My Journey to 100 miles!

It’s just about to go 7am and I’m standing on the start of the North Downs Way. I have got my number/tracker, brought my new hat (This is paramount to the pre-race routine!), said goodbye to Dad and have made the stroll over to where the race starts.

I feel very ready and also very excited, the North Downs is where I ran my first ultra last year and the reason I fell in love with ultra-running. A lot of hard work from various people has gone into this race, mainly trying to work out what is causing all the sickness and how to avoid it. I’m anxious to see if anything has worked and am hoping for a much smoother race than the South Downs! My legs feel fresh after treating them to a proper taper session and I’ve found Kier which has made me very happy to see a friendly face on the start line. Basically I just can’t wait to get going! There is a problem with some of the trackers which meant the start was delayed by 10 minutes. During this time I say a quick thanks to the weather Gods, no storm or heatwave was planned!

At 10 past 7 we are off! The trail is narrow to start with so I just join the groove of those around me and settle to a steady jog. There is a plan in place to have the mindset of I’m ‘only’ running 50 miles. This is to trick my mind into staying as chilled as possible and I know I can do the first 50 so there should be no reason for any sickness. There are two goals, to complete no matter the time and to have as much fun as possible! The race runs from Farnham to Ashford and is actually 102.9 miles and is known as the more technical of the grand slam.

I’m thrilled with how good I am feeling and see the first mile has been ticked down, I’m doing a little checklist in my head to see if I have done everything that usually happens before the race (I’m totally superstitious!). Next thing I know I’m flying towards the ground, both knees hit the rocks and because it all happened so quickly I didn’t put my hands out and my cheek grazes the ground. God that hurts but also totally embarrassing. I jump up at the same time a guy next to me has a look at my face whilst telling me that wasn’t a graceful fall at all. Miraculously my cheek is fine, my knees however are grazed and bleeding and several people ask if I’m okay. I definitely don’t feel okay and if one more person asked I might of had a breakdown but I just laugh it off and have to keep running. The runner who helped me up stuck with me for a bit a bit concerned I hit my head, I assure him I’m fine and even though I really could’ve cried it was pain I could deal with.

Back to running and I’m quickly reminded why I love this trail, it’s relatively flat and single tracked through woods and the first miles just fly by. I see Kier and we have a brief chat, I tell him to keep an eye out for Tim at any crew points and to get anything from them that he may need. This time round my Crew consists of Sophia, Tim and Lauren. I have pal Cameron joining me from half way and then running club buddy Sarah pacing the last 30 miles.

The weather was pretty sweet as a whole but a tad humid, so when going through the first aid station I grab my first coke and fill up on water. I think I also grab some watermelon which was amazing. Before I know it I am already at checkpoint 2, Newlands Corner, which is 14 miles in. My poor knees aren’t happy but apart from that I am very happy with how I am feeling. I munch some more watermelon and once again fill my water bottles.

The next miles are very runnable and I see this as a great opportunity to get some decent miles in the bag, music goes on and my legs just go, it’s effortless and I love it. I’m just taking a quick pic of the view when Lauren messages informing me they are en route so I reply with the picture. Whilst doing so I decide that I am quite hot so message her and Sophia that I would like a ice lolly and ask them to fill a bottle with Lucozade, I have already prefilled two bottles so will take 3 with me. It’s early on but so far so good!

The next view is amazing and I grab a picture, as I’m putting my phone away I see waving, oops my music is quite loud and I didn’t hear the crew!! I run over to them and I am so excited to see the Calippo!! A quick catch up, the fall is mentioned, bottles are changed and I’m ready to go. Kier passes as I’m there and is surprised as Tim as got him a lolly too, happy days all round. Someone says that they’ll be at Box Hill which confuses me as that wasn’t a stop as Mum and Dad are there, oh well I’ll see what happens. I leave whilst eating my Calippo and I am aware that I’ve managed to get a bit sweaty. The Lucozade does a great job at quenching my thirst and gets drunk pretty quickly. The downhill alongside Denbies is amazing and I am once again back in my groove. I recognise the busy road and know that the next checkpoint is soon, I don’t really need to stop but I want to grab a snack to eat up the steps so in I go. I decide on some oreos and am in and out quite quickly, hmm I also fancy some watermelon so I had back in and grab some which I then eat there as I don’t want to take it with me so not as quick as I could be!

