Brathay Challenge - Thomas Giles

COUNTRY TO CAPITAL ULTRA. 45 MILES.
What an interesting day! The variety of experiences available through ultra's never fails to amaze me and this was no exception. Heavy rain overnight meant that mud and puddles of water were present on many parts of the route. Anticipating this I decided to wear waterproof Sealskin socks - the first time I have used these for more than 10km.
A typical gathering at the start of about 30 runners, after an initial briefing, set off at a conservative pace. It is a reflection of the small number of ultra-marathon runners that I know five of the runners well. Aware of my limited training recently I make no attempt to keep up with them and soon see most of the field disappear into the distance. The first checkpoint is at 7.5 miles and is reached with only one navigational 'woopsie'. The impact of navigating cannot be under-estimated. There is the risk of going miles out of the way which conentrates the mind no end. The need to frequently check the route and take compass bearings inevitably slows the pace, though. The run to checkpoint 2 (17 miles) passes without a hitch, although at one point navigation is by following an Easterly bearing to reach a known minor road rather than knowing which specific path I am on. A little celebration marks the achievment of half marathon distance (never miss a chance to celebrate a milestone achieved on an ultra!). At the second checkpoint Louise who I have been running with breaks away as she knows the area. I am now on my own and, although I don't yet realise it, that is the last time I will see another runner. Think of it - a full marathon solo. This is why I always try to be self reliant on big runs - you may need to be. Navigation to the Grand Union canal is achieved with only one small error, and marathon distance (42Km) is passed in 6 1/4 hours, a reasonably good time for me when self navigating trails. Chekpoint 3 comes and goes and I am still moving OK. The next target is the Paddington arm, just after 50Km. At this point the canal towpath is closed so I have to suffer a diversion through busy London streets. Although the diversion does not add much to the distance 3Km of crowded pavement and dodging traffic on busy roads as well as looking out for occasional signs eats away at my mind. Eventually the towpath is regained and I now turn my mind to checkpoint 4 and refocussing for the push to the finish. The towpath goes on, and continues to go on. 55 Km comes and goes. 60 Km comes and goes at 9 hours, still with no sign of checkpoint 4. By now I am reduced to walking by a combination of fatigue and despair at not finding the checkpoint. By 65 Km I am screaming inside. Mentally I am slow. I replay my route since the diversion. Could I be on the wrong canal! No. Why have I not seen the checkpoint. Maybe it was shut down before I got there? Stiffness in my triceps and mental sluggishness leads to a self diagnosis of early hypothermia. Time to take action! Anticipating just such a scenario I carry two extra layers in my backpack which are now retrieved. In addition I resort to an action I have never used before - I ring the organisers on the emergency contact numbers. I am told I am nearly at checkpoint 5! I have decided to withdraw at the next checkpoint, finishing the official course not seeming important now but do not mention this. My spirits lifted slightly I keep moving and look forward to contact with Marshalls again. I know from past experience it is 21 Km along the Paddington arm and so the finish is at 75 Km. Checkpoint 5 is 10 km from the finish. Imagine my state then when I reach 70 Km with no sign of the checkpoint! When I see a signpost for an underground station 1/4 mile away I turn the Garmin distance monitor off and head for sanctuary. I find plenty of railway tracks and a train maintenance depot but no station so it's back to the towpath. Paddington is 4 miles away so I make a positive decision - walk it in to Paddington. I don't actually care if it counts as a finish, I just want to get to safety. After passing some prominent landmarks I decide to ring again, aware that I have not been seen by Marshalls for a few hours now. I discover that in my sluggish mental state I turned the phone off, resulting in a barrage of voicemail and text messages - I guess they were getting worried! Steve offers to run out to meet me and the sight of his bobbing head torch coming along the towpath never looked so good. After greetings a brisk walk soon sees me at the finish with a T-shirt and medal waiting. Unsurprisingly I am the last finisher in about 12 hours. A lift back to my hotel was very, very gratefully received.

So what lessons came out of this run?
1. Be prepred to take responsibility for your own safety. Carry sufficient provisions and clothing to keep moving, even if only slowly.
2. Be aware of the risks of hypothermia, particularly as fatigue sets in. Carry extra layers of clothing and be prepared to use them.
3. Keep thinking and moving forward. Checkpoint missed? Don't dwell on it. Escape strategy doesn't work? Keep moving towards definite sanctuary at the end. You can still look for other escape opportunities as you go.
4. Don't panic. Not sure exactly where you are on the map? Determine a compass bearing which must bring you to a definite landmark and follow it. Don't blindly wander round hoping to find the route again. Having a blazing rant won't achieve anything, however tempting it might be.

Given the limited training I have had recently I was actually quite pleased with the run as 10 in 10 preparation. I felt fine until well beyond marathon distance, I was able to complete the distance and I overcame considerable mental obstacles. This feels like an excellent base on which to build.