The first of my two 'warmup' ultras was the Chiltern Ridge Ultra Trail 50k in May 2023. It is a really lovely little event, just a couple hundred people on the start line, and we had sunny weather for it too. It was the day after the coronation of King Charles, so the countryside through which we ran was sprinkled with picknicking, games, and hikers.
The summit of the run is Ivinghoe, which Robert MacFarlane talks about in the Icknield Way section of his book The Old Ways. We had a great view there. By this time, about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through, I had 'buddied up' and found someone who was running at my pace. We were kind of racing each other, but he also saved me from a couple of wrong turns because I had decided (foolishly it turns out) to run without Navigation turned on. Some of the signs had also been tampered with by other people on the trail.
All the various ultra strategies were being tested, from footwear to pacing to nutrition. Footwear went well, with only one clear small blister at the end of 32 miles. Choice of socks should help here as I was wearing road running socks. Nutrition, as I have posted on Strava, was excellent. I tried caffiene gels for the first time, towards the end of the race, and liked that. These were both provided on the course, and carried by me, having bought some GU gels in a last minute splurge at Chertsey's Rock & Ice.
I downed 4 hard boiled eggs, but will go with 5 this time, as they are a great savoury and extremely easy to swallow protein option. My crew (Diane) brought me a sausage bap which was great but that was a one off! So this time I'll bring burritoes for more savoury on the BigSea. Pacing was good too, with running strong at the end, and sustainable throughout. I never really pushed it that hard, but I motored up the hills with my Leki poles, passing people the whole way in a fast walk. Downhills are a strength too, as I don't really get quad burn even on a few thousand feet.
The hardest part was I guess mental, being separated from the pack for most of the latter half, with the sporadic exception of my new friend who helped me not get lost. What got me through was the scenery, the sense of cameraderie, brief chats with walkers on the move, and really having mainly internal goals. I was motivated to get the medal too, which does help, and did motor a bit for that finish line feeling.
I'll blog BigSea too, especially as I'll be using it as a chance to get in more like 55k as its finish and start have a gap between them. This way, I can hopefully get in 55k, a mental leap over the halfway barrier that some find at RTTS base camp. The strategy there (to which I'm increasingly turning) will be to get in a good feed, but not spend too long there. The main thing will be to just get going again while the light is still strong, and to finish not too long (<2 hrs) after dark.
Here's a new trailrunning hat I got at Chiltern Ridge Ultra Trail. It's made by Ugoku, and I love it!
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