KACR 2023.....
Not all heroes wear capes, some wear trainers
Well, here we go again !! Part 2 of the canal slam....crazy, crazy, crazy.
Very unsure if I was going to make it to this one....a few health issues and an infection on top made making the start line very uncertain. Nothing really arranged for this one until around the week before....hubby managed to get some time off to crew me, so....full steam ahead and knowing in the back of my mind that if I needed to I could stop without putting anyone out ...although this time I upgraded my place to be supported by the wonderful canal team.
I travelled up to London on the Thursday morning via coach , after finishing my nightshift....thinking was that I could get some sleep on the coach as it was over a 5 hour trip...DID NOT HAPPEN !!! Got to London and walked to my air bnb which was very close to the start line and Paddington....met the bear himself !!!
I decided to head to registration in the evening and try to alleviate the anxiety of having to rush around in the morning....seen a few familiar faces there. Headed back to the air bnb only to get lost and had a near melt down (should've got Roz to send me gpx file ). Found my way in the end. Had a lovely couple of hours chatting to my host. Off to bed about 9pm and surprisingly fell straight to sleep.
5am alarm went off, had some breakfast and a cup of tea and headed to start line. loads already there registering ....great to see so many familiar faces and to catch up with Maurice and Stuart who was on his first canal race. Bumped into James Bennett and started chatting, before I knew it we had started running...quite a good pace to start...Justin Montague absolutely flying...we lost sight of him within the first mile!!!!!
To keep myself entertained at the start I say good morning to all the people we run by to try and get a response of some sort....makes me really happy when they say good morning back or give a big smile....it made James chuckle.
Although I had ran part of this route before I still had no clue where I was going so told myself to try to keep up with James as long as I could or as long as he could put up with me for. It was quite warm and the humidity was really high...good to get to the first checkpoint at 25 miles to refill bottles and have a snack and handed over a thankyou card to the volunteers. I first met Andy "Daysey"...he ran up behind us and said he was trying to keep us in sight as his navigation was pants and had no clue which way to go...we ran with him for a bit but he was keen to stick to his plan of a sub 27 hour race...mine was just to finish the race so we watched him dash off.
Still running with James and heard someone behind us it was "Daysey" not sure how but he had gone wrong somewhere...about 2 miles wrong I think...he told us that one of his crew had wrote down instructions for him but not very clear...told him to get bridge numbers of next crossings etc and shouldn't ...go too wrong again. But alas at about 40 miles, he appeared behind us again...at this point we were all starting to feel quite dehydrated , no canal taps in sight and all of us only walking at this point...I called out to some people on a boat to see if they had any water...they gave us a bottle and we shared, this got us through...just to the next check point!!!! Approx 50 miles CP2 .....both bottles refilled and drank enough coke and squash to rehydrate and get me through the next 25 miles to CP3.
"Daysey" ran off into the distance again and for the 3rd time ...yep you guessed it he turned up behind us again....after this we could feel he was a little bit broken by this so I tried to keep him positive with my relentless chat and songs...James stopped longer at the Check point and told me to go on and he would catch up... I ran with Daysey for a few miles and walking when he needed to...I was determined to not let him give up...His crew were fab...meeting him approx every 5 miles and sharing drinks etc and a lolly....omg I was so happy.....James caught up with us and about a mile away from the next CP Daysey told us to go on as he felt bad for holding us up ...we reluctantly started running without him but hopeful we had made those last miles less painful for him.
From CP3 I struggled quite a bit, but had a slight 2nd wind going into CP4 ...total shock....my husband was there to greet me...fab surprise to see him. As usual the volunteers at the checkpoint were amazing, made me giggle a few times and hopefully I made them chuckle too?! I was concerned for the next part as I was exceptionally fatigued and as I had run this part before knew I was going to have to fight my way through overgrown reeds etc on the towpath.. Ran out of CP4 on my own...James would catch up....got quite a way then realised all the reeds etc had been cut back....whoop whoop...so relieved at this point. With the knowledge that hubby was going to meet me at Caen Hill locks I tried to keep going. I was very tired and kept nodding off whilst moving and poor James stopped me a couple of times from going in the canal....I got to the Locks but no site of hubby so decided to lie down on a bench and try to get 20 mins sleep...just nodded off and my phone went off...hubby calling in a panic....my strava tracker had shown that I was all over the place and then showed that I stopped in the Canal !!
Not impressed he interrupted my sleep , but I got back up and ran to where he was...about 10 seconds away lol. No sleep had but knew I had to push on...James had carried on so ideally I would like to catch him up so I'm not on my own in the dark. A little bit further on I started to hear people cheering...slightly confused I looked up and saw people on the outside of their boats cheering me on, waving flags...looking really happy...cool...until not cool...got closer and no-one was there...that was my first ever hallucination....during a run anyway. I continued on a little further and saw a golden mannequin sat on the end of a boat...scantily dressed....like a lady of the night...she was sat holding a golden Barbie doll....I got closer and she was still there...got right next to the boat and yup...still there...fan bloody tastic hallucination this one!!! I wasn't totally convinced so took a photo and would check it later to see if anything was there.
I finally caught up with James who was sat down on a bench, I sat next to him and we both drifted off to sleep...not sure how long for but wish I had a picture. Told James about the mannequin...he didn't see it so must've been a hallucination....not !!!! Checked my phone it was real...couldn't believe it!!!
James and I ran to the next check point together.....beautiful Bath...this was the last checkpoint...yippee...thank goodness. 2 very dear friends of mine were waiting for me at Bath...quite emotional really as hadn't seen them in so long and this really cheered me up and gave me a little spring in my step. I didn't stay too long at the checkpoint as my legs were starting to seize up and joints were quite sore. James stayed a while longer but soon caught up...we were more walking than running tbh. Got to the end of the railway path and I was absolutely busting for a wee...ran into an angling shop and they weren't keen to start but after me telling them I had ran from London and was absolutely busting...they let me use their toilets...(I think they must've thought I'd been busting since London lol). I came out of the shop and James had carried on...I had lost my bearings and very unsure where to go...took a chance on a sign saying to Bristol and followed it....soon caught up with James again.
What A Finish !!
Finally into Bristol.....and I finally knew where I was and where I had to go (no sat nav required). Running alongside the canal and James having a few issues with his feet....this amazing guy had been basically doing 100+ mile races every week (yep there are people more crazier than me)..James started to walk and I walked jogged then all of a sudden.....WHOOSH.....Maurice absolutely stormed by like superman getting home for his tea !!!! 7 minute mile for his last mile of a 145 mile race.....crazy!!! I looked around no sight of James so tried to jog to the finish....end insight...Richard came running by the side of me to gee me up....left him for a sprint finish. I heard lots of cheers and car horns beeping.
It was all about the milk urns
Gallery
I found this race one of the toughest yet...and struggled with my joints and fatigue ....maybe from the Rheumatoid Arthritis or still not fully recovered from my staph infection...not sure to be honest....but I made it to the end and 100% would not have got there without James Bennett....I owe this whole race to him...Thank you from the bottom of my heart....XX
A massive congratulations to Justin Montague for coming 1st male and absolutely smashing the course record...totally in awe.
For anyone and everyone that ever has taken part in this race or any other race, marshalled or volunteered....you are all heroes in trainers to me.
PS Thank you for taking the time to read.
PPS. I came 5th overall and 1st Lady and running a new female course record of 30 hours 52 mins.
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