Running

Dare 12 Race report as promised. Apologoies in advance for the length of this post!

The short version: Ran around in circles for a whole day, collapsed into a tent.

The event was advertised as a race/festival and you could camp from Friday night so I arrived expecting to see more than three other tents set up, one of which was just being used for storage. They still had the music playing and a bar open, just no one there! This didn't really bother me, I got registered, set up, organised my kit, headed back into town (Aberdare) for a trip to Tesco for some supplies and chatted a bit to the guys running the bar before hitting the sleeping bag.

After a not-great nights sleep I woke a bit before my alarm (set for 0600) and started thinking about getting up. I managed to stay mostly dry before the start but the forecast was for rain most of the day, layers would be needed. Meusli for breakfast and a bit to drink, use the facilities ... all the normal pre-race routine. Chatted a little to a local runner who was also running solo and we headed to the start together but I didn't run with her as she wanted to start right at the back and let everyone go so she could do her own thing pace-wise. I'd see her a few times out on the course.

We started at 0800 and I was determined not to get dragged along by the faster runners. I generally judge my "long run" pace from breathing and HR but I'd turned off my HR sensor on my watch to preserve battery so just went at what felt like a very easy pace. Lots of people drifted away from me and I found myself alone almost right from the start.

The course mostly followed flat tarmac paths for the first couple of km. Unfortunately the route had to be changed last minute so we ran down a false flat, around a cone and back on ourselves, now a gradual incline before turning off for some more interesting terrain and scenery. The 3rd and 4th kilometres wound up a valley, past some lakes, and across fields to the aid station (only to be used every other lap for anyone chasing UTMB points) at about 3.5km, and then a nice flowing section back down the valley along the river and through some wooded sections. Hitting the 5km marker was always reassuring, almost finished the lap now but first The Hill. It started shortly after the 5km marker and ramped straight up a grassy path before turning into an old mining track. I had no intention of running it so relaxed into a walk on every lap. They'd placed a big Welsh flag at the top of the climb, which was a nice touch as I later realised you could see it from various points around the course. From the flag it was pretty much all downhill for 1.5km, with some fairly steep sections, to the finish. I think I enjoyed this section more than most other people.

I had planned to do a 3 lap stint before stopping at my tent to resupply. The solo runners had to leave the course to top up with water and food but I quickly realised what a time drain this was. I wasn't sitting about but somehow in 15 minutes all I'd done was refill water bladder, re-stock food, and go to the loo! I realised I would have to stick to my target of a 55min lap to build up a 15 minute buffer which would give me time to stop every three laps. Shortly into lap 4 I reevaluated what I was carrying and how often I'd need to stop. I'd been eating less than I had planned so figured I could switch to a four lap stint if I stopped for a pretzel and drink of water at the aid station every other lap. I wasn't ever out to score UTMB points but I thought it would be a shame to miss out - just in case!

I focussed on ticking off the laps, breaking each lap down into sections and just getting through each section. I chatted to most people as they passed me or (more rarely) I passed them so probbaly spoke to most of the other runners throughout the day. As I was on my sixth lap I was passed by two other solo runners, both of whom were on their seventh lap. Needless to say I was very impressed yet slightly alarmed to have been lapped until I did some mental arithmetic and realised that to be 8km ahead after a marathon wasn't unreasonable for someone fitter and faster than I!

It had been raining on and off all day, mostly light rain with some heavier spells. The course was holding up pretty well and only started to get muddy and deteriorate in certain places after about seven laps. This made one uphill section pointless to run unless you wanted to lose your shoes in the sucking mud, and one downhill section a little slippery but apart from that the course was great. The mud was so grippy, lugs would dig in and bite which gave me a lot of confidence on the descents. I've been working on my downhill technique over the summer and I overtook people on the last section of the course on most laps. Must be doing something right but got to be careful not to wreck the quads!

I had settled into a routine of eating one thing (gel, energy ball, pretzel, handful of nuts) each lap, drinking to thirst, and keeping the pace nice and steady which seemed to be working pretty well so I decided to stop and resupply after lap 7 with the aim of going through to the finish on what I was carrying. I took a few swigs of chocolate milk at the tent and ate a couple of quorn picnic eggs, stocked up and headed back out. A faster stop this time but forgot to pick up my phone so couldn't take any pics on the way around.

