So Race across Scotland 2021, should actually of been 2020 as I signed up in 2019 after watching a video on it, and thinking that looks epic. I had kept this one under wraps till a few weeks ago as I was just going to turn up, do it and then let you know. But the reaction I got from everyone whist doing my FKT in May, I decided to tell you all so you could come apart of the epicness that was about to unravel.
The Build up
I can honestly say that this was the worse build up I've had to a race ever. I screwed through my finger, which is only just starting to get the feeling back. I popped my rib out of place leaning over someone's toilet trying to remove the pan connector 🙈 plus then I had to start a course of antibiotics just 1 day before my race for a case of infections that started on my arms, chest and my face 😬 🙈
So planning the race and getting a game plan sorted so I knew how to approach the race, the last thing I wanted was to go off too fast and then blow up and have to hang on dear life. Sounds stupid, but I actually wanted to enjoy it, take in some of the views and take lots of photos. From looking at the results from 2019, the winner won in 73 hours, so naturally I wanted to beat that so set the goal of sub 70 hours, worked out at 12.07km which to me sounded doable, so naturally that brought to my attention if I could get sub 70 hours then I might be able to get myself on the podium. These were just 2 goals I set myself, but would have happily sacrificed them both just to be there at that finish line.
Race week had arrived and of course it was as stressful as ever, a drive to Solihull on the Monday to pick up a camper van. A few jobs to do for work, and a serious amount of packing. It was originally going to be just me and Carly going up, but things happen that are out of our control, so my littlest Nelly, and my eldest Daisy were joining the crew for RAS. We decided we wanted to do all the driving in one day, just to get there so we met my mum in Worcester to drop off Betsy and Tommy and then we drove straight up to Stranraer. Wow this place was something special 😬 all day spent driving, so all we wanted was some food but this proved to be very difficult and ended up with pizza from a back alley chippy 🙈
We instantly booked the only place in Stranraer that looked acceptable to eat in for a meal for the Friday night. At least I'd be guaranteed something half decent the night before the race.
Friday we went exploring into Portpatrick, the start of the race. I walked the first km of the course just so I knew where we were heading, not that I was planning on going off fast anyway but it's good to know.
Friday night dinner time 🙌🙌 the restaurant we booked 👌 We arrived to be told that there was a very limited menu due to a fire in the fryer 🙈🙈 what are the chances 🤣 so after driving around for an hour, it was a stop at Morrison supermarket and a precooked chicken and a salad kart.
Race Day
Race day had finally arrived and I was ready to take on the biggest challenge in my running journey. I headed to the start line to get signed in, and although only being 50 of us there out of the 63 signed up there was a big nervous buzz in the area, I knew a few people there taking part and got chatting to some new faces as well, just looking around at the start line is incredible and it's what I love about Ultra Running, there isn't a set this is what an Ultra Runner looks like, there was all sorts of shapes, sizes and ages but we all shared was a appetite to be better and a desire to achieve a breathtaking challenge. Everyone on that start line had my full respect, there were people who had completed this before and then there complete newbies like me. Due to Covid thing, we were split into 2's and set off every 10 seconds or so. I was partnered up with a gent called Andrew, someone who later on became a massive part of my journey, in which we both bared our souls to each other and I'd go as far to call him a very good friend now.
We were off, literally a 10 second run, then straight into a walk up the steps, heading up hugging the coastline. I had my own plan here, so it was important I didn't get caught up and pulled into anyone elses pace otherwise the pain train would be arriving earlier than expected. A few miles in and I needed a wee so stopped at the side of the road as you do, and as I finished Andrew was there, we started chatting and then just ran. We settled into a pace, most definitely faster than it should of been and I kept having to slow the pace. The first 2 checkpoints we weren't allowed to have a pit crew due to access, so it was 39 miles before I got to see my Crew. This was another pop up checkpoint, but there was a real buzz at this one, loads of camper vans with people cooking and everyone in good spirits. I had allowed myself a good 30 minutes for a checkpoint, with such a distance to be covered I didn't want to leave thinking I should of done that. Every checkpoint was straight into the chair, shoes and socks off, feet dried, powdered and tapped if needed, also a fresh pair of socks and a new set of trainers. Then it was cup of tea, food, puck out nutrition for the next leg and fill water bottles and add more anti chafe if needed. I'd added so much already to my 🍒 and my 🍑 that one wrong slip I could easily have something lost inside me ever 😬. Some cold pasta in tomato sauce which was a lot nicer than it sounds and I was ready to head out to Checkpoint 4 which was 25 miles away.
