My first ultra?

A debate has opened up about the distance we ran on Sunday. On entering the Millenium Stadium, my GPS was reading 26.84 miles. Given that my GPS failed, as expected, to get a signal in the stadium, that puts the total mileage past 27 miles. A big difference! I’ll leave the analysis to the technical posting which will follow this report, but I do think that something was wrong somewhere. One can over-analyse, but I’d like to know what the problem was, if only to establish that I shouldn’t be so trusting of artificial aids!

The race report

One of the great things about races of this type is the camaraderie of it all. The advent of the internet and with it discussion forums such as Runner’s World have helped to bring the running community closer together. I can travel 170 miles to an event and have it feel like it’s close to home.

Having travelled up on the Saturday with friends Paul and Di, and having had the last big carbo-loading meal (or so I thought) with them, it was off to check into my hotel, the Holiday Inn, next door to the Millenium Stadium, close to the start line. I spent some quality time on my own, ‘focusing’, relaxing, reading, hydrating and texting, and went down to the restaurant for my final light meal, which turned into another major helping of pasta – three mushroom linguine – lovely!

I couldn’t help noticing a guy wearing a URWFRC (Unofficial Runner’s World Forum Running Club) baseball cap, sitting at another table with his family. Those caps are the “newspaper and carnation” of the running world. I knew “nrg-b” was staying at the hotel, so it was a fair guess it was him. I waited for an appropriate moment, and made my introductions. I was right about his identity. What a nice guy! What a lovely family! We chatted a while, I left them to finish their meal, and we met up again in the bar afterwards. Useful things those baseball caps!

Up at 6am to have breakfast (9am start, so need plenty of time to let it digest) - my usual cereal, self catering - and down to the restaurant for a coffee or 2. Again nrg-b was there and we chatted a while and made arrangements to go to the start together. Thanks nrg-b! You really helped keep me relaxed and keep the nerves at bay. I’m sure it helped my race go better – the Flora London Marathon (FLM) is always a nervy time for me, which I’m sure hinders my race.

We went down to watch Jamie Baulch start the Half Marathon at 8:15am (!! early!) and then started our own preparations. Again nrg-b was helpful as I was able to leave my warm-up clothing with his wife – thanks again! Nrg-b is a POSE runner. I won’t explain it here, but follow the link if you want more. This was the first time I’d looked at the technique close up. It’s interesting! I’m not sure if I want to take the time to learn it, but I’m always curious about technique and training.

I’d hoped to meet Paul at the start, and another forumite Plodding Hippo, but no sign of them. I did a short warm-up, some drills and strides, and we were ready. Far less frenetic than FLM!

Mr Baulch wished us good luck and we were off. I soon got into my stride and settled down to a nice steady pace, trying not to go faster than 8:00/mile on my GPS. About half a mile in I spotted a Dudley-Kingswinford vest, and the world was about to shrink even further. As I approached I shouted “Dud-lie” in a broad Black Country accent, and told her I was from Pattingham in Staffordshire. I was about to explain where that was, when she said she was doing the Bells of Pattingham run next weekend. So am I! I’d forgotten! Bizarrely, as she said that, a random man in a blue tee-shirt ran past and shouted that he too was doing the Bells run, and disappeared off into the distance. What are the chances of that? And how mad are we for all doing a race one week after a marathon?

My brief Dudley-Kingswinford running partner had completed the 50-mile Comrades Marathon a few months earlier. Respect! I had no idea I was to be an ultra-runner by the end of the day though! ;-)

I felt really good in the first few miles, and was able to keep my heart rate well down. I was running a comfortable pace of between 8:00-8:10/mile on my GPS, which was fine, but I had a few shocks as we passed the mile markers. I know that the markers tend to be stuck on the nearest lamp post, so can be a few metres out, but there were some serious discrepancies in the first miles. I know GPS can be dodgy sometimes, but how come my pace by the mile markers was varying by as much as 2 minutes/mile when I knew I was running steadily? After 6 miles my GPS was over a quarter mile adrift of the mile markers, and my pace was now looking a touch pedestrian. I picked up my pace a bit, but realised I wasn’t heading for as quick a time as I’d hoped. I was losing 20 seconds per mile. I was sure I was running the shortest route so what was going on? I’ve used the GPS in other races and never had it be so far out. It usually agrees closely with the course measurement.

