Marathon #12 Cakeathon

“Let them eat CAKE”

Monday 29th August Betteshanger Country Park, Deal, Kent

This was not your usual August Bank Holiday, there was not a cloud in the sky and the temperature was rising already, however this was the day I was going after marathon number 12!

I suffered from my usual sleep deprivation the night before and as I dragged myself out of bed I felt exhausted at the thought of what the next 4-5 hours would bring.

Needless to say I wasn’t looking forward to this one.

Arriving at Betteshanger Country park I became anxious, the last time I had attempted to complete a lap style marathon I had failed, dropping out at 18 miles with 3 laps left to do. I was mentally finished even though physically I felt fine. However I was determined to finish this time, I even had a trick up my sleeve to help me get round the last 3 laps, but all will be revealed later.

Race HQ 

I was greeted by name by a very cheery Rachel, she issued my number and wished me luck.There was a big turnout for this marathon and i wondered if it was the lure of cakey treats laid out at the aid station. As I pinned my number on I tried to convince myself that it was a point to point race and not a lap race , all I needed to do was make it to 6 checkpoints and would have completed another marathon.

Axiously waiting to start marathon no 12.

At 9am we all set off, although a little crowded at first it soon spaced out nicely and to my relief the route was interesting and not just flat cycle path.  It was slightly undulating with a mix of woodland trails and a few inclines. 1 lap was 4.37 miles and you needed to complete 6 laps altogether for marathon distance. The first lap zoomed by and soon I was running into HQ for a quick water intake to cool down . I dashed back out, aware that it was getting hotter and the route didn’t offer much in the way shade. I slowed my pace to 5 miles per hour to help reduce early fatigue and I ensured that my electrolyte and fluid intake was topped up every 5-10 mins. I held on tight to my checkpoint theory and soon lap 2 was nearly smashed. On my way back to HQ I saw Cazzie on a bench waiting for me to pass, we both smiled and then she updated me on the final stages of my race strategy. I was now feeling positive as I knew I couldn’t fail. On the last km I passed my dad, my sister and my friends Sharon and John and their 2 children, Zach and my number 1 fan Abby. At HQ I drenched my hat with water and drank loads, before heading back out I spoke to Rachel.

“Please do not let me ring that bell before I’ve completed 6 laps!” Basically if the bell was rung by you it meant your race was done, at Jeskyns park I rang it at 18 miles.

“Ok, even if you beg?” Rachel replied

“Not even if I’m on my hands and knees” I joked, but I really meant it.

I trotted back out and smiled to myself. It was probably 29 degrees by now and runners had started to drop out at half marathon point, but the beauty of these challenges is that you still get the stunning medal and goody bag whatever distance you complete.

I ran past a collective of friends and family all happily waiting for my plan to come to fruition, I felt relaxed on my solitary run, not once did I worry about time or pace. With lap 3 coming to an end it was time to dig deep and get it done!

I love it when a plan comes together.

I set off again from HQ or checkpoint 3 as I like to call it! The plan was simple, for the last 3 laps I would have company to help we get round and make sure I didn’t quit!

My fabulous sister Tracy was first up, I collected her about 1km around the route and it worked wonders. Just having someone to chat to was awesome, we set off at a different pace as the sun beat down on us and as we laughed and chatted away the lap just flew past us. Before I knew it lap 4 had been completed.

Next up was John, my fellow Viking from my run club in Rochester. He was just what I needed , funny, calm but boy did he not let me slack off, although he did let me walk up at least 1 hill. Again the lap was completed with a smile and at HQ we had a quick drink of water and looked at all the amazing cake that had be made by some of my fellow runners. Traviss had issued prizes for the best cakes and marzipan creations and was smiling form ear to ear, he was in cake heaven.

Lovely cake supplied by Sharon & Family.

I get by with a little help from my friends.

This was it, I tried not to think about this being my last lap, but somehow I had made it to nearly 22 miles and still had a little left in the reserve tank.

I can’t express to you how much my whole body was now hurting! Literally everything was aching, legs, knees, hips, back, but with 4.37 miles left to go I knew I could do it.

Caz was now running with me whilst all my lovely supporters made their way back to HQ.

I moaned to Caz about my aches and pains, but she just smiled and told me to crack on and do what I needed to do! The last few miles were painful, the inclines seemed higher and the flats seemed never ending, it took everything I had in me just to keep my legs moving. Eventually we turned the last corner and I could see the finish line.

Caz supporting on last lap.

