An open letter to the International Spartathlon Association

It is with a heavy heart that I feel compelled to write this blog. I am writing this in a purely personal capacity and not under the aegis of any organization. I want to highlight how long I have been involved in  Spartathlon and how that contributes for my request to allow the international runners to apply for the SIMPLE PARTICIPATION package. 

I have been involved with Spartathlon since 2011. I had just completed my first big ultra, the  Ultrabalaton , which was at the time, a 212km race circumnavigating Lake Balaton  in the west of Hungary. My fellow runner, Mark Wooley told me I had qualified for Spartathlon. I was amazed. I had heard of this race back in the 1980s, but I had never thought that I would be able to qualify for it, let alone run it. 

Mark put me touch with a bunch of runners from the UK who were similarly interested.  I felt quite privileged to be in such illustrious company. Back in those days social media was not so poisonous, and I soon corresponded with the likes of Allan Rumbles, James Adams, James Elson and the great Mark Cockbain. 

I entered the 2012 edition of Spartathlon at a cost of €400. In those days it didn't over subscribe like now.  In fact, Stuart Shipley, who created that years British shirts, told me that in Noughties you could apply for Spartathlon in late summer as there were so many places available. 

I arrived in Gyfada and did my best, but DNF'd at only 70km.  I didn't even get to Hellas Can, but I made lifelong friends.  Lawerence Chownsmith who pulled at a similar point to name one.

By 2013 I met Nick Papageorge who had been on the original expedition in 1983 with John Foden, but we both failed

In 2014 I featured in a film with Nick, Mark and a nurse called Angela.  There was some numpty called Dean in it as well, I wonder what ever happened to him.

In 2015 I finally finished.  It was also the first year I did the kits for the British Spartathlon team. The previous year Mark Wooley had got an energy company to sponsor the kit, but we were told off for having a sponsor’s name on the kits.  I got around this by not only providing two runners tops in white, but also red crew tops on which we printed the sponsors logos.  Ever since then the British Spartathlon Team have had sponsored kits free of charge to runners and crews. I am pleased to see that other nations copied our idea.

In 2017 we did a memorial top for John Foden and encourage every other national team to do the same.

In 2022 we went legit and founded the BST Community Interest Company, of which I am still a Director. 

One of the guiding principles of the BST is the spirit of inclusiveness that we took from the ethos of Spartathlon.  It even says on the BST website that to join the BST you only need to send a picture of you holding a British Passport, you don't even need to have one. We have had Americans, Italians and South Africans in the team. 

The British crews will help anyone on the road to Sparta with no fear or favour. I love the inclusiveness and everyone helping each other without the need for recognition or reward. 

Many of the British Team and indeed other international runners have booked their own accommodation for themselves and their crews. This is a bit sad as they miss out on the camaraderie  of all the runners and crews in the same accommodation. But due to the rising costs shown below it is understandable   It also saves the International Spartathlon Association the administration and costs of arranging  that accommodation.

This is the history of the "EXTRA" package cost (mandatory for ALL runners) since 2012:

2012   400 € 

2013    400 € 

2014     450 €

2015     500 €

2016     520 €

2017     520 €

2018     600 €

2019     600 €

2020     600 €

2021     600 €

2022     700 €

2023     800 €

2024     950 €

2025     1250 €.  

Thus, I am disappointed that the International Spartathlon Association have introduced higher pricing for non-Greek runners. I fear this will discourage participation in what is, in my humble opinion the best race in the world. To enter from abroad an international runners must pay the mandatory EXTRA package at a cost of €1250  It's a lot, and by far the biggest increase in Spartathlon’ s history.  That seems to be against the ethos of the race that Greek runners can apply for the SIMPLE PARTICIPATION package for €450 and the international runners have to pay an additional €800 for the EXTRA package

I respectfully appeal to the International Spartathlon Association to allow international runners to also be  able to apply for the SIMPLE PARTICIPATION package.

You are not as fit or as recovered as you think.

13/12

I flew out on the Friday before the race and wrote to myself on the flight to Barcelona that 

"The   race   is   tomorrow   and   I am  flying   now.   I   have   put   off writing anything for a while,   although I am not sure  why. Training dropped off three weeks ago instend of the intended one week taper. Unfortunately , I got his by my first cold in years. in the week before a race I tend to just do walking   and yoga. Chrissy and Nadia looked after me well, with plenty of  care, sympathy and comfort  foods. I recommend Nadia's Chicken soup. The previous week I was in Dortmund for a team meeting and  was so mentally tired I just rested. I think  that I am well rested and just need to focus on the race. The strategy is to maintain 8km per hour, tactically is to take a Maurten gel and a bottle of Maurten carb drink per   hour.  The direction   changes once every three hours which well break things up nicely."