Checkpoint 3 to 4
I was ready to go, gave Andrew a shout as I walked down with Jules. Andrew said he was coming so I walked a km or so waiting for him to catch up, but he never came, do pressed on. There was some big climbs in this section and i wish I'd had my poles, but I'd left them with my crew. The sun was out now and really started beating down on us causing us to take on the water, I was carrying a 500ml of Tailwind, a 500ml of water and 1.5 litre bladder of high juice orange squash. On the race email it said that there would be a 50 mile replen point at an emergency shelter, this couldnt come soon enough I was out of water and I'd filled up and had an extra litre out a waterfall which was amazing straight from source, no filter or tablets needed. I really started to struggle at this point and this was the lowest I felt over the whole race. I was actually ready to Jack it all in, I was really hating life now, but I could Carly in my head " we haven't come all this way for you to quit after 45 miles" I was questioning everything at this point, I even cursed my running coach sorry Liz 🙈🙈 I remember thinking that she shouldn't of let me come to this race so underprepared. She hadn't, we couldn't of done anymore, but it still didn't stop me from hating her in that moment. Already hating life it was the start of a massive climb on a track road that just hugged its way around the forest and went on forever. Out of nowhere then Andrew just appeared on my shoulder, I was so happy to see him. He had had some trainer issues so sorted that but we were back together. He was also out of fluids at this point, and we couldn't wait to get to the Emergency shelter, but 50 miles came, 55 miles came and then 60 and still no Emergency shelter, we had somehow missed it. So pretty dehydrated and unable to eat for the last 3/4 hours I was low, very low. We crossed the final field into the Church village hall were I was greeted by Daisy and I couldn't even get excited to see her, I was done. Went straight in for water, 2 cups of tea and a bowl of vegetable soup with 2 pieces of bread and butter, I wasn't feeling the food but I knew I needed to eat it. Feet done, change of wet clothes, bottle fill up, grabbed my poles and head torch as the night shift was coming, but most importantly a fruit pastel ice lolly 🙌
Checkpoint 4 to 5
Walking out of Check point 4, fruit pastel lolly in hand, I know had my poles and feeling a lot better about things. At no point was I thinking about the remaining miles, it was all about just getting to the next Checkpoint and we were just about to head into our first night shift. This next stint was a long one, 26 miles and would be getting some hills as we were heading to Sanquhar which is the highest village in Scotland. The original plan was to just go straight through but me and Andrew were both starting to struggle, some silly navigational errors adding on a few miles. We seemed to spend a lot of time zig zagging fields, as the gpx file on our watch didn't really match up all that well with the southern uplands way and my watch was completely different to Andrews so we both starting to feel low at this point and it was agreed that once we got into 5 then we would have a little sleep. But this marathon seemed to go forever and before we knew it the darkness started turning to light and before we knew it we arrived at checkpoint 5 at 6.15am, 10 hours later 🙈🙈 we came in though and on offer was beans and sausage, there was no way I was going to say no to this, we had survived the first night I was filling up my belly, drinking as much cups of tea as I could and I was starting to feel happy again, so we decided that we wouldn't bother sleeping and just carry on to the next Checkpoint which was a short one for a change.
Checkpoint 5 to 6
This one was only a 7 mile stretch, something that we weren't to. But we had full bellys and we're ready to crack on. We were spending about 30/40 mins at each checkpoint, there was no way I was going to risk rushing to get out again and forgetting to do something as simple as lubing up my bum, otherwise you know the pain you suffer later on down the line isn't going to be good, and I've already got a reputation for having a scabby arsehole 🤣🤣 Andrews knee had started hurting at this point but he was hiding it well, still steaming on and I felt like I was holding him back sometimes. But we both had our strengths, he was really solid on the hills and I was good coming down the hills so there were points where we both waited for each other. Although only 7 miles, it didn't go particularly quickly either and everything was still a struggle we were nearly 97 miles and over 24 hours in, so it was never going to be pretty. This one was all a bit of a blur to be fair, in fact everything from here on in is a bit crazy 🤣 we made it to Wanlockhead and it was always such a welcome site to see my girls. Nelly was always happy to see me. Straight in to cups of tea though, one thing I will say is the guys working the Checkpoints were absolutely fantastic, as soon as you got in, within minutes you had a hot drink and this instance a sausage and onion sandwich, infact I had 2 coz they were that good. I could feel the liner on my shorts starting to get a bit annoying as well so it was time to change the shorts, we said goodbye to the bananas and hello to the leopard print. Wayne the RD turned up at this point and found it hilarious me chilling in my shorts along with my slippers on resting my feet 🤣🤣 But we got ourselves ready to move out, that was 6 done and only 5 checkpoints left. 🙌🙌
