Snippets from the Sidelines: A support crew views of Race to the Stones

Chinnor: Start of RTTS


Traffic. Lots & lots of traffic. As Rachel {who was running} and myself {who wasn't running, but should have been, but was told not to due to injury} headed north up the M5 and then East along M4, all we  could see was traffic. Cars , lorries, caravans, vans. Stop.Start. Stop.  The shear volume of motor vehicles - and idiots who think it is their divine right to drive in the middle lane and not on the left. Sorry, had to get that off my chest. This is a blog about Rachel's superb effort at her inaugural 100km Ultra and my inaugural attempts at support crew

Five hours after setting off we reached our base camp for the week end, Blackland Lakes Campsite in Calne. Pitched our tents and started last minute preparations for the big day tomorrow. So far so good, except Rachel realised she had forgotten her purse. Too late now, and it's not like she would need it for the run. Plans for a good nights sleep were shattered by several hours of violent and very loud thunder storms and rain. So after only a couple of hours sleep, it was coffee time at 04:00hrs. As this was a 'one way ' race,  we had decided that it would be better to stay near the finnish {Avebury}, than the start {Chinnor}.  Precise and detailed pre planning had calculated that it would take us 2hrs to get to Chinnor. Plenty of time to park and register. No worries. So off we went at 05.00hrs. Best charge you phone as we drive I said.  Oh, no phone [required kit], so a quick return to campsite to retrieve said item. Ok, no worries, plenty of time. It's all in the planning. Motorway was , thankfully, quiet {yet there were still vehicles driving in the middle lane on a virtually empty motorway}. Route was planned with military precision. Half hour to go, turn off motorway, head north to Chinnor. Oooo, something is wrong. This doesn't look right. Let's stop and look at the map. Ah, problem solved. We had been on the M4 and not on the M40, where we should be. Ooops. I wont say whose mistake that was Rachel, OK? Time was now running tight. Don't panic. We can still do this. And so we did. Just. There was a last minute panic as traffic was backed up all through Chinnor, but I guess thats what happens when you arrange the start in a small rural town with no transport links and expect 1600 people to turn up at the same time.

So Rachel got out of the car and ran to the start. What's a few more hundred metres when you're about to run 100km? Registration completed. Last toilet break. And relax.

We had made it to the start, not just on time- but with time to spare. Now all Rachel had to do was run 100km. The start was late and the safety briefing was inaudible for a lot of us; but at least it wasn't raining yet {the forecast was for major storms}. Last good wishes and then it was off. Good luck! My job for the day was to drive around and meet Rachel at certain places along route,  and make sure she was OK. Race to the Stones is an Ultra Marathon along The Ridgeway. One of Englands oldest trade routes, it is over 5000yrs old and stretches from the Dorset to the Norfolk coast. A route as important as this needed to be well defended- and it is. There are several magnificent Hill Forts along its route as well as other important sites, such as the Uffingtom White Horse . The runners and long distance walkers would be following the Ridgeway from Chinnor - Avebury.

Our first rendezvous was along the Thames Path, some 20km or so from Chinnor. I had the luxury of driving to South Stoke {and other sites} and ambling along the Thames and its countryside. The runners had to run it! So I ambled and took photo's and ran a bit, cheering along other runners and meeting up with Rachel. We ran some together before reaching the Aladdin's Cave Smorgasboard of the boot of the car. The weather was very , very humid , so I ensured that Rachel drank extra electrolytes. As well as eating plenty of Marmite Cheeses. Food of the Ultra Gods. A little sock faff and that was it.


