I wasn't looking forward to Ashby 20. But the thing is; every runner I know, locally, seems to have done Ashby 20. They have the hoody and rave about the cheese cob. It sells out in hours too. So when the registration opened, I entered. I didn't do any training for 20 miles in the months and weeks before the race, I just stuck to my usual training of weekly intervals and runs of around 10k.
So as the race day approached I started to feel very under prepared, I've done 2 marathons before, but one of these was 4 laps of a 10k obstacle course, so not a huge amount of running, and the other was marathon du medoc, which was more drinking than actual running. So I don't really have the endurance for this distance.
I had no idea what pace to try and maintain, especially as I don't train or set paces or distances in miles. I only work in kilometres. So I sat with a calculator and worked out its about 32k, and thought if I can manage 5 min kilometres, that's 3 x 50 minute 10k runs back to back, which is should be OK. So with this, I set my self the target of 2h41m,
Once arriving at Ashby it all very easy to park up, and get ready for the race. I wasn't sure about feed / water stations so I opted to wear a race vest with a bottle of energy drink and some snack bars stashed in the pockets. Turns out there was plenty of water / feed stations and my pack was a complete waste of time.
As the race started I was pretty far back, which I was happy with, as I didn't want to get caught up,and rush off too fast. The first mile or so was great, chatted with old friends and new friends as the huge melee of runners found their pace and position in the opening stage. After the first mile I was happy turning my legs over at roughly 5 minute kilometres which was spot on for my desired pace. I caught up with a few Team Derby Runner team mates and enquired if any of them had seen Hicky.
Hicky is a great runner and a similar speed to me, although he has way more endurance and experience with longer races, so when I heard he was aiming for 2h45m I though I could find him, sit on his shoulder and use him to pace my race. So I picked up my pace a little and went on the hunt for Hicky.
I caught up with Janine, another TDR runner, at maybe around mile 8 or 9, and we had a friendly chat and carried on with my hunt for Hicky, At around the half way point I was still feeling fairly strong and good, and reached the 10 mile mark at just over 1h20. This was OK, I was still on target.
At about mile 12 I was desperate for a pee, and nipped into to the bush to take care of business, as I rejoined the race, I saw Janine catching up with me, and promptly got back up to speed and continued my hunt for Hicky. Although catching Hicky is now looking very unlikely as i'm only managing to maintain my pace and not increase at all now.
At mile 15 things start to go down hill rapidily. my hip flexors start to hurt, my feet are getting sore, and I have armpit chaffing! ARMPIT chaffing! since when is that a thing! Not long after passing the 15 mile marker Janine appears at my shoulder, and is still very cheery, My mood isn't cheery anymore, and there isn't much time to tell Janine all my woes and pains, as she drifts on past looking very strong indeed.
I try to keep Janine in my sights, but at every single mile marker on the final 5 miles something new hurts, and legs get that little bit heavier. The crowds and marshals are incredible, encouraging every step of the way. But it doesn't make life any easier. The hills are just so hard now, I start to walk on one of the hills, but kick my self back into gear after only a few metres. Telling my self I can rest at the end.
I plod on and soon enough I'm at mile 19, and it's a fairly grim up hill run towards the end of the race. I try to just keep plodding on. I'm slowly loosing places as the wheels have just completely fallen off now. The final 800m of the race follows a lovely downhill path followed my a flat loop of the event village before the finish line. I couldn't pick up the pace for the descent and continued to loose places to people who had something left in their tank. But I managed to pick up the pace slightly look strong for the run around the edge of the event village and finally over the line.
I go and collect my finishers hoody, and goody bag before sitting on the grass, taking my trainers off and chilling out and chatting to fellow runners about the usual crap runners talk about. I then wonder back to the finish line to see if I can spot my sister finishing. After watching Sheena come over the line, I spot Janine sitting on the bank and wonder over to congratulate her.
This is one of the best things about running! The great people you meet and those moments when someones face is full of smugness, and they great you with 'A'right Andy, how you doin'?'' and then you sit and share stories and laugh at the mini battles you have on the race course.
Oh and Hicky! Hicky smashed it. He came in at around 2h30! I came in at around 2h47, so i'm bloody glad I didn't see him at the start of the race otherwise I would have blown up a lot earlier on, trying to keep pace with that! and would have probably have had to walk the final few miles!
Once arriving at Ashby it all very easy to park up, and get ready for the race. I wasn't sure about feed / water stations so I opted to wear a race vest with a bottle of energy drink and some snack bars stashed in the pockets. Turns out there was plenty of water / feed stations and my pack was a complete waste of time.
As the race started I was pretty far back, which I was happy with, as I didn't want to get caught up,and rush off too fast. The first mile or so was great, chatted with old friends and new friends as the huge melee of runners found their pace and position in the opening stage. After the first mile I was happy turning my legs over at roughly 5 minute kilometres which was spot on for my desired pace. I caught up with a few Team Derby Runner team mates and enquired if any of them had seen Hicky.
Hicky is a great runner and a similar speed to me, although he has way more endurance and experience with longer races, so when I heard he was aiming for 2h45m I though I could find him, sit on his shoulder and use him to pace my race. So I picked up my pace a little and went on the hunt for Hicky.
I caught up with Janine, another TDR runner, at maybe around mile 8 or 9, and we had a friendly chat and carried on with my hunt for Hicky, At around the half way point I was still feeling fairly strong and good, and reached the 10 mile mark at just over 1h20. This was OK, I was still on target.
At about mile 12 I was desperate for a pee, and nipped into to the bush to take care of business, as I rejoined the race, I saw Janine catching up with me, and promptly got back up to speed and continued my hunt for Hicky. Although catching Hicky is now looking very unlikely as i'm only managing to maintain my pace and not increase at all now.
At mile 15 things start to go down hill rapidily. my hip flexors start to hurt, my feet are getting sore, and I have armpit chaffing! ARMPIT chaffing! since when is that a thing! Not long after passing the 15 mile marker Janine appears at my shoulder, and is still very cheery, My mood isn't cheery anymore, and there isn't much time to tell Janine all my woes and pains, as she drifts on past looking very strong indeed.
I try to keep Janine in my sights, but at every single mile marker on the final 5 miles something new hurts, and legs get that little bit heavier. The crowds and marshals are incredible, encouraging every step of the way. But it doesn't make life any easier. The hills are just so hard now, I start to walk on one of the hills, but kick my self back into gear after only a few metres. Telling my self I can rest at the end.
I plod on and soon enough I'm at mile 19, and it's a fairly grim up hill run towards the end of the race. I try to just keep plodding on. I'm slowly loosing places as the wheels have just completely fallen off now. The final 800m of the race follows a lovely downhill path followed my a flat loop of the event village before the finish line. I couldn't pick up the pace for the descent and continued to loose places to people who had something left in their tank. But I managed to pick up the pace slightly look strong for the run around the edge of the event village and finally over the line.
I go and collect my finishers hoody, and goody bag before sitting on the grass, taking my trainers off and chilling out and chatting to fellow runners about the usual crap runners talk about. I then wonder back to the finish line to see if I can spot my sister finishing. After watching Sheena come over the line, I spot Janine sitting on the bank and wonder over to congratulate her.
This is one of the best things about running! The great people you meet and those moments when someones face is full of smugness, and they great you with 'A'right Andy, how you doin'?'' and then you sit and share stories and laugh at the mini battles you have on the race course.
Oh and Hicky! Hicky smashed it. He came in at around 2h30! I came in at around 2h47, so i'm bloody glad I didn't see him at the start of the race otherwise I would have blown up a lot earlier on, trying to keep pace with that! and would have probably have had to walk the final few miles!
