After my disaster in Canada I just knew that I had to run another 24 hour race this year. This race at the Tooting Bec track in London was the perfect set up. A race I had run in before, very well organised, no travelling abroad and Bill by my side. I didn't have time to put a structured training program into action due to commitments and time available. I had used a 19 week program in the lead up to Canada and just peaked at the right time. I did very little for several weeks after, had one complete week off, a week of light training, a week walking the West Highland Way and then a week leading up to a 12 hour race at Boston which I did at short notice. This was the confidence booster I needed and after achieving my goal of 120km for 12 hours there was just 6 weeks left until Tooting. I had an easy week after the 12 hours, then 3 weeks of reasonable training including the Welsh International 4 Days (4 x 25 miles), 2 easy weeks then 24 hours. My fitness was not as good as it was for Canada but had several goals to achieve:
* The bare minimum was 200km for B standard selection criteria
* Next was running far enough to be GB number 1 for the 11th year (estimated 210km should be good enough, present best was 191km).
* Then was 214km for A standard selection criteria.
*Followed by 217km, which would be a new pb.
We left home at 10:15am on Friday morning, collecting some new kit with Darlington Building Society logo on the way down. We reached Huntingdon just before the M11 at 14:15 and then sat stationary for nearly an hour. We arrived at the Crystal Palace campsite around 18:15 after an 8 hour journey, but he campsite was excellent and very quiet considering where we were in London, surrounded by greenery and trees and just a few minutes down the road from Tooting Bec. After dinner we had a walk and were in bed by 21:00. Up at 7:30 and Bill made me porridge for breakfast. Went for a shower and was pleased to see blue sky overhead and the prospect of a dry 24 hours. We got to the track for 9:30 to pick the spot to camp on the edge of the track and put up the awning on the van. It was nice to register, relax and have casual conversation with the athletes arriving. Briefing was at 11:15am and then changed for the race.
The race started at midday and had been a mixture of clouds and sun most of the morning; in the shade the temperature was 16 degrees. I had an excellent lap recorder who remembered me from previous events, so just knew I could rely on her to do a good job. My planned start was to run how I feel but no faster than 2 mins 15 secs per lap (9 minute miling). If I went slower this was ok. The gun sounded and first lap 2 min 05 secs, second lap 2 mins 10 secs, third lap 2 mins 15 secs, bang on, keep it like that. Settled in now as several athletes started overtaking me. By the end of the first hour I was very comfortable, happy with being dressed in long tights and long sleeved top and leader board came up with 12th overall, 2nd lady. There were 41 starters (limited due to track). The first 4 hours ticked away steadily, my 10km splits were 56:42, 56:19, 55:09, 55:28. Then we changed direction so quick check over my body in my head, no problems, feet comfortable, legs in good shape, breathing easy, stomach comfortable, just a bit of rubbing on my neck from new shirt but nothing to worry about, dressed correctly, weather still intermittent sun and clouds.
Leader board at 4 hours now read 5th place overall, 1st lady and 26 miles. Next 4 hours, progressed very similar to the first 4 hours, no problems just steady running as the light faded and flood lights were lit. The odd comment coming my way about Darlington Building Society that was emblazoned on the back of my shirt, pleased to see new sponsor was getting noticed. The splits were 56:23, 57:07, 58:05 and 64:21. The slower lap was due to having to stop to walk to eat some soup with pasta added, but also marks the start of a more slowing down period due to having to eat more now. I generally eat nothing for the first 4 hours, then eat a few bits that I can run with but have to stop to eat things like custard and pasta. 8 hours done the leader board was reading 51 miles and 3rd overall. Quick body check, neck was still rubbing and was now beginning to get sore, would wait until 100km reached then change, had felt better at Boston 12 Hours but not feeling too bad, felt a slight niggle in my right glute but nothing serious. On to the next 4 hours to reach the half way mark, stopped to change kit, off with long sleeve shirt and on with old long sleeve comfortable thermal and new t-shirt on top, two layers now as temperature dropping rapidly and down to 9 degrees. Suddenly a loud shout from the railings for me, head up who is that? Focus a bit and its Ian Thompson with Carys (family of Tanni Grey Thompson), I had seen Ian last week and knew he was in Aylesbury for the weekend and said he might visit, didn't really expect him to but pleased to feel someone had made an effort to see me - had forewarned him though I can't stop running. I gave a quick wave for a few laps as Ian chatted with Bill for a while and then went on his way. Feeling slightly fatigued but nothing more than expected, still progressing steadily with 10km splits being 65:04, 62:40, 71:10 and 62:30, the slow split being the change of kit and toilet stop.
