Fitness, Running & Stuff: GB Ultras Race Across Scotland (RAS)

How do I even get to the Start Line?

If I'm going to tempt someone to have a go at this amazing race, first need to tell you how I got to the startline on August 18th 6am - facing the seemingly impossible task of running 214 miles across Scotland coast to coast from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath along the Southern Upland Way.

The number scared me even then, more than double the longest I'd ever run was hard just to comprehend. Being scared is a GOOD thing. Do something like this you have to respect the distance and hold back, stick to a plan. You want to sprint off at the beginning? I will see you later.

Quick recap. I'm a decent runner, PB marathon 3:14, 10k sub 40 two years ago but off those times at moment, maybe 3:30-45 for marathon but road bores me now. So not at fastest but I can keep going. Last year 3 X 50 milers, first 100 miler under 24 hours. Not able to squeeze much else in, stressed with family & work. Seeing last year's GB200 dots moving tempted me so entered then thought… jeez this is just TOO big.

GB Ultras gave three advance dates for free training weekends for RAS doing two 25+ mile sections each time, many other companies charge for similar. To stand any chance of finishing, I thought had to get to these and more on my own. If timed right could do a weekend and then have a few days with Mum & family nearby.

November recce was a huge shock. So wet, hilly & muddy. Demoralising. Everyone’s shoes soaked by end of first day. Everyone found the second day even tougher with huge hills & incline. A few people dropped out of the race, too wet to contemplate 214 miles of this. This was going to take some thought & planning. Right hamstring was a bit sore & tight during the weekend but okay? Stupidly realised it wasn't okay two weeks later during a cross country race with more pain each lap. Not bad but stride length down and movement odd when running, like I had a much smaller right foot. Rehab with Chiropractor and a personal trainer finally got things going Dec - Feb with low 20-30 miles per week running.

February legs better, ran 50 miles for charity with John Hammond from Manchester Football stadiums to Liverpool’s Goodison & Anfield, ending at Tranmere felt okay. Original GB200 plan to do 2-3 x 50 milers plus 1-2 100 milers though didn’t seem possible, just not enough time with busy work & family more important. Carried on with 30-40 miles per week and getting to any GB Ultras training runs I could. Made some good friends there and some new ones. Managed one snowy trip up to Scotland with Gareth Boyd in March, running the sections onto Wanlockhead & Beattock section, then St Marys Loch the next day. It was a lot of fun, not wet, very runnable. A bit more confidence – maybe this was doable?

During one GB Ultra night run, met Alice and chatted online. Still not feeling 100% but we had got on so well I offered to try & pace the L2M 100 miler as it was her first ever run of over 50 miles. We had a blast, all good. Chester 100 after was a key target to arrive in Scotland confident – good speed at the beginning but dropped out after 52 miles with terrible vomiting in the heat. Demoralised.

How could I run 214 miles if I couldn’t run 100 (DNF)?

Last two recces came up and were make or break for me. If not feeling confident I would drop out. June’s Stranraer- Glentrool- St Johns was excellent, though very hot and tiring. 5+ litres of fluids drunk each day. Met Neil Rutherford on the way to Stranraer and got on well, two times reigning GB200 winner, a top bloke and very down to earth. Confidence up. I’d suggested to the RAS group about doing an extra night run in to make 3 sections in the weekend, mostly so I could get to a train back to family (!) - but it worked lovely. Four of us including Neil, young speedy Nick and Deborah Allum ran the next section 9pm to Sanquhar till 4am. Massive confidence boost.

How many from June/ July recces would start and finish the race?

July recce was different. Maybe tired before started but the 35 miles Beattock -St Marys Loch & Traquair was a killer, so hot that I was wiped out by 6pm. Day 2 not much better, very tiring, big huge hills to Fairnilee, to Melrose & then Lauder. I was knackered. Plan later was to run to Longformacus to CoPath but cut it short and did 25 miles. Made it but needed a nap and out on my feet by Coburnspath 7am. Really not sure I could do this race, the heat was killing me. To add to the decision making fun, got food poisoning the next day and sick for a week. Messaged Wayne Director and said I was having serious doubts and maybe dropping out. He had faith - Relax. Also spoke to runner Louise (who named my inner chimp Norman!) helping get rid of those bad thoughts.

Last few weeks, got some peak weeks 50-70 miles, borrowed poles to practice at big hills of Moel Famau, North Wales. A bit more confident, but still so unsure. Finally there, meal night before in Stranraer, met 7-8 other nervous people for our Last Supper.

Back to that start line.Race hall for kit check saw friends, lots of hugs and nerves. Race Director Wayne Drinkwater gave his briefing.

