The (Virtual) Green Man Ultra 2020

When I first started running with EGRC around 5 years ago I heard people talk about the Green Man. I’d heard of green men in ancient folklore, creepy leaf-clad faces which represent regrowth, but in running terms it was a mystery. It turned out to be a 45 mile lap around Bristol… bugger that! 

My relationship with running evolved over the years though, and I found that trying hard for road PBs wasn’t worth the pain and injury it caused. I gravitated towards the fun and exploration of trail and mountain running, and distances began to increase as I found a new side to running. Fast forward to Spring 2020, with society under lockdown rules, emails telling me that the Snowdonia Ultra Marathon and the Ben Nevis race were cancelled. I needed motivation to get out as I often find it quite difficult, which is one reason I enter races. That’s when the Green Man struck. It would be a great challenge to train for and I could do it all from home without breaking any lockdown rules, perfect!

The Green Man Ultra is self-navigated, so part of training is learning the route. I started with loops from home which touched parts of the course. I also persuaded Caz to drop me off in various places around Bristol so I could run the route back to home. There were others from EGRC who were running the Green Man and Boy, so we managed a few pair/group recces to explore the less accessible bits of the route. My longest training run was 30 miles, and I was in new territory running 60 miles per week at the peak. I trained at low intensity to give my body a chance to recover quickly, mostly keeping my heart rate below 140 bpm.

Due to the dreaded plague, the race was cancelled and a virtual option was given instead. I’d already decided I was running the route on the 22nd August regardless, so I entered the Virtual GMU. A benefit to this was that we could start/finish anywhere on the route, at any time, as long as we ran the loop in a clockwise direction. I chose the White Horse at Hambrook as its close to home which helped with race day logistics. It’s also a pub, which seemed like an appropriate finish point.

I got up early to avoid the hotter part of the day. I probably should’ve taken a head torch, as it wasn’t light enough to see at 5am, but by the time I was nervously checking my shoelaces at 530 there was enough light in the sky to begin the route. With none of the usual ceremony I pressed start on my watch. I was targeting 9 hours, which would mean averaging less than 12 min/mile. It seemed quite easy on paper, but I knew I’d lose time on the uphills, when I needed to eat, when fatigue set in and if I got lost. My plan was to set off gently at 10 min/mile pace to build a time cushion while not tiring myself out too quickly.

I caught up with Kerri near Warmley, and after exchanging some brief mutual encouragement, pressed on. I was up on the time schedule and feeling strong when I saw Pav just before Keynsham, who was out giving encouragement to GMU runners, cheers! My first food resupply was after 18 miles at Pensford, where Caz and baby Gwen brought flat coke, hula hoops, and various other delicacies to refuel my tiring body. The course increases in altitude after Pensford as it heads towards Dundry and fantastic views across Bristol. My pace dropped, but not as much as I thought it might, and at the top of Dundry hill about 23 miles into the race I began to think I could manage the target. I grinned all the way down the euphoric descent to the A38 before slowing on the uphills to Ashton Court, where the race usually starts/finishes. The Green Man carving at Ashton Court wished me well as I left, heading towards the suspension bridge, the downs and my next food resupply at Blaise Castle.

Caz, Gwen and my niece Leah greeted a weary runner at Blaise, about 35 miles into the race. What a silly idea this was! My body began to object to its treatment over the next few miles, but I plodded on, beginning to doubt if 9 hours was still possible. I often do pace maths in my head when running, it occupies my brain and helps to block out negative thoughts. It took a while, but once up and over Spaniorum, through Aztec West and into Bradley Stoke I knew I could make it round on time. The final mile is fortunately downhill and I was able to enjoy the last moments of the challenge, returning to the pub 8 hours 44 minutes and 47 seconds after leaving. I quietly lay down on the pavement and stared at the sky. A quick check revealed I didn’t require immediate medical attention, and I found my support crew in the beer garden. I was rewarded with a (reluctant) cuddle from wee baby Gwen and a pint from Caz. Cheers!

Running 45 miles wouldn’t have been possible without the help and encouragement from my resupply crew on the day and those who accompanied me on training recces and gave general advice about the route and the distance. Thanks all  See you next year!