Deeside Way Ultra 2019

A dual ultra report this time although it was initially planned as a triple but someone, who shall remain nameless, didn't say too much...

Davie
Driving up to Aberdeen last Friday morning I mused on the fact that this would be my eighth trip to the north east for the D33 ultra and each one has been unique with the March weather always likely to play it's part in the race experience, for better or for worse. This year was to prove to be no exception.

That night I opted to match the usual pre-race meal of a hero of mine, Alf Tupper (youngsters, ask your parents!) as you can see. If it was good enough for the Tough of the Track...

The lemon wedge was the only item I didn't finish...

Jim
The concept is simple. Turn up at Duthie Park, register and run the first section of the Deeside Way to Banchory, check in with the marshall, turn round and run back. This would be the 3rd time I’ve had a go at this race. It’s not the most scenic of routes, the weather is traditionally awful, but the race organisers, who were retiring after 10 years of putting this race on, have made this one of the friendliest races on the Scottish ultra circuit. It’s a short ultra and ideal for those dipping their toes into the world of ridiculously long races. It’s also ideally positioned in the calendar, for a meaningful training run for races like the Highland Fling and West Highland Way Race. I’ve always found it tricky to pace myself around this course, and have previously opted for a nice steady conservative pace. 10 minute miles gets you in in around 5 hours 30. My previous attempts have been 5 hrs 12min and 5 hours 14 respectively. I’ve been running ok recently and decided I’d have a go at a sub 5 hour race. Previous experience however has taught me that expecting to maintain an even pace for 33 miles can be challenging.

Davie
We (Ruth, Jim and I) lined up near the front for a change (we were so high up the field I thought I would have a nosebleed) as you can see from the pictures below

 

Conditions were excellent, very cold but with only a light breeze - nigh on perfect for running. Most of us had however seen the forecast and prepared accordingly.

Jim
I decided to race on feel and see where it took me. There seemed a general reluctance for anyone to toe the line at the start so I found myself right at the front as the race started. The usual wave of folk went past and I settled into my race. As usual, I found myself isolated and running alone early in the race. There didn’t seem to be more than 30-50 folk in front, and the main pack a reasonable distance behind me. Running on feel gave me opening mile splits of 8 min 11sec, 7:52, 7:45,7:33, 7:35, 7:39 and 7:36. This seemed in my “still feeling ok” mind to be a good recipe for a nice half marathon time, but asking for a long walk to the finish in a 33 mile race. I eased off a wee bit but still managed to get to halfway in 2 hours 14 minutes, well within schedule for a sub 5 hour finish. More importantly I was feeling ok.

Davie
Ruth and I started together and chatted the first few miles away at our usual ultra pace, i.e. slowly. I did ignore Ruth briefly when I spotted a pal coming towards me. I should explain here that, as part of his ten year valedictory challenge, Loon Dod (Boy George in the Doric) had put on the first ever Scottish 100 mile ultra and, not content with that, also staged what he called the 'Double Stupid' which consisted of running the 100 miler in under 24 hours then turning round and starting with us at 09:00 and running the D33 as well! I had promised my friend a hug if I saw her and here she was within three miles of finishing the hundred, utterly fabulous. She told me later that all the D33 runners had given her and the other long distance adventurers such a boost with all our encouragement. A short while later we passed a blind runner with her guide (I learned later it was her dad) which in it's own way was just as inspiring.
Ruth kept telling me to go ahead (she seems to think I talk too much. Who moi?) as she seemed to be out of sorts and struggling but we arrived at the first CP together. Catching up to her a few hundred yards down the road (I eat way more than she does) we agreed we should split up and I eased ahead into the increasingly heavy rain and wind, giving her her desired peace and quiet.

Jim
The good thing about an out and back is that you get to encourage runners coming the other way. You also get to see just what it means to people to be part of something so special…to join the Ultra Marathon Club (it’s not really a club… more of a mutual respect society). The bad thing is that for a little while, it does feel like they’re all chasing you down. The second part of any long distance race is where you find out what you’re really made of. The mental calculations will give you any number of potential finishing times. I got to 21 miles and did the sums. I was just about still sub 9 minute miles and worked out that 10 minute miling would get me the sub 5 hour I craved. So I could settle for that. But something else crept into my mind at this point. A fellow ultra runner had posted on Facebook earlier in the week, a 4 year old memory of completing the race in 4 hours 51. So bizarrely, that was the new target.