"Ground is very wet.. Looking after your feet will be key to finishing the race."

(link for video coming)

Friend Louise found me and hugged. We had agreed to run the first few miles together, let people go and take steady. Finally and late, at 6:10am we were off.

The steep up and down paths were great fun, but gradually people started to push and accelerate. We held back – always stick to your plan. Amazing seeing the runners stream along the front like ants though.

5 miles became 10 and going well so Louise and I stuck together, who knows for how long? though I said I was having at least 90 minute sleep at St Johns mile 65 and similar for each 50 mile section after. Teaming up does mentally help to take your mind off the miles. We kept passing people so pacing seemed good. My Garmin had each section split up for navigation so broke it into easy chunks, knowing how far and how much incline was ideal. 13.5 miles and flat, easy. I had soft bottles and a bladder after needing more fluids during the recces. It was pretty cool though, ideal conditions. Filled up bladder with water & tailwind, the bottle was for emergencies with a Katadyn water filter to fill up at streams. Few snacks then move on. Regular food, tuna or cheese wraps or a square of baklava every hour or so to keep stomach filled, hopefully the vomiting problems would not happen.

To CP2 was quite short, only 9 miles to 23 we pushed on. Checkpoint staff said as much as another 23 miles to Glentrool the next stop though? We had caught up with Chris, Louise’s ex there but pushed on, seeing him off/ on for next few miles. Louise and I were working great as a team, 30 miles had passed quick, easy company, some giggles but focussed. There was a bothie (shack for walkers to sleep) in the middle for water but next Checkpoint was 15 miles or more, @46-7+ miles and some trail to get there. Feet were getting very wet, socks soaked, texted ahead to my wife for towel and sealskin socks. Coming down hills to Glentrool a figure appeared behind us, Scottish Pete who should have been well ahead of us. He had got lost, funny for a local Scot, by nearly 5 miles. Saw Pete getting water from a stream, was it 2 miles to next stop? Checked and as much as 6 so wisely filled up.

At Glentrool there was a nice straight road for couple of miles past the pub to the checkpoint or the Southern Upland Way path we had to take – off road and looking snarly. This short 4-5 mile section after 4pm was just demoralising. Hungry, legs tired, wet feet and 90 minutes of roots, branches & hazards were annoying. After much grinding of teeth, photographer appeared – nearly 6pm we were at CP3– first time we would see our crews. Sonya, Louise’s crew captain appeared and passed some drinks and even one for me! We were okay but tired – dried & talc-ed/ feet, some hot food in, but the planned 30 minutes ended up nearly an hour. Wife kept passed me tea or Lucozade, refreshed backpack with food & baklava. Fresh socks and shoes on. 22-mile stretch to CP4 St Johns ahead, some hills and would be night soon.

Moving around the lochs with the huge fir trees was pretty but light going and drizzling. This section was tough work in the dark and I had done the route – couldn’t see more than 10 ft ahead with head torches on into misty rain and no idea what we were going past. Missed all sorts of landmarks and even the bothie. Louise was also very tired – had to let her sleep for a few 2 minute cat-naps but we pushed on, some sore bits of her pack rubbing her back also. The bog of doom appeared, deep wet stretch 20 foot long, just about made it but feet so wet now. We swore a lot at the race directors. Cold but okay, into CP4 65 miles done about 3am. Sonya grabbed Louise for sleep, whilst I said hello to friends Adam & Annie manning the village hall. Shoes off or no entry!

My wife meant to leave sleeping bag at CP but was in the car somewhere outside with extra food whilst she slept in B&B. I went out again into rain to find what needed. After 20-30 minutes finally out of wet kit, getting cold, into dry stuff, hot drink and food from Annie, also passed me a spare head torch lent by good pal Les. Found a seat, limited floor space, some runner with huge double beds and kit on chairs looking very comfy–leaving little space for others. Squeezed into a corner, tried to sleep but loud feet of Adam, Wayne & others. Off feet at least & shut eyes. Found cold bacon butties in backpack, Annie showed me the microwave… reheated to make the most awesome food ever to envious looks. Porridge came in and very nice. Few runners like previous GB200 finisher Lainey came in with hypothermia, many dropped out CP4, the conditions and deep bog finished off a good number that night. Louise finally awake, crew let her sleep longer, she was quite snappy though. Broken head torch. Plain not strawberry porridge. Needed to get her awake and running, stuffed my remaining bacon sandwich in.

5am was dark wet but daylight due 5.30am with rain forecast to stop. Nearly 3 hours stop and only 2 minutes sleep but we were out. The next 2 x 26 mile sections coming up, the same as in November, were the toughest sections, St Johns to Sanquhar then Wanlockhead, the highest village in the UK, onto Beattock. By the end of these sections we would be more than half way with 120+ miles done.