Checkpoint 6 to 7
We were now heading up to Beattock village hall which was 20 miles away but we were 100 miles in at this point so it was never going to be an easy 20 miles. Carly had found out about a layby 6 miles away that she could meet us at, Andrew was using us as pit crew as well at this point as his wife had had to go home, but he had arranged for his parents to be at the next Checkpoint and also this layby, so I was buzzing for him, a nice little pick me up and getting to see some familiar faces, as let's be honest 26 hours with me can't be nice for anyway. I think my most popular catchphrase at this point was "This is shit" 🤣🤣
We were dropping down off the ridge and you could see the layby, the new Smevs mobile campervan and Car behind it. Andrew knew that was his parents and as we dropped down on to the road he started to open the pace, you knew he was happy to see them, he was pulling away from me and I was trying to keep up but he was dropping in a pace of 4.45 a km luckily it was for only a few hundred metres. We spent about 10 minutes here, I had a fruit pastel lolly, some kisses with my girls and I was good to crack on. Andrew changed his trainers, something he hadn't been able to do for a good few miles, and to grab his poles, but it turned out there was only 1. We said our goodbyes and off we went about 13 miles to do to the checkpoint. Now I knew I was tired and I have been before in races but I had never experienced hallucinations before, but I can tell you there are very real. We came up to a lock with a bridge wall on one end, Andrew said that his parents were going to meet him here, so as we approached we could see his dad over the far end standing at the gate. I was struggling here so was walking, so Andrew said he was going to run on, have 5 minutes with his parents and then when I caught up we could go. So off he went, pretty fast, must have been a good 500m I reckon. But like I said I was struggling, so head down one foot in front of the other just moving forward. As I got to the gate Andrew was sat on the curb so naturally I asked where his dad was, his reply "There was no one even there" I thought he was genuinely winding me up, I had seen him, I swear there was a man stood there. Our minds were really starting to play games with us now. This is something we spoke about for the duration we were together as it was crazy and quite funny, although not at the time, I can imagine it probably felt like a massive kick in the teeth for Andrew. But we got through the rest of that section 117 miles in and we arrived at Beattock village hall, this was on a road that you had to run down to the CP to then have to run back the way you came to get out. But we were there, pasta and meatballs, some lasagne and some salted potatos and and a hot dog sandwich 🤣🤣 if someone offers me free food, I'm going to take advantage 🤣
Andrews knee was really playing up now at this point we tired to KT tape it up, but after using deep heat and other stuff on it, the tape was just coming off. We spent a bit longer at this checkpoint and I was ready to go, but had to wait for Andrew to sort his last few bits out, but it seemed like I was waiting forever, but we were both struggling, of course we had aches and pains but it was the lack of sleep, you could be fine then all of sudden have to fight the urge to curl up in a ball and get your head down.
Checkpoint 7 to 8
This next one was 18 miles and we had decided that when we got there we would sleep for 2 hours before heading out for the night shift again. This section was my favourite, not because I felt good, but the views were fantastic and half way through it we bumped into Wayne the RD who was out on course taking photos. He had parked 3/4 miles away on route so we all ran together and it felt like a nice easy chilled Saturday morning training run, not a 215 mile race. After taking in some of the breath taking views we had a very steep slalom descent which I absolutely loved, you could tell Andrews knee was really giving him grief and I was genuinely worried for him at this point, but like me once we met Wayne he perked right up and everything seemed ok. We ran with Wayne back towards his car just chatting away about general life, it's the first time I'd spike to him properly and he's a really nice man, was saying how awesome my pit crew were and if they needed anything just ask. We headed up off the trails and onto a road now, it seemed to go in for ages, but the pace just seemed to naturally pick up and we just ran, we hit a little house at the bottom of the valley literally in the middle of nowhere, an old lady sat on a bench in her garden, and she just randomly asked if we wanted a coffee. But we declined and pushed on. We were now approaching Wayne's car so said goodbye and me and Andrew carried on. This was a long road section now that went on for a good 7/8 miles, I hate road at the best of times and this was one of my worst 🤣 but we knew that we would be sleeping on arrival.
