GUCR - 4 days to go

So I have been putting this out of my mind for two reasons:

1 - That's the way I normally do things like this. Pretend they are not going to happen and then just worry about it once I am doing it.

2 - I've had an annoying rib injury which has me thinking this might not even start.

The first one is a normal coping mechanism. Why worry about what I can't control? There is no point stressing and planning, especially when I am not a stresser or a planner.

The second is more worrying though not unfamiliar. I've had a rib injury before that cut short a promising triathlon career. Only joking, it was not promising at all. Around 5 years ago I signed up for an Ironman. Actually no, I signed up for something of the same distance but for half the price of the Ironman and without the branding.

Anyhoo, a week before at a wedding I was a little drunk and saw a fantastic opportunity to retrieve a helium balloon from a tall ceiling by gracefully using a space hopper as a trampoline. It looked so good in my head. It didn't quite turn out like I imagined. I rolled straight forward and smashed my front on the deck. It hurt, A LOT. Fortunately I was drunk enough such that the pain was masked but the next week was pretty grim. I could not even put on a wet suit let alone attempt the race. I had to pull out.

Silly me.

Well it did not happen quite like that this time, it was playing dodgeball at a stag do (see, marriage seems to kill ultra running somehow). I don't recall a specific incident where I hit them and on going to the doctors he pointed out why. I had drUnk a lot before even starting and would not know. That did not occur to me at all for some reason.

Anyhoo the last two weeks I have been in moderate discomfort with this rib. It is not unbearable but it is nagging. I'd rather start a 290 mile run feeling perfect. How I feel is sore and fat. I have not run for 2 weeks until yesterday where I ran a little and it was OK, perhaps I can do this.

There is not much else to say really other than I am spending the next few days cobbling together the things that I need to run this distance. I feel like I am rushing at the last minute. Planning and organisation - my nemesis. I am running this with Mimi Anderson who is all about planning and organisation, I can't do it at all and am thankful that she is putting more thought into it than I am. I hope not to become a burden as I shrug at any of the "what if?" questions.

I get asked sometimes about how to go about planning these things. I usually say if you have used the word "planning" in your question then you have asked the wrong person. I find planning stressful to the extent that I think it makes things worse overall. You can't pick up a running book, article, coach advice or anything without being told that planning is key, goals are crucial, failure is guaranteed without something to objectively measure your performance against. I think this is bullshit. For some people.

I would say when going about these things is the first thing you should ask yourself is "Are you David Gilmour or Jimmy Page?"

Let me tell you about how two of the best guitar solos of all time were created.

In 1979 while at the height of their power Pink Floyd were imploding with the pressure of performing and ego battles within the band. Amongst all this chaos (in my opinion) the greatest album of all time was written and within that possibly the best song and best guitar solo ever too. David Gilmour took himself away from this mess and did what he did best, great great guitar music. While writing Comfortably Numb he sat in the studio and played and played, solo after solo, charting them out of graphs, recording and re recording, picking out what was best and discarding what was not perfect. This laborious method of cuting and splicing led to the greatest two minutes of sound ever recorded; the main guitar solo. I've never quite heard a guitar just sound like this. David was definitely the planner.

Sometime in 1970 on the back of three amazing albums Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppellin were writing their fourth album. They often did this wandering around the outdoors in Wales, Robert, taken in by the writing of Tolkien had some words written that he wanted to put into a song. He started to sing and Jimmy picked up the guitar and just played to what he heard, what felt good at the time. No thought went into it at all, no planning, no editing, nothing was known until the moment it was played. The end result was a song called "Stairway to Heaven". You may have heard of it.

Two of the greatest pieces of guitar music were produced in completely different ways. My point here is that if you were to have asked David to just wing it and play "whatever" while stood at the top of that wall he would not have been able to do it, that's not his style. Forcing that kind of sponteneity on him would have meant the world would not have ever heard comfortably numb. Similarly if you were to ask Jimmy to plan what he was going to do, to record and re-record and edit and organise we would never have heard Stairway to Heaven. He probably would have quit playing if that was the only way to do it.

Imagine how dull the world would be if we forced to all think in the same way?

Mimi is definitely Dave. I might even call her that on the run :) I am Jimmy (similar name and quite dissimilar levels of guitar skill). It will be interesting to see how we get along next week.

I am looking forward to it.

