Stupid o'clock alarm and a 2 hour drive up the A1 to South Wheatley in Nottinghamshire. I nearly didn't go as youngest spent all Friday afternoon in A&E with suspected broken fingers and I really didn't want to go off to do a race not knowing if she was going to be ok or not. In the end it looks as though nothing is broken which was a huge relief.
I arrived at the village early, about 7.15am. I was expecting there to be marshals and signposts showing the way to the parking but there wasn't anything from the direction I came in from so I missed it completely at first! Once I found HQ I went and registered straight away with the thought that I'd try to sleep for a bit in the car; the race briefing wasn't til 8.40am, and I was desperately tired. Hardly any one else was there so registering was quick, and rather to my surprise they didn't check for any of the mandatory kit. I guess I could have taken out all those items but left my pack as it was because mandatory kit is there for a reason and you never know if you will need it, either for yourself or someone else.
I had slept very badly the night before, as I often do before a race, and a 4.15am alarm hadn't helped either so even before I started running I was horrible weary. Sleep didn't happen though so in the end I went back into the village hall and sat around. It was a friendly atmosphere, quite a few people doing their first ultras too.
Race briefing was not too long and some good words of advice from the RD to all the ultra newbies. Then I followed everyone else to the start as I wasn't quite sure where it was (it was along a farm track, no fancy inflatable arch or timing mat). A bit of hanging around and getting cold then off we went.
Almost everyone went racing past me and although I didn't look behind me I'm pretty sure I was close the back almost from the off. But it didn't bother me- I was certain that not all those speedsters were going to finish in under 5 hours - and I jogged along taking in the unfamiliar Nottinghamshire countryside. I didn't manage to do the run-walk thing for the first few miles as it was gently undulating and there was a long, freshly-ploughed field that was barely walkable in places but as I knew we'd be on the Chesterfield Canal soon enough I just went with the terrain and decided to start the jeffing once on the flat.
The canal was surprisingly lovely. So peaceful, and the air full of birdsong and dried reeds rustling in the wind like taffeta ball gowns. I enjoyed running on my own, solitude and quiet were just what I needed. The jeffing strategy was my usual 10/2 and it meant I was to-ing and fro-ing with a few runners. I'm not entirely sure they liked that, letting me jog past then overtaking me when I walked then letting me pass again, but it was probably the fact that it seemed odd to them for someone to be walking so early on into the race and snacking as they went!
First CP came round after about 8.5 miles. Well-stocked, clean and tidy, well-organised and lovely volunteers. There was a good mix of foods- all vegan- including PNB sandwiches/wraps, jam sandwiches/wraps, tortilla chips, biscuits and sweets. For some reason I was very hungry so ate a jam sandwich straight away and took a jam wrap to eat along the way. It was all going nicely and I bimbled along licking jam off my fingers.
More canal. I needed a wee. Canal towpaths are not great places to have a wee if you're a girl. In the end I had to take a good look behind me and in front and shelter by a hedge as best I could as there were no stands of trees or anything that I could duck in to. CP 2 came where we crossed from canal to river. The CP itself was slightly off the route and I almost missed it but I was again really hungry and really wanting more jam sandwiches. Luckily there were sarnies a plenty so I think I ate 2 and had some coke. The lack of sleep was beginning to tell on my energy levels and for some reason I didn't fancy any of the snacks I'd brought with me. I'd had a ginger ale Shotblok earlier for a bit of a boost but although I like the taste of them I find the jelly-like texture a bit yuc. Anyway, the jam-coke combo worked a treat and I felt much fresher after 2 minutes pause. Just like the first aid station, it was fantastic and the volunteers again were lovely too.