Passed the 100km mark at 9 hrs 47 mins 20 sec, a fraction faster than at Boston and my 12 hour target of 120km was reached nearly 1 minute late, so not far off target. I had now hoped to run 100km for the second half to achieve the biggest goal of a pb, but this is the half of the race where things happen, more food stops, change of kit, toilet stops and other unpredicted stops. Quick 4 hour body check, neck was now comfortable in change of kit, slight niggle in glute was stable, feet comfortable. 12 hours to 16 hours - that's midnight to 4am, splits 69:00, 70:15 and 74:45, gradually slowing up as expected but still maintaining running pace and only really stopping to walk to eat or for toilet, I was aware of getting colder and stopped to change kit again to take off t-shirt and replace with long sleeved shirt. Still got colder and temperature was now down to 6 degrees and getting misty.
4 hour body check, still not completely warm, breathing ok but not happy at the damp conditions, still on course for pb if everything maintained, left shin above ankle now beginning to feel a bit tender. 16 hours to 20 hours, needed more kit, just not warm enough, quite shivery after toilet stop, extra jacket added and hat. Just about keeping warm now. Went through 100 miles in 16 hours 57 mins and 11 seconds, 4th place overall, splits getting slower 76:00, 83:15 and 74:45 (the slow split being toilet stop and extra kit and shivery). Another surprise, Stephen Partridge has turned up, I last saw him while running the Libyan Challenge, he knew several of the athletes running so came to give us his support at our lowest ebb, how thoughtful, he stayed for several hours and was great to see him again, he was trying to twist my arm into running the Thames Meander next February - expecting me to break course record, the offer of a free entry might just tempt me to try, it's a race I have not run before and do like new challenges. Beginning to struggle now as dawn breaks, hoping this will perk me up to maintain pace for remaining 4 hours.
Body check, right glute still stable, feet getting a little tender but can't feel any blisters, left shin definitely feeling very bruised now. Very little conversation with Bill now as too tired and have to concentrate harder on keeping running. Last 4 hours. As the flood lights are taken off the mist is still evident across the track and the pole that the far end flood light is on is beginning to smoke quite heavily. Gains some attraction from officials and fire extinguisher used to stop smoking, quite relieved as breathing is becoming very laboured, hoping it won't turn to asthma so keeping pace down to be in control, smoke has been on the track for nearly half an hour now and still lingering. Now the smoke has ceased the blue lights of a fire engine can be seen entering the track, they are unable to open the pole and start prodding around only for smoke to start bellowing out again. I thought with the fire engine on scene it would be out in a flash but they seemed to just watch it unable to gain access to do something, very frustrating as did not like the smoke on the track again - even Bill was commenting now that it was getting on his chest.
Really struggling to run again now and intermittently walking to gain breath back. Stopped to get patch put on right shin as was really beginning to hurt and taking focus off running. Eventually went through 200km in 22 hours 20 mins, I had fallen off target in the last couple of hours and putting on patch probably wasted another 10 minutes. Firemen had now extinguished the smoke from the lower pole only for it to continue higher up the pole and just got the electrics turned off so it fizzled out, could still smell the smoke the track until the finish. Was still desperately trying to keep going to reach 214km goal but running was difficult and eventually finished with 212km, so just goal number 2 achieve and not up to goal 4. It was a satisfying run, nothing special, I knew my fitness was down from Canada but had just hoped to at least get 214km. Overall I ran well, this is just 5km short of my pb and the Monaco 6 Day Race is weighing heavily on my mind not to pick up an injury or run to my limits that may impair my recovery to attempt my second world record. Looking at Bill's record of my eating strategy I am not sure if Bill had not recorded everything as the rule for me is to eat a minimum of one item of food per hour and there appears several occasions when this has not happened. I stayed well hydrated as usual, my salt intake was increased again from Boston 12 hours and no effects from this.
Nuun was the new mineral drink added to my strategy courtesy of Carolyn Hunter-Rowe and went down very well. I achieved B standard selection criteria, a distance of 212km that puts me at the top of this years UK rankings for the 11th consecutive year and unofficially 10th in the World. It was also a new course record for the Tooting Bec event. We travelled back to Cambridge on Sunday afternoon to have dinner and spend the evening with my sister, but I went to bed at 8pm. Didn't sleep well at all as usual and travelled back home on Monday morning. It is now Tuesday evening and pleased to report I am now walking up and down stairs normally again and left shin is recovering well.
Results 1st John Pares 236km
2nd Ken Fancett 231km
3rd Stephen Mason 220km
4th Sharon Gayter 212km 1st lady
7th Vicky Skelton 201km 2nd lady
9th Marie Doke 189km 3rd lady