Andrew soon admitted that running that section with Wayne wasn't a great idea for his knee and he was really suffering now. He was walking, but his walk was fast as he's got long legs. My feet were so sore at this point that I needed to run, every step was like daggers in the balls of my feet, and running meant they weren't in contact with the ground for as long. So I was having to run on and then get so far and wait till Andrew caught up, or let him push on and then run to catch him up, this went on for the remaining miles, some times we would talk, the remaining time would be in silence as both of us were crying inside. We then hit the market tape to follow down to the checkpoint and the hallucinations hit in again, straight ahead on us on the right hand side of the road were a family of meerkats all stood to attention, there were clear as day, we both saw them, but as soon as we got to within 5m they turned into weeds. I had run on a little bit at this stage, but I was slowed down as I spotted a lady with a blanket over her head cuddling a little boy, who must of only been about 2 maybe 3 as they sat under a tree. I was just about to offer my help as I got within 1m of them but just like the meerkats they disappeared again. It was just starting to turn dark now, but we could see the lights in the village hall. We had made it. A cup of tea and some beans on toast and then I jumped into the campervan for possibly the worst 2 hours sleep ever. I took off my shoes and socks to get some air to my feet, but everytime my feet came into contact with something they hurt and woke me, the sleep was on and off and when I was asleep I could here everything going on around me. The midnight alarm went off, so Carly jumped into the back to start sorting my feet for me, apparently I was a bit of an arse at this point so I'm sorry 🙈🙈 we struggled to get my trainers back on and I really had to loosen all the laces but forcing my feet inside hurt alot. I got my kit ready, but I didn't even think about eating, we just left to head to Checkpoint 9 and take on the night shift again.
Checkpoint 9 to 10
We both started off in good spirits to be fair, felt like the sleep may of helped us both out, but the chat soon disappeared again and fell into complete silence, we knew we were both in a world of pain, and a position we had been adopting called the praying monk, was happening every 500m or so now at this point, I wish we had photos of this and it was actually quite funny 🤣🤣 it just seemed to take the pressure off everything and allowed to relax for all of a out 60 seconds before one of said come on let's go, let's keep moving. We were both really tired, but we were hoping that once the light came we would perk up like we did on the first morning, but it didn't quite work the same. The darkness turned into light and I had to play dad here, stuffing gels in to Andrew and feeding him beef space raiders and also introduced him to the wonderful world of Apple sour extreme sour chewits if these don't put a smile on your face the nothing will.
We had been suffering with no signal for about the last 12 hours, and it eventually all kicked back in again, we checked the tracker and the front runner had pulled out. I wasn't surprised to be honest, the speed the front 2 went off, racing from the start playing cat and mouse, it was obvious that one of them would suffer down the line. This then though put me and Andrew up into 5th and 6th position and 3rd and 4th male, which was enough to put us on the podium. Andrew was still really struggling, we had walked the last 8 hours and it looked like it would be like this to the end now as his knee was done, so he told me to go on and get that podium. But I said no, we had started together so let's finish together, we can cross the line together and get joint 3rd place, but we were slowing down even more, I couldn't walk I needed to run. Yet again Andrew told me to run on, but I didn't want to leave him. I started running a bit, it felt so nice, I was even running the hills at this point, I got so far and waited for Andrew, but yet again he told me to go, just go and get the podium. I was caught in 2 minds here, but I had to think of myself as well, I hurt so much walking and all Andrew could do at this point was walk, he said to me it's race as well go and get it. So I started running, and running, and running and I just didn't stop, I ran all the way back to the checkpoint and ticked off 7 miles in an hour. I was feeling great and it felt like the race had started, I'd always said that the race didn't really start till 150 miles anyway. I came into the Checkpoint and ran straight past my own crew, as I saw Andrews wife and I felt like I had to apologize for leaving him behind. Luckily they were fine with it.
A quick change and a bacon sandwich from Carly and I was ready to press up to Checkpoint 10.
Checkpoint 10 to 11
My first proper checkpoint on my own, I knew we had about 50 miles left at this point, so just wanted to get through it was fast as I could. I took the music with me, but my phone battery was low, and the signal was crap so wouldn't connect to Spotify so I just wore my headphones as a fashion accessory. A few hill to start this one and I was struggling again, the 7 miles in an hour was coming back to bite me on the arse 🙈 I remember laying down on the side of the track and sending Carly a selfie, but I could have easily just gone to sleep right there and then.
But I had a job to do, it was time to put on my big boy pants and pull my finger out. The next Checkpoint had changed the night before the start so the gpx file didn't match at all, so I was searching for the marker tape hanging from the lampposts. We came into the next Checkpoint and there was a calm about it, I was the only one there. The guys in front had left and I had opened up a 6 hour lead on the people behind me. Beans and sausage with bread and butter and a cup of tea this time, and of course my favourite a fruit pastel lolly.