My dad was taking photo’s as we approached the finish line and everyone else was cheering me in! It felt awesome to finish with so much support, I picked up the bell and rang it loudly for all to hear. I had completed marathon 12 with some help from my extra special friends and family. It was such a special moment and although I was overwhelmed I managed to hold it together as my medal was adorned around my neck.

Exhausted but elated I said my goodbyes and headed home, it had been a long day and all I wanted was a pizza and my bed.

Ringing the bell, at last.

The morning after the night before

An uncomfortable night with no much sleep had not left me in the best of moods, my back had gone into spasms at 3am and by 6am I felt like I had been hit by a truck!

My legs had completely seized up, my back was in agony and I was really tired. I needed a lot more rest, more food and more fluids.

I was laid up for a whole 2 days before I felt even remotely normal and to my delight when I got around to checking the results table I was astonished that I was in the top ten women for running marathon distance.

The entire week was spent napping on the sofa and eating and thankfully by the weekend I managed a 5km and a few circuit training sessions with my pt clients.

Rest and recovery is the key and sometimes I beat myself up and compare myself to others that are running marathons every week. How do they do it without feeling so rough? Maybe they are just conditioned after years of running marathons and they have their own strategies and training regimes? Or maybe they do struggle like me but they never show it? I might just ask them that question next time.

Anyway after only running my first marathon in 2014 I have now racked up 12 which is something to be proud of and with number 13 looming this weekend it feels good to have a few under my belt and a few more lined up…..approx 38 to go to complete my 50 before 50 challenge.

The impressive medal.

This marathon was part of the 10 marathons I am running to fundraise for Dame Kelly Holmes 5 big charities, Hospice In The Weald, Mind, Myeloma UK, The Pickering cancer drop in centre and The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.

If you want to know more or wish to support or donate please visit

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/VickyStapletonWale

Thank you for reading my blog and watch up for my next one on marathon number 13, hopefully not unlucky for some!

Follow my journey on Twitter @runtoryrun Instagram @run_tory_run or connect with me on Facebook.

#runtoryrun

#50before50

#12down

#38togo

Race to the Stones - More is in you.

Race to the Stones Day 1

Lewknor, Oxfordshire.

16th July 2016

#More is in you.

Day1

It was finally here! The BIG DAY! No I wasn't getting married, but it was something I had been dreaming about for months. I was standing at the starting line for Race to the Stones, nervous and excited, I started to shuffle forward, 2 seconds later I was grinning from ear to ear and running the first 1km of the 100km challenge.

I had signed up in March after debating about it for a few months, but after several marathons I realised if I wasn’t ready now, I never would be. Somehow I managed to get my girlfriend Caz signed up for day 2, so as she waved me off on my 50km adventure she drove up to the midway base camp to get everything set up, eat breakfast and have a sleep in the car.

I, on the other hand would be following the iconic Ridgeway along the Chilterns, I was hoping to run and walk the 62 glorious miles all the way to The Avebury stone circle in 2 days. It promised to be a once in a lifetime experience.

The chilled out start line.

100km of beautiful countryside laid out in front of me and all I could think about was “I need a wee” I kept running trying to forget, ignoring the urge, but eventually just a mere 2km in I had to stop and climb through some bushes to find a spot to pee!

I had the forethought of bringing a Shewee with me, however I had not practised in the shower ( brand instructions not mine!) I figured how hard could it be? Well it started out ok, but soon a warm, wet feeling started to occur! Great! I had now got pissy pants and at least another 48km to cover, smelling less than fragrant! I waddled back to the trail and rejoined my fellow runners, hoping no one could tell I had had a Shewee incident! I carried on running and stopped for a while at a long queue to get through a kissing gate, the run felt like an big adventure.  An adventure I was sharing with over a thousand or so runners.

Following Shewee gate, the 1st pit stop came up after a long slog uphill, it was more than welcomed. I refuelled on Chia snack bars, filled up my hydration pack, went to the loo (threw Shewee in bin) and within 10 minutes was back on the trail. I had spent many months practising what fuel and hydration worked or didn’t work, so confident with my choices I ran on, only stopping to walk the inclines or take photo’s of the beautiful scenery.

There was no doubt about it, it was getting hotter and by pit stop 2, everyone was melting! I stopped for a bit longer, remembering to drink extra water and add the Skratch Labs electrolyte mix to my hydration pack. I ate a sandwich (honey and cashew butter works for me) and a few energy balls and some honey stingers. After 30 mins I headed back out into the scorching hot conditions, I had placed my buff in cold water and put this on my head to help with the heat, but the route took you along the river and it was extremely exposed. I wanted to jump into the river and I nearly did, as further along there was regatta being held,near Goring. It had an ice cream van and myself and another runner joked about turning this stage into a triathlon, although I'm not sure about where the bike part would fit in.

