With Paul supporting me, I hobbled to the top of the steps and then it all went horribly wrong! To put it simply, I passed out and ended up being held up by Paul. Tracey, meanwhile, was standing by the car, under the impression that I was larking around, as I usually do, until Paul shouted up that I was really gone! As I write this now, I have a nagging thought at the back of my mind - something to do with a boy, a wolf and some crying?!

Somehow they managed to get me into the back of the car but I have no recollection of the 5 minute journey to the B & B and woke up some three hours later on my bed, still dressed in my running kit. I peeled off the kit, had a drink and slept again until 8am on Sunday. Then I had a shower!!

On Sunday morning I finally got to read all the texts and tweets I received the night before and got all emotional, stuffed my face at breakfast and headed up to the prize giving to catch up with everyone. It is always an emotional time with tales of joy and woe in equal measure. Tracey commented on how great it is that everyone has their moment in the sun and you get the same appreciation regardless of your finishing time - I guess that one line on it's own sums up this event.

I think I have rambled on for long enough now but I cannot finish without a few closing words. Thank you to my team mates for this adventure; Tracey and Paul, I couldn't have done this without you. To the West Highland Way Race committee - I have no idea how you manage to do it, but please keep doing it - this race means so much to so many people, thanks again. Thanks to everyone who gave words of encouragement in whatever form before, during and after the event - they really help. Paul Giblin, how the hell did you do that? Gareth B-J, you are an inspiration.  Finally, thanks to Mark and Kate (told you I would give you a mention!) for your help in the build up, you know what I mean.

Phew!

West Highland Way Race - quick update

We have just got back from Fort William after another wonderful weekend battling the West Highland Way.

I managed to knock 1:50 hours off my previous time and was elated to finish in 7th place in 18:30 hours. I had a few "moments" after finishing but more of that in the full report to follow.

Many thanks to Tracey and Paul for looking after me so well over the race (and beyond), all the organisers and marshals who made the race such a great experience and congratulations to all runners who managed to get their hands on one of those precious goblets.