Baslow Boot Bash 2014, not quite what was meant to be.

So it was a funny day today. The long and short of it was that I had naive expectations for this run and actually became entirely broken and deflated by the end and for the rest of the day. What a funny game this marathoning is. As soon as I think I have it worked out and I feel I understand my body I find the complete opposite to be true. If every run was like today then I would give the shoes a wash down and stick them on 'the bay'. But they're not, I've had some amazing runs and experiences along the way that more than balance out the poorer performance. Its hard not to question why this and why that and overanalyze things in pursuit of trying to work things out.

This process can be amazingly constructive and has definitely lead to improvements in performance but can also be detrimental. One such occasion was today when comfortably in the lead at 30k it started to get tough, really tough. Questions start, thoughts start and performance drops and by 35k I had been caught. The nail in the coffin of a long process that had started probably earlier in the week. I walked from there. It was a long walk and actually despite walking I actually took a shortcut to the finish and came up 3k short.

In the 2013 race I had an amazing race, new to long distance running and only 6 weeks into training I rocked up and won by 29 minutes finishing just 8 minutes outside the quickest time on the course. Now I know that might sound impressive but this is not your commonal garden race and the emphasis is on the completion rather than the competition. It also doesn't attract the whippets and that is what is charming about it. It's a low key good value, quality walk/run that uses trails that are straight out of the top drawer of the White Peak. In fact this is typical White Peak country apart from the busyness of some of the more touristy sections. I remain privileged to be able to attend such events as a 'fast walker' and so we 'fast walkers' all need to ensure that we remain relaxed and respectful of these events for the future. There are voices within the LDWA that are calling for runners to not be allowed to take part and I, as a member of the LDWA, think that this would be ashame. I feel that a balance can always be struck. More conversation on this subject is obviously beyond this piece but may feature in another posting. Back to the day.

So last year I had done alright, but this year I was stronger with better endurance. Last year I was rested in the lead up and was hungry, whereas this year I had done 2 marathons in the heat last weekend, had broken sleep with the new edition, got frustrated with a broken washing machine all week and spent the entire day before cleaning and then oiling the decking. None of that was relevant though the race was one. That course record was there for the taking as I knew the route and the ground was fairly dry. It wasn't an entirely serious thought but it was one that lingered. Seems a bit daft writing it down really. What do they say: 'You can take the idiot out of the competition, but you can't take the competition out of the idiot'.

I couldn't decide on shoes for the route either as I knew some bits were going to be hard metalled tracks, some steep loose descents and some grassy field crossing. I opted for the grippy road shoes and used the current favourite the Nike Icarus although I think I would have preferred the NB101's today. So after registration I went over to check the route and met a lovely lady called Wona. We chatted about previous runs and the small route changes shown on the map and then headed of to the start. She was quite keen to show off her Hoka's along the way, they had already been spotted! One word: Marmite. I had forgotten my camera so a start photo was taken, we parted company and I headed off to the start line and arrived just as the starter said 30 seconds to go. Nothing like cutting it fine, so a quick strip of my under T shirt as it was warming up and press find on the GPS and we were off! Oops, I'll just finish packing whilst I'm running. After about 20 yards the watch found the satellites and we were off.

The start was quick, a little too quick and before long there was a string of 5 people in front that were mostly out of sight before we had even left Chatsworth Park. I settled into a nice steady pace and on catching the 5th placed chap I chatted and ran with him to CP1. I then pulled away from him and gained on the 3 ahead that were starting to intermittently run together. Last year on going over a little narrow bridge crossing the River Wye by Haddon Hall I clowted my knee on one of the metal posts so keen not to repeat the process I tiptoed gingerly across this year. Then starts the long climb up to CP2 in Over Haddon and Sheldon beyond. Following the pre-race instructions I avoided Deep Dale and headed North and straight down to White Stones and Monsal Dale, following the river until hopping up onto the Monsal Trail. By this point I had opened up a decent gap on the other 3 which I held through the next 2 CP's. Dropping into Foolow and over the next few k's I started to really struggle and then climbing the big hill out Eyam I found I had no energy. Descending past the big bull to cross the B6001 just hurt and by the CP at Froggatt Bridge I had been caught by the next runner. That was that, my run was over and all I could do was walk back, and on getting back to the A623 I took a sneaky bee line for the finish directly in Baslow and retired myself from the event. I was on for completing it in about 4:10, some 22 minutes slower than last year, when I stopped running.

On sitting round the table at the finish with the first 3 runners to complete the course, I was disheartened about not finishing and whether I should have just kept running. The fact is I tried, maybe not hard enough, but I tried and I have to stand by the decision I made at that time. After all I don't want to end up in the Northern General! Its been a long last 2 weeks and reflecting on it whilst writing this I have concluded that thats good enough for me. Time to move on and focus on the next challenge.

I should be doing one of the Dig Deep Races this weekend, but they're a bit overpriced so will come up with another plan, possible something with the Solstice in mind. Good luck to Wona who is racing the 30 milers and I look forward to catching up with you at many of the same races later on this year. The following weekend we're off to Bishops Castle for the Tandem Triathlon and racing with Pete, should be a good bit of fun although I am daunted by the prospect of running a very hilly offroad marathon after being on a Tandem for a hilly cycle. Time to find my cycling stuff.