Maverick Chilterns - 40km race report

 Rather cockily I'd thought not running a long trail races for 2 years, I'd just be able to rock up and race it. "Just like riding a bike," I thought. Nice to know the trails were ready to give me a kind humbling today.

Since coming back from my pregnancy and emergency C-section in April 2023, I've focused on running roads, partially because it has less of a time commitment than running trails, and partially because I couldn't cope with any form of elevation gain during pregnancy (it had big effects on my heart rate). In April this year, I ran the Boston Marathon, a notoriously hilly course, although of course, coming from a trail running background hills are relative. 

For me the summer doesn't feel complete without hitting the trails and with that thought, and a desire to break up the road running Spring and Autumn seasons I signed up for the Maverick 40km race in the Chilterns which featured 900m elevation gain. As the race took place on the day of an ultra at 50km, I also thought there was a chance I might be able to run competitively and finish in the top 3. 

I didn't expect to line up on the start line next to Chrissie Wellington, the former 4 time Ironman world champion, or the equally amazing Rachel Dench, co-founder of Black Trail Runners and holder of many local course records. I was in for a humbling. 

My brilliant coaching client Owen was racing and targeting the win, so when we started I went out comfortably at tempo pace, mostly because I knew there was a hill one mile in, and because I wanted the chance to run with Chrissie! For the first 22km I felt pretty amazing. I was clicking along nicely, breaking in to a run/walk strategy on the hills and in the top 10 overall. And then at 22km we turned off from the Ultra course and it was lonely and I got in to a negative headspace - that's where it all started to come undone. 

Once my head had gone it was hard to keep going. This side of pregnancy this would be the second furthest I've run, and the longest time on feet I'd done and it suddenly hit me how hard that was. When the ultra course rejoined us at 28km it was the lead of their pack joining us and it was tough to continually be overtaken at pace. 

My legs started to go on the downhills with about 5km to go and while my hips felt quite tight I think it was just my headspace that was the issue. That said, with 5km to go I committed to running the entire way in, irrespective of hills, and I was pleased to do that, even if it wasn't an impressive pace.

I crossed the line in 4:36, 18th place overall and, in an incredibly strong female field, 10th place female. Not the day out I had planned but I beautiful day on the trails and a nice humbling reminder of how hard the trails are. 

And Owen managed to stay in front of Chrissie coming in 90 seconds ahead of her for the win in 3:27 - well done Owen!

Owen with his trophy