Ceredigion Coastal Path - DONE!

The Ceredigion coastal path proved to be pretty challenging but one thing it did do was make me well motivated to now, after seesawing back and fourth to maybe give that 40mile ultra run a go next month. My thinking is to use it as training (too an extent, let's be honest people are always competitive in races) and a bit of an experiment. I averaged 9min mile for the 50miler and I was in complete agony, so I think I'll try and start at that pace, be disciplined and try doing negative splits every 10miles just to see how I feel. That's for another day.

Anyway on to the coastal path - We started about 10am left the car in Aberaeron with the tent, caught the bus and train to the start which would make it about 27miles Thursday and 32miles Friday.

I was dressed in compression stuff, had a bandanna and a callback on early Thursday so took some weird looks on the commute up, but who cares really :)

Before we knew it we were almost in Aberystwyth which went fast - but Tom pushed the pace early on, not really fast but faster than I thought as we spoke about doing the whole thing really casually in about 6-7hrs, we wernt going at that pace! Kept plodding on, the terrain wasn't the worst I've had but like always it's relentless as you constantly have to concentrate on footing etc. At one point a lamb charged at us ha ha felt like I was back on the rugby field.

Arrived at Llanrwstyd, the sun was beaming and Tom was starting to feel it, considering he's never done a marathon, only one 22mile run ever and is predominantly a top rower he was going well. I grabbed a sandwich from the shop and kept jogging, Tom couldn't face food. He needed to eat because of the sheer time on our feet, he couldn't stomach anything but water but kept going fair play. We had about 13miles left that day. He was adamant of taking the road for a break from the path - I didn't fancy that due to the sheer traffic and the fact that it wouldn't be the path so reluctantly we split up. Tom took the road and I the path.

It flattened out to Aberaeron but the sun was getting stronger but I actually felt fine which shows how different this sort of stuff is to your usual 10km. Tom is only about 1 min slower than me over that distance but at this, he was finding it much harder. Finally arrived at Aberaeron in about 4hrs 50, felt strong and contemplated if doing the whole thing in one go would be do-able, especially as I've heard the rumour about there being an unofficial world record of 12hrs 34 for the whole thing!

No sign of Tom so I jogged back on myself to meet him, couldn't find him, getting abit worried as the roads slightly shorter and the traffic is fast. Two Min's later there he was back down on the path I spotted his bright yellow T -Shirt. He was almost there, fair play to him he ran just over a marathon on the coastal path but was exhausted, he admitted he totally underestimated back to back days on the path so left it at that this time, but I bet he'll be back for a second go sometime :)

Re-fuelled for the second day with recovery drinks, fish and chips, malt loaf, and various un-healthy snacks. I go on about eating good food etc but with things like things I gorge on junk as it just smashes the calories in quick and is so much more effective when it's just about energy and recovery. Good food in everyday life but junk in a big endurance event.

Second day was harder, went off strong but it's always harder alone after a while. Got around Llangrannog and the path got so hilly, I couldn't run it was just up and down for miles. My foot started hurting, around the metatarsal area on top of my foot, its a bit bruised now so not sure what that's about. With about 13miles left I saw a cafe - had enough money for eggs on toast, smashed that in me chilled out then plodded on all the way home.

Arrived home, I was locked out!! Couldn't belive it - so had to wait out for a bit on the front lawn.

There we are did it, in future I fancy that record!