Leaving the aid station I know exactly what is coming, under the subway before heading back up the road to get to the steps. Not my favourite having cars blast by but once again music on loud and run to get it over with quickly. Through the carpark and over the bridge. Lots of families are around to enjoy the stepping stones and I am quite envious, I am very sticky and would love a dip in the water! No time for that though, the steps are coming!

Boxhill steps were first introduced to me by Emma during a recce for the NDW50. Since then I have been up and down them plenty of times, usually trying as hard as I can. Today I am opting to ascend them at a leisurely pace whilst enjoying my now melted oreos. This was a good plan. No-one else is around which is brilliant as then I don’t need to listen to anyone moan about them! Before I know it I’m at the top, and it’s aggravated my knees a bit but other than that I feel like I breezed up them which as their only in the first 25 miles in the race I am happy with. More importantly the view at the top is amazing and I know Mum and Dad are there!!

I quickly spot the ‘rents and the Crew are also there! Another crew ask me if I want a ice pop, urrmm of course I do, very happy! I make my way over and there is a little chat, mainly asking what’s on my face, it’s the melted oreo. I look a right mess. I get cleaned up, eat my ice pop and Tim puts ice in my pack. What a treat, I think I moan it’s a bit uncomfortable but I get told to get used to it. I have the smart idea to ask for deep heat on my knee, I should’ve specified the inside part because before I know it, it’s all over the graze. OW. No sympathy from anyone as I’m told it’s time to go so ‘get over it’. I limp away feeling much cooler than I did before and my knee does stop hurting.

Boxhill to Reigate is fun, okay it’s a bit up and down but I’d remembered it being much worse. It’s everything that makes up my favourite type of trail. Winding through the woods, jumping over fallen logs and a few steps. I actually got a PB on nearly every Strava segment through this part of the course, some I have run 6 times. I felt great, totally running to feel whilst slightly pushing a bit on the declines. I pass a couple of runners and then don’t see anyone for a good 5 miles. I appreciate being in the shade and again I take in the views. Before I know it I’m climbing Colley hill, again I decide to go up without pushing at all and I chat to another runner who I notice has the same poles as me, I will pick them at mile 54, save them for tired legs. I am running out of fluid and there’s still a bit of trail before the aid station. I have drunk all 1.5 liters I had with me when I left the crew at Box Hill. Also the ice in my pack has melted and is now sloshing around, I find this highly annoying. I should of just tipped it myself but I couldn’t be bothered to take my pack off.

Thankfully Reigate appears! I fly over and ask for coke in one water bottle and tailwind in another. I have 2 cups of water and grab some watermelon. It occurs to me I haven’t had any gels so I force down a GU Birthday cake. Brendon is volunteering here so I have a quick chat with him and then another volunteer shows me the way to go, I am the only runner there which make me feels like a celebrity. Amazingly she also stops the traffic for me. I quickly scoff the watermelon and get ready for a fabulous downhill. Sophia has messaged and I’m asking if it’s dramatic if I change tops. I am soaked and worried about chaffing. She replies saying they will get one ready.

Flying down the hill, the next bit is past the school and it all passes quickly. Entering Merstham and for the first time not seeing signs so manage to go a bit in the wrong direction to get to the path but soon I’m back running down the right trail past the cricket club. I turn onto the road and it is lined with crews and their cars, nearly every one I pass cheers or asks if I want something. I specifically asked if mine could park as far down the road as possible and they were right at the end which was perfect! I get there and all is well. A top is handed to me so the pack comes off, I comment the water has got to go. Tops are changed. S caps are consumed as I couldn’t find them before. It’s been a battle to keep the shoulder happy, if I’m dehydrated it starts to hurt. New bottles and I think I’m ready to go. The spare bottle is ditched as it’s now short times between the aid stations. Oh and I also asked for a Redbull! 2 weeks before I had stopped drinking Redbull and decreased down to one coffee a day so that the caffeine hit extra ‘hard’ on race day! I was absolutely craving it and oh my gosh, it was amazing.

Feeling so much better with my new top, and hat, I take off very happy. Music is only to go on when I’m running so that is turned off when I get to the hill. I climb up and spot runners using their poles, first time I have seen anyone else in the race in a while so I catch up to talk. Oh gosh they are not happy, it seems both have attempted this race at least twice before and haven’t been successful. The next runner I see tells me this is his fifth time trying. 5 times?! Okay no more talking.