My favourite photo from @pic2go

The temperature still rose, but I just shuffled along, never once wanting to give up, feeling strong and determined I made it to pit stop 3. Thankfully this break was in the shade, I gathered up some more food, a cup of sweet tea and did a quick blister check. The medical team at each pit stop were invaluable, taping legs and feet up, supplying Vaseline, Rocktape and sun tan lotion. I’m sure many runners would agree that they wouldn’t of made it without their help. I had 1 more pit stop before base camp and walking was now the new running!

The hills seems bigger, the pathways more challenging and the sun was definitely hotter! I walked and chatted away to several runners, but every now and then I would excuse myself to see if my legs were still working and I’d run the flat and downhill sections. The panoramic views from the highest point of the Ridgeway were absolutely stunning, breathtaking in fact. I tried to absorb them and take some energy from the land and before I knew it, I was at pit stop 4, near West Ilsley. This was 44km, I had just completed a marathon over some of the toughest terrain I had ever faced!

I could barely contain my excitement, this time I only stopped for 5 mins, fuelled on by chocolate and flat coke, I marched back out onto the trail. Feeling  happy and strong, I text my girlfriend to say I was on my way to base camp.

The desire to finish outweighed the scenic views and soon I was running most of the last 6km. My body was aching and I was sun burnt, but it never felt like the mental challenge I had expected! Talking with runners and running from point to point had banished my long distance demons and I was delighted!

The last stretch to the finish was uphill and I could see Caz waiting for me.

I crossed the line, feeling ecstatic, hungry and a bit sore and then I realised I had done it! The first day of 50km had been completed in the blistering sun with the added bonus of no blisters!!!

Base Camp

So what would you expect at the midway base camp. Hot showers? Chill out zone with yoga mats and foam rollers? Massage tent? Food tent and maybe a bar?

Well the Race to the Stones team (Threshold sports) had supplied all of the above, it was like a mini festival for runners. All the tents had been set up for you, there was access to hot showers with no queue and every runner was entitled to a 10 minute massage. The medical team were kept busy dealing with blister popping, heat stroke and exhausted Ultra marathoners.

I thankfully got off lightly with a few sores on my back from my back pack and a bit of sun burn. Myself and Caz ate at 6pm, there were plenty of carbs but not much protein on offer. A big table of cakes and free tea, coffee and hot chocolate were also available. (Not many gluten free options for dinner and no gf cake was on offer either)

After I refuelling, I braved the chill out zone to foam roller and trigger ball my limbs! It was the most painful 30 mins of the day, however I felt like I had brand new legs afterwards. We retired back to the tent at about 9pm and although initially I found it hard to get off to sleep (eye mask & ear plugs deployed) when I did eventually drop off to the land of slumber I slept right through til 5am.

The tents all set up and ready to go.

Day 2

#It's’ further than you think!

More is in you was the strap line from Threshold sports and it was definitely proved correct on the second day!

We were up at 5am for breakfast and pre race prep (leg taped, Vaseline on feet, sun cream applied and hydration packs filled) We set off at 6.30am and started with a nice walk as the sun rose behind us.

Sunrise on day 2 6.30am

Caz training had been going great until and ill timed sprint after a 10km race had twanged her knee. With a only  few weeks til RTTS she had rehabbed every day with glute strengthening exercises but not been able to train properly. We tried out a little run-walk on our way to the first pit stop of the day (pit stop 6) and it seemed OK, although I was advising her that more walking and less running would mean we should get to the finish line in one piece. We stopped briefly for the loo and then we marched off again, Caz wanted to keep up with a man who was smoking a pipe, as you do, on a 50km! So with him in sight we continued forward, up and over many a hilltop and onward to the next pit stop. The second day felt easier, I had someone to talk to and share the beautiful surroundings. We smiled, took selfies and laughed with others, the time and miles seemed to fly by.

Hot on the heels of pipeman!

Caz kept up with pipeman and soon enough we had passed 70km and we're heading to the next break and pit stop 7 near Bishopstone. It was heaving with bodies, some broken and some with just great big blisters on show, shoes and socks had been discarded. We ate our sandwiches inches away from these feet, luckily neither of us suffered with blisters, but we kept checking our feet and I put my compression socks on and filled up our hydration packs. By this time I was getting tired, but Caz kept me going at a decent pace and we took it in turns to lead from the front. Some of the biggest ascents occurred on the way to 80km and whilst it was becoming difficult we plodded on and tried to keep our heads up, so not to miss the spectacular terrain.

