RingOFire Race Report
The RingOFire is a 135 mile foot race circumnavigating the island of Angelsey along the coastal path over 3 continuous days, with an accumulative ascent of around 13,500ft. It is in its third year now and I am sure it will become one of the "must do" races. Completing the race also earns you 4 UTMB points which illustrates just how tough this race is. The previous two years that it has been held there is been at least a 50% drop out rate.
As usual my training has been sporadic at best, a month before the start whilst supporting a friend on his first iron distance triathlon I somehow managed to damage my calf muscle in both legs (again!) simply by walking around. Over the winter i think i need to do some serious work on getting this sorted. A couple of weeks before the event I was still having trouble with my left calf. I even tried to wimp of the event asking if I could defer to the following year, as I expected it was too late for that, so being a tight arse there was nothing else to do ......time to MTFU!
Day 1 - Holyhead Breakwater Park to Amlwch
Day 1 is 35.7mile starting at 13:00 which thankfully allowed me to get a good sleep at home and then travel direct to the start line, at least that would be one good nights sleep I would have. I decided to get there as registration opened in order to get one of the trackers that had been available so that my wife and a few select friends could follow me from the comfort of their home.
I had been forewarned to take day 1 as easy as possible so that day 2's 66 miles would be as easy as possible. As is normally the case all thoughts of how to run the race finished as soon as we started ans I just went with the flow. That flow was way too fast!
I had been forewarned to take day 1 as easy as possible so that day 2's 66 miles would be as easy as possible. As is normally the case all thoughts of how to run the race finished as soon as we started ans I just went with the flow. That flow was way too fast!
At the point of leaving Holy island it was confirmed to me that I was totally useless at navigation and this was my biggest feat about entering this race but I kept saying to myself how can it be "just keep the sea to your left". The first place I could go wrong, I went wrong. Time for some different tactics, follow everyone else!
At some point through day 1 I met up with Chris Campbell, we chatted and seemed to have a similar pace whilst both agreeing it was too fast. However, we were feeling good so just cracked on. We finished day 1 in good spirits and in a decent enough time of 6hrs25mins.
At some point through day 1 I met up with Chris Campbell, we chatted and seemed to have a similar pace whilst both agreeing it was too fast. However, we were feeling good so just cracked on. We finished day 1 in good spirits and in a decent enough time of 6hrs25mins.
Despite finishing before 7pm the only thing the early finish allowed me to do is faff with my kit for a couple of hours longer than expected, the most crucial part was deciding what shoes to wear. I love my Hokas but I knew the terrain was going to be much more technical with a number of rocky beaches but I have never ran this sort of distance in anything other than Hokas.
That night was spent in a communal sports hall so you can imagine the wonderful noises echoing around the place and the fact that other athletes wouldn't be finishing until much later meant for a restless night.
There wasn't that many people in the hall when I arrived so I had the pick of the place, so I found a decent space laid out my sleeping bag and then went for a much needed warm shower followed by hot food being served in the canteen. Unfortunately upon my return I found that a live musician had setup right next to my bed, amp and all "awesome just what I wanted", although it was actually quite nice to listen to I just wished it was a little further away. I probably only managed a couple of hours sleep at best.
That night was spent in a communal sports hall so you can imagine the wonderful noises echoing around the place and the fact that other athletes wouldn't be finishing until much later meant for a restless night.
There wasn't that many people in the hall when I arrived so I had the pick of the place, so I found a decent space laid out my sleeping bag and then went for a much needed warm shower followed by hot food being served in the canteen. Unfortunately upon my return I found that a live musician had setup right next to my bed, amp and all "awesome just what I wanted", although it was actually quite nice to listen to I just wished it was a little further away. I probably only managed a couple of hours sleep at best.
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| Finish of Day1 |
Day 2 - Amlwch to Aberffraw
Day 2 is 65.9 miles this time just like day 3 starting at 06:00. Not even needing my alarm I decided to get up earlier than most at around 4am, my head was spinning with the day that lay ahead so I thought I may as well get up and get some breakfast and a gallon of coffee. I also made the decision to give my Salomon Speedcross a go today due to the techincal terrain that I assumed I would be coming across.
