Saltmarsh 75 day 1

The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to travel on foot, 75 miles of Britain's most unique coastline.  Claiming the title of the longest section of uninhabited coastline, and with a maximum elevation gain of 15 metres, this was a unique challenge.  2 days to complete it, with time limits on each day.

Well, as someone who has never run an ultra marathon before, I chose this one as my first, as I didn't really see the point in doing one marginally over marathon distance, but doing 50 miles in one day seemed a bit much... Therefore 75 miles over two days seemed the easier option (how naive).  Nonetheless, I accepted the challenge, and I promised myself that the only thing that would stop me running was injury.

The day before was spent with nervous but excited preparation- how much food would I need? Would I get sick of flapjacks? Did I have enough hydration tablets, would I be able to carry enough, and would the beef hula hoops squash down enough without crumbling?

The next morning I awoke with excitement of the challenge ahead.  We were giving Kevin, RD of the Stour Valley Marathon:  http://www.stourvalleymarathon.co.uk a lift to the start, and we would be meeting @mia79gbr there.  Given her enthusiasm at the SVM I was sure she would be there hours in advance.

There was promise of incredible organisation whereby you could send various things to whichever checkpoint you wanted and if you left your tent, it would be put up for you.  I decided it was too complicated to figure this out and instead packed a back that David was to bring to me at each CP after CP3, about marathon distance on day 1.  

Here's the full route map:

After registering and going back to the car to change, it was almost no time before the race briefing.  Obviously we had all been checking the weather forecast and knew we were due rain and wind from around lunchtime, which meant it would hit during that long section, stage 3, "Burnham-on-Crouch to Othona Community, Bradwell-on-Sea (13.3 miles)

The big one! Described by Robert MacFarland in his award winning book, Britain’s Wild Places, as ‘…the darkest, loneliest place in Essex’, this 17 mile stretch is as hostile and remote as it is unique and noteworthy." (Saltmarsh75.co.uk)

Day one had 6 sections, of varying lengths, one was as short as 3.5 miles but then the long one, was actually 13.6 miles, so longer than a Half marathon.  Thinking tactically this would best be done by having a pause each 2 CPs except the long one, however some misjudgement on my part meant I was wearing a bit too much for the warmth we experienced early on the Saturday, so had to remove a layer, that included the faff of removing my ultra vest too.  I had been promised that the CPs would be so full of food I virtually didn't need to bring my own, however, a fair comparison with either Stour Valley Marathon or Bacchus marathon, both of which I completed earlier this year, found them sorely lacking. I wondered whether it was just CP1 since it was so early on, and was hopeful for some fruit options and more variety of snacks as we moved through the day.

Me at CP1 still wearing too much kit- that pink top comes off soon.

Cp 1 was just after 5 miles in, and Sarah and I were already overtaking people.  The terrain was nice and easy here and the sky was big and blue.  I was naively thinking there was no way we were going to get that rain that was forecast when it was so beautiful like this.

We carried on and section two was where we met the sea wall.  This would become very familiar terrain by the end of the two days.  It had been mown, and was far easier to run than when I had recce'd parts of the route in May.  Stage two was from north Fambridge to Royal Corrinthian's yacht club in Burnham on Crouch.  8.7 miles.  We still ran this entire section, other than taking small breaks to take on food, and we still passed several walkers.  I had been feeling a bit under the weather in the few days leading up to this event, and I was quite worried during stage 2 as I seemed to be hotter than usual for a gentle jog through the countryside.  But I reasoned with myself that at 14 miles and the next CP it would be quite clear if I were actually too ill to continue.

Arriving at CP2 we really took our time here.  Sarah taped up her feet, and I adjusted my shoes having picked up a tiny rock at some point- I really need some gaiters.  The next section was more than a half marathon and we knew it was going to be tough, so we decided on using a run walk strategy, of 12 miles run, 3 miles walk.  This worked really well, and we were happily eating up the miles until the midway point where the Dengie100 runners had a water drop- I really appreciated this- their gazebo was like a mirage in the distance, not so much because we needed the water, but because the area really was that remote.

The wind was starting to pick up, as you can see in my hair:

But we were still smiling, and I was still hopefull that the rain wouldn't come until CP3, or even not at all. Not long after the water drop, we started to feel wet stuff coming out of the sky.  We decided to put our rain coats on, even though we were in a running section, and thank goodness, as the heavens opened moments later.  It was really really wet, and windy, and cold and soggy, and I started to find the walk sections really tough as I was cooling down too quickly.  

The wind and rain was relentless, and I just wanted to get to the next checkpoint- I wasn't caring much for the walking breaks, but Sarah made sure we were sensible so we could last the entire day, and day 2.

