Karen writes: 50 km race report

50 km, it is long way to run, but paradoxically it seems that my body didn't think it was as tough as an ordinary marathon. I was worried I wasn't ready, my overall training hours were a little lower than usual (average 5.5 hours/week over 8 weeks), even if my long runs were longer (6 runs of over 25 km in 8 weeks of training, 4 of these over 30 km with a peak of 37 km). I dreaded getting to the point at about 35 km when in a marathon I start to get really heavy and the run can devolve to brisk walk and brisk walk devolves to walk and it takes an immense effort to get back into a shuffle style run.  In this run, 40 km came and went and I was still feeling good, 45 km came and went too without problems. I was pretty kind to myself though and had been making sure I walked/ate/drank at each of the water stops (at 5 km making x 9 walks), or up the only hill in the whole course which was a moderate bridge (10 walks by itself as I covered it both ways x 5).

I had worried about the heat, which was expected to get up into the 20's, not very high in the scheme of things but my training and recent races had been in temperatures between 10 and 14 degrees.  I had also worried about the need to run 5 loops of a 10 km course. I needn't have, even on the final lap I still wasn't picking up the landmarks enough to tell where I was on the loop, and if I was near the turn-around.  The course felt shorter too because I loved the fact that much of the run was right beside the water, going under multiple bridges and motorway bypasses.  I have always had a fascination with such things. Each lap I saw something new, like the markers on walls showing the height floodwater got up to in recent times (way above my head), different birds, a derelict modern building, and of course other runners.

In spite of having lots of people on the course at times it turned out that there were only 19 of us 50 km runners, but a further 15 teams of runners covering the 50 km. 14 amazing individuals did the full 100 km and 31 teams ran 100 km to make up the main field, supplemented by 20 km and 10 km runners at different times. There were a few people I saw repeatedly, but in spite of the out and back nature of the course I didn't get much of a chance to talk.  A few km disappeared running with a man who had only signed up a few days before the race, I let him go on, I felt good but I was being strict with myself about sticking to a slow pace. Later on 10 km passed most enjoyably with a local woman, we talked about all sorts of things, until sadly she dropped back feeling unwell.

I cant get over running a faster pace than all of my recent marathons, finishing the 50 km in 5 hours 34, nearly half an hour faster than I had intended.  I...mutter mutter... blame the hill repeats for this, perhaps this means I should keep on doing the things. My place was 13th out of 19, and I have never had 'position 1' on any certificate but this time I was FIRST in my category of women Masters (40+).  Of course there were only 6 in the category but hey, its significant for me.    No blisters, no chafing, the running skirt went well. When I first got the thing I had problems with what were described as being 'compression' shorts underneath it not providing any compression and riding up causing chafing. A couple of seams down the outside of each leg stopped that and I was actually very comfortable in it, it certainly stood out from the crowd.  The ankle injuries I had been battling before stayed away thanks to the shoe insoles providing arch support, and nutrition wise I mostly stayed on track, a gel each hour, sports beans on the half hour. I am certain that a diet focusing around ice-cream the day before and followed up on the walk back to the hotel after the run is the key to success (joke, its a joke, well mostly!).

Overall, the River Run 100  was a great run on a lovely day, made better by supporting good causes. I would recommend this as a low stress event, family friendly, with an enjoyable flat course. I'd do it again, or maybe one day the 100 might be on my list.