Ultra X Jordan 2022: My Experience

What can I say.

Jordan has been an absolutely incredible experience, full of highs and lows, and a lot of soft sand! I have learnt so much about both myself and others, the running community truly is a beautiful place to be a part of.

My goals and expectations going into the week was to get through the full 5 days and complete the 250km challenge whilst also wanting to improve my relationship with food. But I will be brutally honest. The stubborn and competitive voice in the back of my head also wanted me to compete with the top athletes and finish within a top 10 place.

So, I was to begin my journey in the dry heat of the desert and the never ending miles on the sand..

Day 1 (03/10/22):

?? 43.24km, ??? 691m elevation,, ? 4hr 12mins

Going into the first day I felt good- much the same from a lot of us who took off at a decent pace. The route took us through 43km of rocky canyons and vast landscapes. The scenery was like something from another planet. The temperature reaches up to 36’c which was higher than anticipated. The ground was mostly rocky with some soft sand- a nice introduction. It was difficult to acclimatise but I ended the day is 6th place and was buzzing. I still felt physically fit and I was in a good state mentally.

This was the first proper test as to how I would approach my nutrition and to face my issues around my eating disorder. Honestly? I didn’t even think about it. I consumed my dehydrated meals and snacks without hesitation. I thought being in this environment would be beneficial and it was proving to be so.

Day 2 (04/10/22):

?? 50.15km, ??? 996m elevation, ? 5hr 59mins

The second day was similar to the first, albeit an earlier and cooler start of 6.30am as we made a further 50km dent into the week. I felt a little more sluggish to begin with but this was okay as I wanted to manage my intensity better knowing there was still so much to come. As the kilometres ticked over I felt stronger and stronger despite hitting the soft sand 20km in to the day and found myself within the top 10 heading into the final third of the stage. That soft sand is tough! Each step completely sapping your energy and a real test of the hip flexors.

Unfortunately that is where my personal goals to compete came to an end. I began to encounter a sharpness and tightness of the IT Band in my right leg. My pace slowed, and my leg started to stiffen. I ended up limping glumly for the last leg over the finish line. I still finished 18th and overall had a sub 12hr time going into day three.

Day 3 (05/10/22):

?? 16.25km / 72.18km, ??? 132m elevation, ? 3hr 02mins

This was the stage that the most of camp was most worried about but spirits were still incredibly high whilst we depart in starry skies and a beautiful sunrise.

The third day consisting of the longest stretch of the week, 70km. The start times were staggered. The majority of camp were to start at 4am. Those whose accumulative time was 12hr+ and those who genuinely were injured. Those who were sub 12hr were to begin at 5am and those who were sub 11hrs were to start at 6am. Only two competitors were in the latter. I fell into the 5am group with a handful of others. I asked about moving into the 4am group as I knew I would not be able to compete and had hoped to at least walk the day, but this request was to no avail.

Pitch black and head torches on, we set off with a gentle downhill gradient. The others quickly moved ahead of me as I attempted to move into a light jog. This was short lasted and quickly fell into a slow limp.

My mood and morale was low, it was dark and I was all alone. I was still determined to try and get through the day. I slowly got myself to checkpoint 1. I continued to move on and my leg got progressively worse. After 3hours I had only got 16km into day, reaching checkpoint 2. The sun was now up. It was already blistering hot. I was done. Spending so much time in your own and trapped in your own thoughts, you really have to dig deep and go through the emotional turmoil. Unfortunately my injury had put me in a bad place mentally, and despite wanting to do carry on I knew the most sensible thing to do was to stop.

The Race Directors were there at the checkpoint. Crestfallen, I announced my withdrawal.

No competitive finish. No completion of the 250km event. No official time. No medal. No… points.

I was absolutely devastated. My mood incredibly low. I would be taken to our new campsite for the night with the other competitors who had also withdrawn from the day.

On the way I spent a couple of hours at checkpoint 5 to assist with the crew and to help the other competitors who were passing through. My mood was lifted from this due to the energy and positivity the other volunteers provided. It also provided an incredible insight into the dedication and hard work the other competitors were putting in to completing this stage. We weren’t all runners. Many were tackling this event by walking. A 17hr day walking in the middle of the Wadi Rum desert when the temperature was reaching 35’c. Wow. A real eye opener. These were the real winners of this event.

We arrived to our new campsite for the evening where we were perched on top of Pride Rock and were to set up our sleeping bags underneath the clear sky. It was probably the best night sleep I had so far had despite waking up every hour. Completely worth it though to stare up into the universe and see all those wonderful bright shining stars, and a few shooting across the night sky.

Despite not being able to compete competitively, I still had the option to drop back in for the following day if I wished to do so. I did.

Day 4 (06/10/22):

?? 43.76km. ??? 815m elevation,? 6hr 50mins

Waking up on Day Four and the tightness of my leg at eased slightly. The osteopaths from the previous night did an incredible job putting work into easing some of the tension and tightness I was experiencing. A lot of TLC has been required this week to all of us to ensure we keep moving on. My main goal today was damage control and just make it through the day.

