*majority of race photos kindly taken by the race promoter, Ultra Running Ltd.
Well the
Malverns Ultra has come and gone. As usual I wasn't sure what to expect as far as my fitness goes. I did a similar thing to
Snowdonia 50 and seeing as how I'm always tired I took it really easy leading up to the race and it seemed to work.
The race start was different this year and began at the Top Barn Farm Shop versus Holt Castle. I was kind of bummed about this because castles are cool and it sounds like in the past runners had free reign of the castle and grounds! Pretty cool! I arrived at about 615am and wandered up to registration. I was expecting a couple familiar faces and I bumped into a guy I know from Worcester who was running this as a training run for
GUCR 145 in a few weeks. We chatted a bit and then I went and got my race number. The guy told me the race briefing was at 630am, it was 625am! I thought the briefing was 640am? Anyway I ran to the car grabbed my stuff and ran back only to find out he told me the wrong time. Lame. Unnecessary stress. Planning ahead is good though as I was pretty much ready to go anyway. I got all my race kit in order, number pinned on, and soon the briefing started.
The other familiar face didn't show and I was relieved that the guy from Worcester wasn't here to race. The two I knew that could be competitors weren't going to be a problem, but you never know who has shown up.
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| Malvern Hills Ultra start |
Soon it was start time. The weather was cloudy and maybe in the low 50's, very nice for running, but sun and higher temps were expected. Fortunately I had already applied sunscreen, a habit I've begun even if it's cloudy just because it helps keep your body cool. We were off at 700am and a mob of people ambled through fields, gates, and over fences working our way out of Top Barn and onto the original course. Conversation was good as it always is during these races.
The first section was around 6.6 miles to Martley. We ran on a fair amount of country lanes which made navigation difficult and confusing. I made note of landmarks for the run back through. Beautiful country farm houses, pubs, and rolling farmland were the sights to be seen. I had maps and I also has the race course on my Suunto Ambit3 Peak watch which I could use to navigate with. I hate navigating races but it's part of the challenge so I can't complain! A front group of myself and I believe 5 others strung out away from the rest of the runners. This section zig-zagged a bit so had two punch points that needed to be taken in to account. In many of these navigation races there are portions of the course that can easily be cut so the race director (RD) will have racers carry a card that needs to be punched leaving a specific pattern on the card proving you went the right way and didn't cheat. These are the same punches used in orienteering events. At Monk Wood the punch point ended up being removed by someone who most likely didn't want large groups running through. The second was at Ockeridge Wood and was very obvious. Both fairly flat hardwood forest and very nice to run through. Soon we were at the first checkpoint, Martley.
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| Paul and I coming into CP1 at Martley |
From here the course joined the Worcestershire Way (WW) walking trail. It originates in Bewdley and goes 31 miles I believe to Great Malvern finishing on top of the Malvern Hills at the Worcestershire Beacon, the geographic high point in the area. We would follow the WW to the beacon and a few miles beyond, then turn around. Navigation was easy for now. The WW is marked the entire way by signs with a pear on them, I'd assume the pear is due to the many orchards in the area used for cider making. We in fact had already ran through a few of the Bulmer's orchards, Bulmer's being a cider manufacturer. I reached down to grab my maps just for reference and realized they had fallen out of my pocket! Shit. I would most likely need these for the confusing section to the finish! I could navigate with my watch though, or could I? I cycled through my watch and never having used this function in conjunction with the tracking on I figured I'd have to stop the tracking to navigate! Well it was an option I'd deal with when the time came. Post race research I found all I had to do was hold a button to use both at once! Preparation is a beautiful thing. Something I've been lacking pre-race lately! My "to do" list from Snowdonia 50 even says "better way to carry maps!"
Th second section was supposedly around 10 miles long, was deceivingly hilly, and far more difficult than one would expect. In the past it had been really muddy too, fortunately it was dry this year, but the temps were rising and the sun was starting to show reminding me keep on top of my food and especially water intake. The terrain, outside of up and down, varied quite a bit. We ran on paved country lanes, bumpy double track, single track, through steep grassy sheep pastures, along fields of bright yellow rapeseed, through many, many gates, and dense hardwood forest. It really is amazing how varied the landscape is here. It still amazes me how laws governing access to private land is fairly relaxed. One instance at the beginning we opened a gate and ran right through someone's backyard, everyone laughed as I noted in the States someone with a shotgun would be chasing us away!
