So way back in err May(?) whilst I was staggering to a barely deserved victory at Trail Attack, Mr Cotswold Running mentioned they were running a 3 & 6hr race later in the year which I duly filed away in the back of my mind.

Prelude

Since I’m training for a double Ironman (there, I said it) and this fell on a free weekend around about peak silly training season I entered. I always had in mind to ride there and back too although perhaps hadn’t considered quite what a long day this would make it until the Friday before.

So here was the plan:
– Get up early
– Ride 50miles to the race with a few hills thrown in
– Amble round for 6 hours
– Ride home the shortest possible distance (around 30miles)

In the end I was a little later than I wanted leaving the house with my bike fully loaded with running kit, pre race food, during race fuel & post race snack. There was also a fairly stiff breeze which managed to be in my face more than it was behind me and slowed things down a bit so when I came to my planned climbs I was getting a bit concerned about the time I had left myself.

Along the way I heard a group approaching behind and thought I may get a sneaky tow for a couple of km, as it turned out it was a (/an equally sneaky) CovTri peleton who variously said hello on the way through, ending with Clare (of Audax 400km fame) on the back. We didn’t get to chat for long before a warning call came from the front and a full (strangely pink in my memory) bottle came spinning into view. Realistically there was no time for either of us to do anything about it and the bottle’s path was too unpredictable, that said somehow we both managed to hit it. It clipped Clare’s front wheel which launched it under mine where it burst it’s load of energy drink over my shoes and shins! We were both upright however. Clare also noticed I was riding with no glasses which have been AWOL since the Audax (probably in the car or festering in the bottom of a bag) so she kindly lent me hers given she was only out “for a short one” versus my day full of fun (Thanks!).

I made the planned climb up the multiple false summits of Larkstoke and then decided I’d skip the wiggling I had planned to add in Dovers Hill & Saintbury and basically link the top of the climbs (not entirely flat either to be honest) before following my route to cross the River Avon in Evesham and head up to Ellenden Farm Shop where the race was based.

Also since I was a bit late, as 10am passed (race start at 11am) I dug out the nuts from my pannier to start nibbling on the way in, then sarnie when I arrived.

I could see the start area & gazebos as I pulled in but wasn’t sure if I should cross the hardcore of the new farmshop buildings, and so I dutifully followed the parking signs. The marshalls at the bottom of the hill said hello and suggested I head back up the hill to leave my bike near the gazebos, they were also unsurprised that I was doing the 6 hour on the basis you must be a nutter to cycle to an event like this anyway. Guilty as charged I suppose.

Frolics Are Go

It seemed a relatively small crowd toeing the line, only a handful of relays I think but no idea on the 3/6hr split. Kurt started with the suitably relaxed race brief with pertinent points on the course and the increasingly warm looking weather.
I’d laid out my gels & bars on the table and the rest of the nuts and a bottle just in case, as I was doing so Matt Giles said hello and gave me the usual story about getting back into it, not much training, blah blah.

The lap was in fact 4.5km not the advertised 5km due to late harvest in one of the fields (yes it actually is a farm, although I’m currently struggling to actually recall any sheep as per the medal). My ad-hoc plan was originally to hold to 30mins per lap, both keeping early pace down and latter pace up ideally, just fuelling at hydrating at the lap area. I figured that the shorter lap offset the impending warm weather and the plan remained.

Off we trotted and time to get a feel for the course: A little lumpy underfoot in a couple of places but mostly good going, the first part of the course meandered around well laden apple orchards and bright fields of wheat. These meanders inevitably brought a few short climbs and descents as my brain started deciding when if ever these could be justifiably walked, my legs were not best pleased by the ascents even from the first lap. Around the 2km mark we followed down a valley with orchard to our left and brook to the right, this was mostly sheltered from the (now welcome) wind and conversely had no shelter from the strong midday sun, making for a a pretty roasting section of the course. Also worthy of a mention down here was the little dog who had come to warn us away from the bottom of his garden, this was going to be an endurance barking endeavour indeed!
After this the route dropped to a wooden footbridge over the brook and up a short sharp climb turning left to follow a path along the back of some houses before turning back toward the farm shop, not quite content to finish the lap yet we had to loop back up parallel with the houses and drop down to go around a small pond (including 50metres or so of unpleasant grassy camber) climbing again gently to the portaloos (take note) before left back up the way I had cycled to the start/lap/finish area.

So that’s the course. First lap passed by ok although I realised if I was going to take gels I’d have to carry them round and take them just before I got back in order to get some water to wash them down with, no big deal and so things went; take gel before going over the timing mats, glug down cup or two of water, select gel/fuel to eat at end of next lap.

Through to lap four I was building a small buffer on my 30mins per lap which I fully expected to need later. In my head I’d been doing the maths; 10laps was about marathon distance and that in theory would be five hours, 2 more over that last hour would make the 12 planned and even if I dropped below target pace I should be easily able to make it out onto the 12th laps before the 6hours is up (which meant the lap would still count).

My brain was working in single hour blocks or pairs of laps, I held 5 laps in my head as half marathon distance but was keen to get the 6th done and dusted for half way on my plan. From the breakfast & ride fuelling and pre race eating my stomach was getting a bit gurgly but not yet causing me any issues so I just kept it at the back of my mind for now.

Matt duly lapped me on my fourth lap, cheery as ever we exchanged comments about the heat!
I’d also by now been lapped by “red vest man” before Matt came past although I noted he was walking a bit.

