My first ultra

50 miles or 80 kilometres is a long way to run/walk.

I never doubted heading into the day that I wouldn’t finish. That confidence comes from years of training and racing. While I believe that more people are capable of completing an ultra than they realize, it still requires doing enough work so that it’s a positive experience.

What I didn’t know was how I would feel on the day, or how I would feel now days later. I was a rookie again - and that’s important in life. (I was ‘sore’ as the race progressed and immediately after. And while ‘tired’ by the effort, I feel far better than I have after a lot of shorter races.)

Training for the Whistler 50 wasn’t what I would consider conventional.

As a triathlete, an Ironman, I’m a very structured athlete. I like the structure. It helps motivate and direct my training and it’s a reflection of who I am. I easily buy into the program.

Less than a month ago I ran the Victoria marathon and I had trained hard for that and ran well. It was an A race for me. I put in a very solid 10 weeks of training for it. Not everything went smoothly on the day but that’s OK.

Racing also should be spontaneous. It’s how I got into triathlon. I’d get a call, from a crazy paddling mate, on a Thursday night and I’d be entered into a race on Saturday.

And so I answered the call of the Whistler 50, making the decision to enter less than a month ago and knowing that I would be taking most of the past four weeks off for recovery. Thanks to Margreet for encouraging me to accept the challenge.

After Victoria, I took two weeks off training. I didn’t swim, spin or run. I had a few walks with Luka but otherwise nothing.

And then, in the 10 days before Whistler, I went for four easy, half hour efforts.

Was I insane?

Apparently not.

My objective wasn’t to be competitive. If it was we would have been in Whistler to run the course in training. We would have taken it easy in Victoria or not raced there.

But every race isn’t meant to be raced. Sometimes a more relaxed approach is the best.

The Whistler 50 was a superb event.

Was it tough? At times, yes.

I made some mistakes and paid the price: hydration and nutrition. No one is immune to making simple mistakes. I know better. I should have been more self-sufficient - at least the initial three hours. That’s constructive criticism for me.

Because my nutrition was poor, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I ended up taking a turn when I shouldn’t have and tacked on a bonus kilometre or two or 20! At least 20, now that I think about it!!

And I walked a bit too much between 45km and 60km - again, because my nutrition was poor, I wasn’t able to keep my mind on the task at hand.

I was able to recover for the fourth lap, in terms of where my focus was and convinced myself to run, albeit slowly, for most of the final 20kms. Ah, sugar and caffeine.

It was great to share my first ultra with Margreet and our friend Dessie, who had made this his A race, traveled half way around the world for it and who now has added a new chapter to his four decades of running.

Will I race another ultra? Without a doubt.

As Robert Frost wrote in his 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening' poem:

"And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."