I ran did Compton Challenge 20 today, 670 metres climbing in some very mixed terrain. I was rather trepidatious about it as it rather hurt last year and this year there was the threat of heavy rain and wind to spice it up. Target was 3hr 40m (yes I know that's slow but it's hilly and I'm feeble) and plan was to follow the example of my betters and walk the hills so I didn't end up walking the flat bits later.
1st mile was so muddy the woods turned into a bottle neck and most of us had to walk a bit while the gunge ouzed into our shoes. Spent much of the first 10 miles running with VR ultra runner Anna Finn who was doing the 40 mile version which was a special run for her as it qualified her for the 100 Marathon Club, she'd done the 99th just yesterday. Apparently the 100 MC are a bit like AUK and if she didn't do the whole 40 miles in the time limit it didn't count, no dropping out at 39 miles. Various ultra tips from Anna and others: if you walk a hill start running again before the top; the secret of being able to run further is to run all the time (could have worked that out for myself); don't just ignore the pain in your legs, ignore the legs altogether etc.
I reached the bottom of the biggest hill at 10 miles with a few minutes in the bank, this being the off-road version of Streatley Hill, and walked it alternating walking forwards and walking backwards which spared my muscles enough for me to just take the brakes off and go with the flow down the long descent which followed. Mile and half drag up to the 16 mile checkpoint was the nearest thing to a bad spot for me but a couple of orange squashes and a banana and I kept myself going for the last few miles along the Ridgeway by reminding myself how crap I'd felt at this stage last year.
Finished in something like 3:36 still smiling and was chuffed to find the finish goody was a proper running shirt rather than yet another T-shirt which made the £15 entry worthwhile (there was a free meal as well but I can't eat straight after running). Great run, well organised, highly recommended, doesn't really hurt at all, not a drop of rain in the end (and they don't charge any more for the 40 miler).
Nik