It flattens up so music goes on and off I go. I don’t remember much but the 5 miles fly, I actually text Sophia to tell her I have wings and when the aid station is in my sights I’m slightly shocked. I didn’t expect it but I am very happy when I see Andrew volunteering. He ran it last year and I spent some time chatting to him when he came through Detling, where I volunteered. Andrew is full of positivity as is everyone at the aid station, again I am the only runner there. Watermelon and coke is consumed and I ask if I can have a whole bottle of coke. Woah it nearly got mixed with the Lucozade. I need to pay more attention to what is in my bottles. I force myself to have an S-cap and then it is time to go. They all cheer me out and I look at my watch, 38 miles down. The countdown to 50 is now on.

I don’t remember the next miles very well so I imagine they must have been okay. I’m a little hotter than ideal but I am reminding myself it could be so much worse. Keep drinking, keep moving. Music on when I’m running and off when I’m walking. Any shaded areas I run. I don’t fancy any gels at all or food I have with me. Coke is going down a treat though. To be fair I am so happy that I haven’t been sick. I take a quick glance at my knees, they look as good as they feel, not great but still manageable.

Botley hill is a bit of a climb but the aid station at the top where more coke is waiting for me is incentive to climb it quickly. A runner, not in the race, passes me on his way down shouting I’m nearly at the top. Normally this is the worst thing I could hear but I know I am actually near the top so music goes on full blast and I jog until I reach the aid station. It was here that on the 50 mile version I had completely overdosed on caffeine and was bouncing around all over the place whilst Kier was trying to tie my shoelaces. The memory makes me chuckle and also reminds me to have a gel. I fill up with coke and more watermelon. Chat to all the volunteers and other runners who are also finding it humid. Phew I thought I was only one so I’m pleased I am not being too dramatic. 6ish miles until the half way point. Totally do-able and I’m still feeling pretty good. Whoo!

At some point Emma messages saying she has a Calippo for me – her and Simona are at Knockholt volunteering and I can’t wait to see them! I am practically skipping down the trail, so far I have spent the majority of this race by myself which has been lovely but I can’t wait to meet Cam to have some company.

I hit the fields and in doing so my mood drops slightly. I have forgotten to eat/drink anything since the aid station and the impact is pretty immediate so I take a good few gulps of coke and some S-caps. I can’t remember if a runner catches up with me or I catch up with him but someone to talk to is what I need right now. We chat and run the whole way from the fields to the aid station, he shares stories from a run he did in Malaysia, his Parents pass and I learn his name is Louis. I don’t do any talking at all, just listening is enough to get me to the aid station, we part ways when I see Elle’s car with Cam waiting for me. I have made it to half way!

I have a quick cuddle with Connie, Elle’s dog, a pic taken and put on the crew/pacer/lift givers group chat. Dad replies saying stop wasting time, I laugh and can imagine the crew are agreeing with him. We say goodbye to Elle and make way into the hall.

I am so excited to see Emma and Simona! Bottles are filled once again with coke and I’m passed a Calippo. This was originally going to be a no stop point but of course I had to say hi. I think I also grabbed some watermelon. Another pic is snapped and off we go. Spirits are high!

It’s a bit roady which is fine then we hit some nice trail. I go to sip a bit of coke and it’s all fizzed up so squirts me right in the face, I scream. Cam then asks me a question which totally throws me, woah I don’t want to think about answers. Poor Cam, he was only asking what I had for breakfast. About a mile later we’re running through a lovely bit of wood and somehow I hit the deck AGAIN. Both knees smack the ground. Again not graceful at all. I need to watch where I put my feet. Our next run zone sees Cam catch the back of my shoe and I nearly go flying again! It was a rather eventuful 4 miles to Otford!

