Coldwater Rumble 20 Mile Trail Race

Last weekend, I did my first race of the year – the Coldwater Rumble 20 mile trail race, organised once again by Aravaipa Running. The race came just 3 weeks after doing the Across the Years and I wasn’t sure whether racing 20 miles so soon after a 24 hour race would be too much for me – would I be recovered enough to do myself justice? I’d had an easy couple of weeks following my race at New Year but training had started to increase once again ready for my forthcoming marathon, and with a 30k run planned for this weekend anyway, the Coldwater Rumble fitted in perfectly with my training schedule,.

The event was held at the Estrella Mountain Regional Park in Goodyear just south of Phoenix. With living in the north of the City, it's an area I had yet to explore so I was excited about running on unknown trails and going somewhere new. I was also finding that doing the longer trail races gives me the perfect opportunity to get off the beaten track away from the more popular trails and to see the more remote areas that I perhaps wouldn't go to on my own - it also meant I wouldn't get lost in the desert as the course was very well marked!

The 20 mile race consisted of one loop with around 1,600 ft of climbing – not enough to call it hilly although there were some longer, gradual climbs as well as lots of meandering through washes with plenty of short, sharp ups and downs on considerably rocky trails. We also encountered a decent stretch of proper sandy trails which lasted for a good couple of kilometres and which certainly sapped the energy. The scenery was once again amazing and I loved the fact that at certain points during the race, I felt that sense of isolation and being away from civilisation - just me, myself and I embracing that feeling of solitude, being alert and aware of my surroundings, and loving every single minute with every step that I took.

I went into the race without any expectations whatsoever, although being my first race as a member of the Aravaipa Running racing team, I did want to at least have a half decent run to justify my being on the team. The course record for ladies had been set last year and stood at 2 hours 43 minutes so I anticipated running around 3 hours depending on how tough the course was and how my legs had been recovering. Other than that, I just wanted to get in a good solid run which would hopefully give me some confidence moving forward for the rest of the year.

The race started with a short stretch along the road before turning off to hit the trails, and immediately we were greeted with a pretty tough climb to get us on track. I was actually surprised that I made good progress up the hill and was already placed well up the field both in the ladies race and overall. I took care not to get carried away though, fully aware that it was still very early in the race and we had a good couple of hours of running still ahead of us. There were a couple of ladies ahead of me and I noticed that whilst we were all pretty evenly matched in pace, one of them appeared to lack confidence on the rocky downhill sections. Sure enough, it wasn’t too long before I passed her on a downhill stretch and I managed to open a gap which got wider the further we went.

Start of the 20 mile race

I was happy to sit in 2^nd place for now and got into a nice easy rhythm where I was just focusing on doing my own thing, but around about 5km, I caught the leading lady. I knew that if I took the lead now, the pressure would be on me to maintain that lead but the pace I was running felt easy and I didn’t particularly want to slow things down any further. I was feeling strong and to my surprise I was flying up the hills (I'm currently learning to enjoy running hills again after an on/off love/hate relationship in recent years). It didn't feel like I was particularly over exerting myself, so I made my move and went past.

After that, I just tried to keep things controlled. My training schedule had called for 10k at race pace during my long run today, so after about an hour of running, I attempted to pick up the pace and found that I was running my road pace despite being on the trails. The course had flattened out by now though, but it was here that we encountered the proper sandy trails and I found  it hard work trying to keep going. I was determined to push on though even when things felt tough, and I started to catch some of the other runners doing other distances which was actually quite nice as we got to give eachother some encouragement and a few cheers as we passed by.

By 20k, I eased off the pace a little but having checked my watch, I realised that I was actually on track to set a new course record if I could just keep the pace going. Having not ran it before, I had no idea what the rest of the course would be like, but with a possible course record now within my reach, and with still leading the ladies race and having moved into second overall, I was willing to take the risk and just go for it. If it all went pear shaped, at least I know I gave it my best shot.

