Now I have ran 50k*: Ho - Ho - Ho

After doing Run The Line in November, listening to the David Goggins book and being a little annoyed at how the body broke down in the last 10k of the marathon in October, I signed up to the lottery for the Art O’Neill Challenge and told myself that if I got it, I’d be doing a 50k run before Christmas.

No, I didn’t get it. But, felt hypocritical telling people to stay on track throughout December while also balancing with catch-ups, food, drink etc.

So I set this morning in the diary at the start of the month to mentally prepare for it.

Ah yes, the asterisk on the 50k. 50k straight with no hype, no race, no support, was gonna be rough.

But if I could do my usual 10-mile route three times at a slower pace, have a 3-5 min break every 16k (so time in the pic is not total time), that could be more manageable, right?

The first two 10 miles were ok. Because I was mentally prepared each time I got back to the house that I wasn’t done yet, I was able to keep going. I paced myself well on the first two 10 milers. Going at what I felt was a comfortable pace to keep running all day. I knew a wall was coming. And I knew coming back to the house after the second 10 miles, that it was coming soon.

I had done the first 10 miles with no breaks. After 5 minutes to get some water, Lucozade and Nutri-Grain bars in, I was back out again. On the second 10 miles, I was feeling good but I forced myself to stop after the halfway point when I was turning back on myself. I needed to make sure I wouldn’t burn myself out.

After the second 10 miles and a bit, it was back for more water (although I carried water in the bag with me, Lucozade and another Nutri-Grain bar… and I could resist two packets of King that were staring at me. Hey, it’s Christmas week, calories don’t count!

I could only laugh leaving the house as I went on the last 10 miles run because a) I was about to break the mental barrier and do a 50k and b) I knew this was gonna hurt!

And it did! I made it halfway again without stopping. At halfway, I ate another Nutri-Grain bar. I should point out by now that I only ate these because I find them easy to eat and would much rather this than a banana as I have to force them down…

I was forced to stop a few times on the way back and walk the steeper hills but I knew I would finish. I got back to the house and was greeted with thunderous applause… from my chickens who needed to be fed. And back into the house, I went. No big celebration. No other cheers. But still, very content that I had built on my mental toughness to push through the marathon barrier and enter ultra-marathon territory.

To be honest, it is probably best I didn’t get Art O’Neill because I’m not ready for it… yet! The recovery process, sue to my slower pace was actually very quick. That night was spent on the couch and, on Christmas week, it was no surprise what film (or 5 films 😜) I watched

#LetsGoGetEmAgain