Ultra_Tales_Issue_4_v2

EVENT REPORTTRANS EUROPE FOOTRACEBy now I was really enjoying the day. Once I had gotto top, it was time for some downhill. I wasn’toverjoyed about this though as it would irritate myknees. Anyway, enough of the whinging!Unfortunately there was quite a bit of down, and itwas pretty painful. I can only hope that it will passwith time and not just keep getting worse. Finallywe entered the finish town and then we were done.My knees were sore but I felt ok.Dinner was a 500m walk to a restaurant in town. Iate till I could eat no more for fear of not being ableto hold it down. I then walked back and was readyto eat some more. I love to eat, and you would thinkthat to be able to eat whatever you want and stilllose weight would be good, but it loses its appealquickly.Anyway, I’m going to have a little read now andthen hopefully a long deep sleep, so that I’m allready for tomorrow’s short 64km stage. Should beeasy!Day 27, September 14th – St-Seine-l Abbaye toAvallon 83.0kmToday is the second largest day. The longest is only300 metres longer and that is tomorrow! I had sleptok and was about as well rested as the time wouldafford in the luxury of the hotel room. Louise and Ihad gathered enough food together so that I coulddo breakfast in bed instead of having to get upearlier and join the rest for a more than likelydisappointing breakfast. I was a little concernedthat the morning could be difficult seeing as wewere away from the routine, but as it was it wasreally nice lying in bed eating my breakfast, just thetwo of us. We left the hotel and arrived at the startwith 15 mins to spare.I just wanted to get stuck into today. These two83km days stuck out like a sore thumb to me fromthe first time I looked through the stages and now Iwas here. It’s silly really, because the other day wedid a 79.5 and a 82.5 together. I knew it wascompletely possible for me, it was just doing it.The morning was very foggy and there was a bit ofa chill. I wore just a t-shirt which was just aboutright. I quite like running in heavy fog sometimes.29 ULTRA TALES | JANUARY 2013You feel truly alone and there is no competition. AsI warmed up, the old battered body felt better. Theroute was again on very quiet back roads again andtoday was very hilly. In fact it had the secondlargest amount of vertical gain at just below 1100metres. I was very grateful for the fog hangingaround as long as it did, as it made things safer byslowing all the cars down, and of course kept itcool, but after around 3-4 hours of running it wasgone and all that remained was a splendid blue skyand a scorching sun. There was a lovely refreshingheadwind that blew all day and did a great job ofkeeping me cool.There really didn’t seem to be too much flat today,and as usual I was enjoying the uphill’s but takingthe downs quite conservatively."My knees just feel fragilenow and I am learning tolive with them.My knees just feel fragile now and I am learning tolive with them. Speaking of pain, my heal is verypainful after around 40km but I am starting to getused to it. I believe this could be some Achillestendonitis very low down, but I’m not sure.As the day progressed and the cp’s passed one byone, I didn’t start to fatigue to badly so kept onpushing. A lot of the reason I push sometimes is tofinish and therefore maximise my rest. It is justtrying to get the balance right for my fitness and mycurrent physical and mental state.When I got to the final cp, I was told that the routewas not 83km but 86km due to a diversion earlieron. I felt quite positive at this stage so thispotentially damaging information didn’t affect metoo much. I was surprised and happy with mypositive outlook. Thankfully the last part of the daywas following a river as it meandered throughlovely little villages, before the route climbed up tothe finish point right on top of a hill.I finished in about 10:10 I think, which I am veryhappy about. One down, one to go. My heals bothhurt a bit but I know that the rest will prepare themSponsored by thehttp://