After crossing the finish line everyone got a medal, a bottle of water, a very welcome sachet of Powerade, and a small bottle of deoderant Sankra Casino (!). So focused were we on keeping John moving that I miscounted the last few laps and we very happy to finish with 219km and a fourth position. He had run 318 laps of the track, had gone to the toilet 5 times, sat down twice to change gear but had only walked one of the laps. Ross, determined not to let her advantage get any smaller, manages 25 laps, to total 139.1 miles and looks like victory is secure. Wykes covers 24 laps, just under 10km, to reach 136.7 miles.
Karen (GB 24 hour international Karen Hathaway) was just outstanding and I was so grateful for all her experience” For hour after hour, all the runners in their own way have had to summon up something almost beyond physical capacity, as they strive to achieve their respective goals. Indeed she is actually lapping the track faster than anyone. Wykes, like many of the other runners, seems galvanized that there is now under an hour to go and looks the stronger of the two.
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Ross, and the other runners were no doubt having similar feelings, but relentlessly she, Wykes and Heffron were circling the track, edging closer to that 100mile mark. Here are Geoff’s respective times and distances for 2013 and 2014. The hooter duly sounds and shattered runners come to a standstill, all relieved they can now finally stop. Whereas, most running events are the classic set distance like 800m or a marathon, and completed in a certain variable time, in this case the time is set, and the distance is the variable result.
Previous races
It certainly wasn’t hard to feel inspired as this course has to be the most perfect marathon course in the world. What with two infections, an upset back and stress at work, I arrived in New York with a maximum of 7 miles achieved on any single run. Even then I had to be very careful, sticking to short runs a couple of times a week.
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It was an amazing and emotional feeling to be on the track as the final siren sounded and 26 competitors stopped dead on their feet. Not only were we looking at a possible 3rd place finish, but 215 km was a near definite and 220km a distinct possibility. Up to this point it was not about the other runners at all, we monitored and measured their pace and observed their routines purely out of passing interest. Well not completely, but he certainly helped.
Training tips
- After four successful crossings, Sri Chinmoy again called and this time told Karteek that he should swim the Channel three more times!
- The idea kept gnawing away at me until I felt that I should, in Sri Chinmoy’s words, “dare to try” – for the experience if nothing else!
- On the first day, I was sick and this continued for much of the first week; as a result, I had to recalibrate my timescale.
- There were times when – even though Karteek was always swimming forwards and towards France due to the tide and the curvature of the coastline, he was actually moving further away from the shore.
- Similar gains were made in health, with the immunisation of millions of children, and education in a country which had had over 90% illiteracy.
- In a brilliantly effective anti-congestion move there were four waves of starts at four different times.
However, I came to realise that although these were difficult experiences, they were not the hardest thing to overcome. Self-transcendence in the ultra-running world took the form of multi-day races which over time would increase in length from 6-day to 10-day, 700 miles to 1000 miles and then 1300 miles. I felt a real sense of achievement because I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to complete it. Of course it did get more and more difficult, but we all pulled together and everyone finished. I had no idea if I would be able to do it or what I would experience.
- However, unlike most people (such as 99.99% of us), he went down to Dover shortly after and spent only a few weeks swimming in the harbor, perhaps doing one six-hour swim, his longest swim ever up to that time!
- Then the rest of the hour was free, so I could check out how things were going in the counting area, chat to the refreshment people, or just watch the runners (quite hypnotic, you can do it for hours!).
- The 12 hour leader board showed Ross with 122.4km (76.06mls) Ankers, 120.4 km (74.8mls), with Wykes in third 114.8km (71.33ml) just a lap ahead of Heffron 114.4km (71.08 mls).
- Finally on my bike, everything went along very well in the first lap.
- After a few miles in this sorry state I bumped into my friend Karteek (an experienced multi-day runner and English Channel swimmer) who was also running the race.
- Then we had water at all the water stations.
- LAter on Sean in the bike shop told me that the cable probably got stuck.
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Besides, I love being by water, and what better than being at sea? The bike leg is a tough 17km course, with some substantial hills. It is a triathlon aimed at beginners, who would like to experience the challenges of a triathlon in a friendly and welcoming environment.
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With the clock showing 23 hours and 15 minutes, Ross starts lap no 565. Both of them now certain to go beyond the 140 mile barrier, a distance only achieved by 9 British women. With the understanding that a 24 hour race is all about distance over time, they all know, that they can push their mileage up some way, in those last 2 hours.
Of the 35 athletes who completed the race, 25 of them ran over 100 miles. The icing on the cake was the fourth place finish, I believe that John secretly hoped for a top 10 finish, but was still more interested in getting the distance. Despite the difficulties over the last hour, John still managed to deliver 7.6 km, the last 3laps of which Steve and I walked with him. Or were the experienced runners going to eat him up in the last eight hours when John faded towards the end?
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