In article <c5doae$f1am$1@ID-81538.news.uni-berlin.de>, Tim Downie 
<timdownie2003@obvious.yahoo.co.uk> writes
>Ouch  ouch ouch ouch ouch!  But perhaps I ought to start at the beginning.
>;-)
>
>T'was a perfect day for running a long distance race up in Speyside
>yesterday.  Overcast with a gentle breeze just right for keeping you cool.
>About half of the 100 odd runners had amassed down at Spey Bay (the
>finishing point) and we joined them for the bus ride up to the start at
>Ballindalloch Station, a disused railway station and line just upstream of
>the castle. There we met the rest of the runners who'd arrived under their
>own steam and discovered the first hitch in the organisation.  100 nervous
>runners and not a toilet in sight!  In fact there *was* a public toilet but
>someone had thoughtfully locked it.  Rather annoying, especially for the
>ladies who were struggling to find any privacy.
>
>I'd agonised for a long time over my pacing strategy.  I knew I  would
>manage the distance (on the flat) but I also knew that there was Ben Aigen
>(407 m) slap bang in the middle of our run.  With a sub 7 minute 1/2
>marathon under my belt, 8 minute miles didn't seem too outrageously
>optimistic.  I didn't expect to average that as I planned to walk early on
>the hills. but it seemed a reasonable target for the flat bits.
>
>As it turned out, this was really a run of three parts.  The lead in to the
>hill, the HILL, and the rest.  My pacing strategy after the hill  needed
>fairly serious revision. ;-)
>
>The run  started along the disused railway line, the surface was good and
>the running easy for the first 10 miles or so.  A couple of small suspension
>bridges provided some entertainment as they bucked under our feet as we ran
>over them making feel  like you were alternately bounding along or ploughing
>through mud.  The path then climbed away from the river along roads and
>before long, we were off the tarmac and onto the forest tracks of Ben Aigen.
>Now I *knew* Ben Aigen was there from the start, I knew it's height.  What I
>didn't know was that the bl**dy path was going to go up and down and up and
>down and up and down all along the sides of this hill.  When we did
>eventually escape the hill, the organisers had thoughtfully added in *more*
>hills by putting the extra 5k needed to make it a 50k over some steep sided
>valleys just for our further pleasure.  I don't now how much climbing we did
>but that's one hill I won't underestimate again!
>
>The one bright spot on Ben Aigen was where a section of forest had been
>felled and we could see right down the river valley to the sea (about 15
>miles distant) and our finishing point.
>
>By now the Speyside Way had rather drifted away from the river onto country
>lanes and we undulated out way down to Fochabers where the path returns to
>river level.  With only 6 miles to go I was actually feeling pretty good at
>this point and found a new spring in my step.  It was short lived however
>and my feet that had been hurting for some time began to complain seriously.
>Nothing specific, I've not even got a blister this morning, just a hellish
>ache from all the pounding.  To make matters worse, much of the path along
>the riverside at this point had been repaired with sea-worn pebbles that
>were all knobbly.  With tired legs that had lost the will to look for secure
>footing, it was just a case of stumbling along over these pebbles.  (Give me
>good ol' tarmac any day!)
>
>I may have overcooked myself earlier with my pace but somehow, I found
>myself passing other runners in this last 6 miles.  Annoyingly, there was
>one runner ahead who was walking and running but I just could reel him in.
>With about 2 miles to go, you could see the finish across the fields.  I
>have never know 2 miles to pass  so *slowly* and the temptation to walk was
>almost overwhelming but I  hadn't walked  on any flat bits  up till then and
>I was damned if I was going to give up and walk so close to the finish. I
>know all racing is about embracing pain but I lost count of the number of
>times I thought that 31 miles was just too much pain to embrace.  I swore
>repeatedly that I'd never ever run another ultra.
>
>It was an enormous relief to round the last corner and see the finish line a
>few hundred meters ahead. As the finish neared, I picked up the pace and
>sprinted the last 100m (d*mned stupid I know but irresistible) and ground to
>a stumbling halt.  I so badly wanted to lie down but I was terrified that if
>I did, I wouldn't be able to get up again so instead, I staggered round
>gulping water and salt capsules (I'd felt my right calf threatening to cramp
>up  over the last mile) and somehow I managed to stay on my feet.
>
>Final position was 40th out of 95 finishers (98 starters) which I'm not too
>unhappy about for a first 50K but I wasn't too wowed by my time which was
>4:44:46.  I had hoped to get under 4:30 but that was based on a Ben Aigen
>walk up, run down and then back to level running again fantasy so perhaps no
>great surprise that I didn't manage that. I should just consol myself with
>the fact that I did beat many more experienced (and several younger)
>runners.  Somewhat galling though to know that when I was only 20 miles into
>my race, the winner had already crossed the finish line in 3:02! (Simon
>Pride, five times previous winner).
>
>To round off the day, there were cold drafty showers filled with screaming
>naked men on offer but that helped to take you mind off of all your other
>pains. ;-).  Hot soup and sandwiches were much more welcome in the Spey Bay
>hotel and after a pint of Guinness and the prize giving, it was time to head
>home.
>
>I swore many times yesterday that I'd never run this distance again, today,
>the memory of the pain is fading fast and I know I could do better next
>year.  I can run up and down stairs this morning so my legs seemed to have
>survived pretty well.
>
>I've learnt a bit more about my capabilities and my respect for other mad
>ultra runners who run even greater distances has increased enormously.
>
>Devil of the Highlands in August?  Who knows, ask me tomorrow. ;-)
>
>Thanks  for reading.
>
>Tim

Well done Tim that's a good effort.
-- 
Ken