Davie
The route after the first CP veers away from the old railway line and follows a B road for a few miles. After some ups and downs I lifted my pace again and tried to make good progress down a long descent towards the village of Drumoak. I knew I'd likely walk some of that road on the way back so wanted to make hay while the sun shone (sadly only metaphorically as the weather was following the forecast to the letter with both the wind and rain increasing steadily). I continued strongly for the next four miles to Milton of Crathes where Alison was patiently waiting although just before I got there I was startled to meet Jim, already on his way back. I recall meeting Ian at exactly the same spot, a wee stone bridge over a burn, in years gone by - wow, he was flying today. I carried on to the halfway point at Banchory, guzzled mandarin oranges and rice pudding (I'm sure Alf would have eaten those too if he'd become an ultra runner in The Victor) and started on the long road back to find that, just as predicted, the wind was now in my face and the rain was turning to sleet. Passing Ruth heading for the turn we had a wee hug, mostly for extra warmth, and I mentioned that Alison had dry gloves in the car which she was welcome to use (I could afford to be generous as I knew I would get there first and had plans to pick up my waterproof SealSkinz!) At this point Alison mentioned Jim had gone through here on his return at 11:32 and, as my brain was still functioning, I was able to work out that he had run nineteen miles at an average of eight minutes per mile, flying indeed.

Jim
But I couldn’t slow down too much. My splits over the last 6-8 miles were now 9 min +, but still staying under 10 min miling. The weather over the last 6 miles was pretty awful with, dropping temperatures, snow, sleet and rain. I passed the marathon mark in 3 hrs 45 . I found that over the last hour or so I passed several runners which helps to keep the forward momentum up. The last mile was tough but I tried to keep going until the very end. I crossed the line in 4 hours 51minutes and 5 seconds…..a 21 minute PB for this race, and 27th out of 135 finishers. Following a brief flirtation with hypothermia I was warming myself up with a warm cup a soup when the RD came into the runner’s tent and called my name. I’ll be honest, I thought they were going to tell me some ultra running mishap had befallen either Davie or Ruth. I was amazed to be presented with 2nd Male Super Vet trophy.

Jim trying to look as though this happens all the time...

It's official, although these results were later amended. More on that later.

To say I was stunned was an understatement as I’m only 28 :-) My first ever prize for running and I’m still chuffed. I was even more pleased to see my amigos finish the race (in horribly deteriorating conditions….the weather, not them) safely and with good performances. On a footnote….I looked up the time of my Facebook inspiration to find that I beat her time by 3 seconds…..it’s the small victories that matter!

Davie
There's not much to be said about the remainder of my race other than slogging away into the wind and sleet. It became a battle just to keep moving as my body cooled so fast when walking that running soon became the more attractive option, quite the reverse of the normal desires during the latter stages of an ultra. I still passed a fair few folk as is my norm, perhaps I should be starting a bit quicker and hanging on later.
Coming over the line in 96th place in a time of 6.03.47, one minute faster than last year, I received my medal from a friend of mine who I learned later had to take himself off to the medical tent suffering from hypothermia having spent too long hanging around the finish. I myself was so cold I had to ask a marshall in the finisher's marquee to pull up my left sleeve and stop my Garmin! Those gloves turned out to be less waterproof than I had expected, better get the spray out before the WHWR. Not having seen her for a couple of hours we were all delighted to see Ruth's excellent finish in 6.35.40 and 115th place. A long way down on her 6.19.46 of last year and 3rd FSV placing but a strong and resilient run in the circumstances on the occasion of her fourth successive D33.
Nobody hung about for long and we soon headed to our respective hotels for hot showers and food, in that order. Strangely Jim seemed reluctant and insisted on a group photo before we went our separate ways. I sensed he was up to something but I, along with Alison and Ruth, was genuinely gobsmacked and delighted when he brought out the 3rd MSV trophy from his bag with a big grin having kept it secret from us until then.

If Ruth and I look less than pleased for Jim it's only because we were still soaked and freezing

The race winners were Brian Sharp of Ochil Hill Runners in 3.42.05 and Charlotte Finch of Dundee Road Runners in 4.24.04. (that's the woman you were chatting to before the start Ruth, told you we were too far up the field) There were 129 finishers, well down on previous years partly down to all the regulars who ran the longer distances. I know of three folk who pulled out but no doubt there were at least a few more given the dreadful conditions, once again dnfs were omitted from the results, my pet hate.

The spoils

Later that evening a bit of a stooshie erupted on social media and the story eventually made it's way across the Atlantic to be covered by marathoninvestigation.com. I'll make no comment but will let you draw your own conclusions at this link Marathon Investigation

As a footnote the D99 was won by Stuart Ross in 18 hours 24 minutes and Hilary Clinton (no, not her) in 23 hours and 25. In the end no-one opted to attempt the double stupid, probably because of the weather.

PS I trust any harriers currently sunning themselves in the south of Portugal didn't shiver too much while reading this report!