Ultra Tour of Arran: Race Review

I have been running for quite some time now and competing from now and them. I started running half marathons, then moved to marathons and then trail marathons and finally, I took sympathy for running ultra-marathons. So I am always looking for new challenges not only for the body but also the mind. And the Ultra Tour of Arran was not going to disappoint.!

How it all started.!

I found the Rat race website in 2018 randomly looking for some ultra-races to do in the UK, I found that the series Man VS were a fun thing to do. However they were not yet the sort of challenge I wanted, I wanted something bigger, something harder and more difficult. And there it was, the Ultra Tour of Arran, 95 kilometers 3000 meters ascent in two days (45 km and 1000 mts day 1, 50 km 2000 mts day 2). I found it! That was the sort of race I wanted, that was the challenge I was looking for.

So what is it? What is the UTA?

The Ultra Tour of Arran (UTA) is a two day off-road running adventure in the Isle of Arran, organized by Rat Race U.K.

It is well supported and fully way-marked event, where day one is characterised by quiet paths, forest trails, some boardwalk sections, running thru villages and a lot of forest dirt road sections, including a very swampy area if the weather conditions have been poor.

Day two is virtually all off-road and there are some serious mountain sections, where there is going to be more walking/hiking than actually running.

UTA review. Day 1

It was a chilly day but not as bad I thought I could be. Choose to run on shorts and a running t-shirt. We got there around 8am, prepared our gear, did the last check for all the mandatory equipment and headed to the starting line .

And at 8:30 am punctual the race started. We started running towards the south part of the island and headed for the first hill and towards the town of Lamlash. From there down to the coast, where we run on a very rocky/ sleeper/sandy coast trail. After some boardwalk section, is an easy run up to check point number one. Soon after and a bit of hill running and an straight path will lead you to check point number two at the coast of Kildonan.

From there you run uphill into the forest, which I personally found the most challenging of day one, the swampy part downhill of the forest was hard. You will find yourself with both legs on the mud up to your knees many times, some people even manage to lose their shoes in that area. But once you are out you have an easy run towards check point number three, which is just before the last big hill of day one (Don’t take this hill lightly, is very steep). From the top of the hill and downwards is a very beautiful and quite easy run until you reach the finishing line at the campsite.

Overall the first day is a nice trail race, from coast to some nice hills. If you came to Arran to run, this was your day, its beautifully marked and planed, there are plenty of nice trails/roads where you can let yourself go. Hills and rocky areas are hard but you still can run them (literally run)

UTA review. Day 2

Wow it was cold, colder than the day before, and also very windy. Once there I changed my running gear, put on my wind proof running tights, my windproof jacket and waited anxiously (more nervous I will say) the start of the race. The countdown started and at 7:30am we all left the place. This time, instead of starting towards the south, we went towards the beach and then up the mountain in the north.

A very sandy start, then left to start running upwards towards the first mountain. Then after a couple of easy kilometers we started climbing, and I meant there was not much running at all, it was just hiking up, no proper trail where to run. I personally struggle all the way up to the first mountain, not due to tiredness or pain, but because I am not a strong hiker. Anyways, once you get to the top you have to go down, and this is what I found the most difficult and unnecessary dangerous part of the tour.

There was no trail at all, we were literally going down the side of the mountain where no trail seemed to have ever been there. The supposed path was covered with tall grass and underneath rocks and mud. I saw many people fall and many got their ankles twisted. In my opinion, it was not fun and very risky for the body.

At the end of the slope it was the first check point by Arran whisky distillery. From there the flattest part of the course, about 15 kilometers or more until the next climb on the northern coast of Arran. However this “flat” part was a tactical one, with many places where you actually have to slow down almost to a stop and be very careful where to step to prevent injuring yourself. Anyhow, the las five kilometers of those fifteen where quite flat until checkpoint number two at Sannox.

From there we started the ascend to the second mountain. This one was a bit more accessible when it comes to run, the trail was quite good until a bit more than half the way up. From there you start hiking up a lot, and in some parts you have to literally climb (at this moment I was loosing my interest in the tour, out of frustration and anger for not being able to run).

