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.

Training for Ultra Distance

So, despite a good dose of man-flu (still ongoing), the first 5 weeks of my schedule seem to have gone well (touch wood!).  Training for my first 100 mile ultra seemed a bit daunting when I first decided to take on the challenge, although things have become clearer with a time-line in place, and the programme under way.

Once thing that I was unprepared for, is how consuming things have become.  I did think that after having spent the best part of 20 years training for, and obsessing over boulder problems, that this would be kind of okay, although this is so much more involved - a completely new level to be honest!  That said - I do like to keep busy, and without a focus tend feel slightly aimless and defunct.

I did have a minimal head start, in that I put a lot of training in for the Patagonian Marathon, having first considered the 63km.  The 63km was pulled for 2017, so the 42km (marathon distance) became the focus instead.  I was running around 40 miles a week for 8 months for that, so felt pretty strong afterwards.  As I've mentioned before, I also run each week in the Welsh mountains (so far, up to 12 steep miles most weeks, plus miles on the flat). This has helped me prepare for the schedule I put in place 5 weeks ago.

From reading various blogs and articles, I figured I should take sound advice and start with a shorter ultra distance, so with this in mind I have decided to condition myself for a 'Solo' 50km trail run, which I'll (hopefully) be ready to run in April (April 28th if anyone's keen to give me a shout out for luck!).  I've put the chart that I'm following below, as it seems to work really well, with my shorter runs (up to 10 miles) all hitting various PB's just 5 weeks in.  All of my trail-runs (marked in green) are focussing on taking in sections of the GB Snowdonia 100, which should sort out my fear of getting lost up there whilst tired/demented from the distance (like we need any extra miles, right!?)...

50km Training Plan (31 miles)

With work and family (I have three kids aged 7, 13, 15, a partner who's training for a marathon and travel to work each week), it is difficult to maintain the exact order, and I've dropped maybe 3 miles in total (over 5 weeks) just due to not having the ability to keep on top.  I sometimes lose the rest days, and have to cram, or even double session on some days to fit the mileage in.  The most important for me are the Hard Effort runs and the Trail.  The shorter runs do help with the constant, and ensuring my legs are getting use to training tired, although its the larger and harder miles I'm focused on right now.

Losing the rest days is something that I need to get on top of from next week, and the Trail runs are getting pretty long (20 miles plus), so I need the balance and rest to avoid injury and niggles creeping in.  Also - the mountains are so wet right now;  blisters from laps below the snow line are doing my head in (another lesson learnt - no brand new shoes for 10 miles of wet and muddy!).

Once this 'conditioning' phase is completed, I'll be taking a complete rest week (no running) a warm up week (two or three short (4 to 8 mile runs)) and then starting my 100 mile training schedule.  I'm going to use the programme below, although will start at Week 5:

By starting this at Week 5 , I'll be picking it up at a lower mileage that I left the 55km Plan on, but this will alow me to build back up, and then finalise with my 100 mile race on the 22nd of September (with time to taper as the programme suggests).

So, that's my update on how I'm aiming to succeed on my latest adventure, although if you want to leave any comments, any advice is fine by me.  

If anyone does read this with knowledge, one thing I'm concerned with is maceration (feet) with all of the wet terrain I'm expecting (it is Snowdonia after all!).  Answers on a postcard!

                                                     A view from last weeks trail,  The stunning Cwm Eigiau, looking over towards Pen Llythrig Yr Wrach, which leads on the 

                                                                                                                  Pen Yr Helgi Du (10 miles).

A Slight Addiction

I began running as a means to an end.  Having bouldered semi-professionally for a few years, through to then focusing on the blocs alongside working full time, it was becoming more and more difficult to keep the weight off with ever increasing job commitments and a growing (beautiful) family.  Running was a way to get and stay lean, and to drop weight for harder boulders.  

I had a major focus/project that I was getting pretty close to and this made a huge difference at the time.  It just gave me that feeling of having the extra edge on those cold night sessions, whilst ultimately and unfortunately; unsuccessfully trying the project. 

After maybe a year, and taking on longer runs (including my first race and half-marathon (the classic Conwy Half), I realised that I was trying to climb the line for all of the wrong reasons, so decided to take a break.

That was April 2017, and I've bouldered once since. Completely by default, running became my new, unintentional passion and man - it is so awesome!

I've been extremely fortunate in my running so far, in that I'm based on the north shore of Penrhyn Bay with instant access (literally ten paces!) to miles and miles of cycle track coast line.  This is pretty cool, but for me, the major stroke of luck is being a 10 minute drive to the Carneddau mountain range, with endless miles of steep mountain trails in one of the most beautiful areas in the world.

Running down Y Garn, Ogwen Valley, North Wales

Running for me now offers something that bouldering once did, but no longer can.  The freedom to journey further into wild expanses, without politics, in my own way.  The freedom to run, to think and to immerse myself in the moment and environment without demand.  It's a beautiful thing to be running head long down a steep track, laughing to yourself at the sheer thrill of moving fast, focusing, moving and being just so aware - it's a complete sense of nothing but being in the present; not much can give you that in my opinion.

Escaping the tour bus, Patagonia.

I made the mistake of running my first marathon on the roads and tracks of the majestic Torres del Paine, Patagonia.  The race was so mind blowing, so stunningly beautiful and challenging, that on return I just wanted more, more, more.  Ultimately, this is what led me away from 20 years of dedication on the rocks - a new focus, an incredible way to move through new and beautiful environments on my own two feet.  The shift was that simple, and I've not looked back.

So, this is just the beginning I guess, and what better a way to become capable of getting further off the beaten track, to get fit enough and strong enough to take on the challenges waiting out there?  Well, the only way I've ever known is to get an aim, and to get a date in the calendar - I've always needed that drive.  

Over the next 9 months leading up to the incredible GB Snowdonia Ultra 100, I'll be recording my ups and downs (in more than one way for sure!), alongside thoughts, meanderings and journeys along the way .  A steep learning curve for sure, but hey - steep rocks right!?  

I really hope that you enjoy following this as it unfolds, and thanks for reading.  One week in so far, so here goes crazy!