It was nearing 18.00 when I finally saw "the end".
The relief washed over me, and I punched the air with excitement!
Before I got there though, a whole other range of emotions and feelings had been milling around.
Gathered under the inflatable starting archway, I was nervous, but ran a final check over my bag, put on my sunglasses, and we were off.
About 10 seconds later, I was in the sea for the first time.
Now this was early on in the day - I was a 09.10 start - and it was bright and clear, but a little chilly in the water.
Gasps and whoops as the mass start piled in for a deep wade and a short swim out to an inflatable log, we mostly avoided each other's flailing arms and legs to make it out again safely, and run down the beach.
By this point we were a couple of miles in, and we reached another water based activity.
And luckily the activity was a couple of miles out to sea. Or so it seemed by the time we'd swum out there.
It can't have been more than 150, 200m maybe, but it seemed to take forever!
A climb, a jump and another long swim later we were back on land and running through storm drains and water run offs up into Penzance and the only road based section of the route.
This is where I learned the first hard lesson of the day.
The South coast to the North coast gradient only goes up.
Or at least it seems to. The LONGEST HILL EVER took us across the moors and up to the Coastal path, and I began to rack up the hours.
We ran over rocks, down some gentle slopes and back up some of the harshest climbs I've tried to run (let's face it though, there's not much competition...).
The activities en route were challenges in their own right. We had nods to coasteering including cliff jumps into the sea, more swimming, rock scrambles and rope climbs.
We ran through abandoned tin mines, undergrowth, overgrowth, along exposed clifftops, and off-piste down some perilously close-to-the-edge pathways.
I met my wife on one of the beaches and she asked me if she could get me anything from the shops.
"A new pair of legs" was my answer.
Alas! No such luck, out of stock. The 400 runners before me had got in there first!
Anyway, finally, I'd made it.
The billed 20+ miles had turned into closer to 26 on the tracker by the time the activities and swims had been factored in.
The 3000 foot of ascent was closer to 4500.
But it was the end!
I'd reached Lands End. I'd reached my goal, and near enough my limit.
The sun shone and the weather could not have been more perfect. For sitting on the beach and drinking beers or cocktails. Or Rattler - delicious stuff.
It certainly wasn't epic-running-adventure weather.
My thighs, my GOD MY THIGHS.
Salt water chafe has to be the absolute worst thing, and it had steadily increased in intensity from about mile 9, until it was a teeth grinding abomination of a feeling.
I'd gone through nervousness, frustration, a fleeting temptation to sack it off and go to the bar, pain, laughter, apprehension, relief and most of all...
FUN.
I know, I can't believe it either. But look at the photos.
I'm smiling in every single one.
Even the ones that haven't made the cut for here.
It was a hell of a do by Rat Race; a monumental achievement for all the finishers, a superbly organised and well run event - especially for a first time out in Cornwall - with a route that provided individual challenges and visual delights galore.
It was seriously hard, but that scenery was something else.
Thank you to everyone that's sponsored me for these so far. I thought about you a million and one times on the journey.
When I look back I will remember that I took on the first ever Man vs Coast, I did it, and knowing I'd done it while raising money for Anthony Nolan, reaching the end at Lands End - that feeling was entirely worth it.
The relief washed over me, and I punched the air with excitement!
Before I got there though, a whole other range of emotions and feelings had been milling around.
Gathered under the inflatable starting archway, I was nervous, but ran a final check over my bag, put on my sunglasses, and we were off.About 10 seconds later, I was in the sea for the first time.
Now this was early on in the day - I was a 09.10 start - and it was bright and clear, but a little chilly in the water.
Gasps and whoops as the mass start piled in for a deep wade and a short swim out to an inflatable log, we mostly avoided each other's flailing arms and legs to make it out again safely, and run down the beach.
By this point we were a couple of miles in, and we reached another water based activity.
And luckily the activity was a couple of miles out to sea. Or so it seemed by the time we'd swum out there.
It can't have been more than 150, 200m maybe, but it seemed to take forever!
A climb, a jump and another long swim later we were back on land and running through storm drains and water run offs up into Penzance and the only road based section of the route.
This is where I learned the first hard lesson of the day.
The South coast to the North coast gradient only goes up.Or at least it seems to. The LONGEST HILL EVER took us across the moors and up to the Coastal path, and I began to rack up the hours.
We ran over rocks, down some gentle slopes and back up some of the harshest climbs I've tried to run (let's face it though, there's not much competition...).
The activities en route were challenges in their own right. We had nods to coasteering including cliff jumps into the sea, more swimming, rock scrambles and rope climbs.
We ran through abandoned tin mines, undergrowth, overgrowth, along exposed clifftops, and off-piste down some perilously close-to-the-edge pathways.
I met my wife on one of the beaches and she asked me if she could get me anything from the shops.
"A new pair of legs" was my answer.
Alas! No such luck, out of stock. The 400 runners before me had got in there first!
Anyway, finally, I'd made it.
The billed 20+ miles had turned into closer to 26 on the tracker by the time the activities and swims had been factored in.
The 3000 foot of ascent was closer to 4500.
But it was the end!
I'd reached Lands End. I'd reached my goal, and near enough my limit.
The sun shone and the weather could not have been more perfect. For sitting on the beach and drinking beers or cocktails. Or Rattler - delicious stuff.
It certainly wasn't epic-running-adventure weather.
My thighs, my GOD MY THIGHS.
Salt water chafe has to be the absolute worst thing, and it had steadily increased in intensity from about mile 9, until it was a teeth grinding abomination of a feeling.
I'd gone through nervousness, frustration, a fleeting temptation to sack it off and go to the bar, pain, laughter, apprehension, relief and most of all...
FUN.
I know, I can't believe it either. But look at the photos.
I'm smiling in every single one.
Even the ones that haven't made the cut for here.
It was a hell of a do by Rat Race; a monumental achievement for all the finishers, a superbly organised and well run event - especially for a first time out in Cornwall - with a route that provided individual challenges and visual delights galore.
It was seriously hard, but that scenery was something else.
Thank you to everyone that's sponsored me for these so far. I thought about you a million and one times on the journey.
When I look back I will remember that I took on the first ever Man vs Coast, I did it, and knowing I'd done it while raising money for Anthony Nolan, reaching the end at Lands End - that feeling was entirely worth it.
Instagram: philvsnature
Twitter: @PhilJ0606
JustGiving: fundraising/philvsnature
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