The headline is, I didn't finish the Chester 100 Ultra. The story, well it's complicated.
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| A Cheshire field.. The view looking back. |
Preparation and build up for the event was as good as I could have asked for. I not only stood at the start line healthy, I was looking forward to the challenges the experience would throw at me.
The heat was a concern, but my feeding plan is simple. Have my watch beep every kilometre which would remind me to drink, eat and ask myself was I hurting. So that is how the day went.
I stopped and enjoy the views and even used the excuse of sorting my socks out to take on an ice cream whilst at the Delamere Forest checkpoint.
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| Sorting my feet out |
So where did it go wrong? The short answer I'm not too sure.
On reaching checkpoint 6 I had my first drop bag waiting for me which contained a change of clothing, more food and some 'wet wipes'. An actual necessity as my face had more salt on it than a Northwich salt mine.
I took time to refuel and sort myself out ready for the longest leg of the course. In hindsight, I may have spent too long in the checkpoint.
The route out was uphill, and I felt okay. As I walked up the lane, I noticed my stomach wasn't right and as I continued to exert myself I triggered a retching. Okay my first challenge to address.
As it went dark, my pace slowed as expected. Still the issue remained. I couldn't go as fast as I wanted to without retching, I needed to keep my fuel down as I needed it for this section.
And so it went for the next 25 kilometres. The section was longer than planned due to a late route change caused by Bulls in a field.
As I entered Whitchurch I assessed my pace over the section, most of which I'd re-trace as part of the course, and calculated that I'd not reach checkpoint 8 before the cut-offs. When I entered the checkpoint and announce my decision the staff tried hard to make me change my mind. Have I even mentioned I'm stubborn!
So there ends the events of the day. Like anyone who pulls out of an event, I've now spent a few days analysing every step and the decision made. So here are my findings.
I'm carrying too much weight. I don't mean in my race vest either. My added weight is around my torso and that was helping keep my core temperature high even though the ambient temperature was dropping. With my bodies blood supply holding at my skin surface to help radiate the heat away it was just maintaining the balance. If I added to it, something had to give. At a slow pace I could take on fuel and the limited blood assigned to my stomach could handle it. Change the variables, for example, increase my temperature by exerting myself more and my body decided it needed the blood elsewhere and tried to get rid of my ingested fuel.
It may be that this 'balanced battle' had been going on for sometime, the increased distance and time just made it worse.
I need to switch over to solid fuel for a period. Tailwind is great, but I missed eating something. My fueling plan will now include solid food for the route and not just in the checkpoints. This is the only frustrating point. I was carrying emergency food as per the mandatory kit list.
I need to add in a lot more long night runs into my training plan. My kit worked well and my navigation skills weren't at fault. I need to spend more nights out in the hills, for the Snowdon 50 in September. There goes my social life!
I need to continue until I'm timed out. I don't want to say I need to be more selfish that's too much of a strong word for it. Whilst I decided I would pull out, one reason was if I it take another 6 hours to get back to the next checkpoint, those volunteers would stand around waiting for me. Now I think about it. If I was volunteering it wouldn't have mattered.
I've learnt so much about myself during the event. It all good and the bits that need tweaking are all 'tweakable'.
I'm excited thinking about the event next year and can't wait for it to open again.
This isn't the story I was hoping to write. That's just the way the cookie crumbles though if that cookie had been in my race vest it would have been soggy!
These blog entries act as my diary. I'll be looking back and reviewing this throughout the year so a note to myself. Remember how much fun you had even when it didn't go to plan.
If my friends read this, I'd just like to say how much the words of encouragement on social media helped me. The words made me smile and I can say, the power of a smile can get you through anything.
The route out was uphill, and I felt okay. As I walked up the lane, I noticed my stomach wasn't right and as I continued to exert myself I triggered a retching. Okay my first challenge to address.
As it went dark, my pace slowed as expected. Still the issue remained. I couldn't go as fast as I wanted to without retching, I needed to keep my fuel down as I needed it for this section.
And so it went for the next 25 kilometres. The section was longer than planned due to a late route change caused by Bulls in a field.
As I entered Whitchurch I assessed my pace over the section, most of which I'd re-trace as part of the course, and calculated that I'd not reach checkpoint 8 before the cut-offs. When I entered the checkpoint and announce my decision the staff tried hard to make me change my mind. Have I even mentioned I'm stubborn!
So there ends the events of the day. Like anyone who pulls out of an event, I've now spent a few days analysing every step and the decision made. So here are my findings.
I'm carrying too much weight. I don't mean in my race vest either. My added weight is around my torso and that was helping keep my core temperature high even though the ambient temperature was dropping. With my bodies blood supply holding at my skin surface to help radiate the heat away it was just maintaining the balance. If I added to it, something had to give. At a slow pace I could take on fuel and the limited blood assigned to my stomach could handle it. Change the variables, for example, increase my temperature by exerting myself more and my body decided it needed the blood elsewhere and tried to get rid of my ingested fuel.
It may be that this 'balanced battle' had been going on for sometime, the increased distance and time just made it worse.
I need to switch over to solid fuel for a period. Tailwind is great, but I missed eating something. My fueling plan will now include solid food for the route and not just in the checkpoints. This is the only frustrating point. I was carrying emergency food as per the mandatory kit list.
I need to add in a lot more long night runs into my training plan. My kit worked well and my navigation skills weren't at fault. I need to spend more nights out in the hills, for the Snowdon 50 in September. There goes my social life!
I need to continue until I'm timed out. I don't want to say I need to be more selfish that's too much of a strong word for it. Whilst I decided I would pull out, one reason was if I it take another 6 hours to get back to the next checkpoint, those volunteers would stand around waiting for me. Now I think about it. If I was volunteering it wouldn't have mattered.
I've learnt so much about myself during the event. It all good and the bits that need tweaking are all 'tweakable'.
I'm excited thinking about the event next year and can't wait for it to open again.
This isn't the story I was hoping to write. That's just the way the cookie crumbles though if that cookie had been in my race vest it would have been soggy!
These blog entries act as my diary. I'll be looking back and reviewing this throughout the year so a note to myself. Remember how much fun you had even when it didn't go to plan.
If my friends read this, I'd just like to say how much the words of encouragement on social media helped me. The words made me smile and I can say, the power of a smile can get you through anything.