Gosh it was HOT. AND it was eye-poppingly brutal. “How many Jurassic Roller-Coasters left?” became the question we hardly dare ask, but somehow needed to know. Up. Down. Up. Down. Get lost. Up again. Downs even harder than the ups (which was a new experience for me!). A BIG storm overnight between Days 1 and 2, forcing us to evacuate our tent and scramble onto the top bunks of our knights-in-shining-armour/fellow adventurers in a dry dorm (thanks Rob and Jim!!!). A wet night back in the tent that hadn’t blown away after all, but was letting in the rain still coming down in the aftermath of the storm. We wanted an adventure, and we got one! We wanted tough training, and we got it! And then we decided the next one should be a bit easier 🦥 Even if Cape Wrath had been able to be held, we learned we probably wouldn’t have made the cut-offs …
So having made long lists and spent hours on-line reading reviews and buying ‘eventually’/as carefully as I could, what did I REALLY need to complete the Votwo Jurassic Coast Challenge 3 day adventure? What ACTUALLY made the difference?
My teamie, Beky Cann @irongirl78cann (being the ‘s’ in Girls on Tour on this occasion). You can’t buy team-mates, but you can proudly wear your team kit (thank you @RGLpromotions) and it helped enormously when efforts felt too tough for comfort.
VFFs V-Trek wrapped my precious feet in comfort for Day 1 … at least the first 45 km anyway …
Altra MT King 1.5 for Days 2 and 3; after the horrors of the sharp, flinty rubble of the last 3 km of Day 1, I was grateful that I’d thought to pack 2 footwear options.
Ultimate Direction Scott Jurek pack, which although heavy with all the extra fluid we needed to carry (it was HOT, so so HOT!) fits me so well, with no bouncing.
Customised visor (read: chopped and adjusted so it fits over my dreads without giving me a headache) protected my forehead from cooking (a functioning brain is a vital part of my running form!) and cut out tiring glare.
Julbo Aerolite reactive lens running glasses … I couldn’t even feel they were there, and whether it was blazing sun or rain, I could see just as clearly. Amazing sports glasses.
Black Diamond Carbon Distance Z Poles … for me, efficiency means using my ENTIRE body well and when skilled use of poles can take up to 75% of bodyweight off knees, WHY WOULDN’T I?
Santini lightweight cycling gloves protected my hands over 87 miles of poling – whether running or walking.
Feathers … because they provide the magic …
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