After the first proper climb at around 800mts, you arrive to the divisional part of the race, where you can choose the high course ( up another 250 meters with much more climbing and hiking) or take the lower course (more running and definitely the best running part of the whole day two).

I took the lower part, because I wanted to run, not to hike. The lower trail is all the way up to the finishing line runnable. The whole 10 kilometers from the divisional part till you cross the finishing line is a straight running path.

Overall the second day is filled of mixed fillings for me. I love running and I enjoy running in hills and mountain paths but when it comes to hike on uncharted path or rocky parts during a race, I am not a big fan.

Conclusions.

Arran is a lovely challenge if you want to run, hike, and climb, not much if you just want to run. If you like trails, you will find the first day glorious, the views and the trails are just fantastic. Now the second day, I won’t even consider it a trail run, is more like a hike, it does have its parts, but you will find yourself hiking more than running. Now the views from the second day are second to none. The view from the top of the mountain is so beautiful that invites to stay there and chill for a bit.

My personal experience:

I went to arran with the goal of finishing between the first 10, goal that I achieved by finishing 8 overall.

My first day was also my strongest. I did run very strong through out the whole race. I was 4th a one time but a pinch in my left calf made me slow down, and not push it further. (was concerned of having to DNF). Regardless I kept on running and I manage to finished 8th despite the fact that my calf was as stiff as a rock.

My second day was a killer and a bit of a disappointment for me. I was exited for the position achieved on the previous day that I thought could tackle the mountain. However when I saw the “trail” we were supposed to be running on, my dreams got crushed. I felt two times, and the constant hiking was annoying me mentally and physically. The running part of the route was ok but not as a runnable as I would have love to. The climb to the divisional part of the second mountain crushed me completely. I arrived there positioned 48.

However when I asked the marshal which way I could go if I wanted to run more and they suggested going down I felt a bit more relived. I took on that path and for 10 kilometers I did not stop running, I run at an average pace of 4 minutes 32 seconds, occasionally slowing down for drinking water, to run those last 10km of a 50km race in 46 min and a half. Allowing me to finish 13th the second day.

I know the lower course is easier, but also the fact that I manage to run at that speed allowing me to cut 35 positions should not be taken lightly as well.

I am happy with my result, I achieved what I came for. But I wont run it again not recommend it to fellow ultra runners that are looking for nice trails. It was not the sort of challenge I was looking for. I hope “The Wall” ultra-race provides the sort of challenge I am aiming for.

Ultra tour of Arran promo video by Rat Race

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The Isle of Arran: Trip and recommendations

So my mate Adam, his girlfriend (Olga), my girlfriend (Delia) and I decided to take a small vacation in the island as well. We took the train from London to Glasgow (a very recommendable and enjoyable trip if you have never done it). From there we booked a car, and we drove to the Androssan, where we took the ferry onto the island.

Recommendations: As soon as you decide to book the Ultra tour of Arran, make sure that you book immediately your accommodation and your ferry trip. Both of them can turn to be a bit of an annoyance if you leave it for the last minute. If you decide to leave everything for the last month ( the recommended action is to book three or four month in advance) you will find yourself with a very expensive accommodation and the possibility of not having a place on the ferry to cross onto the island.

Arran is indeed Scotland in miniature, the island, even with its 55 miles circumference offers everything, beaches, rocky coasts, hills, forests and mountains. It has a big biodiversity that can be easy accessible. Driving around the island is magnificent by itself, with views that leaves you astonished.

We had a good time exploring the island the day before the race and after it. We even got to see the seals at the Kildonan coast during the first day and some reindeers on the last day. We had lovely meals in some local pubs and bistros, we also got to enjoy some great quality sandwiches at the Sandwich Station at Lochranza (a must try). We visit Brodick castle but we were unfortunate with the distillery.

Why should everyone run an ultra?

First of all let’s start explaining what is an ultra-marathon and it variations. An Ultra, how is commonly known, is a organize footrace extending beyond the standard marathon running distance (42 km and 195 meters).

