Centurion North Downs 50

2018

I’ve stayed away from Centurion running events until now, although they have a reputation of having a good field. One reason for that I guess is that you have to be completed in 13 hours. On paper this should be achievable, but add the fact you’re running on a very popular trail that everyone and his dog are trying to share with you; the elevation, heat, terrain and the possibility of it being very muddy. The North Downs Way lends itself to many events. The Pilgrims challenge in February is a favourite of the MDS training camps put on by XNRG and all for very good reason. In the South of England and so close to London, it’s not only stunning, it’s almost Alpine. The route crosses from Farnham through Hampshire and Surrey, finishing in Knockholt.

I was worried before the start of this event. I didn’t have any of my usual wingmen with me. I did, however, have two people from my club, Fareham Crusaders: Mark and Nikki. Mark is a very established ultra trail runner, a few years ahead of me in terms of events. He did MDS2015 and also had done Druids and the SDW50, the SDW relay and many events that I had done, but a few years prior to me. This was the first time we had met as runners. I’ve only ‘met’ Mark once. He gave me my club colours for photo shoots in the desert pre-MDS. I was looking forward to it, although I didn’t expect for one minute I would be able to keep up. He had just done a great time on the SDW50, and his aim for the year was all 4 Centurion 50 events or, as it’s known, The Slam.
Nikki and I had met a number of times at club and on Race to the Stones, where she did the 100km in one go. I had booked that to do 2x50km, with an overnight stop. She is definitely a lot better at planning, often crewing on an event before doing it and also doing recce runs to ensure she doesn’t get any surprises.

Unfortunately Mark had picked up an injury that I thought he had under control, but 2 days prior to the event he pulled out. I knew he was gutted. It was probably the right decision and one that every runner hates making and they usually don’t, only to make themselves worse. 50 miles is a long way to go carrying a calf/Achilles injury. He made the sensible choice.

The morning of the race we were up at 4am. It was only an hour from home. We picked up Nikki en route and got to the start in good time, one of the first there. Bought a water bottle and crew shirts for my ‘Crew’, Sam and Meg, and sorted out my admin: toilet, hydration, lubrication, gear. Carl from work was also running. He had stayed at his friend’s in Fareham the night before so was well rested when he rocked up an hour or so after us.

The overall goal was for me to finish. I hadn’t done an out-and-out 50 mile race since the Lakeland50 in 2010. I had done a 56 mile day on the ‘long day’ of MDS but that was a totally different strategy, although the same ‘time’ roughly as the L50 - both done in 18 hours. Of course 18 hours would mean not finishing today. I had recently done the Fox ultra, which was a big loop of Guildford: 38 miles in 6 hours 20, so 12 more miles shouldn’t take me that long. I could run 38 miles and then walk the rest and should still make it, shouldn’t I? I was honestly nervous. Things had gone okay so far this year, training had been strong. I just needed to believe.

The race briefing was in the hall. We were told all the rules, and warned we may be kit checked again. We were also told of a competitor last year who had failed to finish by 7 seconds. We were walked out of the school down to the start, had a few selfies and then it was go, bang on 8am.

I had started a long way back. This was fine. I didn’t want to get dragged along by the fast runners, I wanted to run my own race. I had a time of 10 hours as my target in mind and I’d worked out what that meant for my average pace. I didn’t plan to run with anyone so when the hooter went, I said good luck to Carl and Nikki and trundled off at my own pace. I had no idea where I was in relation to the front runners, but I was slowly making my way though the field. For some long period I was alone, I hadn’t seen too many people. Quite abruptly I turned right onto a canal and was confronted with the ‘bacon boat’ These are a group of guys who put on bacon sarnies, potatoes and sweets for the runners in an unofficial checkpoint. As amazing as this was, I couldn’t stomach a bacon sarnie right then, not only because I haven’t eaten carbs properly in years and was unsure of the effect it would have on me. I thanked them, took a quick selfie and was gone. Unfortunately, from what I hear, this will be the last year, as they are moving moorings next year.

The thing that draws me to ultra running is community. It’s not a win at all costs event - merely completing is a huge achievement and one that very few sane people will attempt. You look out for your fellow competitors on the course. Often you’re miles from roads and it’s not easy to get assistance should someone become sick or injured, so you have each others’ backs. Centurion are also good at this. They have electronic timing, but also good old-fashioned paper registers to tick off every runner as they pass, ensuring they know who’s on the course. On 2 occasions I had seen people miss a turning and called them back. Yes this meant they were most likely quicker than me and by letting them go would mean I could gain some places, but for me it’s not about that.

