What motivates a runner to go longer and longer?
Every runner has his/her goals for running. Some have the qualification to certain races as a target, others look for PBs after PBs in marathons and a good number, and that number is increasing, look to test their limits in all possible ways; running longer and along not so easy routes…
When I signed up for Ooty Ultra (April 7, 2019) 60km, I was aware of the challenges of elevation… But, I was looking to go one step further as an ultra runner; going from 56km to 60km…
Ooty is a place located at the Nilgiri mountains, along western ghats of South India… A place known for tea gardens and also a popular tourist place!
I had been preparing for this run for weeks before landing in Ooty… I did everything right in training – hill repetitions, long weekend runs, getting the gel intake right, setting a pace plan for the elevation… This year’s was the second edition and looking at the last year’s winning pace of 7:30min/km, I knew that it was not easy but I was confident I could get a sub-8hr finish!!!
Well, when we are up against the hills, we don’t get to decide the finish time, I learned that the hard way!!! Yeah, I couldn’t finish strong!!!
As usual, I started my day with a cup of coffee 3 hours before the race. A peanut butter sandwich 2 hours before the run, a banana one hour before the run followed by 100 ml or pre-run energy drink. I was planning to grab rest from the aid stations.
There were 3 major elevations:
The run started out good. I could comfortably go over the first hill, come down comfortably as well. The second hill was towards the halfway mark where we had to take the U-turn.
I had made my first mistake from the first aid station itself by skipping it… from the second aid station onwards I was grabbing just electrolyte and grr… watermelon(!!!) when they had so many options from dates to sandwiches… When you are running an ultra marathon in the heat, in the hills, those are not something you should skip…
Though I as having gels, water and energy drinks from time to time, it started hitting me; that I was out of fuel, from the 24th km when I started the ascent… I did a combo of walk/run there…
When I reached halfway, I had the option to eat something. But, silly me wanted to save time and took off after drinks. By, 34km, I realised I am out and I felt my BP coming down. My BP is generally low and if I skip a meal, it generally affects me. Unlike a full marathon where the weather conditions are perfect and you just race to finish within 4 hours, in an ultramarathon, you are on foot longer. So, you need fuel on time.
For me, by then it was too late to recover. My body wouldn’t accept any food and I had to rely on the fluid and salt cap intakes, which was not enough.
By the time I reached the last hill, I had nothing left and it was just 48 km covered and 12more to go… I walked, stopped, sat by the roadside and finished in 8:48 hrs… I started out to finish within 8 hrs!!!
I was consoled later by everyone that we all will have that one race… yes, that was mine… the race that taught me a lot of lessons!
I was disappointed. I was distraught… But, I was proud of the fact that I resisted the temptation of a DNF! And I was rewarded by the best finisher medal I’ve received so far!
Eat, Run, Live, Sleep, Repeat 
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