31/07/2022
B e a c o n s W a y 1 0 0 ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ
A few things we learnt from running our first 100 mile mountain race:
๐ฏ๐ฅพ Donโt scrimp on kit - so many people were forced to DNF when the weather turned bad as they didnโt have enough gear. Waterproof trousers werenโt on the mandatory kit list, but we packed them anyway after experiencing some wild weather on a few recce runs - so grateful we did, as they were invaluable to protecting our legs from the wind and persistent rain we found ourselves battling against
๐ฏ๐ Poles save lives - sounds dramatic, but weโd never used poles for a race before this one and didnโt realise how much of a difference they make!! Legs felt fresher for longer and they kept propelling us forward in those final miles. Invest in carbon poles so you arenโt carrying excess weight
๐ฏ๐ฟ โPathsโ is a term to be taken lightly - a lot of the paths, tracks, trails were non-existent up on the open hillside, so you really have to be confident and use your intuition to navigate in the right direction. We used gpx for the race and tried to focus on points of interest or different terrains in the distance to head towards, rather than concentrating too much on which sheep trod was the beacons way one
๐ฏ๐ฅจ Create a nutrition plan and stick to it - Libbiโs had a few races recently where sheโs struggled with sickness, so before the race we spent a lot of energy testing out fuel that worked well for her. This meant on race day we took enough to last in between each drop bag, where weโd replenish with more, only taking tried and tested foods from the aid stations. In this case it meant a lot less sweet foods and more savoury like pretzels, nuts and a pot noodle!
๐ฏโจ Focus on small achievements - 100 miles is a long way and youโre going to be out for a long time! When youโre tired those negative thoughts start creeping in, so try and focus on small achievements like getting to the next aid station, up the next hill or having your next snack, take it one mile at a time, donโt get bogged down with how far you have left to go. Keep reminding yourself why you started the race and youโll get to that finish line!
