Race Report: Race to the Stones

Some adventures don’t always turn out as planned, such as in this race report: Race to the Stones, a 100K run through British countryside, proved full of surprises for me…

Imagine running 100K along one of England’s oldest footpaths, passing some of the most glorious sights of interest that the country has to offer. Well you can, as part of the annual Race to the Stones. Sponsored by Carphone Warehouse, this ultra begins just outside Lewknor, near Oxford, and leads competitors along The Ridgeway to finish at Avebury, Wiltshire.

With nine checkpoints en route offering a variety of snacks and medical support as well as the option to split the distance 50/50 with an overnight stay at the halfway point, it is a popular choice for beginners and experienced runners alike.

But what is it like to actually run the distance (100K or the equivalent of two and a bit marathons) in one go? How do you keep yourself fuelled over that distance? And what happens if things don’t go according to plan? I went to find out.

Being prepared

It was always going to be a bit of a gamble. Almost three months after my epic adventure in the desert (I ran Marathon des Sables back in April 2015), I was really looking forward to tackling a mighty fine distance. And while my legs weren’t quite back in shape, my mind and body was ready for this challenge. What’s more, it promised to be a really pretty route through some of the most picturesque parts of the country.

I had signed up to Race To The Stones back in January to support a campaign by a group of women (called WMN) wanting to increase female participation in ultras. As an experienced runner, I’d often noticed how the ratio of men to women change once you hit half marathon distance and no one knows exactly why this is.

Race day came soon enough and I’d stuffed my little Mountain Warehouse bag full of goodies as well as essentials such as a foil blanket, head torch, wet wipes, spare batteries, phone charger and water bottle. I knew there were nine checkpoints along the way so I wasn’t too concerned about running out of energy. The race started and I eased my way along with the sun beating down on my back.

With so many competitors taking on their first ultra, the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement and I felt it as I moved up the ranks, passing some of my friends on the way, hitting the first checkpoint and then heading onto an open path through a cornfields and then some technical ground through the woods.

Stumbling block

By now, I was hitting my stride, comfortably moving through the woods, dodging the roots underfoot feeling pretty good. That was until…Oomph! Ow ow ow. I’d tripped and fallen headfirst onto the ground. Now that doesn’t feel so good, I thought to myself. Crikey, my arm, it wouldn’t move. No, not after 20K, the race couldn’t be over.

‘I stood for a while motionless trying to decide what to do next.  My arm wouldn’t move at all.’

Friends and the masses started to pass me by, checking if I was OK, calling ahead to the medics at checkpoint 2, and offering food, painkillers and support. To be honest, I was pretty much out of it at this time, trying to get it together and push through the pain. Thankfully, my friend Rhalou passed and stopped to walk/run with me and so our epic adventure began.

Soldiering on

Despite all the prep and hard work, you can never really predict how race is going to pan out. Race to the Stones did not go to plan. To put it simply, I broke my arm in that fall above but kept on going until the finish line. How? Well, partly thanks to painkillers but mostly down to Rhalou’s support. We stuck together until the bitter end, entertaining each other with stories, music and laughter. What was once a race became more like hanging out with a really good mate, walking through some of the most beautiful English countryside.

Some people may ask why did I continue with a broken arm? To put it simply, I didn’t know I had a broken arm and I was enjoying myself. Yes, my arm hurt but I think I was running on adrenaline so the pain wasn’t that acute. It was only the next morning at the hospital during the X-ray that I realised just how bad my injury was.

As for The Race to the Stones, I couldn’t recommend it enough for those wanting to dip their toes into ultras. Everyone we met on our journey was so friendly and lovely that it became like a huge family of runners, looking out for each other on the way. The scenery was also breathtakingly beautiful.

This race will always be the one where I broke my arm and I’m not enjoying the repercussions. At the same time, I had a chance to get to know someone really well.