World & European 100K Championships

Well, I think I'll put this one down to experience!  It wasn't a total disaster, but I must admit I was hoping for a bit more.

I was a bit nervous before the race, not knowing quite to expect from my first 100K, but was really proud to be representing my country in a World Championship.  It was great to be part of a fantastic team.  There were a record number of both athetes (285 + 40 in the open race) and countries (34) represented - which was, in fact, more than in the World Championship marathons in Daegu.

GB team - Craig, Grant, Allen, Martin (back); Karen, Ellie, Jo, Sue (front)

As I lined up on the start alongside my GB team mate, and last year's winner, Ellie Greenwood, I felt quite relaxed.  I tried not to think about the ten 10km laps and many hours of running in front of me.  The gun went and Ellie and I set off together, though we were soon separated in the mass of runners squeezed between the barriers on either side of the course.  I kept Ellie in my sights but it soon became apparent that she, and I, were going faster than my planned pace schedule.  And this was where I made my first mistake.  I deliberated over what to do and rather than slowing down I decided to keep Ellie in my sights.  I wasn't right up with her but close enough to see her. 

As we ran round the first of the ten laps I was struck by the amazing atmosphere.  Almost all the streets had been decorated with flags and banners by the residents.  The whole town seemed to be out cheering the runners on - sitting in their front gardens and having picnics and barbecues.  Children manned unofficial drinks and sponge stations, and took great delight in running alongside athletes to get their sponges back so they could hand them on to others!  As it got hotter later in the day the kids were in paddling pools, but using the same water to fill plastic cups to hand to the runners!!  I'm glad I stuck to my own drinks!  There was a real community spirit, and no moaning about "I can't get out of my drive" or "but I always come this way on a Saturday morning, how dare you close the road"!!

Streets were decorated with flags & bunting

By 30km Ellie had pulled away from me and I'd lost sight of her, but we were still 1^st and 2^nd in the women's race, with a Russian, Marina Bychkova, in 3^rd.  I was feeling really good, but had gone through the first 30km quite a bit faster than planned.  At the 30km drinks station the GB team management told me to slow down, which I then did, but by that time it was too late - although I didn't know it at the time the damage was done.

Part way round the fourth lap Bychkova came past me, paced by one of her Russian male team mates.  At the 40km point I was about 2.5 minutes down on Ellie, and 1.5 down on Bychkova.  These positions were the same at 50km, which I passed in around 3hrs 39mins. - about 5 or 6 minutes faster than I'd planned.  At this point I was still feeling good.  Then, on the 6^th lap, things started to change.  Ellie started to struggle with stomach problems and I passed her at the 55km drink station, putting me back into 2^nd position.  I maintained this position through 70km, but on my 8^th lap my early pace started to take it's toll.  At 80km I was still in 4^th place, and leading the World Masters race by quite a way.  The weather by now was also very warm and humid and, in hindsight, I think I was quite dehydrated.  Although I'd been taking on either an energy drink or Shotz gel with water every 5km I still don't think it was enough. 

Slowly, one by one, people came past me and I saw my hope of a medal slipping away.  My last two laps were hell.  I had to resort to an alternate run / walk strategy in order just to finish - and I have NEVER walked in a race before - it's against my principles!  I slipped from 4^th to 21^st in the last 20km.  At first I clung onto the hope of a World Masters medal, but then more people with a green blob on their number (signifying they were in the Masters race) started passing me too.  Each time I got to a drinks station I stopped briefly while the GB team management supplied me with sponges, bottles of Coca Cola and many words of encouragement.  I can't thank them enough for their support - standing out all day to hand us our personal drinks and give us all the support we needed.  They told me afterwards that they'd actually been quite worried about me!  The fact I was wearing a Great Britain vest and running for the team was the thing that got me to that finish line.

Great support from the GB team management

I did manage to run the whole of the last kilometre without walking, and finished 21^st female (89^th overall) out of 325 starters (men & women), in 8hrs 27.33.  This also put me 11^th in the European Championship and 5^th in the World Masters race.

Sadly, Ellie retired from the race after 90km, but our team mate, Jo Zakrzewski had a fabulous run to finish 2^nd.  I remember her passing me though I'm not sure at exactly which point it was!  We were well backed up by the fourth member of the team - Karen Rushton - who finished in 24^th place, and meant we won the silver medals in the European team championship.

European team silver medals

I told my coach, Les, after the 9^th lap that I never wanted to run 100k again!  However, by the next day I was desperate to go out and do it again there and then - just to put right my mistakes and see if I could actually do a proper job of it!  Who knows, I might still have fallen apart in the last 20km even if I'd run the first half slower!  I feel I've let both Les and myself down for not sticking to the pre-race plan, but I have learnt a lot from this race and just hope I can have the opportunity to put it right in the future. 

And 21st in a World Championship in my first attempt at the distance isn't too bad after all!

For interest my 10k splits were as follows:

42:43,  43:27,  43:32,  44:49,  45:25,  45:02,  47:31,  53:08,  70:09,  71:50

I'll post a full blog about the whole weekend, including opening and closing ceremonies, soon.