A tale of two walking challenges – a mix of success and heartbreak

jeddison54
Jul 28, 2022
16 min read

Updated: Jul 29, 2022

This post brings you the inside story on my two Ultra Walking challenges that I have taken on during the summer of 2022. Walking is such an important part of my life and managing all aspects of my axial SpA, from being my mental escape, driving my weight loss and fitness whilst reducing my pain and inflammation. I documented some of my training routine and walks in previous blogs.

The background, the sign up and the build up

The seed for these challenges was implanted in my head after I did the 2021 Macmillan Mighty Hike in the Yorkshire Dales and finished first out of hundreds completing the 26-mile course in 6 hours 33 minutes. I was hungry to push myself further and take on more competitive walking. As if by magic (as many will resonate with) my social media ads started popping up with walking challenges. One in particular piqued my interest with the Action Challenges Ultra series in the UK, a range of events across the country over 50km or 100km.

Claire and I discussed my next challenge, and we booked a holiday in the Lakes, and I signed up in September 2021 for the 2022 Lake District Ultra Challenge. Given that the twenty-six miles was the most I had ever walked I took the sensible option of 50km, but deep down I wanted to go for the 100km but thought I could build up to it. As I went through the rest of 2021 and early 2022, I picked up my walking distances, mainly down by the canal so I had done a few 50km walks for fun, so knew I could do the 50km. I had a constant nagging that I should push myself and stretch to the 100km instead but stuck to the original plan.

In terms of training, I did not really do a lot of formal training trying to replicate the circumstances in terms of distance, terrain, stops etc but just carried on my general philosophy of walk, walk, and walk. Getting the miles into my legs and ensuring I have the fitness were to me what I needed to do.

My focus also switched to ensuring I had all my sponsorship set up and kept regular updates to keep reminding people of the opportunity to support my walk and the great cause that is NASS and everyone living like me with axial SpA. People were incredibly generous and as we left for the lakes a few days in advance I had exceeded my target significantly and over £800, the biggest amount I have managed to raise so far.

My birthday at the start of June helped with my final prep as Claire and Eve bought me loads of new kit and walking essentials. So, I felt really ready. The day before involved a trip to Bowness on Windemere, lunch and an afternoon family swim at the resort. Given most people recommend carb loading the day before an event I have a difficult balance of getting enough energy in without bloating myself and risking gluten or starchy carbs and the effects on my IBS. A relaxing evening where the highlight was the 30 minutes of me covering both my feet in KT anti blister tape, Claire kept asking if I was still going. Then there was an early 3:45 wake up, drive to the finish park up and transfer to the 50km start. All went quickly and stood on the start line by 6:30.

The first challenge Lakeside (Windemere) to Kendal 50km

The weather was probably ideal for the challenge, especially given the blazing late 20-degree heats that came by the end of the week, late teens to early twenty’s plenty of cloud cover and the odd sprinkle of light rain. At the start line I found myself in the company of lots of runners and joggers eager to go. Smart watch set, water bladder filled, pre-emptive Imodium taken, and timing chip scanned, I set off quickly through the initial long grass couple of kms.

I quickly got into my stride with my pace up at about 13 minutes a mile as the grass turned to my more familiar terrain of roads and paths. It was quite surreal as I caught up with some of the runners that sped off as they slowed up the hills, and I managed to maintain the steady pace up and down the inclines. It was not long before I got into the mode that would follow the hole race as I was on my own, left the walkers behind, lost the fast runners and in the yo yo of passing joggers and then being passed. I only really had company for the first hour and 5 or 6km. Then it became just like one of any walks me on my own, cricket podcasts on the go and taking in the surroundings.

The first leg was full of quaint villages, winding country roads and steadily rolling streams. The clouds started to burn away, and the heat picked up. The scenic route around the lakes was one of the big reasons I chose this challenge and they started to show themselves up the top of two large hills with vast vistas out across the lakes, bays and heather filled peaks. The first checkpoint arrived quickly at about eight miles, a quick wee stop, water fill, banana and protein bar and was back on my way swiftly. The second leg had taken me through a horse racing course, a real chocolate box village and more hills, woodland, and a few paths. The sun was now fully out and at this point I realised I had forgotten my cap! The multitude of farmers fields, stiles and stony paths did not slow me down and by over seventeen miles about 30km I arrived at the halfway point sporting a makeshift bandana to keep my bald head protected. A water dripped snood had to suffice. Another quick stop with some pineapple pieces, another protein bar, and a full refill of my bladder.

