Robin Hood 100

Thank you Nur for your Robin Hood 100 report. 💪

21st-22nd September 2024

Robin Hood 100 is an event that’s held every two years and places get filled up very quickly once race entries open so I wanted to guarantee a place well in advance and signed up in May 2023! Never had I thought I would consider registering for such a distance but wanted to give it a go. I decided I would use each month of 2024 up until the event in September to take on a long distance race to help my monthly running distance that would contribute to my training. By the beginning of September this year I had already run 1000 miles (1,600 kms) which included running at least one race each month and going to the gym for strength training (resistance training, weights, rowing) usually twice a week. I checked various 100-mile training plans. Long hikes were part of these plans. I mixed and matched and planned my own training. I kept the running mileage steady but also benefited from long hikes organised by my hiking group, Muddy Boots. It wasn’t only about running, hiking, and going to the gym but I was aware I had to ensure that I could prepare myself mentally for the challenge. I had to believe I could do it. With each month that went by prior to the race my confidence grew as I was finishing each race I entered with reasonable results.

I knew 60% of the route (Sherwood Forest, Creswell Crags and Clumber Park) through having run a race in the same area (Dukeries 40, in May 2024) and this gave me added confidence as it was like recceing some of the route before an event.

The initial part of the route involved running through some field edges with rugged terrain and then on a long stretch on the Chesterfield Canal towpath which was beautiful. My ever first ultra (in 2017) was on the same canal towpath but in the opposite direction. The canal was like a river, winding its way through land. The water looked clean and inviting! The towpath was quite narrow in places and rugged, too. After leaving the canal towpath at around 20 miles, runners take on a 30-mile loop covering Sherwood Forest and its surroundings. This loop is then repeated before the 20-mile run back on the same canal towpath. There are altogether 17 aid stations (all outdoors). Using these stations as a stepping stone to conquer before the Finish at 100.5 miles I had planned my pacing strategy as such: 13-min miles up until 41 miles followed by 14-min miles till 71 miles which is then followed by 16-min miles till 90th mile and finally 15-min miles till the finish. I hoped to finish around 25 and a half hours (cut-off being 30 hours). During the race my pacing plan worked almost impeccably until 31 miles. I saw Tim earlier in the race and later kept in touch by text messages. This was great as I was getting positive feedback from him. He was very impressed by my pacing as it had clearly been going to plan. Tim was also updating the rest of the family and friends while I concentrated on the event.

By 41 miles my pacing was out by an hour. I didn’t worry too much about it. I was running comfortably and really enjoying the beautiful trails and the scenery. At 51st mile I had access to my drop bag for the first time. This was an important point in the race as I got changed (there was a changing tent at this aid station). I also changed my shoes and socks – it was a recommendation I had read about in the build up to the race. It was definitely a good decision. I then had some soup, bread, tomatoes and grapes from the aid station. All in all I knew this would be a long pit stop! It was about 45 mins (maybe longer?!) but it was worth it. I felt strong and bouncy afterwards and continued enjoying running in the dark.

By 61 miles my pacing was out by two hours. Still I didn’t worry too much. It was well after midnight, possibly 1 am! By this point the batteries of two of my torches had already died so I was now using the third one. To make life a little complicated it started to drizzle, soon afterwards giving way to torrential rain. I didn’t mind it too much but did start getting a little worried what would happen if my torch died in the middle of the forest and I wasn’t able to replace the batteries in the pouring rain. I made it to the aid station at 71 miles still in good spirit. This was the slowest part of my race. 10 miles – but it had taken me nearly three hours to do it! Instead of running I had jog/walked this part to match the pace of those runners I saw during this loop. It was comforting to know that if my torch did die there would be people near me. Thinking back I realise if I had continued to run, the possibility of the battery lasting the 10 miles on full beam would have been high. I guess I didn’t want to take any chances. Being in the forest loop for 3 hours in the rain meant that I was soaked by the time I arrived back at the aid station at 71 miles. It was 4 am! I needed to shelter from the rain, dry my hands, and change my torch batteries. I had to huddle under the aid station tent and hope for the best! As I was battling with batteries I realised my teeth were chattering. “Oh no please don’t get cold” I said to myself. The runners who had arrived at the aid station similar time to me were all contemplating on quitting and I was asked if I had decided to stop, too! Oh no, no, no I thought to myself and said I would be carrying on but that I had to take some shelter from the rain before getting back out in it again. The problem is by now I was getting really cold. I managed to sit down as some people had already been collected and there was space to sit down. The seat was wet and cold but I just had to make do. What did I need to do to make sure I didn’t end up getting hypothermia? There was no way I was going to give up as I felt good physically (except feeling cold) andI would kick myself if I were to stop. So many people had sent me good luck wishes beforehand, many had contributed to my fundraising page (helping me raise £530 for Beat), many cheered on virtually while I ran. My family had full belief in me, and so did my friends. As I thought about all this in a split second while trying to avoid getting hypothermia, I remembered that I had my warm hat and a base layer both as mandatory kit in my running vest. I put these on. I am so glad I did as I felt better very soon afterwards. And that’s despite realising my dry bag had frayed at the seams so my base layer had got a little damp! It wasn’t disastrous though. Hat and extra layer on, soon my mind said I was warm enough and that I could carry on if the rain slowed down a little.

