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