Firstly, the week’s sessions: I was very busy with work this week. 10pm finishes most nights. I went to the gym on Tuesday at 8:30pm and did a gym/swim session again. My front crawl was a little better this week, still a long way to go though.
I was working so late on Wed and got back at 10:30pm on Thur, so no training on the Wednesday. On Friday I completed my usual gym session though I tweaked a muscle in my right quad which played up a little on Sunday, but it was small fry to the rest of the problems. Saturday I decided to take it easy for Sunday...
I really decided to do this event on the spur of the moment, after being given the leaflet about it a week or so ago. It is called the Cannock Chase Trig point run. Before even going I didn't think I really should. I've not even run 7 miles in distance since the Marathon, let alone 15. I've also only run half a dozen times since then. All sense should have said "No", but I figured "Hey I’ve done 26 miles before, surely I can manage 15".
The route is a 15 mile Fell Runners Association navigational run over Cannock Chase 1500ft of ascent. I've never entered an FRA event, and had no idea what to expect. There were 6 map references and you can take any route to them as long as you visit them in order.
I had friends round the night before, until quite late, so little sleep after a heavy Chinese takeaway meal was the first mistake.
I was up very early with my baby, so it all a bit of a rush to get him up, fed and ready, as well as get my own kit together (although I had done some of it the night before). I dropped him off at my mothers, and drove the 20 miles to Cannock Chase.
I arrived in plenty of time and registered. They had no safety pins for the race numbers, so I had to put it in my map case and put it round my neck. I was running with my Raidlight rucksack, about 3 times the size of the packs that everyone else had on. You had to carry "Map, Waterproof jacket, Whistle", that's all it said. I had those, plus an extra T-shirt, as well as drinks bottle. Now I intended to drink 300-400ml of electrolyte and leave the bottle in the car. I drank that but there was about 200ml left, so I decided to carry it with me.
Standing on the start line I then looked around and realised in horror that most people were carrying hydration packs. Now, I had mine with me, but it was emtpy in my Rucksack (although I only remembered this on the way home after). Still, I thought there is a drinks station at Checkpoint 3, I should be ok until then (5 miles). I switched on my Sat Nav PDA and the location locked in. I had drawn the route on a 50k map and would use the PDA to follow it if necessary. If I'm honest, I was banking on following everyone. I thought the GPS would be bit overkill. I also switched on my GPS unit with my watch for speed/distance....nothing. Now I had checked the battery the night before (one of those Duracell's you can press on to show the charge left) and it had shown half. Obviously half charge is not enough to power it. This was a bitter blow as I would not be able to pace myself at all. I put it back in my rucksack and just started my timer when they shouted the start off (but with no mile markers it was useless anyway).
I was running in my road shoes. I'd made this decision based on the terrain being on the whole fairly good. On reflection I should have worn my off-road shoes as it was muddy in places and grip was difficult. However, I don't think this adversely affected me to any great extent. At the start I was wearing some running leggings, a dry-fit T-Shirt and a thin long sleeve running shirt over the top. I had taped up my toes and was wearing my favourite type of socks which are the Asics Kayano's.
Below is the Map. The Blue route is the one I had pre-planned in advance and intended to follow. The Red one is the route I actually took (GPS trail); more on that later.
Below is also the elevation profile.
The race started, and with no GPS Iwent with the flow, but tried to be mindful of being too quick. The first 3 miles in punishing, about 700ft gained, I can honestly say I don't remember that downhill after mile 1! I was feeling a little tired after the first 3 (CP2 was at mile 2), starting on hills never really agrees with me. I was hot and stripped off to just my T-Shirt. On the whole I was ok at this point. I did feel a little more fatigued than I would have liked, and wondered if I had gone too fast.
At 30 minutes my right toes started to go numb. It slowly spread and by 35 mins I had lost feeling from the knee down. It's impossible to run with this. I thought I had seen the last of this issue a year ago, obviously not. I had to keep stopping every few hundred Metres, taking off my shoe and rubbing feeling back into them. I had dismissed tight laces to be the cause a year ago, but I then sat down and loosened off my entire right lace from the heel end back. Much to my surprise the numbness didn't come back. Now I don't ever tie my laces tight anyway, but I wonder if my feet had swelled up for some reason (hydration related) and caused it. I'd already lost 5 mins or more before CP3 doing this. Then the numbness started to happen in my left. I immediately loosened off the lace and it went away. So, once thing I've learned on Sunday is that, how strange.
Now with all the stopping and starting I had totally lost sight of anyone in front of me. Cannock Chase is a maze of criss-crossing paths and woods and as this route was not marked, you are on your own. I took out my GPS. I had kept sight of people up to where the 'F' of “Cannock Chase Forest” is marked in bold on the map. At that point I was on my own and took a different although parallel route to every one else. I actually started to feel better now, running without anyone in sight reduces pressure to perform I find. The track I had taken was narrow and with fern woods all around, in contrast to the car-sized track that everyone else had taken (I took it on the way back). That said, I don't think it lost me any time and was more enjoyable.