The section to Sanquhar was wet in places, but we knew it would be. Just had to keep grinding out the miles and working together. Some hilly sections to work up to the arch and through the forests, we were working great as a team... Even had nicknames for each other, a friend had called me Quadzilla for powerwalking, so Louise was Quadzookie.. (old godzilla cartoon, see here). Silly things help - you need a little bit of stupid to do this !

Working hard up the hills

I needed the 2-minute nap this time, crew I would meet later passed us and offered some drinks and oranges. Just after, a lovely welcoming farm had offered to cook everyone bacon sandwiches plus tea, coffee. The very welcome 20-minute stop was bliss, recharging the legs to carry on down the hills to Sanquhar, my wife waiting with fresh socks, passing Louise’s friend Jon looking in serious trouble.

Bacon butties at the farm .

Into Checkpoint 5 Sanquhar, dried feet again, but sore. Ouch. Asked for a medic to sort blisters (remember Robert), another runner offered me some German goo for feet. Wife kept feeding me, meat Pizza was seriously heaven plus milk. Backpack supplies & bladder loaded up. Louise had her sore back taped all over tried my spare pack but huge on her. Surprised to find fellow runner Nicola, miles ahead, struggling and asleep in her crew van. We started to hear of a long list of runners dropping out, sad to hear this included Neil Rutherford.

Off to Cp6 Wanlockhead, only 8 miles or so, the little rocks were starting to hurt feet. Said hello again to Nicola looking painful, crew ran with her for a mile but likely stop. At the CP, felt fine aimed to stop for 15-20 minutes, but ended up 30 minutes though. The checkpoint was toasty warm, too warm. Walked out, now freezing and going dark. Louise had no gloves either, shivering so gave her mine. Straight after Wanlockhead the path goes to a radar tower at the top always with strong biting wind. Louise flagging again, a 2 minute nap needed within a mile. Her crew were ahead 6 miles or so on the next road section but very up down and tough in the dark, we were tiring quick. We agreed to stop but then bumped into Nicola and carried on for 20 minutes.

This 6 mile section took forever, maybe 2.5 hours or more. Rolled into van, sore, tired, agreed a sleep and very grateful. Checked feet and one 50p sized blister found. Sonya found some antiseptic gel. Used pin off race number, match and feet sorted. Sleep for 10 minutes. Louise getting worried about time, 2am we had 14+ miles and time slipping, cut off 11am or 12pm. Cracked on, I pushed hard, we had to keep going. Got a nice rhythm till we hit the reservoir – endless mile+ hill up that rolled for another 2 miles. Louise went very sleepy… desperate measures, she had mentioned singing on previous race. Some internet access so phone in backpocket, Greatest Entertainer on, watch her wake up AND sing .. legs like little generators for 2+ hours. We met another runner flagging. Pushed on, finally on the road to Beattock, downhill really moving well now, passed 3-4 runners including Nicola. We had made brilliant time – less than 4 hours when fearing 6-8+ on dead legs. Mad. We arrived at CP7 Beattock 6:10am, 120 miles so far in exactly 48 hours.

Short stop planned, maybe 30-40 minutes? Routine now set - Check blisters, dry feet, more food. Wife wasn’t feeling well, asleep in B&B 100 yards away, car parked somewhere but couldn’t see it and no shoes on. Kind marshal Sarah found the car and grabbed shoes so I didn’t have to put wet shoes on again searching. 20-minute nap. Race Director Wayne very happy to see us looking good. Louise awake. WTF, Time was 8am? Time just drained away, now 8:15am.

St Marys Loch stretch was hilly, lots of power walk 20 miles 3500 ft. Ouch, first few yards though, right knee was seriously sore. Quad, ITB into knee wasn’t feeling good. We soldiered on, but I was in a bad mood, a lot of pain and couldn’t run. Messaged wife, need painkillers and meet us 10 miles in but lost in translation. Also going into a comms blackout. 10 painful miles. Okay, I bitched a lot, told Louise to leave me. Bumped into a runner retiring, one paracetamol. Somehow kept going. Race Director Wayne appeared, taking photos of us plus some Danish runners which makes me look happy.

Laughing but crying

I was grimacing, near to tears. Please just leave me. I couldn’t do downhill without red hot knee pain, like it would collapse. Wayne passed me a tube of deep heat– tiny hope. Layered it thick. About this time, my lovely new UD backpack fell apart. Arrgggh Both me and my kit were now officially falling apart. The Danes thought that the bothie would have more than just water – but no snacks sadly. We pushed on, finally meeting Louise’s lovely crew. The Danes were happy to see Sonya’s van with snacks and loaded up.

