My Journey to 100 miles!

Think it’s worth noting (for my own memory) that the few days leading up to this were less than ideal. On Thursday I got struck down with a nasty head cold making me feel pretty rough, despite all the vitamins I took! Then on Saturday morning around 2.30 I was woken with quite possibly the worst ear ache I’ve ever had, feeling the ear drum burst is never nice and whilst I was downing painkillers and getting a hot water bottle to lean on it I actually contemplated how on earth I was going to run in the morning. I had a little pep talk to myself and decided what will be will be, I have ear problems regularly and have run before with ear infections so just need to tackle it head on although this did mean I dropped all expectations for this race and decided I’d be thrilled with a finish!

It’s around 8.15 in the morning on the starting field in Worthing, I’m surrounded by 400+ runners all listening to the race briefing, which I can’t hear, the weather is looking like it’s going to be lovely and for a minute I just look around and take it all in, smile to myself and am confident I am going to have a great day. I also make a quick wish that my pack will be okay, for some reason even though my old one carried all the mandatory kit for the NDW50 we couldn’t fit it in this time so I had to use my new one which I’d never done before, thankfully it was fine!

I was given the entry as a Birthday present by my sister, Lauren, last year. Given how much I enjoyed the North Downs I was very excited to do another ultra and at the time had assumed it would be my ‘A’ race. All the recent training for the big ones later in the year meant I was ready to go and had 2 main aims, have fun and try my hardest to avoid injury! *I had also set myself 3 time goals, A – Under 11.30, B – Under 12 and C – simply to complete it. I was also excited because a few club pals were running it so that meant lots of friendly faces at the start!

*Before being not 100%

Perhaps getting to registration a little early I get my number and tracker from the hall before making my way to the pop up shop to get a new cup. There was some general chit chat with other runners and catching up with EGR pals. For Simona and Jim it was their first 50 miler and Simona mentioned running with me, I am always happy for company so agreed that was a good idea. After a much needed coffee and last minute tying of the shoe laces I was ready, a couple of pics taken of the group and it was time to go!

I vaguely hear the Race Director say something about following other pink signs and I’m alert again, I ask Tim what he said (I can’t hear anything because of the ear!) and briefly panic that I will get lost but then decide I probably have bigger things to worry about so chill. There was a bike race happening and their signs were also pink. The countdown starts and we are off, all nerves or doubts have gone, one final wave to Dad and Emma and we all start our journey towards Eastbourne.

The first few miles went by quite effortlessly, I do remember going down hill and feeling a little dizzy, the whole ear thing unbalances me and had the world spinning a bit so I just slowed down and let myself adjust, thankfully this was the only time it really bothered me. Simona and I were off to a good start, we discussed how we were breaking it down from aid station to aid station and quite happily we plodded along. We bumped into Jim and just ahead was Kier who I then shared a couple miles with and he took a few good pics of the background. I was going too fast but I didn’t care, my legs felt good and I wanted to hold onto this pace for as long as possible.

It did occur to me I had managed to lose Simona! I knew the aid station really wasn’t far so made the decision to crack on and meet her there. By the time I had decided what I wanted to munch there she was, we got some coke, refilled bottles and headed off ready for the first climb. 11 miles down and 5 miles until the next aid station, totally do-able.

As we are making our way towards Devils Dyke we spot our first bunch of supporters. Emma is following us around all day and Nat has joined her. At the same point suddenly my family make an appearance, just in time! I greet them with a big smile and wave but we don’t stop, we are on a roll.

Along the ridgeway I think was pretty nice weather, a bit of tailwind and we both admired the views. The majority of training runs on the downs have been in the wet and foggy so this was a nice change! Down the hill where checkpoint two was waiting for us. Again we filled up on supplies and grabbed food to eat on the uphill. Opposed to the North Downs where pretty much all the aid stations were at the top of hills, on the South Downs they are all at the bottom. This meant feeling refreshed and ready to go only 400m later be hit with a climb. Although a great opportunity to eat!

I check in with Simona regularly and keep reminding her to take in the view. Which really was lovely! We do look at the time just to see how we are going and still maybe a bit fast but I’m convinced we’ll be okay. Pretty sure at one point we discussed taking the next mile easy then when my watch beeped I took a glance for it to say 9.37/mile, my marathon pace, oh well I’m sure a hill will slow us down soon!

Also quick note that someone asked where my socks were from!! Anyone who has ran with me will know I only run in Versus socks so I was chuffed I got to preach about them to someone else!!

Past Jack and Jills where again Lauren and Dad were waiting (no idea where Mum was) and Lauren mentions the ear, which at this point was really aching. I had started in a buff to protect from the wind but had gotten too hot so taken it off, that did mean it got battered a bit but I had plenty of things to distract me from the pain! We left in high spirits and I had one of my many GU gels of the day – delicious!

The next miles pass quickly and gosh I am feeling great and having so much fun!! My watch goes beep beep, I take a glance because I don’t why it’s doing that. It’s telling me we have hit marathon distance in a time of 5.09!! I would of been thrilled with that time for a trail marathon so this seems quite surreal and only lifts our spirits more! We are on a downhill flying towards check point 3 looking forward to the coke! Also this marks Simona’s longest run so another celebration is held, happy days!! We are now in no rush and take our time getting everything we need. I think I munch my way through 6 sausage rolls and 3 cheese sandwiches. I can’t say how amazing the volunteers are! Nothing is too much trouble and they can’t do enough for you, I try and make sure I thank every one I see. I then bump into a runner who I met when I was volunteering on the North Downs 100 and we have a quick chat, felt bad because I can’t remember his name! I then see Kier again and we leave the checkpoint at the same time. Simona and I start to head the wrong way before he corrects us and I joke that he’s done this before. Apparently so had I? Oh yep that’s where we parked the car. (In my defense it does all kind of look the same and on that recce I was v hungover!)

