Team Tam’s WHW 2011

“We” came 4^th in 17h:54min, a new PB by nearly an hour! Very happy at the finish, not so happy for nearly 18 long hours!

Before I go on I want to say that I am so proud of Thomas’ performance. Absolutely fantastic and I am so pleased that he got to his “sub 18-hour” target on legs that were not on their best behaviour from early on and in weather that caused 3 stops of 5-8min each, 2 for shoe changes and 1 for a clothes change.

And he was not on his best behaviour either, let me tell you! In fact it was very difficult to support him this year. I will spare you the details, but Nancy and I were seriously discussing that maybe it was time he found himself a new support team for future races as this was no fun for us and we were dreading each support stop, not knowing what he would come up with! At one point he accused Nancy of spraying the Midge Repellant right into his mouth! When all she did was spray it onto his legs and he happened to bend down a bit. Maybe she did just to shut him up?! As soon as he was out of sight we burst into hysterical laughter. Nancy was more forgiving though and once again I have to thank her for keeping everything calm and on the move.

People asked me at the prizegiving if I “enjoyed supporting him” as he did so well etc. And how do you explain that even though the result is amazing, he was not cruising to the finish but his run was a difficult battle and I have no clue out of what depth he pulled out the strength to keep going and finish within his target despite all the difficulties.

We watched Kate (the lady’s winner by only a few minutes) battling through her run from early on as she and Thomas stayed close to each other until the bottom of the Devil’s staircase. And you would not think that with her winning she could have had a “bad run”. But she did and at some point she asked her support team “How do you pull nothing out of nowhere?!” And that sums it up! She did and others will have done the same to get to the finish. And I am in awe and unless I had watched it with my own eyes I would not believe it. Into what energy do they tap in? Physically and mentally? I have no idea how it works but it does!

Back to Thomas’ run and he had complained that his legs weren’t having a good day after Balmaha. And that’s what I call the ultra-running lottery! You train and train and everything is going well with no injuries, you did not pick up any last-minute virus and you are ready to start. And you start, but what’s that? It does not seem to be your best day. And it is not like you could say, o there is another race in a few months I’ll have another go then. No, this is the day you have waited for for 1 year, the day you have prepared yourself for physically and emotionally. And I must admit I was frustrated myself when he told me in Balmaha that his legs were not in as good a shape as he had hoped. How he still got “his time” I really don’t know.

He arrived in Tyndrum 15min behind his schedule, but by Bridge of Orchy he was back on schedule and looking suddenly strong coming into Victoria Bridge and off onto Rannoch Moor. At the ski centre he was still on schedule for his 17:50 time but his legs were feeling worse again. He left in 6^th position but on his way to the bottom of the Devil’s staircase he lost 20min. Surely that was not a good sign. The weather was terrible by now and he put gloves on. We drove round to Kinlochleven and waited for him. I was outside the Community Centre looking up onto the road as the minutes ticked by. The American Mark in 3^rd position had left 25 min ago and no one else had turned up yet. Suddenly I saw Thomas red jacket and there he was in 4^th position, only 5min behind his schedule! I was suddenly so excited. He came inside, got weighed, changed all of his top clothing, had soup and a coffee and left 10min later when Craig Cunningham (in 4^th up to then) had just come in. Go Thomas go we shouted and left for our last stop in Lundavra. We saw the American come through and his team inquiring if we were with runner Nr 4 and where he was. We really did not know but they seemed quite confident that their runner would “cruise it home” in 3^rd anyway. Thomas only arrived 12min behind him at Lundavra right on his schedule and must have gained quite a bit of time on Mark. We did not know where No 5 and 6 were, if they were closing in or not so told Thomas to not slow down and go for his sub-18! As it turned out there was nobody else behind Thomas for over an hour as both of them had got into difficulties. So onto the finish. We had just missed the exciting battle between Richie and the Flying Dutchman but to all our excitement Richie won in 16:24 for the 2^nd time in a row! Fantastic!

Everyone was waiting for the 3^rd runner home. Apart from Mark’s team, people were still hoping Thomas might have caught the American. But right enough Mark had maintained his pace and arrived 12 min in front of Thomas. The clock was then ticking and 17:50 passed and I was getting nervous. Would he make his sub-18? But sure enough he did and arrived in 17:54. What a performance! One that makes the hell called support worth going through! :-)

I think the only way I can get out of supporting him next year is by entering the race myself! Surely that is taking it a bit too far, isn’t it?!

Less than 1 week to go ...

... until this year’s WHW Race! This is going to be my 4^th year supporting Thomas and for the first time in 4 years I am still pretty calm. For the 1^st time in 4 years we have not had any injury scares in the last month before the race or any forced rest periods and desperate visits to the physio. I know though that Marco is going through this just now so I really hope that he will be ok on race day.

