Pembrokeshire Coastal Challenge - 3 marathons in 3 days (Had I not learned from the last time?)

Day 1 - Dale to Newgale
Today was a tough day, it was raining steadily when we set off and got very heavy over the next 3 or 4 hours. What was worse was the wind, it was extremely gusty, coming from every direction but behind, and it was a real fight to make any head way into it. It actually blew me over a few times when my concentration dropped, happily it tends to come from the sea so I only found myself on a grassy bank rather than head first down a cliff face.

I realised I had made a serious error this week very early on, my diet just hadn’t been sufficient, and I’d been eating like I was on a 2 week bikini body plan out of Femail all week. My legs were empty and I was finding it very hard to drum up any strength. The food supplied by Votwo the night before had been fine, but in Lilluputian portions; Heather and I had gone out for a second dinner in desperation, but I hadn’t really had a square meal for about a week (too much travelling and not enough planning).

Still, the cut offs were fairly generous, given the shocking 11.30am start. There’s no way I’m starting that late again, it's not so bad for a 4 or so hour road marathon, but off road when it gets dark at 5 it’s way too late. We could afford to let the times slip, and Heather was very good at keeping me company when she was clearly much stronger than me.

It was a hard race to keep your sense of humour in, the wind and rain, constant up and down, sliding around in the mud and going over on your ankles was testing, but the Votwo guys are brilliant at the checkpoints. You’d arrive pretty drained and grumpy but a bit of banter and a cup of tea later and things seemed much brighter. Some of the banter was at my expense, I had perfected my Ey Up Grandad shuffle, legs going as fast as I can move them, which isn’t very fast at all, and arms pumping like the clappers to retain momentum. It’s best accompanied with a big grin and a wink, and a request to get t’kettle on for a brew. Arriving into a checkpoint like this is a far cry from sashaying down a staircase in a ball gown to a posh party, especially when you look like a drowned rat. Note to self, ditch the mascara.

We’d slogged through hours and hours together, and the company was invaluable. You get each other through the bad times and you can share the hysterical moments together too. Upon reaching an appropriately heavenly bit of tarmac just before Little Haven at about 20 miles, I knelt down on hands and knees to kiss it, then lay prostrate on the road embracing its smooth and mud free surface. It was partially a genuine expression of gratitude, and partially a means of lightening the atmosphere but this marathon business isn’t good for your dignity.

The scenery was superb for a short while when the sun came out a little bit. This is why we came all this way, the Pembrokeshire coast is stunning, all rolling cliffs and ranks of inlets and headlands stretching into the distance. Some of the deserted beaches below us were glorious - smooth firm sand with blue surf breaking onto it. Sadly, we had to run the last few miles in darkness as it got so late, stars may be pretty but they ain’t so good at letting you know where to put your feet to avoid a broken ankle. The last few miles were pretty boring and seemed endless, so we’ll definitely be starting earlier tomorrow with the walkers to avoid another finish in the dark. While I’m pretty tired and hoping there’s not so much wind, I’m looking forward to another day by the sea. It’s not a bad way to spend your annual leave.


Sunset over Druidston beach

Day 2 - Newgale to Porthgain


Day 2 started at Newgale beach

The weather this morning was much better – cold, but lots of sunshine and the wind was considerably lighter than yesterday. We’d started early to give us a bit more headroom on the cutoffs, and to hopefully finish in daylight. This meant I did a lot more walking and less Ey Up Grandad shuffling, but that was fine, the aim was to finish in decent shape and keep some in the already heavily-depleted tank for tomorrow.

The coastline around St David’s peninsula is even more stunning than yesterday further south, more rugged and wild with some incredible coves and beaches. It was nice to be able to appreciate them too with the clearer weather and less time pressure. It was fairly uneventful for most of the run; the rain and wind didn’t really set in until about 23k after which I had a down spell that lasted all the way to 41k. It felt like I was making very little progress, and it had turned into yet another fight against the gales and rain. The 16k distance between checkpoints 2 and 3 was particularly difficult, it just seemed to go on for ever.

Coming into that checkpoint, I was kind of hoping they’d pull me out, there was little daylight left and I was freezing. The Votwo guys were predictably brilliant, and gave me no choice. It was only 3000m to the end and I was carrying on. Jason had a surprise for me in the van, it wasn’t a hot bath, but it was close - half a mars bar and a cup of tea. Nectar! If I was going to get the last bit done, it required warmer dry gloves but my hands were so cold I couldn’t get them into my thicker gloves. Jason went beyond the call of duty by shoving them into his own armpits. Guess I was lucky it wasn’t the other warm part of his anatomy.

The guys’ support really helped, they made it seem achievable and like there was no choice but to get it done. With a last bit of energy, I clambered up the last hill onto the headland where it was blissfully smooth underfoot and flat. A call from my boyfriend saying he’d arrived at St David’s (he was here to run Day 3) and was heading for the finish was the icing on the cake, and I even managed to break into a run for the last few k, even though it was now dark. My time was woeful again, but I’d got day 2 done and I’m not broken. It’s a vast improvement to the end of Greensands two weeks ago.


Just another bit of Pembrokeshire coast

Day 3 - Porthgain to Pwllgwaelod
We started early again today to get as much light as possible, but the weather wasn't kind, it was gusty and rainy, with the promise of clearer skies later on. I wanted to push this one a bit to try to make up a bit of time as we had to get all the way back to London in the evening, but it wasn't happening, the energy levels were at rock bottom and I was finding it impossible to even stand up straight in the wind. I was shuffling along half bent over and lurching into the banks either side of the tightrope-width gullies that made up most of the path. The prospect of 27-odd miles of sliding down muddy cliffs, clambering up rock faces, being freezing cold and soaked through wasn't a good one, the only way to contemplate it was checkpoint by checkpoint.

The first was 6.8k away. Normally, I can run that in less than 35 minutes, today it took me about 1 hour 15 and I already knew it would be a DNF. Not yet though, I couldn't quit now, I had to get to the next checkpoint at Strumble Head, half way into the race. The next leg was the toughest and most exposed and if I did that, then at least I'd had a decent day out with 13 or so miles done and had battled through the hardest bit. A nibble on a chocolate bar wasn't much help, but that was all I could get down with the rising nausea.

It was 14k to the next CP and that felt unmanageable. I'd take it 5k at a time. That soon felt unmanageable too so it became 1k at a time, that's not even a mile. My progress was getting slower and slower, a heavy rain and hail shower had set in and when the wind gusted it took all my strength just to stay on my feet, there was no hope of moving forwards. I just don't have enough weight to cope with these conditions and things weren't looking good. When I came round a headland and saw the wet glisten of a road the other side of the rocky beach, the decision seemed obvious. I had to stop.

Stopping was pretty horrible, you feel like such a failure. I got picked up by the Votwo guys and taken to the CP at Strumble Head, someone shoved a down jacket on me, someone else jammed on a woolly hat and the medic poured lots of electrolytes down me. I had mild hypothermia, a bit of shock, a few other things with medical names and was just generally done in. I don't regret the weekend at all, it was a fabulous few days by the coast with extraordinarily beautiful views. By the time we drove to the finish a few hours later, the DNF was in perspective; I knew I couldn't have done any more today and there's no point beating yourself up about it. There are other pleasures in life beyond marathon after marathon after all - the finish was in a tiny picture postcard-worthy cove with a few boats pulled up on the beach. The sun was shining and one of the 3 buildings was a pub! We sat on a picnic bench with a beer, looking out to sea with a stadium view of the finishing stretch and everything seemed much brighter.


The finish at Pwllgwaelod