The JW Ultra is a 30 (ish), flat (ish) canal side run from the Greenway in Stratford upon Avon to Bournville station. I say ish as it’s hard to measure accurately when it’s trail and up and over locks and each of the locks is a little higher than the other.
So it’s sort of quite a bit tougher than you might think and in some ways the canal side bit can get just a little repetitive! But there are boats and ducks and cyclists and pedestrians and ….. well you get the picture there’s quite a lot to look at along the way. Some of the views are really amazing such as the way the canal goes over the road like one huge great tin bath!
The other odd view for one poor runner was my behind! Thirty miles is a long way with nowhere to stop, mile fifteen or so I “paused” in what I thought was a quiet spot only to be caught out! All I could do was call out an apology and ask him politely to look away! Since I was in no position (Ha Ha!) to stop what I was doing! Fortunately no when else appeared in the next couple of minutes and I was on my way again.
Much of the run was in the middle of nowhere and so there was fairly limited support however there was the odd supporter and Fetchie that popped up from time to time and this helped to pass the time. The Sea Cadets were as always wonderfully organised and checked us in and out very seriously and efficiently.
Having made a slowish start I was happy to keep going and managed in the last few miles to overtake a few people and even make a bit of a sprint finish, leading me crossing the line breathless and wheezing! There at the end was my chum’s delightful son Ethan who was leaving for university the next day. I got a big hug and a great gift (bum bag and trolley token) including of course some Cadbury chocolate (that didn’t last long!).
The finish line was a short walk from the Sea Cadets and homemade cake and hot drinks coming from down south 90p for coffee and TWO slices of cake was just what I needed to get me home again.
A lovely day, lovely weather fantastically organised and I’ll be back again next year hoping to get just a little nearer to five hours.
annettelovestorun 