Training Log Archive: Anwen

Today I will not be running, nor tomorrow, nor for a while!

It has been an incredible week - I met some lovely people, ran in some amazing places and had a rollercoaster of ups and downs!

Highest high - crawling along Crib Goch a bit scared but so exhilarated at the same time!

Lowest low - throwing up over myself on day 5 :(

What went well:

I think I've had a decent year of training, one period of injury and one illness only. Lots of long runs and climbing and the poles were really useful! I think my fitness/hill strength was good! I looked after my feet as best I could, the main issues are swelling so for future maybe a larger pair of shoes to accommodate this!

To get better at:

Eating. I knew this was always going to be my biggest issue. I've always struggled to eat much after long runs. It's maybe an idea to think about liquid calories if I struggle with food?

Overall - I'm so happy to have done it! I do not feel the need to go back but I think long mountain races are my favourite :)

Today - I can barely walk. My feet are so hot and swollen. I can't really move my toes and dorsiflexing my left ankle is near enough impossible. I have a lot of sun burn so give it a few days and I'll be a peeling mess! My left hand is also very swollen and my knuckles have disappeared. My quads are pretty delicate and left knee is very stiff.

Having said that.. still smiling!

C • Congrats! 10

Day 5 Black Mountains

Oh wow. The last day.

I packed up all my kit for the last time, taped and padded my feet (really sore by now and swollen!), managed a small bowl of porridge and apple and set off on the last day!

It became clear very quickly my lack of food over the had caught up with me. I spent the first half of the day feeling sick, tired, dizzy and lightheaded. There was a long road section through Llandovery and the we headed over to Usk reservoir. It should have been really easy running but every time I started to run I felt I might pass out. I picked up some lucozade in llandovery and forced food down. Whilst stewing in my own misery a cheery chappie rocked up to see if I was ok - he realised quite quickly that I was not ok! He spent the next half hour walking with me chatting about life and really cheered me up!

I stumbled into the SP (only 26km) and tried my ration pack but started retching. A kind volunteer asked me if I was ok but that just tipped over the edge and I just burst into tears! A medic was called over who gave me another anti sickness tablet. A few minutes later I vomited again and another volunteer had to hose my legs down - literally no dignity left by this point! I'd managed a bit of custard but that was all. I couldn't face anymore food so packed as much as I could into my bag and set off. I felt if I could leave the SP I could finish the race - that was all that mattered.

On the walk up the black mountains I forced as much food in as I could and my tummy started to settle. I made it to the 40km point and started feeling brighter. I think the food started to take effect and I started to believe I could do it!

I think I ran well for the final 23km! I chose different lines to most other runners, choosing the contour around hills rather than up and over and found some good trods. I was eating a bit more again and starting to enjoy myself :) I saw Kris, his mum and dad and my parents at the top of Pen Rhiw Wen and by this point I was beaming! Only 15ish km to go!!

I knew by this point I was going to make it! My quads my screaming and my feet were burning but I couldn't stop smiling all the way down the hill and running into the finish :)

Delighted and absolutely battered!

Day 4 Elan Valley

After a decent night's sleep I managed a bit more breakfast - piece of frittata but I'm not convinced by veggie sausages!! Again I packed extra snacks into my bag and spent the first climb eating away. My stomach seemed to prefer eating on the move little and often rather than meals!

It was a nice undulating first half with a bit of road but mostly tracks or tussocks ground. I felt I was moving pretty well and enjoying the morning! It started getting quite hot and I was running out of water. I filled up from a stream but it tasted very peaty so given my already dodgy stomach it wasnt worth the risk!

I was very grateful to get the the SP at Elan Village for water! My feet were really quite sore by now so I was sat for around half an hour compeed'ing, taping and padding.. I left feeling very hot and sore and s bit concerned about the second half. Painkillers kicked in after around 20 minutes and I could start running. We headed around the reservoir then back up into the hills. I really enjoyed the rest of this day! Even the final 8km or so on a steep downhill road. My quads were screaming but I started believing that I might actually finish this race!

Veggie lasagne for tea - managed most of it but the shivers/shakes I'd been getting were worsening so the harder bit was actually getting food from bowl to spoon to mouth!