The sun had come out now and taken the early chill away. Lovely day! Perhaps we’d have been better off with cloud cover, as it did get quite warm. We were also running into quite a fresh breeze at times, which slowed us a little, but on the whole the weather was pretty good. You always hope for ‘perfect’ conditions, but I hardly had grounds for complaint.

Before the race, I’d done a quick calculation to work out when I might hit the back of the half marathon field, who started 45 minutes before us. I had wondered if there might be a problem having to run through slower runners. I figured we’d hit the first of the walkers at about 7 miles. In fact after 4 miles I came across my first back marker – a panto dame ugly sister, who in fact turned out to be a woman – surely panto dames are men? Did she feel she was in fact genuinely ugly? Poor thing!

I’m fully in support of people of all abilities doing races, but I was surprised to be running over 11 mins/mile faster than her. The thought then occurred that I might actually lap her. I haven’t mentioned that the marathon course is 2 laps of the half marathon course. It never occurred to me I might be able to give a half marathon competitor a 45 minute start and still finish my marathon before they finished the half!

It was about here on the Cardiff Bay Barrage, with the incoming runners passing the outgoing ones, that I heard my name being shouted and spotted Paul a short way back - nice to see a familiar face. I was also getting occasional shouts of ‘Go Susie’ from the spectators, due to my name printed on my crop top. Not quite the tumultuous support of FLM, but welcome nonetheless – it all helps!

After the waterfront and magnificent new Opera House, we were weaving through back streets, and then into the park for a change of scenery and some welcome shade. This was the only place I had any trouble passing back markers, and even then I just had to step onto the grass to avoid them – no time lost. I gather some of the front runners had slightly more of a problem though.

The ‘grasscrete’ was interesting – we were warned about it in the race instructions – a little slippery and uneven, but not too bad. More of a problem was the cobbles in the castle. They make the, now defunct, London cobbles look smooth. I had to run on the grass. I wonder how the wheelchair athletes got on?

We came out of the castle to the best crowds of the day, and on to the 13 mile marker. I had a shock! I’d intended to be at half way in just over 1:45, but was nearly 5 minutes adrift. I’d not really had a pace plan, other than to not go faster than 8 mins/mile and not over 142bpm for the first half and then try to maintain that pace as close as possible to the end. My initial confidence of getting way under 3:45 (London qualifying time) and 3:43:15 (club over 40 record) was being eroded somewhat. I was going to have to pay closer attention to what the mile markers were telling me, and not what my GPS was reporting. My GPS had my first half pace at 8:07/mile, but the mile markers had me at nearly 8:30/mile. I was going to have to do some mental gymnastics to ensure I kept my pace at a level that would bring me in on course for that club record!

The good news though was that I felt fresh and felt confident I could keep it going. I saw nrg-b as we passed the oncoming faster runners at the barrage. He commented afterwards how fresh I looked. I did feel good! Maybe I should have gone out a little quicker? Again I was alarmed at losing another minute or 2 as the mile markers did the same trick at the barrage as on the previous lap. It appeared I was heading for a time of around 3:40, with each calculation I did at each mile marker. So I was OK for time, but could I hold my pace?

At each water station I was now splashing plenty of water over me to keep cool. It had definitely warmed up a bit.

The familiarity of the second lap helped to keep me going. We entered the park for the second time and I saw another familiar sight: the ugly sister! I lapped her with a few miles still to go. She took over 5 hours to complete the half. I suppose completing a half marathon is an achievement, but 5 hours is barely walking pace. Is sauntering a better term, or maybe strolling? I wonder if these verbs have a notional speed attached to them: sprinting, running, jogging, power-walking, striding, walking, strolling, sauntering. Is that the speed spectrum? Have I missed any?

