A very early start for me and a few weeks after my 10k in Kew and Centurion 100. This was going to be tough with a 3.45am alarm and a 5.30am start.
Truth be told this was out of my comfort zone, hilly, challenging and also having not reccied the course due to Covid worried I would get lost. That said knowing the Centurion theme of race organisation they go beyond and a above to make sure runners get through the course safely without too much drama.
I started with Michelle Maxwell in the same start although they were not waves you just headed off when you arrived. We ran for a bit before splitting out and I knew some of the sections that were runnable I needed to pick up pace before the famous steps.
It was a very solo run and a tale of two halves, the first 25/30 miles were bearable including the climbs and little need for the aid stations. Then I saw Drew part of the Centurion team and knew this was what I had been stressing on…… Here they come steps after steps and at the midway point I took a break and took off my jacket. My pace initially was close to the course record but the tiredness, humidity and a heavy training block, many races it all took its toll. So I decided to just focus on momentum, the steps in the woods and climbs were tough on my body, walking became a regular thing and running down hill sections. Especially for road parts having put new shoes on too.
Either way I wiggled myself and weaved around the course trying to remain in the lead and could see at 50 miles to Centurion banner, just a matter of a field and a village to weave through to the finish.
The clock stopped at 7.57 over the line it felt amazing to see that line and finish the race in first place once verified.
https://centurionrunning.com/reports/2021/north-downs-way-50-2021-report