At the top of a particularly steep hill we reached pit stop 8, the heat was soaring and we were among many of the tired out runners that needed a rest. We ate and did a blister check, I overheard one lady who had decided to finish and was calling her husband to pick her up and another conversation claiming that it would take another 4 hours to complete if walking! We looked at each other and said “Fortify” we were not quitting and with that we got up and proceeded ever nearer to 80km.

We put some music on and had a singalong, this seemed to help and I almost forgot that we had another 20km to go! I was focussing on getting to the next pit stop, but by halfway to number 9 the wheels came off. Caz stopped talking and was finding it hard to keep going. Oh no, at 85km there was no singing, no talking and no laughing! I knew that she needed to stop, but with just a few km’s to go I encouraged her to keep going. I did threaten to leave her for the weasels to eat, this at least did raise a smile, but all her energy had been drained and every step was a challenge for her. The last 1km I had my arms around her waist supporting her up an epic hill. She could barely talk and all she kept saying was “I want to sit down, on a real chair”

Thankfully as we approached pit stop 9 the medical team saw us and helped me get her into their tent and onto a chair. I did most of the speaking on behalf of Caz. She had hit the wall and her body was screaming out for electrolytes and food. She was not the only one, runners were laying on the floor crying, projectile vomiting into bins and some were actually asleep. Even though she was tired, she didn’t want to give up, so we gave her a Dioralyte, flat coke, crisps and some chocolate. With 30 mins rest a minor miracle had occurred, she had been rebooted!!

She lives…….

Even I was in awe of how she sprung back into life. One minute she was out for the count and then the next she was on her feet ready to tackle the last 12km. We left the pit stop in a better state than we entered and even more determined to make the last leg, literally on our last legs!

As we past the 90km mark, it was me that started to fade, it was mainly my feet, but also the heat had been relentless over the last 2 days. I hobbled a bit and slowed down and this time it was Caz turn to be the strong one and get me over the final hurdle. It seemed to last forever and even the sight of the last 5km sign didn’t fill me with glee.

The fake smile says it all!

We shuffled on together and at last we could see the Stones! We managed a little run towards them and had our photo taken. After that we hiked back up to the last field and walked through it, once turning left out of the field we could see the finish line. We agreed to run the last few hundred yards, staggering on with heavy legs we reached the finish line and much to my surprise the crowd cheered for us and applauded our effort! We hugged and laughed as we got our medals, it had been hard work and emotional but we had done it.

More is in you is no word of a lie, it's incredible what your mind and body can do when pushed to its limits. Taking time to rest before our shuttle bus journey back to base camp, we both sat with our feet up, eating and drinking. I was so emotional, mainly because I was so proud of Caz and that we had shared the whole experience together, as I tried to pull myself together Caz started laughing hysterically “ What is it, are you ok?” I asked slightly worried that she had slipped back into delirium.

“Yes I'm fine, but look it’s pipeman!!” She exclaimed and with that our day was complete.

The end to an epic 2 days! Raceto the Stones, the best event I have completed.

After thoughts……

One of the most well organised events I have ever attended, the race crew and medical team were amazing.

The base camp had everything you could need or want and more and I loved the fact that the tents were all set up for you as well.

The pit stops were brilliantly set up and well spaced and I loved the support from the locals along the way.

The route was well sign posted, I was never worried that I would get lost!

Although there was congestion at the beginning it didn't worry me as I'm used to taking part in trail events with stiles, kissing gates and single track.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat and I'd stick with the 2 day option.

My one negative was the lack of gluten free food at base camp, I had emailed ahead and received confirmation that there would be plenty of food, but after a hard day's run there was only one option, no gf bread, no pudding or cake either.

However the pit stops had loads of gf options which did keep me going, I've learnt from years of being a coeliac to take food wherever I go, but maybe for next year this could be looked into.

I'd rate Race to the Stones event 10 out of 10 as an event and hope to return next year.

#RTTS2016

#thresholdsports

#pic2go

#runtoryrun

#100km

#50km

#Ultramarathon

Stuck at 9, did not finish!

