Pembrokeshire Coast Challenge
78.6 mile - 3 day trail race

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2nd-4th November 2012

 

Official Result

  Day 1 Day 2 Day3 Total
Chris Linney 05:51:45 06:47:55 06:59:52 19:39:32

 

Pembrokeshire Coast Challenge, 2-4 November 2012

My first ever multi-day event. A marathon distance (give or take the odd mile or two, mainly give) each day for 3 days . As well as discovering new limits, I was raising much needed funds for cancer charities.

Day 1 : Dale – Newgale:

At the morning briefing we had a quick crash course in navigation and safety i.e. ‘keep sea to your left and keep away from the edge of the cliffs please we don’t want to lose our dibbers’ . Apparently today was the ‘easier day’. In fact it was really muddy underfoot, which would be a theme for the 3 days, so going was much slower than expected (not that I expected to be quick!). Conditions overhead were pretty good with plenty of sunshine, with a stiff coastal breeze to keep us from overheating. Everything was going fine until 22 miles and the small group I had just caught up with headed on to the beach believing the path to continue along it. An impromptu spot of wading and scrambling followed for which we were ill-equipped. It was nice to have the cool waters of the celtic sea soothe the tired legs, but I couldn’t help wondering if the effort of this detour was going to come back to haunt me on day 3

Day 2  : Newgale – Porthgain:

Fuelled with porridge, bread and jam we headed back to yesterday’s finish line at Newgale Sands for the start of day 2.  Half way through the going became more rocky than muddy as we turned the St Davids head eastwards towards Porthgain. I ended up running alone for much of this section which felt particularly remote, as the clouds built followed by hail, thunder and lightening it was head down to complete the day. I think the most frustrating part of running the Pembrokeshire paths was not being able to get into a rhythm. I found myself moving relatively easily over more familiar rocky paths only to come to a muddy halt round the next corner, then a flight of stairs, then a fast downhill, then a walk etc etc

My goal for the whole event had always been ‘get to the end of day 2 and day 3 will just have to take care of itself’ , all I wanted now was to get back to warmth, food inside and head down.

Day 3 : Porthgain – Pwllgwaelod (Dinas Head):

At the start line I was wondering if I had made the right decision to join a group heading down the pub in St Davids the night before. We all knew that Day 3 would be the toughest of the lot, so the logic was it didn’t matter what you did it was going to hurt. In hindsight I’m glad I did – I struggled with sleep anyway and breakfast wasn’t easy either as the body started to protest. A few miles in though and my mind was in the right place, I knew that all I had to do was get to the end of day 3 and it would be over. Just the small matter of 20 or so miles. I teamed up with Dave, a swimmer, cyclist and ultra runner and Jon, who had completed a mind-boggling number of marathons in 2012 - both strong runners who had done multi day events before, knowing that their experience and great company would help me through, all I had to do was keep up with them. 

As we descended steeply on tarmac to Fishguard the legs became very heavy and I knew I was beginning to fight a losing battle – the brain was fogged and I had not taken on enough food or water. At the checkpoint I desperately tried to get as much coke and flapjack down me as I could take knowing that it would make little difference, it was just shear stubbornness that would get me to the end. Somehow I had convinced myself that the finish line was at the top of Dinas Head, some 142m up from sea level but I discovered from Dave that in fact it was in a small bay at the base. ‘You can go up there if you want to’ – ‘naw you’re alright’ I said, spurred on by the news. A cup of warm soup and a medal greeted us on our arrival at the finish line. I slumped on the back seat of the minibus soaked to the skin. As the legs seized up I considered if I would ever do something like this again.

‘You up for the Jurassic Coast next year then?’

‘Count me in!

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