A week later than planned with the next instalment. I’ve been doing what I love doing for the last 2 weeks. Doing races. On Sunday 4th I ran the Big Half in London and last week, the 11th I did my 11th Great North Run. Both races were for Children’s Cancer North, and I Have one more race for them, my 50th marathon in October. This would be a good place to share my sponsorship page if you are able to spare a few quid : https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/usinghccn2022.
Initially I was going to skim over the races and training I did to prepare for my first ultra but have decided, just like my first ultra, I’m in no rush! So, a quick refresh. The first blog that covered 2015 was about the 2 half marathons for Teenage Cancer Trust. The second one, at Silverstone, done in just over 2 hrs. 19, which gave me a belief that I could go to Manchester marathon in April and get close to my previous years PB of 5 hrs. 3.
All I had to do was get a long run. And ye of little faith. I did actually do a 17.5 mile run in readiness for Manchester. I did it on Good Friday and then the next day went and did a quite speedy Parkrun (speedy for me at that time). The long run was done in 4 hours, and it was a good workout on the back of 2 half marathons with 2 weeks to go to the Manchester marathon.
It will come as no surprise to most of you that have read most of my blogs that the race didn’t go to plan! I arrived with a plan to follow the 5-hour pacer, much like the year before and stick with him for as long as possible, hopefully for the whole race.
Prior to the race I met a few familiar faces. Jo Yarnell who you have heard me mention before, an old work colleague; well in fairness a former manager, Kaz who was doing the marathon as a relay with her sister of half each. And one of the Shabba runners I had got to know, Daz Redmond. I know. Shabba. What a great name for a running club. It does actually stand for the areas the team are from, but I’ll let you all go and look it up. Members of the Shabba’s have always given me great support and in 2017 they were there to really encourage me for my 2nd ultra-effort!
I know I haven’t even got to my first ultra yet but there have been further ones and I don’t think that will surprise many of you! So, a few pre-race photos and then it was time to have a go at trying to match that run of 2014. It started off quite well but as early as the 5th mile I realized I wasn’t in the shape to run close my PB. So, I went to plan B which was to just keep a consistent pace and spend time on feet. When you’re training for a near 70 mile ultra you have to be prepared to do some long hard slogs. Of course, I realized this after the ultra, not before!
The graphic below shows my race splits. Not the usual distances for timing mats but it’s clear that the first half went pretty well but the second half was like most marathons I had done, a bit of a mission. Job done though. And I there are quite a few smiley photos of me crossing the line, so I hadn’t let the time affect me too much. Like anything it was all about the long-term plan which was the ultra. I had 62 days to go Race the Wall after completing this marathon.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. An expression we are all familiar with and one I think all runners come to appreciate and believe in more. Certainly, I did. Yet, there were so many times when hindsight came and gave me a kick in the nackers, I still wasn’t really learning from it! Ideally, I should have done an ultra at some point in the 30 to 40 days left period. Even a 31 to 36 miler would have been hugely beneficial for me. Alas, I did a half marathon and a Wolf Run!
In May 2015, when I could have done with getting some long runs in if I wasn’t going to do an ultra in readiness for the bug ultra, I did a total of 57 miles! The longest run was 10 miles and I’m pretty sure my philosophy and misguided belief was that it was best not do too many miles so that I would be as ready as possible for the ultra. Now I look at that and chuckle at that decision! Last year to try and break 4 hrs. 30 for a marathon I ran 400 miles in 30 days, which might seem over the top, but I broke my PB by 12 minutes and ran a 4 hr. 23 marathon. Moral of my story. Taking it easy before a big challenge doesn’t work for me. Going hard, going big and risking injury and form is the way that pays dividends for me.
At the end of May I was lucky enough to meet Ravi Singh, CEO of Khalsa Aid, the charity I was running Race the Wall for. An absolutely incredible man. A man who risks his life to get aid to where it’s needed most.
Into June we come and the date of the ultra, 20th, was not that far off. Sunday 7th June, I took part in Ramathon, also known as the Derby half for the first time. I’m not really sure what my plan was with this race. I ran it in 2 hrs. 35. Probably about right as I had done the reverse of what I should have by taking it so easy. Instead of getting leaner and fitter I’d put weight on and that probably was a factor in some of the pain that came my way 2 weeks later.
Now Ramathon wasn’t where I left it. On Saturday 13th June, a week prior to the ultra I took what at the time I knew was a big risk. I did Wolf Run! Now it was a lot of fun. But with all the different obstacles and whole lot of mud the chance of getting injured was quite high compared to my usual plodding runs.
Thankfully, I got round in one piece. I was a little bruised after a couple of falls and it demonstrated what I knew. My upper body strength was not all that! Still isn’t in fairness. There was a group of approx. 30 of us, entered as the Walsall Arboretum Parkrunners and we had a blast.
It took well over 2 hours for us all to get round an obstacle filled 10k course. I’m glad I did it, but I wouldn’t do one again! I loved it as when I grew up there was a programme called The Krypton Factor and I used to love the assault course in it. Alas I was too young to be on that show, but Wolf Run helped tick that box.
The next day, I’m not sure why and how, I did a 10-mile run! My last one before the ultra. It took 2 hrs. 50 so there would have been some walking and that was my final prep for the ultra.
I remember taking the train up to Durham on the Thursday to stay with family. Lunch with my cousin in Durham and then on Friday via Newcastle the train to Carlisle. I remember that train ride very well as about 80% of the passengers were going to do Race the Wall as well. I spoke to those that had done it before. Some who had dropped out the previous year due to the heat and others who had done it more than once.
I was staying very central in Carlisle, which proved to be a mistake as Carlisle on a Friday night is bloody noisy, I can tell you. On the Friday I took a walk to the castle to pick up my number and other bits and pieces before going back to my room via a pizza place for a good night’s rest.
That didn’t work out too well! It was noisy until 2am with revellers outside and then from 2 til 3 I could hear the people in the room next door to me going at it! My sleep was on and off and it took a while to realise that I could hear 3 voices crying out with pleasure from the room. Some bloke had got lucky! Me? Worst night sleep possible the day before an ultra. I woke up, showered, ate a lot and I mean a lot and then headed to Carlisle castle.
I will leave it here. Next week will be a bit more of a bumper blog. Only fair for an ultra for what was an incredible, if somewhat very painful experience!
Till then.
Usingh Bolt - Endurance Runner 