NDW100 - Game On ! (4th & 5th Aug)

Feeling a bit fragile following the NDW100 at the weekend, feet have taken a severe battering and I am discovering new muscle aches every time I move – would I change a thing about the weekend - absolutely nothing – it’s the 3rd race in the dream of the Centurion Grand Slam, and to date the one I have learned the most from.

(c)StuartMarchPhotography

Everything started out normal enough, if you consider attempting to run 100 miles normal – the usual straight forward registration the evening before and hugs & exchanges of Good Luck to the now familiar faces, the usual porta loo queue the morning of the race, contemplating walk to the start, race brief & off.

The high temperatures so far this year have played a big part of this race series – with 39° recorded at the TP100 in May, 30° on the SDW in July with high humidly – the North Downs Way did not let the side down – the 6am start made for 2 hours of comfortable running, the rest was just sweltering.

The first 50 miles are a bit of a tale of two halves - from Farnham to Box Hill is quite pleasant only one real hands on quads climb but short & sharp and you know you have the benefit of a lovely downhill at Denbie’s Vineyard (not a bottle of wine in sight) before you hit Box Hill at just over 24 miles, and that’s where the fun starts!

Just over 24 miles & you are climbing what seems like 6 million steps in high humidity welcome to Box Hill – game on! The latter half of the first 50 continues in the same vein – the clues are in the names Reigate Hill, Botley Hill – finally halfway Knockholt Pound !

Russ was crewing for me and our first meet point was Reigate Hill at about 32 miles in, I was so grateful for the ice cold pop & calippo and just to catch up with him briefly, he kindly looked after me at the 40 mile crew point before moving on to Knockholt Pound halfway.

I came into Knockholt about 30 minutes behind the time I’d set but given the heat of the day I was happy roughly 12.30 hours into the race with a 30 minute turnaround left 17 hours for a finish!

Was wonderful to see Meera & Dario for the first time, and allowing myself to sit down – Meera, Dario & Russ were great crew looking after me but also allowing me space to just catch my breath and focus on the job ahead.

I always feel a bit selfish as people wait ages for you to show up & when you do, you just want to sit quietly and do your stuff – but knowing that they are there for you means the world even if you’re no showing it!

So 2 cups or tea, pasta wet wipe down change of clothes - head torch and walking poles to the ready & off I trotted into the setting evening - I felt reasonably confident that I could make it, although I knew the night section coming up was going to be challenging, Russ was picking me up at the 70 mile crew point to pace me to about 87 where Dario would take over – I just needed to cover the 20 odd miles in between.

The race had spread out at this stage, I chatted to a few runners on & off everyone was struggling feeling exhausted by the heat of the day, this 20 mile section is fairly tough with 10 miles between the half way aid station & the next at Wrotham - some sharp quad busting climbs as darkness fell, but the temperatures just didn’t seem to drop – still in shorts & vest.

The Aid station at Wrotham was indoors & stiflingly hot - I had a cup of tea and hoped for a jam sandwich but unfortunately they had run out of jam & peanut butter – this was where Nikki Mills saved me for the first time in the race by giving me some of her personal stash of vegan bars along with two other people who I think were crewing offering crisps & snacks – people are just so kind!

I tried not to hang around at the CP’s I was aware that I was slowing losing time & literally running out of energy – 6 + miles to Holly Hill and I knew I was heading into a really tough section again.

I remember steps & climbs two steps forward and one backward, I came across a runner laying on the steps – I was concerned that he had fallen over, but he said he just needed to lay down for a while, it sounds surreal – a grown man laying spread out on steps in a forest in what seems like the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night, but you think OK accept that he is ok just having a rest and move on! - I was so glad of the poles, I hit Holly Hill 66ish miles with about 90 minutes of their cut off, I knew I was losing time badly, not eating enough and really needed to get to Russ to give myself a fighting chance.

The 4 ish miles to the 70 mile crew point seemed to take for ever – my biggest problem was fatigue onset through lack of food.

The battery pack I had been using on my watch stopped working without me noticing so I’d lost my watch at just under 64 miles, luckily a fellow runner Dominic (from Newport Pagnell) had come across me and lent me a power pack – but I’d lost track of my “hours in” so was estimating – when I got to Russ I was further behind time wise than I thought!

I remember resting by the car trying to drink oat milk, and considering my options – I knew there were tough sections to come - the furthest I had been on the course was 76 mile Bluebell Hill – never beyond the Detling steps which to previous NDW runners seems to be the stuff of nightmares!

The realisation that I might not make it sunk in, and I admit there was a fleeting moment when getting into the car and just sitting seemed like a more sensible plan.

I asked Russ’s opinion, he after all knows me better than I sometimes know myself – he thought it would be tight but if I was willing to fight I’d make it.