Sophia messages telling us they are in the station carpark and do I want anything. I wanted a lot here, a planned whole outfit change, a McDonalds, paracetamol (period cramps weren’t great) and probably a Redbull. We see Tim waiting for us to show where they’ve parked. I am told to eat first and the moment I see the McChicken sandwich I know I do not want it. I take a small bite and then whilst Tim is tending to my pack, he tells me to keep eating. I don’t know why but I sort of take a pretend bite, which then cracks me and Lauren right up. I then get mayo on my finger which normally I would not care about at all but right now it sends me in to near breakdown mode, gagging, I ask for the burger to be removed from sight. McDonalds coke is put in front me, ah so much better! Anytime food is mentioned I subtly try and change the subject. I’m loving watermelon but I don’t think that’s what they want to hear. Ice is put on the knees, they still hurt – one more than the other so I ask for the knee support. Whole outfit change commences, Sophia is nominated to put the number back on my shorts. Chaffing is dealt with, again Sophia is nominated. Sophia also brushes my hair so it’s ready for the new hat. Headtorch is also put on ready for when it gets dark. Cam takes a picture and I look so high maintenance, oops. Socks and shoes are also changed.

I ask for my poles and Cam gets a quick lesson on how assemble and put them away. That’s definitely a ‘pacer’ job. I have brought some Lekis and had originally worried they were too flashy but I saw lots of people use them and they are great!! Finally I think I am ready to go!! It was a long stop but half way points are a great opportunity to reset so totally worth it.

We are waved off and head out the car park. I have stiffened up so takes a while to get going. Otford Mount comes quickly and passes with no drama. We chat as we head up the hill and enjoy the view when we get to the top. The first mile out of the station is slow as I also needed a wee but it’s fine. There’s a few brambles and a bit rutty so I’m cautious where to put my feet, we drop down the side of the hill and then go through fields with some horses in. Any trail that looks runnable we are running. The sun is beginning to go down and we must be in the woods so we miss sunset. I turn my torch on, probably sooner than necessary but again I am being extra careful.

Darkness comes the same time we are dropping down the hill and heading towards Wrotham. I tell Cam that music is going on, if it looks like it’s going to be a proper run ‘zone’ I like to blast music which means I can’t hear, hand gestures need to be used. At some point we hit tarmac and really push on. So much so that we nearly fly pass our crew!! We have arrived at the checkpoint!

I think Sophia must of messaged asking what I needed ahead of our arrival as my beloved Krispy Kreme which a couple of miles ago I was craving is right there. Only problem is now that I can see it, I don’t want it. I force myself a bite at the same time I’m asking how I’m doing for time. Everyone ensures me I’m doing well and that ‘time’ is not an issue. Not sure if it’s the one bite of doughnut or the stress about cut offs but sickness quickly follows. I go to the side of the road then come back to the crew before going back to the side of the road. I mean 60 miles in isn’t bad when comparing it to the other races but obvs still not ideal. I’m given some sort of pep talk and told to go into the aid station on my path and ask them what the cut off is. I spot the doughnut on the edge of the car and that starts me off again, other runners pass by and it will never not be embarrassing but again I get over myself and we say goodbye before heading to the checkpoint.

Cam and I enter the aid station and I head to the first person to ask about the cut off. The lady gives me the same funny look I have seen before and informs me we are nearly 3 hours ahead. Okay I can chill out a bit. I grab some more watermelon and decline any more offers for food. I’m ready to leave when I realise there is no sign of Cam! A few minutes later he reappears, he’d left his phone on the car. We are now good to go. The next aid station is Ranscombe which is roughly 12 miles away.

We cross the main road and for a moment do not see any signs. I’ve managed to go the wrong way again. Cam runs back and finds another runner so shouts up at me to follow them. Phew back on track. It’s nice to be on the trails again! We go round a corner and about to head up a single track when I spot it. A huge rat, just sitting there. When it comes into my light it runs away and I am screaming. I swear they just follow me around. Once safely out of rodent territory we hit woodland and I joke asking if the runners ahead heard me. Cam jokes that everyone within the 100 mile race probably heard me.

I think a lot of the next few miles are woodland before heading round Holly Hill field and then up some steep steps. At some point Cam rolls his ankle on a rock. It looked very painful and I do mention maybe phoning to be picked up when we get to the road. Thankfully Cam says no and that he’s good to carry on also thank goodness because we didn’t actually come across another road until we were there. It didn’t slow Cam down and we ran where we could, walked the steps and hills. One downhill looked great until we got there and it was all loose gravel, that made for a tricky decent. The time passes quickly.