I had 5.5 miles to the next aid station and a little over 10 miles to the one after where I would be able to use my drop bag for the second time and more importantly meet my friend, Akgün, who would be pacing me from that point onwards till the end of the race. I was in touch with Tim and Akgün, updating them now and again on how I was doing. Akgün volunteered to come to the next aid station to pace me. This was a great text message to receive. “Yes that would be lovely” I replied. This would mean I had only 5.5 miles to run in the rain before I saw him. By now it was nearly 5 am! Off I went. Running helped me warm up further and although my feet felt soaking wet I was enjoying being out on the course again. Creswell Crags is where the next aid station was and it would be my second time going through it during this race. In my opinion approaching this area is one of the toughest parts of the race as you have to go up a slope and then run on rugged terrain through overgrown bushes before you descend to the majestic Creswell Crags. As I went up the slope with my torch still on I could see several cows at the top of the hill and there would be no way of avoiding them if I wished to continue. I have over the years overcome my fear of cows to some extent as this was not the only race where I encountered cows at close proximity. There were four of them but fortunately they all looked calm. I switched my torch off not to arouse curiosity and carried on climbing towards them. Luckily by then I could see the route without any torchlight as it was almost morning light. Up and up the slope and then down the rugged terrain. Soon afterwards I could see two people waving at me and saying something. I couldn’t make out what they were saying but realised it was my friends, Akgün and his wife Reşide. It was a lovely moment. I wanted to walk a little but there was no time to hang around. We ran to the aid station which was less than half a km. I didn’t need to stay too long there. A few hugs from Reşide for positive energy, off we went. Now there were 25 miles to the end of the race. I thought this is doable. There was still time to the first cutoff at the next aid station where I would have access to my drop bag for the second time. This is where soup was on offer, too, so I was looking forward to that. Arriving there within 30 mins of the cutoff I decided there was no time to hang around but I wanted to change my shoes, which I did. However I didn’t put my spare insoles in it to get the added benefit of cushioning. I also made the mistake of not changing my wet socks. This all meant I ended up feeling every bit of the terrain on my soles while my feet slid to and fro within my shoes. The last 20 miles were not the most comfortable as a result. I am amazed that nonetheless I ended up with only one blister which disappeared within 4 days after the event. It wasn’t only my feet that were uncomfortable during those last 20 miles but I could feel some chafing, too! Amazingly though my legs weren’t complaining and neither was my hip. They held on till 90 miles when my legs started to get very tired and my hip said “hello, do you remember me?!?” It was then that I thought I should have a carb gel to stay on top of tiredness. It was the first and only gel I used during the whole event. In fact I used real food all the way: tomatoes (lots of them!), satsumas, bananas, watermelon, pineapple, grapes, cheese, peanut butter sandwich, salted potatoes (lots!), baked crisps, hula hoops, dates, oat bars, soup (butternut squash and corn), and a bar of snickers as a treat after half way. As for what I drank – apart from water, some electrolytes and small sips of flat coke which always goes down a treat during ultramarathons. It’s not a drink I normally drink otherwise.

At mile 90, I saw my friend Reşide, who cheered me on, and soon afterwards Tim who was waiting with a small bottle of flat coke which tasted the best ever coke I’d had and suitably caffeinated I carried on to take on the last 10.5 miles albeit a little slowly.

My pacer Akgün’s role in this race can never be underestimated. It was fantastic to have him as a pacer during the last 25 miles of the event. I had never run with him before but it was him who’d got me into ultrarunning in the first place (back in 2017!) and when he volunteered to pace me, I thought that it was a fabulous idea. I am so glad that I agreed. His pacing skills and doing the thinking work of how long is left and whether we’re on the right route, etc., all helped tremendously. If it wasn’t for him the last 3 miles would have been particularly tricky – I kept thinking I was nearly at the finish but that finish never came. I wanted to slow down but he made sure I didn’t.

When I finished I wondered if it had all been a dream. It wasn’t. It was real and it felt good.

I am forever grateful to the volunteers in the event who were very positive and wished the best for every runner. I am also very grateful to everyone who believed in me and in particular to Tim, Akgün and Reşide who dedicated their time and effort into making the event a success story for me during the weekend of 21st-22nd September.

Robin Hood 100 is one of the several races that Hobo Pace organises. I’ve actually done 4 of their events to date and would fully recommend anyone interested in trail running to check them out. There’s something for every trail runner, from 10 miles to 100, all in beautiful surroundings in Nottinghamshire.