Filey Flyer (no 49)

Ok I know I haven't posted the Hardmoors 30 race report yet but the Filey Flyer is fresh in my mind.

I arrived at St Johns Church Filey for the East Yorkshire LDWA 22 mile event an hour before the run was to start to catch up with a few friends knowing I wouldn't have anytime to chat to them later due to the  extra 5-6 miles I would have to run to turn the event into an ultra. I spent some time chatting to friends Sarah Booth and Andy Norman who have just entered the 'Copper Canyons Ultra' in Mexico, made famous by the book 'Born to Run'. The usual suspects where kicking about, Neil Risdale, Martin Dietrich, Jim Rogers, Sian and John Morgan, Mark Dalton, Daniel Aldus and quite a few recognisable faces.  Just past 0830 the Race briefing started in the carpark and a few minutes later we where off, I found myself running shoulder to shoulder with Neil Risdale and Jim Rogers! this was worrying, was my pace too fast?? checked my watch we where running 7.30 minute miling, fast but still not as fast as these guys usually start, then the penny dropped... we where all following someone who had a clue where the first bucket drop was!!!. The route followed the seafront and then picked up the Cleveland way along the clifftops. The conditions where great, sun in the sky, no rain but a pretty strong wind to battle against. After several miles the runners started to disperse into groups, With Neil and Jim in front closely followed by Sian and John Morgan. I calculated there where about 19 runners in front of me and decided if I could stay at this pace I could finish in the top 20. Martin Dietrich pulled alongside me and we had a good chat. The route left the Cleveland way at Lebbertson Cliffs and veered inland towards the Wolds via several country lanes and bridle paths. The  route flirted with the Wolds Way route and  took on a few steep short climbs and super fast descents. Anyone who knows the Wolds will know the many steep climbs which are short in height but much steeper then you seem to find in hillier areas, hidden from the roadside. A  group of runners seemed to be slightly out of my reach and in the distance I saw the occasional glimpse of Sian. The final manned checkpoint was reached and 4 flat miles where left to negotiate, I had managed to pass  several runners and I had estimated I was in the top 10, this was were I wanted to stay so I upped the pace occasionally glancing behind me to check    no-one was closing in on me. I reached the finish in 3hrs 12 by my garmin, 3hrs15 by Filey Flyer certificate time.
  I gave myself 5 minutes and set off on one of the hardest 5 miles I have done in a long time!! I headed back to the seafront and to the Brigg, every step was an effort, I stopped and put on my ipod, back on the cliffs the wind hit me square on and I continued against it for 2 or so miles, turned round and headed back to St Johns Church and the event finish, even with the wind behind me I had nothing in me. I had raced the 22 miles putting everything into it, if the race had been 27 miles I would of paced myself accordingly, for the extra miles I had already used up my reserves. Lesson learned!!!
 Mileage before the event and a little afterwards would be the key. Say 3 miles before while fresh at a slow pace as a warm up, then 2 miles afterwards as a cool down could possibly be the answer for shorter events. The extra 5 miles took me over an hour to complete! A Friend asked  me after the event how I would be running half way into this challenge? that is the question I'm interested in answering. At the moment there seems to be 3 possible answers.. 1. My running times/speed gradually decline.
2. They improve.   3. Some Ultras I run well, others I run badly, some I run averagely.
 At this moment I believe the answer to be number 3, no 2 would be nice of course :0) 

No 48 the 45 mile Country to Capital next week.