Next stop was in another few hours around the 50km mark. Time for a spot of lunch and chat with other support crew /spectators / family / friends in the sun before a little stroll to meet up with Rachel

again. I came across her near one of the check points [4 or 5?]. She was looking very sprightly. Toes looked a bit odd, I discovered as shoes and socks were changed. Tapped up, Patched up and go. But not before more cheese & electrolytes. The weather so far had been kind. OK, it was humid, but there had been reports of major thunder storms. And just at that point the first rolls of thunder were to be heard. Ho hum. Maybe a little rain would cool everyone down. I didn't say that too loudly in front of any running though. Time for a little sight seeing for me know

One of the next stretches of the Ridgeway contained Uffington White Horse, Uffington Castle and Wayland's Smithy. I was quite excited about this, but just as I arrived at the site of Uffington Castle, The Weather arrived. Temperature dropped, big black clouds, high winds, torrential rain, lightening, thunder and then hail. BIG hail. Large pebbles of ice being thrown out of the sky with some force. Then the sun came out again. I was still in the car, but I did fear for the safety of those runners.  Slight delay, but there was still plenty of time -based on previous contact & race pace - to have a wee look around Uffington White Horse and the Hill Fort, before meeting Rachel again. It is easy to see, even now some 3000yrs  after it was first constructed, why it was. Sitting on the Ridgeway, it not only guards the trade route [which actually predates the fort], but also holds commanding views. In medieval times, scouring of the neighbouring chalk White Horse was accompanied also by a massive community party in the remains of the hill fort.

A quick circuit of the Hill Fort, a couple of photo's , and back on the Ridgeway. I ran a fair section of this bit, in opposite direction of race, so as not to miss Rachel. Taking in the atmosphere, admiring the views and shouting words of encouragement at the participants. But after a while I began to suspect something was wrong; there was no sighting of Rachel. I had passed all the usual suspects who over the past few hours I had confused by running past them in the opposite direction several times, and knew were running at about the same pace as Rachel, and started to see new faces. I was now worried; she shouldn't be this far back unless something serious had gone wrong, so I decided to stop and get my phone out, to check if there had been any messages. Lo and behold there had.  A text from Rachel saying she had just seen the car parked up. This was sent at 19.05hrs. Time now was 19.45hrs. Rachel was now ahead of me. I had one job to do. And I blew it. Whilst having a jolly around Uffington Castle, Rachel had gone past. I hadn't seen her and had set off in the in the opposite direction intending on finding her. Ooops. I'd had a nice time none the less, taking in the views and archaeological sites; even had a nice little run. But that wasn't why I was here. It would be unlikely I would be able to see Rachel again before the end, so I hope she didn't need anything from the car. I did feel bad.

My drive back to Avebury was a slow one, racked with guilt about my failed mission, hoping it hadn't messed up Rachel's race. Parking up at the finish, the sun was just setting. A beautiful sunset over the Wiltshire countryside. I hope the runners appreciated it. As I had missed Rachel in broad daylight, I decided against running back out on the Ridgeway in the dark looking for her. Probably a sensible move, as I would also have been running into oncoming racers and blinding them with my headtorch. After 14hrs on your feet, you really don't need someone shining a torch in your face, however well meaning and accidental. 

So I waited in the 'stones' section of RTTS, the one short section of Avebury stone circle that the race covers, cheered in runners, looked at the stars and messed around trying to take some arty photo's. Avebury  is an interesting village, springing up amidst one of Europes most spectacular Neolithic stone circles and ancient spiritual landscapes. The stones themselves being largely abandoned, destroyed or buried, either deliberately or through pure neglect, until the Victorian era. Leaning against one of these giant monoliths, head tilted upwards, a glimpse of the MilkyWay, transported back millenia, my inner hippy was awakened. Just why was Avebury built? How bright the sky must have been 1000's years ago! Where's Rachel? Ah there she is. Nearly missed her again!

After over 15hrs of running, Rachel was nearly finished. Less than 2km to go. I ran the last leg with her [and her new Ultra friend whose name I forget, sorry] and there was still life in the legs for a sprint finish. Outstanding. Collect medal. Get results. Sit down. Eat melted ice cream [long story]. All that was left was the short drive back to the campsite.

The day dawned on a new day and realisation that she was now an 'Ultra Runner'. Respect. Returned to Avebury for a touch of sight seeing and a photo opportunity. Wear that medal with pride. You've earned it.

Post race thoughts: 

Rachel finished 255th / 594 finishers. Almost 100 DNF.  {Full results}. That's pretty damn good in for a first 100km. She enjoyed the route and said the official support and pit stops along the way were great. Special mention she said should go to the crew at pit stop 6, who rescued many a runner from the hail stones, held the tent down AND still served hot drinks.