Grand Union Canal Run - Ramblings

This is the elevation - in reverse

This started a few years ago as a short "Canal Survival Tips" article. That then became a general Ultra Running Tips article which has since been updated a few times. I think this race is still worthy of something itself and I want to share what I have picked up about it over the years.

This stuff is based on me running it quite well in 2008 when supported, running it a bit less well in 2009 without support and then helping with the race organisation in 2010. This year I am going to crew for a friend and looking forward to seeing it from yet another angle. I am really really looking forward to being there and meeting everyone.

Firstly I'd like to say that I consider this event the UK's premier long distance ultra. There are now lots and lots of great races in the UK and next year there is going to be an impressive 100 miler choice but I still regard this as the classic race to do. If you have been selected to race then you are very lucky and should remember this when you are competing.

Only a few weeks to go you should be getting really excited about doing this event. No doubt you'll constantly be asking yourself "have I done enough?" and "Am I ready?". Sure it helps to be a veteran of dozen of 100+ milers and to have run this race before as many of the field would have done, however you should not panic at all if you are not in this category. Any veteran of these distances will tell you at the start line that it's not so much about what you have done in the months and years beforehand but more about what you are prepared to do in the next 30-45 hours.

And if you have never run for a day and a half before then I really envy you. There is something quite magical about doing such a thing for the first time that you never forget. Enjoy it.

And I also suggest that you emerse yourself in videos and race reports of previous participants. Mat Dowles Video from 2006 was brilliant (with his own band doing the music, how cool is that?). Ryan Spencer put together a great vid of his 2008 finish. My video from 2009 are in 3 parts here.

My race reports from 2008 (where I ran quite well and supported) and 2009 (not so well and unsupported) are on the left hand side of this blog. A fantastic write up from John Tyszkiewicz is well worth reading too. Anna Finn finished in 2010 despite walking most of it due to injury. 

Paul Ali has written quite detailed reports of his 2010 and 2011 races. Here is a great video too of the 2010 race and another on the 2011.

Check out Mimi Andersons race report and video of her breaking the female course record in 2010.

Brian New has written in great depth about his preparation and finish in 2010.

Jeremy Smallwood attempted the race in 2012 and writes it up here. 

The World's most colourful runner Rajeev Patel has run the race three times now and written about it on his blog here.

And in 2012 Debbie Martin-Consani won the race outright, breaking the female record along the way. She also holds the record for being the fastest finisher for anyone falling into the canal.

I've split this up into "How to run" and "How to crew", even though I have not crewed properly before there are a few things I think worth mentioning from a runners point of view.