Checkpoint 10 to 11
Now this is the checkpoint I'd been looking to, at Cp11 you get a fry up 🤣🤣 I was just hoping that this was actually true. I left CP10 sucking away on my fruit pastel lolly in good spirits, down through the town and make up on the trails. I was about 2 miles in and I looked up to find that I'd run into a field and I was surrounded by cows and bulls, I was pretty scared to be fair. 40 minutes of them teasing me and I didn't actually know if I was going to make it out, the noises they were making definitely weren't friendly ones. Then out if nowhere the farmer came on his quad bike, I explained what we were doing and after him calling me crazy, he said follow me, and drove off down the field while I gave chase to lead me back on to the path. I'd now done about 5 miles and this section was meant to be 13, so when I saw a sign saying 10 miles to go still I felt a bit crap, but knew I just had to get in with it. I needed to get through these miles quickly as I the stretch to the finish would be in the dark so I wanted to reduce that as much as possible. I came down towards the lock and knew I was near the fishing hut. I climbed up the hill and I could see one of the guys from GB ultras who ran me in, as I came down the track there was Nelly on Daisy's shoulders shouting Daddy 🥰🥰
For the last 2 hours I had been really struggling with acid, really bad acid burps so I was in desperate need of some Rennie, luckily the crew had some and then it was time for famous checkpoint 11 fry up 🙌🙌 I ate as much as I could but it was a struggle, plus I knew I only had 21 miles ahead between me and the finish and running across Scotland.
The Final stretch, 21 miles to the end
I left the crew and I was off, the only thing that stood in my way was 21 miles, within about 2 though the fry up decided it wanted to come out, so I had to adopt the 💩 position. Literally as soon as I had finished and straightened myself up Carly came driving down the road, she drive along side me for a while, and had found a few points to meet me in the way to break it up. It was starting to get dark pretty fast and I hadn't done a night section on my own yet so this could be interesting I thought to myself, but I knew what had to be done. I was focused, the pain had stopped I was running, I was getting to that finish line. One minute I'd be up high in the hills, then I'd drop down and be running on the roads, it was a lot like the North downs way in such a way as there was no need for it, you could have easily picked a nice straight route through 🤣🤣
I met up with Carly a couple more times and then it was time to say goodbye, I knew the next time I saw her it would be at the finish line. Back up into the hills for a crazy zig zag section, but for this bit and the next 5 miles or so I had a deja vu that I had done this before, I was positive I had. I hadn't because this was my first time running in Scotland but it all felt so real, I knew which was I was turning before even seeing the sign. I have no idea what was going on. I hit back on to the coastal path only 2 miles from the finish, Infront I could see something epic and all lit up, I just naturally presumed that it was the finish line and started running towards it. Head down gunning it, 1 mile done to then look at my watch to tell me I was off course. Turns out that wasn't the finish line, I actually have no idea what it was, or even where I was. I had gone into auto pilot and got myself well and truly lost. I had to ring Carly as I was stressing out, I just wanted to be at that finish line with my girls. She calmed me down and redirected me via the tracker and I was off again. This time not allowing myself to get carried away. I turned the corner and then the GB Ultras staff were there with a shining light to lead me in, I upped the pace and ran in and crossed the finish line just before 3am. There was no massive crowd to cheers me in or dancing girls with pom poms but it didn't matter, I had my girls. I had run 223 miles across Scotland with over 9000m of Elevation and I felt epic. I was presented with a bronze dinner plate as my 3rd make trophy which is absolutely epic and my first belt buckle a 200 mile belt buckle. My first official race longer than 70km 🤣 I've ran 100 miles a couple of times but never in an actual race, it was for my FKT but who cares, I've completed my toughest challenge to date in under 70 hours and hit the podium. Mt time of 68 hours and 34 minutes would of actually been enough to win the race in 2019, but I felt like I did win. A bacon sandwich afterwards and a cup of tea before attempting some sleep in the Campervan.
The realisation of what I'd achieved didn't really set in till the next morning when I woke up chuckling to myself and actually feeling a little emotional but we had a long drive ahead of us home.
What an experience and I've learnt so much about myself, met some awesome people supported an awesome event which was run by an awesome team. I'm absolutely blown away by all the support I've received and messages of congratulations.
You will all be pleased to know that Andrew also made it to the finish line, about 12 hours later so a massive well done to him for showing such determination to get to the end. Without him it just wouldn't of been the same and I feel I've made a friend for life.
Finally a massive thanks to my team, Carly, Daisy and Nelly. The Best support crew ever. Without these guys it just wouldn't of happened. Massive love to you all.
So what's next??
No idea, I'm taking the rest of August off to fully recover, my feet are a mess at the minute but I'm already getting the itch, it's going to need scratching, I just need to know with what 🤣🤣
It's not always pretty and to be honest I have no idea how much sense it made, but I hope you enjoyed it 🙌
Mr Smevs xx
