Sometimes you accept it and say to yourself, “I gave it my best shot, lets move on”. Like all experienced athletes who have been running for many years, in Geoff’s case over 60, he prepared as best he could, and came with a goal and a plan. All we could see was their small green lights, until, suddenly the lights rose about six feet off the water. Soon he was in the water and, together, they swam off into the dark.
The whole crossing felt protected; later that day, when we were half way across the Channel, Boris commented that it felt like being in a dream. He jumped off the boat into the water (“Oooh, it’s cold!”) and swam to the shore from which his swim must begin. Angikar, freshly greased up to help protect against the cold water, was clearly in the mood for a successful channel swim. But today was about swimming, and soon we arrived in Dover and met a very joyful Angikar, clearly ready for his journey across to France. He was, and it wasn’t long before I found out that he had rowed for Oxford in the Boat Race (3 times—that’s quite special) and won once! Boris had swum the Channel four times already and he was training to be an official observer for the Channel Swimming Association, which means he will have the authority to ratify a successful Channel swim.
Heffron, now certainly feeling the effects of 20 hours on a track at 196km, is closing in on 200km. Ross now has to refocus and set her sights on another 16 miles ahead to achieve that. For our leading 3 runners, there is no let up. As the day gets brighter some runners, who have left the track for wee breaks start reappearing. With dawn, as always, comes hope, or in the runners case, the knowledge that the race end is in sight and achievable, albeit a few hours away still. Taking a wee break is the last thing on these three ladies minds, they have all come into the race with their own personal goals, and slowly, lap by lap, they are edging closer to them.
Hubert Harrison: Forbidden Genius of Black Radicalism
My longest training ride was very easy – forty three miles along the race course on Sunday a week before the race. I could not feel even one moment of the hard work in my legs any more. Believe me, your body will be Sankra Casino grateful to you! The weather was sunny and warm, the park is beautiful, the water station came just in time at around half way, and the course is fairly flat with just a couple of minor slopes. Of course everyone took off across the start line at a cracking pace.
Of the 35 athletes who completed the race, 25 of them ran over 100 miles. The icing on the cake was the fourth place finish, I believe that John secretly hoped for a top 10 finish, but was still more interested in getting the distance. Despite the difficulties over the last hour, John still managed to deliver 7.6 km, the last 3laps of which Steve and I walked with him. Or were the experienced runners going to eat him up in the last eight hours when John faded towards the end?
- For over 3,000 miles Vilas had to contend with heat, traffic, fatigue, long straight sections of headwind, the weight of his equipment, and the occasional temperamental kangaroo.
- Singing The Invocation on a boat in the English Channel, I could feel Sri Chinmoy’s presence come more to the fore, and Angikar later told us that it had helped him considerably.
- Gam’s work stretches Sankara’s legacy through time and across media, planting it into the current pulsing moment.
- It took me about 20mins each hour to update the score board so that the runners could see how far they had gone.
- With an hour to go, it could still go either way, but Geoff, now finally looking a tad tired, is still doggedly circling the track.
Similar Events
- Over the cold English winter, Vilas completed several weeks of high mileage.
- The disaster struck in the second lap – there was no water at the aid stations – my mind was in a state of complete panic.
- It gave me so much joy to see my very slow times gradually improve over the weeks and I will never forget the feeling of absolute euphoria and gratitude when I completed my first 4 mile race.
- I would need to pedal for five or six more hours in 40 degrees heat without water.
- Thomas Sankara had great belief in people – not just the people of Burkina Faso or Africa, but people across the world.
- He duly broke, or set, completely new marks for all the recognized ultra distances from 30 miles up to 24 hours, with the exception of 100 miles, which he fell some 5 miles short of.
Hopefully more runners from Sri Chinmoy A.C. Running into the sunlight, and feeling the rays on your face with the light breeze and the smell of the sea reminded me so much of running back in Cornwall. Then I had to remind myself that this was a race and not one of my leisurely runs, and from first gear I stepped up to third gear and quickened my cadence across the somewhat soft sand. I made the short distance to the start on the beach under the pier where those in fancy dress were being judged. As you would expect there were plenty of runners wearing Father Christmas hats.
Cycle Ride across Australia – Vilas Silverton
Ross reached the 50km mark (31.1miles) in 4 hours 50 minutes with fellow Scot Noanie Heffron in 5 hours 02 min and Wykes some 20 minutes behind in 5 hours 20 minutes. In the early hours of the race Ross, using the experience gained in last years race, started steadily. Debbie Martin-Consani won the 144 mile Grand Union Canal Race outright in 2012 and British ultra legends Hilary Walker and Eleanor Robinson managed it several times in 24 and 48 hour races.
Sankara can introduce you to 10+ people at Citi
Was it too early to hope for a finish position like that? At 3am John donned his hat and gloves to counteract the affects of the cold and walked his second lap of the race. The walking lap is a great opportunity to eat some solids (energy bar, bagels or pancakes) and a chance to really assess how he was doing in terms of HR, effort and any potential injuries that were starting to emerge. This steady progress meant John finished the 8 hour mark in 7th place.
All of this involved a huge mobilisation of Burkina Faso’s people, who began to build their country with their own hands, something Sankara saw as essential. In 1984, Sankara renamed the country Burkina Faso (land of people of integrity). In 1981, he was appointed to the military government in Upper Volta, but his outspoken support for the liberation of ordinary people in his country and outside eventually led to his arrest. Though Sankara’s flesh body is dead, the manifestation of his vision replicates towards infinity through these countrymen. I may not have run a step but I have been part of the support group and feel I can fully share in the runners’ achievements.
On the next aid station I wasked for water, they said “it’s water”. I was fascinated with Chris Lieto’s speed – Bryan Rhodes and Jason were far behind him on the bike. Probably the current was the reason for my even slower swim in the open water.
I have never run a 24 Hour race but I have helped at many over the years and each time the race draws to an end, I feel such happiness and pride in the runners. Then the rest of the hour was free, so I could check out how things were going in the counting area, chat to the refreshment people, or just watch the runners (quite hypnotic, you can do it for hours!). Bhauliya had a good run but went a little further than planned when the runners ahead of her took a wrong turn and she was led down an “alternative route” – still she looked very happy at the finish. They were all so happy to see me smiling in the first picture of the second bike lap. Finally on my bike, everything went along very well in the first lap. I experience how does it feel being surrounded with healthy, fit bodies, focussed minds and determined vitals.