At one point I think that I haven’t seen a ribbon in a while and mutter this to Cam. Hmm he was thinking the same thing but didn’t want to mention it. A note to say that there are people that specifically keep an eye on trackers and will phone you if you go too off course. Ideally I didn’t want to wait for that call if we had gone wrong so we phone Sophia to look for us, as she’s confirming it looks right we spot a ribbon in the distance, panic over! We jog on and soon pass a sign informing us we are in Ranscombe Nature Reserve. I wonder what it would look like in the light whilst we are making our way up the hills. Cam then decides I’ve gone long enough without eating but I protest and say I don’t want anything. More coke is consumed.

I see the Medway Bridge in the distance even though we must be about 5K away. A runner decides to tag on to us for a bit and once again I have to hear how this is their 2nd attempt. Not only that but they tell us the bridge is rubbish. I decide I don’t want the negative company so try really hard to get away. Cameron is nicer and entertains the conversation so I put my music on and focus on getting to the aid station. We run along the top of the hill before dropping down to the field. It’s rutty so we make the decision to walk across and run again when we get to tarmac, we can see the aid station so it’s not worth me risking another fall or aggravating Cam’s ankle further.

Upon getting to the checkpoint I have my bottle at the ready to ask for coke. There’s a lot of people here and looking around I think I’m probably in the best condition. Out the corner of my eye I spot a packet of ready salted crisps and I need them! I rip them open and munch a couple. Ugh not as nice as I thought they’d be. It takes a lot of crunching and they are very hard to swallow. We thank the volunteers and head out whilst I’m trying to get more crisps down me. Then I see it’s downhill, crisps are put away and we are running. All the way to the Bridge.

I had made the very bold statement that I was going to run the whole way across the bridge. So off we went. All was going well until a lorry passed us, approximately 5 steps in. Then another lorry and so on. Quite simply I cannot handle the noise. I look to my left to focus on the river and try really hard to not look up to see how far it is. Music is once again turned on to the max and I try to block out the cars zooming pass. We run, we walk, we run again. I see a runner in the distance and decide that’s my new aim, to overtake them. So we do and we are nearly at the end! Phew, I look back whilst we hit a pathway and am really annoyed with myself for not running the whole way. Oh well it’s behind us now, time to look for the crew because they are coming up and it’s time to swap pacers!

Sophia had once again messaged ahead asking if I wanted anything and it was a strong no. Dad had brought Sarah to the crew point and she was ready to go. We knew we were close but weren’t sure of the exact point and if it naturally passed through the course so phoned Sophia to check. A quick downhill and there they were. Cam’s pacing duties had come to an end. 22 miles putting up with me in the dark and whilst running on a painful ankle without it effecting my race at all.

I can’t remember this point very well. It was nice to see Dad. I don’t think I had anything and in theory it should’ve been a very quick stop/handover but for some reason I was sick again and it took a while to chill myself out. In the meantime Cameron had us all laughing because he’d put Sophia’s jumper on and it had gotten stuck so he required assistance getting out of it. I moaned that even though it was 2am I was still boiling hot. Sarah also had a quick lesson on how the poles worked. I asked for a Redbull and then off we went. It had been drunk before we’d even hit the end of the road.

Having different company meant different conservation. Tim had told me that Bluebell hill was about a mile or so away and they were at the top so basically keep climbing until we get there. I think myself and Sarah ran until we hit the bottom of it. Sarah had been out with Andy and Nina so she was filling me in on how her night had been before meeting me. We both keep waiting for the ‘hill’. We slow to walk when we hit an incline up a road. Sarah informs me she is ‘power walking’ and I must do the same. Any walk is to be a walk with purpose! Fair enough.

The temperature through the night doesn’t drop at all and I’m still hot as we make our way up. We hit some enclosed woodland and it’s still going up but we are both doubting if this is the hill or if there is a worse one coming?! Next thing we’re in a field and see the sign for Bluebell hill so brace ourselves for the worst. I can hear people laughing, strange as we are in the middle of nowhere. A few steps later and it turns out to be the crew! I am highly confused. They are there are sitting on a bench overlooking the views. Apparently that was the horrid hill. All our chatting and power walking and it seemed all good. Those miles flew. We inform that all is well but my head torch has run out of battery so I’m using my 2nd one which isn’t great. Tim’s come prepared so runs back to the car to grab his main one, headtorches swapped and it’s only 6 miles until we see them at Detling.