Now came what turned out to be the most challenging part of the route. I was expecting to enjoy running by the river more than the canal but the Trent at the end of January on a grey, breezy day is bleak. Running atop the floodbank I was put in mind of running along the Ouse outside Kings Lynn- the wind was bitingly chilly and the fields seemed weighed down by the huge expanse of grey sky. So far conditions underfoot had been pretty fair- a bit muddy but nothing horrendous. It was dry on the floodbank but there was mile after mile of mole hills! These made for quite tricky conditions especially with the rutted grass in between- running was hard as I kept going over on one ankle or another and never found easy footing. And whichever way I was facing there seemed to be a headwind. I had kept my gloves on and drew over the mitten covering but my hands became really cold so that I couldn't use them properly. It was actually a relief to reach the only major settlement of the route and run on tarmac for a little while and sheltered from the wind.
This was Gainsborough and CP 3. Not only were there jam sandwiches but buttered malt loaf and tea! I took the time I needed to eat and drink because I knew that would raise my spirits a bit. There was a busy road to try to cross and I stood for a while with another runner as we waited to see if any drivers would be kind enough to stop being in a hurry and let us cross. Still, at least it meant I could finish my tea! The other runner said there was still a tough stretch along the Trent and that this was the bit where you could really lose time but I wasn't too worried- I wasn't in it to get a certain time although I did want to finish in daylight so that I wouldn't be home too late in the evening.
Eventually we were able to cross the road and for a little bit we walked but then my watch reminded me it was time to run again so I set off. Being alone wasn't bothering me at all. Usually I get a bit lonely and worried when I don't seem able to keep pace with other runners in a race but today I was quite content to do my own thing. It wasn't an easy 5 or so miles- there were more mole hills, more headwind, some sewage works and I began to think I was running past the same cooling towers (?) over and over again. I think this was probably my lowest point where fatigue began to gnaw away at me trying to get me to give up running and just death march. But then in the distance I saw bright colours. I was having a bit of difficulty seeing clearly as one eye seemed to be misbehaving which I put down to the cold wind, fatigue and maybe a bit of mud I'd rubbed in, but as the colours got nearer I could see they weren't other runners. There were 2 marshals waiting to wave us off the river and back onto farm tracks for the last 10k or so. They had music playing and big smiles and somehow it was such a relief to see them. There really was no need to have put marshals there- the turning was perfectly clear- but it was so good to hear the music and friendly voices! They said it was about a mile to the aid station but honestly it felt much further.
The initial relief at being away from the river quickly wore off as my feet came in contact with the flinty surface of the track. Of all underfoot conditions I think I'd say flinty, stony farm track is the worst thing to run on other than ice. It was a long, straight lane and it seemed as though the CP would never come. But it did and I was yet again so hungry that I wolfed down jam sandwiches in a most uncouth fashion! Another cup of sugary tea really hit the spot too and after thanking yet another fantastic CP crew I took a deep breath and headed off on the home straight determined to run as much of the last 6 miles as I could.
It was almost literally a home straight- long, straight farm tracks, muddy lanes and field edges. More flintyness but also some fairly hideous mud. The stony bits really got me thinking ahead to SDW100- my inov8 Ultra-Talons would be hopeless on the South Downs- even with just these 6 miles or so my feet were becoming quite painful with the pounding. There were a few bits of hill to go up and I'd run for a bit then walk to the top and then force myself to get running again. A couple of guys who I'd been seeing in the distance for about an hour or so gradually became less far away and finally I overtook them. They joked that they'd seen me far back but gradually gaining on them and they'd been trying to hold me off for the last hour. They seemed in good spirits as I ran off. At times my running felt painfully slow but thankfully at last there was a gentle down hill. I stretched out my legs and ran properly. The downhill went on more or less for perhaps 3 miles and by the end my legs were screaming at me but at long last there was the finish and I ran strong right to the end.
To my utter surprise the marshal said he thought I was 7th lady and about 54th finisher. I knew I'd slowly been picking people off in the last 10 miles or so but had no idea I'd made so much progress!
Back at HQ there was lovely homemade soup and unlimited tea. I couldn't stop smiling even though my legs and feet were so painful. Refreshed and feeling content it was time to end my adventures in Nottinghamshire and head home.
Waterway 30 all done and a great day out.
32 miles in 5 hours 43 minutes, finishing 8th lady and 54th out of 167 finishers.
With huge thanks to all at the Hobo Pace Events team https://www.hobopace.co.uk/
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