Stort 30 2019

This is a repost of a race report submitted to Reddit in October 2019 regarding the Stort 30.

### Race information

* **What?** Stort30

* **When?** October 27th, 2019

* **How far?** 30 Miles (48km) - 15 miles down the canal and back

* **Website?** https://www.challenge-running.co.uk

### Goals

| Goal | Description | Completed? |

|-------|----------------|----------------|

| A      |<5 hours       | *No*           |

| B      |<6 hours       | *Yes*          |

| C      |Finish           | *Yes*          |

Side goal: run marathon distance in under 4hrs 30 min | *Yes* |

### Training

After years of convincing myself that running was something I didn’t like, I was persuaded a couple of years ago to do the hot new thing - Parkrun! Had a couple of local 5 to 8 mile races in the meantime but always seemed to prefer the joy of the long weekend run when I could settle down into a groove after a couple of km and catch up with a handful of podcasts. Probably being an introvert, I never had the inclination to do a traditional marathon but loved the thought of something a bit longer when the emphasis was less on time and more on experiences, food and drink! Missed out on a couple of races due to family illness and injuries including a tender Achilles but was always keen to try something when the right time came along.

A lot of local races have an entry requirement based upon previous results but the Stort30 is fairly relaxed, recommending only that completing a half marathon in under three-hours, or a marathon in under 6, should be sufficient. Plus, the race is only 2 km from the mother-in-law which made accommodation and a warm-up walk in the morning a major bonus for selection.

Training was based around the seemingly achievable Runners World 16 week 4hr 30min marathon training plan, with the intension of extending out the weekend run for a little longer whenever possible. I already had a reasonable base running 3 x 5km a week so starting at week 4 worked well with time scales to the race itself.

Generally, training all went to plan with only one off week due to sickness at around week 9, and encouragement that the two 20+ mile runs went well with energy still in the engine to give a little bit more.

Bit of a panic when I found out that the new, very comfortable trail shoes had 0mm drop compared to the usual 10mm in my road shoes and so, with only 3 weeks to go, the dilemma as to which shoes to go with began...

Plan of action on the day was to eat a Aldi Hike bar every 40 minutes or so, supplemented by some gels here and there with whatever felt right at each of the aid stations. Set watch to display heart rate only and try to keep it not too high for the first half at least….

### Pre-race

After a week of mostly wet days, we woke to a beautiful sunny morning. Fortunately, I’d slept well the night before with the benefit of clocks going back so benefitted from almost 9-hours sleep - bliss! Had a couple of rice puddings a couple of hours before the 9am start and with the benefit of packing the bags and laying out the clothes the night before, was able to head over to the start with plenty of time.

Plenty of others already there but the organisation at the running club club-house was very well managed and I had my number in only a couple of minutes. Before we knew it, the 8.30 briefing was upon us and it was time to do last checks and drop off the drop-bags. The advice was for trail shoes as we were promised large sections of mud so the zero drop Altras went on, along with thermal top, shorts and sunglasses/cap - the sun was already out.

Starting at the back always sits well with me - forces a relatively slow start with the aim of passing people further on in the race. Also looks good in selfies with everyone and the start line in the background! Unfortunately, this meant that me and a bunch of other posers actually missed the actual ‘Go!’ and there was a flurry of expletives and a section of us heading in the general direction whilst finding the right buttons on our watches. GPS found just as crossing the line and off we go!

### Race

To CP1:

A couple of laps of the field to spread out the field a little and then we're out on to a gentle downhill down a couple of roads before joining the canal for the majority of the run. Was glad I had gone with something with a little tread as the first canal section was slippy - all to look forward to on the return journey! Actually glad that the conditions and relatively narrow path was preventing me from getting all over excited and despite all my effort above, setting off too quick. Got to the first checkpoint in good time and felt pretty good. Actually going to the checkpoint itself would involve crossing the canal and no one else in the vicinity seemed to be stopping so lets keep going!

To CP2:

Track initially muddy but was quickly improving and I'm settling down into a good pace at the back of three other runners who seem to be in at a pace that feels quick but comfortable. I’m feeling good, pulled along by the others, feeling like being in one of Jamil Coury steady-cam trail films - this is what it’s all about! The sun is out and I’m glad of the sunglasses - might need suncream at this rate! Field is spreading out now and we are ticking off the miles nicely. Two of the runners ahead of me decide that they are on for a 4hrs 30min finish which sounds great and so when they split off to CP2, I keep going - I have everything on board that I need and although I'm regularly taking sips from the soft flasks, there's plenty left to be going on with.

To CP3:

Good going now that the track is hard and fast and with a new group now who discuss recent races and triumphs. Keen to hear all about them, I keep pace, astonished that all feels good and that my breathing is not too heavy - it’s a beautiful day and I feel as though I could do this forever. It’s not long until we see the front runners coming back in the opposite direction and even at the front, they all look fresh and in good shape - we all hope that they are thinking the same looking at us! We hear the distant roar of the go-kart track and I’m told that this means that the turn-around is not far off and as promised, before too long, we reach the half way mark and diligently check in our numbers. Given that I have to stop anyway, this is a good time to take off the pack and check all is in order. I take on water, put a couple of every bars in the front pockets, grab a couple of custard creams (can’t say no to a biscuit!), some nuts (my sweat seems a little salty), and off I soon head back in the opposite direction, back to do it all again, ever so slightly uphill all the way.