Prior to the race I had told Sam where I wanted her to be for crewing point. These are official posts on the course where you can get assistance from your own crew: food, water or anything else. I had worked out distances and given Sam rough times that I hoped to be there, should my race be going to plan. In the car on the way up, Nikki, who had done the race before, enquired where Sam would see me. Nikki advised Sam to drop one of the crew points in favour of another due to access and it was in my post-race analysis that I realised this was one of my mistakes. I now had a 10 mile stint between two check points, when I had planned for water every 6 miles. With the 2x500ml bottles I had, I had banked on water top-up every hour or so. Between two stops I needed more water and as I ran though a crew point I was a bit confused as to why Sam wasn’t there. I had 4 miles to go and it was warm. I texted ahead asking for an extra soft flask to be filled with electrolytes. I knew I was dehydrated and I needed to make sure I recovered the situation on the go.

As I ran into Reigate Hill checkpoint I was struggling. I couldn’t eat. I felt sick but I needed to take on fluids. I drank as much as I could while in the checkpoint: Tailwind, water and my own electrolytes, then I loaded my bag with another bottle and headed off. By now I was over halfway, and from what I could tell was about 35th. Not what I had expected but I was more than happy. I kept on with my strategy of running what I could. I had a shocking realisation lately: the quicker you go, the quicker you finish. Simple, I know, but it means that I run more, knowing the race is what it is - if you want to finish it then you need to work harder.

You may laugh, but when you’re tired and walking, if you think that the miles won’t go away, but you can get them out the way quicker by running, it drives me on a bit. So if its runnable, run it. On a recent training camp in Lanzarotte, Sondre Amdal, a very accomplished ultra runner, would talk about momentum, getting up hills quick. The length of the race would determine what gradient hill you would run up, and no matter what, as you come to the top crest, be opening up your hips and starting to run 5 meters before the top. Don’t let your body adapt to the slower pace of walking. I’d tried to listen to him, but I was tired and it was harder to start 5 meters before the top. 3 meters, then 2 became the norm, but still pushing where I could.

I wasn’t keeping track of overtaking people. In fact, I hadn’t overtaken anyone in the open trail that I could remember for a while. My checkpoint drills were slick though. As I came out of the final checkpoint I was followed by someone who entered it before me. We followed the road and I could hear him right behind me, right up until he tripped. I stopped to make sure he was alright - he told me he was and we carried on. 200 meters or so later my watch told me I was off course. I looked at it… I hadn’t seen a turn, but scrolled to the map. I had missed a turn to the left. I stopped. I was alone. The runner who was behind me who I had stopped for had left me to run the wrong way. For a second I was in disbelief. I turned and walked back up the hill and saw the stairs off to my right now, with another runner just about to turn up them. I followed him up, now absolutely livid that another competitor had left me to run on. For me that isn’t the spirit of it, and he had made me see red. I now had it in my head to catch him. The runner in front of me let me pass as he sensed I was moving quicker. You very often yo-yo on these runs: people have peaks and troughs in energy, so it’s good manners to let someone pass. He let me pass and I was now hunting down my friend in the orange shirt.

I passed him with a few choice words. We had about 3 miles to go by now and I was not letting him beat me. I had red mist. I was running along the fields at the top of the Downs when one of my work mates and fellow Lakeland50 2010 runner was stood waiting for me. He shook my hand and told me he would see me at the end.

The rest of the run I was solo. I had a runner a few hundred meters in front of me but I don’t think I could have caught him had I wanted. As we came into Knockholt village I had two left turns to go and I stopped and walked. Before taking the final left turn into the field I composed myself and ran round the corner. I could see the finish, just up a small rise and over the line.

As I crossed the line I put my hands on my knees. Mimi Anderson presented the medal over my head. I had forgotten she was doing so. I kissed my crew and walked over to Nick who had a GoPro going. He asked me “in one word, how are you feeling?” I answered.

It took me a few minutes to register Mimi and then I had a photo with her. Trail running royalty.

I lay on my back, Megan lifting my legs. It took me an hour or so of laying there to finally be able to move. I managed to eat a few hot dogs. Drank coffee, water, tea. Pretty much anything I could get.

Nikki was next to finish, then Carl. We had all done it. It was brutal. The hills were steep, the temperature and humidity up. I had a hard day out, but I was very pleased with my time. I had finished in 9 hours 9 minutes 33 seconds, 31st overall and 13th in my age group and category. For my first 50 mile race I was happy. I had only really ‘raced’ two trail runs properly. My build-up to MDS was to finish but now I knew that I could finish I wanted to push a bit - not to win, I don’t think I have that capability - but to finish well, that’s my new goal.

I loved the NDW. I loved Centurion running. I’m sure I will be back to more of their events.

Appendix

So, while walking on the SDW today with my wife, I received a notification from a visitor to my page. He messaged me to say that he was the runner in the orange top. I may have been hasty in thinking that he let me continue on purpose. I guess in our sport you are pushing yourself to the limits and 8 hours and 43 miles into a 50 mile run he wasn’t able to let me know that I’d missed the turn. I’m humbled by the contact and it has restored my faith that these events are not win at all costs. We do have each others’ backs. I thank you for your message and I hope to shake your hand on another event.