Off we go heading into our 2nd half of the course! The climb out is quite big and never seems to end! This is also where it got a bit windy. Again lots of snacks eaten and Simona nearly lost her hat a couple of times. We then pressed on and miles 30-35 passed with no issue and we had small celebration that he had hit 50K, so this is now my 2nd longest run!! Across the trainline bridge and there was Southease aid station!! I was very pleased as had started craving a coke! Also had a couple of balls of arancini which really hit the spot so decided to take some for the climb out! Whilst there Elle phoned and I looked up to see both her and Sophia. It was lovely to see them and we waved from a distance, they had accidently come to a checkpoint which spectators aren’t allowed to do so a quick wave and well done and we were off! I said to Simona that the next checkpoint is 7.7 miles away and that takes us to 41 so by the that point we are in single digits to the finish!

The mile out of Southease is a climb we won’t be running so we happily munch along until we get to the top, it did go on a bit! Due to my cold I am sniffling quite a lot but not letting that effect me when we get to the ridgeway we run where we can. We join a group of other runners and have a chat with them and one mentions they are doing the Thames Path 100 so we have chat about that and he is the 5th person now to warn me about hyperthermia!

In the distance someone is waving at us and it takes a while before we realise it is Tamsin, another run club buddy who has come to support! Such a boost to see people especially if you aren’t expecting them so this has us running again! We then see Sophia, Sue and Elle so wave to them and then see Nat, maybe Emma too? I can’t remember!! Anyway with a huge boost we go again! Alfriston here we come! Both of us are still smiling! Things may be beginning to hurt a bit but that’s where the race begins and you get a glimpse at what you’re made off!

I can’t quite remember where it was but at some point towards the end a slippery lizard thing comes out in front of us and for very short amount of time I think it is a mouse so I go to scream but then realise it’s not a fluffy rodent after all! Simona has dealt with me screaming twice, once at a dead rat in Portsmouth Marathon and the other at a vole during the 5 peaks of Hove training run, I clearly scare very easily!

Cautiously heading down the hill which was steep we are nearing checkpoint 5! At the bottom of the hill Emma, Nat and Nate are waiting for us which was amazing!! We take the time to stop and chat and Simona applies suncream, Emma informs us we have about 10 miles to go and once again I am in need of a coke.

I faffed in Alfriston, I didn’t know what I wanted to eat then didn’t know if I wanted a wee, good thing we weren’t in a rush! My whole right leg decided to cramp up! Not ideal but I was going to have to live with it for a bit until it sorted its self out. I wondered if it was because I was a bit dehydrated so took an S Cap and within 10mins the pain subsided. Myself and Simona knew the next section pretty well and now we had single digits to go we were on a mission. A runner who we passed said it’s 6K to Jevington and then 6K to the finish! I take that and grabbing another gel we start the climb. Pretty sure we also saw Sue, Elle and Sophia again which was a pretty sweet spot to see them!!

Upon reaching Jevington we have decided that all downhills are walk situations, silly to risk injury. Lots of runners pass this aid station as it’s so close to the finish but we know James volunteering there and it’s great to say hi. He tells us that Jim is right behind us so I ask for another cup of coke whilst we wait and grab some crisps when suddenly there he is and isn’t stopping! We both fly after him which was quite trickly given the full cup of coke situation!! It was great to be all together and we had a debrief of how our race was going. I knew this hill was tough but I also knew the trig point where you could see Eastbourne was at the top and that was going to be a good feeling. So I downed the coke, ate the crisps, smiled and climbed!

We pass the marshal telling us the way and Jim announces he has to put his club top on. I wait with him whilst Simona heads towards the gulley of doom as she is going to take it easy down there. Next thing I know I’m accidently flying down there recklessly. My leg seems to have sorted its self out and I’m actually feeling pretty good!! Quick glance behind and I see I need to pull over and let Jim pass and let Simona go in front so she can set the pace that’s comfortable for her knee.

1 mile to go….. Imagine running 48 miles and then having a breakdown with 1 and bit (very flat) mile until the finish. Unfortunately this is something I haven’t yet learnt how to control, my body says yes but my mind just refuses?? So frustrating and I’m very grateful for how patient Simona is to stick with me that last mile !! We turned the corner into the track and thankfully I was able to run round quite happily even with a cheeky, very small, sprint finish!!

We had done it!! Finished in a time of 11hr 04mins 41secs!! A 50 mile PB for me by over an hour. And smashed all my goals!! Not quite sure how I pulled that off but what a thrill!

We were greeted at the finish by friends and family and Emma had sorted us with drinks!! A cider was just what I needed!

I rewind back to the very beginning of the day when I nearly panic brought a hat to calm the nerves, I regretted not buying the whole run as it was very sunny so have now ordered one and lesson learnt to always panic buy!

Just a fabulous day from start to finish!! I actually may of fallen in love with the South Downs! I had great company throughout the entire race which was just amazing, lots of laughing! The highs experienced in a ultra are really quite remarkable and no doubt I’ll be learning all about the lows soon enough!

Now for a 3 week recovery before I attempt my first 100 mile distance on the Thames Path! Very exciting but god very nerve racking at the same time!!!

Jade x