I suppose I’m being a tad harsh, possibly elitist. I’m assuming she was doing it for charity, so good for her. I was just surprised at how far along the spectrum she was. I guess I’ll get my come-uppance when I walk the Beachy Head Marathon in 3 weeks time!

With only a few miles to go now, I wonder if anyone could here me muttering “Come on”, “Push”, “Run Susie run” under my breath. I was still managing to churn out 8:15 miles according to my GPS, but I was still losing time against the mile markers. I still had a couple of minutes in hand so was looking good. The fact that I had all these positive encouragements going on in my head was a very good sign. The last few London marathons have been a slightly different affair, with lots of negatives thoughts: “I hurt”, “Is this effort really worth it?”, “why not walk for a bit – you’ll feel better”. The crowds in London help, but this time in Cardiff I had my own internal supporters group going on. I think better pacing helped me feel fresher at the end and keeping motivated is much easier when your legs are able to do what they’re told!

By the time we entered the Millenium Stadium I’m sure the runners I was overtaking must have been able to hear me shouting at myself. We had to keep to the narrow strip of tarmac around the edge of the pitch. It was tricky negotiating the tight corners. Cutting the corner was not an option as it was a couple of steps up onto the pitch. I wonder how the faster runners got on?

I crossed the line, threw my arms up and roared! I wonder what my finish photo will look like? I’ve never felt that good at the end of the marathon! 3:41:30. Achieving your two main targets – London ‘Good For Age’ qualifying, and club over-40 record – certainly helps with the sense of achievement, but then I’m sure the high mileage training gave me more energy at the end – energy to run, but also mental energy. Feeling totally spent at the end of a race certainly takes the edge off any celebrations. My last 2 marathons resulted in mere relief it was over at the end. This one was much more of a high. Did the 6 months of hard work give me more mental energy, or just make reaping the rewards so much sweeter?

I have to say it was a bit crowded at the end. A stadium finish is great, but how do you get all the runners out quickly at the end? After crossing the line I had to stop very abruptly. A St John’s Ambulance woman asked if I was OK as I wobbled around a bit. The advice is usually to keep walking but this wasn’t possible; worse still was the flight of steps I had to climb to get the medal. “You’re joking” I said as the marshal ushered me up through the rows of seating.

I got my medal and goodie bag and headed for a massage. I think I queued for an hour but it was worth it. I’ve had no stiffness in the days afterwards. The massage helped, but again the high mileage training probably contributed. Maybe I could have run it quicker, and not felt so fresh? While I was queuing for the massage, a non-competitor commented that she’d remembered me coming into the stadium, noticing that I was going at quite a pace. I must have been hammering along for her to remember me! Maybe I’d held back too much early on to have so much left at the end? Or is that simply a well paced race?

I missed Paul coming in, as I think I must have been on the massage table. I think he’ll be pleased with his 4:24.

I had wanted to wait to see Plodding Hippo come in, but was quite cold. My clothes were back at the hotel and all I had was a space blanket wrapped round me. I decided I had to go back and get warm. I exited the stadium and headed back along the course. As I neared the hotel, to my delight I spotted PH coming round the corner. I shouted her name (her real one!) and ran over to congratulate her on her 25th marathon. “I’ve already finished according to this” she said waving her GPS at me. She then stopped! I was horrified I was interfering with someone’s race and urged her on, running beside her. I only had time to agree that I felt it was tad far, and gave her my apologies as I turned back to the hotel.

I tried to have a quick shower and get back the stadium to see her again, but clearly a post-marathon shower is not something that happens quickly. By the time I got back to the stadium it was all over and the finish gantry was being dismantled. There was a lone runner finishing, and a few runners remaining upstairs having massages, but I didn’t recognise anyone.

So it was off to a local restaurant for my reward meal and Banoffee Italiano. Lovely!