Night-time Green Man Challenge

 With the London Marathon out of the way, and the 60 mile Ultra Trail South West (UTSW) upcoming in June, I needed to find an excuse to put in a decent long training run to get my legs ready for some serious endurance.

Preparing for ultras is all about getting time on your feet. One good long training session can really help set-up the legs for an ultra race.

So it was, that some discussion within TACH (Town and Country Harriers) about possibly taking on the 45 mile Green Man Challenge, but at night, became a reality.

I chose a date that was 4 weeks out from UTSW, and was lucky to get a clear and balmy night.

Alex Foster, fellow TACH member, also undertaking UTSW (and needing a long run) accompanied me, which was a relief because, without Alex, I would have got hopelessly lost, and also pretty spooked on my own.

We set-out at 10pm from Brunel's Suspension Bridge and headed through Ashton Court and on up to Dundry.

Alex and I knew that there would be few options to take-on extra liquid or nutrition, so I was carrying about 2.5 litres of water, a bottle of Lucozade Sport and assorted gels and bars. All in all this made for a very heavy back pack - All extra training I supposed!

The Green Man Challenge was kind to us that night. Yes we were hampered by long grass, stinging nettles and brambles, but we were also treated to clear and starry skies, warm weather and pretty much ideal conditions under-foot..

Despite these good conditions, Alex and I found the latter stages of the challenge a real struggle. Alex was having knee issues, and I was suffering from a lack of energy and some calf-pain.

During the last section from Blaise Castle, we resorted to setting targets (that next tree) to shuffle to before we started to walk again. We certainly didn't feel like hardened ultra runners - More like some sort of has-been Ramblers, well past our best. Still, we made it in the end.

The first night time Green Man Challenge was completed in 10 hours.

I was glad to get this out of the way. Now on to UTSW...