Sounds great doesn't it? I even got one of the emergency exit seats with plenty of leg room

As Tyson used to say, "Everyone has a plan until they are hit in the mouth"

 

The flight and the taxi to hotel went well, then it all start to fall apart.  There was a Whatsapp group of mainly British runners and I foolishly assumed we were all in the same hotel.  Therefore I assumed we could have a pre race meal.  Nah....if you want that you need to organise better. Daysey was wandering about and Gill Thomas had gone to the poolbar which was closed. In the end Ian & Gill Thomas and myself spent a while wandering around a Spainish shopping centre before going to a Subway. GPS don't really work indoors and the digital guide were all offline.  Have you tried asking where Subway is in Spain.  They all think you are looking for the undergound trains.  I blame American cultural imperialism.  I aint never had a Subway before, so that at least was an experience.  Personally I would have prefered Tapas or a paella, but I am always happy to go with the crowd. Well unless they are Nazis and there is a lot of them about now. 

The next morning we all had breakfast and then got a taxi to the racetrack at around tenish.  The tables were first come first served. After getting my number I looked around and saw the Great Danny Hawkins.  I first met Danny in 2021 where he stormed to a sub 27hour finish at Spartathlon. Also there was Wendy Whertey who I last saw at the last Spartathlon. They were both supporting Mark Felton on his first 24hour. So we had a good little set up for the British team.  Then the Irish turned up, Anto and Anne and a couple of other runners.  A couple of other familar faces arrived,  Jon and Shirley Steele,  I have seen them in absolutely ages.

I was thinking this will go well.  The weather was ok, no wind or rain forescats.  I had my kit organised in my suitcase, so well organised that Danny commented on my bags of kit for each of the four six hours, plus bags for cold weather. I also had my food organised and Gill volunteered to preparing my  water bottles out.  

There was the usual annoying annoucer babbling away all the time.  You can give some  people microphne and they really won't shut the fuck up. 

The race started and I settled into my slow and steady pace.  I got told off for being to close to the inside and slowing the speedy runners down.  I moved out to land two and three and was not really in the way.  then of course some of the walkers were annoying me...it is what it is and one just has to go around them. 

I  had a few nice chats with the fellow UK and Irish runners  and the first turn around at three hours arrived with me noticing. the sun started setting and the temparture started dropping.  I added layers, but it didn't seem to help.  I had a super warm top in my kit as will as bin liners, but  I just didn't get them out and put them on. Lesson 1 use the warm clothes that you bring! 

At six hours I was starting to feel a niggle at the top of my right foot. At this point I had planned to change clothes, but I simply forgot.  Lesson 2 Change clothes on schedule!

At eight hours the niggle became a pain and I struggled to run.  I forced myself to sprint half a lap an jog the rest.  I was hoping the pain would go away. some time I find my body gives up telling me there is something wrong and pain single just disappers. No such luck this time.

I treated it with volteren, again this didn't work.  I was thinking the shoes was too tight and the laces where causing the issue, but perhaps it was the change in the foot structure after breaking my ankle last year. Either way I had a fresh pair of shoes in my suitcase.  Lesson 3 if you don't change shoes you won't know if that helps.

I moaned at Danny about the foot and he responsed with "it is a good job you are a tough old bastard then" I just didn't feel it though.^No idea where that inner core of toughness has gone. I seem to be  softer than a marshmellow at the moment.

By ten hours I was really done.  I kept trying to go so at least I would get a twelve hour time. but no metter I just couldn't get going.  It was really annoying and I just sat around shivering like the fat old man that I am. 

I took a trip to the airport with Daysey who like Ian had a great race and managed to get my flight switched so got home early. 

I have resolved to focus on 50km races and fast to shift the 10-15kg to get down to a proper race weight

  

  

Only three weeks to go.

It is only three weeks to go. There this week will be the hardest and then I can relax a bit. Things are settling down and I am seeing my  garmin reporting that I am peaking in terms of training. I will do more high aerobic this week and next just to getting used to pushing hard for longer periods.

I have ordered more of the murten gels bars and drinks and have ensured that I have enough bottles to speed the pickups. 

I will put the clothing, floor and racing plan together in time for the next up date. 

Two good weeks

 The last few weeks have been good training wise.  The two endureance runs (40km on  3rd & 20km on 10th)  went well, with no noticable drops in speed.  The food I used was 500ml of Maurten drink per 10km  and Maurten gels & bars. I felt annoy about 20km into the 40km run, but Chrissy got me going again.  Yesterday I did 20km at race pace, which given the ascent of 311m  the course was pretty well done. Barcelona will be on a a flat 400m track. 

I didn't run the first three days or swim of last week due to the travel to Berlin and having to do an interview with PeopleCert. But everything was done. All of the interval sessions (1minute*10, 3minute*10 & 8minute*5) plus the hill session show signs of improvement. The only thing I am worried about is that my weight has plateaued at 80kgs. I will try a fast to getting it going again. 

