So this seemed like a good idea when I signed up.. or at least not a stupid idea. I was already booked to take part in the London Marathon, and then a half the weekend after. So the weekend after that I would either be as fit as I could ever be or injured and unable to move. So if i was ever going to be fit enough to do a 34 mile ultra trail run then this was going to be it.

So I signed up for the Maverick X Jurassic Coast Ultra, I blame peer pressure, but I should be fair it didn’t take much more than the idea to be planted in my aforementioned silly little mind, for me to think that it might be an idea. It was a chance to do my first Ultra, my first Trail run event (and as it turned out my first ever off road run) with a friend so we could keep each other company. As I said, seemed like a great idea.

I was still thinking it was a great idea as I stood in the start funnel with lots of other people who were taking part in the event, or the other shorter companion events that were happening on the same course. Lots of keen looking people some with excited looking dogs. We had a plan, don’t go too fast too early, take it easy, walk up the hills and try and be quicker than the 10 hour time limit. The weather was good, it was cool, not too hot, and the forecasted heavy rain all day had been replaced with some light showers. We were ready, our support crew were ready, and had been loaded up with far too much stuff that I was a bit delusional to think that we could ever need. I wasn’t feeling too achy after my earlier events, so actually felt that this was good and we could do this and that maybe we could dream of being sub 9 hours.. or even better.

I knew we were both a bit underprepared for this, I had done no trail / off road running practice and D my counterpart hadn’t run further than a half. But we looked as competent as some of the others, and how hard could it be, we just had to keep running, slowly if need be, walking was fine, the course had trail markers, we just had to get round. Ok some of the others looked really very keen, and had walking poles and looked like they had done this sort of thing before. But it was hard to be completely sure who was here for the 11k and who was going to attempt the longer distances. The 11k group could mostly be identified as they generally didn’t have rucksacks or other running vests of kit. looking at the official photos (we are not in any of them) neither did some of the ultra competitors. Which is frankly scary.

The first leg (0 to 11km):

Overall this felt good. Lots of people about and keen dogs. There was a sense of fun, the course was busy, and you could see a stream of people ahead into the distance. Legs felt good, well we had only just started. The route looped out towards Studland and around the golf course, the slightly sandy ground made some of the inclines a shade harder, and i was aware that I would have to watch the pacing as that would zap energy. We were confidently walking on the first steeper section, glancing back at the view and the long line of other competitors stung out behind us.

The first rain shower kicked in to wake us up, and we dithered for too long before putting on rain jackets. Within 5 mins of us having them on we were taking them off again. a few more events would have make that decision better, while it was cooling to get rained on a bit, the smart move would have been to put it on as soon as it started. It didn’t rain for long and we hoped that would be all of the showers.

Rempstone to Renscombe (11 to 24km)

This started with the second major uphill section, a solid track to slog up. During this we were treated to a group of dear cutting across the path just ahead of us. Soon we crested this hill and were jogging along again. Although I was already feeling that I wasn’t really resting during the walk sections they were just differently hard. Down the otherside we had to shout at another runner who had missed the generally excellent course markings and missed a turning. They were very grateful that we had stopped them going more than a few 10s of meters off course.

The field of runners started to thin out, as the middle distance runners had now also left us. So we started reconsigning some of the people who over took us and we overtook, as we each took walking breaks at different times. D’s and my walking pace was faster than some others so we were able to catch back up with people who had jogged past us a few minutes earlier. Saw H+S unexpectedly which was a nice boost.

The wind started to pick up and then we hit the coast, and it became properly windy! the forecast had been for 35kmh wind, which i hadn’t really thought about when thinking in my planning about the weather. Exposed on the coast with no cover it was brutal, and strength zapping. Even when it wasn’t a total headwind it made running difficult. Also at this point the course started to get very ungulated.

Renscombe to Kimmeridge (24 to 32km)

Stairs, I hate stairs.

These were path erosion protection stairs where the path was very steep, so uneven in size and depth. These burned the quads and slowed progress. On top of that you had the wind, which was regularly blowing us to a standstill. This was hard.

Was glad to see our support team and get some blister plasters for my feet. I had been tempted to stick some onto my feet before i started what with me wearing basically new shoes. But i didn’t know which bits of my feet would need the protection. Slightly annoyed with myself that I didn’t do this at the second checkpoint as i had a bit of an idea by then. But i thought I was ok. Getting a feel of when you will stop being ok before it happens so you can manage that early is key to this kind of endurance event.