Prior to the race I had an the idea that I'd like to cover 100km but after doing some maths and remembering hitting the wall at about 35-40miles during the (very flat) Thames Trot I figured maintaining a steady pace for 12 hours on a hilly course would be nigh on impossible. So allowing for a wobble mid race 10 laps was my new and hopefully acheivable target.

By the time I finished my eighth lap (64km) I was still hitting just under an hour per lap. This was when I realised I was well on track for my target. Even hitting the wall hard I should still be able to drag myself through another 16km in four hours. Mission accomplished! I think realising this took a lot of self-imposed pressure off and I started to properly enjoy the race.

A marshall said something like "I've seen you and a couple of other solos more than anyone else, you must be top three!", I think during my eighth lap. I responded saying I'd be suprised if I was up there as I'm not fast. But the seed had been planted. What if I was top three? What if they were wrong and I was more like top five or ten? That would still be pretty cool. I had no idea where I was in the standings. Because you could leave the course it was possible you might get overtaken when restocking, or you might pass someone else when they were having a break. You'd both never know. Well - I knew I'd been lapped and would likely be lapped again, but had I un-lapped myself without knowing? It was possible... I also knew I had started toward the back of the pack and not knowingly overtaken many solo runners. They were probably mistaking me for someone else. Someone who knew how to run this sort of race. Someone fast. You know, a proper runner.

Thoughts swirled around as I plodded on. I had two laps - around eight and nine I think - that took about 1:10, a full ten minutes slower than every other metronomic lap! My pace was starting to slip. This was how other races had gone so I wasn't suprised. I knew what was coming. The Wall.

But that was ok, I'd hit the wall and slow right down, it would hurt and I would walk a bit and eat a bit and maybe have a little emotional wobble when no one was around but I'd reach my goal in the end and I'd enjoyed everything so far so let it come!

Except it didn't. My tenth lap was a couple of minutes faster, and then I started thinking twelve might be on the cards if the wheels weren't, in fact, about to fall off. Imagine that! Did some mental arithmetic, which by this point was a feat in itself and came up with... 96km! That would be something.

So I decided twelve was the new target. Twelve laps or twelve hours, whichever came first, but I started telling the marshalls that they'd see me again for my twelfth lap. Once you say it it becomes real. Lap eleven took similar time to lap ten. I wasn't crashnig into the wall. I knew I'd have to leave the course to grab my head torch so decided to dump my bag. Getting dehydrated now wouldn't matter, and I'd eaten toward the end of the lap. I told the marshall to expect me back in a few minutes as I left the course, ran to the tent and threw my pack in, glugged some chocolate milk, a couple more picnic eggs (they are like crack), and just remembered to grab my phone so I could say good night to my son on the way round. I started the lap at 1945, which gave me an hour and a quarter to complete my "victory lap" as I was calling it by this point. Victory in the sense that I'd smashed my target, there was no way I was winning this thing outright, right? The thought did creep in. What if the guys I'd been lapped by way back on lap six had stopped at ten laps? I'd spoken to a few others earlier who where approaching their targets and stopping before the twelve hours were up. It could happen...

Most of the marshalls had abandoned their posts and the aid station was packed away but the volunteers were there still with haribo and water and lots of encouragement! It was starting to get dark but my head torch isn't bright enough to help in the dusk light when it's only half dark, and I could see ok so I carried on, up the hill on which I'd realised there were two runnable-without-going-into-the-red sections after a few laps, got to the flag and realised it was properly dark now. As I turned to begin the descent I saw a barn owl hunting off to the right which was pretty special. Just the descent now, my legs were still doing ok on the downhills but it was dark and my torch isn't the best. Well falling at this point wasn't going to ruin my race so I went probably faster than is sensible, but still enjoying myself down the final descent.

I crossed the line to lots of cheers, high fives, and hand shakes. There were a few other solo runners there saying well done, some of the marshalls I'd exchanged a few words with during the day and one of the guys who had lapped me back on lap six. I still had no idea where I was ranked until the guy who had lapped me - who also had no idea where he was ranked - asked the organiser how he had done. He'd won with 13 laps and I was 2nd male!

96km in 12:44:49 - pretty damn pleased with that. Learned so much in one day, had a blast, met some lovely people. Smashed my target!

Cracking read, brilliant stuff! This kind of shenanigans definitely makes me want to tackle something a bit longer than the marathon at some point. Especially if you get to fuel with picnic eggs.

Hard to follow that epic run, so here’s some silliness- my girlfriend would like to point out that whilst we have the same shoes she bought hers first.

