141 miles over three races in 43 days

141 miles over three races in 43 days - D33, G2E and the Highland Fling

Even allowing for the fact that I thought three weeks between each of three races meant I was doing them over a nine-week period and not six (doh!) it was still a daft idea to enter them all, but once I’d sent the entry fees off I thought I might as well get my moneys’ worth. Tight? See me?

As you may have noticed from the lack of them, race reports from me this year are like buses, you wait and wait and wait then three come at once. As some of you might know I am now no longer part of the rat-race but, strangely, have never had less time to do all the other things I used to do besides work - I simply haven’t had the time to sit down and type this stuff.  So as I was once again the victim of my own lack of clear-headed advance planning I decided to put off writing a report for each race and condense them into one - this one. To avoid clogging up the blog I’ll post them in three separate stages.

D33 - 33 miles, Saturday March 15^th

After my highest-ever volume of winter training, starting with an excellent base of the Marcothon in December, I felt in fine fettle for my favourite wee race. I started steadily and cruised through uneventfully to the twenty mile mark, comfortably on course for a 30 minute(!) improvement on last year. I should have known something was about to go wrong - firstly I developed a stitch on the right, then the left and finally all the way across my diaphragm which no amount of deep-breathing or stretching would clear. Having no alternative but to slow down I at least managed to keep running, after a fashion, and finally crossed the finishing line in a very disappointing 5.39.00, a frustrating one minute slower than 2013. Although uncomfortable in the extreme I felt strong all the way through the run and reasoned that my fitness and strength was still intact and, in retrospect, being unable to push on in the latter stages might turn out to be a blessing in disguise, forcing me to keep something in reserve for the races coming up.

The news that Calderglen ultra virgin, John McGregor, had chatted his way round in a tremendous 4.44 soon cheered me up, in fact he seemed so enthused by the whole experience that I strongly suspect this will not be his only long-distance foray.

It was also reported to me, by the man himself, that the experienced Ian Rae had meandered his way around the route in 4.54, a new hydration strategy perhaps responsible for, shall we say, his frequent wandering off-course to relieve various needs! Your intrepid reporter has since discovered it was a reluctance on Ian’s part to waste wife Angela’s failed prune jam (it hadn’t set properly so Ian added water and powdered glucose to make an alternative electrolyte drink) that led to the frequent purging of his system! Subsequently a persistent metatarsal problem forced Ian to give running a miss for a few weeks while cross-training like mad to keep his fitness levels high for the up-coming 53-mile Highland Fling. So a poor time by his usual standards but, in the circumstances, quite an achievement to finish at all. Also running was an Calderglen ultra harrier from years ago, Ivan Field, who ran a solid 5:23:00

Conclusion? Third Calderglen harrier in an ultra - please go back to running just marathons John!

Reports two and three to come…