The start of the second half was mainly over quiet roads and proper paths, some passing close to a few major highways. My only company across this section were the cows as just after I left the last of the joggers, I kept swapping with had gone never to be caught again. The third leg was really short, and I quickly found myself at the last check point experiencing for the first-time powdered energy drink. I braced myself for the biggest and longest hill climb of the day and set off for the final leg, felt I still had plenty of energy in the tank. As I got to the top of the climb and was taken from the roads to the off-road path, I experienced my first brain fade. I must have missed a sign and about 10 minutes went by, and I knew something was up so turned round and searched the maps on my phone. A short detour sorted and found the tiny gat I should have gone through into a cow’s field. This took me onto the top of the lakes where we experience three seasons in about 10 minutes, bright sun, wind, and bracing rain all together. The rain was actually quite refreshing.

I then found a steady stream of walkers on the 100km continuous walk that I would whizz past as I reached the descent into Kendal. The descent was quite treacherous with slippy rocks the common feature. As I got to the edge of Kendal, I would take wrong turning tow. Followed an arrow into a park with five exits no signs so took the decision to head back left parallel to where I came in and ended up in the middle of the town centre and for some reason found myself doing an extra two miles as I never re-found the route but had to cross the river back towards the start. I felt a bit panicked as I knew Claire and Eve had arrived to greet me at the finish and I was trying to find a way. Finally, I saw the signature tents and flags with a huge sigh of relief.

As I entered the finish area and saw Eve’s smiling face and the excitement, it made the detour worth it and I had the pleasure in the achievement, ended up doing 33.6miles (2.5 more) but still finished in under 8 hours. Fundraising had got to nearly £900. As soon as I finished Eve had got over the fence running towards me and for the first time of many told me I got a medal for winning my big race, photos with her done it was time for some fuel. Eve was so pleased for me she told Claire they had to buy me a t-shirt to say well done, every time I where it she says we bought that for you for winning your race! When we got back to the holiday house and my shoes came off, I was so pleasantly surprised as I had only one blister, well done to the KT tape, and it happened to be the one toe I did not tape up!

The recovery, the come down and the ultra-challenge bug.

Physically I recovered remarkably well, my feet remained blister free, and I even managed a slow walk round some of the Peter Rabbit attractions the next day like they were normal. I had very few aches and pains and after a couple of good nights sleep it was like I had not done the walk at all. The mental recovery was a bit different and for the next few weeks I was consumed by thoughts on the challenge. Without going into the random and unusual process my mind takes me on for lots of things in life ill give some insight into these few weeks.

It was the night of the walk that I started to get the feeling of disappointment in myself for not taking on the 100km like I had wanted and felt I had taken the easy route out. 50km distance is not a stretch for me really as I have done that sort of distance a few times just for fun, and I had plenty of energy left to give even at the end of the trail. So, the next day I immediately thought about how I could justify another challenge and 100km, which conflicted in my head as I weighed up all aspects from personal enjoyment, to impact on family time to guilt of spending another day walking that I would not spend with Eve. It was an itch I needed to scratch, subsequently I have seen people post about the Ultra challenge bug and no matter how much people struggle through one they are no sooner finished than hunting the next one. It was like that for me but less I think to do with the challenge and more my personal battle with myself and my lack of self-compassion.

With just under two weeks left and having finally managed to verbalise what was causing me so much confusion, anguish and overwhelming me mentally, I signed up to the Yorkshire 100km continuous with full support from Claire. This time I was doing it for myself so no fundraising and did not tell anyone else, so only Claire, Eve, I and Action Challenge knew. With so little time in between the last big walk, I had done was the Lake District 50, although I had covered many miles during my days, just not in one go. This had taken a bit of a hit though with the extreme heat we had been experiencing which also meant sleep had been an issue in the week leading up to the event.