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Nice one, another good read. Potential to be a top v70 in the future for sure ;)

You can setup more complicated workouts on the Garmin Connect website (Training -> Workouts) and then sync them to the watch (via the app on your phone). I do this for my interval training, see example pic:-

Thank you very much for this - I think I have it sorted out now....

I think I prefer your girlfriends grey pair.

Absolutely amazing work Andy, CHAPEAU!

Thanks everyone. Surprised myself tbh. I haven't been following any structured training plan since Thames Trot, just trying to get the long weekend runs in over the summer. The make it up as you go along training plan!

No idea what's next but think I'll need to reinstate the long interval/tempo sessions into the weekly routine. Just got to ease them in to avoid injury. Definitely need more core work too as my stomach muscles were hurting - not enough to ruin the race but enough to notice. Confused me for a bit thinking it was a digestive issue until I realised it was muscular fatigue type of pain.

Oh and I didn't say about my feet when I took my socks off... I thought I was looking at horrifically bruised toenails but fortunately it was just mud!

congratulations. I really enjoyed reading that.

Did you manage to get the UTMB points?

Do it! One thing I've learned is that the marathon isn't some mythical distance beyond which only super humans can survive. I am a distinctly average runner and I managed it. Whenever people say things like "I couldn't do that" I'm just thinking actually yeah, you could. You just have to try. And enjoy running. That helps, I think.

I got some points, not sure how many. It depends on the number of laps (combination of total distance and elevation). Maybe three points, but have to check!

@jdp sent me a copy of Like The Wind which I've finished with. If anyone here would like it, dibs it here and then please PM me your email address, I'll send it to you. UK post only!

Apologies if this has been questioned before, but is there a Forum Approved head torch?
As the evenings draw in, my local park is getting darker, and I think a head torch might be the answer.
It's pretty flat but can be uneven. Don't need to turn night into day, but the ability to spot turds a few meters in advance would be nice.

https://www.alpkit.com/lighting will set you up.

If money no object Petzl Nao range would be fun overkill.

You can easily log into the Strava web page, and edit the run (spanner icon), to crop the starting point to where you were on route.

That would keep most of your miles, without screwing up your PBs.

Altering the start point is possible by editting the coordinates from the FIT file data. But that's over my head.

I've been happily declining into middle age for a while, but after a health scare a few years back i started doing a bit here and there. I like cycling obviously but i really enjoy running. Unfortunately i seem to pick up shin pain easily at the moment. I never used to when i ran more often so i'm hoping it'll wear off. I've slowly increased my miles although im deliberately only running once a week.to the point where i'm comfortable pootling about the park run. I've had gait analysis and suchlike and bought the expensive trainers (worth it for the sales bloke looking aghast when i said i usually ran in converse or boots depending on the weather).
The shin pain is still flaring up occasionally so i was wondering if the more experienced runners here have any ideas to limit it and eventually remove it all together?

my physio got me doing tons of these when I had shin splints

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5aZr7ilj-I

He also did some dry needling on my shins - I don't advise watching that if you don't like needles....

Shin (Tibia bone) pain. Or muscle pain on outside front of your leg (Tibialis Anterior)

Shin splints are micro fractures of the bones, which is unsurprisingly painful to run on. If you can't bare to do 10+ single leg hops, then bashing out a 5k run with circa 5000 steps is a bit silly.

If I haven't ran for a while, I often get Tib Ant pain. I revert to slow cadence with a longer stride length, resulting in a heel strike... The heel strike then translates to Tib Ant being stretched under load which soon starts to hurt.

Might be time to see a physio if it's something that a week or so's rest doesn't resolve.

I find that after a week the pains pretty much gone. And after maybe a half mile of gentle jogging its gone too. Im just looking to remove that inconvenience. The first time it happened i took a month off running and then eased slowly into it. This time the pain is significantly less like ive banged my shins on a coffee table. I'll try the stretches and back off the running for a bit.
Its worth a shot, cheers folks.

I'd not seen Crop but yes so obvious now! Ta!

(me) i'm not sure there's much money in CIRF

There's one 5 mins from my house in a few weeks so i've signed up. Let's test this theory :)

Nobody interested in this? For free?

^ It's a good read!

Anyone after any new running shoes?

I have a pair of ASICS Gel Kayano 25 in Black/Black UK8 for sale. Only worn for 20 miles but don't suit my feet.

As they have been used outside the shop won't take them back but they're spotless, boxed like new.

Cost me £160, would sell for £100 with free postage.

Got pics if anyone wants