London2Brighton 2024: Being Overtrained
- Andy Hood
- May 31, 2024
- 11 min read
London2Brighton 2024
1 June 2024| Race Reports
Should you ever go back to something that was perfect. The memory can so easily be destroyed, robbing you of the enjoyment experienced first time round. It is possible for something to be too perfect and should never be revisited again.
2023’s London2Brighton 100K, run by the ever-enthusiastic Ultra Challenge gave me everything I was looking for in an ultra of that distance. A point-to-point route, weather warm, organisation superb, people friendly, other participants encouraging. I waxed lyrical about the run in my race report at the time. I have the same feeling about Mont-Blanc, my run around the mythical mountain in summer of 2023 was so perfect, I’d love to return and do it again, but would it be the same. I am wavering on this one and don’t be surprised if you see me posting from Chamonix again.
It was then with some hesitation that at 3:20am on Saturday 25th May 2024 I woke to my alarm, made a breakfast of porridge oats, Greek yoghurt, honey and a High5 gel. For I was off to Richmond to take on the 2024 London2Brighton 100K.
"100K Ultra-marathon"
London2Brighton is a 100K Ultra-marathon charting its way out of Richmond and finishing at the racecourse in Brighton. It is in its 12th year and is one of the many excellent ultras run by Action Challenge under the Ultra Challenge brand. The event is open to all, walkers, hikers, joggers and runners, with other distances also available across the 2-day event weekend.
That morning Richmond was bathed in a warm early morning sun, the day ahead looked promising, some 8 or 9 degrees cooler than the same day the year before, it was to be an almost perfect temperature. Mike was standing at the event ground entrance, registration opened at 6am, the time now 5:45. Mike had worked for Ultra Challenges for a while undertaking various roles including MC. I’d see him again later that day as he handed me my finishers tshirt at Brighton.
Dave Payne, resident Ultra Challenges MC is Mikes brother, their mum works at the events and their father will pick up participants who succumb to injury or illness whilst out on the course. I’d learn that many families work at the events, and it comes as little surprise you find an atmosphere of a large family that participants are welcomed into. These ultras have a very different, a very welcoming, friendly feel that many others don’t.
"I was over-trained"
I came into this run on tired legs, they had taken a beating on my 24 hour treadmill run at the end of January and were still complaining sometimes what I put them through that day. It was for charity and the pain worth it. I’d then subjected them to several 50K training runs, a trail run between Stonehenge and Avebury stone circle that was nearly another 50K, a 37-mile backyard ultra style training run and finally the 35 miles across London on the self-designed Doughnut Run London that saw me visiting 21 Kripsy Kreme doughnut stores. I’d was over-trained.
On exiting the bag drop my name rang out and I met two of the bubbliest and nicest ladies you could ever hope to meet, especially before you are about to run 100 kilometres across road and trail to Brighton. Emily & Niki were also talking on the challenge and had seen my posts in the Ultra Challenge Facebook group where I posted I was to run with a printed sign on my back with the names of those whose lives have been touched by cancer. I did the same in 2023, finding it emotional and motivational, so decided to do same again. I had dozens of names put forward, a very sobering thought when you stop to read them all.
Emily, Niki and I had some photos taken before we wished each other well and parted ways. I left them with a smile, it was a wonderful meeting and cemented why I do these events, it’s for the people you meet. Emily would make it all the way to Brighton, Niki sadly withdrew with an injury but had covered a significant proportion of the route.
"I knew I was in trouble"
My early miles were glorious, pace a little too hot but I was loving the fresh morning air, time just after 7am, and the ground level as it meandered alongside the Thames. I came alongside a runner, gave the usual hello and dropped my pace back to run with them for a while. Beth was in her early 20’s, just qualified as a nurse and was working at the Birmingham children’s cancer hospital. I’m not sure how many miles we spent running together but it was quite a few, we stopped at one of the aid stations and left together, talking all the way. It was only when my name was called from behind did I stop to walk with someone for a moment and Beth continued on her way. Stephanie had put forward a name I was carrying, and it was lovely to say hello.