The second challenge Nidderdale, Yorkshire 100km figure of eight

My couple of days lead in were identical to the Lake District prep but at home rather than on holiday, covering between 10 and 20 miles each day in the build-up. The night before got enough fuel in but avoided lots of heavy carbs, spent time applying KT tape, filling my bag and an early night. The start time and being so close to the start meant I had a bit more of a sleep as it was a 5:20 wake up. I drove from home to the Nidderdale showground through a variety of weather from thick fog on top of the moors that meant I could not see anything, to a few light showers and the early morning sun peeking through on the horizon. I felt a little nervous as I registered, had a last toilet trip, attached my tracking bib, and grabbed some bananas. Those nerves turned to excitement as I joined the masses in the starting pen (yes, it is like a pig pen!) for the briefing and quick warm up for the 7:30 start time.

It was a similar start to my Lake District experience but just with lots more people around, as the first starters for the day. I was again surrounded by runners and joggers but also some fellow walkers. The overnight rain and morning dew had made the grass entrance to the course very wet and within about 5 minutes as we headed to the winding road and first stile my feet were already starting to feel wet. As we climbed the first large hill, and I gradually took over a number of the runners and joined the line of back-to-back participants. We waded one by one through marshy, wetlands as we first climbed up and then gradually made our way across the first moor. It was filled with wet stones, overflowing streams and lots of harsh bristly brush. The terrain plus the single file route meant I was a bit below my usual walking pace, and by about 5km my trainers were so wet my socks were soggy, I was worried what this would mean as we went on.

As we got over the top and the marshland made way to cobbled paths the congestion opened up with the fast runners heading off, the joggers and fast walkers combining into packs. The weather remained warm and muggy but very overcast, the humidity causing lots of sweating. I managed to pick up the pace as a muddy cow’s field led to a section mainly of road as we descended the other side of the moor. Here is where I started to find faces that would be recognisable for the rest of the day. We quickly arrived at checkpoint 1 Darley cricket club which I had played at in a Harrogate Evening League game probably 15 years ago. I kept to my previous routine, of in and out of the stops, grab some fruit, some water and a quick wee.

The trail again became single track as we followed along a riverbank with a steep drop covered in low hanging trees, protruding tree roots and plenty of dips. There was another climb through woodland followed by a decline into an old mill village. I had quite a few quick conversations with some of the joggers over this stretch as I caught them at the hills before they would race away on the decline. It was nice to hear some of their stories, no matter how brief, even for someone as introverted and singular as me. I will touch on this more later, but it made the stretch go really quick and kept driving me forward. The approach to the second stop, which was a long leg came via beautiful surroundings of Ripley Castle, where to my surprise there was a large crowd who clapped everyone in! Later I realised it was the end for those taking on the 25km (or 27km) challenge. Again, I was in and out quickly just a water refill, some energy drink and gone.

About 5 minutes out from the stop I passed a couple who I had seen repeatedly and for the next leg that would pretty much be the only other participants I would see, for a couple of hours. The third leg was a short one through a number of fields, farmland, and the odd short climb. I do not recall a lot of this section for some reason it was head down, music in and field after field on my own. There were also quite a few untrodden paths with stinging nettles. Again, stop three was in and out before it was back to Nidderdale HQ for the halfway point. I had kept a good pace throughout this time but the last leg of first half of only 11km seemed a much longer one mostly in shaded wooded areas with a few large lakes of water and some uneven ground. I literally did not see a soul on this leg until about 1km from the halfway point when a few half challenge runners flew past towards their sprint finish. I followed in behind plodding away and greeted by the MC asking if I walked the whole way, as was a good time. Halfway done in 7 hours 16 minutes, so just short of 4.5miles an hour.

I took some time at the rest stop to check my feet and re-tape up the tender spots, change my socks, gather my bearings, and wanted to re-fuel. Given the lack of gluten free options I was unable to get anything substantial so had to settle for another banana, some sweets, and a GF muffin. About 25 to 30 minutes passed and as I got up to leave a few familiar faces entered the tent and after a quick check in I was back on the long stomp.

This was a route starting the opposite way out of town and up the hill, but mainly on paths and tracks, some a big muddy and heavy going. For whatever reason I just could not get my usual pace going even when I got some lovely videos from Eve to spur me on. There was more woodland, and lakes and it was on the long roads outside Brimham Rocks was when I saw the first other person. It was a really fast runner who had only started at 9am and was so quickly gone. I found this section difficult with no one around me for such stretches, not a lot of scenery and a bit of boredom with my podcasts. I found myself hoping for some company. As I got towards the next check point of 63km another jogger joined me, mixing jogging and walking. We had a brief chat as he passed and then later would help each other out as we both missed a turning and took a very short detour. Basically, following a road round the fields, we should have cut through, we got to checkpoint five, when the AC team were starting to put the lights out.

