Stretching the Distance.

Gazing off into the misty green of the Gwydir Forest, today feels different.  Contemplating how this run is going to go, and focusing on how I'm feeling, trying to tune in; do I feel anxious, am I confident, how is my body reacting to my mental perception of how difficult this might be.  All of this in a timely fashion, before taking a deep breath and the first step.  Once my right foot (always my right foot), strikes the ground all of those thoughts pass and I'm running.  I'm in it for the long hall.  My first 30 mile mountain run begins.

My legs felt heavy from the outset.  Whilst warming into pace, I reflect that it maybe wasn't such a good idea to have ran the 6 miles up Helgi Ddu a day earlier, with a 6 mile run in the forest the day before.  That can't be helped, I told myself - just get on with the job and stop thinking so much.   For me, it's important to stay in the moment on long runs.  To focus on being as aware as possible as to what is going on around you.  Listening to the birds call to each other, the wind through the trees, the changing colours as the sun filters through the canopy, the sky, the clouds, and my feet as they move over rough forest trails.  This always takes a few miles for me.  Maybe 4 miles in, my mind is where it needs to be, my pace falls into place, my lungs engage and again - I'm just running in my own, uninterrupted space.

Gwydir Forest, finding pace.  Photo: Adam Groves 

I love running through the wooded area at the tail end of Crimpiau.  Looking over towards Lliwedd, the first leg done.  Mile 7, and the forest comes to an end.  The terrain changes here, as you head onto the old A5, with 4 miles stretching out in front of you.  Its easy to get psyched out here, as if you look to far up the trail as you run, it gets seemingly further away, as opposed to closer.  I centre my attention instead on the beauty around me, and looking up at Pen Yr Ole Wen, the Glyderau and Carneddau, I imagine running the tracks up there, and wonder how the weather is - is there still ice and snow, or should I get up there sooner rather than later.  How do the trails fit together, what will the sections feel like, how will I feel up there...  Drifting off, the section is done, and I'm crossing over to run the Ogwen lake trail.  The last few weeks, this has been so wet.  Calf deep in water, no chance of dry feet.  

Drifting off, checking out the higher realms.

Today, as luck would have it, I can run faster than usual here, as the streams have dried out into trail.  I think to myself, 'I'll come back this way' as I'm feeling that I can make the distance now.  Instantly, those heroic, preemptive thoughts creep in; shall I go for 35 today, and add in more altitude gain and so on.  I stop and again tell myself to 'take a knee', stop thinking and stick to the plan.  Once done, I'm having so much fun, leaping over rocks, getting some good speed and enjoying the trail.  If you have never ran this route - do it!  It's amazing at speed, and keeps you on your toes.  

Mile 13, and I arrived at Ogwen Cottage.  Changing layers, windproof on, ready for the climb up Yr Garn.  Getting ready to run up a further 2110ft of hard ascent felt quite daunting.  Stopping to chat to a team of northern mountain bikers helped, and took my mind off the fact that things where about to get cold and steep!  Fuelling up, and feeling warm now, I moved on through Cwm Idwal, and up towards Y Garn.  The climb up is a tough one, and keeps on coming.  Rounding the boulder strewn climb up, and running past Llyn y Cwn, before the final hike up to the peak.  

Llyn Y Cwn, just before the final push up Yr Garn.

I was pretty elated at this point, now 16 miles in with one of the best views in Wales.  I kinda made the mistake of allowing myself to think ahead to the Snowdonia 100, and got focused on staring out the trail up the SW face of Pen Yr Ole Wen.  Man - that it steep!  After bringing myself round, and shaking off the feeling of now being tired and daunted from the thoughts of running 100 miles,  I began the run down the ridge back into the Cwm Idwal, and over to the join the Ogwen Trail once again, 4 miles below.  The run down the steep ridge back into the cwm is fast and incredible fun!  In no time at all, I was over half way at 21 miles, ready to take on the final 9 back to where I began.

Miles 21 to 24 where pretty difficult.  I was low on food, and hadn't really spoken to anyone for a while.  I couldn't work out whether music was a good idea, so didn't bother trying.  I took the road from Ogwen Lake trail to Capel, as I was becoming aware that time constraints where creeping in, and I needed to get this finished.  My legs where getting pretty tired, and I was trying to work out why.  Last weeks 26 miles had felt relatively easy, and I was only on mile 23 and things where feeling difficult.  Again, my mindful line 'take a knee' popped into my head, so I stopped for a while, taking in the mountains, looking back to where I had come from, hoping to find some energy to carry on.  Staying in the moment is so important at these points for me.  Once I had managed to eradicate thoughts of time, and having informed myself that I totally had this, I was running again, back through the familiar territory of Crimpiau, and up and over into the forests once again.

Its a beautiful thing, when you the realisation hits you that you have ran through the day, and into dusk.  Over 6 hours on my feet now, hyper-aware  of the noises of the forest, the waning light and the shift in my perception; I had succeeded in what I had set out to achieve.  Rounding off and over the Afon Llugwy, feeling the power of the water rush by, the final mile back into Betws Y Coed.  30 miles, my first solo Ultra distance, job done.

