LLCR …. If nothings going right..turn left !!!
LLCR …. If nothings going right..turn left !!!
Well, where do I start on this one?
Lost my running mojo.....tick
Lost my confidence.....tick
Lost the plot....tick, tick, tick
I turned up to this race like a car in limp mode due to no oil....my head gasket had gone!!! The reason I turned up...? Well I had completed 2 and in my head I could not let go of the fact I would lose out on that special slam memento for all 3 races ....you all know the one !! Plus for the first time on the canals I would have buddy runners and they had travelled from near Oxford just to run with me for only a few miles.
So I knew I only had to get this one done and if I had to walk it...that was ok, but also knew in my heart that I would run as far as I could and then succumb to the shuffle.
I registered on the Friday evening along with quite a few others...it seemed I wasn't the only one having concerns about this last one...apart from the amazing James Bennett, who still felt good (even though he had done quite a few 100 milers since KACR) and Matthew Ma who felt really good too!!
My canal hero Roz was there too and gave me a little key chain with laminated notes on to help with directions and hopefully stop me getting lost.
Got back to the hotel and fell asleep pretty much straight away only to be woke up by thunder and lightning and to boot it was absolutely peesing it down (not auto correct just trying not to offend lol). Great...I hate thunder, I'm not gonna lie I am scared of it...not sure why...always have been. Nodded back off as soon as I counted over 10 between the lightning and the thunder claps.
Alarm went off at 5am and I looked out of the window and yep...still peesing down ( I know you are all saying that word with an Italian accent). Got myself ready and put my waterproof on...got out the door and it stopped....yay !! Headed to the start line , waterproof off but not packed away...stood with James waiting for that canal race start parpppp....and we're off.
Good to run with James at the start, gave us a chance to thank him again for his company on the KACR and to catch up. A very young man named Danny joined us and all 3 of us chatted for a while...James mentioned he had to gain almost 2 hours on Matthew to take the canalslam title...and off he went like an absolute machine.
Dick at the start of the race did mention that this would be the first year that there was no diversions so kind of felt at ease with the route on my watch and Danny was fairly local so knew where to go...Check point 1....lovely happy crew there...these people are amazing.. giving their time up for a bunch of crazy runners . I had lots of hugs on this one ...only a quick stop as knew I needed to run for as long as I could or the fatigue would kick in sooner. Between CP1 and CP2 it was raining again so put my waterproof on and decided to keep it on as the weather pointed to on off rain all day ....I will point out that I hate feeling like a boil in the bag but also knew that this race I would be walking a lot so needed to keep my body temperature up as wet and walking the chills can soon kick in. Got to check point 2....more heroes...all with hugs to share and some banter of course....also advised that all I could smell was dog poop...there was loads on the canal path!!! It wasn't me...honest !
Left CP2 to come across a slight diversion...lovely police officers sent us in the right direction but Danny and I questioned ourselves as canal was pointing in a different way ...ran a little bit further until my watch bleeped to say that we were on course....phew...panic over. It got quite warm so jacket off but not packed away...just in case...So looking out for my crew (hubby) at mile 30 so I could grab some food and update as to how I was feeling...good at this point but knew the wheels could still fall off this ole car. Hubby not there, I think I was a little ahead of schedule so decided to carry on and catch him in a few miles or so. no sign of him so checked my phone , he was asking where I was...advised about mile 40 and just make his way to mile 50 ish...he replied too late I'm at mile 70 !!!! To say I was savage was an understatement...so advised I would be 70 miles with no food (fuel) and my watch battery would have died by then so would get lost...no reply for a while so assumed he was heading to 50..got a few miles from the 50 mile point and he replied he's at 70 miles and not moving...and I only had to follow the canal path...shouldn't be too hard !!!!
Arrived at the next CP and didn't feel too great but got my hugs and banter...also vented quite a bit about crew drama....they told me to channel that anger lol...so I did...had a banana and cracked on. I had 15 miles to go until I get to hubby and hopefully a buddy runner...about mile 66 ish I'd totally ran out of fuel in my body...I started to feel faint and could not run...to top this we ran into a massive storm, thunder, lightning and a mahoosive downpour...jacket on keeping dry...Danny had ran on...absolutely storming it....quite a new and young runner...doing a fantastic job. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse...my watch died...doh!!!
