It's only 30 [one] miles

The Canalathon

I entered this after I had entered another ultra to use it as a training run. I was also planning to run it solo this time round, as I was the other ultra.

Work hours, poor training and low self esteem lead me to reconsider my decision to do the other ultra, and the decision to defer was made by not getting the annual leave I needed to take part and to recover.

I was going to withdraw from the canalathon too after some personal upset. However the fact that I'd done it once and could do it again maybe better deterred me from polling out. That and that I'd lose my entry fee! The bling looked nice too :)

I tweeted for some back of the pack runners I could hang with for the duration or all of the run. I was tweeted back that I could run with a couple. 

It was a very early start Sunday morning as the clocks had gone forward. Up in the dark once again and on my way to Manchester to register for 7:30 am. I messaged my number to the runners I was meeting to run with, used the loo, put my base layer back on (mistake) and waited for the race start.

Not long before the start I met Paul [Haiggys50] & Kathy. We introduced, loosely talked pace and goals then we were off. A warm up run around the car park and onto the canal.

Our pace felt comfortable and I was confident that I'd finish the race quicker than last year, which was the hope I had when I decided that I would still take part. It turned out that it would be an ambitious hope ...

It wasn't long before it was cracking flags and 6/7 mile into the run my base layer was off and in my bag. Thankfully I'd applied plenty of suncream that morning. Runners know that you just never know! I regretted emptying out some of my water as it was 'heavy'.

I text my hub at mile 10, as I had dome last year :) The first 10 mile done in just over 2 hours.

We stopped at the first aide station, at about mile 11. I quickly grabbed some coke and a jaffa cake then we carried on.

We came to the summit :) It was all downhill from here, and runners like that. Right?

Our pace, despite the sun, was a constant 12:30 / 14:30 min mile up to mile 20! That in itself is an achievement for me. The furthest I had run leading up to the canalathon during my training was only 17 mile. And only once. We hadn't even walked yet.

I text my hub at mile 20. I was hopeful at this point to beat my time as we were in mile 20 in four and a half hour. Slower than the last 10 mile but a good time still.

We stopped at the next aide station. Around mile 21. This time for longer. I topped up my reservoir, drank coke and again had a jaffa cake [or two]. I hadn't really eaten during but for energy tabs! 

It was an effort to get going again.  
Lesson? Don't stop. 
We set off again stiffly. Everything was beginning to ache. I pushed on.

Paul then suggested that we push for a Marathon PB as I had only run one once [during my last canalathon] as had Kath. We agreed. It became tough going. My feet ached, not from blisters, they just ached, and although we had joked about soon it would all be downhill when it was it was a slow decent and painful for the knees. We chose to use the grass verges for extra cushioning.
 

Runningpix

Disaster struck for me at mile 24. My TomTom died! I was gutted. My own fault. I hadn't charged it or tuned off the heart rate sensor to preserve battery life. I quickly switched to my strava app, maybe I could fix this later some how ...

I was a little deflated now. I couldn't check my pace or count down the miles. I joked that it no longer mattered and that I should just stop now. Paul and Kath were working in KM which meant nothing to me!

At the final aide station, around 6 mile from the end I topped up my reservoir again and had a few more jaffa cakes. We came off the canal for around 4 mile. We walked a little as some of this was up hill and we wanted to finish well. Paul said we could still make it under our last finish time. It was then downhill, but this time it seemed kinder on our legs and we picked up pace!

We got back onto the canal only 3 mile from the end. A parkrun Kathy said. I smiled and commented it was the longest parkrun ever.

Runners and walkers passed us on the canal "almost there, about a mile left". 

I asked Paul if I'd be under time? He suggested there was still a good chance if we kept pace. Kath said to go for it, I waited till I saw the finish as i didn't want to burn out so close to the end.

I dug deep. Then saw the end. Saw the small crowd. Saw the camera. it was there! I picked up my pace and ran to the end with relief and joy. My end photos' say different!

I waited for Paul and Kath to cross and thanked them for keeping me going. I may have walked some time ago without them and with their help I had beaten my time by around 9 minutes.

I looked for my hub, he took my photo and we left. There was a flask of tea in the car

Will I do this again? For a third time? Yes. But not next year. I want to train well, run better and easier with a comfortable pace for 31 mile.

  I want to smash my 7 and a half hour time.