After the euphoria of Brighton 3 weeks ago, preparations were complete for my final half of the spring season in the Forest of Dean. This provided a welcome break from the past few races as it was taking place in my adopted county of Gloucestershire...albeit on the other side of the River Severn, but even so, a modest 40 minute drive from home.
Having research this event, it struck me as having great tradition and respect within the region and running fraternity, so I eagerly awaited the challenges that this trail race (my first, having always entered road races in towns and cities) would bring. I was fully aware that I was going to be out of my comfort zone and wasn’t sure of road shoes would be appropriate, but hey, let’s give it a go! Given the reviews and blogs on social media, I was expecting a fairly tough ride and looking at the course profile didn’t anticipate as quick a run as I’d enjoyed at the previously flatter Brighton and Oxford Halfs. Even so, I was hoping to run well and post a decent time before moving onto the ‘10K season’ in late spring/early summer.
Training hadn’t gone that well leading upto the race. Cut a long story short, but I started to experience some of the symptoms of the glandular fever I’d been diagnosed with about 4-5 years ago (headaches, fatigue, dizzy spells), which was my catalyst to start running funnily enough. I also (stupidly) ran a tougher than planned 7 miler down in Exmouth along the South West Coast Path last Sunday the morning after a family wedding. Add a severe migraine into the mix on Wednesday, and the last thing I wanted to do was race at the weekend.
Fast forward to race day and the weather forecasted windy conditions (15-18 mph – although not nearly as bad as some of the reports I’d seen from other halfs in the south this weekend; particularly on the coast – Hastings looked horrendous!) and temperatures of around 10-13 degrees.
I’d driven up to Speech House Field (where the race village was situated) the afternoon before with my daughter to pick up my race number (built-in chip) with the organizers saying that they anticipated around 2,300 runners on the day. There was extensive parking areas for the participants which meant that the bag drop wasn’t really necessary (unless you were getting dropped off) as your car was literally parked metres from the starting pens.
There were a reasonable number of toilet cubicles, mixed, men’s, ladies and urinals, which are always well-received, given that the queues were fairly long around 20 minutes prior to the 10am start.
The race village was small, but had stalls selling running equipment and clothing and the general charity and sponsors areas that you expect at these events. There was food and drink available and also a free massage service for runners to use after the race.
By 9.55am the field was pretty much in place with nervous bodies bouncing up and down and limbering- up to try and stave off the bitterly cold wind that was biting at exposed arms and legs.
Despite going to the toilet 3 times in the half hour leading up the start time, I was bursting to go again (nerves, I guessed), but rather than nipping into the wooded area alongside the road (as many people were doing) I set off as the gun fired hoping the sensation would soon wear off.
The first mile was on a pretty flat road, which allowed me to get nicely warmed up before entering the forest and the properly beginning my first trail experience. I ran this fairly quickly (7.35) and then descended sharply for the best part of a mile into the depths of the woodland, effectively reaching ‘river level’. Despite trying my best efforts to hold back, I ran a 7.24, which I hadn’t wanted to do, knowing that greater challenges were ahead of me and wishing to conserve as much energy as possible. I could hear people laughing and joking around me that this was so easy and that it was going to be a breeze, but as obvious as it may sound, the farther you go down, the higher the climb back up! Mile 3 flattened out, allowing me to appreciate the stunning and picturesque scenery as the route took us along the River Wye, which reminded me of a something out of the movie, Deliverance. Fortunately there were no piggy’s to be seen… The field had spread out along the pathway by now into single file and I slowly overtook runners, ensuring, however, not to over-do it and get carried away myself.
The first real climb was at around 4.5 miles and it was a steep dog-leg that rose to the right and turned a sharp left before, after about a quarter of a mile, levelling out again . This was a tough introduction to trail running and my lungs were bursting at the top knowing that I still had 9 miles to run. My legs (even early on) were feeling a little lethargic, but I hadn’t given it too much thought and assumed they’d loosen up as the race progressed.