Outside I met up with Chris again and we decided to start off the day together and see how it goes. Once again we ended spending the whole day together and when I mean all day I mean 15hrs 22mins of it.
To be honest this day was just a bit of a blur starting off with lovely hilly countryside and then turning into either horrible rocky beaches or punishing tarmac roads, it may have only been a small percentage that is like this but it felt continuous.
As we meandered through Beaumaris and the seafood festival that was taking place a considerable amount of rain decided to descend on us, I hate the rain because with that normally comes coldness which I usually struggle to shake it was now decision time, put waterproofs on and overheat or just keep on trucking, unusually for me I just kept on going which turned out to be the correct choice, after a short while it had stopped and I was dry in no time.
Throughout day 1 I had been taking on coke which is something I never normally do as it always leads to stomach problems but it turned out fine, wow its a miracle I thought, I am able to fart and be confident it wont have lumps in! Day 2 was not the same, at the halfway point just outside Beaumaris I had to go, I couldnt hold on any longer, kindly a home owner allowed participants to use his bathroom just by the checkpoint (he may have retracted that offer after I left), I felt much better but was still "indecisive" for the rest of the day. Another lesson learnt.
Towards the end we (the royal we) made a navigational error, it may have only cost us about 20 minutes but it frustrated Chris (I found out he was also a part time rally co-driver), we were getting tired and just wanted to get to the end.
Darkness fell and the miles just seemed to take longer and longer, especially the beach sections. Eventually we arrived at the finish tired, hungry and stinky.
My feet didn't feel good but I was surprised that it was just the one blister on the bottom of my foot and a bit of a stiff ankle. Again being the ultra guru that I am I didn't have a clue what to do so I just left it and hoped it would miraculously be gone in the morning.
There was some food at the finish but no showers which I hadn't prepared for, Helen Pickford (3rd Lady overall) kindly offered some babywipes to clean myself up as best as possible, got a couple of pot noodles down me and tried to get my head down for what was left of the night.
Outside I met up with Chris again and we decided to start off the day together and see how it goes. Once again we ended spending the whole day together and when I mean all day I mean 15hrs 22mins of it.
To be honest this day was just a bit of a blur starting off with lovely hilly countryside and then turning into either horrible rocky beaches or punishing tarmac roads, it may have only been a small percentage that is like this but it felt continuous.
As we meandered through Beaumaris and the seafood festival that was taking place a considerable amount of rain decided to descend on us, I hate the rain because with that normally comes coldness which I usually struggle to shake it was now decision time, put waterproofs on and overheat or just keep on trucking, unusually for me I just kept on going which turned out to be the correct choice, after a short while it had stopped and I was dry in no time.
Throughout day 1 I had been taking on coke which is something I never normally do as it always leads to stomach problems but it turned out fine, wow its a miracle I thought, I am able to fart and be confident it wont have lumps in! Day 2 was not the same, at the halfway point just outside Beaumaris I had to go, I couldnt hold on any longer, kindly a home owner allowed participants to use his bathroom just by the checkpoint (he may have retracted that offer after I left), I felt much better but was still "indecisive" for the rest of the day. Another lesson learnt.
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| Coming in to a much needed checkpoint |
Towards the end we (the royal we) made a navigational error, it may have only cost us about 20 minutes but it frustrated Chris (I found out he was also a part time rally co-driver), we were getting tired and just wanted to get to the end.
Darkness fell and the miles just seemed to take longer and longer, especially the beach sections. Eventually we arrived at the finish tired, hungry and stinky.
My feet didn't feel good but I was surprised that it was just the one blister on the bottom of my foot and a bit of a stiff ankle. Again being the ultra guru that I am I didn't have a clue what to do so I just left it and hoped it would miraculously be gone in the morning.