Ultra races usually begin at 50 km and can extend to various distances.
There are two types of ultras marathon events:

Those that have to cover an extended area (e.g. 50 km, 100 km, 100 miles, etc.)
Those ones that take place during a certain amount of time (e.g. 8hs, 12 hs, 24 hs, etc.) with the winner being the one that covers the most distance in that time.

Ultras are run on roads, trails and tracks. They can be point-to-point, like the UTMB (Ultra Tour of Mont Blanc ); or held on loop courses, like the (in)famous Barkley’s Marathon.

There are also stage races, these races are done usually between five or six days, where each runner has to mandatory stop when they reach to the finishing line of the correspondent day before leaving for the next stage the following day. (E.g. Marathon Des Sables)

Some harder ultra-marathons include, self-navigation; runners don’t run on a market course and they have to orientate themselves with the use of a map and compass (Berghaus Dragons Back Ultra). Considered to be even a tougher event are self-supported ultra-marathon stage races where each competitor has to carry all their supplies including food to survive the length of the race (The Jungle Ultra Marathon)

Berghaus Dragons Back Ultra
The Jungle Ultra Marathon

If you ever decide to run an ultra, regardless the distance, you have to make a great deal of choices, from what you or drink to how much you rest or train.

When it comes to food and drink, the first thing you need to do is to find what is best for you, go to a nutritionist or try different diets by yourself (check my previous post about diet). You need to adjust your diet not only to your training but also to the race. If you are consistent with your diet, your overall health will improve dramatically. (do not only associate the word diet with synonym to “lose weight”, diet or dieting in this case is to find the nutrients your body need to perform such an activity like ultra-running). I’m on keto and that is what works best for me, I have tried many diets before, but keto is the one that my body reacts the best to.

So why running an Ultra?

There are many benefits of running long distances, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally.

The reasons to run ultras are endless. Some say their body feels happier on the nature. Also, things like changes in elevation, obstacles – such as roots, rocks and potholes – as well as sharp bends and turns, result in a more balanced and athletic trained runner. It also helps you develop some sort of sense of peace and therefore you are more likely to run based on feel, rather than what your running watch says.

Here are some of its benefits:

Strengthens the heart and cardiovascular system (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3902253/)
It improves bone density of the legs and hips and it helps you maintain a healthy weight. (https://www.londonbridgeorthopaedics.co.uk/2016/06/16/running-and-your-bone-density/)
Improve your coordination, agility and balance. Running in nature avoiding falls, negotiating steep slopes, cutting around sharp corners and landing on unstable surfaces, all help build athleticism
Improves discipline. You have to train and you have to organize a schedule for it. We are talking that for some ultras you be running 14 hs a week depending on the training. You have to be very organized and consistent to not only arrange your running routine, but also your daily life. Once the race is finished, you will find yourself planning your daily life in a much better way.
Reduce tension, confusion, anger and depression. There is something special about running an ultra, while you are running you are in a relaxed state of mind, there are no issues, no anger, no frustration, just the feeling of feeling free. If I’m ever down then I can pick myself up with a run. Some might argue that it isn’t healthy to rely on running to regulate your mood. Maybe that’s true. That said, being dependent on exercise to regulate your mood is much better than having to rely on medication. Running is free. Medicine isn’t.
Improve your mental health. It makes you happy, it is as simple as that . Reaching a difficult goal that required a lot of sacrifice will make your body experience a state of mind that has no comparison.

Everest Ultra Marathon

Most people meditate siting down, they fix a point in a distance, they control their breath and posture.
I do the same while I run, and I check my posture (my running posture), control my breathing and concentrate on a fix point in front of my legs while moving. Running is my active way of meditating

The joy is in the journey.

Every single time that I cross the finish line reminds me of this . I have trained my body for months to be physically capable of doing this crazy thing that very few have done or can do, and I just freaking did it! WELL DONE, ME!

We are capable of doing really hard things and that capability now applies to all aspects of your life. Through training for and then racing an ultra, we’ve willingly given ourselves numerous opportunities to work through hard circumstances. Times when it would have been much easier to stop and quit than to struggle and possibly fail. The tenacity that you’ve developed through training for, and racing, a race of that magnitude is impressive and will serve you well in life.