To CP4:

On my own and after mile or so something definitely isn’t right. My left hip is hurting - something that hasn’t occurred for a while and not at all since I’d introduced a strict warm-up/warm-down routine a couple of months earlier. This isn’t good as it wasn’t actually something I’d actually solved - it’d had just naturally occurred close to home towards the end of longer runs where I’d rest it for a couple of days. I need a distraction - I need music! Bearing in mind that I never listen to music on my runs normally, it was an odd last-minute decision to add the small mp3 player to the bag but one I was glad to have available. My pace dropped off significantly but I was still plodding along, heading home with a distant runner in the distance as an incentive for pace. No doubt at this stage of not finishing but thoughts purely on checkpoint 4 and sorting things out there. Because CP4 is on the far side of the bridge, it’s not obvious that you are there until you are there but the relief is immeasurable. No skipping checkpoints now, its one stage at a time and I’ll take any assistance I can get.

Fortunately, the guys running CP4 are on hand and although the checkpoint is busy, there they are, filling my bottles and offering me a chair. No - sitting right now would be a bad, bad decision - I don’t think I’d get back up. Looking at the offerings, the pre-cut bananas look irresistible and taste even better and I inform the guys that 20 miles (this exact point) is my distance pb. This goes down very well to those around me and the response perks me right up to the point that setting off feels right and feels good. A couple of chocolate bars are stuffed in my vest and I take on more salty nuts and off we go, suddenly feeling stronger and ready for the next 5 miles at the very least.

To CP5:

This is a good time to tune out. If this was a marathon, this’d be the tough final section, but that won’t be enough today and so, with all of the encouragement of those at CP4, I set off at an improved pace, left, right, left, right, with a 90s mega mix drowning out the discomfort. If anything went exactly to plan, it would be the eating aspect - I’m far from hungry but the Hike Bars keep going down and the forgotten chocolate bars are a welcome discovery (again, thank you CP4!). I kept meaning to have a gel or two but realised that they were still out of reach in the back of the vest and I wasn’t going to stop for that! Thoughts of my family come to mind, which although pleasant, leaves me rather emotional and running with a lump in the throat. This isn’t the easiest, so these thoughts get put back though they emerge a few more times over the next hour.

When the checkpoint comes, it comes with the relief that the end is in sight, but with the knowledge that the trail conditions are going to get worse…I stop and remember that I had some tailwind to hand. Hey, ‘nothing new on race-day’ but I’ve heard nothing but good things about it so crouch down, tear open the pack and proceed to pour half of it in the soft bottle, the rest over all my hands - hey ho! I text my family to let them know that I’m almost there, grab a banana - not so ripe unfortunately, but with the end now in mind and with more salty nuts, head back on the track.

To End:

Now this is a slog. Pace has dropped significantly but the runner in the distance neither seems to be getting closer or further away. My head is slumped, only looking a few steps ahead, remembering to keep an eye out for the occasional tree root. Every bridge crossing and patch of mud slows me down but all I can think about is the lack of other runners compared to the outward leg. Much surprise then to turn around and see four runners, quietly in line behind me, all heads down at equivalent pace, just trying to get through to the end. Secretly encouraged that they all look as bad as I feel, this spurs me on and we trudge along, knowing that the emerging houses lining the sides of the canal and the sound of traffic means that the tarmac section is upon us. What felt like a gentle downward section at the start now feels like a massive, unending uphill battle and I’m treating every kerb like Colin Jackson hits the hurdles! The end comes with the welcome sight of the club house, the fantastic view of my family and the finish line, tantalisingly close. However, we still have one anti-clockwise lap of the field to go and so, with only a little bit of encouragement, my eldest son agrees to join me for the final section. Unfortunately, his pace is a little quicker than my aching legs will carry me and twice I have to tell him to slow down! We cross the line together and I get my medal delivered by race organiser Lindley with his magnificent beard. He tells me words which, at the time, were very moving. I wish I wasn’t so tired and could have remembered some of them but I was very touched! I hug the family, get a bit emotional and, we head inside for a nice cup of tea. My boys proceed to eat all of the chocolate - I’m led to believe that they’d had a very hectic day, but slumped in my chair with my medal, family and day on the trail, I’m very, very happy.

### Post-race

Writing this two days later, I’m almost back to normal. Glad I took the past couple of days off work and apart from a little stiffness on the stairs, all is okay. Got another local race planned in the new year and so in a week or so, the cycle starts once again. Looking back on things, I really don’t think I could have picked a better first time ultra and a massive thank you is given to the organisers who set a delightful route which was easy to follow with fantastic checkpoint support. Yes, the good weather helped but this was bonus at this time of year.

I didn’t have much of a game plan so not much to go wrong on the day. The weather was unlikely to change and the shoe issue was never a problem in the day. Yes, I could have gone out slightly slower in the first half, but I don’t think this would have magically left me with significantly more energy in the second half. Maybe if my hip hadn’t slowed me down, perhaps the pace would have hit me harder later on but who knows. Perhaps some more longer runs in training or pre-run marathons may have helped but again, maybe not. All I know is that I saw a lot of happy people all round the course, and that happiness is infectious. Ridiculous things can happen if you just give them a go - I almost got my gold target but according to Garmin, I also achieved a mid-run marathon time of 4hrs 26 - an unexpected bonus and shows that perhaps Runners World do know a thing or two!

### Pictures / Route / Splits etc

https://www.strava.com/activities/2821317241