Jeskyns Challenge 26.2
Kent
25th June 2016

Lovely day.
I was looking forward to this race which had been postponed from January due to bad weather. It was located at a local park, so I didn’t need to get up so early and my normal pre race routine went really smoothly. I was wary of another 26.2 so close to my bad experience at Reculver Towers. In fact, this was my 3rd distance event in 5 weeks and having recently started up my Personal Training Services I was more than a little busy. In my mind I had trained sufficiently and I had had nearly 2 days full rest before the event.
I had slept a bit more and had hydrated and fuelled well and so, feeling happy and excited I left the house to drive the 20 mins to the race start.
As usual, I was greeted by the lovely race organisers, Traviss and Rachel and with my number pinned on and the weather looking good we all set off at 8.30am.
The route was another out and back loop with just 2.91 miles until you were back at HQ. It was a beautiful trail/track run around the park with lots to look at, with some shade, some hills and a lovely atmosphere of mixed runners. I chatted for a little while and then decided to enjoy my day and so I put some chilled out tunes on and had a little daydream, whilst my legs did all the work.

After a few laps the heat was getting to me.

Feeling, hot, hot, hot!
1 lap passed and I felt light on my feet, I had changed my pace from a 10 min mile to an 11 min mile, following some expert advice from a fellow runner after my previous race at Reculver where I nearly collapsed! I felt strong and relaxed, I had also adjusted my mindset and was not checking my watch for pace etc. By 9.30am the temperature was increasing, it was getting hotter by the hour! I had already started on my hydration drink and was eating every 30-40 mins, every time I got back to HQ I decided to walk for 5 mins whilst having a drink or eating an energy ball. This little routine worked just fine until at lap 4!! I thought I was half way but when I found out that I needed to complete 9 laps for marathon distance I just crumbled! All the way round lap 5 the annoying mental chatter returned, all I wanted to do was walk, or stop and realising I still had so far to go nearly finished me off!
I went back out to see how lap 6 would feel and truthfully it felt and hurt like hell! My legs were heavy and the 25 degree heat was beating down on me.
I kept drinking and eating and decided to walk for a bit, especially the uphills, but then i’d run the downhills and the flat parts of the route. By the time I saw my little group of supporters I was done.
“ I can’t carry on, not feeling like this. I don’t want to become ill like last time” I admitted to my girlfriend. She would normally encourage me to carry on or run with me but with 9 miles still to complete she just hugged me and said “Only you know when to stop, if you think it’s now, then stop”
So holding hands with little Abby, I walked back to HQ. Traviss could see I had given up and although he tried to encourage me, I knew he understood that I needed to ring the bell.
I had completed nearly 18 miles in very hot conditions and although I was initially disappointed I knew I had made the right decision.
The great thing about a distance challenge is that if you complete 1 lap or 20 you still get the same medal and goody bag, so with a medal the size of an ipad around my neck we decided to go sit down and eat ice cream.

Fabulous medals from SVN events.

Regrets…..
I spent the afternoon at home relaxing, but every now and then my mind would wander and I’d catch myself thinking “ Could I have pushed on? Maybe I should’ve tried one more lap” but, as soon as I thought it, the realisation kicked in that I just didn’t have it in me.
I refuelled and slept well over the next 24 hours, no lasting aches or pains but just a niggling thought kept playing on my mind! I had not completed my 10th marathon, a DNF, Did Not Finish. I had at least another 8 marathons to complete by 1st Jan 2017, let alone another 33 after that! OMG! What if’s filled my mind, what if I can’t get past 18 miles again? What if it’s not meant to be? What if I’m too tired or ill to train? Blah, blah, blah!
I am still at a point where I don’t know what's going to happen and I’m talking through fuelling strategies, training and mindset with my peers. I can honestly say the last 5 weeks have been a struggle and although many achievements have been made over the last year I am feeling worried about my future and unsure whether distance running will feature in it so frequently .
The challenge of 50 marathons before 50 seems like a distant dream at the moment, marathons do not seem to get any easier, infact they just seem to get harder!

Enlightenment
1 week later and I’ve had more time to reflect and re reading the last very negative paragraph above just shows how your mind can play tricks on you! I am nowhere near done with marathons or my 50 before 50 challenge, so do not worry dear reader the battle continues!
 I still consider the decision to stop to be right and now looking back there are some very obvious reasons why. I had a great chat with my coach and mentor and by the end of it I felt that by just looking into a few minor issues I could get back on track again.