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| Just before CP2 at The New Inn |
Now everyone had strung out and I was up front with two other guys, with one more close behind. We all had been chatting away as you do early on in these races. The "race" doesn't really start until later when everyone feels like complete shit! Soon the 4th place guy caught up and passed as we power walked a steep hill. I chased immediately keeping him at the very least in sight, the other two guys followed suit and the pace soon increased. It seemed too quick to me and my hamstrings and glutes were starting to hurt, it was far too early for these occurrences! Soon we arrived at checkpoint 2, a pub called the New Inn. We all hurriedly checked in, refilled food and water, and soon were off just as a few more runners arrived. They were much closer than we expected and quickened the pace to make sure we were at least out of sight.
The final stretch before the turnaround and Checkpoint 3 at the Malvern Hotel was around 7.5 miles. There were 2 punch points up high on the Malvern Hills we needed to hit as well. The Malvern Hills dominate the surrounding farmlands and river valleys and are protected, considered an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Click the highlighted "Malvern Hills" To see photos and info about the area.
We would now traverse the majority of the spine of the hills. Although daunting looking from a non-motorized travel standpoint the ascending and descending wasn't too tough as we traversed around on main paths rather than busting ass straight up and over! Even if it was faster to follow the ridge directly it was requested by the Malvern Hills Conservators (the land managers) that we stay on the paths to reduce impact. From my point of view and history of dealing with social impacts in areas like this I don't see the point! The area was obviously hammered by overuse already and crawling with people like an ant mound! I guess you've got to try to preserve though, and I'd much rather run around than suffer hike straight up!
The climb up started essentially in town and we meandered through urban foot paths, along a steady road climb, and up some gnarly steep stairs. Soon I realized I had pulled away and was in the lead, I kept my eyes peeled for the WW pear insignia showing me the correct way. Soon that would be gone however since the terminus of the trail is high on the Worcestershire Beacon. Of course once on the "hills" I saw no signs at all and tried to follow the most obvious path. The geography made correct progress easy, my main concern was hitting the two punch points. As soon as I started to get worried I took a wrong turn, I spotted a dilapidated stone sign with what appeared to be a green painted pear at a sharp left hand turn. I knew there was a sharp, almost 180 degree turn we needed to take so I took it having previously skipped a similar junction. Once up high on the switchback I could see everyone else behind me had took the other earlier option. People were zig zagging all over working their way up! With no punch point yet we were all correct heading uphill. I gained an obvious main path asking walkers if we were on the WW. No one knew. I just wanted some reassurance!
The route followed a huge sweeping traverse over the shoulders of consecutive hills. Rounding a corner I spotted the first punch point! Reassurance, I liked that! I continued to follow the main path and in the lead, running everything, as it was a mellow climb with no reason to slow down. The next punch was right near the Worcestershire Beacon and fairly obvious. I ran an extra few feet to the Beacon just to say I did! Then down, down, down to a gap at Upper Wyche where a road pierces the hills around midway. The WW had ended at the Beacon and I really could use those maps now! Still following the spine however the urban interface made things confusing and I got off track a bit. The runner from Lancashire had caught up but still a bit behind. Soon I was out of the houses and on an obvious path. My next landmark would be a hotel which if I remembered correctly was off the end of the spine of hills. I spotted another hotel looking building below and got worried. I was tempted to ask walkers! I proceeded and soon had to stop to remove what I thought was a sharp rock in my shoe. I also secretly wanted someone to catch up to help with navigation as I wasn't positive of the checkpoint location, it had to be close!
I sat on a bench, removed my shoe, nothing in it. I flipped it over and had a grape-sized pyramid shaped stone stuck in the outsole! No wonder why it hurt! Soon second place, the guy from Lancashire, caught me and asked if I was ok as you always do to your fellow runner. We both stood for a moment confused as to what next. We were at a trailhead with a few options. We took the most obvious and another guy caught up yelling to us that we were correct and that Checkpoint 3 and the Malvern Hotel was just around the corner!