That last 3 to 4km were pretty tough as the climbs started again and the trail meandered up and down the mountain side. It had also started to warm up by now and I was started to sweat more profusely. I hadn’t actually looked behind for a good while, but as turned a corner and got sight of runners behind me, it was then that I notriced that the second lady had started to gain on me and I had about 600m over her if that. Having led the race for so long, I really didn’t want to get passed in the last couple of km, so despite the heat and despite the fatigue now building in my legs, I tried to push on. 

As I looked down into the valley, I could see the main road and a parking lot, but I still couldn't see the finish line. My watch was telling me that I had about 2km still to go, but being a trail race, I didn't want to rely on the course being exactly 20 miles and was bracing myself for it to be slightly longer but praying that it was slightly shorter. Up ahead, I could see runners heading downhill, but I'd turn the bend to find that I had to run up again before we got to head down, and still there was no sign of the finish line. This happened a couple more times - we'd go up, we'd go down, we'd head around the bend only to repeat the up/down once again.

Finally, we started a descent and a few hundred metres below, I caught sight of the road and heard the hustle and bustle of the finish line. I was still clear of the second lady as I attempted to sprint that last stretch along the road and at last, we made the final turn back onto the grass and the finish line was ahead. Thankfully I had managed to hold on for the win and to my disbelief I was just over a minute from an outright win although I missed the course record by around 2 minutes.

Top 3 Ladies in the 20 mile race

The second lady had an outstanding run, finishing about 90 seconds behind me and having spoken to her afterwards, this was the furthest she had ever ran on the trails - given her peformance, it was certainly impressive!

I never anticipated winning nor was I expecting to get into a proper race where I was made to work towards the end to secure the victory. It made the win much more satisfying and it was a good feeling being pushed like that, rekindling memories of races over the years where there has been good competition and a win is never guaranteed. It also gave me the confidence that things are on track for my marathon in a few weeks time as well as my other planned races for the rest of the year. I'm feeling happy, I'm feeling confident, and I'm determined to put in the work to ensure that I'm able to meet my other running goals that I've set myself for the rest of the year.

Happy trails folks :-)

A New Love Affair

I don't usually comment too much on the kit I use when running - sure, I use a "posh watch" to measure distance, time and pace (a Suunto Ambit Peak since you ask) but in reality, running is meant to be a simple sport, where a pair of decent running shoes, a shirt and shorts are enough to get you going. I'm also a creature of habit to some degree, particularly where my running kit is concerned, and I tend to wear the same trusty, reliable stuff year after year where I know it won't cause chaffing or blisters if considering what shoes or socks to wear. When I buy new kit, I won't buy just to keep up with the latest running fashions or crazes, but rather I try to buy the same style and size with the only variance being the colour (I'm in to really bright, vivid colours at the moment).

Back in 2006, I won the Snowdonia Marathon and along with the amazing trophy and personalised painting I received as a prize, I also won a £100 voucher for a pair of Salomon trail running shoes. I don't recall the exact model that I purchased with that voucher - 10 years is a long time and my memory isn't what it used to be - but what I do know is that they were red and black, they fitted like a slipper, and I loved those shoes so much that I refused to part with them even when the studded sole was worn smooth from all the miles over fell and dale, and the fabric was frayed and worn.

I did eventually buy new trail running shoes and not surprisingly, they were Salomons once again. These ones were jet black Speedcross and once again, they served me well and I covered hundreds of miles in those shoes.

My faithful Salomon Trail Shoes

My love affair with Salomon has last for the past 10 years and I still love the Speedcross and consider it to be my favourite trail shoe of all time. It's served me well on the trails and fells in the UK, and even when moving to Canada they've been on some pretty wild and exciting adventures with me. I wore them when I did the TransRockies Run in August last year, and of course, they moved to Arizona with me when we relocated to Phoenix last year.

Loyal and trustworthy Salomon Speedcross :-)

The trails here in Phoenix are pretty amazing and I've done some great runs on the desert trails in my faithful Solomans. But the trails here are different. There are no pine needles to cushion the ground, tree roots are non-existent on the trails, I've yet to encounter soft mud (I'm sure this will change when I experience the monsoons in a few months time!), and although you would think that desert trails would consist of wonderfully soft sand, they are actually very rocky in places which means that the old feet have been taking somewhat of a battering recently. The studs on the bottom of my Salomon Speedcross have been worn down from the rocky terrain, and the cushioning in those shoes is no longer able to serve and protect my feet.

