Time will tell - Now & then
- Sheila Rose
- May 23, 2019
- 7 min read
written Thursday 16th May
I though it would be interesting to write how I'm feeling mentally & physically with a little over a day & a half to the Chester 100. The physical part is easy to write - basically the hip flexor feels a lot better but I can still clearly feel it - I have not run since the 4th May or exercised to my normal level - instead trying to give it every chance of recovery through rest, this seems to have worked but leaves me feeling tried - catch 22, as being used to exercising daily both running/walking & strength - exercising energizes me, not exercising makes me feel lethargic.
I have no idea how it will feel running, but my plan is still to start speed walking get everything warmed up & run/walk from there, just keeping within the cut off times.
Mentally - and sometimes the most important element
I am going into a race with a ready made excuse to stop once it gets tough which it invariably will, in fact two excuses
1. injury
2. its just a training run
I have written before about committing & the mindset for a 100 miler - but that is assuming its a target race & you are on the start line injury free, but if neither statement is true - how do you stop your mind playing tricks, how do you
1. not give into a ready made excuse
2. differentiate between the ready made excuse & a real danger of screwing up your target race on a training run/race, because you are too stubborn to call it a day.
To be continued
Thursday 23rd May
a week later & time to finish this blog, its really interesting reading how I was feeling this time last week, and in fact I was fairly accurate in how my race might go.
I started the Chester 100 at just after 6am on Saturday 18th May, still struggling with the hip flexor pull and it became fairly apparent within the first few miles that I was not capable of running - the vibration of each foot fall especially on road was just jarring right into the groin and I was struggling to get any drive through the hip - it just felt weak. So I took a decision early - get the walking poles out to balance the body & speed hike - see where it took me & keep reassessing.
The first 50 miles of the course entails about 20 miles of reasonably flat terrain - thereafter it gets more interesting taking in stunning & challenging trails made a lot more challenging by the fact that the course markings appeared to have been tampered with, making navigation tricky indeed. Some fantastic climbs over the Sandstone Trail with sheer drops to one side and the most amazing views on the other - exhilarating stuff and definitely worthy of a return.
As I racked up the miles - I had given up the notion of even trying to run, I felt the best protection for the injury was not to put any further pressure on it, and even at a speed hiking pace I was going through the CP's about 2 hours ahead of cut offs, so no pressure really. The constant reassessment told me that the hip was not getting any better but not feeling any worse either - I came across a fellow runner at about 25 miles in sitting on a wall struggling with muscle cramp, Leon - a fellow member of the 100 Marathon Club - and we stayed together to the halfway point. Having Leon on board was great, we had a laugh & invented an invisible swear box the money raised we intended to send to the organisers to buy some bloody tape to mark the course :-) I think the money collected could have bought enough tape to mark the entire length of the country!
So, long story short Leon dropped at CP6 the halfway point - we had had a sensible discussion on how we were both doing & our thoughts on continuing and what that meant to our bigger goals - Leon was struggling with muscle cramp & blisters, so made the sensible call to drop out of the race.
I, having demolished enormous amounts of food & coffee, wet wiped down & changed clothes decided to carry on to the next crew point - another 3/4 miles where I could meet Russ - and then make a decision.
The trek from CP6 to the next crew point (now dark) was amazing, two brutal climbs - the last one on Sandstone Trail with a massive drop to one side, I was glad I seen this bit!
The time on my own gave me a chance to think - access my mental & physical state.
My biggest concern going in with injury, was using that fact as an easy get out clause, and how knowing that would effect my future mindset in major races when the going gets tough.
But actually in those miles I reflected on how clear my mind was in a very clinical assessment of my situation and where experience was starting to pay off and making me a better distance runner (I use the term loosely in this race).
The facts were the hip was not getting any better, I had about 19 hours to finish the race, I had done 54+ miles on my watch and conquered the toughest ascents on the course - the rest as they say was all downhill from here (not strictly true, but accurate ascent averages) - do I hike on and finish the race, taking the risk of a longer recovery.
Over this distance it can be difficult to keep your mind clear, there are demons which tell you that you can't do it, you are not having a good time - all sorts of reasons why stopping is the best policy, most of those demons & dips in mood are purely chemical your body running out of fuel & wanting to shut down - eat & keep eating, I know this by experience. Work on mindset during training - train the body physically but neglect the mind at your own peril.
My mind when I hit the crew point was crystal clear, it had been a great 50 + training run, this was were it stopped for me, this was where the bigger picture took priority over another belt buckle. It was a very clear cut & easy decision - I asked Russ what he thought - the first words were "I don't wish to influence your race - but" my answer "you are not I have come to a clear headed decision, I'm just asking a second opinion".
Back to the hotel with the bar still open & two pints before bed - can't be bad!
It might seem odd, but I feel really positive about the weekend, I actually feel as though I have grown as a distance runner.
On my other 100's with Centurion & Hobo, I have been pampered with course markings - you would never fear getting lost they are so well marked & a really accurate GPX also available. The Chester 100 required a whole different skill at navigation, with very few organiser markings (tampering by walkers & residents), the GPX file appeared to be route therefore always appearing parallel and some of the course cross over - out/back were again confusing, the fact that I lost time trying to figure out the route but never got completely lost - gives me a great deal of confidence in my ability to navigate. Anyone following the tracker could see runners literally off course all over the place !
My food intake was so much better never once suffering nausea (this might be down to hiking) - I was being more self sufficient and carrying more food - although the CP's were really great. A new found favorite olives, amazing a little pot which I had found in Aldi - easy to carry they were in brine, tasted amazing - really salty which in turn helped me to hydrate.
Mindset was super strong, very clear on my decision making - clear & concise reasoning gives me a lot of confidence going into the target race.
Recovery - other than the hip, everything else feels great, does not seem like I was on my feet for 50+miles, which again gives me confidence in my strength training. I decided to rest for a total week mind & body, running your own business its not easy to take a complete holiday, so without being a drama queen I just turned off the social media & email for a few days - a total switch off, largely to access where I was & plan ahead what I need to do.
I feel stronger & more positive following last weekend, I'm forcing myself to rest the hip - I'm a rubbish injured runner as its something totally unfamiliar to me, but rest is definitively working.
The next big challenge is Beacons Way 100 13th July - I'm going into this one with the knowledge that I need to be self reliant in navigation & kit support - I have about 8 weeks to get my act together.
My final thoughts - things usually happen for a reason, its sometimes not very clear at the time & its sometimes easy to become negative or frustrated by your fate - but if you can step back & look beyond - learn & grow from experience
"see & acknowledge the details but never miss out on the bigger picture"
A very wise friend recently offered some advise to those starting the Centurion Thames Path - he said "leave your ego at Richmond"
this is the best bit of advise I've come across in ultra circles for a while - the beauty & challenge of a 100 miler & beyond is the uncertainty of what we face throughout that distance, carrying an ego will just weight you down.
much love & respect
xx
ps
I appear to have become a "poster girl" for GBRaceTracker - #silverlinings
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