Run Britannia, day six.. Greenfields farm to Bridgewater (56km)
Day five was ace, running with good friends in perfect English summer conditions was glorious. I had such a great day but unfortunately all that unraveled very quickly that afternoon just before dinner. I had overdosed on the protein drinks at the finish of stage five, or so I thought, and came down with a bad case of diarrhea as soon as I got back to the accommodation. After dinner I did my normal routine of preparing for the next day, stocking up on gels, hydration (including bix tablets https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/en-au) and a half an hour on the massage gun and human tecar massage spray. ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) As the night went on I started to feel a chill coming on and decided to call it early and scuttle off to bed. That night I think I probably spent more time in the toilet than in the bedroom which was difficult as I was sharing a three bedroom apartment with two toilets and five other runners.
Needless to say the next morning I was not at my best and after packing (we were moving accommodation that evening) I struggled back to bed feeling very ropey. Eventually I had to leave the comfort of my bed and staggered to the van that would take us to the day five finishing point to start our journey. As the image below shows I wasn’t looking great and knw I was in for a long day at the office.
Once we arrived at the start I knew I was in trouble. The conditions had changed from day five and we were faced with a very chilly, foggy morning and I was completely unprepared. As the group disembarked I was the last to leave the sanctuary of the van and was soon left behind as I had to make several unplanned toilet stops as my diarrhea had not gotten any better. With the fog engulfing me and the cold air going right through me I was not in a good place, add in the diarrhea and it was a perfect storm, I was in trouble.
As we moved off Exmoor the early morning fog disappeared and at least I could see my surroundings. The terrain didn’t make running fun though, lots of stones testing every step.
Coming off the moor we ran through a really cool forest with some great running but by this stage I was leapfrogging from toilet stop to toilet stop and constantly looking for places to answer the call of nature without the possibility of being seen. Around this time Andy Gray did catch me as I was in the prone position and he was backtracking as he was lost, a tad embarrassing for both parties. I explained the situation and he had some anti-diarrhea tablets which I gobbled down. It was good to see other runners and I latched on to the group albeit keeping my distance as I scuttled to yet another toilet stop.
There was some really good running off Exmoor and before the first aid station but all I could muster was a walk and a slow ‘death jog‘ at best. Saying that I was able to hold onto the last group and we came upon aid station one together. I was going to call it at this stage but a cup of tea with three sugars and the sun coming out persuaded me to continue. I felt like death but what other option was there really.
Eventually the sun came out and things warmed up and the trail just got better. Again I was dropped by the last group and walked more than I ran. I was going downhill fast but just had to keep moving forward. Unfortunately diarrhea was still a big issue and as I moved through towns and more densely populated areas it was becoming a real problem, for me and the general public.
Just after aid station one I came across a café and decided to get a Cappuccino that I had been promising myself for the last six days. It felt good to sit down in the sun and drink a coffee but this was a temporary reprieve, I was goosed and when I set off went backwards pretty fast. With aid station two coming up, around thirty kilometres into the stage, I ran though a small coastal town and on a whim decided to pick up a COVID test. In the back of my mind I always knew there was a chance I could catch COVID with the flight from Australia and I think I knew , deep down, I had it by this stage.
Not sure what beach this is but there’s a funny story attached to it. While running on the trail my diarrhea finally got the better of me and I was forced to scuttle off the trail and into the ocean to wash off my shorts. So here am I, shorts in hand, unbeknown to me two walkers right behind me. Needless to say both parties didn’t know where to look. Funny now, not so amusing at the time.
I made aid station two in last place and pulled out my COVID test which proved my diagnosis, positive. Devastated doesn’t get anywhere near what I felt. I rang my Wife in tears , my dream shattered, a broken man. Two things would stop me finishing, an injury of course and COVID. I was having such a good time and was living the runners dream, Run Britannia was everything I imaged it to be and more, and to have that taken from you was just gut wrenching, even now I find it hard to describe the feeling.
I had always said if I did catch COVID during the event I would pull out. I wasn’t prepared to risk possible long term physical damage trying to run an ultra a day while recovering from the virus. Recovering from any virus takes time and the strain on the heart , combined with my age, was a risk I was not prepared to take. It was the right decision to leave when I did and return home to recuperate, the right decision but it didn’t help.
Back in Oz I spent two weeks sleeping more than anything else. COVID drained me physically and I was mentally destroyed leaving Run Britannia early, not a happy chap truth be told. It took me over six weeks to even think about running and I cut myself off from family and friends , working from home but really just existing. What made it worse was I knew the event was ongoing and I cut all ties with social media , it was just too hard . Dark times indeed.
As the image below shows I was fairly inactive post Run Britannia, physically and mentally broken. Probably my longest time without running , bar injuries, in the last ten years. Dark times indeed. I also discovered how easy it is too put on weight, without really trying and am now learning how hard it is to shift it. !
The last seven or so weeks I’ve found my mojo and training has stated in earnest for the Feral Pig 100 miler in the first week of November. ( https://feralpigultra.com.au/ ) The best advice when you fall off a horse is get back on , this also rings true for ultra running albeit riding a horse in an ultra will probably get you disqualified ? Post Feral is my fourteenth 6 inch ultra start in December ( https://6inchtrailmarthon.com ) and then the Australia Day Ultra 100k late January ( https://australiadayultra.com/ ) before Delirious West 200 miler in February ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) , Light horse Ultra April ( https://lighthorseultra.com.au/ ) and Herdy’s Front yard in May. ( https://herdysfrontyard.com.au/ ) Looks like I’m well and truly back on the horse from a racing point of view.
So that’s it for Run Britannia, didn’t even finish the first week so very disappointed but had so much fun when I was there. Met some wonderful people who I regret not getting to know better in my short time but I always envisages five weeks of togetherness not less than one. The organisation was top class , thankyou James and his crew, and if you’re thinking about throwing your hat in the ring for this beast of an event I recommend you do. Will I go back ? I would love to but the cost and time away from the family is tough to justify two years in a row but never say never, if the dice rolls my way who knows?
Would I like to go back ? 100% yes, it was such an incredible adventure there is nothing I’d rather do but sometimes you’re dealt a hand and you just got to play it, this year I twisted when I should have stuck.
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
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About The Author
bigkevmatthews@gmail.com
A running tragic.