After an early breakfast, we hitched a ride with Fabrice (a guy we met the previous night at the hotel who was running too) and by 5:45am we were all ready, dressed in running tights, compression socks, a couple of warm layers and the headlamp ready for the briefing by the organisers. So there would be lots of mud, plenty of refreshment stops and the hardest parts were at the end - that was as much as I could take in at this time in the morning.
We walked down to the start from the gym and waited patiently for the off. They lit the red flares, played the loud music and we were off. It waas an impressive sight as the headlamps flickered down the streets in the red shadows cast by the flares.
François and I set off together, slowly working our way through the runners until we were in about 20th position and running at a steady 5'15/km pace. I'd hoped that we'd be able to manage 5'/km for most of the race but François was unsure of his capacity to maintain this, never having run further than a marathon before.
I was a little cold despite my 2 layers on top with a cold wind that was cutting through the fabric. My jacket was in my rucksack but I couldn't be bothered to stop and unpack it, besides which it was too big for the elements as I'd erred on the side of caution with a jacket adapted for heavy Normandy rain. The paths went through fields and we soon had an idea of the mud that we'd have to run through. Nevertheless, the first kilometres were also along plenty of tracks which were generally dry and fairly rapid. 1 hour already and the first 11 km were under our belts. A couple of kilometres later and we were at the first feeding station and I took the opportunity to eat and drink rapidly.
It was still dark for the next hour too and we ran another 11km at a steady pace. François was slowing slightly and I would wait every 4 or 5 km to let him catch up and to start again together. Despite trying to run alongside François and to let him set the pace, naturally I would drift a little ahead, building a gap of 300 - 400m in 20 - 30 minutes. This was not a problem since we didn't talk much with both of us focusing on the job in hand. The second feeding station was at 25km and day was jsut beginning to dawn when we arrived. We both enjoyed a nice soup here and some more food before setting off again. I could see that François was feeling more tired now and the pace was around 5'30 / km compared to the initial 5'15 we'd been averaging. I was still feeling very easy at this stage and wondering if I'd feel this good until the end. There were fewer road sections now and more fields and tracks through the woods. Would this have an impact?
A typical muddy field that we'd have to cross. The terrain was generally mostly flat in the first half of the race.
At 37km we entered Bolbec, the main town in the area, for the third feeding station and the roughly halfway point. We had organised a bag to be here with a change of clothes but neither François not I felt the need since it had not rained. We were joined by Fabrice, our driver, who asked if he could run with us so we set off again after some more soup as a little group with a couple of extra runners who'd also tagged on. I chatted easily to Fabrice about our experiences on the CCC and waited every now and then for François. It was just before the next feeding station at the 50km mark that disaster struck. I was crossing a muddy cornfield with the plants reduced to a cut down stump, forcing a higher stride when I felt a pain in my left achilles tendon. No doubt that I'd strained this again. However, it was when I left the field and ran along the road to encouragements of how it was tarmac until the feeding station that I realised just how bad it was. My achilles pulled incredibly and the agony was almost unbearable. I adjusted my stride to a shuffle, gritted my teeth and carried on to the next stop where I had some soup and waited for François. I told him about the pain and that I continue at my own pace in the best manner possible.
To make matters worse, the course began to get difficult from here on. there were virtually no roads until the end. We ran down paths that had been washed away and that looked like riverbeds that had dried up, twisting your ankles as you ran and sending pointed stones into your ankles as you scuffed them with your feet. I was tired with the pain and the distance and to add to my woes, I had problems with my eyes focusing on the track ahead. I was seeing double and my only solution was to close one eye as I ran. This was the low point of the course : cold, wet, in pain and unable to see properly, I seriously thought of abandonning now. I just wanted to get to the next feeding station to see how things would be, knowing that this was situated at 64km and there would only be 18km to go.
When I finally reached the feeding station, it was lovely and warm inside. I called François to see where he was and to encourage him with the news that the resting place wasn't far. He arrived a couple of minutes later and he looked as tired as I felt.We sent a couple of messages to the girls and after another cup of tea and some food, we headed back into the cold to finish the final legs. I ran with François all the time now and we felt good knowing that there was only one more feeding station before the final leg of 8kms back to Beuzeville. I encouraged François to try and overtake an older man we'd seen at the last feeding station who looked like he was a V2 (over 50). We caught up with the runner in front, only to find it was a young man (who was running like an 80 year old due to the tiredness!).Having overtaken this runner, we were soon able to see another runner 250m ahead. I didn't dare tell François that this was our guy, having made the mistake once already. I caught up with him and checked first. It was the V2 runner, so I waited again for François and urged him on. We didn't catch up with him for another kilometre and then we stopped and chatted together at the last feeding station. I felt better now, knowing that we'd made it as there was only another 7 - 8 kilometres before the finish.
François asked for a cup of tea and I couldn't believe it. Here we were next to the runner he wanted to beat and he asks for a cup of tea. The V2 leaves the feeding station and I hassle François to finish his tea and go. This last leg is the muddiest section yet. There are 2 deep ruts full of water and mud or the middle of the track which is deep mud. Hobson's choice: I chose the ruts - at least the water wasn't as slippery as the mud in the middle. We caught the V2 runner and I left François at this point, trying to accelerate to catch Laurence and Katia who I knew were ahead having run the 42km with the same last 8 kilometres to the race. The phone rang and it was Laurence asking where I was as she had just finished. I explained that I was about 5k from the end but didn't know exactly as my Garmin had died after 4 hours. I spent the next kilometres chasing down the competitors from the 42 km (and 1 from the 82k race) and overtaking them. I finished exhausted and waited for François who came in 10 minutes behind me. What a relief.
It was a good race with an excellent organisation but unfortunately my achilles wasn't up to it in my trail shoes. I finished 26 overall in 9h11 with François in 9h21 in 28th place (and just in front of the 4th V2!). The girls ran well finishing 2 and 3rd from scratch and 1 and 2nd in the V1 category. Laurence was thrilled.
The recovery went well from the race and I'm only nursing the achilles which I hope will improve in the next few days. Quiet now until the end of the year.
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