The combination of chatting and the early miles where I was probably a little too quick out the block meant at around 40K I could already feel I was in a carb deficit and needed to think carefully about fuelling. Not long after I started running with Dan, we continued running together until the half-way point at Tullys Farm and 58K. I knew I was in a little trouble at this point.
Dan I’d chanced upon about 15K from the half-way stop at Tullys Farm, halfway this year was at 58K. When I met him, Dan was openly struggling, but our conversation was easy as we discussed running and life in general. He was a couple of weeks away from embarking on the 1000+ mile cycle journey of Lands’ End to John O’Groats (LEJOG) and our conversation easily flowed about choice of route and bike. Dan’s wife works for Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), one our sons has spent many years under the care of GOSH and I expressed my deep thanks to his wife for all she does at this life changing institution. We rolled into Tullys Farm the half-way point together and Dan said the last few miles had gone a lot better; the power of a good conversation taking the focus away from our immediate struggles.
It had been a great route, out of London on pavements, through a railway station, over the north downs, across fields and down quiet country lanes. Just before the windmill at Outwood I was greeted by a mum and her two daughters, I guess around 5 or 6 in age, handing out jelly babies and ice-cold cups of water. Lauren and Amelie were having the time of their life helping runners on their way, I greedily ate a jelly baby and rejoiced in a cup of ice-cold water as the day had become quite warm.
A massage at Tullys Farm
I found myself in a position of having to quickly evaluate where I was in terms of my body performance. My calves had cramped in the last few miles, lack of hydration and salts, my right IT band was giving me trouble, that a result of the pounding my body took on the 24-hour treadmill run where the same issue first occurred; and I knew I was in a carb deficit despite taking in my remaining gels leading up to the 58K mark. What was positive is I felt ok generally, had really enjoyed grabbing a photo at the 50K sign, that is always a huge motivator and that I felt the IT band was manageable.
I headed for a massage and was met with a professional massage therapist named Julian who worked at a local hospital, he worked wonders on my legs and after I was confident the IT band would be manageable. It was to give me trouble on and off for the rest of the run and I stopped often to stetch it out.
Michelle, Trek Master General was at Tullys, it is always wonderful to see her and see how we each are. Where else would you get such a warm welcome and a hug on an ultra.
Massage done, fluids and foods taken in, and shoes switched out from Clifton 9’s to Speedgoats; I was ready to take on the next half of the run and make my way to Brighton. The bag drop facility at these events is a lifeline, I can carry less in the first half, topping up my nutrition and stash items like my light in case I need that for running in the hours of dusk and a Twirl bar which acts as a serious motivator to get to the halfway point.
You leave Tullys through woodland, spending a little time on trail and across fields. There is still a significant amount of road on the second half, more than I remember and I started to question my shoe choice; should I have stayed in the Clifton 9. The day was warm, people happy and I kept chancing upon a group of ladies who would be there as you turned a corner holding up signs like ‘Embrace the Chafe’ and other such motivational words along with plenty of cheering. My regret is I didn’t stop and chat to them to find out whether they were supporting a particular person or had decided to spend their day along the course supporting us all. Whichever it was it was very appreciated.
Heading into the stop at Ardingly my right leg was tightening and the IT band playing up, I stretched and headed to the medics table to rub in some Deep Heat, and here is where the problem started. A generous helping of Deep Heat on my hands was massaged into my right leg, once applied I thought I’d have a pee before ensuring my water bottles were topped up and heading back out. Let me put it here for the record that you should, always should, wash your hands after using Deep Heat and especially before having a pee. What a sensation that was for the next few miles!
Mud became a feature for as the route navigated through woodland trails. Later in the day I expect the mud would become stickier and with rain forecast in the late evening and into the following day those walking the course over two days were going to be getting very muddy for a while. Still with Speedgoats on it was easy going.
