Time: ~6h55mins
Distance: ~28.5miles (~24/25 mile run, 3/4 mile hike)
Well, the long training run for the Devil race didn't quite work out as I'd hoped yesterday...I had hoped to do 35miles (depending on how much time I had) but the accident to my toe the other day had me thinking it may be more like 30miles. The toe was not sore to walk on but was sore to touch and still sore to move manually. I saw the Doctor about something else on Thursday morning and asked her about my toe. She told me I shouldn't really run on it as it will take 10-14 days to heal, but said I probably wouldn't make it any worse if I did run on it.
I should have probably taken her advice.
Anyway. Friday morning I woke up at 5.30am, lay in bed until 5.45am then got up and had porridge. I was tired but really looking forward to getting out. Took my time getting my stuff together, packing the new bumbag (which holds loads!) etc and left the house at about 7.15am.
As soon as I started running my toe started hurting. That should have been my first sign, though I just readjusted the way I was running (putting more weight on the inside of my foot) and that seemed to be ok. It was still sore but in retrospect I was basically limping less than a mile into the run.
To Beech Tree was uneventful. I was taking advice from John Kynaston and eating what I could (normally just a few cashew nuts or a chewy sweetie) every 30 mins. In retrospect I really should have put more thought into what/when I was eating!! It started raining just before I got to the Beech Tree and the clouds were so low in the sky. My jacket isn't really very waterproof and by the time I got to Drymen I was soaked. It had stopped raining but my wee toe was really quite sore.
I realised that, probably due to the fact that I'd altered my running style, I was doing something weird with my toes when I ran. Instead of just heel striking then moving off as normal, just as my toes hit the ground I would scrunch them (which was agony on my wee toe when it hit the ground). I don't know why I was doing it, but it was so annoying! The pain got so bad I had to stop and walk for a couple hundred metres.
Onto Conic Hill I realised that it was the downhills which were hurting the most (obviously because my toe was being pushed into the front of my shoe) so I walked the downhills and ran the uphills and flats. Maybe not the best "ultra" running strategy but it was working ok. Walked really fast up Conic Hill which was pretty much like a gorge. My feet were sodding wet though the sun was out, so I took the opportunity to eat a sandwich.
When I got to the flat I ran again but was stopped at the otherside. It was sooo slippy and boggy. There were people strewen all over the hill, obviously evaluating the best way down. I jogged down but had to stop and walk at points. Plus trying really hard not to run faster and keep my foot towards the back of my shoe all culminated in my quads being agony by the time I got to the bottom. I also slipped onto my backside half way down and bruised my butt cheek quite badly.
So by the time I got to the car park I had gone from having a sore toe to a) thrashed quads, b) a very painful a*se, c) an even sorer toe, d) some lower shin pain from running downhill with scrunched up toes.
Oh the joys. At this point I had to reassess my plan. The idea had been to go to Inversnaid but to be honest I don't think there was any way I could have made it in a decent time. I could have walked, as walking wasn't hurting my toe whatsoever, but my friend was coming to pick me up so I couldn't ask him to get me too late. I stopped at the Oak Tree to fill up my water and then kept on running towards Rowardennan. My friend said he would leave then to get me from Row, only he got lost and mistook Balloch for Balmaha (he lives in Lancaster and hasn't driven much in Glasgow) so ended up being quite a bit later than expected.
I left Balmaha at about 11.45am (which I felt was pretty good timing! ... just over 22miles in 4h30 plus stops??) and ran/hobbled into the forest, past the houses but that was really the last point I ran. After that I just hiked as fast as I could. My quads were really sore and going downhill was a struggle so I did run the downhills and some of the flats.
My friend drove to Row for 1.20pm, parked, and ran back about 3k where he met me. He was shocked at how hilly the path was, he's never run on the WHW before!! The two of us then just walked briskly to Row where we got a baked potato and a well-earned (but fairly nasty tasting) cup of tea. We went a wee walk to the "Stargate" after that but I was cold so we headed back to the car. Took the opportunity to stop at the *amazing* tearoom in Gartness for a strawberry tart and another cuppa on the way home (mmmmm!) as well.
So, all in all? The day did not go as I had planned. It worries me slightly that I have not run farther than 28/29 miles before the Devil race. That extra 13/14 miles could be a killer. BUT...then again, what's the worst that can happen - I walk a large chunk of it? I KNOW I am physically capable of doing the mileage and to be honest I will just be SOOO glad and proud to finish it! (Given that I can!!) Plus I will have someone running with me at a few points (that's allowed, right?) so that will hopefully keep my spirits high.
On the other hand, I know that I could have kept going yesterday if I hadn't ran so stupidly for the first part, hurt my quads so much and my toe didn't hurt so much. I.e. if I didn't have the toe injury yesterday I know I could have kept on going to Inversnaid, and probably Bienglas too (though probably walking that rocky part). My legs are agony today but again that's because I put so much stress on my quads yesterday, I know it. Hopefully it's at least helping me build strong muscles!!
The plan now?
Let my toe heal! Doc says 10-14 days. It's not sore walking today but is swollen so I will not run until next weekend (earliest) unless is feels ok. Will swim a lot this week and do some cross training. And eat lots. And generally be merry (o:
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