Salomon Ben Nevis Ultra – always learning!! 19th Sep 2021

I find these blogs a good way to reflect on what worked, what went wrong and what could be improved, so they are written as much for me as anyone else!! Sometimes they are written in draft and then I take weeks or months to get round to adding the photos and publishing.  

Salomon Ben Nevis Ultra was booked last year as an event which might go ahead in 2020, but like many others sadly got cancelled. I don’t think I even read the briefing last year, just it was a 32mile race starting at Kinlochleven which took in Ben Nevis!

The inevitable happened and it was shifted to this year, just 6 weeks after Cape Wrath. I had already decided that if I was not recovered I would not run, but I felt like I had recovered pretty well so convinced myself to run and “enjoy a day in the hills”! The harsh reality was somewhat different!!

A few weeks before I finally got round to reading the brief and realised there were some scrambling and exposed sections. As a self confessed “fearty” on exposed areas I was a bit nervous. A quick call to Mark Smith who did Cape Wrath with me and a plan was hatched to do some scrambling round the Lost Valley in Glencoe, to make sure I was capable of the terrain and would not freak out on the scrambling sections.

My guide for the day - Mark Smith!

He broke me in gently and took me up the cliff behind my head (not nearly as bad as it looks)!!

We had a great day out, with both of is taking it a bit easy, Mark was nursing his Cape Wrath injuries but afterwards I felt pretty confident, I might be slow, but at least I would not freak out. I know from teaching skiing, when I was younger, what can happen to people when they freak out due to fear of heights and I know in the wrong situation I can be susceptible!!

The next issue was getting a pair of shoes that were not wrecked (from Cape Wrath) or that hurt my feet, so a new pair of La Sportiva mutants was ordered  (sadly I was through 30 websites before I could find a pair in my size – one of the impacts of the stupidity of Brexit!!). There was no chance to get them worn in properly but they felt great round the local park – it was “only” 32miles so I was going to take the chance!!

 

The Prep – what went wrong

• Not really something that went wrong but reality is Cape Wrath took more out of me than I realised!
• I was doing the race as “a day in the hills” and not giving it the respect it deserved.
• I was more disorganised than usual getting ready and packed, and had not really thought through what I was eating
• I had the added distraction that Ourea Events had asked me to speak about Cape Wrath at there sessions on Sat night – I was more stressed about that, than the race!!

 

What went well was I managed at last minute to get a camping pod in Kinlochleven which I shared with Colin Anderson who was doing the Salomon Skyline race!! A good chance for a catch up and a bite to eat and then next day Colin was starting 30mins before me so plenty of time to get organised in the morning!!

Some essential pre race hydration with Colin Anderson!

 

The first sign that the day may not go to plan was when I realised there was no toilet paper in the toilet!! Not a great start to the day!!

Down to the start in time to see Skyline athletes start, quick chats to the various volunteers I knew from Cape Wrath and then it was time to line up!!

The race started pretty well and I made pretty good progress to check point 3 at Steall footbridge. 

The climb up above Loch Eilde Mor

The climb to the start of the scramble to Carn Mor Dearg, went pretty well and I realised I had not really eaten so tried to get a bit of food in.

I stashed poles away and commenced the scramble to Carn Mor Dearg. This is probably where it started to go a bit wrong – I started to get cramp in my abductors. No panic, a combination of salt tablets and eating the hydration tablets usually switches it off! As the climb got slower the rain came on heavier, the wind increased and as the pace slowed I gradually got colder. For some reason I refused to stop and put my jacket on, and also the cramp was not easing. Going along the Carn Mor Dearg Arete is hard enough without getting cramp at random times as you go along. At one point I was at the head of a line making progress along the arete, sensing I was moving slower I stepped aside to let a group of about 8 go by.  They moved on swiftly and left me on my own in the cloud and rain, but I was happy making progress at my pace without taking any risks (ie hanging onto every rock I could and shutting my eyes at the scary bits!!!!). I eventually saw sense and put my jacket on, over my bag, but with my poles on my front I could only zip it up partially. At least I had the presence of mind to pull my neckie over my head to try and retain some heat! Eventually I cleared the arete and started the climb up the boulder field. As I was climbing I started feeling really faint, initial reaction was get some food in but by this time I had let myself get very cold and could not open anything.

The harsh reality was I was not going to last long in the rain and cold so I finally forced myself and got some tablet opened and got some food in. At this stage some other runners caught up and passed. One of the runners did ask if I was ok, but all I could spare was a grumble. I am sure if I had spoken up he would have stopped and helped out, but the reality was, I knew I had to keep moving. I was feeling pretty rough, and set myself the task of getting safely up and down the Ben and then I would pull out at Fort William – I just felt, on the day I was not capable of completing (not like me at all!)!

Finally I got near the top and another runner, caught a glimpse of the top of Ben Nevis, and said we had reached the top – I was desperate to believe her but did not believe it fully till I could see the summit cairn.

Poorly dressed for the arete!!

