2016 Endurancelife CTS16 South Devon
7th February 2016

After a few weeks of cold crisp weather the elements suddenly changed for the worse on the day that I decided to tackle my first Ultra of the year.
I made my way to Beesands on the South Devon coast, just south of Slapton Sands at 06:30am on Saturday morning in torrential rain and gale force winds which made the drive down the country roads tricky enough.
 
Along with 100 other Ultra runners we prepared ourselves for the 35 mile challenge that lay ahead on the exposed South West Coastal Path and following the briefing we lined up at 08:30 ready to start. Immediately we headed up hill and then dropped down to the coastal path before gradually climbing the rocky trail that snaked along the coastline. Running into a strong headwind right from the off we were given a taste of what we would be in for as the paths were already saturated, boggy, slippery and dangerous, so much so that five people in front of me slipped over within the first 1km.
 
Being the lightweight chap that I am, I don't tend to fare too well in the wind and several times I came close to being blown off the cliff edge which wasn't much fun. The scenery was beautiful and I would of appreciated it even more if I had been brave enough to look up from the floor as I was running, but with the first 11 miles into the wind and rain that was never an option, especially on rocky and technical trails.
 
After the 1st checkpoint which I reached in 2nd place we headed inland for a mile which bought some welcome shelter before we rejoined the coastal path heading back in the direction we had come... now having to negotiate oncoming Ultra Runners as well as the Wind and a very narrow path. Thankfully at 14 miles we turned inland once again climbing a huge hill to the second checkpoint. Now in first place I was destined to run on my own the rest of the way in what seemed like a solo battle of Man vs Weather and Trail.
 
The fields and paths were by now so sodden that grip was impossible and several bambi on ice moments ensued. At one point I actually slid down most of a hill at about 18 miles as there was no chance of running down it. I can only describe it as trying to run on chocolate mousse!! Thankfully after the 'mousse' field terra-firma took over and a majority of the next five miles were on country lanes with a tail wind towards the most northerly end of the course and Slapton Sands.
 
Here at the 25 mile point I turned south again on the coast and as you can imagine straight into the driving rain and unforgiving head wind. I was now running but hardly feeling like I was moving. Still in 1st place I ploughed on, but at times I was forced to walk and even stand still as I waited for the gusts to abate. There was just no point wasting energy trying to move.
 
Having completed the 1st loop of just over 28 miles, I continued through Beesands to complete the 10km course which meant heading along some of the same paths that I had run on earlier that morning. Now though they had been trampled by 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon Runners as well as battered by the elements which made them even worse. The wind was also stronger and the rain was unrelenting. So much so that the organisers cut the course short by 2 miles as it was too dangerous to attempt to run round Start Point for a second time. To give you an idea of how bad visibility was at 1pm, the National Trust lighthouse at Start point was functioning at the time, where as when I ran past it at 08:45 it wasn't needed!
 
Looping back I began to catch runners who were finishing the half marathon and the 10k course who had set off sometime after us. The course and conditions were so challenging that many people were walking completing these distances. Finally I saw the sign that said 1 mile to go and spurred on by the thought of a hot cup of tea or twelve I put my head down and pushed on. Miraculously I managed to finish the event, although I was in a pretty poor state come the end as I had been cold for the last 4 miles and unable to get warm as well as being totally soaked through.
 
Somehow I had won the battle with the elements and come home in 1st place, but it was a brutal event on an unbelievably tough day and I admire anyone who competed in those conditions, whichever distance they were attempting to conquer.