• Hydration on a normal day is important let alone on a hot day. My main issue was with getting the electrolyte to water ratio correct and having not read the dilution instructions correctly I didn’t have enough in my hydration pack! I am also trying out some other solutions/flavours to see if they work a little better.
• Fuelling/Hydration/Rest before race, seems fairly obvious but just by adding in a few days of drinking Dioralyte and eating/sleeping a little extra I could’ve felt a lot better and been able to continue.
• Find a run buddy, ideally someone whose pace is slightly slower than you and offer to pace them over 26.2 miles. This takes the pressure off your race and shifts the focus onto helping someone else achieve their goal.
• Diet wise I am very healthy, but looking into a few vitamin and mineral deficiencies could also help, Iron, B12, zinc and Vit C are all heavily depleted through endurance running and training. A quick blood test could give me a good idea of what I need to give my body to help keep me running marathon distance every month. 
• A quick check on whether I am over training some weeks came back positive! With training clients, Boot camps and my own training it’s rare that I get a day off and sometimes I work out 3 or 4 times a day! I’ve already scaled this back and I’m under instruction by my nutritionist to nap more! 
• Training in between marathons is also something that I’m unsure about, but thankfully it’s nothing too scary. 3 runs per week, 1x recovery 5km, 1x 7-10km and still try to get the long run of 2 hours in at the weekend. This may mean less strength work but it will help me mentally and physically to feel race ready. I took a week off all training last week and went back to basics with food and hydration. I call this pushing my reset button and it certainly seems to have worked. I am raring to get back out there, after all those marathons are not going to run themselves!

Just a reminder to myself.

With all of this fresh in my mind I have less than 2 weeks now to get myself back on track before Race to the Stones! Just a mere 100km to cover in 2 days! I will have Saturday as my race day and Sunday as my recovery day as my girlfirend is running with me and I can pace her and enjoy the scenery along the way. Lets hope that my mindset is more
 “I can do this, even if I struggle I can finish” rather than “Sod this, it’s bloody hot and I want an Ice cream!”

Thank you for reading my blog, next race is Race to the Stones 100km in 2 days!

#runtoryrun
#50before50
#stuckat9
#DNF
#RTTS

To PB or not PB, that is the question.

The Viking Coastal marathon

Saturday 4th June

Minnis Bay, Birchington.

To Pb or not Pb, that is the question.
After last week's undulating run and orienteering experience with the 50km trail race, I was looking forward to what promised to be an easy run.
 The Viking Coastal marathon seemed like a dream, from the description on the Saxon shore website. Flat, fast and scenic, which sounded too good to be true! I imagined myself sprinting along the beautiful Kent coast route and gaining a new PB of 4 hours! Ha, ha, how wrong could I be!
It was a misty, murky morning down at Minnis Bay, slightly chilly but, as described pancake flat. The view was less than scenic, as the gloomy sky merged with the grey sea.
The route was an out and back loop to Reculver Towers, 3.25miles each way, repeated 4 times. After a cheerful welcome from Traviss and Rachel, the race organisers, I pinned my number on and got my place at the start. I cued up some music and we were off! I had already heard rumours about the mystic Reculver Towers that never seemed to get any closer and remembering the horrendous Dymchurch marathon back in Nov I tried to focus on my music and not the landscape or the towers of doom.
Soon enough I had completed lap 1 (6.58 miles) and I felt strong at my 9.30 min pace, I continued with the same pace for lap 2 and came in at 2.04 for 13 miles. At this pace I would definitely get a shiny new PB, I smiled to myself thinking how great that would be and how invincible I had become! I was on lap 3, full of determination, when my mind started to play tricks on me. I was obsessing about my new PB, pace, stamina and looking at my watch every 10 seconds! I started to worry about everything, so I tried to put my brain in the bin, less stress more zen like running, but by mile 15 I was seriously losing the plot! The flat boring route was featureless and barren and then at mile 18 my body decided to rebel against me. It started with stomach cramps and I couldn’t understand why, as I was fuelling and hydrating as normal but something definitely wasn’t right. I got back to HQ feeling most peculiar, but determined to carry on I picked up some more food and a bottle of diluted coke and water to take with me.

The illusive Reculver Towers 

Wonky Donkey.
I decided to walk run the last lap, Rachel was full of encouragement when I left and said I had plenty of time to get there and back. So off I walked, this proved to be even more boring than before, especially on the flat, featureless sea/landscape that lay in front of me. The sun had stayed firmly behind the thick grey cloud and there was not even a breeze off the sea. I was trying to enjoy my walk, listening and singing along to Florence and the Machine, but every time I decided I felt a bit better and tried to run I felt sick. My body temperature rose and my heart started racing! My stomach was still cramping and I wasn’t entirely sure if I was going to throw up or poop my pants, or both! I kept pushing on and I felt such relief that I nearly cried as I turned back from the towers one last time and started the return journey back to HQ.