All in all I’m still feeling rather good. So we push on. There’s a bit of woodland a bit of road and I think some steps, can’t remember if they are up or down. I fill Sarah in on my music tactic. Sometimes we chat, sometimes we don’t. Either is welcome, I just like having the company. Sarah is slightly ahead and is doing a fab job at keeping me move forward! The next time we hit a woods I remember a steep climb and lots of steps. Poles are out and attached to the gloves, not the most stylish but very practical! One foot in front of the other. I’m not moving particularly fast but there is slight confidence in each step. I think I rest at the top though. I drop my poles a bit as I’m trying to drink coke at the same time, more practice required.

We move on and run anything that Sarah deems ‘runnable’. I let her make this decision. I can’t exactly remember when but it is early on that Sarah also rolled her ankle. I was gutted that I’d managed to cause 2 injuries. Like Cam I say to Sarah there is no pressure to continue but she doesn’t listen and just presses on. Again never letting me know how much she is hurting or letting it effect my race. We walk the more ‘technical’ descents and any incline. We head up some steps and I assume these must be the steps that I’ve heard people talk about. It feels like the miles are ticking by slowly. Over the bridge and I can see the Centurion flags, we have made it to Detling.

Upon entering Detling Sarah had asked ahead for a shoe change for me and some Pom Bears. I had also asked if we were okay for time which Sarah had voice noted through. I hadn’t noticed that Sarah was still sending so I had mentioned that if they reply ‘fine’ I will apparently ‘kick off’. I really hate the word fine and evidently even more so at 4am. Oops, thankfully the lack of reply was due to the whole crew snoozing, not because we were chasing cut offs. Thank goodness.

Pom Bears and new shoes were ready to go, happy days. This was the last crew point and mile 82 it meant we had 21 miles still to go. The last part of the route contains a bit of road so having this knowledge it was decided for ultimate comfort I would change into my carbon shoes. Sarah heads off into the aid station and I munch my crisps. It’s getting light so Lauren runs off to grab my new sunglasses and I decide to enjoy a couple more minutes sit down. Typically I’m asking about cut offs and do panic when I see the sweep bus parked outside but it’s okay I’m still 2 hours ahead and they are picking up people who have dropped. Sarah has her ankle taped up which gives me a longer sit down and then I’m told it’s time to leave. It’s a slight struggle to stand as my legs have stiffened up which is causing the knees to burn. I’m still hot and have a bit of a headache which is unusual. Paracetamol is consumed and I express a slight concern I have heatstroke, probs a bit dramatic but I’m told that is a tomorrow problem so basically I need to get moving. With a goodbye to the crew we are off down the road. Next time we see them will be at the finish!

Throughout my current Grandslam journey I haven’t actively recced any of the routes and have always been quite content with this decision, in fact I hadn’t ran any of the Thames Path before. However I really wish I had ran the section after Detling because I had no idea what was coming. It turns out the Detling steps that I’d heard of is a 4 mile stretch of constant up and downs. Kind of like a rollercoaster, up, down, around and repeat. Every time I think we can finally break into a jog we’re hit with another 60 or so steps, going down is as tricky as up. It makes for slow going and I just can’t work out the maths of how many minutes per mile we should be going so that sends me into a slight panic. Sarah tells me as long as we keep moving we should be fine.j

Andy and Nina call, they are on a dog walk and want to see how we’re doing. Andy has phoned me at every 100 so far so it feels familiar which I like. We have 18 miles to go and 7 hours to do it. Sounds doable but I’m not convinced. It’s nice to chat to them for a bit to take our minds of the steps and my confidence is restored when I see single track path we can run down. First though I want my iced coffee which is in the bag of my pack. I take a sip and off we go. Coffee goes flying and I try to quickly finish it which makes me sick, so that is abandoned in the first bin I see.

We are down the hill and looking at wide gravel paths in front of us. The toughest miles are now behind which ignites a new feeling. My legs are still feeling like they’ve got life in them and I’m actually feeling pretty sweet. David phones and it’s good to chat and by the time he goes I’m ready to run. Sarah goes in front and as if she can read my mind breaks into a jog. There is a runner in front which we quickly overtake and I then decide I want to overtake every runner within sight.

The more people we pass the stronger I feel and consequently run. Miles are going quickly and we our sights set on Lenham aid station which is mile 90. I struggle with seeing how long the open tracks are so Sarah suggests looking down, I focus on her feet which does the trick. Before we know it we see the aid station and I get both bottles filled with coke. The guys volunteering there comment on the shoes and that they may do the same if it’s dry enough next year. I can’t take credit, Tim was the one who told me to bring them, not for the speed but for the comfort, best decision ever!