I pulled Sonya aside - "please push Louise on. I can’t run." It was so hard for me but knew finishing meant everything to Louise after not finishing the previous year. Heart breaking though as we had been a great team. Lot of pain, I said goodbye.. Please do not wait for me.

Very very lonely. Quick photo, video which posted when back in signal. In hindsight, embarrassing but I was so tired, less than 2 hours sleep in 50 hours, very emotional and as mentally naked as I’ve ever been with the race slipping away from me. Shuffled on painfully for 5-6 hours.

Finally got a text to wife, get spare backpack ready with bladder in. At CP 8 St Mary’s Loch for maybe 5.30pm. Not happy to see her, foul mood after no support and in bad state. Changed shorts, routine again, some pasta & drink in, refresh supplies, dry & check feet. Robert the medic said hello – I had 2-3 small blisters plus a new humdinger now – big, spherical so we called it Gromit (after the dog in Wallace & Gromit) , half size of back of right heel. Shrugged, got out about 6.30pm, a few messages through from friends.

Met wife 3 miles after the Loch then had another 9 miles of hills to Traquair/ Innerleithen. This section took forever, dark, raining, misty, at times going in circles and little progress. Convinced I saw houses, ford transit vans, but was just trees & paths. Texted wife I was lost and feeling tired. Rolled into a ditch for 10 minute sleep.

Finally found way out of the rain and mist. Wife rang, expected me an hour before was very worried, told me to drop out - her call. Rang race directors to drop out – got Jonathan and a 5 minute motivational call of the highest order. Something like this -

“You’re not finished, just tired. Get sleep then decide.

You’re one of the best recce-d runners – do not drop out.”

Hmm? The 1-2% of me left just about listened, a little ember was still burning. Spoke to a sleepy Wayne and confirmed close but not dropping out. Rang wife back - coming into Traquair for a sleep only. Warm fish & salty chips awaited wrapped in tin foil. Bliss. Sleep. Oblivion.

Awake. Into dry kit, lots of messing around but finally out and a mile in. Pulled phone out of pocket for music – found my wife’s. Argggh! No deep heat. Rang, walked back, delayed by 30 minutes finally moving with time now very tight – would be timed out if my legs didn’t start working. Not in a great mood. Maybe 4-5 hours on a very hilly section but gradually felt better.

Music playing from my pocket for 2+ miles. On a tough hilly section, another runner Katy appeared, the lady who had given me foot cream miles back– another 5-6 miles to do but I knew the route, incline and how far – so we paired up, chatting, swapping food, taking our mind off the pain. Brief break, tried some kids sweets my wife had stuck in (I said try to give me a surprise), these unicorn shoe laces were like smelling salts with massive sugar hit. Wow! We giggled a lot. We found one runner sleeping, checked he was okay, passed his grid reference to race directors. Caught up with Anne Marie and another pink haired runner leaning nearly sideways.

After some big hills and horrible-to-feet rocky downhill made CP9 Fairnilee by 7.15am, an hour before cutoff, bumping into Jonathan and Adam – both happy to see me smiling feeling good again, Lazarus-like I had come back. Katy and I agreed to stick together after short break. Dry socks, wife very happy to see me revived. Nicola there again but hobbling, looked awful – medic advised hospital visit for Xray. Or not. Someone told me Louise had dropped out night before. Shocked, sad, this race was tearing runners up.

We left 8am. Next 6-8 miles were no hassle, flat and easy. Katy’s crew went further ahead but my wife met us at Galashiels & Melrose bridge, Katy’s crew topped us up a few miles after the hills to Lauder.

Hmm new pain? My left shin was hurting but unexpectedly, socks cutting in on swollen ankle, fluid building, with the shin puffy and sore to touch.

Met Szilard (Seal) another runner, laid out like a star fish snoring. Very funny guy, great to chat to. We grouped up with Seal and Anne Marie to get to Lauder.

CP10 Lauder by 5.30pm – shocked look from Jonathan as we left within a minute as a joke –our crews and food were waiting at the campsite nearby. Plan was to get food, rest legs & some sleep. Food all good, shoes off and using fantastic twisty ice packs off Katy, iced my very sore shin & ankle. No sleep though - with a 90 minute stop this was a big mistake.