So how does it feel crossing the line?

Joyful. Exhilarating. Scary. Exciting. Tearful. Humbling. Prideful. Tiring. Inspirational. All of this and more

It’s something you have to experience for yourself to understand.

Keto and Me

Benefits of ketogenic diet on endurance training and ultra running

First let’s start explaining in simple words what is Ketogenic diet or as it is commonly known, Keto. Keto is basically a very low-carb, high-fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkins and low-carb diets. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

When this occurs, your body produces small fuel molecules called “ketones”. This is an alternative fuel source for the body, used when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply. Ketones are produced if you eat very few carbs (that are quickly broken down into blood sugar) and only moderate amounts of protein (excess protein can also be converted to blood sugar).The liver produces ketones from fat. These ketones then serve as a fuel source throughout the body, especially for the brain.

On a ketogenic diet, your entire body switches its fuel supply to run mostly on fat, burning fat 24-7. When insulin levels become very low, fat burning can increase dramatically. It becomes easier to access your fat stores to burn them off. This is great if you’re trying to lose weight, but there are also other less obvious benefits, such as less hunger and a steady supply of energy.

The benefits of a ketogenic diet are:

Lose Weight. Fat burning is significantly increased, while insulin levels drop greatly. https://www.dietdoctor.com/yes-a-low-carb-diet-greatly-lowers-your-insulin
Appetite control. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.12230
Energy and mental performance. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18804129
Increased physical endurance. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26892521

I started keto almost by chance. I have just started running and I wanted to find a diet that would help me loose the extra weight I had. I read and try many diets but with no luck. Either I was not trying hard enough or I felt that I didn’t enjoy eating the “recommended food/meals”.

So one day I was talking to a colleague of mine and he mentioned that he has done a diet called “Keto” which in his own words was basically eating fat and protein and cutting carbs down almost to none. I went on line, like everyone else does nowadays, and did a bit of research.

The more I read the more interesting I found the diet, especially when I came to the food that was going to be able to eat. So I went ahead and gave it a try .

“For the ones who don’t know how to do a proper and effective keto, the simplest thing to understand are macro nutrients or macros. The reason why Macro nutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein) are very important on a ketogenic diet is because you want to get your body used to metabolising fat as an energy source, instead of carbohydrates. To do this effectively, you must also restrict carbohydrates at the same time. Protein is a building block which your body requires, but doesn’t directly translate this into energy”

Generally, on a keto diet, macros vary within the following ranges: 60-75% of calories from fat, 15-30% of calories from protein, and. 5-10% of calories from carbs.

I started with the following percentages, just to get my body accustomed; 70% fat, 20% protein, 10% carbs. What this means is basically, that on a 2650 calories intake, I will be consuming, 66 grams of carbs (10%), 132 grams of protein (20%) and 205 grams of fat (70%). I was on this percentages for a couple of weeks and I started seeing the results of fat burning.

As my training progressed, so did my diet. Ergo I decided to modify my macros in two ways.

I modify the percentages to 75% of fat, 20% of protein (sometimes I alternated between 80% fat and 15% protein) and finally a mere 5% of carbs.
I boosted my calorie consumption up to 4000/4500 calories depending on the intensity of my training. ( I burnt on a regular day about 3800 calories, and on my intensive days about 6000 calories)*

Example: On a 4500 calories, 56 grams of carbs (5%), 225 grams of protein (20%) and 375 grams of fat (75%).

*Note: “Is very important to know how much calories you burn while training, those calories should be added at minimum with your meals, if not the weight loss could be harmful”

To clarify, in many articles that you might read, it will say that to be on ketosis you need to eat less than 40 net carbs per day, this measurement is based on a 2400 calorie consumption diet. However your macros have to be calculated on your daily consumption of calories not as an estimate. An athlete or very active person will burn more calories and for that reason must consume more than a sedentary person.

Training on Keto.

