All Terrain Round The Island 2014 Race

Becci looking suitably disgusted at the thought
of running on the sand!

Race Report

The first thing I want to say about this is that I was definitely not going to treat it as a race. My intention was to get round the course and worry about time only if I were to be getting left totally behind.

• The Start
• Mile by Mile
• At the Finish
• Final thoughts

The Start

Me in a hat! It must be serious

It was extremely warm as predicted and I decided to wear a cap to keep the sun  off the top of my head. I also slavered lots of sun cream on and took some in case I needed to refresh it en route. 

I wore my trail shoes and a new belt which could take two small water bottles and some nutrition in a small pouch. 

I also wore my Garmin sports watch and my Vívofit watch (only because it is something you wear all the time). I also had my iPhone in an arm pouch.

Can you see the motivational ice-cream van at the start!

I arrived just gone 9.30am and picked up my race number - 99 (another motivation as it is the name of an ice-cream here in the UK). Then had a chance to say hello to fellow 100% Fitness girls, The Commando Runners as well as Joan who was selling the tee shirts and who I do voluntary work with and lots of other local people I bumped into (none of whom were running - mmmm).

A beautiful day for a run

It was soon time to get down to the sandy beach for the start.

Is it my imagination or do they look a bit
reluctant to make their way to a
beach start

All pictures taken and Garmin's set it was time for the Klaxon to set us all off on our run.

Mile One

Along the beach was not too bad but we were grateful to reach the boardwalk and to get up onto the road for a short while before joining the seawall leading round to the Strood.

Unfortunately, one of our Commando Runners had dropped her iPhone after taking a photo and was trying to call it to locate it. We stopped to commiserate and had a quick look but decided to carry on as it looked as if someone must have picked it up. (Sure enough this is what happened and Kerry was able to pick it up from a Marshal but luck was still not on her side as she ricked her ankle shortly after and only managed five miles before giving up).

Mile Two

We had stopped at the water station before the Strood and were soon on the other side of the road and running beneath the sea wall through the fields. It was very warm down there but this was where the grass had been cut and it was easier to run on than through the long grass above us on the wall. 

Mile Three, Four and Five

We got back up on to the seawall as the gate was closed and from then on the sea wall grass had been cropped low by sheep and cattle.

Although it was a long slog we had the beautiful view of the water and farmland and Becci and I were happily chatting away to each other and some of the other runners. We passed Mark and cheered him on (another Commando Running pal).

There was another water station at mile five and I took advantage of it having a rubbish bin to take an energy gel washed down with water.

Miles Six, Seven, Eight and Nine

Yes those pesky heifers were still loose on the cut by the sea wall and yes, they are eyeing us up as if they remembered us. Thankfully the number of people running by must have scared them. Revenge I believe is a dish taken on a very warm day running through the fields of Mersea.

These miles took us round the Country Park where a water station was manned by the Mersea Island Hash House Harriers who wished us good luck and we called back that we would look forward to seeing them at Monday's Hash. I know we are totally insane.

After a detour, which I think was designed to help stop a bottleneck, we were down onto the beach and it was quite slow going in the heat.

As you can see it is not only the sand but the camber
that is difficult to cope with

By mile nine we were at the start of the detour which was to turn this twelve mile run into a half marathon. We left the beach and seawall because large holes had been created by the sea in the winter storms and there is not enough money to get them repaired yet. 

There was a friendly face at the water station at mile nine - Vivienne - who did not recognise me until I took my sunglasses off. "Oh it's you - you are doing brilliantly" she encouraged us but we just moaned back that we thought whoever had measured the course was fibbing and that we had much more than four more miles left to go.

We got on with it though and were soon at the top of the uphill slope leading to the Church and then turned left and met Rewsalls Lane for another water station  before a lovely downhill trot and through the Outdoor Centre and back down onto the beach.

Mile ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen

I was really beginning to flag by the end of the race and was so grateful to see the brightly coloured beach huts and this unusual view of them from behind as we were allowed to get off the beach and run along Victoria Esplanade back to the finish at Willoughby Car Park.

At the finish

A final push saw Becci catch hold of my hand and sprint us to the finish line where I was thankfully still able to stand!

Come in Number 24 your time is up
Brilliant job Becci!

Then it was a case of just rewards and I followed Kerry's example and tucked in to a lovely cool ice-cream.

Ooo that does look good Kerry
I just had to have one myself!

Final thoughts

I have always wanted this on my Garmin Connect page - a complete run around the Island. Slow but sure on difficult terrain in very warm conditions but with fantastic company. My time was about ten or more minutes slower than the Colchester Half earlier this year - not bad. All in all a run to be proud of.