It’s weird what goes through your mind, unless you have been there it’s difficult to understand the mental & physical exhaustion - and to some it might seem stupid to put yourself willingly through such trauma – but this is the exact point where mental strength takes over & refuses to allow you to give up – these without sounding over dramatic are the times you change - it’s that motivational quote “if it doesn’t challenge you – it doesn’t change you” and it’s not a physical change or indeed a mental change necessarily – it’s an experience of hitting rock bottom mentally & physically but having the guts to rise above the temptation to sit, to stop – that experience is something you fall back on each day when things get tough, you just know you can & will get up one last time and give everything you’ve got.

So Bluebell Hill – Russ was fantastic force feeding me (it needed to be done) we hit Bluebell Hill with an hour to spare & 6 miles to Detling 82 miles - massive thanks to Ross (MMKAC) who was on volunteering duties at Bluebell – for just telling me clearing & concisely exactly what I needed to hear.

Once we maneuverer the steep bank at Bluebell we had a lovely downhill section 82 + miles in the legs I knew I needed to run, I had to take advantage of any break in terrain as I had no idea what was coming up. The Detling steps came and while they were hard climbing – in my mind I think I had made them out to be worse, but still unsure of what was to come we pressed on run walk as best I could, we got to the point 1 mile outside the Detling CP which we had walked the previous weekend – and a downhill to the 82 point !

The plan was to just go through the CP no stopping – Russ got me a coffee & jam sandwich on the go!

7 miles to Dario and it began to seem possible again – Detling wasn’t the monster of runner’s nightmare – how wrong we were - that 7 miles were horrendous, climbs, overgrown, steps, loose flint, I was aware that my feet had blistered and at some point I hit a really sharp stone - a soaring pain in my foot and a sandal full of blood brought tears to the eyes, a quick patch up & 2 pain killers – and try to ignore the pain.

The course seemed to be making every attempt to keep me from my second pacer – having to go through a field with a massive bull with horns before merging out into the peaceful village of Hollingbourne 87.4 miles in.

Again I had lost time through the terrain, fatigue & blisters – I wasn’t confident of the finish because if the final miles were going to be as difficult I just felt I might not have it in me to move quickly enough. But I’d made my mind up that Meera & Dario were kind enough to come support me, therefore I owed it to them & Russ to at least finish the course even if I missed the cut off.

And so the final battle – Dario was brilliant, I think Russ had briefed him to take no BS from me and just keep me moving, eating, and drinking – I got to say he took his job seriously – I have never been nagged so much, “drink, eat, you need to keep the pace up” I felt like a stroppy teenager towards the end just answering “yes” or “no”!

We had two CP’s to get through Lenham & Dunn Street 91 & 98.4 – both we agreed I would just keep moving while Dario filled my bottles and grabbed some food – Lenham was the second point Nikki Mills saved my day literally running up a hill after me with a bag of vegan goodies, what a kind person.

We passed through Lenham with under 4 hours to do at least 12 miles - I knew I had to move quicker.

Dunn Street seemed never ending – the terrain was easier but still spikey stones battering already bleeding feet.

A vision in the road Paul Spooner who has played a role in all the 100’s so far – my knight in a black Centurion shirt – no need for words just the biggest bear hug.

Through 98.4 under the cut off by less than 30 minutes

From a downhill field through a church yard and OMG “the lake” now I knew I was exactly 3 miles from the finish Russ & I had walked it the previous weekend - but no time to slouch Dario made sure of that.

I think it was about 10.52 I had 1 hour & 8 minutes to get to the finish – it seemed possible, my left foot was screaming in agony & I stopped to take what I assumed was a stone digging in, but my hand came away with only dried blood which had crusted and was digging into open flesh – no option but to ignore & carry on.

I knew where I was now 2 miles – a pub called “The Rose Inn” 1.5 miles - trying to move as fast as possible the “Julie Rose Stadium” came into view – it was difficult to cap the emotions, but I knew I had to hold it together one final push – and there the track, the finish – Russ stood clapping - Dario handed me over & Russ walked me round the track there was no running left bar the final 20 steps.

Tears flowed freely as I made my way around the track – it is the most emotional I have ever been at the end of a race, for me it was an epic battle against terrain, conditions, time, fatigue and fleeting moments of self-doubt - Russ told me at 70 miles that if I wanted it I would have to fight with everything I had, but he believed that I could do it – he wasn’t wrong on both counts.

And, now reflections – I fought a battle which most people might not fully understand unless they have been there, I won the battle for me and for those who believe in me and support me, would I do it again “hell yes”

Sorry it’s a long one – GAME ON GRAND SLAM 2018

My eternal love & gratitude to those looking after me on the epic journey Russell, Debbie, Fiona, Christian, Meera & Dario – not forgetting Siobhan & Matt taking care of the boys