Not enjoying the miles.

I received lots of support and encouragement from my fellow runners and I really did try to run the last 400m, but I just couldn’t keep it going. I crossed the finish line at 5.23 hours, not a disaster, but I was in a really bad way. I could barely walk or speak. I am ever so grateful to Traviss and Rachel for their kind words and of course the awesome medal and goody bag, but instead of staying to chat I just gathered all my stuff together and shuffled off quietly. My first stop was the toilet and my second stop was to wait for my lift to turn up. I sat on the grass, head on my knees, sobbing my heart out and drifting in and out of sleep.

By the time my mum arrived I was a snotty, dribbling mess, not quite the image of a chiseled, healthy, endurance runner that I was going for! I got into the car and somehow managed the 20 min drive back to mum's house without throwing up! Once at Mum's house I literally crashed out, into bed, fully clothed. I started to hallucinate spiders all over the bed, my legs were twitching and my stomach was still cramping. Mum kept an eye on me and every 30 mins came up with food and drink and asked if I was still alive to which I managed a groan or a grunt as a reply!

After several hours of delirium, tummy ache and mad spider hallucinations, Caz turned up. She got me washed and dressed and I thought I was feeling a little better, however the roast dinner that was put before me was left untouched, my mums infamous roast potatoes were left uneaten, as I had to crawl back upstairs to the bathroom. Eventually Caz got me back in the car and to our house, I went straight to bed. Not good, I had burned approx 3000 calories from running and as yet had not managed to put any fuel back in. I woke at 4am and drank a glass of diarlyte, then at 5.30am I got up and decided to chance a piece of toast and a cup of tea, more tummy pain followed, but I grabbed a hot water bottle and snuggled with my cat on the sofa for a few hours.
By 8am I was feeling a slightly better and started to eat little and often with lots of hydration drinks. Remarkably my legs were feeling fine, no aches or pains and gradually throughout the day I began to feel normal.

I worked so hard fro this one!

So the burning question is, why did this happen and how can I prevent it from happening again?
Exhaustion and not enough recovery between races - only 6 days between Ultra and marathon.
I Need to eat, drink and sleep more, if running long distant every weekend.
Start at a slower pace, no racing out at half marathon pace.
Walk/run earlier in race not as a last resort.
Give my body time to get used to multiple marathons.
Always sterilise bladder for hydration pack.
Take antibac gel to wash hands with.

Lots to take into account and review before the next marathon on 25th June, I have already consulted my coach, my nutritionist and a Reiki master to help me make the necessary changes to my diet, lifestyle and training. Writing about my racing experience always help me dissect the area’s that worked well or didn’t work at all and I strive to learn by my mistakes.
 I won’t let it put me off running marathons, as you know I’m one determined runner on a mission and this one bad marathon is just a minor blip in the bigger picture of 50 before 50.

This was my 2nd marathon of 10 for Dame Kelly Holmes. I am fundraising for 5 charities over the next 8 months, to help raise a total of £250,000. The charities are Myeloma Uk, Mind UK, Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, The Pickering Trust and The Hospice in the Weald.
Please see link below to visit my page and support/donate.
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/VickyStapletonWale

#runtoryrun
#50before50
#10in8

The lost and found.

Sussex Weald 50km

Sunday 29th May 2016

Sunday, Sunday.
Getting up at 5am is a usual occurrence for me due to my day job, but only monday to friday! As the alarm burst into life on sunday morning, I groaned!  As usual, not a cracking night’s sleep, only 4 hours the night before a race had not set me up for the 50km race I was due to start at 8am!
With everything laid out and prepared I rolled out of bed, got dressed and warmed up my porridge to eat on the way with my ever loyal (and very tolerant) girlfriend, who was up and ready to drive us Chiddingly, Sussex.
It was a crisp morning and the forecast was sunny and bright for the whole day, the race director was surprised at the keenness of the Ultra runners, queuing up early for their race numbers at the village school HQ. I spotted a few familiar faces from the 100 marathon club, so I said hi and we chatted for a while. After a quick briefing about lack of way markers and directional signage I was not left feeling very confident! I have the navigational skills of a dead Dodo and the thought of getting lost halfway round was worse than the thought of running 31 miles! The route was simple, follow the Weald Way for the 1st half and the Vanguard Way for the 2nd half, sounds easy right, but feeling worried I picked up a map & directions that had been supplied and tucked it into my pack.