There was a short episode of PRT – Pre-Race-Tension as Thomas has named it :-), but it seems to have passed again as I decided to take a step back from any questions that were deemed too inquisitive. Innocent ones such as how many kcal are in your new gels? What kind of electrolyte mix is in there etc? But I know my role, follow the given schedule exactly, it is “easy” as “everything will be on there” – and then of course still be prepared for all the things he wants that he has not put on his schedule! Or any other surprises that he might throw at us!

This year for the 1^st time I am much more relaxed when I look at the Goblet that he won last year. All the pressure from the previous 3 years is away, he finished once before and we know he can do it. I also know that there are so many factors that will influence his race on the day. And a lot of things can still go wrong before he hopefully reaches the Leisure Centre and brings home his 2^nd goblet.

And over the next few days my excitement will no doubt grow until everyone is gathered in Milngavie. There are quite a few friends running, hoping for a great race, a new PB, that first goblet, or a new addition to a goblet collection. I can’t wait to see how you are all getting on and hope that you will have a good race. And I really want to wish Caroline good luck! I am so excited for her and can’t wait to see her finishing.

Best of luck to all of you running, supporting, marshalling and of course organizing!

Edinburgh Marathon 2011

I got on the club bus at 7am and we drove through to Edinburgh. I got a lot of stick for the tattoo that I had put onto my arm with my target time of 3:55 and the mile splits! (You can take it off again!) Would they be laughing on our return journey?

But to be honest I did not look at it too often, in fact I only saw a few mile marker along the route and I did not really pace myself consistently. The race started off very well by being stung by a wasp on my shoulder just 4 minutes before we set off! It had got into my bin bag and I was frantically trying to get it off. I got very strange looks. A girl next to me asked me if I was allergic and I should go and see a First Aider! As if I would waste months of training now! I did chuckle to myself over the first mile though thinking about the misfortunes that could lead to someone being stopped right at the start.

So off we went and I knew I was setting off a bit faster than my splits but it was downhill for a bit and Thomas had left clear instructions to use these to go faster! So when I finally saw a marker at mile 5 I was 2min ahead of schedule. Not to worry I told myself just keep going for now. By mile 8 I noticed it was getting a bit more difficult though and other instructions came into my head. “You need to feel fresh at half way point”. Now that sounded a bit unrealistic already. By mile 11 I thought I had blown it and gone off too fast but told myself to keep going for now until half way. That would maybe give me the best chance of a sub 4 knowing that there would be strong winds on my way back to the finish . And I thought I would have at least tried to give it my best shot. So I crossed the half way at 1:54, 3min ahead of schedule.

Just how do you know you are giving your best, everything you have without blowing it by going off too fast?

I had started to feel a bit sick and my breathing was a bit too laboured for it to be sustainable for the rest of the distance. I had taken one gel after 1 hour and had 2 more for later. But every time I took on water and later Lucozade my stomach did not feel right. I had started pouring water over my arms and head as I was quite hot. I was now running along the long road out to the stately home and I could see the fast guys coming back looking exhausted battling with the wind, some were walking.

And I was getting increasingly pessimistic. I knew I was slowing, I felt sick and the wind would surely stop me from getting my PB and sub-4. It is here where I started to push myself along by setting small goals. Don’t walk until you are on your return leg. Don’t take the next gel until mile 17. Keep it up until the turning point that seemed so far away. I could have cried but knew it would not help and I still had to get back to the finish. I was going to give up road races and turn to the trails where times don’t matter (for me). But on I ran. Do not use the Portaloo. You do not need to use the toilet. Then finally I was on my return leg. Look forward to the inclines, you can walk then. But they then did not seem steep enough to walk so I kept running. Picking off a few people at times who were walking. Shouting a few hellos to clubmates running in the other direction or the relay.

Then I was near mile 20 and the countdown began. This is where the wind really hit but I knew I had a few minutes to spare and still get under 4 hours. So on I went, telling myself my legs were still ok, nausea is only temporary and not serious, keep running, you have done double that distance in the past, another mile to the last gel, no more fluids not to upset my stomach further, just water over my head and arms. The last miles passed somehow, I was still not walking and by now was not going to! Only a cramp could have stopped me now but luckily the left calf just sent warning signs. I was in my zone with no energy left to high5 anyone or look anywhere apart from straight ahead. Luckily the finish came earlier this year, the crowds were great, the club’s supporters in place and I ran to the finish. And cried! Of course. I was so exhausted and so happy that I had done it.

It has been 2 years in the making and I finally ran my “sub-4” marathon. I finished the Edinburgh Marathon in 3:55:33, my new PB! But boy did I have to work for it. I think it has been the toughest race so far for me, it felt even harder than the Fling last year.

My next marathon is Berlin. I will try to get a new PB! Sub 1:40! Yes, correct, sub 1:40 but back on my inline skates!

