Ecotrail Paris - 50km

I called Laurence on Friday to let her know that I was surprised. Laurence had entered us both for the Ecotrail as she wanted a new challenge: something beyond a marathon to show what she was capable of achieving. At the time, before my achilles problem, I took all of this lightly and said that I would use this as a training run before the London Marathon and that I would be delighted to run this race with her. As time passed, Laurence decided that running 50km with her charming husband, nagging her to go faster, was not a good idea but that we would run at our own speed. I still had it in mind to treat this as a training run and I thought that an average speed of 5:00 per km would be reasonable. On Friday, I connected to the Ecotrail website, only to discover that the course was not 50km but actually 53km long. I called Laurence to tell her the good news.

We were both very relaxed about the whole race. There were no times to beat, it wasn't a marathon where every kilometre is judged according to the watch, just some abstract notions about average speed that we had in our heads. I though 5:00 was feasible and that 4:30 would be good. Laurence thought that over 7:00 would be a pity and that to finish would be an achievement. We picked up our bibs on Friday night and celebrated with a meal out. We got back and went through the package carefully, preparing our tops, our shoes and the electronic tag and packing the rucksacks with the necessary equipment: waterproof, survival blanket, whistle and water. We took some food too: cereal bars, sugar tablets, apple compotes and fruit jellies. The rucksacks themselves must have weighed about 2.5kg each when ready.

Saturday morning and we got into the car to drive to the start. A bit of confusion as to where best to leave the car and we arrived at the grand canal behind Versailles castle. In fact to call it a canal is a mistake as it's a small lake in the form of a cross in the Versailles gardens and we arrived to find crowds of runners already gathered there for the start. In fact, 1458 people started the race at 10:30 on a lovely day where the temperature was already about 13°C. We met our friends, Murielle and Daniel who were up from Avignon to take part and we chatted before joining the start about mid-way in the field.

The race started and it took us just over a minute to cross the starting line but in the general atmosphere of a trail there was no pushing or shoving and everybody was very jovial about the affair. I left Laurence and company and began to run at my usual training pace around the lake at about 4:40 pace on average. This speed was already enough to take me past a few hundred runners and we left the Versailles grounds after just over 5 km and I was feeling good. We ran into the forest at this point which was just as well as the sun and the heat was already causing me some discomfort. I was still overtaking people but far fewer now and and soon as we were into the forest, the hills began. There was nothing too steep but just gradual climbs which I ran up by shorterning my stride and dropping the pace. I started to look at the people around me now and I was just ahead of 2 women who were in 4th (pink top) and 5th (blue top) place as bystanders would shout out this information to them.

I had a new game and it involved staying with these women. I noticed that the 5th place woman looked fresher than her rival and both would overtake me as I walked up the hills and they jogged steadily. We'd passed 20km now and my pretence of a training run stopped short of running up hills. I focused on getting to the first feeding station at 27km and letting Laurence know how I was getting on and find out about her race at the same time. Yes, part of the necessary equipment was a mobile phone ! Blue top was a little way in front of me now while pink top was just behind making sure that I didn't slack when my brain was telling me to ease off as it's only a training run. We hit 27 km and there was no sign of the feeding station but I could hear Miguel's voice (our coach was acting as commentator for the race) over the loudspeakers so I knew we weren't far. A slight uphill and we got to the marquees and a refill of the camelbak. I rinsed my face and neck down and soaked my cap so as to cool down. My face and neck were covered in salt so I knew that I had to keep drinking as I was overheating. I spent 5 minutes in the feeding station and then summoned up some courage to run on.

The water at the stop had helped me feel more refreshed but the only disadvantage was that now I stank. In fact, I smelt so bad that I was disgusted myself. Back into the forest and kilometre after kilometre passed, each one blurring into the next. I looked at the Garmin every time that it indicated another kilometre and my times varied between 4:50 and 8:00 depedning on the terrain. At 32 kilometres we ran past a little lake next to Ville d'Avray and I spotted two youths, both with cans of 1664 looking at us as we passed. I could see from their faces that they thought that they were far more intelligent than us relaxing with a beer in their hands sitting beside the lake. I thought the complete opposite. Who was right depends on your point of view. I chatted to a runner from the area who hadn't raced this before but was looking forward to leaving the forest and finishing on the flat down by the Seine. He looked good and I tried to stay with him but he left me on the uphills. I just stuck to my rhythm, running downhills and along the flat and walking the steeper uphills.

The last feeding station was at 44km and I'd been looking forward to this for a while, at least 4km in fact. I'd run farther than a marathon now and my energy had gone. Even running along a road in the park didn't help my speed and I watched helplessly as a little 5 year old girl on a bike with her Dad beside her managed to cycle past me. I got a real lift when I saw a couple of friends from Maisons Laffitte about 800m before the feeding station and they ran with me before heading back to go and wait for Laurence. I warned them that she wouldn't be around for a while. Another 5 minute break at the tents in St Cloud park refilling the Camelbak and slurping some Coke before heading off again. I knew I couldn't wait for too long or my legs would seize up now. So it was a relief to leave this area and head off downhill to the Seine. Out of St Cloud park at the bottom of the hill and I was into known territory as I was running the exact reverse of the start of Paris - Versailles race along the Seine. 6 km to go now to cross the tape at 53km.

Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as that. The organisers made us follow the river and cross over bridges and run up and down steps along little paths and through parks. I had dropped to a 6:00 per kilometre pace as I had to stop and walk along the flat in places. I'd had enough. My legs were aching, I was out of energy and I only wanted to finish. Every kilometre semeed interminable now and I looked desperately at the runners in front. They were in no better condition than I was and I stopped to give water to one and to encourage a couple of others as I passed them at a plod, while they walked. It was at this point that I caught up and passed my friend from a few kilometres ago who passed me looking fresh and sprightly up the hills. He was almost on his knees now - even heros are mortal. I could see the Eiffel tower now and the finish. It was still a long way away and I concentrated on just getting there. My objective of 5:00 was beyond me now whereas it was still feasible at the last feed station. Who cares ? I couldn't care a less about anything anymore. Bir Hakeim and the railway bridge, I was close now. People were beginning to cheer me to the finish but I didn't show any recognition to them as I just concentrated on the finishing arch. I crossed the line and stopped my watch. 5:14:25 the furthest and longest I've ever run. No achilles problem just general fatigue all over.

I had a massage and a shower before heading back out to see Laurence finish. I'd called her when my race had ended to let her know it was 54.5km and not 53. She was at 40.5 and I knew that it would be a while as it had taken me an hour to run the last 10km. It started to rain and I waited for 15 minutes in the rain before jogging back up to Bir Hakeim to meet her. She was exhausted too and fed up with the distance, just as I had been. She'd spent the last 10km swearing the worst swear words that came to mind so she still had some fight in her ! She finished in 7:07:03 and told me never again (this morning she was already telling me how she'd beat 7:00 next year!)

Lessons learnt:
i) 54.5 km is a very long way.
ii) Speed is not essential. Endurance is.
iii) Pack food so that it is readily available (I carried 3 compotes for 54.5km for nothing)
iv) Put vaseline on your back where rucksack rubs. I'm raw today.

Overall, I was pleased with my result. I finished in 35th place out of 1458 starters and 1294 finishers and was surprised by how far up the field I was. Looking forward to London now as the achilles is mended and I think I'm capable of running under 3 hours again.

Photos to follow.