One of my fellow runner’s had also picked up a knee injury from the following day and so we set off through the desert together for the first 10km of the 45km loop.

Awesome rock formations and canyons provided some nice variety to our route. I began to see this event from a completely different perspective now I was unable to compete and started to appreciate much more of the beauty of the Wadi Rum Desert from slowing down and taking in the stunning scenery we were surrounded by, but also became overwhelmed by the sheer determination required by those walking each stage. It was also pretty cool to start to se some variation and see some camels and small birds on route! One camel even broke into a gallop!

The mental prowess required is second to none. However I began to feel my own frustrations creeping in with the pace and I set off at a very light jog for most of the way, aside from a few parts where I needed to walk and to assist another runner to the next checkpoint. I had a great sense of relief to get over the finish line and knowing I will be around for the final day of camp.

Day 5 (07/10/2022):

?? 41.52km, ??? 662m elevation, ? 5hr 42mins

Waking up on Day 5 at our new campsite, my leg felt battered and I knew that the effort required to get through the previous day and taken a heavy toll on my leg. However, along with everyone else in camp, there was a strong sense of determination to get through the day knowing this was the final hurdle to overcome. And so I set off on the final 41km stage, limping through each kilometre across more vastness of the expansive plains and rocky canyons, attempting to pick up the pace where I could.

As the day went on, I found it harder and harder, and made the mistake of sitting down for several minutes at the fourth and final checkpoint. Getting back up was hard. Bending my leg and walking was even harder. My IT Band has now completely seized up. What was also excruciating was the fact that you could see our base camp but the knowledge that it was still 7km away. For the next 4km I dragged my leg through the soft sand struggling to put one foot in front of the other and battling the agony I was experiencing. Navigating the final 7km in a cauldron of heat was difficult. With 3km to go my leg finally began to ease slightly, and I was able to slowly pick up my pace. Heading up the final stretch, I made my way to the finish line greeted by fellow runners and volunteers.

I don’t get overly emotional, but I collapsed into a heap and was instantly overwhelmed, crying from a combination of the pain I was experiencing in my leg but also the sheer relief and joy to have made it to the end. And the thought of enjoying a few beers and real food too! The celebrations began.

I have come to realise a couple of things. Firstly that walking is harder than running. Not to say running isn’t a supreme effort in itself, but by walking you are exposed to the dry heat for considerably longer and it is a real test of your mental stamina and strength. It is truly an incredible accomplishment by all those who made it through the full 5 days and completed this challenge. There is something very special about each and every one of us who have taken this on and gone through the motions. It shows what the running community is all about and showcases itself in its best light. And secondly that this is not a race but simply a spectacular journey we all experienced together at a certain moment in time and one that shall stay with me forever.

I want to say thank you to all those who have made this journey and experience possible.

First and foremost, the incredible crew and volunteers who dedicated so much energy and time in assisting myself and everyone else, both mentally and physically. Having access to an osteopath each day who were able to work wonders on my body was such a morale boost and without them, many more would have been unable to complete this event. That goes for the medics, and the other volunteers who were never shy of providing assistance whenever you needed it and their sheer positivity and energy they gave. This event would not be what it is without you.

To my fellow runners. It was an absolutely privilege to meet you all. You are all unique and special in your own way. The community built within camp was special and made everyone feel accepted and part of the family.

To the Ultra X Team for organising a wonderful experience and for the locals for providing a fantastic feast at the end as well as their presence and assistance they provided.

To #Basecampfood - your provision of my meals for the week is incredibly appreciated. I am so grateful to have enjoyed a variety of meals throughout the week. These include Summit To Eat , Outdoorfood Limited , Drytech AS , Expedition Foods Limited , TENTMEALS LTD , LYOFOOD Sp. z o.o. and The Brew Company .

Lastly to Veloforte and #Torqfitness who were the go to sources for my electrolytes and carbohydrates. Veloforte truly provide some of the best energy gels and bars out there. Torq gels have some amazing flavours that made my run more enjoyable and manageable.

And this is where it comes to an end. I came into the week apprehensive, unsure on how I would get on taking on the biggest physical challenge of my life, as well as the mental battle I was facing having just come out of full-time employment and publicly announcing that I have been facing a long term eating disorder.

Being out here and experiencing this event has allowed me to completely switch off from the outside world and not once did I think about the noise and concerns I have back home. I was here in the now, embracing the quietness and simplicity I had with me. It was a real welcome and antidote. So to Ultra X , thank you for providing that.

Jordan already feels like a life’s time ago, it has gone by in the blink of an eye. I am still gutted that I was unable to fulfil the full 250km but I now realise that this experience is so much more than a time and a medal. Saying that, if you had asked me straight after the event if I would want to do another 250km event I would have said no. I know my body’s limitations and that it is prone to injuries and niggles.

However now?

I would say yes. Yes I would.

I have unfinished business.