A couple of days before racing Across the Years 24 hour race, we were debating whether to wear road or trail shoes for the race. The course was a gravel path so they didn't warrant a super aggressive grip, but then we figured that we needed something that was slightly better than a road shoe, just in case it rained and we needed something with a bit more traction. 

I don't usually bother with the Boxing Day Sales - they tend to be just another reason for some folks to go out and buy things they don't need simply because they're considered a bargain - but having arrived back in Phoenix for New Year after a recent trip to Calgary over Christmas, we decided to take a look at the local sports stores to see what was left over from the sales and to see whether we could fall upon a bargain with a pair of trail shoes. I wasn't looking for any particular style or brand this time, nor did I want to spend a fortune - especially if they weren't suitable trail shoes for the type of trail running I now did. 

We stumbled upon a pair of New Balance 610 Version 4 and with a further 30% off an already reduced price, we managed to get them for $60 USD. They felt great when I put them on - a little rigid but still relatively comfortable when sitting in a shop trying to decide whether they would feel the same after several hours of running - and so they were sold.

I only wore them for the last hour or so at Across the Years so I didn't really get to test them out properly, but today I headed out for a 15k trail run and with being a recovery run, I thought I would give them a try to see how they felt when out on a proper run. I was amazed!

Apache Wash is pretty close to home now that we've recently moved house, and whilst some of the trails are flat with a mixture of gravel and sand, there are many others that were very rocky. For the first time since being in Phoenix, I didn't notice those rocks. My feet felt absolutely wonderful for the whole duration of the run, and by the time I'd finished, I didn't have the usual aches and pains in my feet that I'd been having over the past few months. The shoes were also extremely light - I didn't notice any excessive weight in them or anything - and they felt extremely sturdy and provided great cushioning on the rocky terrain. They also gripped without any problems heading both up and down Dixie Mountain and the other hills on the Dixie Mountain Loop, and I have to say that I was extremely impressed with the shoes. The good news is too that I didn't appear to suffer any changes in my running gait, so finished the run with no knee or hip problems or anything that can sometimes be caused when trying out a new style of running shoe.

My New Love :-)

So I suppose the moral of the story is, don't be afraid to try something new. I think I may have found a new friend in New Balance trail shoes which is strange really as I also won a gift voucher for a pair of New Balance road shoes back in 2005 when winning the Blackpool Marathon - I never gelled with those shoes and have avoided New Balance ever since - at least until a couple of weeks ago. I do wonder how long this love affair will last - but for now, it's still days of wine and roses.

All in 24 Hours ... Across the Years :-)

2nd lady and 2nd overall. 116.53 miles covered in around 23 hours 45 mins, but even more unbelievable - from a personal perspective at least - was my 100 mile split of around 16 hours 53 minutes. Even now, 3 days after the Across the Years 24 hour race, with feet still throbbing from the blisters that forced me to a walk over the remaining 6 hours and which are still resisting attempts to drain and ease the pain and discomfort I'm still feeling - I'm still bewildered,  still shaking my head in disbelief,  still can't comprehend that it was me that ran 100 miles in that time, me that somehow managed to keep a relatively consistent pace going for the entire 161km, me that actually ran sub 17 hours.

My initial goal had been 210km or 130 miles ish, but I had no idea whether that was beyond my capabilities having never ran more than 100 miles and having never done a 24 hour race. Looking back I honestly believe that I could have done it, were it not for the bloody blisters that played havoc on 4 of my toes as well as on the soles of my feet. But in hindsight anything is possible, and despite missing that goal by 13 miles or so, I can honestly say that I was not disappointed with my performance.

