Arc50 - up for the challenge?
Arc50
Billed as one of Britain’s most challenging and beautiful ultra marathons (and there is the Arc of Attrition 100 mile ultra marathon too!). If you love the sea, coastline and hard graft why not give it a shot? This is 50 miles of relentless trails along the Cornish coastline from the Minack Theatre to Porthtowan.
In fact that was my reason along with the expectation of severe January weather conditions. ‘Let’s test myself properly. Let’s see how I fare in the company of some exalted runners within the sport…’
If you don’t live locally there is the added logistical element and it is very much recommended you have a crew Member to help you (I would say this is a must) with water, food and tonnes of motivation.
Fast forward to the end. I made it round, just. I have run a number of ultras but the cut off’s on this one can catch you unaware, if like me you think about starting at the back, taking your time and just getting round you will find yourself getting anxious about the clock. A third of competitors this year did not make it, defeated by a cut off or a hampering injury. The likes who turn up to this race know at least roughly what to expect, often travel huge distances and are experienced ultra runners, so not many of the towel throwing brigade.
Arc50 route
But…this is a hell of an event, amazingly organised by the awesome Mud Crew events with over 250 ‘Arc Angel’ volunteers, many of whom have run the event and return to help those seeking the same challenge. It is a challenge and no one sugar coats this fact but the coastline is stunning and your fellow runners supportive with a mixture of terrain that challenges all.
When you arrive at race registration, you cannot help feeling part of a special small band of runners who have participated over the years. The organisers are genuinely excited for you, the medics talk in the race briefing of helping you to get round no matter what and you feel slightly awed by your fellow runners – so much so that I slightly went emotionally missing as I was passed from kit check to number collection to tracker issuance and just managed to pull myself together for my race picture for my tracker profile!
Minack Theatre start
The start at the Minack Theatre is wonderfully (err) theatrical with flares, heavy metal music blasting, drums being beaten and runners being whipped into a frenzy by the organisers. The long queue for the loo allowed me to chat with fellow racers, one telling me that he had run over 100 ultras, averaging one a month (what the actual hell? How do you find time mate?). Then, as the race started and we made our way back up the steep step from the theatre stage, one Arc Angel bellowed at me in his heavy Cornish accent ‘Nearly there mate!’ and then flashed a toothless grin. Cheers Pal, only 50 miles to go!!
The tracker concept was new to me as now friends and family could track my progress (no pressure the) and soon this became a game of comparing what they would do be doing at 8pm (down the pub) to what I would be doing (setting off from G checkpoint having pegged it through the Dunes of Doom to narrowly avoid missing the checkpoint).
Does this sound like it is for you? Do you fancy a day of serious graft, continuous ups and downs, hazardous boulder littered trails, disorientating sand dune paths in the dark, time alone on dark cliff tops, some of the most beautiful scenery Britain has to offer and an extremely large medal if you are successful? You better sign up quick as there are no shortage of slightly mad runners who cannot wait to apply.
