A (100km) Passage to India.

100km is the longest distance acknowledged for record purposes, by World Athletics, the global governing body.

Along with 50km and 24 hours, it is one of the three classic ultra road distances recognised for global championships.

On the weekend of 7th December, the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) staged the World 100km Championships in Bengaluru, India.

A team of athletes, six men and four women, were selected to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 

In addition to individual medals, there is also a team competition, which is always intensely contested.

In challenging conditions, with high humidity and temperatures above 30 degrees at times, they acquitted themselves well. 

The women’s team achieved silver medals, and the men’s team the bronze medals.

Sarah Webster also captured a superb individual Bronze medal.

I was fortunate to be part of the Great Britain support team and witness many outstanding performances by athletes from many countries.

On returning home, I reached out to the athletes in the GB team for their thoughts on their own performance and what running for their country meant to them.

Here are their collective responses.

It was heartening to see how the classic childhood dreams of representing one’s country stay alive, are still nurtured and fullfilled over many years and led to life-defining experiences for this group of runners.

Alex Milne, Hercules Wimbledon.

Finishing position 7th. Finishing time: 6:43:21

I had a really positive experience as part of the GB team for the 100K World Championships and enjoyed exploring the city of Bengaluru in the days before the race with my teammates and support crew.

 This was my first GB vest for 100K, and I felt very lucky to be selected after a sub-par run at the trials. I was somewhat apprehensive about the distance with painful memories of my first go at it earlier in the year, but talking to the team about pacing, fuelling and cooling strategies helped calm the nerves. I also knew I was in excellent shape after one of my most consistent blocks of training, running a 10km PB just three weeks before the race (perhaps I had worked on the speed too much!). 

For the race itself, the GB team went for the measured approach whilst many others exploded out of the blocks, forgetting there were over 6 hours of running ahead. As a result, the six GB men stayed relaxed, chatting for much of the first half of the race, in around 30th place. 

As others faded or dropped out, we steadily moved up the rankings. Seeing that I was in the top 10 with a few laps to go spurred me on. The last 5km is not something I want to experience again, but I was pleased not to slow too dramatically and place 7th with a PB, knowing I got the absolute best out of myself. I was also proud to be part of such a strong team and hugely thankful for all the help we received from our support crew in the build-up and on the trip.

Julia Davis,  Newquay Road Runners.

Finishing position 14th Finishing time: 8:01:05

It was a privilege being part of such a strong GB team, made extra special by a great team dynamic. It felt like such a great adventure to be in India, surrounded by all the other teams from around the world.

My own race felt hard. On reflection, I chose the wrong shoes (my legs have only just stopped hurting), which really scuppered me, but I dug deep for the team – the magic of the GB vest! I wanted a lot more from myself, but some days, you just have to keep chipping away and coming home with a team silver was incredibly special. I felt so inspired by the whole GB team and crew during the race, and the mutual support was powerful. It is always an incredible honour to wear the GB vest and compete at such a high level. True life highlights, and I hope it won’t be the last time I get to be part of a GB team.

Dougie Selman, Corstorphine AC.

Finishing Position 29th. Finishing time: 7:22:48

 It was a brilliant trip, and great to be part of such a down to earth team where everyone was genuinely, extremely supportive of one another.

I have been running since I was 11 or 12 years old, and whilst I might have dreamed of it when I was a bit younger, I had long given up any hopes of representing Great Britain. It was an amazing feeling to finally get to do that.

 My actual result was a long way below what I’d have hoped for a few weeks out, but I gave it a good go, and I think I did just about as well as I could have on the day. I  had a difficult last few weeks of my build-up, and I’m proud of how I handled that.

Caroline Turner, Harrogate.

Due to issues with the conditions, Caroline did not finish but withdrew, having completed over 80 km.

Running is such an individual sport. Travelling, preparing in the days before and running as part of a team was hugely enjoyable. The GB women, in particular, came from a varied running background, but we all found a lot of common ground. 

For me, running for GB is the pinnacle of racing. Wearing the kit and representing your country is a huge privilege. I was proud of the other athletes on the team and the fantastic runs they had. 

Although the race didn’t go to plan, I performed well and was relatively close to plan for the first 50km. However, slowing down due to the heat kicked off a mental battle that I wasn’t able to overcome. I hung in until I knew GB had three scoring women for the team event. I was, and am, very disappointed, and I hope I can return to the 100km event in the future to run the time and race I know I am capable of.

Sarah Webster, Northern AC, Isle of Man.

Finishing position 3rd. Time: 7:19:18

The team was lovely. Everyone got on really well and was very supportive of each other. It seemed more laid back than the 50km last year, but maybe I was just more relaxed. Walter, Debbie, Adrian, as well as Jenny and Debs, were all brilliant support throughout the whole trip, especially during the race, to keep me (and all of us) going.

 Running for GB is brilliant. I felt less pressure than last year when I ran for GB in the IAU 50km Championships and had a better build-up with the knowledge that 100k is more my distance than 50k.

In all honesty, I don’t think I would have done any better than third, regardless of how I ran the race. The French girls who took Gold and Silver were amazing, and quite simply, far better runners on the day, in the heat. I need to remind myself that 3rd in the world is still an amazing performance, and I should be proud of it. I was thrilled that the team got silver. We all gave everything we had.

Jarlath McKenna, Tyne Bridge Harriers.

Finishing Position 9th. Finishing time: 6:51:20

The whole team experience was phenomenal. I barely knew anyone beforehand, but from the moment I arrived, I felt completely at ease. It was fantastic having a few days to socialise before the race. I loved hearing about others’ training and race plans and getting top-notch advice from the team managers in the build-up. Our standards were all similar, and on race day, we worked together really well. The buzz at the end, with both the women and men bringing home team medals, is something I’ll never forget! I’m incredibly thankful to everyone for the experience, especially the team management.

