The Gower Peninsula Ultra Challenge 50km
By Hannah Prodger
My first ultra race was one I will never forget. From the minute I signed up until the night before the race all I felt was excitement. It wasn’t until I was in the car on the way down to Wales, clutching my emotional support Honey Cheerios, that the nerves hit me. But these were different nerves to a normal road race. These weren’t nerves about time goals, or pressures to PB, but actually just completing the race. Which was something I’d never experienced before. I’d never started a race worrying if I’d even finish it. But I wasn’t cocky, I was appreciative of the distance and the elevation and the challenge that lay ahead.
On the morning of the race I was at check in before the sun had properly risen and the bib collection desks had even opened. I was prepped and I was ready. One thing I didn’t expect was to be in the minority. Stood at the start line as one of the youngest and of the few females threw me a little. But it also ignited something in me. A feeling of strength, standing in a different arena, feeling strong enough to compete.
The race started at 7am, we all ran under the arch and across the field straight into a 1km uphill climb. This is when people started to walk. This stunned me. We hadn’t even ran for 5 minutes and people were walking. I had it in me to run, slowly, but I decided to be cautious, follow the crowd and begin the long stretch uphill. I’m not usually one for following the majority, but safe to say that was one of the best decision I made that day.
Next came the sand. A surface I hadn’t done much training on and I completely underestimated how much energy this would take out of me. After 6km of running along the dunes I had my first worry that I might not make it to the end, or at least it would take me a really long time.The first aid station came at the top of a hill. It was a quick station positioned early in the race and everyone was in and out within 2 minutes. I grabbed a pan au chocolate (risky run fuel that wasn’t tried and tested) and was on my way. That’s when Emily spoke to me. She appeared at a time of desperate need when I was struggling to open a gate (for far too long) and said I was running a great pace and would I mind if she ran with me. At first I was stressed, I didn’t want to hold anyone back. At this point it was getting hotter and I was starting to dip a little. But I let the compliment boost me and we were on our way.
It was in this leg of the race I ran out of water. A rookie error that I shall never make again. I went out with X2 500ml bottles and ran out of water less than an hour after the aid station, alongside being far too unfamiliar with the course route to know when the next aid station was.
This is where the beauty of the ultra community started to show up for me, multiple people offered me water when I mentioned I had run out, without hesitation, without any worry about it affecting their own race. Everyone had the same goal, finish and finish strong. Not to say this is everyone’s experience, elites and top dogs competing for places have other stories, but this is mine and the people I surrounded myself with.
Emily carried me through my first ultra race, with stories, laughter and a new found friendship that has led to us booking another 50km race in September together! Having someone there with you, experiencing all the same things, pushing you forward, is invaluable when you enter this sport. We leaned on each other going up hill, downhill, roads, trails, right to the finish line which we crossed together. Collapsing into the arms of Rach, who had just ran her longest distance of 25km, I sobbed. Not because I was sad, but because I was overwhelmed with a sense of achievement. Comprehending what my body just carried me through.
Before I even started my race I booked my biggest ultra challenge to date, a UTMB World Series Event called Arc of Attrition in Cornwall. In the 100km category, double the elevation and a LOT of work to do. A lot of people thought this was a silly idea, telling me to do my first ultra before booking more. However, this was the biggest mental boost during the race. Each thing that could’ve been classed as ‘ruining’ my race, I saw as lessons learned ready for Arc. Instead of loosing my head in the race, I thought about what will I do differently next time. Always reaching for the next goal, always looking for ways you improve. My next race isn’t going to be the perfect race, things that went right this time will go wrong next time. New challenges will come up, but thats the best part of ultra racing. You’re out there for so long, you never know what’s going to happen. Every race is a new challenge and I’m hooked!
