Day 3 ends, across the line I make for the medical tent.
Three days of mountains have taken its toll. I've run 160km and climbed 9800m so far.
My knees have been screaming all day. I'd taped them hours before, I've taken paracetamol all day.
The medics greet me and add me to a physio list. ' Go get some food and come back'.
Excellent!
Fed, I'm back with the physio.
' Your knees are OK structurally, they are just full of fluid, you aren't a mountain runner really are you?'
No!
My makeshift taping is removed and redone. Wow what a difference!
'What and how much pain relief have you been using ? , paracetamol, I think 5 x 2 today..
I know as soon as its out my mouth I shouldn't have said it. Opps.. 'That's too much!'
I know , I know.
I've been fairly strict 2 every 4 to 5 hours. Today I've lost count.
I'm patched up, feeling ok, thanks to all the medical team then off to begin the prep for Day 4.
Day 4
Everything is ready. Same routine. Ready early by 0530. It's raining.
I pop into the communal tent, a quick check of everything in the light and warmth. Pete Schteiner is on the phone.
Not at all the happy chap I've seen on other days, clearly upset, 10 mins to the start I walk over and make sure he's Ok. 'Come on man , let's get this done'. Others have noticed. He's a popular guy, all coming over to lift him. It works . Dragons Back community at its best.
0600.
Dib out, the Elan valley waits. A runners day. A day to run if you have anything left with alot of road and track.
No easy start today, an immediate climb from the farm, some have head torches on. I can't be bothered figuring it will be light soon enough.
The weather isn't great, rain and mist, up across the open lowland, feet immediately soaked. Soon I am at the forest and a treacherous, extremely steep descent. I'm alone, no one in sight. I can hear Sam behind, Paul J must be near with him. You can hear him from about a mile away when he's in full flow!
I drop through the forest, no one catches me, taking it easy a fall here could easily end the day. Onto the fire track and running free looking for the sharp left turn before another climb.
Over an incredibly slippy wooden bridge and climbing now, the track in full flood, cold water cascading down. A left/right turn. Hmm... left, onwards, I don't recognise this i should be seeing a wind turbine.
Damn it!!! Back down and on to the right path, turbine spotted. It's proper raining now.
I know this day pretty well having run it with RAW Adventures afew months before, I'm looking for a lone Xmas tree which is my marker to break track onto the Heather. I know there's a nice trod near it.
Spotted! Left turn, taking the trod. In the distance a line of turbines. Again head to the far left one, just behind a fire/service road.
I see a group ahead , looking slightly lost, map out, as I close on them indicating the way, Turbine, via wrangled fence, fire road. We move as a group leaping a couple of streams battling across the tussocks.
Onto the service road, onto an easy running section.
The rain continues.
This whole section is mandatory, the CP still distant.
Months ago on the recce I blasted this bit, running with Paul J , Migsy and Sam. I'd imagined I'd do the same today.. Not so. My legs are much more fatigued than I thought. Over the next 3 miles I average 11 minute/mile.
The track continues, slowly bleeding elevation before a short detour over open ground and descent onto the first tarmac section of the day.
I hear shouting, cow bells. It's Paul Tucker ! ' 'Come on Paul!!! Your smashing it ' these daily meets just make me smile.
On to the road now for a short section before we head up again to CP1.
I dib in to CP1 3:13:04 , 85th.
On now to CP2 , it's not far away. I know it's a pig to spot, a small post easily missed.
Sure enough the post is hiding in long grass, I've turned towards it breaking track, others are passing , apparently my off the path position not providing a clue. Of course I shout at them ' Over here over here!'
They turn and I move off. No time to waste. Now another short section before more road. A competitor is heading back towards me. Its Bridget Glaister, as she passes I tell her where the post is and continue on.
Needless to say she passes me quickly a few minutes later.
Day 4 CP 3
CP3 and 4 come and go I dib in in 4:55:11 and 5:21:53 respectively maintaining 84th position through both my attention turning to the Support point at Elan Village a few miles away.
The run down from CP4 is a nice track, followed by a small section of hedgerow lined path. Easy, onto the flat and then a final tarmac section into Elan.
Mike Hogan is waiting, this time looking more surprised than yesterday, I'm in well ahead of time arriving at about 11.50 am, two hours 40 before cutoff.
The brilliant volunteers are waiting cheering , 'Here he is the Birthday boy!' ( old news!).
I'm straight into the toilet, call of nature that I've been holding onto for hours. I know how Kev felt yesterday now.
