The Walking Dead

12:01 pm Sunday 26th June 2016 and Victoria Park Belfast has been taken over by zombies. These previously healthy and mentally stable human beings had not been bitten by some unknown pathogen but rather had picked up the Ultra running bug. The last 24 hours had proved to me that Ultra Running is a tough sport especially once you go into races that go over 12 Hours. There is a huge difference between a 24 Hour race and a 50K, even though both are called Ultra Marathons the difference is like 100M and a marathon. One could apply if you want to win an ultra run 50K if you want to experience one do a 24 Hour. From the evidence presented to me over the previous 24 hours I am currently have no intention of ever doing one but stranger things have happened.

Injured or Getting Injured

Runners have two states you are injured and can’t run or getting injured because you can. Currently I fall in to the first which is why I was on the other side of the fence this weekend. One of the few weekends I have free over the year allowed me to be in a position to crew for that Friendly Austrian Runner Thomas Bubendorfer in the Energia 24 Hour race in Belfast. Arrived in Belfast and Mrs Google landed me at the wrong gate locked, issue with my Simm and no data to try a get to the correct entrance. Luckily a friendly Taxi Driver guided me in. Never got to thank him but he did go out of his way. Couldn’t park as there was a parkrun on so had to abandon the car. Got in and found Thomas eventually. After his recent Head Shave for his Sister in Law so I didn’t recognise him at first. Went through his nutrition plan which was give me something every 2-3 laps and mix it up between sweet and savoury. Also the instruction with regard to his pain pills was to refuse and tell him to HTFU the first time he looked for them.

Thomas Race from the sideline

Thomas along with other runners were moving along at a very easy pace early on and he was sticking to eating something every second or third lap with water on all laps. The first 4 hours where very casual but It got hot in the afternoon, water was been rationed from the athletes table, but I was still managing to make sure he had enough. Everything was going to plan until shortly after 6, Thomas started to not be able to take solids and very quickly arrived at the table barely able to stand up, distressed and looking for sugar. Quickly got a gel into him with some jelly babies. Shortly after this he looked for his pain pills he was duly told to HTFU. This normally quite reserved person was a little more demanding a few laps later. Clearly he was suffering. At this point I was starting to worry as it was very early in the race to be running into issues. Luckily Valerie arrived at 9 reviewed his nutrition up to that point. Thomas had taken too much on so there after he was on a diet of melon the odd gel and coke. Well watered down coke but he wasn’t told this. So we started a good cop bad cop routine on Thomas. He complained to me which probably helped him let of some steam or whatever but obeyed Valerie instructions without even a hint of dissent. I went to bed for a few hours and got back at 2 AM to see he was in a much better place. Shortly after bad cop went to bed he started to struggle around 4 AM, walked maybe 2 or 3 laps. Tried to get him running again “11 minute miles will get you 207K” His reply is unprintable.  Valerie got up at six, Thomas complained to her that the last few miles had been hell her answer was at least you did them and he was sent on his way again. A few laps later he stopped stomach problems again “Don’t know if its hunger or a stomach cramp ?”  While I was scratching my head, Valerie suggests a nice cup of tea. I went to bed for another few hours knowing he was in very capable hands.
The sound of an aircraft taking off lifted me in the tent around 8:30.  Thomas was back running and running his best since 12 hours earlier.  He continued in this vein until the end of the race making up 5 or 6 places to finish just over 207Km. I would love to have seen his lap splits and I would dare say the last 4 hours would have been his best. It was honour and as Valerie put it to crew for a real Ultra Runner. I can safely say that had Valerie not turned up when she did Thomas may very well have fallen before the 12 hour mark and that both myself and Thomas learnt a lot from her.

The other Races

The one advantage to having to crew was I was getting to spectate on the race as well. Situated with the crews for Sean, Brenda, Derek, Katherine, Alex and Aidan it was good mix. Also knew quite a few of the runners in all races so able to give them a shout out. First few hours everyone is moving along nicely with the exception of Billy and some Dutch guy looking to break a world record for his age in the 100K. He was flying and in the end did posting 7:07 amazing running when you consider the Irish record is only a few minutes faster and this guy was shoving 60. The race was progressing nicely and a lot of people where worried about Alex O’Shea and Aidan Hogan early pace. Keith Whyte started slowly but hit a bad patch in around 3 o’clock. He got through it to take the lead around the 50 mile mark. This did last long as he soon had to pull out. I haven’t spoke with him since so I don’t know what the issue was. We also lost Thomas Kilmas, Ger Copeland and Brian Ankers early so he was in good company. Brenda and Seans efforts in the Comrades meant they both retired early as well As with these races things really don’t get going until 18 hours into the race. This was true in both the ladies and men’s race. Alex had started to drop back but at least not at an alarming rate. Eoin had caught and passed Aidan but was having to work to keep him at bay. The every reliable Eddie Gallen was showing us all that age doesn’t matter. Both Thomas and Don made up a lot of ground on the field as well in the later stages with Don just finishing a bit up the road. In the ladies race the winner was well ahead but Katherine Guthrie swept through the field to take second spot. What was notable on her run was she kept pace with Eddie for several laps in the later end of the race. Of course Finn with her sense of humour every time she passed us picked up a very credible 3rd Spot. I didn’t take much notice to the relay race but it was a close and by all accounts a cracking affair in the end between the Mayflies and Clonmel AC. Overall a record number of runners passed both the 200K and 100 Mile mark for the race. This tells its own story. A lot of runners complained about the surface and it was an unforgiving concrete base with a dash thrown over it. There was also a noticeable camber towards the lake on the far side. In saying this it’s not an ideal surface but it was the same for everyone.

Performance of the day

Everyone agrees and was probably surprised that the performance of the day was Aidan Hogan run coming very close to the A standard in his first outing. Should we have been surprised? No, his coach/mentor and crew was none other than Jan Uzik a previous winner of this race on his debut in 2014. Proving once again if you want to excel at the pointy end of these races you need a very experienced crew in your corner. However my vote for performance of the Day goes to Maryse O’Connor and Lindsey Guthrie, They kept 3 or 4 crews feed and watered over the course of the 24 Hours. They crewed the crews and did a very good job of it.