Saturday 21st January 2012 - It's all fun and games until someone runs the Anglesey Ultra

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Well, it's taken me almost a week but I think I'm ready to write about my first ultra-marathon attempt. I went into it quite blindly and didn't really know if I was prepared or not.  I guess I got the answer. I wasn't prepared. I was organised and on top of things, arrived early, hydrated and with a belly full of food. But physically, I was not ready. 

I shouldn't be too down about it.  After tearing that calf muscle in December I had actually only run twice in almost a month.  And both of those runs were on the treadmill with no weight on my back.  So to step out to the start line of a 33 mile off road ultra-marathon in a hilly location with an 11 kg pack on my back was always going to be a big ask.

I started out feeling awkward under the weight and treading gingerly  with my right foot; always waiting for a tell tail stabbing pain.  I didn't have a chance to easy myself into stride because by mile 2 we were climbing and mile 3 was basically mountain climbing!  I did a 17 minute mile, recorded a HR of 178 and was largely goosed by the time I crested a 500 foot climb.  However I negotiated the descent with relative ease and finally hit some form.  Steadying my pace around 11 mpm; even coming down to sub 10s on mile 8.  I kept it around there for the first half marathon but if I'm honest I never felt comfortable.  I just had enough strength and determination to push it.  This began to bleed away after mile 13.

I started to walk more and to find it harder to lift my feet under the weight of my pack. My pace began to drift out, 13s, 14s, and by mile 21 I was clocking 15 minute miles with long spells of walking.  But still I was dragging myself forward despite me knowing that I simply hadn't been prepared to carry the weight up that hill and over that distance.  But I still harboured a hope of making the cut at 5:45 to allow me to finish the ultra.

And then mile 25 happened.  A look at the course profile and my pace record below shows pretty clearly what went wrong.  It was three things at once.
- Firstly I 'bonked'.  I'd had a bad stomach throughout the event and this meant I hadn't eaten enough food (though goodness knows I was carrying enough!) nor had I drunk enough water.  I suddenly lost all energy and became deliriously empty and exhausted.  Just desperate to stop. 
- Secondly my legs cramped up.  I'm pretty sure it was the combination of the weight of my pack, the severe climb right at the start and most of all, the time away from running due to injury.  So now every step was agony to my thighs and my calves.  And I mean every single step.  I buckled many many times and stumbled over the slightest obstacle.
- Thirdly a mountain happened to me.  At 25 miles in we turned off the road and ascended to the very top of a very big mountain.  I could barely walk over the flat let alone climb a mountain.  I did a 30 minute mile which is surely a record for anyone who writes a running blog??  Coming down the mountain, mile 27, was a blistering 22 minutes.  Honestly I could barely move.

So that was my first attempt at an ultra marathon.  I learned a huge amount and my weaknesses were brutally exposed.  But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and I now have a very strong idea of what I need to focus on in my training.  I will attempt the distance again shortly but for now I am working on my strength.  Strength to lift the bag and strength to lift myself up big climbs.  That is what killed me.  My aerobic fitness is good.  At the end of the day I did 27 miles with an 11 Kg pack and didn't die.  So cheer up Jacobs.  There's still time to turn it around and meet my goal.

Thanks for reading folks! Peace, out.

JUST THE FACTS!!
Weight: 78.9 Kg

TODAY 
Distance 26.98 miles
Time  6:20:50 hrs
X-Trainer 0 hrs
Press-ups 0
Swimming 0 m
Sauna  0 mins

TOTAL
Distance 371.46 miles
Time  69:11:33
X-Trainer 17:41 hrs
Press-ups 620
Swimming 13,000 m
Sauna  7:15 hrs

Contact me: miffjacobs@hotmail.com
Please remember that I'm inflicting all this pain and misery on myself for a cause greater than just having a good story to tell over a beer. I hope to raise over £9,500 for MENCAP.

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