Relieved to be at the checkpoint we filled our water and grabbed some snacks as more runners flowed in. The sun had come out and added more heat to the already humid, stagnant air. A light breeze rose up from the farmland below providing a little relief. The guy from Lancashire was in and out immediately, I made chase, and followed his every movement as we climbed back across the Malvern Hills. We soon began talking to each other and both had no idea about the course other than we had just ran it the opposite direction! So a partnership began. Things ran smoothly with a short hiccup at the first returning punch point. We paused for a second wondering if we were right, a short look around, and fortunately the punch was about ten feet from us. On we went.
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| catching up to first place after CP3 |
It was hot now and I was very happy I decided to bring my standard two 22 oz water bottles as I drained both of them very easily between checkpoints. I have always considered carrying two smaller soft flasks for comfort but I think the extra maybe 10 oz of water is always needed. I had begun to off and on experience waves of cramping up my calves and into my hamstrings, this was a first, dehydration rearing it's head most likely. They were a reminder that anything can happen, fortunately they never held fast and later subsided. In general I felt OK other than the usual pain and suffering you experience later in a race as well as the mental "why the FUCK do I do this" thoughts! I could've used better solid food as I don't much care for the standard British offerings. Quesadillas are probably not on a race director's radar here!
Martin, from Lancashire, had never been to the area before and like me used racing as a means to see new places. Martin had the quiet, modest, calm of experience. Usually most people would expect faster ultra runners to be young guys, but that's not always the case. Martin was 56, and seeing him run showed his experience. He had a solid run/walk routine that you put in place when you feel like crap. He made me very jealous with his season plans; already had run the Fellsman 30, registered for Lakeland 100, and West Highland Way! It humbles and inspires at the same time as I'm 39 and think my time is running out! We had great conversation the entire way working together to get back safe despite yo yo-ing back and forth a bit for pee breaks.
Around Knightwick Martin had pulled away and I started getting a glimpse of third place. I wasn't sure who to expect but they were soon on me and conversation ensued. Spencer was from Bristol and was actually signed up for the 104 mile race originally planning on doing the course a second time. He had done the 104 last year and was a great help with navigation at the start and just outside the Malvern Hotel. He was who Martin and I needed! He seemingly was doing great for a hundred mile race - up with the 50 leaders - but admitted he started way too fast and may "join" us in the 50 mile race. Downgrading distance during the event was allowed by the RD.
Martin was a bit ahead of us still and we couldn't see him. We both hoped he was still on course and not lost. Spencer and I plodded along and soon I caught a glimpse of him. He had taken a wrong turn and was up some parallel hill in the distance! We yelled and waved our arms, he spotted us and quickly backtracked. Then there were three!
We hit the final checkpoint in Martley and spent a little bit longer refueling and avoiding the inevitable. I recall eating three mini apple pies and at the last minute grabbed a handful of Pringles. The two elderly women working the checkpoint were awesome. So overly friendly and forcing food on us! I filled both bottles full up despite only having 6.6 or so miles left. Even if I don't drink them it always helps to dump it down my back to cool me off. Ice would've been nice today.
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| mowing down Pringles, Malvern Hills in the hazy background |
A little ways into the final section I stopped to pee as the others pulled away, no big deal as this back and forth is pretty common as people go through peaks and valleys of good and bad. I was happy I had to pee. Not happy it was the color of coke! This always freaks me out. We continued on working together to get back. The heat was taking it's toll.
We all agreed to stay together and cross the finish as one. At Ockeridge Wood we punched our cards one last time. Wandered our way through the country lanes and soon were near Top Barn. As in all the ultras I've completed the finish line is usually pretty mellow. We crossed the line together letting the sensor choose who wins. Martin officially crossed the line .2 seconds in front of me and Spencer similarly behind!
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| three way tie |
My wife and kids were there waiting which was nice for a change. Normally I go to races alone but this being about 15 minutes from our home, and thanks to the tracking, they were able to make it out without too much standing around. We all got a pretty cool finishers medal and a t-shirt I'll never wear. Most important though was the experience and the people, something you can't explain unless you've been there.
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| finishers medal and "matching" beer at home |
We hung around watching some more people finish and soon headed home. Sometimes if people will be camping for the night there will be beer and everything is a little more social, this was very low key. Sure was nice to be home so quick however! Now it's time to attempt to recover, ramp my miles back up, and in a couple weeks begin tapering for the South Downs Way 100 June 11.