Another good week

I did most of the plan, and only dropped the 10km tempo, this I will remove from the following weeks to ensure a running rest day per week. I am now adding the short pilates and yoga sessions.  The weight is looking good as well with another kilo dropped.  Last Monday, I was 82.2kg with a fat % of 29.8 or 24.5kgs,  This week I am 81.1kg with a fat % of 29.2 or 23,6kgs. I have added the bin bag to the running training as well. For all runs I will wear a 25litre bin bag over a t shirt. This ensures the weight lose will continue. I am tracking not only my weight and fat%, but also muscle and water content. I want to ensure that the thing that is having the most effected by the training is fat loss. On Sunday my Rory was 24km or 60laps of my field.  Next Sunday I am going for 100 laps or 40kms.  The following week I will do an overnight run. 

Are numbers important?

I have had good week training. Three weight session, three interval sessions, a long run, a 2km swim and some yoga good week. I have a great feeling in my legs and I am looking forward to an incremental increase this week. I have started pushing harder and not doing just junk kms. 

The weight is stable but the fat percentage is going down. When I started at the end of September I had a weight of 86.4kg with a fat of 32.9 % or 28,4kgs. This is now a weight of 82,2kg fat of 29.8 or 24.5kgs. That difference is nearly four bags of sugar. I even look thinner in the mirror. 

The key is to not let up and concentrate on consistency over the next eight weeks. What is the plan? Well here it is. 

Per week we have a HIIT session, 2km of swimming, three weight sessions, a three interval sessions, a Cooper test, a tempo run,a 5km Hill rep session and a longer more relaxed run on Sunday. Five short, no more than half an hour, yoga and pilates to stretch and recover 

I am convinced that this will get me to the start line in Barcelona in an extremely fit state. 

Benchmarking

I have committed to running the Barcelona 24hour race in  nine weeks time. This is a tough ask, but I can focus on loosing weight via water fasting and building speed via the Cockbain method.  In the last week I have done strength training three times, swam a kilometer and ran on five days,  including two interval sessions, a hill rep session and finally a 10km race on Sunday.

Regarding the race, my first since the fiasco of the 2023 marathon, a little background is needed. Some five years ago Chrissy and I met Sherry at a wedding. She said she always wanted to go running in the woods around our house, but was worried about running alone. From then on we ran on and off. in  the Taunus. Obviously having broken my leg at the beginning of the year we have not met up for sometime. Then last weekend we had a conversation that went something like this 

Sherry: Morning ⛅️ shall we attempt a run tomorrow?

Rob: We are off to Gemünden to see a friend finish a 100 mile race

Rob: Next week maybe

Sherry: Next week is the Kurparklauf maybe you fancy that 😀

Rob: Distance?

Sherry: There’s a 5km and a 10 km, it’s 2 and 4 times around the park, not super exciting but I can’t motivate myself to run alone so races and friends are the way to go right now 🤣

Rob: Which one are you doing? I can't see that you are registeres and I know you Sherry. If you don’t commit now you will find an excuse not to do it on the day. Register now and I will do it with you. Do it. DO IT NOW!

Sherry: Hahaha ok fine, so the 10 km? It’s not too early and quite close to my home

On the Sunday morning Chrissy and I drove down to Bad Homburg and met Sherry.  The Kurpark is very pretty and especially so on an Autumn morning.  The start was a little chaotic but as soon as the hooter went I rushed off. I started way to fast and did the first kilometer in 5:21.   The course was quite undulating so that didn't help to maintain a consistant pace,  but I settled down and looked at maintaining a 5:30-6:00 /km pace. During the second lap I felt a twing in my left hamstring, but realised that was just a warming up and nothing to worry about,  even though part of me  told me  to quit.  I slowed over the second half, but ended with an average of 5:45/km  over the whole race. I was quite please the final time was 57.22. 

Sherry unfortunately felt bad and her hip started hurting after 5km.  The last time  she  had the same feeling she end up with back problems, so took the safe option.  We met Sherry and her Mom  after the race which was nice as her Mom is where Sherry' humor comes from.  In the end a successful day.  

I mentioned the race to my friend James and we had the following exchange

James: That is mega impressive and a massive step forward

Rob:Steady on chap. Hardly mega...

James:It is. You’ve had a massive fracture. Every step on the road to rehab is important.

As I said to Chrissy afterwards, if I can do something it can't be  that hard. Sometime I don't realise what I can do is a bit different from others.

As well as the running my weight is showing signs of improvement, down over 5kgs since the beginning of October. I want to get under 80kgs this week which is roughly and 3 kgs. This is achievabl via fasting and training.  I will commit to running  six days and swimming 3km as well as the three weight session.

Until next week.