Round and round and round we go....

I've run at Endure24 on three previous occasions as a solo.  On those occasions solo runners were a rare breed of nutters who would rather endure running all by themselves than form a team or buddy up with a friend to run in a pair.  Even without a support crew, Endure24's laps make it a really good choice for solo runners as you are never are than 5 miles from the aid station and the temptation of your tent.  For teams there seems to be a party atmosphere with runners taking their turn to run laps while their teammates eat, drink and make merry.  It's a little different for pairs.  More of that later.

Way back in 2019, the last time Endure24 was at Wasing Park, one of my best friends (also running solo when not lazing around in an ambulance) suggested that we really should run together as a pair as we could just use our surnames as out team name.  It seemed like a great idea and we waited eagerly for entries to open so that we could book our place for 2020.

That obviously didn't happen due to Covid-19.  Virtual races became the norm, it was hard to imagine running with friends again.  We had high hopes for 2021, but for various reasons the event changed both date and location - this didn't work for us so we deferred our entry.  We talked about it occasionally but it was still a bit of a shock to check the calendar and realise that I was somehow due to run Stockholm Marathon, Endure24 and a hilly trail marathon all in the space of 22 days.   What could possibly go wrong?

We had a brief strategy meeting at a post parkrun coffee but that was really limited to 'as you've got the day off on Friday can you grab a space for us to set up camp?' and a brief agreement that a lap per hour was acheivable.  I was still frantically packing late on Friday evening so that I could set out bright and early on Saturday morning.  Friday was a blisteringly hot day, the forecast suggested that it might be a little cooler, with an outside chance of the odd, brief shower.  I threw in a waterproof jacket, and, as an afterthought, a coat. 

Saturday morning dawned warm and sunny.  I grabbed a bottle of factor 50 sunscreen, threw it into the car and set off.  Of course I arrived before John, but thanks to the photos he'd sent and a friend of his telling me that I couldn't park there because John was saving the space, I managed to locate his tent! As we had to arrive by 9am if we wanted to drive to the camping area we then had to hang around for three hours.  So we decided that food would be a good idea.  We'd both bought enough food to feed a small army, but a bacon roll seemed like a better plan.

The race village was less busy than in previous years, but we still had quite a queue at the catering tent - we wondered how they would cope when things got busy.  Only having one person able to take payment seemed like it might slow things down a lot, but we weren't too worried - we'd be too busy running and eating our own food to need to use the catering tent.  

John ran the odd numbered laps and I took the even ones.  The course was basically the same as in previous years, with a few of the more technical areas smoothed out, and an extra loop around the camping field to make up the distance.  We used a white board to communicate and keep track of lap times.  We were visited by one of John's children and his wife.  Strange to think that when we booked to do this event John had yet to meet his future wife!  On paper it all looked to be going rather well.  We were ahead of our schedule.  The weather had cooled down considerably and there had been a  few showers of rain.  But I was in pain.   I found the fact that someone was waiting for me so they could run quite stressful.  I could ignore it for the first couple of laps, but the stop/start nature of running as a pair seemed to make things worse.  I'd run my lap, get a drink, stretch a bit, sit down and just as I was starting to relax it was time to start again.  After four laps I left a note saying I was going to run/walk my fifth lap and then consider my options.  And at the end of my fifth lap I left a message saying that I was going to have a cup of tea then toddle  off to the massage tent and would not be running again.  I had a little cry and felt a bit sorry for myself while drinking my tea but it was pissing down with rain so I don't think anyone will have realised!

At the massage tent I was met by Shelley's smiling face and bionic fingers.  The thought of anyone touching my leg  made me feel a bit nauseous - but it helped a lot.  While I was on Shelley's table John appeared in the tent.  He booked the next slot with Shelley, and I laughed about the fact that I had apologised for not waxing my legs! It was probably about 9.30pm when John, still on the table said 'I'm done, I'm not going out again!'  I could have jumped for joy - if I'd had any energy left. 

We set off to investigate the hot food situation.  John joined the very long queue, I went to the beer tent to get us a drink.  He was still queuing when I got back.  The queues were exacerbated because they kept running out of food - we eventually got our food just before 11pm!  We were happy with out decision to stop, the weather was cold, wet and windy, we were both suffering, we had nothing to gain by carrying on.  We weren't enjoying ourselves so we decided to get some sleep and see how things looked in the morning.  

It looked sunnier!  After a cup of tea and some porridge I decided to do another lap, to even up the distances between us.  It was sunny but still chilly so I went out in my leggings intending to walk.  It got warm rather quickly and I regretted the leggings!  John did another, rather speedy, lap followed by one more form me to take us both to 35 miles. We handed out timing chips in there and then so that we wouldn't be tempted by 'just one more' lap!

The benefit of not following our plan is that we actually got to spend some time with each other and we, hopefully, haven't totally wrecked our bodies for next weekend.  I think we both felt that running as a pair could be our least favourite way of doing Endure, having said that I have never been part of a larger team, maybe I can rectify that next year.  

As always it was good to see running friends, some of whom I don't think I've seen since pre pandemic days.  It was amazing to see some of the truly amazing running going on around us and to chat to other runners.  Our running vests got lots of comments, even if we only got one mention from the commentator - who sounded as though he had bitten off more than he could chew when he realised what he was announcing that Team Bigg Dick was about to cross the line. 

Overall it was a good event, different to previous years which is inevitable as the management has changed.  I am not convinced all the changes were for the better.  Charges for supporters were new this year, but I am not sure how rigorously this rule was enforced.  In the past solo places have always sold out really quickly and solo runners were the exception rather than the rule out on the course.  This year it seemed like most runners were solo and the large teams were the exception.  I haven't looked at the results and compared them to previous years - so it may just be my perception.  And the catering was a nightmare!  I pity anyone who, based on the efficient service offered in previous years. opted to rely on it this year.