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There and back again: an ultra-runner’s tale.
THIS IS MY JOURNEY OF THE PUNK PANTHER: A BRIDGE TOO FAR – ULTRA-MARATHON
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
These are some of my training run routes so nice to race them and these local races are a great addition to the calendar, especially when you don’t have to travel for hours or leave the night before to get there. Although in true fashion I was still up early getting my bag sorted and my special flapjack cut to race size pieces.
It’s a week on and I need to sort out my race bag as well as finish this blog. I have raced in the week but only a 5km road race and I hardly needed the bag for that one. Happy with a PB of 19.38 at the John Carr Series race 3 though.
Approaching CP2 near the car park at the end Fewston Reservoir – Thanks Valerie Stoneman for the high five! It definitely spurred me on. The effect of support and encouragement in a race should not be underestimated.
Finding the route back was fairly easy and the course was well marked. A route looks so different on the return journey and it was worthwhile taking a mental note of turns and directions on the way out. There had been a a few cows and calves to navigate and hills to climb in the second half of the race, but this became as many ultra races do more of an individual effort… running my own race, mile upon mile on your own, taking your own pace and thinking about the long run rather than the next field. By the time I approached CP7 I was back in 4th having been 6th from CP5. Reaching CP7 at the bridge at Dobpark, I made a fast turn a round and pushed on up the steepest and longest climb it seemed of the route… taking the Strava CR to boot! Once that climb was done it was a run down to Otley across field and tracks back to the CP at the start point… a quick cup of coke and a steady effort to the finish, passing families out in the park, and my car which seemed a quicker option! Chatted to a runner who was doing 50km rather than the full 60km route and we trotted along to the finish, talking ultra-races and Hardmoor 110 efforts, a great way to finish off a race. I decide to pick it up a bit and try to finish strong over the last half mile, chasing down that Methodist church hall door in Poole-in-Wharfedale.
Lessons learnt:
- Just go for it and see what happens.. training pays off.
- Keep going and run your own race
- Use CP’s as you need to not as others do.
Things to improve:
- Use the descents to gain time – rather than coasting.
- Early-mid point fuelling needs to improve to avoid the half way drop of energy.
- Work on flat speed.
So I’m 14th in the Punk Panther Ultra-Marathon Series after having done 1 out of the 2 races so far. I hope to be able to make another one or two later in the year.