After what seemed like forever, two figures emerged from the darkness running in the opposite direction- oh no, we hadn't gotten lost had we?  As they got closer, I recognised them- Rob and Lorraine whom I'd done the 30 mile run to Harwich with, and who are also the current Guiness World record holders for the fastest 5k dressed as a pantomime camel.  It was wonderful to see them.  They had said they were coming to see me, but I had no idea where.  They helped run us about a kilometre into Checkpoint 3 in the wind and rain, saving us from having to get the instructions out.  Seeing them, and then seeing David, with Elephant at the checkpoint gave me a major boost!  This was the 27 mile point and there were only about 11 miles left to complete the day.  Nonetheless, the running conditions were horrible, and I needed a sit down and a salty snack before continueing.

In my mind this was the point which meant I would be able to finish today.  I had never run more than 30 miles at once, but that didn't matter- I didn't feel like I couldn't do 11.

Section 4 was just 3.3 miles.  Both Sarah and I though we would run this, but the storm picked up again, and I had to get an extra layer on.  Running into the wind was just a bit too much, and we did have a few walking breaks, including as we passed the decommissioned Bradwell power station.  We came off the sea wall for some shelter, and walked.  There was mud, and beyond we had to get back on the sea wall, but this mud was ridiculous.  It didn't just stick to the trail shoes between the lugs, but it stuck to itself... And then stuck to itself some more.  I must have gained 3 or 4 inches in height.  After such a long tough section, Sarah and I were in fits of giggles and this provided from much needed relief from what had been an incredibly mentally tough run.

Mud shoes- weight training in the middle of an ultra.

We arrived at CP4 in a considerably better mood than CP 3, after the fun of the mud.  I think the marshals thought we were crazy and I was mentally telling myself to shut up at my psychobabble- I was speaking like you do when you've had a few to drink in the early hours of the morning to someone who hasn't been drinking and indeed you've just woken up by crashing into some furniture... Red and black jelly babies! Wow! THEY'RE my FAVOuRiTE!!!!

CP 4-5 was 4.35 miles to St Lawrence, but I honestly cannot remember anything that happened.  Clearly the trauma of the previous 10 miles had erased my memory, but at least I can tell you that this run marked me crossing the marker for the furthest I'd ever run, which had previously been (only) 30 miles.

The rain picked up again, and by CP5 it was looking really dark, despite being the middle of the afternoon.

David was at cP5 waiting in the limited shelter.  We were really cold and wet and a little bit shivery, but nonetheless I was incredibly surprised to be asked if we were going to continue, especially as it was only another 3 miles to the end of day 1.  Still, I didn't give it a second thought then.  Of course we were continuing.  David asked us if we wanted fish and chips!  I didn't think fish would help, but the thought of hot salty vinegary chips in 3 miles time was amazing.  This was a part I had run before, so I expected to know the way, but with sea wall closures due to last year's storms, it wasn't as simple as that, plus, we had to go inland for the campsite.  Basically it was a left turn, along a road to cross a hidden style- the instructions gave the impression this style was immediate, but it was actually a very long way along the road- probably 3/4 of a mile.  We eventually found it then it was a few more styles to cross and fields, and then through a wooded area with some beautiful fairly lights, and yes, the finish of day 1.

We did it in 7:59, but wait, this was a village hall, not a pub?  But it seemed like there was food and David and chips.   Post run meal of baked beans on toast, chips, tea, then coffee, and then we realised how cold we were.

Someone gave us some space blankets, and I took off as many wet cloths as I could and wore David's jumper.  Sarah's shivering was concerning me, so we got to our car, and put the heaters on so she didn't go into shock.  Despite the incredible organisation of this event, somehow her tent and kit had become separated from one another.  After a few minutes, Sarah warmed up again and went on another search for her things, I helped David put the tent up as much as I could, then had a brief sports massage, before an uncomfortably cold shower, and then meeting David in the pub for dinner.

I chose Lasagne, and was surprised to be asked whether I wanted rice, chips or a jacket potato with that.   It's lasagne, isn't that enough on its own?  Anyway, I asked for chips, and had a cider, which after discovering a dead spider in it, having already drunk some was replaced with another cider.

After we had eaten, Sarah and I both crashed out, and needed to go to bed- it must have been about 9:30- I asked the pub for some milk and water to make up my nighttime recovery drink, and headed to the bathroom to get into my pyjamas and brush my teeth.

It was already quite cold so I slept in my hoody and with socks on, but it was barely a sleep, as I needed the toilet from very soon after getting into the tent, but was far too lazy to get up and go. . . 

To be continued...