Stroud Trail Marathon - What We Learned in 26.4 Brutal Miles

A couple of days ago I ran the Stroud Trail Marathon, alongside my friend and running partner G, running her first marathon. It was hard. It was very hilly. It was the hottest May day for four years which meant it was very hard. We had trained well, but by mile 8 we both agreed that we were feeling more drained that we would usually feel at that distance, and by 15 miles I was definitely flagging.

But for us this wasn't just the challenge of running 26.4 hilly miles on a hot day (though it was definitely that!) It was also a step along the way towards Race to the Stones, a 100km ultra, which is a scant 9 weeks away, so this was also a training marathon and a learning marathon.

And here are a few things I (we) learned....

Stroud Trail Marathon

The Stroud Trail Marathon is run on the trails around Stroud, in the beautiful scenery of the Cotswolds. It was a really friendly event, well organised and with a small field of some 150 runners. 

The course takes you through woods and over flat grassy hilltops, along canals and through farmland. But there is beast hidden in this beauty, as the elevation map below shows.  The run contains some savage climbs and steep drops, with 3698 ft of climb over the 26.4 miles. This isn't a fast marathon. Forget those sub 2h30 finishes! Only four runners made it in under 4 hours! 

On Sunday it was a lovely May day, which gave us stunning views across the Cotswolds and out over the Severn flood plain. But it also meant that it was very hot, which took its toll on everyone.

Things we learned

Thoughts below, with lessons in red.

Kit

Shoes and Socks

Our feet stood up just fine, which suggests we have got our footwear (both shoes and socks) right. I was wearing Inov-8 Ultra 290s, and G Brooks Cascadia 11s. It didn't stop our feet getting pounded but we both finished free of blisters or bad rubs.

That said, we both had a fair amount of grit in our socks by the end, and now plan to take a spare pair of socks to change during each day on RttS. 

Clothes

It was a hot day, but our normal running clothes were fine. Shorts and tech T-shirt for me, and short 2xu compression leggings and tech T-shirt for G. The only problem we had was G's rucksack straps rubbing her neck where the shirt didn't protect her. But that's more of a pack problem than a shirt problem!

Packs

We were both carrying bags for water and odds and ends. I had an Osprey Talon 4 "Lumbar Pack" (or bum bag!) with 1.5 litres of water, which proved fine, except in the middle of the race when I had stomach cramps, and the waist belt felt a bit tight. G was wearing an Osprey running rucksack which proved more difficult, as it was rubbing her shoulders where the t-shirt stopped. We partly fixed this with a buff tucked under her t-shirt, but that was hardly ideal on such a hot day. This also precluded taking off the shirt to run in the crop top she had underneath. We'll have to do find a better load carrier for G, as RttS is in the middle of July and may be very sunny.

Timing

G was wearing Fenella, her Garmin Fenix 3, who did her usual excellent job of tracking where we were as well as a million other statistics (including, usefully, telling us when we were going uphill, just in case we hadn't noticed the burning quads and rasping breath!). I had intended to use Endomondo on my phone, but for some reason it wouldn't start, and I recorded the run on Strava. But with Fenella there was little need, as our route was safely uploaded to the Garmin servers as we ran.

Energy and Hydration

Tailwind

We have both been using Tailwind energy drink, dissolved in water bottles. This has proved to be a very good way of replenishing energy while running and will definitely be at the core of our energy strategy on RttS. We filled our bottles before we started, and carried sachets with us to put in bottles as we refilled.

However, as the race went on, and we drank a lot in the heat, the Tailwind did get a little bit cloying, and I turned to just water. We will try the flavour free Tailwind, as an alternative, if the sweetness of the flavoured versions gets too much.

Jelly Babies and Chia Charge Bars

A couple of drinks stops were offering jelly babies, and we snacked on a few as we went round. These didn't give us that much energy, but did show that G can at least eat a couple of jelly babies without a bad reaction. I ate a Chia Charge Bar in nibbles on the way, as I often have before. I did (unusually for me) get some tummy cramps at about 16 miles, which may have been from that, but it was hard to tell.