A quick refill again was the order of the day but on reflection I could have taken more time to have a quick rest. I set out for the next set which on the map looked like a relatively easy one very few climbs, relatively flat and I thought I would make good progress in preparation for the monster climb between stops 6 & 7. In reality the next leg proved to be the hardest. The terrain switched from muddy farm tracks, farmers fields and back into the slippy brush that we had started in, and I made such slow progress and again it was for the most part solitary. By 70km I started to feel a pain in the back of my knee, my energy reserves were waning and eventually the pain would move up the back of my hamstring. It became quite bad and made me walk in a different way which led to some stiffness in my back. Being alone and going through this was the most difficult part as I needed someone to help spur me on. The next 6km was so slow and such hard going. I flipped between determination I would carry on and just needed to get to the next checkpoint and realisation I was done. The fact that I was carrying my injured leg all that time meant as I crawled into the stop six up the hill, I knew I needed the medic, but my mind was made up.

The medic was fantastic listened to what I wanted, needed, examined me, manipulated my hip to relieve the pain and it was so weird she knew both about axial SpA and NASS and regularly works with some NASS members. I ended up telling her all of my background and talking through where my head was. She agreed the risk of more damage was not worth it, so I retired. She ensured I got some food, a blanket and hot water bottle to stay warm and called HQ to get me a lift back. As I sat wrapped in a blanket holding a hot water bottle eating lukewarm wedges and telling Claire of the outcome, I was a bit emotional and contemplating starting again. The food and warmth picked my energy levels up, but the leg was stiff and as I sat my back became stiff too, so waiting for the lift was the only option.

I was taken aback as lots of people came in whilst I was wating for the lift and remembered me and had spoken to a bit on the way round and all checked in to see if I was ok and wished me luck, whilst I encouraged them for the rest of the session. An hour 45 minutes after my retirement I was back at HQ, medal and t-shirt got. I went for a shower to refresh and get changed and hobbled over to the food tent. As I stood in the shower, I realised I was not going to sleep and was wondering how people were getting on so after a feed I joined people waiting for their loved ones to arrive hoping that some I had met along the way would cross the line. About 11:30 the heavens opened, and I realised I had dodged a bullet as would have been stuck in pain hobbling through the rain. After a while I ventured to the medic tent to get my blisters strapped and had a few familiar faces race over the finish line. I retired to bed for a few restless hours before heading home for a kid’s party on Sunday.

The recovery has been a bit slower this time, feet in a much worse state and some general stiffness but as I write this, I have managed a few walks with the dog, slow and short but getting me going anyway.

The post event reflections and learnings

When I got to 24 hours post realisation, I was not going to finish it was time for some reflection on the event and my walking.

Reflections:

The terrain on the Yorkshire was much worse than what I am used to.
A figure of eight route is good for familiarity as you close in on the major points.
A 7:30 start when it is full of dew is no good for the feet.
The support teams do a great job and in particular want to thank the medic at rest stop 6 Nicky I think who sorted my pain and to the doctors at the end who sorted my blisters.

Learnings about my walking:

Walking for me has been great mentally and physically but has always been a solo event. In future I need to engage more with others as it helps drive you on. Even just hearing little snippets keeps you going. Has I not been on my own for the injury drag I may have carried on. Time goes much faster.
I need to do some more training (having done no dedicated training) on harsh terrain to get my legs used to it.
I need on anything over 50km make sure I eat a bit more and take a bit more time at the rest stops to just gather myself and go again. 50km I can power through not for longer.
I have a nickname now ‘fast walking man’ as three people referred to me. My natural walking pace is enough to keep up with most runners / joggers who alternate.

In future when I take on another ultra challenge, I will be less focussed on speed and just finishing, meeting, and engaging with people along the way and enjoying the surroundings. But knowing me there will probably be a balance and for a 50km I will try and be fast and for 100km to finish and connect.

So, a sign off from the ‘fast walking man’ thanks to everyone who helped me on the way, all the staff and well done all.

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