As I write this, I can’t walk down the stairs forwards. I can’t walk without a limp. I couldn’t even think about running, I can’t even tie my laces…but I feel accomplished. Proud.
Saturday was the 12-hour Formartine Railway Ultra. A huge event that had taken a lot of planning and training which all stemmed from the simple question “How far can you run?”. Previously I had only ran races that had a distance as an outcome, this was my first time limited event.
Over the past months I have been asked the question – why? I have questioned my “why” on numerous occasions. On reading the “High Performance Podcast” book they ask you to investigate your “why” by dissecting it by 5. So here we go….Why.
Level One – I want to see how far I am capable of running in 12 hours.
Level Two – To inspire and prove that you don’t need to be special or anything other than motivated to achieve something.
Level Three – To prove that nothing is impossible.
Level Four – To have something that in 30 years I can be proud of and provide a type of callous when life throws the inevitable curve balls at me.
Level Five – Because purpose drives commitment. The purpose that a close friend that passed too soon doesn’t have the options that I do, I want to make every second count.
Its deep – but I challenge you to break your why down and see what you can come up with.
The event
I finished 50km (April 2021), was physically spent – nothing left. That’s my ceiling – 50km. I have a 50-miler coming in June 2021 but I have topped out at 50 km.
Innocent friend – “you walked home from the end of the 50km?”
Me – “Yeah, about 2 miles”
IF – “So you weren’t DONE done”
Me – “…………………”
The 50 mile run came and went – emotionally charged but crossing the line at the end the mindset was different
Me – “I can go further….”
Dad – “I have watched you all day, I’m not sure you can…”
Me – ” I can still walk, I can move, I have fuel in the tank”
So cue the 12hr ultra. The event that would be ran over a section of the Formartine and Buchan Railway line between Maud and Auchnagatt ( 4.3miles one way, 4.3miles back). The goal – run as far as you can in the time given.
Pre Run Kit Check
The mandatory kit was a foil blanket and the telephone number of the doctor and race directors. Everything else was up to you to fathom out what you would need. I knew that I wouldn’t be the best runner there, but there was no excuse for not being one of the best prepared. The kit video is below but pretty much the whole house was packed into a box and an bag…including a leaking coke bottle ( to make it flat).
The Race
The day arrived – we set off from Blackburn at 5am. Getting to the start area at around 6am. The excitement was already starting to grow. Speaking with a few of the runners – everyone with their own goals and dreams for the day.
I was no different. Although a timed race, I had a bronze goal of the longest I have ever ran ( over 50 miles), a silver goal (60miles) and a golden goal of 100km. Platinum goal – run until the race is stopped (12 hours).
The minutes counted down, the race brief came and went, we were on the start line. In a synchronised watch starting we were counted down 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – go.
The tight group of 35+ runners headed off and before to long the field began to fall into a natural speed order. Excitement and naivety probably meant that I started quick but soon was finding my groove and accompanied by Fiona Anderson and Jen Dixon we soon whiled away the hours.
Loop 1 – passed low key chatting to Gary Conn who was in his first organised ultra and had a goal of 50 miles. Jen and Fiona had goals of 40 miles. Little did we all know that these goals change with the time driven event rather than distance….”how far can you really run?”
The loops were uncharacteristic until the experience brought them to life. A huge learning point from me was a tool that Jen and Fiona used. Naming certain features. Shortening the 4.3miles to even smaller sections. The first bridge “troll bridge” then “ribbon corner”, “Tom’s Alley”, ” Farmer Yumi needs our help”, “The hole” and “Pirouette” before hitting “The Gatt”. Each of the fetures grew over the twelve hours to become huge factors in ticking the distance away. The last point was “Text ma Da” which was where I would give my dad a 1 mile warning.
Learning – The importance of breaking down into sections comes in the form of an analogy – don’t worry about the top of the ladder focus on each rung in turn, slowly you get up the ladder.
Positives
Reflecting as a human race we are great at dissecting failure but we have to remember “Success leaves clues too”. Its with this in mind I start with the positives. The pacing was important, the above tool of shortening the journey into smaller stages were two major factors.
Fueling was a tough lesson, but a positive lesson. Your body changes over the 12 hours and so does the appetite. Something I never fully appreciated. I set up with the plan / strategy of solid fuels in the aid station and gels on the run. After two loops – gels were out. The stomach was not handling them. Mild panic as I had about 30 gels with me. I moved onto taking a little ziplock bag with Haribo and flapjacks during the loop and butteries in the aid station.
Tailwind in the soft flasks were great- to a point. The powdery taste after 6-7hrs started to restrict the ability to even take in the solid fuel. Rice cakes and peanut butter – non-starter, butteries really dry and sandwiches not hitting the spot I was able to lick the butter from the butteries and lick the tuna from the sandwich was a god send. Not orthodox or textbook but it didn’t need to be. Mild panic turned to joy when a last minute arrival of blackcurrant Fishermans Friends completely changed the texture of my mouth.
Learning – take a lot of different textured food, savoury and sweet. Mints were a savour but I would maybe take soup or a fluid based solid ( not sure that is a thing but you get my drift). I also had cravings which turned to a slush puppy. This was a huge motivating factor on two laps, and when it arrived my mindset instantly picked up.
The support crew have a huge role. They are the brains when your cognition starts to drop. Provide food and alternatives/combinations of foods to keep you going. Not taking anything might seem like the sensible option but its not – something is better than nothing. My dad was able to work out my total distance rather than me calculating in my head. I had ran 8 hours thinking that 7 laps would only get me 58 miles. This mentally was breaking me the fact that I would have to run more to reach the 60 mile mark when in fact 7 x 8.6miles =60.2miles. When I got told this by my dad – already kicked up another gear.
There are a few more positives I took. Smiling at the other competitors, we are all battling the same goal, 12hrs.
” A simple look, a mutual respect, the scale of the investment that individual has put into being there gives you a sense of power”…..like every time someone passed an extra 1% of charge was put back into your mental battery life.
Work-ons
I think I can run further.
I think the 12 hour barrier can be beaten. I think I faffed a lot too. I also looked at my watch at the end and it read 102.9km and I was instantly annoyed – why didn’t you just round up to 103.0km then stop. Never bloody happy.
Shoes – I had the luxury of having three pairs. The first 3 loops in the Hoka One One Rincon 3. The second loop in Adidas Terrex Flow and then 1 loop in the Nike Invincibles. I went to go back to the Hoka but the blisters were the most uncomfortable in these, although being the lightest shoe. I tried to walk in them but the pain was too much. Was this the end? Problem solve – back to the adidas Flows – no pain WTF???
Although there were things to work on the most important thing for me was that:-
“What happens may not be your fault, often it isn’t. All our lives are defined by forces beyond our control, but it is our responsibility to deal with what has happened in the most effective way”
The blister, the fuel, the heat, the missing slush puppy, the mis-calculation or the trainers each had the opportunity to throw me off my stotter…but rather than react, I chose to pause and respond.
Learning – It’s not what happens that matters, it’s how you respond.
Appreciation
Organisers and volunteers – passion to achieve a common goal, better ourselves as runners and providing a safe environment to achieve.
Support crew – The foundations, without it the house is nothing.
Health – Appreciate your abilities. Do not limit yourself by time or distance. Stop when your done.
Reflect, respond and review. Keep going
Thanks For Reading
James