This weekend just gone was the Phoenix Festival of Running, at the Denbies Wine Estate. Plenty of events going on over the 30 hours, starting at 08:00 on Saturday morning...half marathon, marathon, 50 miles and 100 miles, and P12 and P24 (running a mile on the hour, each hour).
I have done this event three times now and I really, really enjoy it, always. Mostly because of the atmosphere, which is brilliant. Each lap is 1 mile long, and on each lap you go past the aid station, which is in a small field, where people pitch tents and set up their own aid stops, so you go through this on each lap. The atmosphere is great, like a music festival, but for running. This year felt particularly special - so many people were helping each other out, and supporting each other to achieve things. It was really wonderful to be part of it all.
The other reason I like this event, is because it is at Denbies, which is one of my favourite places. A big hilly vineyard next to Box Hill, and at this time of year it is full of a thousand different shades of green, and it is beautiful!
Route report: following leaving Festival Field (see above), the route goes along Princess Alley (historical name), along stony section (OUCH!), up Green Carpet Hill (soft), through halloumi grass (squeaky!) down Shady Slope (nice), Wendy Slope (quiet this time, as there were no trains running, and actually not that Wendy, as there was no wind), Ticker Tape Corner (tight left!), up Grapevine (dance!), back along Princess Alley towards Grinch Tree (looking a bit thin on top), and back into festival field and past our pod tent (guarded by George, and new solar powered lights).
Weather report: The weather made it an interesting weekend to be running! Saturday was hot and humid, and as the hours went by it just kept feeling hotter and hotter. It was a two ice lollies day, for sure! It didn't get much cooler when it got dark really. But the night was spectacular - hours and hours of sheet lightening illuminating the silhouettes of trees and Box Hill, followed by thunder, and then pouring rain. Running in a waterproof in the heat was like being a boil in the bag fish (well, how I imagine that would feel). Speaking of the sky being entertaining, the day time sky was pretty awesome too - with a fly past from some helicopters from the Trooping of the Colour, including Chinooks!
Wildlife report: Elephant vines. Gorilla (it may have been a black bag wrapped around a vine at the top of Green Carpet Hill for the first 50 miles, but from night time it started to look like a gorilla, and by mile 90, it 100% was a gorilla). Lots of crows. An ant infestation occurred overnight in the tent, which necessitated a tent deep clean (there is nothing baby wipes can't fix), which is exactly what you want to do at midnight on a 100 miler.
Chat report: as it had been three weeks since Sarah and I last ran together, there was a lot to catch up on, so it was lucky we had 100 miles to get through it all. Naked men on walks, angry men in shorts (and shirts), parties, Scotland, etc etc...... Also had lots of chats with lots of other people on the laps as well, which was fabulous.
Health report: Things ticked along quite nicely, other than we both had fits of sneezing and hiccups and headaches, but nothing that lasted too long. I got a case of full body heat rash - a seriously fetching look.
Nutrition report: Nailed our aid tent supplies this time, with cheese scones, cold pizza, potatoes, grapes, strawberries and raspberries, ginger and mints. And you can take your coco-frappa-latta-skinni-caramel-lattes and what not.....a strong instant coffee with two sugars in the early hours was by far the best and most effective coffee in existence (thank you marshals!). And despite being in a vineyard, no wine was consumed. What angels we are.
It was a splendid weekend, and thank you to Rik and Team Phoenix on the aid station for all your work and looking after everyone so well. Matt and Timing Monkey for keeping track of everyone. And the paramedics, who were great. Huge well done to everyone there - everyone did absolutely brilliantly - be proud!
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