After months of thought, weighing pros and cons it finally came down to “Aw screw it” and that is how I entered this running ultra marathon. Not my first entry for an ultra run, I have two previous attempts, one I bailed by force when I got acute mountain sickness at 7700 ft and the other was cancelled whilst we were in the process of running it.
I am also not new to ultra’s done a few walker ultra’s, great thing about walking ultra’s is you get to use the cut off to its full extent. No rush very social actually quite the jol. Somehow this was different, this was a run and for the life of me I had no idea how my body would respond to an ultra run. Yes I could walk most of as many have suggested but where would that get me, nowhere I profess to be a runner and that is what I have to do run this ultra marathon.
With that in mind training came and went so fast I have to check my logbook to make sure that I did actually train for this run. Along came the Tuesday before and I was struck down with some bug that really grounded me. I was violently ill but as fast as it came it went leaving me a bit dehydrated in its wake. Warning bells yeah right.
My problems were just beginning, my Asics shoes finally gave in and while down on Two Oceans I found a pair of New Balance on special, I do not know why I bought them. I cannot use NB, I blister something terrible after eleven kilometers in them. I tried to find shoes but my size shoe is a special order and unlucky for me when I ordered they had run out of that size.
Well I had visions of facing this ultra with mega blisters and that was not a great thought, on Thursday I got a call that the new range of Asics was out and they had my size. So now what wear the old shoes get blisters or break every shoe rule and do an ultra in brand new shoes. Guess what I did.
Saturday Morning go for a three km run in my new shoes, no problems to speak of, we are ready to go. Spend the rest of the day packing, pinning and rechecking.
Well I arrived at Ballito on a very cool morning. It didn’t last, the sun would venture out and cook all the runners and walkers on the road.
Lined up in what was pronominally a walker race (their Comrades for many years) This year new feature was a run as well. So lining up at the back while the walkers showing off their ownership of the race took up the front ranks. Heck I did not mind, there was plenty room to pass them once on the way.
First surprise came at about 6 km when we were ushered on to a gravel road, thank goodness for gaiters. We ran a bit on this dirt road and came out to a tar road, which turned out to be quite undulating. By this time AndreH had disappeared into the distance as I predicted. This lad, although his first ultra as well, was low flying. All to soon Lone caught up with me and of course this was on a uphill. Ha ha Lone had walker tags on and was only doing the 21.1 km. Anyway she passed me with her two friends, at the 21.1 km turn around they all three were sitting on the side of the road, as I ran past they got up and with a hip gyrating move with their arms and hands outstretched in front of them, they went “ Go Dave go, go Dave go” over and over. First time I have had cheerleaders.
Anyway thing were getting hot …very hot and these bloody hills just would not cease. Finally we got a flat and then a down followed by a ….up. Well so far so good, feeling good, running 2 kays at a time with a 200 walk break.
At 30.7 kays this all changed, I was not feeling good, my right hamstring was playing up big time, same one that got injured on that South Coast Marathon last year. Being very cautious not too cause it more damage I slowed down the run.. Hey I was 20 mins ahead of my pace chart, I could afford too.
Then it happened at 32 kay BANG the wall, I actually stopped dead in my tracks. I felt terrible.
What is the wall I hear Morne and others ask….
The wall is the moment at which your body switches its fuel source from glycogen and looks for alternate fuel sources to metabolize like large muscles masses, internal organs, your shorts and other runners / walkers who venture too close to you. It is called the wall and we speak of hitting it because it feels like slamming into a brick wall.
One moment you are on top of the world and the next WHAM you will be flattened out. The wall is characterized by fatigue, cramping, inability to think rationally and serve crankiness. For some of us that is a natural and constant state of being. We have a major advantage over those of you who are athletic, relaxed, rested, rational and obnoxiously pleasant all the time.
I was told you cannot recover from the wall…I say too hell with that I will recover and overcome.
So one step at a time walking I ventured forward, cramping and feeling sooooooo tired, I had quite few kays of a walk. A new feature appeared however one I am familiar with a green parrot flying around my head flapping his little green wings, Polly the parrot, squawking away “Bail come on bail…you know you must bail.” Luckily I have had many encounters with Polly so I was able to ignore him.
I found my wife and was able to get my hands on Nuun which I downed while my wife smeared on the Iceman (yes the horse stuff) on my calves. Five minutes later and I was feeling good again except for the increasing blisters from the new shoes.
Now you must understand you are approaching a 38 km in a 50 km race and they take you off road, Shikken territory (buk buk) Off road, very cobbled with rocks….hey at that stage stones are rocks.
No seconds there and my water is running out. Should of enters the mind, should of taking some Nuun off road with me. Dammit stupid boy…flap flap flap…Polly’s back…..bail…bail…bail.
You are starting to feel sorry for me aren’t you.
Well now at 40 km whilst on the phone with Yvette I get to a stocked water table…yes…oasis of cold water and ice. I tell you the sun is burning down there is no wind to speak of and you are off road in between sugar cane fields. Brilliant even Polly flew away. One kay later I get a 40 km board….. WTF
And that is how it went gps 42 kay them 41 kay….blow me down if they don’t make us do a loop as well. Now really a person who has hit the wall really does not need this as well. More about that later.
Last four kays of this ultra was the worst ever and no water table, I had no water and was one step away from a heart attack…I’m telling you I was so angry but I tell you just now about that .
I cruised into a finish that was longer then the Flora Mile at Comrades and came across the first tent where all stand up clapping man o man as big as I am I shed a tear or two, I was just overcome by the people there and the fact that I have competed my first running ultra marathon 8:33 just 33 mins over my predicted time. Oh and by the way 46 and 47 km were 200 meters apart and the gps reading at the finish was 50.07 km Done and dusted but most certainly not “Fresh as daisy’s”
Okay why I was so angry….from kilometre 22 the tables were running out of water, I took a cup of water (actually wasn’t a full cup it was only half.) and cause of the heat I poured it over my head, the lady at the water table freaked out “Don’t waste the water” she screamed at me “Yeah right” I replied. This is a pre entry race how in the name of Zeus butt hole do you run out of water on a pre entry. The last four kays of the ultra in the blazing sun there is no water table.
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