I've got time ! Loads. For the first time I sit at a Support point and eat. Matt Ward comes over with the camera man. We have a chat asking me how it's going , how am I coping still full daying after my day 2 DNF on the Rhinogs. I'd sort of forgotten about it, now I'm suddenly holding back emotion that bursts to the surface, answering mechanically, trying to be normal smiley happy Paul. That won't make TV!
No worries, push it back down. Time to go.
Thank everybody as always and dib out at 12:08 in 80th position.
The second part of day 4 is a treat or a horror depending on how you view road running. For me it's great.
A short steep climb and I'm high above the lake, its still raining but showers now.
Ahead miles distant I can see our next destination, Drygarn Fawr. Time to press on jogging the undulating terrain. The climb to the summit is relatively easy, I catch Sam unexpectedly, he's having a bad day but still moving , 'Eat mate, get some food', Sam says he will try and keep up with me . Clearly having a bad patch he falls back but insists I get on with my race. The stone behives appear signalling the summit is close and soon I'm there. 8:31:31, 94th.
Another easy descent, next the crossing into the woods, completely waterlogged, not that it matters feet have been wet all day.
A new mandatory section along a fire road rapidly dropping and into the water point at CP 9. It's 3:27 pm, I'm 116th. I'm 195 minutes ahead of cutoff and feeling pretty good. Water replen and I hit the road for Abergwesyn.
A nice 5k stretch of undulating road along the river. On any normal day this would be heaven. Today not so much, feet are tired, legs tired, generally tired. On a recce day I'd run this bit and had to stand waiting for the rest to catch up. Today I'm going to be generous and call it an Ultra Shuffle. Maybe 12 to 13 minute miles.
It's OK I'm dragging others in , the view is nice and it's stopped raining. Whoop!
Ultra Shuffle!
In fact I can see someone ahead, he's walking I'm supposedly running and not catching. This is why I drop into Ultra Shuffle, the gap closes. Here I meet Justin Tracey. We have a good old chat and fall into a pair more or less matching paces.
Justin doesn't know this bit so well. We break right , a short climb then onto some horrible ground, boggy, undulating , the final push until the monster road section that leads to Towy Bridge.
Somewhere along the way I manage to fall into a bog, up to my waist, its a clingy horror, it even pulls my lace locked right shoe off.
Justin dissapears, I clamber out and put my shoe back on .... Sigh.
Alone again, I'm following the guys ahead , the road appears, here comes the pain. 10km of tarmac. 10km. My 10k PB is 41 minutes, I'm sure that record will stand today.
Onto the road but very much staying on the grass verge. I'm gassing out now, eating, eating and calculating how much water I have against time. Climb to the high point and admire the view, the lake below, stunning, head in neutral...
I'm shocked back into reality, a rumble, a blast of wind. Logging truck fully laden, it passes within mm, the load brushing the antenna of my water bottles. 'Jesus!!!' A fellow competitor shouts behind and raises his hands in disbelief.
Not far to go now. I've settled down to a Shuffle, averaging 15 minute miles, fine fine.
Oh good grief, someone is catching me! Quick Shuffle! Eventually Kirsten Isak catches me and we have a laugh about the Shuffle.
The finish line, whoop!
I cross 76th at 6:36 pm. Wow! Really happy.
I'm back! yes I can't run, I'm falling to bits, knees are murder, shoulder has fallen to bits from using poles, but I start to think I can make Cardiff, 5 full days and most of day 2. I can almost bear that.
Paul's back, Tom, Sam, Kev.
I learn that Guto is out. Struggling from his day 3 injury he struggled to CP1, behind guidance and retired. Another blow, another top guy I would have put money on to complete.
I find out much later Guto has transferred Cledwyn(his Welsh Dragon mascot) to Sam for the remainder of the journey.
Ben Potts is also out retiring at CP9 with ruined feet. I know a massive blow for Ben and another surprise for me after Crib Goch on day 1. Thanks Ben.
At tea time I also see Tim Laney. He's out retiring at the Support point. This is another blow, I have great respect for Tim, having completed DBR in the past and having been such a great guide during the RAW recces. I can't imagine he won't be back again.
At tea I hear rumours.. HM Queen Elizabeth II has died. Can't be true, but it is. Shocking. A sad day, race forgotten.
Rumours fly the race will be cancelled or cut short.
That's all the talk at tea time.
Time for bed, dreams of Cardiff. The Brecons stand in the way. I've never been there before. My biggest test is yet to come....
Day 4 stats :43.16 miles, 7566ft climbed average pace 17min 37 per mile.
Finish time:
12:36:01 100th place of 136 who complete full day.