The sun was starting to break through the heavy cloud cover and the temperature began to warm up (an advantage of running through a forest is that you’re largely protected from the wind) and I started to regret wearing a base-layer, but wasn’t as unprepared as some, who were literally stopping and stripping off on the path or in the bushes to the side (ladies preserving their modesty!).
As I hit 6 miles I was bang-on a 1.45, which I was pleased with since I knew it was a challenging course. I hadn’t set a target time as I thought there would be no chance in running a 1.43 on this course, but I was hoping to go sub 1.46, so with the other two big hills, I figured that I could achieve this if all went to plan.
I quickly realized that this wasn’t going to happen when, at around 6.25 miles after taking on a gel, I got a migraine. Disaster! (To be fair, I’d seen plenty of warning signs over the past week that indicated that I wasn’t in the healthiest of conditions. Maybe the heavy legs had been a sign). My vision went in seconds and I began to heat-up with a cold sweat uncomfortably forming around my chest. I figured that there was nothing I could do other than finish or stop (not an option), so I kept going. The timing was awful as I had to immediately take on a tough, seemingly endless hill that loomed around the next corner, when all I wanted to do was stop. I really struggled on the climb, wobbling from side to side, head-ache getting worse, until I finally reached the top to be greeted by a marshal wearing a kind of wolf mask, that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the famous 70’s movie, The Wicker Man! Random, but something to take my mind off the pain and make me smile.
Being honest, I don’t remember much about the next 3 miles. I got my head down and tried to focus on the job in hand…finishing! It was fairly flat, with a few lumps and bumps, but I was devoid of energy, and the effort I was having to put in just to keep going was draining me.
By about 9.5 miles, my vision had started to come back and I felt like I was getting a second wind. I think closing-in on 10 miles psychologically raised my spirits, and despite the headache and lack of stability in my legs, I tried to up the tempo. Whereas people had been running past me for the last few miles, I was now keeping up with them.
After a nice little downhill section, my mile splits had come down to around 8.10’s and I knew I only had a few more miles to go.
The final hill presented itself at around 11.5 miles. As I climbed it I started to get weird tingling feelings in my hands and a pain in my shoulder. I actually thought I was going to faint. Jesus, was I having a stroke? I can’t. I’ve got a medal to collect! The next mile was undulating but I knew that I was nearly home and still trying my best to keep the tempo up, despite there being nothing in my legs. The frustrating thing was that I wasn’t in the ‘red zone’ and felt fairly comfortable…I just had nothing left to give. The migraine had wiped me out.
After a slight incline, I saw off the last half a mile and leaving the forest, entered the race village for the last 100 yards. I could see the clock and realized that if I put one last ditch effort in, I might run sub 1.48. Collapsing at the finish line (and still bursting for the loo!) I was delighted to see that I’d run 1.47.26.
Despite the migraine and the ‘lost 3 miles’, I’d still finished (as I later found out) in the top 22%. Perhaps I’ll run this again in the future and see what I can really do on a healthy day.
It was evident that it is a fairly serious race on the annual calendar and a good course to get some strength into the legs for the spring marathons. There was an abundance of running club vests, representation of social running groups, tri clubs and Iron Man tattoo’s to let me know that I was in good company. I really need to get a logo on my running tops to feel part of the crowd! The Lone Strider!
The medal was decent and the support along the home straight fantastic. It was a really well-organised and friendly event, and the marshals did an amazing job directing and assisting the runners out in the forest in some fairly rural parts. There were also pockets of supporters out on the course who really helped me through the tough miles. Even on the last steep hill, there were individuals perched on the side encouraging us as we completed the final climb of the race. They’ll never know how much that helped me!
There is also a Forest of Dean Autumn trail race in October, which I believe takes a different route, so that would be worth considering if you like the off-road events. I have every confidence that it will be just as well organised too.
I still feel groggy, and in no condition to run right now (plus my quads are killing me (24 hours later) which highlights what a tough course it was) and given that wife has banned me from running for a week in order to get myself better, it’s given me ample time to research and plan more halfs and races to enter later in the year!
(written 20/03/17)