Some of the regular followers of Twitter will have seen of of our followers @moochoo and his amazing attempt at running 100miles. Here is his view of the run......
As a blind runner in the past year I had conquered an enormous challenge: learning to train alone outdoors. In order to find my next big running challenge I knew I had to aim big. I had never run a race, not even a 5k but I took on the challenge of running 100 miles.
I arrived at the start line with 4 seconds to spare and began my long journey. Despite being able to train alone running a 100 miles needed numerous pacers and guide runners. My first 10 miles I ran with 3 people, one of whom had never run further than a few miles. Keeping a steady pace and only questioning whether we had taken the right turn the first 10 miles went without issue. The pacer that had only previously run a few miles was so inspired by the challenge they beat their own personal best and hit 11 miles.
The second leg would see my first true challenge of steep hills. Due to this my plan was to reduce pace and save energy for the later portions of the race. But things rarely go to plan and I stormed through this section wiping off 30 minutes and catching a number of competitors. Arriving at the second checkpoint all was positive the last 20+ miles had flown by and I still felt incredibly fresh.
A change of clothes and a new team of pacers we headed out to break the marathon distance. The course became undulating with many small hills but my energy and spirits were still high. So we knew where to run small arrows on lampposts highlighted the course, being blind I relied on my pacers to navigate. My pacers seemed anxious, as we hadn’t seen an arrow in quite a while. “if in doubt keep moving forward” the race director had told us. This perhaps turned out to be our downfall. We had gone the wrong way.
I tried to stay positive but the heavens had opened and the rain was starting to pour, by the 30-mile mark I was feeling low. I rang my wife as I couldn’t shake the thought of getting lost, we had lost time and position. I wasn’t remotely fatigued but my mind was convincing me I was.
As the rain continued to poor my mood continued to sink. There were momentary highs met with intense lows. I was struggling the devil on my shoulder was telling me to quit. I had come a long way for my first ever run after I had just covered easily over the marathon distance, instead of being wet I could be warm back at the hotel.
These negative thoughts were destroying my pace, which was having an effect on my body temperature. With the rain pouring I couldn’t run fast enough to keep warm. I decided to have a quick rest in the van to warm up and head back out. After numerous pacer changes and lows I had reached the 50 mile mark.
Emotionally I was done, I had come as far as I could. The race directory Rory Coleman had come by to see me. He gave me a pep talk and told me to rest. I took a tiny nap in the van and ate some
chicken soup. I decided if I quit now I would regret it. While I was emotionally low I felt I could push my body further, I decided to continue just as the rain began to fall harder.
I stepped out of the van; resting had taken its toll. I couldn’t walk, it took half a mile before I could get my legs working and another half mile before I could run. This leg of the race was a true mental shift.
I had begun the section mentally drained but over the next 10 miles my mood was lifted, thanks in part to the pacer who talked at me non stop. I had moved from my negative thinking into positivity, I know thought I could finish the race.
With the sun rising and a new day beginning I was back running, my pace was slow but I was moving forward. The blisters on my feet were beginning to hurt but I was determined to keep moving.
With a new set of pacers we took a look at our GPS distance and we knew the next checkpoint would mark the 80-mile point. We arrived in great spirits, only to be told we were at checkpoint 7. One less than we had thought, we had forgotten to take into account getting lost the previous day. While slightly demotivated it was in fact just over one marathon. Not that far really.
Over the next section the side effects of my earlier mood were starting to take effect. While I was negative earlier on my food intake has slipped, I had forgotten to take on board essential carbs and I was now feeling the effects. My legs were incredibly painful, the inclines were taking the toll on my fatigue levels while the declines were punishing my muscles.
I began to force small amounts of food down and continued to make steady progress. At mile 80 we were due for another pacer change and I decided to stop briefly to have my blisters checked out. My left foot was in a bit of a state and was taped up and I rested briefly.
Resting however is a careful balance, rest to long and my legs would cease, don’t rest enough and fatigue hit hard. I began to move again but I simply couldn’t get a walking gait going. It took a mile or more before I could walk. My legs were beginning to fail.
My pace had dropped heavily and I was fatiguing, it was time to rest. We decided it would be a good time to stop have a small nap and try again. This unfortunately would be my downfall. After waking my team asked me If I wanted to stop. I was in a far worse condition that I had thought. The lack of carbs had resulted in marked weight loss, highly noticeable. My legs were incredibly painful and the painkillers were having no effect.
At this point my legs simply didn’t work, I could no longer support my own weight and I couldn’t move them unaided. It was time to call it a day, at mile 83 my race ended, a mere 17 miles short of the finish line.
At first I was devastated I had failed my first ultra. But as we drove back to the finish line I thought back on what I had achieved not only today but in the last few months.
I had learnt to train alone outdoors and taken on this massive challenge. From never competing before I had run 83 miles non stop. In the end I may have failed the race but I saw it as a great step
forward.
