EVENT REPORTRIDGEWAY CHALLENGEawarded as a result, but you had to start at 12 tocollect the points, so a midday start it was.I hadn’t started a race so late in the day before now,usually they start at some ungodly early hour, sonormally I don’t sleep for fear of lying in, wedge aton of porridge down my throat then start the racestill half asleep. So a midday start meant a lie-in, soto speak, but I wasn’t sure how to fuel, as myporridge may have worn off by midday, so I made apasta salad in preparation. I can’t say I was in themood to eat it, but I forced it down anyway.It’s been a pretty hot summer and I’ve taken part ina few races trying not to melt. Thankfully theconditions for the Saturday and Sunday of the racewere absolutely ideal. 15c or so, and clear skies atnight – maybe a little chilly, but providing I’ve gotmy drop bag filled with suitable warm stuff, itshouldn’t be a problem.My wife and three children saw me off and leftbefore the start – no need to hang around. I sawNeil Thubron (the XNRG RD) who was racing andsaid hello to him. It wasn’t too long before we hadthe race briefing and soon we were heading to thestart from the car park – I was worn out before I gotthere!The race started at 12 and I just stayed at the back. Iwas going to take this one very steadily – thefurthest I’ve run before this was 50 miles, so I wasn’tfully sure what to expect – just break the race downinto check points.The going was really good and before long we werein Wendover which led to a long walk up to CoombeHill and the Boer War Memorial, which commandssome stunning views and you can also seeChequers – the Prime Minister’s country residence.The check points came and went and the foodavailable was incredible and the volunteers wereabsolutely amazing, they couldn’t do enough foryou. In the early stages I’d really made a point ofnot sitting down – beware the chair, being a bit ofan ultra maxim. Sadly, that wasn’t to last as will beseen.I was feeling very good in the early stages. Ibumped into Neil Thubron again and ran with himfor a while until I couldn’t keep up with him anymore. The sky began to bruise and there followed avery heavy rain/hail shower. It cooled me downquite nicely to be honest and it didn’t last long.There was a lady I kept seeing at different points inthe race who wasn’t running, but she keptencouraging me – thank you, whoever you were! Imet her again just before the Watlington CheckPoint which marked the marathon mark. My legsfelt a bit sore at this point, but I shoved a jamsandwich down and got going again. I was trying toget to Goring – the mid-stage – before dark.I don’t know where I was, but there was a particularplace where Didcot and the White Horse Vale cameinto view, which was a great psychological boost. Iused to dislike the cooling towers, but I nowappreciate them as a landmark, so it seems a shameto see them go. Thankfully they’ve beenimmortalised by the Didcot Runners as their logo!The weather cleared again and I went up a hill thendown towards Grim’s Ditch. There was a part wherethe trees were quite low and formed a canopy and Idisturbed a sparrow hawk at this point – I could seeit flying in the canopy for quite a way before itfound a gap, what a graceful bird, beautiful. It’s anice long downhill to Grim’s Ditch and I reallyenjoyed this part. Just running.Grim’s ditch was done and the next stage was tohead for the Thames, which was flat calm when Ireached it. I met up with a runner here with aretina-burning orange cap and chatted with himinto Goring.How many times can you praise the volunteers inone blog? Not enough! We reached the hall inGoring and the volunteers saw us across the roadand into the hall. They took us to a chair and askedus what we wanted to eat and drink. They got mydrop bag for me. They just couldn’t do enough tohelp. Just incredible.<strong>13</strong>0 ULTRA TALES | OCTOBER 2014Sponsored by thehttp://
EVENT REPORTRIDGEWAY CHALLENGEDARK CLOUDS DISAPPEARING AS THE SUN COMES OUT AGAINI changed into cold weather clothing now as nighthad truly fallen and the next stage was up on theridge. I left around 9ish – halfway and feeling prettygood. I decided I would walk to loosen up a bit andclimbed the long uphill out of Streatley. I switchedoff my head torch around this part to have a goodlook at the stars as it was totally dark with no moon.I know this part of the Ridgeway well, but in thedark, it threw me a little bit in parts, but no wrongturns, it’s just that some places seemed further toget to than I would have expected. I got to BuryDowns with another check point, but it was here Istarted to break a cardinal rule – the chair! I try notto sit down, but thought it okay to do so at Goringas that was inside. The check point was, again,excellent, a bit of soup and tea and away toSparsholt Firs. I was overtaken by about four peoplenear this point which I found a bit disheartening,but their pace seemed very quick and I couldn’tunderstand why they weren’t ahead of me already. Idid ask the fourth guy and he said he’d taken awrong turn. Fair enough.Long before I’d got to Sparsholt Firs Check Point,Nathan Montague had finished the race and set anew TRA course record to boot – 12 hours and <strong>13</strong>minutes, outstanding and a massivecongratulations to him!So, I sat down again at Sparsholt Firs. More foodand tea and thank yous and off I went to my ownback yard where I regularly train. I felt very goodhere and went for it – well as far as going for it is forme. Bad idea. I should have kept my discipline andkept a slower pace. I walked up Foxhill to the checkpoint and my quads really started to seize. I satdown again which really was the biggest mistake,but what could I do, I felt I really needed to rest. Itwas cold up on the top and I think getting out ofthe chair really put paid for me. Another kindvolunteer walked out with me and wished me luck. Iwalked down hill and felt like my legs wereloosening up, so started a bit of a shuffle. I crossed aroad and started the ascent up to Liddington Castleand felt the top of my left quad tighten. I’massuming I’d torn a hip flexor, but who knows?Daybreak was just kicking in here and I thought,well, 16 miles to go, 3 miles per hour is the averagewalk, shouldn’t be too bad….For the record, it took7 hours 15 minutes to finish for the last 16.miles,which equates to just over 2 miles per hour!So a briskish walk turned into a slower and slowerwaddle to hobble. I sat down again (you’d think I’dlearn) at the final check point at Barbury Castle.They were supportive and wished me well. Ithought I couldn’t move at all when I got up, butmanaged to move. On leaving the check point Iwent one way, but there was a grass bank about afoot high, so I went another way that was flatter.Coming down the other side of Barbury Castle must<strong>13</strong>1 ULTRA TALES | OCTOBER 2014Sponsored by thehttp://
Change language