Water

We both carried two water bottles (me: 2 x 0.75l, G: 2 x 1l) with water and 200 calories of Tailwind in each. It was a very hot day, and we both drank some 3 litres over the race, Carrying bottles was definitely a good thing. 

Other (and more Important) Stuff

Recovering from Injury

Just a week before the race, we were doing a gentle 10 miles when out of the blue I had a stabbing pain in the middle of my right calf. I limped back, thinking that I would never be able to run the race. This was all very familiar for me, as I have had bad calf strains before. However, following advice from the wonderful Michaela McCallum, I iced it and rested it and didn't stretch it for several days, and then did some gentle stretches and raises. I ran the race taped up and wearing a calf compression sleeve, and magically, I got round without any pain.

G has had a sacroiliac joint issue for a couple of years that nearly stopped her running but is now ably managed by Neal Evans and her physio Helen Nash.  She too was strapped up for this race (in places hidden by her tights!) but hopefully she'll be fully recovered and pain free by the time we reach RttS.

Treat an injury well, and do what the professionals say, and there is a chance that it won't ruin your race!

Mustard!

I have suffered in previous long runs with cramps in my legs, making it impossible to run. Some research (and some mythology) suggests that mustard can help, and in my first aid kit (along with £10 for beer and crisps!) I have been carrying a sachet of mustard stolen from a cafe. At about 20 miles I felt the first familiar twinges of spasms in my bum and thigh, making my leg almost give way. I got out the sachet of mustard, and slowly sucked away at it, The cramps went away.  Was it the mustard, or just the better training? I don't know, and the scientist in me wants a much better trial! But I'll continue to carry a couple of mustard sachets for cramp, even if it is just a placebo that seems to work!

Training

We'd trained well, with many long runs over the winter, and more recently back to back weekends, the most recent being two 15 milers. In addition, G has been doing two sessions of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). It is hard to be certain, but it seems posible that this additional hour of training a week was what helped her keep going in the face of the heat and the hills.  I need to include more strength training in the last few weeks of training.

A Marathon as part of an Ultra Training Regime

We planned a few competitive races into our training for RttS, including the Larmer Tree 20 and Stroud. This is a sound plan, but we discovered, looking back, that this has mixed advantages. In a way it makes doing a marathon less daunting, as you get into the mindset that it is "just" 26 miles, and we are training for two 30 mile days. But in a way, it also denies some of the pleasure of having done a marathon, because it slightly diminishes it, in face of the longer run to come.

I was a little disappointed with my performance, and it took me some time (and some persuasion from G) to remind myself that I had just run a MARATHON, and a hard one in brutally hot weather.

Celebrate every success, and recognise that every run is a challenge in itself, and that finishing it is a massive achievement to be valued and enjoyed!

After this race, we upgraded our last training run (Hampshire Hoppit half marathon) to a full marathon, just to get the full benefit of doing (and enjoying!) another marathon before the final event. (Hampshire Hoppit looks like being another super-friendly trail run! See you there!)

Running with a Friend

We have trained as a team and we ran as a team. We both knew at the start that, barring some serious injury, we would finish together. We have been pretty well matched to date, and expected that that would be the same on the day.  As it turned out, it was me that felt the heat and the hills most, while G encouraged me and helped me keep going. Running together is a good thing. We'll be pace for pace on RttS!

Final Thoughts

Our race wasn't perfect, and I, in particular, was a bit disappointed with my performance.

BUT.... we actually got a lot of the important things right. We have trained well, we have learned what is good to keep us fuelled, we drank well in the heat, we listened to physios when we were injured, we listened to advice from friends. 

Importantly, we had a great chat (just a little bit less than usual as I got tireder!) and a laugh all the way round, and enjoyed the views and the sights and just being out doing something amazing. 

We felt good and alive, because this is what we love doing. 

We successfully ran a tough marathon in stupidly hot weather!

Roll on RttS!

On the last leg!

Post Race Thoughts

It is now a couple of days later, and we are both recovering well. Both a bit stiff especially in the quads from all that hillclimbing, but basically ok. G managed a 6 mile run the day after the race, and I feel I could have done the same. All in all, it was a great race with lots of valuable lessons, and confirmation that we are on the right track.