My Lockdown Challenge – 6 Reservoirs

My Lockdown Challenge – 6 Reservoirs It is a 100km circular route starting at Meldon Reservoir, travelling to a further 5 reservoirs (Fernworthy, Vennford, Avon, Burrator and Wheal Jewell) on Dartmoor and returning to Meldon. Phase 1 – Meldon to Fernworthy The route I chose for this section with hindsight was a poor choice given I would do this section at night and if visibility was poor would require a compass as there are no features to follow. However, I chose a nearly full moon weekend but alas the mist. Perhaps a better choice would be to cross Yes Tor and pick up the trail to Quintin’s Man from Hangingstone. But that felt like a lot of elevation. I was joined by Rob Hicks and Elliot Hails and we followed the Meldon reservoir to the source then along the West Okement river to Kneeset Nose. Elliot returned and I continued with Rob. Upon climbing to Great Kneeset it was very misty, extremely wet and boggy with long grass, holes and probably a whole host of other things that were best left in the darkness. I had previously recced this route so needed the compass to follow a bearing that found my way to the track joining Quintin’s Man to Whitehorse. Rob left me at this point, and I continued. From there it was an easy run over Sittaford Tor, through Fernworthy forest to the dam where I had earlier that evening hidden some drinks. I was behind 40mins, but I put that down to the struggle in the wetland where the West Okement, Taw and the East Dart river head begin. What motivates me? I do these runs because I can. It takes me away from the competitiveness and the desire to win or chase a time. Age has a lot to do with it, because my mind wants to win and beat people who are much faster, younger fitter and capable runners but I just can’t do that. So, by doing events where the competitiveness is to complete, then the competition is against myself. Hence these are very mentally challenging challenges. The body and mind are very complex but amazing things. They often send conflicting messages to the brain, “legs ache….”, “Ignore the pain and keep going….”. The resulting outcome therefore becomes your individual battle with yourself. Of course you have to maintain the physical capability to keep moving, but the ability to manage the aches, pains, the strong desire to stop, all messages your body is sending to the brain because it knows you are causing damage but your will-power, strength of character, continually overules it. This process remains true whether you are running 5km, sprinting 100m, 10km, Marathon or any distance. The process remains the same. The effort however to keep moving becomes more of a mental challenge than a physical one. Those of you who have run marathons will begin to understand the changes that occur in the body once you have reached exhaustion. This typically is around 20 miles. You “hit the wall”. This is effectively where you have used all your energy stores and the body is trying to get energy from protein in the muscles which is effectively “killing the host” so you have an overwhelming desire to stop. Your energy store is empty, so it seems, but in reality, it is not. You have loads of fat stores which the human body no longer accesses due to changes in diet. So, once your body learns to access that store then you get a second wind. This can be called “fat burn”, or “Ketosis”. Phase 2 – Fernworthy to Vennford I have only ever crossed Chagford Common at night and never found a good path across. I must go in daylight just to prove to myself that there is a path. On this occasion I couldn’t stay on it. Found myself trudging through the brambles for what seemed ages before stumbling upon the B3213, between Two Bridges and Moretonhampstead. Through Soussons Down and around Yar Tor, which was covered in head high ferns this time of years but the going under foot was good. Across the bridge at Dartmeet, along the valley below Combestone Tor before arriving at Vennford. More dropped drinks, a change of socks and shirt. Plus, a welcome cup of tea provided by a fellow running club member Paul Evison. How do I prepare? Preparation on the physical side is essential, you can’t simply choose to run ultra-distances without conditioning. You will cause injury. I ran my first marathon in 2017 and ran my first 100 mile within 12 months because I continued to increase my distances through the year, keep the miles in your legs and learn to rest. Preparation for a first event can take a long time, but once you have done one then you can maintain it. For me, my last 100km was September 2019, I rested for several weeks only venturing out for short steady runs. 2-3months following I would pick up the distance over the moor but would rarely go beyond 30k. Speed work is good for strengthening and if you have time some gym work. The fuelling is the most important thing for me. It can be so wrong, and it can be perfect, and you really don’t necessarily understand why. There are lots of strategies, lots of advice but you need to find one that works for you. The only way to do this is try different things. I tend to become nauseous at about 30km, so during my training runs I try different foods and drinks to see if I can get to 30km without feeling ill. Even when you think you have found a solution you try it another day and it didn’t work. Some people are lucky, and it never happens to them, others no matter what you try it happens all the time. Prior to events, about 7 days before the challenge I remove all carbohydrates from my diet, my body “hits the wall” once all the energy stores appear depleted, then it finds the fat burn. This takes about 72hrs. The more often you do this the quicker it happens. It’s like oiling a rusty switch. Then you know when it occurs during your challenge it doesn’t overwhelm you and cause you to prematurely give in. Then 48hrs before the event I reintroduce carbs. I don’t overdo it but just make sure they are “clean” carbs. This week I have eaten prawns, fruit, and pasta. Mostly normal food but just a little focused on fresh food. Pasties and pies are out! The hours leading up to the challenge will have a rice meal all washed down with lots of water. Maybe 2-3 litres during the day. Phase 3 – Vennford to Avon Dam This was probably the easiest section. It starts from the road on the Vennford, steady climb through Holne, Scorriton then pick up the Abbot’s Way at Cross Furze. Paul ran a short distance along the road with me and returned. The Abbot’s Way to the Avon Dam is a lovely meadowed route before joining the moor. The sun was up, the sky was blue, and the morning light made the vista stunning. Such a beautiful place to stand and look. What are my coping mechanisms? Coping with the challenge can be a daunting experience, especially if you run at night. My first experience running at night was having nightmare type thoughts of being attacked by some mad axeman. Therefore, it is important you train at night as you do overcome these fears once you realise that there are no mad axemen hiding on the hollows on Dartmoor. Then there is the pain, you can dull that with painkillers. I never run more than 30km without taking pain killers. Some might say “that can’t be good”, and I might agree but by dulling the aches and pains really help overcome the mental challenge of trying to keep moving, if you had aches screaming at you it makes it very tiring mentally as the effort to put that out of your mind is tough, it’s just something less to think about. So, the painkiller just helps. If you are injured, then you just won’t be able to continue. If that happens there is no shame. No one will criticise you, but you criticise yourself. Well don’t! I sing, shout, talk and cry. Sometimes within minutes of each other. The experience can be incredible. The highs and lows are amazing, perhaps not at the time but afterwards. I set myself milestones, break down the distance into smaller and smaller parts. I might start with 10km milestones, they later become 5km, then 1km then even smaller. Give yourself achievable milestones as achieving those milestones really helps. Towards the end, it might be “climb that hill…”, “get to that tree…”, “take 10 steps…”. Anything helps you get closer and closer to the end. Each step you take gets you closer to the end. As the end nears then I start to visualise me crossing the finish, the exultation, the joy. I stop, perhaps fall over or lie on the floor, then I go completely numb. There is nothing, then like an express train the pain arrives in waves, the sores, the chaffing the muscles, everything starts to scream at you like you have never felt before. Then you sleep like a baby, wanting to sleep for days, but you don’t. You wake up and it hurts, but the pain will pass yet the experience will remain with you forever.

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