We don’t hang around at the checkpoint before we are back on the road running. I didn’t know it at the time but I overtook two ladies here which bumped me into top 10 territory. Okay so next aid station is 8 miles away and here is where running club pal Joey is waiting. Spirits are now very much higher, much better than a couple of hours ago when we thought we’d be going right up until the 30 hour mark. I am running as much as I can, Sarah strategically staying slightly ahead, not too far, but just enough that she’s mentally pulling me along. Inclines are walks but that’s fine. I am moving and still overtaking, most importantly I am having a lots of fun! Even my watch dying and the probability I managed to delete my run isn’t killing my mood!

Sarah mentions we have 6 miles to go and I beam in response and push on. Dunn Street checkpoint comes into view. It is soo good to see Joey. He tries to encourage me to eat but it’s a firm no and we fill up on coke. Joey has surprised me with a toy Panda as a companion to the finish line. I love it and we snap a picture. Sarah sends it to the crew group chat. Joey informs us it’s 4 and a half miles to the finish. That is the push I need so with a goodbye and directions on how to leave we are gone.

There is a field, I sort of jog it and it’s the final field of the race before we hit the roads of Ashford. I’m sort of warning Sarah that a last 5K breakdown might happen to which she replies ‘Not today’. We’ll see. At the same time the Panda picture has Tim voice noting through some jokes. None of which are funny but so bad slightly amusing. Due to no watch I have no idea where I am milage wise but I see Sarah look at her phone and pull a face. I’m ridiculously nosey so ask what she’s looking at and she says that Tim has sent a message. Of course I push to see what he said only to be told ‘Less than a parkrun to go’. That is the absolute worst thing I want to hear. I moan saying she could’ve made something up. Andy and Nina phone again, this time joined by lots of other run club pals as they’d done their own Sunday social and were now enjoying a coffee. Lots of encouragement is given, I put my earphones in and try and get into my groove nodding and smiling where appropriate.

Onto the roads and a mini meltdown is incoming. I remember some jogging and we’d aim for little things like the end of the road or a lamp post. This was all working well until a Tesco’s van drove past. The pictures of tomatoes on the side throws me and I’m actually sick at the thought of them. Sarah finds all this highly amusing. We then keep going. Sticking to a very unorganised walk/run pattern set out by Sarah. Andy phones again with a mile to go giving the final mental push needed.

The last mile feels like the longest mile. To me it always does. We chug along when finally I see the flags!! All we need to do is to cross the road. We spot Tim briefly before he goes and joins the rest of the loyal fans that have come to watch me finish. I decide I want Sarah to run the track with me. We pass the cheers and as I turn the final corner I run as fast as my legs in their current state will take me to the finish. I will never get over the feeling of going through the finish line. I had to work quite hard to get that buckle but very pleased with my finish. And I managed to sneak in to being 10th Lady which I was pretty thrilled about. Finishing time was 27:41:48 and with it being 103 miles marks it my longest run. Happy days all round!!

I managed to climb 21 places in the last 20 or so miles in the race, normally I crash and burn so I’m still thrilled with my (For me!) strong finish!

My knees were not in a great shape and took them nearly a week to feel good again. My feet looked horrendous and had us worried for a bit about a fracture but thankfully they are also looking back to normal. I think it took me a whole 48 hours until my temperature was back down!

Hugely grateful for once again a pretty perfect team who make it all so much easier for me, from everything to getting to the start to getting pacers where they needed to be, the only thing I had to worry about was one foot in front of the other. My crew were flawless in solving any problems and having everything I needed. Both Cam and Sarah’s first time pacing and I’m not always simple to deal with so am pretty fussy on who I want to have as company, they were both brilliant.

A lot of positives to take away from this one as well as always lots of lessons learnt. My sickness was so much better but I could’ve definitely have tried to eat more. Some things to focus on before the next and final race of the Grand Slam which is the Autumn 100 in October. It’s run in a totally different format but whatever happens I can’t be too disappointed with the year I’ve had so far!

Again I was bit overwhelmed with all the support I received before, during and after the race. I am always lucky to have so many people backing me!

Until the next one..!

Happy running,

Jade.