Said our goodbyes at 7pm, Deb my wife was staying at B&B in Longformacus so dropped off a few bags for each of us there then getting sleep –we would not see any crews until near the end. Pushed onto the hills from Lauder, we had a giggle in this section, music on, singing to sheep and cows, House of Pain “Jump Around” came on and randomly Queens “Another One Bits the Dust” which seemed apt with the numbers of runners dropping out. One mistake, left fresh leggings in drop bag so got a bit cold. I crashed later in the evening out eyes closing. 5 minute sleep by back of barn in the middle of nowhere. Katy was flagging a bit, we got closer to the CP had to keep feeding her fruit pastilles every mile. Finally in, Haydn and lovely Jo there at Longformacus at 11.30-12pm. Haydn told me Louise was okay and had finished, a big lift.

Quickly looked after Katy, food and drink, ice packs from bags then 25 min sleep. Usual routine for me, dry feet, food, blisters, ice, sleep 10 minutes. I had my famous yellow “Big Bird” leggings that had seen me through some tough races – swollen ankle would not take both socks and tight leggings. Sadly asked for scissors and cut the hems up. Worth it to get to the end?

The next section after some road was horrible, seemingly a loop of the same two paths forever. Soul destroying going in circles or brain thought it was. 5am we were mentally shot, so tired and depressed by darkness we needed to sleep. 30 minutes. Waking up to daylight was so much better - but then ouch, couldn’t run or even walk well, right foot & toe was red hot pain. We stopped at a gate and carefully took sock off right foot. It wasn’t pleasant. Blood, skin gone on second toe, heel painful too. Katy thankfully had two plasters and a big patch left in her first aid. Doubt I would’ve finished without these. Phoned wife and arranged to meet somewhere down the path. We had to keep pushing, time slipping away. It was going to be very tight unless we cracked on, constant pace to stay under the 100 hr target.

Time stretched 5-6 miles of pushing was maybe 2+ hours, my wife drove up, passing us coffee and much needed paracetamol. We picked up another runner Shane who was flagging about 4 miles out – we were in range. Missed a turn somewhere, but on target just. Was it really two miles to go?

Along the coast, rolling paths, we finally saw the sea.

We really were at the coast, last time we had seen the sea was 4+ days before. 25 minutes to go we were going to make it. A complete stranger down on the path next to his house said “Hello Martin & Katy, you’re nearly there!” – he’d been tracking us online. Wow! That gave us such a lift. Friends we knew yes, but people really were watching right to the end to see everyone in safe. Katy’s partner with her beloved dogs appeared, big smiles, tears, everyone was waiting. We ran in.

Big crowd of people cheered us in, as we ran around the 15^th century stone cross at Coburnspath village and into the GB Ultras finish line. We collapsed, 99 hours 49 was cutting it fine. Both of us were completely exhausted but very happy to see family and friends. My wife held onto me, my feet were too sore for anything more. Louise grabbed me next. She’d done amazing.

Few photos then grabbed by medics to sort out my feet. Medic Robert said hello again. Those feet needed some TLC.

I was just grateful to finish the race when seemed impossible before the start and two or three times during it. Never ever gave up but I was so close. The many messages off people each fired those embers up a little, texts saying keep going - and knowing I’d raised something for the Wirral Animal Sanctuary charity. Okay, I would do a lot for my cats and friends.

Race Across Scotland 2018 was an experience that will live with me forever. Its not impossible but I’d needed crew to get enough food in and having extra sleep in some places was critical for me. I’d needed a big support team to even get me there! Jane sports massage, James chiropractor, Marketa’s Pilates, Stu & Connor for PT sessions in the ten months before, and of course my wife Deb for letting me do all this madness and looking after me during training and the event.

Many people on social media say things like “you’re a machine” – which I hate. I’m not Superman, I can't leap tall buildings, but once in a while it is nice to know I can still do something that pushes me beyond my limits and amazes even me. Someone asked me what it was like during the Race– and I joked about being focussed “like a dog with a bone…in the zone”… I wouldn’t let the dream of finishing go… at other times though, it felt like the other way around, I was the one being mauled by a dog and had to tough out ever increasing pain. All about the mind. If you want it enough, ANYTHING is possible.

Epilogue - Those swollen feet and shins came down with rest & ice. For a day, I couldn’t walk much or get into a shower without help. Really was a shock what it must be like for some. You learn a lot during an ultra and this one even after. We had a great presentation night at the Scottish Parliament but standing for 2+ hours made the swelling even worse, feet were now size 14-15.

With Jonathan those words kept me going

Antibiotics needed for the infections that had gotten through the cuts and blisters, also covering the soles of my feet with honey bandages.

My problems were minor compared to some who had cellulitis or not able to fly due to the DVT risk. Feet & sore legs would heal..
Pain is temporary, Running the Race Across Scotland is forever.