Spectacular views of the Chiltern Hills surround me, but I'm too nervous to appreciate the beauty. Up ahead are about 70 people all looking prepared and like they've been here a hundred times before. My stomach is doing somersaults over and over again, I haven't been able to eat any breakfast and I'm running on adrenaline alone. Simple decisions seem complex, do I want water or not? I've drunk so much already, I need the loo for the hundredth time in the last ten minutes. I'm making half hearted attempts to warm up and look like I belong, the group of people start to shuffle closer together, I shuffle too, 3....2....1....GO!!!
It was October 2011 and I was running in my first ever race, a 5km single track trail run and 35 minutes later I finished with a feeling of complete elation. I'd done it, I'd competed and finished and what's more, I wasn't last. I was hooked.
February 2012 and I was running in my first half marathon along Brighton and Hove seafront. This was not only the longest, but it was also the biggest race I'd ever been in, thousands of runners and even more spectators. About eight miles into the race whilst running past Brighton Pier I was grateful and humbled by the huge crowds that had gathered. The energy that radiated from them was immense as they cheered, clapped and shouted messages of support. It was a real boost, complete strangers wanting me to do well and I was loving every second.
A few miles further and I was seriously hungry, my stomach was grumbling so loudly I was convinced it could be heard above the noise of the crowds. I'd been running for nearly two hours and hadn't really considered the fact that I should have taken gels or energy drinks with me. Packets of high energy foods littered the ground only serving to remind me of how inexperienced I was (and that runners are a messy lot). At this point where should the route take me, but past a pub who were obviously cooking up an amazing roast lunch for some spectators. Never mind running for two hours, the smell of those roast potatoes was torture. This was also the turning point in the race, with an empty stomach I had no energy left, I had three miles left to run and I was slowing fast. By the time I stumbled across the finish line I was a mess, I'd given everything I had to the race, I was shivering, cold and tearful but I'd completed my first ever half marathon. Except it wasn't a half marathon after all, the organisers had messed up and we actually ran an extra 0.3 of a mile. Evil bastards.
September 2012 and I was at a chemistry conference. During a break my phone beeped at the arrival of a text message. A slave to my phone, I dutifully checked the message, only to respond by shouting "oh my god" at the top of my voice and no doubt spoiling everyone's tea break. As I looked up, I realised my reaction hadn't gone unnoticed and people were now looking in my direction with a mixture of confusion and amusement on their faces. The text was from my sister, Emma, she had entered me into a 90 mile ultra marathon called the Toad Challenge. It was in two weeks time.
The Toad was a three day event along the Thames path starting in Oxford and finishing 92 miles later at Walton-on-Thames. As I waited for the gun to go off I felt sick with nerves. I had no idea if I could run 30 miles or if my body would recover enough overnight in order to run another 30 miles the next day, and the next. I was pleasantly surprised though, the human body is amazing and not only did I recover by each morning but I felt remarkably good at each start line. I also found that I ran stronger for longer each day which surprised me, but I wasn't going to question it, the quicker I finished, the quicker I could put my feet up with a nice cold can of coke. Where am I going to get one of those in the desert?
On the second night, my dad came to visit me. I introduced him to a few people and invariably Dad mentioned that I was running the Marathon des Sables, a subject which has caused more than a few grey hairs to appear on his head. Unfortunately Dad was in a room with 70 other people who shared my ambitions, about 50 of which would be running across the desert with me. He wasn't going to win any arguments here. Sorry Dad.
The whole weekend was a fantastic experience. I spent three days in the company of some amazing people, some elite athletes and some like me, who were just glad to finish. Rob, Joey, Malcolm and Hamish all deserve a mention. Rob and Malcolm especially for picking me up when I was struggling and keeping me entertained with lots of stories along the way. At every checkpoint I was met by Extreme Energy staff and volunteers who always had lots of smiles, cheers and oodles of positivity.
The running world really is an amazing place to be.
~
I'm running the MdS to support the British Heart Foundation. Please take a moment to visit my sponsorship page and donate whatever you can afford. Many, many thanks
www.justgiving.com/lauranicholls2013
It was October 2011 and I was running in my first ever race, a 5km single track trail run and 35 minutes later I finished with a feeling of complete elation. I'd done it, I'd competed and finished and what's more, I wasn't last. I was hooked.
February 2012 and I was running in my first half marathon along Brighton and Hove seafront. This was not only the longest, but it was also the biggest race I'd ever been in, thousands of runners and even more spectators. About eight miles into the race whilst running past Brighton Pier I was grateful and humbled by the huge crowds that had gathered. The energy that radiated from them was immense as they cheered, clapped and shouted messages of support. It was a real boost, complete strangers wanting me to do well and I was loving every second.
A few miles further and I was seriously hungry, my stomach was grumbling so loudly I was convinced it could be heard above the noise of the crowds. I'd been running for nearly two hours and hadn't really considered the fact that I should have taken gels or energy drinks with me. Packets of high energy foods littered the ground only serving to remind me of how inexperienced I was (and that runners are a messy lot). At this point where should the route take me, but past a pub who were obviously cooking up an amazing roast lunch for some spectators. Never mind running for two hours, the smell of those roast potatoes was torture. This was also the turning point in the race, with an empty stomach I had no energy left, I had three miles left to run and I was slowing fast. By the time I stumbled across the finish line I was a mess, I'd given everything I had to the race, I was shivering, cold and tearful but I'd completed my first ever half marathon. Except it wasn't a half marathon after all, the organisers had messed up and we actually ran an extra 0.3 of a mile. Evil bastards.
September 2012 and I was at a chemistry conference. During a break my phone beeped at the arrival of a text message. A slave to my phone, I dutifully checked the message, only to respond by shouting "oh my god" at the top of my voice and no doubt spoiling everyone's tea break. As I looked up, I realised my reaction hadn't gone unnoticed and people were now looking in my direction with a mixture of confusion and amusement on their faces. The text was from my sister, Emma, she had entered me into a 90 mile ultra marathon called the Toad Challenge. It was in two weeks time.
The Toad was a three day event along the Thames path starting in Oxford and finishing 92 miles later at Walton-on-Thames. As I waited for the gun to go off I felt sick with nerves. I had no idea if I could run 30 miles or if my body would recover enough overnight in order to run another 30 miles the next day, and the next. I was pleasantly surprised though, the human body is amazing and not only did I recover by each morning but I felt remarkably good at each start line. I also found that I ran stronger for longer each day which surprised me, but I wasn't going to question it, the quicker I finished, the quicker I could put my feet up with a nice cold can of coke. Where am I going to get one of those in the desert?
On the second night, my dad came to visit me. I introduced him to a few people and invariably Dad mentioned that I was running the Marathon des Sables, a subject which has caused more than a few grey hairs to appear on his head. Unfortunately Dad was in a room with 70 other people who shared my ambitions, about 50 of which would be running across the desert with me. He wasn't going to win any arguments here. Sorry Dad.
The whole weekend was a fantastic experience. I spent three days in the company of some amazing people, some elite athletes and some like me, who were just glad to finish. Rob, Joey, Malcolm and Hamish all deserve a mention. Rob and Malcolm especially for picking me up when I was struggling and keeping me entertained with lots of stories along the way. At every checkpoint I was met by Extreme Energy staff and volunteers who always had lots of smiles, cheers and oodles of positivity.
The running world really is an amazing place to be.
~
I'm running the MdS to support the British Heart Foundation. Please take a moment to visit my sponsorship page and donate whatever you can afford. Many, many thanks
www.justgiving.com/lauranicholls2013
No comments:
Post a Comment