The beautiful scenery of the Sussex Weald 50km.

Leader of the pack!
We all set off at 8am and soon my 10 min mile turned into a 9 min mile. Enjoying the country lanes, lush fields and the banter from the lively front runners, it's fair to say I got a bit carried away, but I was so worried about getting lost, that I kept pushing my pace to keep up. I made the 1st checkpoint in just over an hour and decided to stick to this strategy for the next section. I stuck to the middle of the pack over stiles, meadows of wildflowers and narrow paths brimming with stinging nettles. I felt strong and reached the 2nd checkpoint in just over 2 hours. It all changed after mile 13 (unlucky for some!), it was all uphill through the woods and by mile 15, I was drained! I vanished into a bush for a quick toilet break and when I returned to the trail, all I could see was miles of relentless uphill track! Far away I could see a line of tiny runners, like ants, jogging up the incline, the wind had picked up and it was working against me and that was it! My mind decided that enough was enough and all I wanted to do was stop, the constant negative chatter in my head was getting the better of me! “You can’t do this, you will never make it! You've still got 16 miles to go! Give up now!” These thoughts kept looping around my head for 2 uphill torturous miles. I walked, stopped, jogged, stopped and walked again until finally I got to the top of the hill! I crossed the road and realised I was now on the Vanguard Way and on the way back to HQ, I had made it and with new found energy I ran the next 2 miles blissfully down hill.  At mile 18, I was stopped in my tracks by a deer and her young jumping out in front of me! As I fumbled for my phone to take a photo, I realised I had spent most of the race concerned about keeping up with others, instead of looking up and appreciating my surroundings. I was by myself at this point and without sounding too cosmic, it was a special moment that changed my race.

The mental challenge started here.

You've lost that running feeling.
I made it to checkpoint 3 by myself and saw a few familiar faces and decided to plonk myself in with the larger group to run and keep on track with my sub 6 hour finish. I chatted away to some of my fellow runners, but by mile 22 the pack had split and a navigational error had occurred. Thankfully, I was not alone and somehow we worked out that we needed to cross the train track, climb up the nettle infested bank and turn left! I needed a compass, a machete and to embody all things Bear Grylls! This mistake cost me 2 miles and about 40 mins!
I was back on track, but my energy was draining fast, I shuffled to checkpoint 4 and realised my sub 6 hour finish was now out of reach! Most of the runners, at this point, were having a moan about getting lost in the same place, it turned out that the markers had been removed!
I was determined to push on, so I talked to a few runners about their own challenges and I tried to remember my own personal challenge of 10 marathons in 8 months, fundraising for 5 charities for Dame Kelly Holmes.
The sun was still shining and there was a mere 7 miles between me and the finish line, with one more checkpoint in between. By now, everything was hurting and every time I saw a stile I winced with pain! It was now the physical part of me that was defeated but thankfully the mind was strong!

Not another bloody stile!

The lost and found
I arrived at Checkpoint 5 to a large cheer, after a few slurps of water and a quick refuel I continued to the end of the lane and turned right and there sat my loving girlfriend. I was so pleased to see her that words just blurted out of my mouth, which didn’t make an awful lot of sense to her, but I was trying to download my experience so far as quickly as possible. I carried on running what seemed like the longest 3 miles ever and eventually the school HQ was in sight, supporters were cheering me in, but had nothing left in my legs for a sprint finish!  As I crossed the finish line, I felt elated and was so thankful that I could finally stop running!
I was handed my mug and medal and congratulated by the race director and marshalls, I then took my place at the side of the road and cheered in my fellow runners.
Within 5 mins and after a good coffee and some very delicious gluten free cake, I felt alive and surprisingly unbroken and I conversed and laughed with other finishers about the best and worst bits of the 50km! Would I do it again? Maybe, but next year I’ll just do the half…….

Chuffed I made it back and claimed my medal and mug.

Later as I reminisced about how awesome the day had been, I was overcome with a huge sense of achievement and satisfaction. Not only had I completed the 50km trail race, only getting lost once is still a miracle, but I also ran the 1st of 10 marathons that I had committed to run for Dame Kelly Holmes. I am fundraising for 5 charities over the next 8 months, to help raise a total of £250,000. The charities are Myeloma Uk, Mind UK, Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, The Pickering Trust and The Hospice in the Weald.
Please see link below to visit my page and support/donate.
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/VickyStapletonWale

#runtoryrun
#50before50
#10in8

My next race is The Viking Coastal Marathon on 4th June.