Why my legs hurt so much today

Now that Challenge Roth is a distant memory, my (as usual, obsessive) attention and focus has now turned towards conquering my first ever ultra run, the Beacons Ultra 46 miler (over two 23 mile laps), on the 16th of November (a day after my birthday, btw).

I first came across this low key event, organised by Likey's, on an S4C programme about TV presenter and ultra runner Lowri Morgan, who at the time was training for the Amazon Ultra-marathon.  She used this race as a mere warm up before running ALL THE WAY back home to the Gower, an additional 50 miles. Seeing this race on the tv,  a new seed was planted in my endurance-events-hungry brain and it was added to the race bucket list.  

Curious about the race, Dan and I went for a walk/run in the Brecon Beacons on some of the course on race day back in 2011 and managed to see some runners. We then went down to Talybont on Usk to see the winner finish, in an astonishing time of 6 hours something.  Inspired, I vowed to do the race.  I toyed with entering it in 2012, but having Ironman Wales in September, it was too close to the race in November.  With Challenge Roth in July this year, I figured a month of recovery followed by a gradual upping of running mileage on the trails should suffice.

Having agonised for weeks over which trail running shoes I should buy and not sure whether to go for underfoot feel or cushioning, I opted for the Inov8 Trailroc 246, what seemed to be a compromise between a bit of proprioception (which I'm keen on when running on trails) and a bit of cushioning.  I took them on a short run on the trails around Castell Coch and was happy with how they felt (on the nice cushiony dry muddy trails).

Feeling more or less recovered from Roth and eager to get my head around the challenge that awaits me, Dan and I got up nice and early on Bank Holiday Monday to head up to Talybont on Usk to do a bit of recce-ing. The longest run I'd done since Roth was 80 minutes, so I was cautious about not going too hard and had even considered only doing half of the lap but when Dan suggested we'd do the whole lap, I didn't need much persuading. 

I wanted to use this recce to try out how running with a pack felt and my new shoes.  It was a pretty hot day, so I filled my pack's bladder up to its full capacity of 2.5L making it scarily heavy, then I further filled the bag up with some of the obligatory items we have to carry during the race, such as a first aid kit, waterproof and food.  I hauled it on my back, strapped it tight and we set off.

The first 3 miles look like this

The first 3 miles of the route are along a flat canal path so it's a great for getting your run legs going. However,  I immediately was NOT happy with my pack as it bounced around and rubbed my neck.  I spent these first miles endlessly faffing with straps and trying to adjust the fit around my neck, which was getting pretty sore already.  Poor Dan, who seemed to be effortlessly gliding along, kept having to stop and offered me his Buff which he'd thankfully put in his pack.  This worked a treat and my delicate neck was now protected from the cheese grater edges of the pack.

After 3 miles, the route deviates away from the canal and up a steep track through some woods before emerging in a field at the foot of Tor y Foel.  This is the first of two major climbs on the lap and having read a few blogs from the race, apparently the most viscous.  Indeed, it loomed over us but it looked splendid in the August sunshine.

All the way up there

We got to work on power walking up the climb.  It was hot and I was soon puffing quite a bit but trying to maintain some speed.  As we got higher, the trail got steeper and steeper. After the disappointment of many false summits, we made it to the top and were rewarded with spectacular views.  I cursed at how hard the hike up had been and the enormity of the task at hand was dawning on me.  I was gonna need to do a LOT of hill walk training.

We happily skipped down the other side of Tor y Foel and after overshooting a right turn by about a mile (!) we made our way down rocky paths into the woods and onto an old gravelly railway road.  This road gradually but relentlessly meandered its way up to the bottom of the next climb, 'The Gap'.  

After a brief stop to eat some pitta bread and then a bit of flat trail, we emerged out onto the side of one of many beautiful escarpments in the Beacons.  'The Gap' trail winds its way quite gradually up the side of the mountain and you can see where you're heading (it was a sunny clear day, I doubt this will be the case in November). Already feeling pretty beat, we again power walked up but made it a mission to try and overtake some hikers up ahead.  

Not a bad climb up The Gap

A bit of map reading and a lovely view

After 'The Gap' it was all pretty much down hill.  The trail off the mountain was extremely rocky and required immense concentration so I rather cautiously hopped down, whilst Dan trotted off like a mountain goat. Once back in more civilised surroundings, we hesitated as to which way the route took and chose to run on the road in the general direction of Talybont.  

I was starting to tire now.  My feet were killing me and even my old IT band issues were starting to make themselves known.  I ate some more (baked sweet potato bites - a new trail snack favourite!) and I slowly regained some energy.  I didn't have much running left in me though.

After shuffling through the lovely little village of Pencelli, we were back on the canal path.  According to my Garmin, we'd already covered 22 miles so I envisioned a mere mile left to run.  Of course we'd gone off course after coming off Tor y Foel so the final stretch back took forever.  Dan was still pretty energetic and ran off ahead.  I tried to keep up a swift walk with some spurts of running inbetween.

After running under countless identical looking canal bridges, the larger and painted white bridge in Talybont came into view.  We were both gasping for a cold sugary drink so stumbled into the village shop and cracked open a ginger beer.  It had taken us just over 7 hours and with our little mishap, we'd covered 25.9 miles, almost a marathon!  

The verdict:  wow, it's a tough course but I'm glad we covered all of it (plus a bit extra) so that I know what to expect and what I need to work on.  I discovered that the pack I bought to go skiing four years ago is too big for running comfortably and that 2.5 litres of water is too much for me to carry.  I discovered that I need to eat more (tut, that old chestnut).  I discovered that I probably ought to have bought more cushioned trail shoes.  

Sore feet

It was a bit of crazy idea to cover the whole course, on hardly any training and, oh my god, am I feeling the effects of running up and down those mountains today!!  I'm still unable to get up out of my chair or walk down stairs without yelping and shuffling like I've recently had a hip replacement.  Will my quads ever forgive me?  They better had as next in line in is the Roman Run on Saturday, a 16 miler between Brecon and Merthyr, a partly off road run to again practise running with a pack.  I have a Salomon Advanced Skin S-Lab Hydration System on order on which I am pinning my hopes of a more comfortable and lighter run!