Day 3 Cader Idris

Today was the long day. The stats say that if you finish today you have a very good chance of completing the week - no pressure then!

I was up soon after 5am to go through the morning routine of taping feet, packing bags etc then out to breakfast. I managed a few bites of a roll before nausea kicked in and I couldn't manage any more. Considering the day ahead I took a trip to the medics tent - obs were all fine and apart from feeling sick I was 'well'. They gave me an anti sickness tablet and I decided just to set off with extra snacks.

The first couple of hours of the day were spent walking steadily up Cader Idris taking small bites of food every few minutes. The nausea was settling a little and I was feeling like I had a bit more energy! I felt good at the top, saw Kris which was a nice surprise and started running again :)

Today's support point was in Machynlleth around 45km. The hours between Cader Idris and Machynlleth had quite a few rolling hills which I was feeling fairly good on, hiking up and running flats/downs. The Tarrens however felt huge! I did not expect such steep hills! I was hanging off my poles by the second one, out of water andegs feeling like they might drop off! My feet were also starting to complain a little so downhill was becoming a bit sore! On arrival to Machynlleth there was a co-op - I stopped for chocolate milk, bounty's and lucozade and it was fab!!

After around 7hr 40 I got to the support point, ran through the same routine, focusing on food and feet! The next couple of hours went by really well, mostly tracks, gently undulating and I was running a fair bit. The final climb of the day was Pumlumon. My feet were really struggling at the bottom and we were going through some quite rough boggy/tussocky terrain. I made it to the top and got into a small group so we shuffled the final 8km down to camp :)

Again, feet and food were the evenings priorities - I managed to get a bit of cottage pie, gravy and broccoli down but kept the trusty malt loaf with me at all times!

Day 2 - Moelwyns & Rhinogs

I'd managed a decent amount of food and sleep in camp so ready to get started. Cnicht and the Moelwyns passed by fairly easily although it was incredibly hot with no shade from the sun. After dropping into Maetwrog there was a few km on a road which was nice to stretch the legs out a bit.

We then started climbing for a couple of hours through some really mixed terrain - short runnable grass, thick heather, bogs, tussocks and small rocky sections. It was difficult to get into a rhythm but the thought of food and water at the next support point certainly kept me moving! The views were beautiful :)

Same routine at the SP then started the climb up Rhinog Fawr. I quite enjoyed this! Small paths followed by a bit of scrambling- perfect! The descent was not so perfect.. it took forever! I took a bad line going too far left, I'd spotted the stile I was heading for in the distance but got stuck in boulders and heather. In the end I spotted some runners coming down a screen so contoured across to join them.

I started getting really hot and tired climbing Rhinog Fach and had completely underestimated the size of the next two hills so it was quite a hard couple of hours. We then finished with a steep 5km ish road run which absolutely battered my legs and feet!

Relieved to make it to camp to try and cool off. I got a bit ill this evening - vomited up my dinner and didn't manage to get much more down. Spent the night shivering in my sleeping bag, heart racing feeling awful! Wondering if it was a touch of heatstroke?

I kept some malt loaf next to me so everytime I woke up I took a bite - realised I needed as many calories as I could get if i wanted to finish this race!

Day 1 - Carneddau, Glyders and Snowdon

This was always going to be my favourite day :) took the carneddau nice and easy so down into Ogwen support point comfortably for ration pack, some custard and full foot care (untape, wash and dry, retape and dry socks). The glyders passed by fairly uneventfully but the cloud was lifting and sun coming out so views were fantastic! Took a slightly dodgy line off Glyder Fawr towards Pen y Pass but I don't think it really cost me much..

Happy to see Kris, Mark & Alice at PyP, refilled water at the yha then set off up Crib Goch. The wind was strengthening a little and it looked quite gray and threatening over the ridge. I scrambled up quite well then once on the ridge started freaking myself out a little. I've been up here before and had no problems but with tired legs I couldn't help but feel a bit wobbly!

I made it across slowly but safely and continued on with the Snowdon horseshoe without any issues :) made it down into gwynant feeling pretty good and looking forwards to the rest of the week!