So, here I am, one month after completing what to date has been the biggest physical and mental achievement of my life.
I often find myself, in moments of quietness, drifting to a time and place four weeks ago, battling the elements, fatigue, and my mind. I end up smiling quietly to myself. This can happen anywhere, often in Tesco, and I wonder if people look at me with curiosity as to what makes me smile...
Physically I am more or less recovered, although I still have a small swelling on my left ankle where the cuff of my boot rubbed and aggravated the soft tissue above the bony bits. The back of the same heel is also slightly tender, but this I think was caused by a premature 10 mile cross country run 10 or so days after the event. I still have two numb toes, and lastly, the surface of my feet where it was waterlogged and blistered, is now shedding dead skin at an alarming rate, to be replaced with soft virginal layers - little are they aware of what lies in front of them...
Mentally, as I touched on above, I am still floating. Previous finishers of this race have many times alluded to the fact that this event is as much taxing on the mind as it is the body. I am aware how endurance racing is very much mind over matter, but when taken to the extremes, and add into the mix a degree of fatigue, the mental side of this race takes to a whole new level of inner strength. Now I am not one to outwardly "big myself up", if anything I lean towards self deprecation, and tend to constantly analyse what I did wrong, rather than what I did well, But I have come to realise that I appear to be stronger mentally than I thought I was.
This is a great base to build on for next year's race. Two and a half times the distance and racing time, The Spine Race will tax my mind far greater than the race this year, but having these memories, and thoughts to draw upon when things get "interesting", will be another tool in my arsenal of weapons I have at my disposal, to ensure that I can push on to the finish line.
One last point on my mental state during this race that differed from other races I have done in the past. At no point in this race did I contemplate giving up. Other races have had moments of "I cant do this, I am pulling out" etc, but then I continued, but this race, none of these thoughts surfaced, just a dogged determination to get to the finish line. This makes me happy.
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Moving onto next year's race, I have already started making plans. The training will be very similar to this year with (hopefully) three weekends away where I can recce parts of the route and train on the specific terrain of the race. One of these three will be in the proper hills of north Wales to help my legs get used to more hill work (Milton Keynes is not ideally situated for hill training).
I have also started to plan my resting/refueling strategy. There has been a rule change. The race is now unsupported.
This means that I will not have the luxury of Jeff & Cathy following me about, tending to my every need, and offering a handy dry warm place to sleep.
Instead we all now have to totally rely on the support the race organisation has to offer. This consists of the main checkpoints, spaced about every 50 miles apart. These are the only places where we are allowed to sleep indoors, and they will also have food, showers (mostly) and our drop bags (bags containing spare food/clothing/footwear etc) will be delivered to these as we progress up the route.
Between these checkpoints are monitoring stations, spaced about 20/25 miles apart, and manned by mountain rescue people. These are mainly make shift shelters and offer (mostly) hot drinks, cake, sweets etc, but limited to a 30 minute stop.
If any racer wants to rest between the main checkpoints, we will need to use the kit we have lugged about with us, sleeping bags, bivi bags, stoves etc may actually get used next year. Sleeping between checkpoints is permitted, but we need to find our own suitable place. next to a wall, in a sheep fold, in a derelict barn, under a tractor (someone did this in a previous year), just not in a camper van (or hotel come to think of it).
This new rule means that for long stretches (generally around the distances of normal marathons) we need to be totally self sufficient, carrying all the food and water we need to safely cover these distances. No travelling light and topping up as and when we need to. It does mean the racers not used to spending full days in the hills, carrying everything they need will be obliged to prepare for this, or risk dropping out.
I look back with fondness at the times in my youth where I spent weeks in the French/Italian alps totally cut off from civilisation, and the many extended trips to Wales/Scotland, spending time in the hills with friends, not relying on shops or B&Bs, but just living under canvas. This has now given me a solid base to draw on, and will raise me above others with lesser experience.
Another mental weapon in my arsenal.
Initially I was dismayed at this rule change. I would not have the warm friendly faces of my crew to spur me on, the frequent top ups of food and water, the easy availability of fresh clothing or footwear, the warmth and dryness of a quiet place to sleep, but now I relish the extra challenge.
Next year will be a Monster. A Devil of a race. It is going to need everything I can throw at it. It will throw stuff back at me, wind, rain, mud, fatigue, loneliness, but I now have a massive strength that I can draw on, and I have my mantra - my solid thought that I can yell out when things get interesting...
Sorry If my ramblings seem a little self indulgent, but getting them down in front of me so I can read them back, does make them more real.
Until next time.....
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