a runner's nought to fifty story

This is an update to Mark's previous story when he shared with us his inspiration to lose weight, and take up running.  Mark has very kindly shred his great success in completing his first Ultra 50km race.

I started Running 18 months ago at almost 21 stone – This is my nought to Fifty story.

I was running to lose weight and bought a copy of Runners World that had an article on weight loss in it. I was running most days and the weight was coming off, but any help I could get was a benefit.

Also in this magazine was an article on ultra marathons. An ultra marathon is a distance that is further than the normal 26.2 miles (42.2K). I was hooked, despite the fact that I had not run further than 10K!!! The article mentioned the UK’s most experienced ultra runner – Rory Coleman and he lived about 10 miles from me, it was fated.

I put in lots of training over the next 12 months and entered the Nottingham Ultra 50K race (I use the word race very loosely, as I never expect to win) that was organised by UltraRace.co.uk, owned by none other than Rory Coleman. 

This is how the race(!?) panned out for me: 

Running 50K October 09 2011 Blidworth – Nottingham Castle

The race started at 09:00 and the pressure must have got to me because I forgot to start my watch… The weather was perfect, 12 degrees, overcast and dry, ideal running conditions.  The first 11K to checkpoint one was fairly flat and uneventful apart from running down a road that was not on the map, luckily I was shouted back by another runner and was back on track – time to concentrate and look for the route markers!!!! No need to stop at this CP!

11K – 18K was a little more undulating and the challenge was on. I had to stop to take off my long sleeve top and stuff it in my back pack. Some lovely off road running in the Notts countryside. Shared a brief conversation with Ray, an ultra running veteran – over 100 marathons and this was his 95th ultra, at 59 he was a true inspiration. I asked him his strategy – just to bloody finish was the reply. Sounded good to me. I had a time of 6 hours and 40 minutes in my mind, but in reality I just wanted to finish. I was doing this for me and only me. I had run a half marathon for charity previously and felt quite pressured in finishing due to the financials involved. But this was for self fulfilment!

I made pretty good time to CP2 and stopped for a can of full fat coke. Had my first toilet break shortly after and continued at a slow but steady pace. 18K – 29K was not pleasant. I was running on my own. I hardly saw another soul and that was tough. I did have a friend come out to shout for me at 25K and that was a brief, but amazing boost. The hills seemed to get steeper and the run (well walk) into CP3 was a killer. I was pleased with how I was doing though, my feet were in a good state and more importantly so was my mind!

CP3 was where my wife was waiting for me – she was running 29K – 40K with me. Was she a sight for sore eyes. I necked some water and malt loaf and we were off. This is the section of the race where I started to fall apart! The demons were out to get me and at 35K on the hilliest, least scenic section I had to stop and stretch out my aching calf muscles. I admitted to Jackie that I felt like crying. Then cry she responded. I said that I was not letting it beat me and by it I meant my bad inner voice. I just felt like screaming at the top of my voice, but that felt like it would be wasted energy. I explained to Jackie that I was angry about my pace being poor and that I was not running as well as I knew I could. I needed to forget the time and start to embrace the 10 minute kilometres! And I did! We struggled through to 40K where I had a rice krispie cake (never tasted so good) and left Jackie and continued on with Matt (my brother in law) for the last 10K

40K – 50K were a mix of trails and road running with a brief jaunt through Wollaton Park. It was now fairly flat and there were less walk breaks, but the pace was very slow. The pain in my legs was no longer being registered by my brain. The brain has an extraordinary capability of ‘normalising’ situations. The pain in my calf muscles had been going on for so long that my brain saw it as normal and decided to ignore the signals – I was able to run pain free.

I was now on countdown to the finish! With a few hundred meters to go Matt peeled away just after I had thanked him and told him that I love him!! The finish was the proudest moment of my life, I felt well and truly knackered, but the feeling of euphoria was incredible. 50K in 6 hours and 42 minutes! I have the medal and the t-shirt and am now preparing for a 40 miler in August 2012.

The event organisation was second to none and Rory is highly recommended!

A big thanks to Jackie Thatcher, Matthew Doyle, Claire-Marie Stevenson and Rory Coleman (ultrarace.co.uk)

Story by Mark Thatcher