weald challenge 50k ultra

31 May 2016 - By Terry Alabaster

On Sunday I ran in the weald challenge 50km ultra trail race held in Sussex.

I started the race having only ran three times since the 7th May when I pulled out of a 52 mile race at the marathon distance. This race was over the Malvern Hills and climbed to 1400 feet at the summit which was at 23-24 miles into race before turning at the marathon distance and covering the same course back. I pulled out at the turnaround checkpoint with a couple of niggling injuries that I did not feel would allow me to reach the finish.

So I started the 50k on Sunday having not run for the previous week with slight upper hamstring injury that you feel in the glutes. I honestly did not know if I would get more than a couple of minutes into race and although it was uncomfortable from 50 metres onwards I did finish.

It was very undulating to say the least with one climb of 500 feet over Ashdown forest lasting three miles or so. I did also manage to add a bit to the distance by taking a wrong turn making it just short of 32 miles.

I finished in 6.59.03 which is my slowest so far but as I have not run this course before I am invoking the HOWARD Formula and claiming a pb for the course.