As many people that have started any sort of diet (mainly losing weight) I did started keto on the same premises. However, besides losing weight, the effects of the diet were far greater. I found myself with a surplus of energy when it came to training.

What does this mean?

Basically means that in a fat-adapted state, you are “virtually bonk proof” and can exercise for hours on end using just body fat for fuel. Most people can store at least 40,000 calories as fat — a nearly unlimited supply! And a fat-adapted athlete can tap into that supply quickly and easily. In contrast, our bodies can store only 2,000 calories of carbohydrates, which means that we constantly have to replenish glucose stores.

When we run we use carbs, fat and protein as a fuel source. This is call aerobic metabolism. An aerobic exercise is done at a heart rate below 85 percent of maximum heart rate and doesn’t use vigorous muscle contractions. Your body is able to maintain a constant energy stream by breaking down carbohydrates and fats with aerobic metabolic processes.

That’s why on a carb based diet, endurance athletes tend to “hit the wall”. This is essentially lack of glucose on your bloodstream, in simple words is to burn “fuel” (carbs) faster than we can re supply our body with them. And like I mentioned earlier, our body can store up to 2000 calories of carbohydrates which is a very limited energy source. On the other hand, on a fat based diet, the supply of “fuel” is almost unlimited, with 40000 calories of fat to burn.

Having explain that, I found myself, as a runner, with enormous amount of energy to burn. My runs became longer and longer. When before I could not run more than 30 min, now on a fat based diet I started adding hours to my runs. One hour became two, and two became three and so on. Little by little, keto diet has transformed me into a long distance runner, I could run for hours before having a snack. My body adapted so well to keto, that I decided to move from a “runner” and became an “ultra runner”.

Running marathons/ultras on a low carb high fat diet.

As an ultra-runner, I had many questions about how to make it all work during training and racing. Most importantly, I wondered how exactly to fuel myself during an ultra-distance race

Ultra race Country to Capital with 81 kg

What I learned is that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to training and racing while in ketosis. Everyone is different and has different fuelling needs based on factors like body composition, how long you’ve been fat adapted and the duration of your race. Some runners can train and race in a fasted state; others need to eat before and during a race. Still others opt to break from ketosis in the days leading up to an event and consume more carbohydrates for optimal performance.

I started training for ultras after being on the keto diet for about six months. At that point, I was fully fat-adapted. During my training, I noticed a few interesting things:

I was much less hungry than I remember being in the past while doing long distance training.
Three hours before a race I would only eat food high on fat (cheeses, avocado, etc.). Whit that I would had plenty of fuel to hold a consistent pace for up to 30 miles. After that I would replenish only if very hungry with some protein or fat based snacks (cheese strings or salami bites).
I felt like I was recovering from workouts quicker.

Training was one thing, but knowing what to eat during the race was more difficult. I knew that for most races, keto athletes don’t need to consume extra calories before, during or after. However, for races longer than 3–4 hours, additional fuel would likely be needed.

Most food and drinks typically provided at aid stations during races are not keto — isogenic drinks, pretzels, candy, cookies, bagels, etc. I knew I needed to be prepared to supply all my race nutrition beforehand.

Two hours before the race, my plan was to have a coffee, cheese, avocado and some cold cuts for breakfast (I usually have the same, because It works for me) and carry two litters of water on my ransack. I also planned to take salt tablets, about one every hour.
In my drop off bag (if the option is available on the race), I planned to have some keto-friendly options like cheese strings, nuts and dry sausage.

Looking on the bright side, I know the ketogenic diet is working for me — not only in my day-to-day life, but also in my endurance races. During a race, I could ran more than 45 kilometres with breakfast in my belly and nothing else. Logistically, it is much easier to plan than other races where I’ve run in the past, where I’d need to find a way to consume 300 calories an hour to sustain my effort.

This time, my body had plenty of dietary and body fat to keep going strong. I still have so much to learn and try as a fat-adapted athlete, but I know and have confirmed that keto is the way forward in my ultra-races.

Keto has changed my life, but I will not vouch that it will work for everyone else. Everybody’s body is different and will react differently to different diets. I tried so many diets before I found one that actually worked for me.