Spitfire Scramble 2017

As a runner returning for the fourth year since the inaugural event, this time in a team of four, I was looking forward to seeing what was in store from an ever growing race that continues to grow from strength to strength. 

Spitfire Scramble is London's (using the terms fairly loosely as it is based in Hornchurch country park in the city's Essex outskirts) only 24 hour trail race, offering runners a unique experience to run a multitude of miles either solo, as a pair or in a team. 

Logistically the event has moved as it has outgrown its original home so the campsite and start/finish line is now homed in a larger field. Plus points; so much more space and better parking. Downsides; some of the most scratchy grass and uneven ground known to man, which meant irritated legs from sitting on the grass and a crooked back from sleeping on some really uncomfortable ground.

Running wise this meant the course, although the same started at a different point the main difference being the killer Ingrebourne hill now came towards the end of the lap followed by a downhill descent for the last kilometre or so. 

So how did the race go?

I was part of team 'Running in (bob) hope' a name in comedy reference to running hero Tony Auldenshaw as opposed to anything to do with the deceased American comedian. 

Following previous years where I was part of UKrunchat teams and last year where I ran solo, this year I was part of a team of four consisting of family members I have at least partly been responsible for infecting with the running bug over the last few years. As a four man team in the 3-5 man category we were always going to be at a disadvantage and so it proved as we finished sixth in our category somewhere adrift of the five other teams. 

As a team we gallantly fought through a variety of individual injuries and ailments to complete 20 team laps of the 5.6 mile course within the 24 hours. I myself managed to notch up 7 laps while struggling with a wrecked back after my first nap. Few things dampen my enthusiasm for running but a sore back that ricocheted with pain whenever I ran more than a few hundred metres just about managed it until a second more comfortable nap and pain killer eased my afflictions. 

Being part of team didn't fail to inspire a good amount of comaredie, frivolity and general banter that you would imagine would ensue when four chaps camp out together for a weekend. 

That's the beauty of this event though, it's not all about the running, it's the camping, the chilling in the campsite, the eating (mostly soreen banana loaf, malteasers and chocolate covered coffee beans), drinking (mostly iced tea and coronas) and chatting to other runners (great to meet Will @Wilberf0rce and Ant @RunEatCleepRep). 

The weekend does involve a fair amount of running though, I clocked up 40 miles which wasn't a bad effort and I was inspired by team mates Dan and Tony who stuck their hands up to run more laps than they had originally volunteered for and ran further during the event than they ever had before. 

Spitfire Scramble is a pretty special event, how many other events let you run through a country park in the middle of the night allowing you to enjoy the peaceful solitude? 

Fourth year @SpitScramble24 and am still amazed at how awesome the night laps are 😊 pic.twitter.com/lRaBDTa56G

— Gareth Davies (@beoutrunning) July 16, 2017

Which other event gives you the opportunity to ascend a steep hill to then be rewarded with watching the sun set over London? 

So my fourth year, still loving what is a great event, another year to look back on another unique set of experiences and I'm already making plans to come back in 2018 for my fifth event. 

The only question is in what format do I enter in next year? I'm liking the idea of going solo again or perhaps looking for a partner to share 24 hours of running with....

My first ultra challenge at Spitfire Scramble

Last weekend I took on my biggest, longest and probably toughest running challenge to date when I took the plunge and ran Spitfire Scramble as a solo runner. 

The Spitfire Scramble is a 24 hour trail race which you can enter as a team of between 2 and 8 or as a solo runner. In the last two years I have thoroughly enjoyed my time running in UKrunchat teams but this year I decided to take the plunge and go it alone as a solo runner. 

The Scramble take place in Hornchurch Country park which was formerly an airbase in the Second World War hence the inspiration for the Spitfire theme. 

I have never really been overly keen in running an ultra marathon as such but I have always had an interest in running this event as a solo runner mainly because its so local to where I live and I have spent so many hours of training running around the course over the last ten years or so. Knowing that I definitely wanted to run it at some point I took the attitude that this year would be as good a year as any to give it a go rather than to keep putting it off for the future.

For me running the Scramble has always been about pushing my limits and seeing what I was capable of. Two years ago as part of  a team I was apprehensive about whether I could run multiple times in a 24 hour period, could I run in the early hours of the morning and how far I could push myself. It turned out my fears were all in my mind and I reveled in running 6 laps in 2014 and 4 laps last year and I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of running laps late at night and in the early hours of the morning and actually managed to knock out some decently quick times. 

So with my experiences from previous years in mind I put my fears aside and took on the challenge of running solo. 

I set myself the aim of 100K in the 24 hours which would equate to covering 11 laps of the 9.8K course. 

In the build up to the race I realised if I was going to be successful I needed to plan out my strategy. How fast should I run each lap? How should I structure the 24 hours? When and how long should I rest in between laps? When would I rest? When would I eat?

I very much took the philosophy that failing to prepare was preparing to fail.

So I devised myself a schedule of running for the 24 hours. 

The plan was pretty simple: 

• two laps up front, followed my a break to change and eat
• three more laps to be completed before 7pm with breaks as needed.
• A two hour rest after lap five to allow me to have something substantial to eat
• two more laps before getting some rest for the night (meaning I would have completed 7 of my target 11 laps)
• four laps required on Sunday morning - I didn't know what state I would be in by this point so just figured they would be slow and I would need plenty of rest so my plan was start early to give myself plenty of time to complete my required laps and to give myself the cheeky option of a few more laps if I fancied it!

I know this isn't the most hardcore of ultra marathon schedules as many competitors will plan to keep moving for the vast majority of the 24 hour period. This tactic never really appealed to me and I knew for my first attempt at an ultra distance I would certainly need the breaks mentally and probably physically as well. 

Race weekend

So on Friday evening I arrived to pitch my tent and pick up my race registration. It was kind of weird not meeting up with team mates as I had in previous years but it was nice to see a friendly face in Paul (AKA Thomo74) who was camped close by and I was very grateful for him lending a hand in helping me with my tent. 

Saturday morning soon swang around and pre race nerves kicked in and I felt stressed and moody mainly because although I had planned out my running I was nowhere near as organised with my kit as I should have been. Anyway I was soon back at the race campsite with a mountain of kit and a mountain of food kind of feeling ready for what lay ahead.

After race briefings and the usual pre race carb loading it was time to begin.

Stood on the start line before the race start with Spitfire by Prodigy, the unofficial Spitfire Scramble anthem blaring out on the sound system was pretty spine tingling. 

I held on to the line 'cos I know that I can' as motivation to help me through the challenge that lay ahead.

At the risk of turning my race recap into an epic read here is my reflections on each lap:

Lap 1 - Starting off at the back of the field it was great to set off at a gentle pace and to chat with Paul for the first mile or two. The course was pretty congested with all runners setting off together and I concentrated on taking it easy. 

Lap 2 - A short walking break to take on a whitworths dried fruit pack and concentrating on a steady pace, good breathing and technique.

Lap 3 - After a break for a change of top, some juice and jaffa cakes I headed back out. I felt strong and kept a steady pace going as the heat started to intensify. My break in between lap 3 and 4 coincided with Spitfire flyover and meeting with running buddy Artur who was a team mate from last year. 

Photo courtesy of Spitfire Scramble

Lap 4 - After some snacks I headed out for lap number 4 accompanied by Artur. The heat started to become an issue and I was taking on a lot of water as I ran with my hand held High 5 bottle, my pace slowed as I took the odd walking break mainly on the hills or when the heat started to become overbearing.

Lap 5 - This was my last lap before a substantial break and that provided my motivation to get out and run, not that I needed it as I still felt strong. At the end of the lap I was pretty elated to see my wife who had popped back to see me and drop off some supplies including my drink of choice in Iced Tea. 

Lap 6 - After forcing myself to eat some pasta from the mobile catering and a few jaffa cakes I headed out at about 8.15pm for my first head torch lap as night began to fall. I felt re-energised by seeing my wife, having some food, knowing I had ran in excess of a marathon and by the change in running conditions brought on by the dying of the light.

Photo courtesy of Spitfire Scamble

Anyone running during sunset were treated to a truly spectacular sunset of gorgeous pink. 

Lap 7 - This is where things started to get a bit tough as tiredness started to kick in, I had covered around 60K and it was now past 9.30pm. I had also started to get a pain in the outside of my left ankle which was causing me a bit of concern. I still felt that I was running strongly and my pace hadn't dropped as much as I had anticipated. I toyed with the idea of getting another lap in before bed but in the last mile or so I was overcome with a strong hunger so decided I needed to stop to eat which would mean a longer break and therefore I might as well stick to my plan of trying to get some rest over night.

Finishing lap 7 soon after 11.00pm I sat down on my camp chair and hungrily devoured a protein shake, a peanut butter wholemeal wrap, several jaffa cakes and orange juice. I rested for a while as I caught up on the support from Twitter before getting into my sleeping bag to try to get a bit of sleep.

I set myself an alarm for 2.30am so I had about a three hour rest period, although I rested with the campsite still being very active and noisy I didn't get much sleep.

Lap 8 - I was out running again at around 3.30am after some coffee and yet more jaffa cakes. I felt pretty good, my back which had started to aggravate me felt much better after a lie down and I was confident I had plenty of time to finish the four laps I required. I had raped up warm expecting chilly conditions but was soon stripping off as it was still fairly warm.

Lap 9 - It was now starting to get light and it was quiet and peaceful on the course, the pain in my ankle had started to worsen and I was walking all the hills by now but still running well and feeling confident, I took my time and tried to enjoy the tranquility of the course.

Lap 10 - After a quick break for a coffee I was keen to get back to it knowing less than a half marathon stood between me and my target. My knees were now really sore from the long periods of running and my ankle was becoming more problematic. I had so far managed to complete every lap in under 1hour 30 so my target for my last two laps was to maintain this.

Lap 11 - I was well ahead of schedule so I took my time getting ready for my last lap and sat for a bit enjoying the buzz of the campsite. I decided it wise to visit the medical tent to get my ankle looked at. The first aider diagnosed a slight pull to my ligament and I got my ankle lightly strapped and iced for my final lap. 

Off I set for the last time at around 9.15 scarcely believing the race was almost over. My mind struggled to comprehend the distance I had covered and that I was about to complete my challenge with a degree of ease. 

The final bend coming into the home straight for the last time made me feel pretty emotional and I was glad that by finishing at about 10.45 there wasn't a fanfare finish that there would have been nearer to the race deadline of 12.00 either wise I probably would have gone full on teary! 

My wife had again reappeared to cheer me on to finish my final lap and it was great to sit around in the sunshine in the campsite enjoying the excited buzz as teams frenzied to complete the last few laps. I set about trying to polish off my mountain of food and very much enjoyed a post run curry and chips before it was time to pack up my tent.

I proudly collected my medal reflected on the event leader board and was surprised to see myself in 5th position out of 19 solo male runners. 

I was brought down to earth from the jubilation of this achievement when I came to change my socks and discovered the soreness on my big tow on my right foot was being caused by this beaut of a blister.

Thank you ever so much to the first aider for the care and attention in bursting and treating this hideous thing, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy! 

Conclusion

So what did I learn from this challenge? 

Firstly I absolutely bloody loved it! Spending practically a whole weekend focusing on running was pretty much a dream weekend for me. I found the experience completely immersive, spending so much time with a clear mind just enjoying each lap and each mile without the distraction of what housework I need to, the pressure of work or the constant attachment to my mobile phone. 

I think I am a way off completing an A to B ultra as having the opportunity to stop at regular intervals definitely assisted me in the completing of the distance. 

Running the distance down in laps meant I didn't concentrate on the distance I had covered as I was just concentrating on laps, concentrating on running 4 laps seems a lot less daunting than running a marathon! Also having a clear plan in the form of my schedule meant the race was broken up into manageable chunks which I just focused on rather than focusing on the full distance.

What I learnt

I certainly learnt a lot from the experience, mainly around the fact that the longer a running event the more the planning and organisation becomes less about running and more about the logistics around the running. 

Before the race I was apprehensive about whether I should take on such an event and challenge. The furthest distance I had ran prior to this was only a marathon, I didn't have any fancy kit and I don't even own a Garmin! But I did it and I did it in my own way.

I set out my target, I planned how I was going to achieve it and I did it! 

I did it my own way, my snacks included maltesers, dried mango and pringles and I stuck to what I thought would work for me and thankfully it did, despite my chocolate coated coffee beans, maltesers and jaffa cakes all turning into their own respective sticky balls of congealed chocolaty messed. 

I'm still struggling to comprehend what I have achieved despite blister ridden feet, swollen ankles and achy knees still providing me with reminders a week after!

Thank you as ever for all the support I have received before and during this race especially from Artur and Paul who supported me during the event. People of Twitter thank you also for your support, encouragement and words of congratulations.  

As always I'm looking forward to the next challenge, the full Bacchus marathon in September and my ongoing quest for a sub 21 minute 5K. 

Taking the plunge into an ultra

I have taken the plunge and signed myself up for an ultra marathon in the form of a solo entry to spitfire scramble 24 hour event.

The plan had be to enter as part of a team as in the last two years but my the team didn't quite materialise so rather than miss out I have taken a punt at going solo.

My aim will be to cover 100K in the 24 which will equate to completing 11 of the 9.8K laps. 

I am feeling nervous and apprehensive about what I have left myself in for and rightly so I haven't ran further than a marathon before apart from completing 6 laps at spitfire in 2014 (approx 58K) and 4 laps last year (approx 39K) but that is a different ball game compared to going solo. Those laps were all done pretty much as fast as I could where as running solo will be about slowing the pace right down and about trying to just keep moving. 

This is a big jump out of my comfort zone and I know I am going somewhat naively into this adventure under trained (it's 4 weeks away) and possibly under prepared (I don't have any fancy kit, I don't even own a garmin! I have recently bought a buff though so that's OK!).

I really want to do this event though, as it's location in Hornchurch Country Park is so local to where I live, I used to live even closer and it's where I really started to train more extensively and it is easily one of my favourite places to run. 

So thank you to all the crazy #UKrunchat people who have taken up my Twitter timeline in recent months posting massive miles in training runs, ultras md other adventures, thanks for the inspiration! 

Already I have received so much support and advice, if you have any words of wisdom on how to approach this event, what kit to buy or pack, nutrition and hydration advice or anything else for a first time ultra runner please let me know I'm all ears!!!!

What did you do this weekend? I got scrambled!

Between midday on Saturday and midday on Sunday as part of the amazing 24 hour team relay event that is Spitfire Scramble my weekend consisted of the following:

• Spent the whole time camped in a field with people I have never met.
• Ran approximately 40K
• Slept for about 3 hours 

           

• Ate large quantities of jelly babies and my home made chocolate and banana cake
• Didn't shower for in excess of 24 hours despite all the running and some hot and sweaty conditions 
• Got bitten to within an inch of my sanity by a variety of creepy crawlies
• Enjoyed meeting UKrunchat members from Twitter and they turned out to be a friendly bunch of runners with a range of running experiences.

• Despaired at early morning visits to the portaloo
• Witnessed the awesomeness of a spitfire flying and swooping down over me while running my last lap.
• Helped steer UKrunchat #teamred to a very respectable 17th place out of 42 teams, a top half finish that was well deserved that we were very proud of.

• Earned an amazing medal

• Overall had a blast, enjoyed some epic running experiences and reconfirmed my love of running.

Come Sunday evening I felt exhausted which to be fair had a lot to do with having my tooth extracted in hospital on Friday as well as the running and the lack of sleep. On Monday morning when I got I regretted not taking the day off and wished for a weekend to recover from the weekend I had just had but by the time I left for work I had the smug glow of knowing I had done something awesome at the weekend.

Never entered a 24 hour team event? You should! They are a bit crazy but in a good way, lots of running interspersed with eating, socialising with other runners but not so much sleeping, give one a go you just might find you like it! 

A summary of my running year

In summary 2014 was an epic year, at the start of the year I would never have dreamed I would have been involved with most of what 2014 brought. I never thought I would start a blog and had no idea of the supportive world of social media that lay in store! 

In all I covered 1,648Km or 1,024 miles which passed my target of 1,000miles! 

They say pictures tell a thousand words and they are of course much quicker to view than hundreds of words so if you are a bit strapped for time a flipagram of my year is here: http://flipagram.com/f/OQy63MFpUe

The start of the year:

2013 ended with me feeling very disappointed after a poor performance at the Beachy Head Marathon in October. I was eager to quickly get this disappointment out of my system with another marathon in early 2014 but couldn't find anything that fitted into my schedule for the early part of the year.

So in January I instead took part in the Benfleet 15 not so much a running event as a mud fest! It was a great event though that I really enjoyed and quite liked running a 15 mile distance although it took me around 2 and a half hours! 

A half marathon PB

Come February I had entered the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon searching to better my half marathon PB of 1.46 and aiming to run sub 1.45. The event goes down as my best running performance as I smashed my PB and expectations finishing in 1.39! The feeling of catching the 1.40 pacers in the last mile and then powering past them in the final few hundred metres will live long in my memory as a real highlight! 

Three marathons in three months 

Around this time I hatched my plan to run three marathons in three months later on in the year, my three marathon challenge was designed with the aim of me running sub 4 hours for the first time and giving me a focus ahead of the impending doom of my 30th birthday in early 2015.

As things transpired I missed out on my sub4 hour target principally because two of the three marathons were tough off-road affairs where a PB time was never realistically going to be achievable.

The first of the three marathons was the Vanguard Way in August starting in Croydon and taking place over the North a Downs. It turned into a very eventful race as I got lost three times and eventually crawled over the finish line in 4.55. The race was probably the most enjoyable of the year as I enjoyed the camaraderie with other runners, the small scale of the event and the subsequent isolation and solitude experienced while running.

Marathon number two was an altogether different affair with a large scale inner city marathon with the Robin Hood Marathon in Nottingham. A great performance and a marathon PB of 4.09 which I was really pleased with.

The third marathon was a tricky kettle of fish, a local off road trail marathon the Weald Park marathon which consisted of 12 3.5km laps. Again really enjoyable but so demanding and again I was massively pleased with my finishing time of 4.34. 

Overall I loved running marathons so close together and really felt I gained momentum as I progressed through the three and I was able to learn more about myself as a runner as well as the requirements of running a marathon.

Spitfire scramble

Somewhere towards the end of my training towards my first of three marathons I ended up unexpectedly taking part in spitfire scramble which is a 24 hour team relay event which held its inaugural event in a nearby country park. I say unexpectedly as I ended up getting involved only days before the event was due to take place as a team had suffered with dropouts of runners with injuries and illnesses and I answered an urgent appeal on Twitter for runners to get involved. 

The event was amazing and it was a great experience to run late at night and in the early hours of the morning, in all I contributed six 9.5km laps in the 24 hour period towards our teams total. 

I enjoyed it so much I am already signed up for 2015! 

Running all the way home

My other memorable achievement of 2014 was the completion of my long held aim to run all the way home from work a route of some 18 miles. I capitalised on my marathon fitness to complete this aim in October and you can read about it here. 

30 Day runstreak  

After these three marathons and the relative disappointment of missing my sub4 target I was a little unsure of what my next aim would be. In November I embarked on a 30 day run streak to push my limits as a runner as well as aiming to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer awareness month while also fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer UK, you can still visit my JustGiving page here. 

Asics 26.2

I was only a few days into my runstreak when I got caught up in the whirlwind that is Runnersworld Asics Target 26.2. I was fortunate enough to be selected in 50 lucky runners from over 3,000 entrants to go through to the boot camp stage. It was an amazing experience and I was so lucky to have been involved despite not progressing any further in the competition. I have made some great friends though and am really looking forward to following everyone's progress in 2015 as everyone searches for Marathon PBs at various events in the spring. 

The year ended with me completing my 30 day runstreak and my last event being the traditional Santa run, which as always is great fun! 

Thank you again for all your support I really appreciate it, best wishes on all your running endeavors in 2015!

Spitfire Scramble in summary

This weekend I took part in Spitfire scramble a 24 hour team relay event held in my local country park.

After 24 hours of running I could write pages and pages on my experiences so thought instead I would condense my race report into a short and concise breakdown as follows:

Cereal, Coffee, 2 mile bike to course, Flap jack, Banana, Ran Lap 1, 2 mile bike home, Mars bar, Protein shake, Ice bath, Walk to town to do shopping, Peanut butter wrap and Orange juice, Coffee, 2 mile bike back to course, Water, Energy drink, 2 jaffa cakes, Energy drink, Shit i need to run! 2nd lap, Much needed pee! Water lots of water, 2 jaffacakes, More water, Energy drink, 2 miles bike home, Ice bath, Stretch, Home made burritos for dinner, Water, Rest, Coffee, 2 miles bike back to course, Banana, 3rd lap Run,Water, 2 miles bike home, Protein shake, Stretch, 2 hours sleep, Get up at a ridiculous hour! Handful of shreddies, Coffee, 2 miles bike back to course, Jaffa cakes, Realise i have forgotten my energy drink! Warm up, 4th lap, Water,Crazy decision to run another lap, Water, Jaffa cakes, Warm up, Run another lap! Water, Lose bag, Eventually find bag, Water, Jaffa cakes, 2 miles bike home, Water, Orange juice and bacon sandwich, Shower, Stretch, 20 min power nap, Up and dressed and head out back, Tube and bus, Water, Energy drink, Run 6th lap, Water, Jaffa cakes, Stretch, chillout, Relax, no more running! Water, Wrap, Mars bar, Juice,Come home, Sleep, Football, crisps and beer! Chillout!

My running times and official times were:

12.45 1st lap - 43.13

16.45 2nd lap - 43.45

22.50 3rd lap - 52.44

04.00 approx 4th lap - 59.39

06.00 approx 5th lap - 58.45 

10.40 6th lap - 53.39

Overall I covered 6 laps, 58km/36miles in 5 hours 11.

Spitfire Scramble 24 hour team relay race

The weekend saw me take part in the inaugural Spitfire scramble, a 24 hour team relay running event held in Hornchurch Country Park Essex. 

First up I would like to say that it was an awesome event held in a great location providing great scenery and interesting landscapes and I really enjoyed the challenge this endurance event provided.

Being a 24 hour event its going to take a bit of time and quite a words to summarise and report on it, if you are a bit strapped for time my mini, condensed bite sized summary of the event is here.

As soon as I heard about this event earlier in the summer I was desperate to take part but I reluctantly decided it wasn't going to work out as I had already committed to three marathons this Autumn. I was keen to get involved as the location is ideal for me being located only a mile or so from my flat and taking place in the Country Park where I have put in so many training miles and hours over the last few years.

Up until Monday the before the race I was fairly content with planning to take part in 2015 and putting my name forward for volunteering duties at this years race. That was until I saw a tweet on Monday morning from the race organisers requesting assistance to help out a team left decimated by injury and illness. Several people had offered to run already but either couldn't commit the time or were too far away and unable to make the journey at short notice. So as a local runner my offer to run was happily snapped up by team red and I was soon welcomed into the team by my team mates on social media.

So on Tuesday, four days before the start of the race I had to quickly figure out how to plan and prepare for some grueling miles at the weekend!

I quickly scaled back the weeks training plans and after much deliberation decided It was best to stay at home and 'commute' in to the course rather than sort out camping on site at such short notice.

Saturday Morning soon rolled around and Made the 2 mile bike ride to the course to meet up with my team and to have our pre race photo. 

I was happy to meet a friendly and happy bunch all relatively eager for playing their part over the next 24 hours. 

A race schedule covering the next ten hours or so was soon in place despite the best efforts of the liveliest member of the team Bella to distract us with her insistent eager pleas to constantly throw her ball or Frisbee (don't worry this wasn't some weird warm up routine or an odd demand of the course, Bella is a gorgeous dog!)

My thoughts quickly turned to my race plans and how to fuel up for the miles ahead and I started taking on fluids and munching my way through a flapjack.

The race was soon under way and as the teams second runner I enthusiastically waited around the start area to welcome in our first runner and sprint off on my first lap.

My local knowledge served me well and I had mostly anticipated the paths and trails the course took. 

Being so focused on the event, the course and other runners the first 3kms flew past and I was ticking over nicely moving at around 4min/km pace and enjoying the run. 

5K was soon up and I was pretty shocked to have smashed my 5K PB by around 30 seconds! 

Considering the undulating terrain and the demanding Ingrebourne hill in the 4th km that's no mean feat! 

My speed week in recent weeks has obviously worked well! 

I pushed hard enough over the rest of the lap to make sure my time would have equated to a 10K PB while still being conscious of having something in the tank for future laps. 

The next few hours whizzed by and I was soon back at the course waiting for my second lap. I was a bit early and the team a little behind schedule so the runner before me was still yet to go, however our runner on the current lap was soon finishing and I was urged by other team members to run the next lap rather than waste time waiting around.

So with no warm up, little hydration and no time for a pre run toilet break off I set on lap 2!

I quickly set about passing a dozen or so runners in front of me in the first few hundred metres. Feeling Good I kept the pace and I surprised myself by being only a few seconds off my 1st lap time at 5K.

My second lap was completed in a little over my first lap time and I was incredibly proud of knocking out two blistering 10Ks only 4 hours apart! 

I headed home for food and rest before returning to the course for my 3rd lap scheduled for around 10.45PM. Thanks to the team for the lend of the head torch and off I went. It took me some time to adapt to running in the dark and the course had several areas that demanded a slower walking pace in the poor visibility.

I managed to get back home before 1AM and got just under 2 hours sleep before heading back to the course soon after 3.00 for my next scheduled lap.

London in the distance, the bright lights of the big city still shining

It was while waiting on the start line for my fourth lap that the cravings started to kick in! All I wanted was a KFC and a Lucozade and that quickly developed into a specific KFC craving, I wanted a mini chicken fillet burger and a mini chicken fillet snack box. Lets just the thought of KFC motivated me massively through my next two laps as I fantasied about eating succulent fried chicken and then formulated plans as to how I might get my hands on a KFC substitute, could I cook something similar when I got home with the ingredients I had in the kitchen? My mind raced around the local area trying to pinpoint a fish and chip shop or fast food joint that might be open in the wee small hours that might be able to satisfy my craving but I came up with nothing!

My fourth lap started at around 4.00 and I was nervous to see how my body would react to running at such an unusual hour, with little sleep and after having already covered almost 30K. 

Pretty good was the answer! Again I walked when the course demanded it and slowly plodded up most of the hills.

By the time I had finished the mixture of lack of sleep, coffee, energy drinks and endorphin's had created a heady mix in my mind for which I will call the 'Forest Gump Feeling', I am sure we have all experienced it, the feeling where you just want to run, and run, and run!

So when I was told that barring the runner after me the rest of the team would be catching up on some much needed rest I crazily put my hand up to run another lap! 

My fifth lap kicked off at around 6AM and I will be honest with you the Forest Gump affect only lasted for the one lap before tiredness and fatigue set in.

Courtesy of Andrew Kenyon https://plus.google.com/app/basic/s?sc=po&sq=andrew+kenyon

My experiences on this lap were pretty different to anything I had experienced while running before. I really enjoyed running in the calm and quiet of the early morning sunshine and the satisfaction that came with knowing I was completing something awesome while the rest of the world slept. The second half was a real challenge though as the lack of sleep turned my mind into a zombie like state. At least two runners spoke to me as they passed, I heard them, I registered their greeting and formulated a response in my mind but my brain was too tired to put any of these actions into practice. I even had my photo taken at this point but couldn't really muster a decent pose or expression!

After this fifth lap my legs were know heavy and stiff and tiredness had now well and truly set in, the bike ride was tough but did energize me and loosen up my legs somewhat. 

Having failed to find of a solution to satisfy my KFC craving I still required some serious calories and good tasting ones at that! As soon as I got in the through the door I started preparing a bacon sandwich! It filled the gap but unfortunately it didn't go anyway to satisfying my craving, stomach filled it was time for a nice warm shower before jumping into my comfy bed (not to rub it in anyone that camped!).

Sleep didn't readily come over me and when it did it was only in a short sharp 20 minute burst. Waking up feeling refreshed but with my legs suffering the pain of running almost 50K I decided I definitely had one more lap in me and I knew by the time I got up and ready I would feel a lot better and so I did! I definitely didn't have the mental or physical strength to bike there again though so I took the tube one stop and the short bus ride back to the course.

By 10.30 after a coffee, some jaffa cakes and an energy drink I was waiting eagerly on the start line to run again. The last lap I wanted to run well and enjoy, I reflected on my positive performance, how well I had coped with the demands of such an event and how I had enjoyed the course, its location and scenery and the fact I had been able to share my usual training routes with so many other runners.

Courtesy of Andrew Kenyon https://plus.google.com/app/basic/s?sc=po&sq=andrew+kenyon

With my last lap completed by 11.30 the team had time to send out a last runner before the 12.00 deadline. All was left for me was to sit on the grass in the warm, bright sunshine and reflect on such an enjoyable event and experience. 

After some team photos and plenty of cheering and clapping for the various medal winners it was time to head off, it was a bit weird leaving the course knowing I wasn't going to be heading back in a few hours! 

Thanks for reading, to anyone that ran in Spitfire Scramble I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and if you didn't run this year I hope you are inspired to run next year or to enter a similar event. Massive thanks go to everyone how made the event possible, the race organisers and marshals for their time and for all the participants for taking on the challenge and creating a great atmosphere, lets do it all again next year?!