I crossed the road before CP3 and saw the Checkpoint and drinks station. Then, to my horror, there was just water and no electrolyte. I really had been banking on something to keep me going. I drank a little water, and carried on a little concerned. I then remembered food. I looked in my rucksack and then realised I had left my SIS fruit bars and Go-gels at home. I would not have even needed them if the CP had electrolyte, but now running low on fuel I had made a critical error. I was already feeling somewhat tired here, and this was only mile 5.
Checkpoint 3 to 4 I can only describe as torture. Check out the elevation profile, it really was that hard. Two climbs, one small descent. The climb to CP4 (half distance) a local beauty stop is 250ft in less than half a mile. I walked half of the hill. I had slowed up so much on the slope my running pace was walking speed anyway. I lumbered up to the top, didn't even admire the view. I sat down and remembered I had 200ml of PSP22 electrolyte left. It lasted 2 seconds. I looked at my watch 1 hour 17, so even with lots of stops I was still close to a 2:30 finish. This was when I knew I had obviously gone much faster than I should at the start.
I got up and descended. Both calves’s cramped terrible on the way down. I have never really had cramp before but this was agony. The muscles were pulsing hard on each calf and I sat down and tried to ease them with massage for a minute. I unzipped my leggings to the knee in doing this. The right zip then broke trying to zip it back up. So for half the race I had one legging open beneath the knee trailing behind me. I then climbed up to CP5 (mile 9). At this point I decided to not go the route everyone else was taking (to go back down the road from CP5 to where it says "Wandon on the map) turn right and go to CP3/6. Instead I struck off in a more direct route. Where the route deviates at an angle it was following paths instead of through woods or fields. Tiring badly now, I walked up the steep hills and jogged down the slops. However, I got to CP6 (mile 10), overtaking other who had gone the road route. I sat down wearily at CP6 and drank some little half-cupfuls of water.
I set off again up the hill from CP6, another killer climb. I was really spent at this point. Running was just not possible. I tried to run only for the intense cramps to take hold a few hundred yards along. I walked for at least the next 3/4 mile. Another guy stopped to chat for a while as we walked. I then all of a sudden got terribly cold, and I mean really cold. I actually got a bit concerned. I stopped and put my long sleeve running top back on over my T-Shirt and walked on. Still I was cold. I stopped again and put on my lightweight windproof top and windproof gloves. We jogged then to try and get some heat back in me. Again it wasn't log before my legs cramped up so badly that I had to walk. I bid farewell to the guy and walked on. I had warmed up now with the windproof layer on. I am so glad I packed it. The day was bright and sunny, though cold and I nearly didn't pack it. I could have really got into trouble otherwise.
CP6 to 7 (14 miles) was a long slow torturous walk. After the initial climb it was pretty flat, and with the proper fuel in me would have been a breeze. As it stood I was walking. I tried to run every now and again, but didn't get far without cramping. I then got dehydrated. I stopped sweating, a sure sign. I started asking passers by for water, no luck. Now my navigation was spot on between 6 and 7 using sat nav. Others however got hopelessly lost. Half a dozen people who ran passed me at 6 caught me back up a mile before cp7 (and I'd walked it!). One of them gave me some water, and pretty quickly I felt a little better. I got to CP7 (14 miles) but still didn't have the energy to jog much of the last mile. I jogged bits and pieces but cramps returned again. I jogged up to the finish. Not sure exactly but it was around 3:08 minutes. The first half had taken me 1:17, the second an hour and 50 or so. I ended up doing 1900 feet of ascent. When I checked the official route on my map program it was almost 1700 anyway, so 1500 advertised was a little out.
I was feeling terrible, but my eyes lit up when I saw a barrel of SIS drink at the finish. I hastily downed several cups, and 10 minutes later felt wonderful. All the pain I was feeling eased, stomach pain gone, cramps gone. I knew I had really been running on empty for the last 6 miles. Several times along the way I had considered quitting. When my numbness kicked in at 3 miles I thought it was pointless to carry on, at 8 miles when the cramps started, at 11 miles when I got cold, 12 when I got dehydrated. It was only the thought that this is exactly what I need. I need a spectacular disaster to build character and show that despite feeling terrible I can still make it to the end - run, hobble, or walk. I walked back to the car fantasying about stopping at the nearest MacDonald’s (bear in mind it has been years since I ate anything from MacDonald’s) putting my credit card on the counter and ordering 'one of everything'. My body just craved calories and sugar. However, as the SIS drink took hold, I lost the urge and went to pick up my son. Imagine my joy when I walked in and my mother was plating up Sunday roast. I've never eaten so fast in my life.
So, I apologise for the lengthy post, but this was worthwhile.
Lessons learned:
Don't go for an event that you are not ready or prepared enough for.
Check what you pack, and double check it (I thought I was good at this).
Turn on all equipment, and confirm batteries are ok.
If equipment fails, reign in your pace, and then reign it in again, don't chase people.
Loosen all my laces on shoes from now on.
Carry electrolyte, or water and food on all FRA events - also learn more about hydration and nutrition.
Make sure I always carry enough warm and water/windproof clothes.
Conclusion: So pleased I did it, because I completed despite feeling awful. However awful I felt yesterday will pale in comparison to how I will feel when dehydrated on sand dunes at 120F. I need a lot more of this kind of event this year, and a lot more close failures and agony. If I complete everything easily, when I hit hardship in the desert I won't be prepared would bail out. Bring on more pain!
Speak soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment