Exploring Sea to Sky

I have never gone into such a big running challenge with so little stress. I think this was simply because it wasn’t a race. Instead, it was an opportunity to explore 135km over two days. Climbing into the mountains and making new crazy friends, with the wonderful Cyprus Trail runners (Bryan and Chris) as support crew. Standing at the start on Alaminos beach at 3am I just felt excited for the adventure.

The journey began in the dark, picking our way through farmland and trails. We scanned the darkness with our head torches to look for Sea to Sky markers, and along with the GPX they guided us to the bottom of the Dipotamos Reservoir. After crossing the dam wall, the route follows the side of the reservoir on easy track, slowly climbing to the Lefkara Reservoir. This is the first time we laid eyes on the white dome on top of Kionia, the fourth highest peak in the Republic of Cyprus. Bryan tells us this dome is the 50km mark, another 20km of running with 1300m of ascent would be required to reach it. We keep our eyes on that dome, before arriving there, and afterwards, as it became a beacon of progress in our journey.

This was an incredibly scenic part of the route, climbing high over the reservoir and into more mountainous terrain. Reaching Kionia was an opportunity for a long rest and replenishment. Lots of food, patching up feet, stretching aching bones and muscles. Then onwards with another 30km+ to reach Palaichori.

Our group of three had taken our time to enjoy the route, and the company, and darkness began to fall as we picked our way towards the village. The temperature plummeted and the last 8km was mentally and physically exhausting. Sleep exhaustion was overpowering here. I felt like I could lie down and sleep right there on the path, despite the cold. Making myself move forward, safely over the tricky ground, required every drop of strength I possessed.

I sat trying to eat on Saturday night like a zombie, feeling like another day was beyond my limits. Having clocked up 83km with 3,250m of ascent on 3 hours of sleep I was completely empty. However, when I woke on Sunday my energy was restored, and it seemed crazy to come so far and not at least try to continue to the top of Cyprus.

Day two didn’t last long though, we had only climbed 6km to the base of Papoutsa (the 2^nd highest peak) when hailstones started to fall. We took some respite in the small wooden shelter at the base of the climb, aware that it was a committing ridge. Thunder and lightening rolled overhead. It seemed to dissipate and move on, so we left our shelter and a made a push for the ridge. The mountains had other plans for us though. Five minutes after moving off  we saw lightening flash, followed immediately by thunder. With the storm directly overhead the only safe option was to retreat.

As we sat with some warm tea drying off, the sun re-appeared, but we had lost the time we needed to take on the 54km + 2700m of ascent. The decision was made to drive up the mountain and finish off the weekend with a wonderful 21km route (known from a local race) which would at least allow us to reach the top of Cyprus.

When the mountains gave us one amazing day and one very tricky day, looking back, this was actually kind of perfect. Mountains, and indeed Ultra’s, are supposed to be unpredictable. When things are difficult to achieve, when we must work hard and return many times to succeed, these are the projects that provide the most amazing rewards. Those rewards are unlike any other and from the discomfort of trying we learn and grow.

 I often mention in my writing my love of the mountains, their energy, their living breathing nature, their unpredictability. I am also beginning to really realise that the company can be an equally big part of any mountain adventure. Old friends, new friends, not many people share this almost indescribable mountain love, but you can be sure to meet those that do on this type of adventure!

Ayia Napa Middle Distance Triathlon

1.9km swim -> 90km Bike -> 21km Run

It can be fairly intimidating when there are 70 people on the start line and only 11 of those are women. I knew this meant I would be at the back of the race, especially as I had trained for this event in my own way, with more of a fun aspect in mind. Those other women were so supportive though. We chatted to each other, we joked about who would be last and during the race we cheered each other on, it was a lovely atmosphere.

The swim in Nissi Beach was so crystal clear and not cold, but I did struggle with the long slopping entrance/exit especially since it was an Aussie style lap so it had to be negotiated twice.

The bike I wish I’d ridden beforehand. I felt a bit lost on lap one and had to stop to deal with a water bottle issue, then settled into the remaining laps. It was a really lovely undulating course, at times I just didn’t have a hard enough gear to push through the long sloping downhills. At some point during the bike my period started. I had prepared for this best I could in terms of the mess factor, but there was little I could do about the pain. I had to grit my teeth during the last 30km on the bike, wondering why on earth I hadn’t downgraded to the standard distance.

It was a huge relief to get off the bike and into my running shoes. I settled into the run, ignoring my watch and running on feel for the first few kms, getting in some nutrition and fluids. I have been in pain during endurances races before but mainly nausea, headaches, dizziness or overheating. That type of pain requires you to slow down and manage yourself well. Period pain was different though, I knew it wasn’t going to stop me, and I was also determined it wasn’t going to slow me down. So, I dug in really deep looking to see just how much pain I could take on.

The result? I had the run of my life with a 15km and 20km PR. To achieve this pace after 90km on the bike is a big achievement for me. I finished in 6 hours and 6 minutes, 57^th out of 70 and 2 of 2 in my Age group, there are some advantages to being  on the wrong side of 40. My second Middle Distance Triathlon complete!

O3 Olympus Man

When I first heard about this race in 2021, I was immediately intrigued. It didn’t matter that I had only ever raced a couple sprint triathlons, the idea of a half ironman had been on my mind for a while. However, this race is not a regular half ironman – the ascent, the altitude, the rough technical running trails, this is nothing short of an adventure half ironman.

• 1.9 km Sea swim
• 84 km Road bike with 2410m ascent
• 21 km Trail run with 430m ascent (at around 1900 m altitude)

After completing my first couple of ultra running events in 2022 I felt like I had some useful skills under my belt to apply to Olympus man. In January 2023 I made the decision to place the event firmly into my calendar. I am not a strong cyclist and so most of the work had to be directed at the bike element. Lucky for me I live near the route, so I broke it down in sections and started riding it, over and over and over. In March I had a test event planned, a flat half ironman to ease me into the distance. Alas, that was not meant to be as I tested covid positive 10 days before that race. I was devastated. This low point was a much-needed reminder about how important it is to enjoy the journey. You can’t put in months of effort for one day if you don’t enjoy the day-to-day training, because there is no guarantee that one day will happen exactly as you expect it to.

A few weeks later I felt just well enough to shuffle round the Paris marathon with some running buddies. However, it was May before I really felt able to get back to full training again and I made the decision to shake things up a bit. I headed to the gym with lots of positive guidance and encouragement. I sea swam less because it makes me miserable! My focus was on enjoying the journey to the start line.

The long summer school holiday was spent in the UK, with less training and structure. Then in September it was back to Cyprus for one final push, fighting the last of the summer heat. I took this opportunity to train on the higher sections which are a little cooler and help with some altitude exposure.

Three weeks before race day I was knocked out again with a virus. It felt like an action replay of March and I really struggled emotionally. Thankfully I took some really good advice and rested hard. From full-on, high-load triathlon training, to complete and utter rest, mentally that was agony. The Monday before race day I started to feel better, and I made the call that I felt well enough to try.

The day itself started nervously on the harbour front. I remember saying “it’s big – you know?” that was about all I could say. I just wanted to get going and see how my body was going to feel. Thankfully the sea swim passed by quickly and I was soon on the bike.

I have jokingly described this race as a very long way, up a very big hill. Honestly, I LOVED the whole day. Maybe it was not knowing if I’d be well enough on the day, then actually feeling great. Maybe I had trained hard enough that I knew it was possible. Maybe I felt the belief of my friends and family with me the whole way. Quite early in the race I found myself at the very back with an ambulance car on my tail. I refused to let being last on the bike fluster me. I was aware only 3 women had entered this race and racing mainly men was always going to be hard. I kept to my pace, concentrated on my plan, fuel, hydration, electrolyte, and I smiled. I smiled a lot. I thought about my husband and his belief in me, he has always described me as the most determined person he has ever met. I thought about my Mum and friends willing me on. I had to pinch myself a few times because I was out there, I was doing it!

It was a relief to get off the bike in T2 and stand up straight. There is a 10km continuous climb just before T2 and I was glad I had done that climb fives times in training. A lot of my success during this race came from knowing exactly what to expect. Each section had been broken down in my mind allowing me to mentally feel like I  was making progress, even when actual progress was very slow.