Finally got to CP at the 70 mile mark, hubby and buddy runner at the ready along with some heavily buttered and jammed rolls...ooh and chocolate for on the go....to say I ate them quicker than a toddler eating sweeties is an understatement..
I had the shakes...At this point I wanted to quit as really felt that I could not have turned this around but thanks to Lisa Darling and all of Maurice Price's crew for keeping my chin up and of course for my buddy runner Richard...gonna run 10-15 miles with me...for giving me some of his enthusiasm and positivity. Plugged watch into power bank (this is very important) head torch at the ready...fully loaded with what I need for the next 10 miles.
A quick Hi and a few hugs and thank you to the CP heroes we were off....Danny was gonna catch us up as quite cold. It was really good to have a buddy runner...
Rich is a massive bundle of positive and fun energy...by this point we were doing a bit of a run walk. Got to mile 85 ish met our crew and Rich decided to stay for another 5 miles as he was quite enjoying himself !! Danny caught up with us but alas I think this Check point would be the last we saw of him.
On we trotted for another few miles...Rich's 10-15 miles had turned into 30 ...I honestly can say without this cheerful human being I would not of made it through those 30 miles...he even got me singing...ok it was only 10 green bottles but hey the songs did get better...honest !! Next up Charlotte was taking over "get Chelle through this" duties....Charlottes plan was 5k and to see how she felt as has been injured...5k done...Charlotte feeling good so asked if ok to meet me at the last check point and run the last 12 miles with me.....amazing...I felt quite emotional.
It was a good feeling running on my own knowing that in about another 15 miles I would once again be running with someone. It was also quite scary as at this point the canal was very dark with what looked like forest either side,,,there was no light in sight and I felt quite vulnerable. Suddenly I seen a torch light ahead and felt a sense of relief as though it must be another runner, until the person turned my way and suddenly jumped in the wooded area to hide but unfortunately it was a steep bank and all I could hear was the snapping of branches and a lot of effing and jeffing ...the cracking stop and I could hear the person start to scramble up the bank ...thats it...I'm off running as much as I could for about a mile as I thought this person may chase me. Praying for light the miles to the finish seemed really close now as I could turn off my head torch...got to the final checkpoint...hugs and banter , Charlotte at the ready and we were off for the last 12 miles....whoop whoop.
Now believe it or not , those last 12 miles felt as long as the last 100 or so miles...I had to keep stopping as could not keep my eyes open...I knew I had to as pointless going for a "Maurice" at this late stage...soldiered on , enjoying the company of Charlotte , who was really my absolute rock at this hard point. We passed a few cyclists...had a good moan about a few as one nearly knocked me over and didn't even apologise. Reality finally kicked in how close I was to the finish when a few passers by and runners out on their Sunday run kept saying well done and almost there...probably questioning my sanity a bit. It finally dawned on me that I've got this...with bells on. Finally , we could see the finish...I felt quite emotional but held it in just so I could try to sprint finish...and I ran, ran like I was being chased (probably by the guy that went down the embankment)...I made it, into the arms of the amazing Dick again for my final hug of the canal slam.
....I think one of the first things I asked was who had won the mans canal slam...It was James....I am so pleased for him as he absolutely bossed this whole slam, whilst unselfishly helping others along the way....so well deserved . But...I was also gutted to hear Matthew had to pull out along with Danny...both of these guys are amazing runners , Danny has a good ultra future ahead of him...keep it up Danny!!!
Race completed, canal slam done, got my milk urn and medal, now off home with a 5 hour drive and hopefully in home on time to get showered before
heading to work for 7pm start night shift...phew!!!
P.S
I came 1st female and 4th overall on this race
PPS
I came 1st female in the canal slam and 2nd overall
PPPS
Chuffed as I now have a pair of milk urns !!
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