Before heading out onto lap 7, Kurt asked how I was doing. For the last couple of laps I’d been having 3 cups of water/squash at the lap point, leaving feeling a bit bloated and still feeling dry mouthed before the 4km mark. So I told him (with surprising logic after 3 hours in the sun) the fuelling was good, hydration was borderline. I didn’t have a bottle belt as the previous night I’d decided the laps were short enough not to worry so I set off with my 750ml bike bottle which was still half full of water & apple juice mix.

Barky dog had retired to the safety of his garden to keep us at bay but was still barking us on our way, after about 3hrs I think he went for a nap.

Laps 7 & 8 then I told myself were consolidating; I was on plan with a small buffer so now most important was making sure I was hydrated and fuelled to the end of the race. Plus once I could tick off number 8 I’d be 2/3 through and the rest was downhill. Amazingly I hadn’t walked a single step by this point although I was beginning to wonder if on some of the climbs it would have been quicker!

Matt lapped me a second time on lap 8, I was wondering if I’d have to suffer it again.

It also turned out that it was harvest day for the wheat and it was a very welcome distraction and slight tractor geek pleasure to see the combine in action and the tractor shuttling alongside to unload the grain. All very pleasing!

Having chatted with red vest man it was clear he wasn’t having a good day, having stomach issues he was planning to get to 10laps and maybe call it a day. We yo-yo’d for the next few laps until he’d done his tenth and I’d completed my 9th. I also noted that “buff guy” who had impressed me by playing the long game and passing me midway through the race (I’m assuming passed rather than lapped but not sure) was also coming back into sight. In fact he was sat in the shade with red vest man as I came through that lap.
I thought twice about commenting in case it spurred him into another lap but I told red vest man to stay there whilst I unlapped myself…. he smiled & said but you’ve got to do two to pass me… I just shrugged, yup no problem.

Up by the houses were some very lush looking blackberries which I tried on a few laps, still very tart and not the ideal thing to be putting in my stomach but they were quite refreshing so I was allowing myself 2 or 3 every other lap just to keep me going. I think red vest man had tried some too but they weren’t to his liking!

I’d tried half a bar in place of the gel on about lap 4 but it just instantly dried my mouth and confirmed what I suspected, this wasn’t a day where solid food was going to work for me.
In the meantime I was monitoring my stomach discomfort out of ten and had put it around 6 or 7, not enough to stop me running, and decided when it got to 8 or 9 and stopped me running on a lap I’d have to take a visit to the facilities.

Lap ten and yappy dog was back with a vengeance, levels of runner hatred refreshed by a nap in the shade.
This was also the lap I had to uprate the stomach defcon level to 9 and plan a stop at the now familiar portaloos. Without going into ultrarunner levels of detail, mission accomplished.

Back through the lap point and a now familiar process with the crew, fill the bottle to half way whilst I drank some water and increasingly, flat coke. Pick up my next gel and head off.
On to lap 11 and the end was easily in sight, I could comfortably get round this lap with plenty of time to spare to start number 12. Matt duly lapped me on lap 11 and asked if I was going out again, a clear sign that I was slowing if it only took 3 laps to catch me that time!
Despite the conditions the plan and my legs stood the test of time, in fact on only 3 or 4 laps had I dropped to a walk on the climb after the wooden bridge and even then only where the shade was, I was feeling pretty happy with myself.

Just beyond the 3km marker I could see a small group ahead, Kurt had given me indistinct position updates over the last few laps and although I was mostly settled to be satisfied with the plan, I did have to catch them just in case. This lead to a rather showboating finish passing them in the last 500m and powering up the final climb, but it felt good (and looked good ‘cos that’s all that matters right?!).

Result: 12laps = 33.91miles in 6hrs10mins

Job done? Well almost, I kept drinking & sat down to get some more food in. I’d packed a couple of scotch eggs & packet of tortillas, the scotch eggs needed some brown sauce really but went in ok, the tortilla’s were a bit like the energy bar I’d tried early on but I forced them down!

I then found a shady spot to change back into my cycling kit. Kurt gave me the not very subtle hint not to leave before the presentation, I asked if I needed to be clothed for it…. when he checked back later I was only one shoe away from being clothed so he went ahead anyway.

Matt was of course “just getting back into it” by lapping the entire field including relays for the win, second place I hadn’t seen all day but then there was me, amazingly taking third place.
Kurt noted that a few hours ago 2nd and 3rd were 5th and 6th, a good testament to a steady approach and just keeping on going (and a small amount of luck).

Luckily it was a small trophy that fitted in my pannier, now much emptier having eaten half of it’s contents.

Recessional ?

And so back onto the bike following a route I planned weeks ago and hadn’t looked at since, it was basically the shortest sensible route I could find home. The wind was still there and once my legs overcame the shock of cycling again it was a welcome tailwind. It was good fast going to Bidford and then became a slightly comical who’s who of local climbs: Arden’s Grafton, Temple Grafton, Billesley, Gospel Oak Lane, Snitterfield, Norton Lindsey, Norton Curlieu, Rouncil Lane.

All good fun though and a welcome and rapidly very murky cool bath following 80miles of cycling and nearly 34miles of running, total exercise logged for the day: 11hrs55mins !

(See above marshall comment about nutters)

One more weekend silliness and it’s taper time I think.