There is a huge difference in running a set distance as fast as you can as opposed to running as far as you can in a given time. I personally found the latter far more difficult simply because you keep hitting your next target again and again, you keep getting further and further, but there are still endless hours on the clock. A 100 mile trail race varies. You go up, you go down,  you have flat bits, the scenery changes with every step you take,  the terrain changes from rocky paths to sandy paths, to technical trail to gravel roads,  across meadows and through woodland and forests  - but with a 24 hour race, you go round and round and round - the scenery remains the same lap after lap, the path stays exactly the same and you know exactly where every dip is, every hump, every stone that may be on the path.  The only thing you have to look forward to is changing direction every 4 hours , but even then, you are still so familiar with things that it can sometimes bring only mild reprieve to the seemingly endless running in circles.

Early stages of the race and purely focused!

And yet I really enjoyed the race. I really didn't mind going around in circles and my body some how got into a rhythm that no matter how hard I tried, it refused to slow down. I was aiming for 10 minute laps - 6 miles or around 10km per hour - a pace of around 6 minutes per km, but for the first 120km, I was consistently running 5.40's to 6.00's - sometimes even quicker - and i couldn't stop. I was fuelling well early on, ensuring I was eating and drinking every 5 laps or so, and it seemed to be working. I went through 50km in 4.41 - way ahead of schedule and started to think that I was sure to burn up over the next 50km. I passed through 100k bang on target - 62 miles in just under 10 hours by my watch - how can this be? Surely my body would want to slow down and give up soon, and yet even at 120km, I was still on target with a split of 12 hours and 1 minute. It was around about then that I started retching and shortly afterwards, I left a splendid artistic display of vomit at the side of the pathway - a combination of croissants, chickpea sandwiches, noodles, cheesecake, energy gels, water and Gatrorade. It made me feel so much better but I was cautious about eating too much over the next hour or so for fear of it happening again. I was still feeling good, but I needed my tummy to settle down before I put too much more crap in there that it couldn't digest quickly enough.

Welcoming in 2016 at midnight :-)

By then it was dark and the course had become exceptionally quiet as people had already retired from the race, or were in the medical tent recovering from various ultra running ailments. I love running in the dark. Some folks hate it and they can't wait for the sunrise, but I thrive on the night - it's so peaceful and I love the moonlit skies and the stars twinkling above, I love the sound of traffic dissipating as everybody heads home to their beds for the night, I love the sound of the owls in the nearby trees as they hunt for their food, and it really doesn't bother me that there are several hours of darkness ahead of me. It was so quiet that I was immersed in the sound of just my feet hitting the gravel pathway as I ran along, in my own little world of just pushing forward and focusing on that 100 mile mark. Of course, being New Year's Eve, the fireworks started across the City of Phoenix and it was a beautiful sight to see so many colours and hear all the cheering as people welcomed the start of 2016. I sang Auld Lang Sine to myself in the absence of other people around me, but shouted a cheery "happy new year!" to all the runners I encountered throughout the remainder of the night. Andy had been waiting for me too to bring in the new year, and after a hug, a kiss and a half bottle of celebratory beer, I continued onwards, still focused on that 100 miles.

I went through 150km (90 miles or so) and I did a sub 10 minute lap - where the hell did that come from?! Even now, my body and mind were still pushing forwards. By now, I had slowed a little and went through 150k in a shade over 15 1/2 hours, but with 10k to go, I knew that a sub 17 hour 100 mile split was within my reach. I stopped for fuel - a warm cup of tea, some salty pototoes and a croissant, and as Andy asked me how much further to that magic marker, I was overcome with emotion as I realised what I was about to achieve in the next 90 minutes of so.

Complete shock at how far I'd already ran!

The next 10km took me 1 hour 20 mins but my feet were incredibly sore and with various burning sensations happening in my shoes, I knew that my poor feet were starting to blister. I changed my socks and used some "New Skin" ointment in an effort to protect them, but whilst my pace at that time was still relentless and I was fighting the discomfort with every step, I knew that by the time I hit the 100 miles, I would need to have a break.

