GUEST POST BY KEVIN MUNT
Diametrically opposed to the position I was in two nights ago, lying in the foetal position on a bed of dry oak leaves in a hedgerow somewhere between Hinton Ampner and Arlesford. So completely overcome by sleep that lying in a damp field on a cold December night was more than acceptable behaviour.
As I approached Box Hill village has on lap 4 event crew Mike was turning his head from side to side, as I approached him he said, “I’m being a lighthouse”, “Yes” I thought, “you are my kind of person!” He asked me if needed anything and I asked him if I could be cheeky, of course. Could he please possibly get my snacks out for me and unwrap it? He bravely delved into my wet with rain and sweat pack and located my Chomp and Curlywurly
I told Francis about a video I had seen of someone’s legs turning to jelly just before the finish line of a marathon and how he had had to drag himself across the line, within about 10 seconds of regaling him with this story, my legs started turning to jelly! We decided it was because I was using too much energy to laugh so we decided to stop joking around so much and take things a bit more seriously.
Being a winter ultra, night came early with the sun setting around 4pm and it was to be a long night as sunrise is not until round 7.40am, around 15 hours on the head torch. The night was beautiful though, a clear and starry sky, the moon seemed to have a rainbow glow around it. Throughout the race the ground never thawed, it was freezing cold the whole time and overnight the ground sparkled with ice.
We gathered in the grounds of Conwy Castle and the Welsh male voice choir sung to us as the sun started to rise, flags representing all the runners’ nationalities waved in the breeze. I cried. All that I have been through in this past year to get me fit enough to stand on this start line suddenly felt a bit overwhelming, this was a dream years in the making, this was a race I never thought I would be good enough to attempt. I knew my chances of completion were still slim but I also knew I had put everything into being here.
Hey, what’s that I can see? It’s the two guys! Francis said I could catch them! Right-ho, let’s go! I moved up a gear and started hunting them down. I trundled down the other side of the mini mountain and could see them on the lane, they were walking! I ran past them shouting “Hello” and “Well done!” (obviously though in my head I said, “You’ve just been chicked!”) It was Tim and Rory! I pulled away from them and emotion hit me, I had a cry. I had run over 100 miles, I was still running and I had just flew past these guys!
Date: Saturday 11th June 2022 Official miles: 100 miles Strava says: 106.68 miles (I believe this is very inaccurate though) Elevation: 12,001 ft / 3,658 m Weather: Very dry and warm Start: Matterley Bowl, Winchester Route type: Eastbourne Sports Park Conditions: Firm chalky trails Website link: Centurion Running Describe the route in three words: so […]
Date: Saturday 20th – Sunday 21st November 2021 Official miles: 80 miles Strava says: 81.93 miles Elevation: 9,288 ft / 2,831 m Weather: Dry and cool, sunny spells Start: Hessle Foreshore Finish: Filey Route type: A to B Conditions: Dry Website link: Hardwolds 80 by Hardmoors Race Series Describe the route in three words: the […]
Date: 6pm 9th July 2021 Strava says: 86.45 miles Elevation: 15,301 ft / 4,664 m Weather: Warm, with a spot of drizzle Start: Faccombe Estate Route type: 4.25 mile laps Conditions: Mostly dry, bit of mud Website link: Run on Trails Describe the route in three words: Scenic hilly fun Strategy: I had a number […]
Date: Saturday 23rd – Sunday 24th November 2019 Official miles: 82 miles Strava says: ran out of battery, but likely 84 miles due to getting lost Elevation: 7900 ft / 2400 m Weather: constant rain Start: Hessle Foreshore Finish: Filey Route type: A to B Conditions: boggy, wet, energy sapping Website link: Hardwolds 80 by […]
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