Kimmeridge to Grange Hill (32 to 41km) into the Danger Zone

No really at some points of the year these paths are closed as part of a military firing range.

Now I have walked down the coastal path at Grange Hill a few times with the Scouts, but can’t remember ever going up it. I knew it was steep but with over 40km already in the legs I was getting tired. I am going to remember going up it this time. D somehow didn’t need to have to stop to get her breath back. Clearly her strength training paid off.

Was a welcome relief to get to the quite chirpy marshal at the top and be reminded that was the last of the hard climbing done.

Grange Hill to the finish (41km to 54km)

A marathon done, mostly down hill from here. Only it started to rain again. We were quicker getting the coats on this time, as the rain driven by the wind had a strong iciness to it.

It was in this section that we started to lose contact with the group ahead, while we were walking hard we could only run for 30 seconds or so at a time, and then it was a long while before we tried to run again. We last saw them just before Corfe castle and after that assumed they must be ages ahead. In fact they were less than a minute ahead crossing the finishing line so we hadn’t lost as much ground as we had thought.

This would be a nice run to do, nice wide paths through fields mostly downhill, I could have really enjoyed this section had I not been quite so tired.****

After we had past the castle our respective GPS devices were telling us that we had completed the required 54km, while we still had nearly a mile or 2km to go, which was mentally very tough as you had been counting down in your mind and suddenly the finish line was further away.
No idea how we managed to do a sprint finish, I didn’t think my legs still had that in them.

Stats:

I was the last to finish at 9h13, the winner took 4h55 (eek) the average time was 7:12, the person who came 72nd so middle of the table took 7:13. Even that feels fast. They averaged 12:44 per mile or 8:01 per km.. (including rest stops) D and I were ahead of that pace until mile 12.*** Which is when we got to the coast and the wind and everything else became a factor..

Looking at the results I can see 128 completed the Short, 221 the Medium, 80 the Long and 148 the Ultra. 497 total + some who did not finish

Kit:

I was wearing a brand new set of trail shoes that I had only worn for Parkrun the weekend before. As I said bit under prepared. A small running rucksack that I had used when I ran into work as part of my marathon training. My cycling rain jacket. At the end of the event I was still carrying over 500ml of water and an un-opened bottle of Lucozade as well as several protein bars and other chocolate. So maybe 1.5kgs, of extra weight. If you get serious about doing this again*, then I could shave off maybe another 1kg, by using a running vest, smaller drink bottles, lighter/thinner rain jacket, and not carrying so much uneaten food.** Overall I am pleased with the kit I used, it worked well enough, it was stuff that I had from camping and other trips out.

Lessons learned:

Practice putting on your rain coat while running.

Put your rain coat on over your rucksack, as that makes it easier to take off again.. (I could have borrowed a lighter one from H, if I had thought about it)

The big advantage of running vests is that the pockets are accessible while moving, so you don’t need to stop to get anything out of the back.. Get one if you are going to do this again.

Eat more while running, you have to learn how to do this. Otherwise your body runs out of fuel and you have to stop. I knew this, I was carrying food that I didn’t eat.

No more taking the lift at work, from now on use the stairs every time.

Off road running is fun, I should do more of that.

Double check how much your GPS device had drifted at each checkpoint, so you know how much you are under / over reading by.

Wrapping up:

I am so very grateful to D for suggesting this silly idea, and H+S for acting as our support crew, seeing them out on the course was a huge boost. Being in a team meant that I finished, I could so easily have given up or just not walked fast enough had I been on my own. Thanks D for the company. My brain is sure that it can see ways that we could have been an hour quicker, maybe even an hour and a half if the weather was kinder. 3 days later and I am still exhausted, I was a mess / seriously core cold by the time we made it back to our B+B. What I can’t understand is how the winner was over 4 hours quicker than us, I just can’t fathom a training plan / process that would get someone to be that fit. Then again I have the same thoughts about Kipchoge and others who can run a marathon in 2 and a bit hours. Just unreal.

Anyway there is a discount code on the website to sign up for next year, you tempted D? 🙂

* trying not to be..

** Carrying uneaten food is another fail, as i should have eaten it.

*** We could have been still ahead of this pace at the 14 mile mark, but I haven’t done the maths.

**** Actually as individual sections they would all be quite good fun, (still not sure about all of the stairs)