(I don’t want to be too dramatic but it shows you how easy it is to get into bother – if I had fainted or not been able to continue, all I had with me was one other layer, waterproof trousers and a survival bag – it would have been minutes not hours before I had hypothermia on that ridge. Combine that with a few hours for anyone to rescue you. I suppose the safety net was lots of other runners who could lend support, but I was at fault for not looking after myself well enough! 

The weather was finally starting to break and clear up and I got warmer as I got lower down Ben Nevis. The cramp continued to persist, at one point it was in my left abductor, I got it cleared and it promptly moved to my left. I was gradually running out of hydration tablets (I normally carry 4 but max 2 normally works) and salt tablets. Another error on my part I had not checked may case since Cape Wrath and a number had burst and were in bits in the case. 

Slow painful descent down Ben Nevis

I even embarrassed myself by running by some walkers to get ahead to go over the stile at the bottom of the Ben and then was not being able to step over because of the cramp. They waited with good humour while I sorted myself out!

It is always great to get into an aid station and I grabbed a can of red bull and grabbed a bit of food. I was really worried about lack of anything to manage my cramps and one of the volunteers actually went to their van to check for hydration tablets – sadly she had none but big thanks for trying!!

I grabbed another can of red bull and a bit more food and decided there was nothing else for it but to press on until I got timed out. I very rarely even check cut off times and usually do not need to worry, but I knew I was only 45 mins ahead of cut off. There were two more cut offs and then it was get to finish before 8pm!!

I tried to walk and get some food in and then a run / walk along the forest road to the Glen Nevis carpark. The cramp was still bothering me, but all that was left was the remnants of my broken tablets. I licked the powder, which tasted foul and kept it in my mouth for as long as possible before flushing with a drink of water. It finally worked and the cramp never re appeared for the rest of the day!!

 I was looking forward to working my way up the relatively easy footpath through the glen and then realised we had a small up and down detour to do above the glen. I was back climbing well and back passing people so felt reasonably comfortable and eventually got to check point 8, at Steill Hut which was last one before the finish – I think I made it through with about 15mins. I was a bit surprised as I knew I was probably mid field and probably only 15/20 runners made it through behind me (to the ones who never made it – don’t be too hard on yourself – it was tight!).

A certain bit of me was wanting to time out so I could throw the towel in, but once I was through the cut off the only objective was to finish by 8pm. I thought I had plenty of time but as the climbs and descents got steeper, the terrain got rougher I was beginning to doubt whether I would make it.

I stopped to pick some blaeberries at one point – bliss! 

Proper hill food!!

Before the last main climb up Am Bodach I did have a sit down try and get some more food in – sometimes a few minutes rest, gives your body time to recover and move on. There was a bit of climbing and scrambling but nothing really in comparison to the earlier arete and I felt reasonably comfortable along the ridge!

The climbing was finally over and it was time to pick my way back down to the West Highland Way, the path was pretty cut off up from the previous race and pretty slippery and muddy. 

The tiredness from the climbs had diminished (maybe the food had arrived) but I made steady, but slow progress on the descent. Finally down onto WHW and a quick chat with Lisa (2^nd female Cape Wrath) and it was back onto familiar territory – an hour to cut off and 3k to go - I was going to make it!!

I walked / ran along the road section, in no great rush! A brief conversation with Ian Stewart (Cape Wrath Ultra winner 2021) as I approached the finish, to tell him I was "slightly tired - aka F**Ked!!  Getting to finish a few minutes earlier was not really going to change the overall result. I was pleased and content - I had a pretty rough day, but I kept grinding it out and got to the finish. As always I managed a bit of a run to the finish – it was a lovely atmosphere and thanks to everyone who stayed on to cheer in the last runners – it was very welcome. The official photographer summed it up perfectly when she said “you look a bit broken!” – and she was 100% correct.

 

So did I have a bad day? – a bit of reflection and my conclusions are –

• I was not fully recovered from Cape Wrath
• I totally underestimated the route and the challenge
• I set myself up to have a day in the hills but instead spent the day chasing cut offs
• I made mistakes, I never looked after myself by keeping warm
• This led to me not eating properly when I needed to (running out of energy on a forest trail is totally different to running out of energy on an exposed arete!)
• Cramps – for whatever the reason my usual management methods were not working – not sure why but maybe most of my running this year has been at a slower pace, like for example at Cape Wrath or the fatigue from Cape Wrath contributed
• My mood was quite negative and I think this was largely down to not being able to manage the cramps – once I gave myself permission to back off and just get to finish it got easier
• I have trained in the hills but I have not trained in this type of terrain – if you want to move quickly you need to train in the terrain

 

The positives are –

• It was a great day in the hills, so mission accomplished – the route was stunning
• I managed along the arete without freaking
• I finished in 11hrs, 24mins 59s (my wee day out in the hills was slightly longer than planned!!
• I was 83^rd out of 128 finishers – 101 runners DNF mainly for missing the tight cut off time.
• I learnt lots about making sure I look after myself better!!

 

And a word about the event – the Salomon Skyline is a great event – well managed by Ourea Events!

Huge shout out to all the volunteers – so much enthusiasm for standing on the top of a cold mountain top.

I will be back, but next time I will give the route and the event the respect it deserves!!