Surprise 10K-PB

Yesterday I ran the Women's 10K in Glasgow - along with thousands of others. I did not expect too much as my training for the Edinburgh Marathon had been somewhat interrupted and I had only been kind of back on track for the last 2-3 weeks. My legs had been heavy a lot of the times I tried to run at Marathon pace never mind 10K pace!
Once across the start line I tried to keep up with a clubmate who had been runnig well in Troon just a few days ago but she went off into the distance fairly quickly. When the 1K mark arrived I was gasping for breath and realized I had gone off far too fast. A glance at the watch confirmed it. Someone caught up with me, she recognized me but I was not sure where to place her. I am sure she is an ultra-runner but I could not remember her name. It was just when I had realized my fast start and was only able to hiss "can't talk". Sorry! She soon went on ahead. Then not too far into the 2nd K Debbie overtook me! Only now?! I really went off too fast I thought and feared I had blown it. Debbie went on to run a PB of 45min something only one week after the Fling - how amazing is this?!
So my pace slowed down considerably and I just tried to keep it steady until half way. I had not wanted to look at my watch but could not help it. I think I was at 24:something with the hills in the park to come. I started to count the Km down. A glance at my watch at 8K confirmed I could stay under 50min, another at 9k, a shout from Marco and Cairn and I increased the pace. When I saw the finish with the clock ticking towards my previous PB I sprinted to the finish and crossed the line in 48:40, a 10sec PB from last year! So I think it was the 1st and last K that gave me my PB - well pleased! By the way 281st position from 10100 finishers! I have never been so far in front! :-) Mind you a lot of the 10100 women walked it but never mind!

Supporting – always full of surprises

Once you have been in the supporting role for a few years you could be mistaken for thinking you had seen it all. DNS, DNF’s, great races, not so great ones, temper  tantrums, food tantrums etc. This year’s FLING added another experience to the list!

Thomas started well, great weather and in fairly good shape he was aiming for a new PB. He had given me splits that were slightly faster than last year. Unfortunately for him he got carried away a bit at the start and arrived in Drymen and Balmaha 5min ahead of his faster schedule. And even he said to me then, oh, that’s very fast! By Bein Glass where I was waiting with friends from Germany who were spending their holiday with us he was back right on track of his faster schedule but a bit grumpy. By Carmyle Cottage he admitted he was rather tired but Marco managed to kick him into motion again. Just before the A82 crossing he looked better and was close to last year’s time and would be able to finish only a few minutes behind his PB. So good news given his too ambitious start and a lesson learned about pacing for the WHW Race. So off I went to park the car at the Green Welly and carried his rather heavy post race bag through to the finish. There I met 2 other friends of ours, both retired doctors who would come in handy later! Colette herself just recovering from a hip replacement and out without her crutches for the 1^st time.

So there we were waiting for him to appear at the finish in around 8:11. But the minutes ticked by and he did not appear. And sometimes it is a bit strange, you hear snippets of conversations of others but don’t pay attention. And I had just heard a guy saying, someone had collapsed near the finish. So I just passed this on to Colette who said, oh no, that won’t be Thomas. I heard it was at Rowardennan earlier this morning. So I forgot about it. But the minutes kept ticking until Athol came running towards me. He was waving. And I don’t really like the sight of this. It has happened twice before and it wasn’t good news then. So he said Thomas had fallen only 2-300 yards from the finish and needed my help. What could he have done that he was not able to limp across the finish line himself?! So I sprinted off fully expecting to see blood gushing out from somewhere or a broken bone. The 200 yds seemed rather long but eventually I saw him on the ground by the path with someone watching him. (Thank you by the way. I don’t know your name.) Marco had also arrived. I approached but could not see any obvious injury. It then turned out that he had to jump out of the way of 2 mountainbikers, fell, hit his chest and that triggered off an irregular heart beat! So there he was in the grass with a pulse of up to 240/min and feeling unwell. This is “SVT”, supraventricular tachycardia, which can decrease cardiac output and blood pressure leading to dizziness and numbness of hands and feet. There are a few manoeuvres you can try to stop it or in prolonged cases an injection in a hospital setting might be required. It is something that can last only for seconds and it can come and go like an on/off switch. Or it can be prolonged.

