St Peter's Way 43 mile ultra race report

A week after a 33 miler, a 43 was not a great idea. However I was desperate to get back on the trail. A cold and total full on headwind was the order of the day. I ran with good pal Nathan for 10 miles or so, laughed at a runner who fell face down in the mud, then promptly fell face down in a bunch of nettles. Karma. 10 miles in I realised last week had taken a huge toll on my legs and glycogen stores.

25 miles of undulation from North London to mid Essex near Chemlsford, then a drop to pan-flat estuarine unabated headwind. The scenery was stunning. Such an underrated part of our countryside. I love it. It reminds me of my mum and dads.

So after 4 CPs on the whole course, I was undernourished and underhydrated....I ran well until 35. I caught up with Nathan and we ran together in 5/6th place.

The world of hurt then set in. BIG style.

It was like Don Quioxte with the relentless fields of wind turbines. I mumbled some excuses to Nathan and promptly dropped 3/4 places along the 2 mile beach wall levee at the end. 9th place (maybe 10th?) I think but a great finish at St-Peter-on-the-Wall in perhaps the most remote part of within-100-miles-of London.

A great medal and a chance to catch up with the top 10 whilst we waited in sub-zero conditions in the chapel until the buses came to take us back to the start.

Nice to have a good catch up with RD Lindley Chambers at the end and also Naiomi Newton Fisher. A pity about the 2 1/2 hr wait for the bus back to the start. Never been so cold.

Mid Feb, another great race and what a start to the year. Marathon #70 done.