Day 25 - Interview with Annabel Hepworth

Day 25 saw Radu Budan gain the highest daily total with 65.2 miles, and Vasu Duzhiy pass 1,500 miles.

Another highlight was Annabel Hepworth passing the halfway point. Tarit Stott caught up with the Australian ultra runner to ask how the race was going.

As Annabel enters the second half of the race, she almost looks like she did on Day One. One certainly senses that, beyond her strategy of playing down all the intermediate milestones, there is a deep desire that whatever the race throws at her in the second half, getting to that finish line would mean a great deal to her.

Tarit: You have reached 1,500 miles. You're going to reach halfway tomorrow. How does that play into your whole approach to the race?

Annabel: "I have been focused on one metric only, which is what happens each day. It's about getting my laps done for the day, ideally with a bit of a buffer. That's all I'm thinking about. I have deliberately, strategically glided past all of these intermediate milestones.

I mean, it's nice when the bells ring when you reach a milestone, but I have very deliberately tried to glide seamlessly past those intermediate achievements.

You know, in a 24-hour race, someone does a cracking 12-hour split or a banger of a 100-mile mark, and then — kaput — they're done! The energy system crashes; they're a bit tearful, a bit chilly, a bit cold, whatever, or there's just that descent into oblivion. I think if you invest too much in these intermediate points, they can come at a cost. I've just seen it too many times, and I just felt, for this one, I have really just one goal.

It's not a competitive one, it's not a performance one; it's an "I would like to finish this race."

So physically, I am taking a deliberately conservative strategy — almost what you'd call load management.

I've run about 100k a day, which I think is within my tissue tolerance. I hope. We'll see. But this isn't a 10-day, and this is not my ideal surface — I love a hard surface, but this concrete will bring you to your knees, and I'm very aware of that.

So, how do I feel? I'm pretty relaxed, actually.

I have no idea how this race will unfold. No one does. You cannot predict what might happen.

And I'd recommend against anyone running this race if they have an attachment to needing a finish. I'd love to have a finish, but I don't need one. I just want the experience of doing this race. I still have myself and my family, and the sun will still rise.

And if you struggle with perspective, this is not the race.

So, as far as the halfway thing goes, it's a bit like, "Really? Are we really that far in at this seemingly early stage? It doesn't feel like I've been out here long enough."

Which I guess is a good thing.

Report: Tarit Stott

Major Daily Milestones (All TBC)

• Annabel Hepworth and Lo Wei Ming reached half way today Annabel went on to finish the day with a total of 1598.0 miles.
• Wei Ming on 1589.2 miles
• Nayaja and Vasu should reach half way tomorrow.
• Radu Budan achieved the highest daily mileage with 65.2 miles.
• Race leader Andrea Marcato had a difficult day falling below 60 miles. His 57.5 miles is the first time he has fallen below the 60 mile mark in a day.
• Nina had a good day reaching 57 miles Today Thursday, the race will reach day 26 and the half way point of the 52 day cut-off.
• Vasu Duzhiy — 1500 miles in [time TBC]; 2500 km in [time TBC]
• Nayaja Perugini — approaching 1500 miles
• Ananda-Lahari Zuscin — 1200 miles in [time TBC]; 1900 km in [time TBC]
• Stutisheel Lebedev — 1900 km in [time TBC]

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