There was some food at the finish but no showers which I hadn't prepared for, Helen Pickford (3rd Lady overall) kindly offered some babywipes to clean myself up as best as possible, got a couple of pot noodles down me and tried to get my head down for what was left of the night.
Day 3 - Aberffraw to Holyhead Breakwater Park
Day 3 the final day of a mere 33.4 miles this time I was going with my tried and trusted old pair of slippers (Hokas). It was a bit surreal in the morning I hadn't bothered getting anything ready the night before and it was 5am when I managed to get myself out the sleeping bag. I took a look at my feet, oh dear that blister was now the size of the ball of my foot. Still no idea what to do I stuck a blister plaster over the top of it without first popping it (another lesson learnt), another plaster on my little toe from rubbing and took an ibuprofen to try and loosen up my ankle.
I didn't feel like any food but managed about half of my porridge before realising I needed to pack my things up and get a move on, before I knew it it was 6am. I met up with Chris again and we both agreed it would be rude not to finish the event together, he had been an great companion of similar ability and I was learning a lot from him. Only 56 started day 3, the other lucky ones were still tucked up in there sleeping bags as we left.
Bugger I forgot to fill up my water bottles.
For me this was the best day, the weather was fantastic the scenery was spectacular and that finish line felt achievable!
All except for that last point stayed with me until the end. About ten miles in we hit a long uphill on road and then suddenly I got a shooting pain from that dodgy ankle, it brought me to a sudden stop too painful to walk suddenly I had doubts that I could finish. I took some Ibuprofen and Cocodomol and tied my buff (found another use!) as tight as I could around were it hurt most and walked for a little while, eventually the drugs did there job. The pain came and went for the rest of the day, coinciding with the times that I took my concoction of pills, whatever would get me to the end.
I am not sure if it was the pills, the fact that I was so close or both but when I reached the area before Holy mountain the pain subsided and I was feeling really strong again. Unfortunately Chris had slowly been on a downward spiral his feet and chins were starting to hurt really bad and he had been having the gut problems I had the day before.
I couldn't leave him at this point so I made the decision to stay with him until the end no matter what. After all if it wasn't for him I would probably still be lost on day 1.
The last checkpoint was reached which was an honesty book section whereby you take a page out of the book and hand it in at the next checkpoint to prove you had been there. Now it was just a small matter of Holy mountain.
We made it across the finish line of day 3 in 8hrs30mins which brought the total time to 30hrs17mins.
What an amazing event, great support and a beautiful place.
I didn't feel like any food but managed about half of my porridge before realising I needed to pack my things up and get a move on, before I knew it it was 6am. I met up with Chris again and we both agreed it would be rude not to finish the event together, he had been an great companion of similar ability and I was learning a lot from him. Only 56 started day 3, the other lucky ones were still tucked up in there sleeping bags as we left.
Bugger I forgot to fill up my water bottles.
For me this was the best day, the weather was fantastic the scenery was spectacular and that finish line felt achievable!
All except for that last point stayed with me until the end. About ten miles in we hit a long uphill on road and then suddenly I got a shooting pain from that dodgy ankle, it brought me to a sudden stop too painful to walk suddenly I had doubts that I could finish. I took some Ibuprofen and Cocodomol and tied my buff (found another use!) as tight as I could around were it hurt most and walked for a little while, eventually the drugs did there job. The pain came and went for the rest of the day, coinciding with the times that I took my concoction of pills, whatever would get me to the end.
I am not sure if it was the pills, the fact that I was so close or both but when I reached the area before Holy mountain the pain subsided and I was feeling really strong again. Unfortunately Chris had slowly been on a downward spiral his feet and chins were starting to hurt really bad and he had been having the gut problems I had the day before.
I couldn't leave him at this point so I made the decision to stay with him until the end no matter what. After all if it wasn't for him I would probably still be lost on day 1.
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| The last honesty book section |
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| Passing south stacks |
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| I can see the finish line! |
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| Well earnt |
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