How to Run

• By now it's a bit late to panic about how many miles you have or have not done. I have known people to finish this on 30 mile training weeks whereas others will be on 100. There will be people who will finish who have run less miles in training than you. There will be people who DNF who have run more. Don't panic.
• The first 10 people through Checkpoint 2 (22 miles) are rarely the first 10 to finish. In fact many of them don't finish at all. You can bet your life that a good dozen people will smash it from the start and end up in a bad way quite early. I was at the 22 mile point last year and some people looked wrecked already. It would have been fine if they were 22 miles into a marathon, thats how you should look with about half an hour of a race left. Not 22 miles into a 145 mile race though. The course is flat and fast and it's too easy to get carried away at the start. Avoid.
• It's going to be a fast year this year. Without mentioning names there are a lot of runners capable of under 30 hours. 
• Learn your pitch. If it's a good day there will be lots of life on the canal which is wonderful to see (though people may get in your way). People will ask you what you are doing and you have about 5 seconds to reply to them. Keep it brief. "I'm running from Birmingham to London because I'm an idiot" usually gets the point across.
• It's a tough call as to whether road shoes or trail shoes are best here. I would suggest ignoring what type of shoes you have and picking the ones that are most comfortable.
• Don't ignore early thirst. If you are thirsty just 2 miles in then drink. Don't wait 4 hours or for the sun to come up properly. I made this mistake in 2009.
• If you really want mile markers then from Braunstone Lockes there are mile markers. Braunsone Locks is 44 miles in and then they start counting up from 0. So if you see a marker that says 39 miles then you are 39+44=83 miles in. Easy. Try performing those calculations after 100 miles, I guarantee you will at some point panic because you think you have just lost 10 miles.
• Avoid sitting anywhere confortable. If you need to sit down or stretch then do it on the floor or ona wall rather than a comfy chair or in a car. 
• Canal boats travel at 5mph, if you are overtaking them then you are going too fast :) Dunno why I put this picture in. Just seems to fit
• Navigation Bridge is a notorious low point of the race. A combination of 70 miles in the legs, impending darkness, a comfy checkpoint and the reminder that you are not quite half way yet add to those nagging voices in your head that you should drop out. Those voices win here more than anywhere else in the race, lots of people drop here. Try not to stay here too long (or at all). If you have a support crew maybe get them to pitch up 3 miles further on and at least then you can say that you are over half way. UPDATE - Dick has said that support crews are not allowed here unless they are picking up a retiring runner. That is a blessing in disguise for the crewed runners.
• There will be only around 6 hours of proper darkness where you need the head light. I try to avoid putting it on till the last minute and take it off as soon as the sky starts to light up. Consider one of the hand torches.
• This race has been won by someone walking throughout the whole night. It has also been won by a run/walk strategy. You will inevitably slow down in the night so don't worry about it
• Be NICE to your crew. Oddly it's not everyones dream to spend their bank holiday next to a canal. If you have people supporting you then you are very lucky to have such great friends. 
• A non-exhaustive list of things you might want to take are; Bottles and spare bottles, sweet food, savoury food, painkillers and gel (I try not to use these anymore but it's good to have them as an option), spare shoes, spare socks, hats, buffs, lights (a flashing red light is useful if if you are running in front of your buddy - remember buddy runners should run behind and not act as pacers), toilet roll (carry at ALL times), food bags, pins, bin bags, roll mat (for stretch or lie down if required), flask (to carry hot water), British Waterways Key, Phone, maps, money and cards (there is not an awful lot to spend money on in this race though there is a Canal boat selling canal trinkets at around 40 miles and then there is the Canal Museum at around 63 miles in Stoke Bruerne, if you have time :)), suncream, lube, handwash (you'll forget which hand is your eating hand and which hand is your lube applying hand quite a lot), toothbrush/paste/flannel (your mouth will taste like a badgers arse after 100 miles of eating crap and this can be quite a morale boost), milkshakes and sources of protien, caffeine, 
• Sometimes the miles will just go by slowly, or seem to not go by at all. In this case just focus on moving forward. Make each step count. The approach to Tring is mentally tough, you see signs of Tring quite a way out but then you have to ascend the locks and it seems to take an age to get to the checkpoint. Don't worry about it, just keep on moving forward.
• The left turn after 132 miles at Bulls Bridge Junction is one of the most wonderful things you'll ever do
• The pub at the end serves nice Guinness
• And remember, no matter how bad it is just think about people you know who are at home watching TV. While you are stumbling your way through Milton Keynes, wanting to be sick and lie down to rest your burning legs. Think of those at home watching Eurovision or Pop Idols or similar drivel. Think of them as they stare at their screens, cosy in their living rooms at their idols "Jedward" and similar trash from our celebrity culture. Take comfort in the fact that they are suffering so much more than you are, they just don't know.

When you are at your lowest just think how much worse it could be?

How to Crew/be crewed

• Firstly, look after yourself. Many races like this end up with more crew members visiting the medics than runners. Keep warm, get some sleep, don't go hungry. You need to be on top form for your friend.
• Let your runner tell you what they need NOT how to do it. The "how to do it" part is for the crew to sort out. The runner should be saying "I need drinks every X miles and change of clothes at Y miles and a buddy runner at Z miles". It's the crews job to translate that into road navigation and who drives etc.
• The best instructions I have ever seed for a support crew were from Tim Welsh when he did Badwater last year. He wrote a list of instructions and reasurances to his crew to guide them through what was going to be an exhausting 2 days. Have a look at this on Tim's blog (scroll down a bit bit read the great race report) and consider drawing up your own "contract".
• Remember firstly that at many stages the runner will not be like their usual selves. 
• Try not to ask questions. Sounds silly but in a state of exhaustion being asked questions is torture. Seriously that's what they do in Guantanimo Bay, deprive inmates of sleep then batter them with questions. Even something as innocent as "how are you doing" can feel like an Emu pecking at your brain. Be careful with your language, say things like "Looking good, there is some coke or jaffa cakes here if you need", or " making really good time, let us know if you need anything", rather that "what do you want?", "How are you feeling" and "What is the capital of Assyria".
• Expect the occasional silly request. Like a medium skinny latte at 2am in Leighton Buzzard, with soya milk. You may not be able to get exactly what they want but do the best to humour them, or lie.
• Have an easy to carry box where all the food can be put and brought out to the canal at any time. My crew had a Sainsburys basket (I didn't ask how they got it) which worked well to bring me a selection of everything.
• Carry a supply of hot water with you all the time in case they need a coffee/tea/pot noodle.These are the blisters to beat
• Don't lie about how far they have gone/have to go. Try to avoid talking about it at all but if pressed then make sure you are accurate. 
• Be generous to other runners if they need it. Things like water, sun-cream, coke, sweets, lube, bin bags, ice, coffee, batteries or anything like that.
• Buddy running - You should know what type of runner you are crewing for. They may be the suffer in silence type, the vocal and frumpy type or perhaps they run like a suicidal lemming. I know people of all types (and good luck crewing for the last type). Each will need different approaches. Just let them do their own thing
• Buddy runners are not allowed to "pace" ie run in front. They should be behind just making sure the runner is OK. Try to keep them moving, it's easy to find excuses to stop. Maybe carry a whip.