16 hour and 49 minutes after I started the race, both the official timing mat and my watch told me that I had just 400metres or so before I ran through the 100 mile mark. I was shocked but very, very happy. At that time,. I was leading the ladies race, and had been for quite a while now although the chasing lady was looking strong despite being some 4 laps or so behind me. But having now reached my first target, I desperately needed to rest for a short while, to refuel and refocus as there was still another 7 hours before the race officially ended. I knew that I wouldn't be able to run much further now but neither did I want to quit, so after a 30 minute break with Andy, both of us wrapped in sleeping bags and blankets to keep out the chilly desert air, I finally picked myself up and got going again.

By  now, the other lady had gained a couple of laps and was even closer behind, but I knew by now it was inevitable that she would pass me. My legs had seized up with sitting down and I desperately needed the fuel to kick in and give me some energy to keep going, and so I decided to just walk for a lap before I attempted to run. It wasn't to be though, and after a lap of walking I knew that the liklihood of me running any further was minimal. My feet were just too sore, and with walking rather than running, I was becoming chilled very quickly, so despite wearing 3 thermal layers, I ended up wrapping a blanket around me too as I set off into the night to continue my quest of getting as far as possible by 9am.

At about 4am, I needed another rest. Andy had gone to get some sleep, so I sat down alone outside our tent, wrapped a sleeping bag around me and a blanket over my head, and before I knew it, I had dozed off for half an hour before being awoken by another runner quietly passing by. I threw off the blanket and sleeping bag, slipped on another jacket, and got myself going again.

Daylight and only an hour or so to the finish :-)

By now, my laps had dropped to between 15 to 20 minutes, but I really was shuffling along and could barely move my legs foward as every step I took sent shock waves through my tender feet. I chatted to a couple of other runners during those early hours, each of us encouraging eachother as we went along, all of us fighting our own battles but none of us willing to give up. I checked out the results to see that I was now 3rd lady but if I could do 112 miles or more, it would move me up one place. Game on! I hobbled onwards with gritted teeth and a determination to surpass that 112 miles and by 7am I had done it. Andy had returned by then and he walked what I had intended to be my final lap with me, but with 2 hours still to go, he encouraged me to do at least other lap just to assure me of 2nd place. I did do another lap - along with 4 more, which brought my total to just under 117 miles. I got to see the sun rise over Phoenix as I did it and the birds started to sing their morning chorus as they welcomed the start of a new day. The sun rising signalled that the race was shortly due to end, and with the greatest relief, at 8.45am and 23 hours 45 minutes after I started, I crossed the timing mat for the last time - very tired, very sore, but very happy.

Across the Years really was an amazing experience and although over the weekend I said never again, I'm so tempted to give it another try. The challenge was something I have never done before and I loved not knowing what I was letting myself in for, and taking a risk as to how the race panned out.

I have so many people to thank for such an awesome race. Andy is of course top of the list as ever - there aren't many husbands that would wait around for 24 hours to ensure you have a good race, to make sure you have food and cups of tea available, to tend to blisters and to make you smile and laugh when you really, really need it. Secondly is my amazing coach Laura. The past few weeks of training have been difficult what with moving house and having to drive up to Calgary. i missed some key sessions and was starting to lack confidence, but all along, Laura has reassured me that I was fit and strong and in great shape. She's the one that has helped me to get to where I am today, and I can't wait to work with her over the coming months to see what else I'm able to achieve under her guidance.

There were also lots of Canadians there at Across the Years this time, and I am so grateful for the help, support and encouragement from ALL of them - the amazing Dave Procter and his family, Karen, Julia, Braydon, Denenne, Phillippe and Isabelle and their wonderful sons who were outstanding support crew and even ran a couple of laps with me early on, and then all the others that I spoke to on the day but didn't really know at the time - a huge thank you to each and every one of you. You all had fabulous runs too and I'm so proud to know you all.

Finally of course, I have to thank Aravaipa Running and all the volunteers that made the event possible - they truly are amazing and I take my hat off to all of you for your dedication and commitment to a race such as this.

So I guess that's the last of 2015, but I am so looking forward to racing in 2016 and have what I hope will be some pretty amazing races planned. I hope your new year was as amazing as mine, and i also hope that you too have every success in reaching your goals and beyond in 2016.

Happy 2016 folks - let's do this!!

2nd lady and 2nd overall - presentation of Across the Years 24 Hour Race