As an amateur runner with a family and full-time job, obtaining an international vest is the ultimate achievement. It’s not something I ever realistically dreamt of, so when the opportunity came, it was surreal. On the one hand, it brought a bit of self-pressure to deliver; on the other, it was the chance of a lifetime, and I was determined to savour every minute. Travelling with the team to somewhere as exotic as India was a real bonus.

I was thrilled with how my race unfolded. I had solid advice beforehand to start steady, so I stuck with most of the team for the first 50-60 km and then focused on holding it together as the heat and fatigue set in. In the final mile, I could hear footsteps closing in fast from behind, so I dug deep to fend off an Italian and secure a cherished individual bronze M40 medal. Finishing in the top 10 at a world championship is unbelievable – something I am immensely proud of.

James Turner, Brighton.

Finishing Position 11th. Finishing time: 6:53:17

It was great being part of such a brilliant team and getting to know everyone in the few days before the race was really nice. It was also good to get some runs together and some sightseeing. Getting to know each other definitely helped when it came to supporting each other in the race! 

It really means a lot to run for your country. Running for GB in the 100k world champs is something I’ve had in my mind for a long time now, and it has definitely motivated me with training over the years. 

I’m really happy with my own performance. Before the race, I was targeting a top 20 finish and more importantly to help towards a team medal. So I’m chuffed to get both! It was nice that we worked so well as a team and all paced the race well. As a team, we came through strong in the 2nd half!

Joe Turner, Cambridge.

Finishing Position 14th. Finishing time:6:53:43

The team was great and it was fun to be out there for a few days in the build-up to get to know each other. We were all of a similar age (especially the guy’s team), with most of us (men) getting our first GB vest (the women are far more successful!). Having the experience of Adrian, Debbie, and Walter also meant that we didn’t have to worry about logistics and could just relax and prepare for the race.

 Getting the GB call-up was a really proud moment. A senior GB vest is a real bucket list item for any runner. It was a bit of an anxious wait, having run fairly well in Perth in the spring, but it was certainly a relief receiving the confirmation in August. To represent your country on a global stage was really special, made even more special having Deb, my wife, out there to help as she has contributed a huge amount to my journey there.

 My performance itself was fine. I felt good until 70 km and had been managing pace, effort, and the heat well. I was sitting as the second Brit at the time and feeling fine. However, the race only really starts at this point. Stomach cramps hit, and it took a lot just to keep moving. Luckily, Debbie’s experience helped get me back feeling almost OK, but it was very much a tale of ups and downs for the remaining 30 km with various cramps. That’s ultrarunning I guess. I feel like the top 10 was there for me on the day. I finished 13th, 4th Brit, just behind James but it’s definitely easy to get greedy when the perfect day is so rare.

Chris Richardson, Metro Aberdeen. 

Finishing Position 16th. Finishing time: 6:56:16.

The whole team experience was great. The team were a great group that I enjoyed getting to know. I hope I managed to learn some things because it’s not often I have the chance to spend a few days in close proximity to such good runners.

Being in India gave the trip an extra bit of spice, (sorry 🤣). It was a fascinating backdrop to the days leading up to the race.

 Running for Great Britain was the realisation of a long-held dream that, until relatively recently felt like it was only a dream, not the plan or expectation. I was very proud to wear the vest, and it felt like a vindication of all my training for the past few years.

 I was happy with my performance. I tried to adjust my pace preemptively to any heat stress. This meant I was a long way off the pace in the first half, but I think it paid off as I was able to push in the second half and move through the field. I struggled with cramps in the final 15km but managed to deal with it without too much slowing.

 Melissah Gibson, Ealing Eagles.

Finishing Position 5th. Finishing time: 7:35:27

I loved being part of the GB team.  I had a shaky few months with a few health issues in the build-up. As we were only a team of 4 with no reserves, I had to put my ego aside and do my best effort focusing on the team result. I actually felt much better when I got there, and it was a lovely, supportive group.

Running for Great Britain meant a lot to me.  I was born in Australia and had a tough 8-year battle to get my GB citizenship. I’m not sure I would have made it without my running.  It has certainly given me some grit for my marathons.  This country really has transformed my life, I arrived a heavy smoker and quite shy, but now I’ve done 100 marathons and feel welcomed by our running community.  To suddenly get a GB vest at 40 is a pretty cool prize for holding on all those years!

I was stoked we got a team silver medal and the men got their team bronze.  My performance was much better than expected, I didn’t dream of Top 10 let alone 5th.  It wasn’t on my radar, I only found out on the bus home to our hotel what my position was.  My build-up was very short, missing my usual many marathons, and my pace was slower.  But sometimes showing up happy and relaxed with fresh legs works! Thanks to all who supported us!   

Footnote 

It should be noted, that due to British Athletics well documented financial pressures at present, although help was forthcoming and appreciated with accommodation costs, a commitment from the athletes to self-fund their travel was needed. This was off-set in part, but by no means in full, by a small crowdfunding group which was certainly appreciated. 

Full results of the IAU 2024 100km Championships can be found HERE.

A report that appeared in Athletics Weekly on the event, can be read HERE. 

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Adrian Tarit Stott.

The author is a former GB 24-hour ultra international with over 100 ultra race completions.  He has also been involved in organising ultra-distance races for over 30 years.  Still an active recreational runner, he is currently a member of UKA’s Ultra Running Advisory Group (URAG) and the Mountain and Trail Advisory Group. He also contributes as part of the selection and team management for both Scottish and GB ultra teams. A freelance writer in his spare time, he contributes articles and reports to several websites and magazines including Athletics Weekly and Irunfar.