 Thats all I can think of for now and there is a load more stuff on the GUCR website. With less than 3 weeks to go all of your long running should have been done by now. You may have more spare time now that you are not running so much so I suggest you spend it reading about this awesome race and getting really really excited.

See you on the 28th

Win a copy of Feet in the Clouds

What running book has inspired you the most?

It's a question I would have difficulty answering. My answers would be somewhere on this list.

I ber if you asked people then this book will appear at the top of many lists, and for good reason.

I read this a few years ago and fell in love with the Lake District and returned there many times. I actually met Richard at an Endurance Life talk about his experiences of the Bob Graham Round. Oddly enough just after he finished talking a couple of friends of mine were just finishing their own Bob Graham Round, inspired by the book he was just talking about.

I have read this book and loved it and am definitely going to retrace his steps one day and attempt the BGR. Many others have done so.

Anyhoo, I write this post to draw your attention to the fact that this book is being re-released after 10 years. Not very old and not many books can claim to have got so many people into ultra running. I have been sent three copies by the publishers to give away in a competition.

To be in with a chance just answer the following questions in this survey. I will write a summary of the results later.

Entries in by May 12th and you must be UK based. I will pick the completed answers at random. You have more chance of winning this book that you do of finishing this race.

Good Luck :)

LINK TO SURVEY

Jack Wolfskin Flyweight Running Jacket - Product Review

Temperature management can be a tricky thing, particularly in the British weather. Sometimes it looks warm outside but it is actually cold, sometimes it looks cold but is actually warm. More often than not it looks cold, is cold but then warms up just as you start sweating and then tips it down with freezing rain just as you de-layer and makes you cold and wet.

Yeah the weather is annoying isn't it?

When rating a running jacket there are two things to consider. How good is it to run in and how easy is it to carry when you are not running? The latter is important as you want something you can take off and forget about if the sun ever does return to the UK.

I think this jacket performs very well on both counts. It is incredibly light, lighter than similar products I own from North Face and Gore. When wearing it it does a great job of protecting against wind as well as fending off light showers. It has snug wrist bands and a draw string to pull it close so you do not end up been blown about the place like a windsail.

I had no idea Jock Wolfskin produced running kit and was keen to try it. The Flyweight Jacket is certainly the most useful running soft shell I have used so far (and I seem to collect them). At 125 grams it weighs about as much as a small flapjack. The material is something that is built for mountain climbing and so is perfect for running when you get up high and need an extra layer.

I have hammered this top running over mountains and have found it very comfortable. The wind does not bite, showers will bounce off and it is breathable enough so that when you do finally pick up some speed coming back down the hills you do not spontaneously combust.

It also zips into the pocket making it perfectly transportable. Like I said before how these feel when you are not wearing them is just as important as when you are. I can put this away and it can tag easily onto a bum bag or even fit nicely into a pocket which is really handy.

I really like this jacket and will be wearing it/carrying it for commuting running as well as any general long distance trail running when the weather may turn. It is good for 90% of weather conditions, lets hope that other 10% is behind us.

Ultra room 101

OK here is an idea for a new game. You may be familiar with the TV show "Room 101" (based on Orwells room 101) where you get to consign the things you don't like to history. It's a chance to have a rant about things you hate. I hope other bloggers do the same and post them.

Enjoy.

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