I had found my physical limit at mile 83, but the great thing about limits is they are there to be broken. I will continue to compete in ultra events this year and will return next year fitter, faster and stronger to smash my old limit and not only finish the ultra but finish strong.
I arrived at the start line with 4 seconds to spare and began my long journey. Despite being able to train alone running a 100 miles needed numerous pacers and guide runners. My first 10 miles I ran with 3 people, one of whom had never run further than a few miles. Keeping a steady pace and only questioning whether we had taken the right turn the first 10 miles went without issue. The pacer that had only previously run a few miles was so inspired by the challenge they beat their own personal best and hit 11 miles.
The second leg would see my first true challenge of steep hills. Due to this my plan was to reduce pace and save energy for the later portions of the race. But things rarely go to plan and I stormed through this section wiping off 30 minutes and catching a number of competitors. Arriving at the second checkpoint all was positive the last 20+ miles had flown by and I still felt incredibly fresh.
A change of clothes and a new team of pacers we headed out to break the marathon distance. The course became undulating with many small hills but my energy and spirits were still high. So we knew where to run small arrows on lampposts highlighted the course, being blind I relied on my pacers to navigate. My pacers seemed anxious, as we hadn’t seen an arrow in quite a while. “if in doubt keep moving forward” the race director had told us. This perhaps turned out to be our downfall. We had gone the wrong way.
I tried to stay positive but the heavens had opened and the rain was starting to pour, by the 30-mile mark I was feeling low. I rang my wife as I couldn’t shake the thought of getting lost, we had lost time and position. I wasn’t remotely fatigued but my mind was convincing me I was.
As the rain continued to poor my mood continued to sink. There were momentary highs met with intense lows. I was struggling the devil on my shoulder was telling me to quit. I had come a long way for my first ever run after I had just covered easily over the marathon distance, instead of being wet I could be warm back at the hotel.
These negative thoughts were destroying my pace, which was having an effect on my body temperature. With the rain pouring I couldn’t run fast enough to keep warm. I decided to have a quick rest in the van to warm up and head back out. After numerous pacer changes and lows I had reached the 50 mile mark.
Emotionally I was done, I had come as far as I could. The race directory Rory Coleman had come by to see me. He gave me a pep talk and told me to rest. I took a tiny nap in the van and ate some
chicken soup. I decided if I quit now I would regret it. While I was emotionally low I felt I could push my body further, I decided to continue just as the rain began to fall harder.
I stepped out of the van; resting had taken its toll. I couldn’t walk, it took half a mile before I could get my legs working and another half mile before I could run. This leg of the race was a true mental shift.
I had begun the section mentally drained but over the next 10 miles my mood was lifted, thanks in part to the pacer who talked at me non stop. I had moved from my negative thinking into positivity, I know thought I could finish the race.
With the sun rising and a new day beginning I was back running, my pace was slow but I was moving forward. The blisters on my feet were beginning to hurt but I was determined to keep moving.
With a new set of pacers we took a look at our GPS distance and we knew the next checkpoint would mark the 80-mile point. We arrived in great spirits, only to be told we were at checkpoint 7. One less than we had thought, we had forgotten to take into account getting lost the previous day. While slightly demotivated it was in fact just over one marathon. Not that far really.
Over the next section the side effects of my earlier mood were starting to take effect. While I was negative earlier on my food intake has slipped, I had forgotten to take on board essential carbs and I was now feeling the effects. My legs were incredibly painful, the inclines were taking the toll on my fatigue levels while the declines were punishing my muscles.
I began to force small amounts of food down and continued to make steady progress. At mile 80 we were due for another pacer change and I decided to stop briefly to have my blisters checked out. My left foot was in a bit of a state and was taped up and I rested briefly.
Resting however is a careful balance, rest to long and my legs would cease, don’t rest enough and fatigue hit hard. I began to move again but I simply couldn’t get a walking gait going. It took a mile or more before I could walk. My legs were beginning to fail.
My pace had dropped heavily and I was fatiguing, it was time to rest. We decided it would be a good time to stop have a small nap and try again. This unfortunately would be my downfall. After waking my team asked me If I wanted to stop. I was in a far worse condition that I had thought. The lack of carbs had resulted in marked weight loss, highly noticeable. My legs were incredibly painful and the painkillers were having no effect.
At this point my legs simply didn’t work, I could no longer support my own weight and I couldn’t move them unaided. It was time to call it a day, at mile 83 my race ended, a mere 17 miles short of the finish line.
At first I was devastated I had failed my first ultra. But as we drove back to the finish line I thought back on what I had achieved not only today but in the last few months.
I had learnt to train alone outdoors and taken on this massive challenge. From never competing before I had run 83 miles non stop. In the end I may have failed the race but I saw it as a great step
forward.
I had found my physical limit at mile 83, but the great thing about limits is they are there to be broken. I will continue to compete in ultra events this year and will return next year fitter, faster and stronger to smash my old limit and not only finish the ultra but finish strong.
Simon Wheatcroft
--------------------
What a guy!!
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