Patagonian International Marathon

I've been meaning to write about my experience over in Patagonia for some time now, but as is the way - time keeps on moving on, and its all to easy to get caught up and carried away. I had a message from Javi, over at Ultra Paine not to long ago, which reminded me to sort myself out and get my thoughts out there (thanks Javi!).

I first thought about travelling to run the 63km race in the Chilean Patagonian mountains after reading a blog written by Matt Flaherty, from the 2014 edition of the Patagonia International Marathon.  Matt's account was so beautifully written, that alongside the images of the area, I was inspired to run.  From the outset, I felt compelled to experience the tranquillity of running somewhere so isolated and wild for myself; I had to travel, and so it began.

Initially I had wanted to run the 63k, although having not ran a marathon before, I began thinking that this was a little bit 'out-there'.  As luck would have it (or not?) the 42km was the longest duration for 2017, so that was decision made.  Fast forward 7 months, and I was ready to fly, and began the 8500 mile journey to Chile.

Before the race, I spent a few days based in Puerto Natales, which is a beautiful frontier port city, surrounded by the Seno Ultima Ezperanza.  It was such a beautiful place, with lazy dogs lounging around the streets, really freindly people, and the most amazing chicken Empanada.  The only shock was the temperature, which was around -10, so figured that if it rained on the day, it could a long run!

Escaping the tour guide.  Hilarious, as I said 'I'm just going to have a quick look over there'!

I took a tour into the Torres Del Paine National Park, just to get a feel for the area.  The actual marathon runs to the south of the main park boundaries, so to get up and close to some of the towers, and the wildlife was just stunning.  With guide that I was with, we actually came within 20 metres of a family of Puma feasting on an unfortunate Guanaco on the side of the trail.  I was absolutely blown away by this experience.  The majesty of the animals was just so commanding, it was beautiful.  Its so rare to see a single Puma, but to see a family still hunting and eating together is unheard of, and was such a good omen for the race.  I did make a note to myself to run fast, and not to be last - maybe I would be the next feast!!  This was just a small taste of just how wild and untamed Patagonia is; there is just so much space, so little pollution and just so much peace.

His eyes are saying 'Just give me half the chance, and you are next'!

I took a small run to just outside of the city boundaries to push away slight 'cabin fever' and feelings of loneliness a couple of days before the run.  I hadn't really spoken to anyone fully for a week or so, so it was good to feel I was doing something familiar, and also needed to remind myself why I was there - it's quite a long way form home, my Spanish (despite really trying to learn) sucked for the the most part, so it was really hard to join in with any conversation, so it felt pretty cool to run along the shores of the sound - it kept it real.

A 5 mile jog, to ease the Cabin Fever.

I only felt slightly anxious the morning of the race. No rain, but 70 - 100kph winds where forecast!  Getting to the start of the race was so cool - I met with some really inspirational people (huge thanks to Rajesh Jinabhai and Nuno) and also really cool to meet with Laura Jones who was undertaking her second of a Worldwide 7 marathons (another Welsh kid on the start line!).  This made the entire thing so much easier.  As with any race, or long training run, once you cross the start line, everything falls into place, and you just move.  The scenes that we passed through where so incredible, that the first 12 miles or so just flew by.  At the base of the main ascent, the winds did finally rise, and there where no half measures.  I'm not talking gusts, but instead a continuous blast of up to 100kph - totally head on.  Runners where literally being blown over, so this added a fair challenge to the run, but in a weird way, seemed to enhance the environment and the experience (a sucker for punishment obviously!).

The A Team

Rajesh, who I had ran with for the first 16 miles or so, developed a pretty bad knee, so after talking we decided on me moving on ahead, and I then entered into a totally different head space.  One thing that you need to understand about this marathon, is that it is not just a race.  Its a complete experience.  There are no crowds handing out jelly babies.  Instead you can run for miles without seeing anyone.  Its just so cool!  I rounded a corner during the last 4 miles, into a more wooded area.  The wind suddenly dropped away, and the silence was unlike anything I had experienced on a run before.  I took time here, just to drink it all in - no sound, no time, no need to move - just peace.  I could have stayed forever.

I ran for towards the end with Vanessa de Matta (which was super nice - such a great person!) before again moving forward to the finish line.  It was so exhilarating to cross the line at the end - I couldn't quite believe that my aim had come to full circle.  From reading Matts blog in January, to finishing my own race was a really emotional experience.  One thing that surprised me - I had so much more left in the tank.  I felt could have ran forever.  I stopped just before the final decent to the hotel finishing line, as I didn't want the experience to end.  Taking a final look around before running down to the field and crowd below, the one realisation that I had, was that I had to get stronger, I had to run further and I had to experience how far I could push myself as a runner.  Quite simply, I have Patagonia to thank for igniting the passion for running in wild places, and for realising what I am capable of right now.

Me, looking pleased as punch.  Would'a thought that 5 months later, I would just be ' nipping out' to run 26 miles! So Cool!!

Sitting here writing this has been quite difficult.  It took a while on returning from Patagonia to realise what I had learnt about myself.  It is so much more than just a marathon, even if it happens to be your first.  It is a fully encapsulating experience.  If I could, I would run this each year, as I know that each time, I would see the same places, although have the time and capacity to see each and every one in a different light.  One thing that I know for sure, is that this is where the seed of inspiration was sown to run Ultra distance.  Not long now.