From T2 I had my favourite part of the race, a beautiful trail half marathon with 430m of ascent to the highest point in Cyprus. Breathless from the altitude, I quickly found that although I was moving well, I was mentally quite tired now and of course my legs didn’t exactly have their usual spring in them. I was determined to go steady, avoid any nasty falls and get to the finish line in one piece. Finishing feeling good and with a smile on my face, that meant everything.

I loved the complexity of this challenge, breaking it down, covering all the little details. It is such an inspiring race that showcases Cyprus beauty. It’s important to remember that if we want to ride on the high elation of finishing this kind of event, we must also accept the very hard lows that come. Sometimes those lows will happen on the day when things unravel. Sometimes those lows will happen in the lead up, illness, injury, severe fatigue, mental blocks. Each Ultra event is a rollercoaster journey, it is unique and helps us grow. The journey is why we go back for more.

I am super grateful for those around me who believe in me. I am grateful to my body, for continuing to allow me to push my limits. This is not a simple process, it requires hard work,  patience, extra sleep, excellent fuelling, and regular visits to the physio! It’s important to respect what the body has done and provide it care, space, and time to recover. I am also extremely grateful to my husband, for understanding and supporting what drives me and being prepared to ride the rollercoaster with me.  

Troodos Terra Marathon +

What is the +?

• Is it the 2000m of descent and ascent?
• Is it the fact the race starts at nearly 2000m above sea level and returns there 3 times?
• Is it the 5am start in the mountains leaving not much time for sleep?
• Is it the June race date meaning that hydration and electrolyte must be very carefully managed in the warmer temperatures?
• Is it the technical mountain trails?
• Is it the 7km uphill finish?

That little plus, it means a lot!

Having run this race last year two things struck me. Firstly, the route, the support, the planning and the commitment by the organisers to put on a well-supported event is second to none. The water stations are frequent and well stocked, trails well marked and marshalled, the vibe is energetic and fun. Everything is in place to support a successful finish.

Secondly, the route is sensational! From its starting point in Troodos square you immediately climb to the top of Cyprus, Mt Olympus. This is admittedly a hard warm up, with altitude restricting the lungs and a chill in the morning mountain air. It’s worth it though, just as you arrive the sun breaks the horizon, and lights up the island with an amazing orange glow.

Of course, from here we must go down, and what a down it is. Picking up and connecting some of the most scenic hiking trails the route begins to drop. This is a favourite part of the route for me because I love the downhill sections. It snakes back and forth crossing the river, in fresh morning air, a pure joy when you have come up from the baking temperatures at sea level. Once the lowest point of the race has been reached, at 850m, it’s time to climb.

These Troodos climbs are tough, the km’s seem to pass at a snail’s pace and the terrain gets steeper and more loose, you simply have to keep moving, fuelling, hydrating. It is a relief to reach the top once more, except I knew what was coming next. A one-kilometre descent off-path, down a scree slope dropping 180 meters, just to run along a little and climb straight back up again! This is when things started to fall apart for me, now with 30km under my belt. My lungs felt tight and restricted and then nausea started to hit me in waves.

Many Ultra runners describe this as entering the pain cave. It’s the best description I know, because you kind of slip into a dark and lonely place. Sometimes you hang on near the door, sometimes you slip in deeper. In the cave you find yourself in a fair bit of discomfort. To survive you need to fire fight a little, work through a checklist. Is my heartrate high, do I need to slow down? Am I dehydrated? Do I need electrolyte? Am I over heated? Have I fuelled enough? Am I just plain exhausted? The thing about Ultra running is things  go wrong and it’s about overcoming whatever crops up along the way. I usually find it difficult to talk at this point, it just becomes too hard to do much more than put one foot in front of the other.

Shuffling down the next section, another beautiful winding decent into Platres, did seem to improve things for me a little, apart from my legs which obviously just got more tired. Now back down at 1200 meters it was time for the final 7km climb back up to altitude. Not surprisingly, the nausea returned as I climbed, and my focus was divided between two equally important mantras.

 1. Keep moving.

2. Don’t throw up.

Thankfully I managed both and crossed the finish line, and that is Ultra marathon success!