Cows...they play a mean game
Stiles feature a lot in this section. As do very inquisitive cows and for some reason, only known to them, seem to gather around the stile at the opposite end of the field blocking your safe passage. I have a theory on this. And it all comes down to entertainment. Being a cow wandering around a field for hour after hour mustn’t be high on the orgasmatron of entertainment, so this style gathering is a way to pass the hours. Clearly there is a lookout, probably in a neighbouring field prior to the one you are about to enter, your spotted and the cow jumps into action, with what you think to be a cute ‘moooooo’ in fact a signal to the herd in the next field; time to spring into action and gather round the style. In a nonchalant manner they pretend to pay no attention to you as you make your way across the field considering your next move, do you go left or right, wave your arms about or ask them in a polite yet firm tone to move on. With meters to spare they part like the Red Sea leaving a clear passage to the stile and plenty of ‘deposits’ for you to navigate around as you do. And as you turn your back on them it’s high 5’s all round for the cows, another successful game of St Challenge played. When the end of days come it will be the cows running the country, mark my words.
88.5K. Plumpton creeps up very quickly, this is your last opportunity to refill and refuel before Brighton. The climb over the south downs is imminent, you see the downs as you run down the rutted track to the rest stop, appear liking a tsunami wave on the horizon.
My right leg was giving trouble, I took time to stretch and chat to a few people, some looking very tired by this time and digging deep to find the motivation to continue. 12K doesn’t sound a lot to the finish but it is when you have been running for hours and your body is tired. I left the rest stop and turned to go up and over the downs, my errors in fuelling had caught up with me and power in the body and legs was waning, this was the time to dig extremely deep. Since 80K I had broken down the remaining 20K into 5K chunks in my mind, and I was drawing strength from all the names on my back. Each time we passed a kilometre marker I put my hand back, touched the sign and told them we had completed another kilometre together.
The run off the downs is rutted trail, terrain I love, a high central section and two deep ruts either side, made by heavy tractors coming in and out the fields. I would usually run this fast, twisting this way and that to avoid the jagged rocks and deep gorges. Today I took it at an easier pace, getting to the finish was the priority, destroying my fragile right leg was not.
"...it's all downhill from here"
At Plumpton I overheard someone saying, ‘oh yes it’s all downhill once you come off the top of the downs’…..hummm memory serves that this is not the case and my memory was right. The run alongside the A27 for about 3K is a cruel uphill, Brighton Racecourse is on the top of the hill above Brighton! When you glimpse the racecourse in the distance it is a wonderful sight.
The last kilometre along the racecourse is definitely more than 1 kilometre, I remember thinking the same last year, it’s at least 5, quite possibly 10. As you turn the corner there ahead are the lights of the finish line, the cheers of supporters carrying in the still night air act as a beacon of motivation willing you to the finish line.
As I crossed the line, received a medal, saw Mike who was in charge of the tshirts and fizzy, I’d seen him that morning at Richmond as he manned the entry to the event ground, he smiled and said ‘well done Andy, that’s a great time’ – that meant a lot.
My strategy was way off, I had to dig deep on this 100, way deeper than on any other I have done. Too fast at the start, not enough carbs going in, I missed taking my salt tabs, fluid intake was not right, I noticed how much I was sweating at one point and this really brought it home that I was needed more fluid in. I made a mistake of not using my Precision Hydration 1000 electrolyte in the water, I saw the SiS at the rest stops and used that instead, Big Mistake… BIG MISTAKE. I know the golden rule of not trying something new on the day, I didn’t know how concentrated the mix was and expect this meant I was not taking in the electrolytes I need.
I know my body, I know what works on long runs and I went into this event on tired legs and I didn’t fuel right. Stupid mistakes.
I love these events, the people who run them, the other participants, the support from everyone on and off the course. The locals cheering you on, providing jelly babies and water, the ladies holding the signs. It has a feeling like no other and that will keep me coming back for more. For me these events are all about the people.
And despite all the mistakes and the right leg, that still is giving me trouble, I ran this quicker than last year.
Footnote
I like to write a personal thank you to everyone who trusted a name to me. Your name, a family or friends name, I carried them all with honour and pride as I ran to Brighton. I never forget they are there, on my backpack, I talk to them often, drawing inspiration and strength. Many people along the way had seen the posts in the group Facebook page and I’d hear ‘there’s the guy running with all the names’, and I’d often stop and chat. I was asked questions about them, telling the story would always draw emotion.
Thank you
Andy
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