Distance: 53 miles
Height gain: ~2600m
Participants: ~2300
Food: 4 pieces of spiced orange bio cake, baked beans, peanut butter sandwitch, 2 little potatoes.
Drink: Water and two gel ISO sachets
Position: DNF at Doussards, ~27 miles (half way point)
Time: 7 hours
Despite the DNF, this is posably one of my most happy runs, I couldn’t (or didn’t) share my enthusiasm as with only 10 people from the UK I assumed no one would understand me (or want to listen) about how awesome if felt to be back running again after injury recovery (much thanks needs to be given to Jan Timms Pilates who after a month or 2 has made great in roads to improving/ fixing my posture). Actually it was my first injury in 10 years so no complaints, but it was so nice to be out on the trails, in the dark, in the middle of the night, fast hiking/ running up a moutain, with loads of snack food. It sounds cool just writing it, but photos are below, as usual.
The Maxi Race was kind of like the Chamonix 50 mile (though around 2 hours faster over the whole course for the average runner), some very simple trail, some rocky/ slippery/ all-over-the place trail that only runners from the Welsh Brecon Beacons could ever understand (cue a plug for awesome performances from Sammi Toop, Emma Bayliss, and Ray Morgan). I pulled out at 44k since I know the difference between my body finding it tough because it’s tough and finding it tough because my body’s not ready/ under prepared. A marathon it is then, with some great memories – 4 weeks until Chamonix Mont Blanc Marathon, which I can’t explain how excited I am, and I’m all incentivised and back in training now to absolutly. smash. it.
(some of the sunnier photos were taken the day before directly around the race route location)
