Came to the first checkpoint in good form (about 25th position) above 6 mph and got the go ahead not to stop at one of the refreshment areas. Carried on without taking on any food or water but at the next hill ate one of my energy bars and had some water which saved me some time.
Got a nice remark from one of the volunteers crossing a road - nice T-shirt as once again I'm wearing the Centurion Grand Slam from 2016. I seem to be making steady progress the field and I'm still running at just over 6 mph. Later I go up another hill and once again I'm caught out by Stuart taking a photograph as I'm taking another salt tablet. Once again no time for a pose. I manage to gain a few places going into checkpoint 2 - up to 22nd.
I try to minimise time by not stopping for food only to top up with Tailwind. A few more undulating trails have now started take their toll and I soon find myself going up the mother of all hills. Whatever this hill is it makes Box Hill seem like a slope. I'm not one for stopping up a hill but this has taken the stuffing out of me. One fellow runner comments whether we should be going left or right and I've replied I'm not sure - luckily the runner behind can see the marking and it's a slight left up this hill. Three quarters of the way up I see Stuart this time hopefully not catching me out as I give a customary smile. That hill was tough (Whitchurch). I've not reccied the course before and from memory I think there will be another two like this one.
Whitchuch hill
I reckon I've now lost places going into checkpoint 3 - in fact I'm down to 30th. I'd still take that position for a finish. This time I decide to take on some food and grab a couple of energy gels. I top up my water bottle and have to use my Incredible Hulk cup (which I'd had to have to keep in my leggings - another story) so I can have some coco-cola. I'm still struggling at this stage going over undulating hills. I persevere and realise now that I've overcooled the start and a PB is looking unrealistic. I soon find myself taking a wrong turn going down a trail and thankfully the runner behind me puts me in the right direction. It must be what I've eaten or the energy gel as I've suddenly got a new lease of life as I overtake the runner whom guided me in the right direction. I tell him it's the gels and he tells me he needs a new achilles! The PB might now be back on track. We end up going down a hill and at the bottom seeing a hill and thinking to myself I hope I don't have to climb that! Sure enough a few hundred meters later I start climbing. Half way up and going along a trail I'm met with a couple of volunteers, cheering me on and asking me to a look at the view - the scenery was amazing. Those volunteers throughout the day never stopped cheering and they were at multiple locations which made it mor special. I didn't find this hill as tough as the mother of all hills as there was a flat section but my pace has dropped right down and I'm now just trying to see if I can get under 9 hours.
The undulating section seems to go on for ever and taking my eye of the ball I trip over a tree root. These are the vain of my life - I don't have the energy to lift my legs high enough when jogging so I end up constantly looking at the ground and then realising I've missed a wrong turn. The fall is the worst one I've had so far. My elbow gets scrapped along the ground but my thumb has taken a battering. I don't realise it at the time but my thumb has started to swell and bruise slightly. I lay motionless on the ground for what seems an eternity but in reality is about a minute. I struggle to get up as the cramp in my legs is having a severe impact. I manage to soldier on and soon the final checkpoint in 29th position.
With 8 or so miles to go I realise that a sub 9 hour finish is out of the question and look instead for a sub 9:30 finish. I spend the longest at the checkpoint taking on some food, Tailwind, gels and coke. I speak to a fellow runner whom recognises me UTMB and then after some coke, Tailwind, food and gels I crack on. The final section is undulating again before heading downhill into Goring.
The undulating section seems to go on for ever and I now get quite a few people passing me by. Heading towards one hill I hear some sirens and then going up the hill I see a runner with a paramedic - hope he's OK. One woman overtakes me whom says that I'll soon overtake her back again. The undulating section starts to head downhill but it's not Goring yet and a mile later I can now see some houses so surely this must be Goring? It's now road so no more tripping over tree roots and heading downhill. Coming into Goring I've got one runner behind me but tryikng not to relinquish my position this gives me a boost to crack with the two lady volunteers back again to cheer us on. Just before the finish I manage to drop my Garmin, hurrily picking it up before finishing in a time of 09:23:23 in 32nd place.
Rest up now for a couple of weeks, if I feeling fresh I might try a marathon, before taking on the Autumn 100 in just under 5 weeks.
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