Luckily this was not the 1^st time this has happened so I knew what I was dealing with. Normally it does only last for seconds, in fact it happens very rarely and never when running or exercising. But it was the blow to the chest when falling that triggered it off and it didn’t stop. We poured water over him to cool him down but then he started to shiver and we had to put a fleece on! In that heat! Eventually we decided he should walk slowly to the finish where we could lie him down hoping it would stop. So we made our way to the finish, his time was taken and he had lost 20min so close to the finish. Now this was in fact what bugged him most! He had lost not only 20min but 3 places when he was passed by people while he was on the ground. This meant he had lost his 2^nd Scottish Vet place and 3^rd Scot overall. I was just glad he was still walking! We used the massage table to lie him down but later had to find a new place as people were queuing up for massages. My 2 medical friends and I debated what else we could do as this SVT was not stopping and had lasted for over 45min now. When we were about to get the car he sat up and as quickly as it had started it was gone. His heart was beating in sinus rhythm again and we were all rather relieved! He felt fine then and of course we stayed on until the prize giving. He managed to get a medal for 3^rd Scottish Vet as his time of 8:31 was still pretty good and put him into 12^th place overall.

No running

... for over 10 days now due to a bad cold I caught while in Germany! I blame my mum who had exactly the same symptoms when I met her last week. 2 days later the virus had struck but due to her 70th birthday party and other family visits there was no time to rest. We got back last Sunday and it was time to go back to work on Monday after a 2-week-break so not the best time to phone in sick! I got through Monday but then had to give in with no voice and coughing fits that would have scared every patient away. With the trip to Germany, my wee nephew visiting and this cold I have now missed at least 2 long runs for my Edinburgh Marathon training not to mention the shorter runs! Not good! I probably have to adjust and maybe accept that I might not break the 4 hours this time. Well I knew I would be busy, but did not allow for any illnesses to get in the way too. I am better now though and managed to go for a 5M slow run this morning - not the 20M I should be doing but at least I am running again. I do have a supportive husband though who told me last night I was lacking total sharpness anyway and I should stick to what he thinks I am good at - endurance! Well, he wishes! By that he means of course I should just train long and slow to do ultras where I don't need any speed for the times I would be doing, i.e. finishing, rather than getting hung up on beating times such as a 4-hour Marathon. Well he can talk. He does well in ultras AND gets fast times in a HM or Marathon. I do really want to improve my Marathon time and would love to have a sub 4-hour one though. My last longer run was after the MacPirates Engagement Party from BoO to Kingshouse with Katrina and Maya. I enjoyed it despite the hail and constant rain until we were half way across Rannoch and the sun came out! My wee nephew did well on his visit and was introduced to trail running and supporting on the WHW! Much to my family's dislike he had opted last year to join the Athletics division of "Schalke 04" (watch out, now in the Champions League semifinal against Manchester and my home town club!) rather than the local football club. He loves running and is hoping to beat his uncle one day!

Anglo-Celtic Plate 2011

Just a quick blog to put all my thoughts and experiences from the 100K Race in Perth to paper/memory before they fade.

I have never been that nervous before a race, not even before Tam's(:-)) 3rd WHW attempt! I did not sleep at all the previous night and was very glad that the night was 1 hour shorter. And I wasn't even running! But I knew how much this race meant to Thomas,not only having a serious go at this "classic distance" but having been picked for the Scottish Team and wanting to do his best. He of course had put himself out there with a dream goal of 7:30 and I so wished that on the day he would be able to show that his selection into the team was a good one!

But again 1-2 weeks before a few worrying issues crept up with the shoe problem being the major one. He only bought his shoes 1 week before the race trying out various ones before. Then the spreadsheets appeared and I got a lecture every night after work how to use them and what to put on the board for every lap. I could not take it much longer...

Then at last the race started! A great day for supporting, a great atmosphere in the whole team and we were both made really welcome. I set up my wee table with everything I needed. And faithfully changed the board every single lap with infos about laps done, Km done, average pace etc. Needless to say he did not look at it once! He also early on demanded other items than were listed on his plan and as I only had 2 hands for the handover with one holding an already opened gel I was kind of limited to what I could offer him as alternatives! It also did not help that I had to run to the toilet twice myself in the first 10 laps confusing him further. But Marco was a great help. He was my backup and calmed me down a bit. Thanks a lot for that. He also brought me coffees but I hardly drank or ate anything throughout the race myself. I relaxed a bit later and it was great to chat to a few people for a few min at a time until Thomas came by again. I also enlisted the help of Katrina, John, Caroline and Neal so we had between 4-6 hands to have gels,bars or drinks ready. But of course in these laps he did not want anything.

When he started to slow I was getting worried but Marco told me he would hopefully pick up again in the last bit as he can do and did do. I just loved the sound of the hoot indicating his last lap. He finished in a fantastic time of 7h:42min. What a great result. I am so proud of him. He came home with 3 medals and a race momento, 9th place overall, 2nd Scottish Vet and the Anglo Celtic Plate for Team Scotland.

Check out the race pictures:

And it was fantastic to be there and see how well Debbie did. Absolutely amazing. It was great to get to know the other Scottish team members, see Craig win and watch everyone's race and battle unfold. Congratulations to everyone for finishing, for PBs, for winning the Men's Team Plate and for putting the race together!