Well, I thought this week I would run 30 miles. So I did.
I must admit I may have had a little hangover on Saturday morning, but as the weather was supposed to be rubbish on Sunday, I thought “This will be good training”, and headed off around 8 to do the big loop.
Had a few pringles and a cold sausage before I left and filled one 500ml with water and one with half a Hi5 Zero tablet. Orange sweatband in place, off I trotted into the overcast morning.
Took a similar run to last week, out along the “coastal” road to Caldicot, under the second Severn crossing, then continued along the path to Sudbury and the Black Rock picnic site. After here though it got a little rough.
The track took me though fields with waist high flowers and nettles, it was soaking wet, so within a couple of strides I was a little damp to say the least. This was tough going, I was pretty much walking at this point. After the wet field was a couple of other very uneven fields, then more high grass and then back onto the road at Mathern. I was pretty knackered by this point, and only about 9 miles in!!!
After crossing a couple of other fields, I finally got to the industrial estate, then up the long drag to the Chepstow roundabout and down the hill to the garden center at Pwllmeyric. I met the support team here, at 2hrs 45min for the half marathon, the slowest ever. After a change of socks and shoes, loads of water, two pieces of toast and a couple of ‘brufen it was time for the second half. Although I wasn’t hurting physically, I felt shot – and still had 17 miles to go…
I really wanted to give up here, but on I plodded across to Crick and through Caerwent – the longest uphill I have every seen (well it felt like it), I was thirsty already, and only started with just over a litre, I had drunk half of it by here, and was plodding at about 11.5 min miles, when someone caught me up and ran with me for a couple of miles – it was hard work.
Up the hill past the tip I had to stop for a walk, and try to drink as much as possible but keep enough for later, I was at 18 miles – dash. Bit of a downhill here, so I knew I was going to walk the steep bit towards Llandevaud – and that was my next drink, it was really hard going now – frustrating as a couple of weeks back I flew around a marathon distance and felt great, so I blame it on the preparation from he night before..
At just over 20 miles I walked the hill, as expected, and drank the last of my second 500ml bottle. I had a small bottle in reserve, but after decanting it I realised there wasn’t even 500ml in it, and I still had 9 miles to go. If I’d had any moisture in me I would have cried.
Run down to Bishton is okay, walked the steep little hill just before Underwood, and then had to walk again at the turning back toward Magor, finishing off the last drops of my live giving water. As I got to the distribution center I could go right and two miles to home, or left and the four+ miles to manage the 30, mind over matter, I went left.
A miles down the road, and about half a mile from Redwick my wife came past – THANK THE GODS! I was delighted, I had dreamed about her turning up with a bath full of water, but as I panted into her face I realised she had none. Arrrgggghhhhhhhhhhh. However, she did have money so I arranged to see her in the Rose in ten minutes.
Fifteen minutes later, I finally got to the Rose – O.M.G was I delighted. I necked a pint of blackcurrant squash, and a bottle of water and demolished a bag of crisps. I had had enough. After a ten minute pause I plodded off again, at a 12 min / mile pace, for the last 2.5 miles. Turned off at the track, and saw Dave, who was out for a walk, but kindly jogged slowly with me along the last mile of the run, once onto the road and at 30.4 miles I switched the watch off, and walked home.
It was very tough, and to think I would have to run the entire thing again is beyond words. I know I wasn’t prepared, after having no dinner, too many pints and no real breakfast – but it was so hard to keep any sort of pace up – soul destroying. The only hope for the real thing, is that at least every 10K or so I will be able to re-hydrate and eat a bit.
Did a nine and an eight in the week.
Miles: 47
Beers: 11 (six too many on Friday ;o)