Running Race To The Stones 100km
Race To The Stones is one of the UK's biggest ultramarathons.
I took this race on exactly 3 weeks after my last 100k, Mozart 100 (UTMB) in Austria, which I successfully finished. Shortly after that race, I fell ill and couldn't walk very far for two weeks let alone run.
Come the third week, I was getting my strength back and decided to take a gamble and give Race to the Stones a go. How hard could it be? Very hard, as I was about to find out!
Gear I used during Race to the Stones
Fenix HM65R-T Headlamp (part of minimum kit but not used)
Hoka Speed Goat 3s, wide fit. Linked to Speed Goat 5s, as I'm not sure they offer new Speed Goat 3s anymore
Go Pro HERO 9 Camera for filming my YouTube video
About Race To The Stones
Race To the Stones is one of the biggest ultramarathons in the UK. Starting in Lewknor, Oxfordshire and ending at the iconic Avebury stone circle from the neolithic age (in Wiltshire), the course is filled with runnable climbs and nicely maintained trails.
The course is 100km, contains 1,341m of elevation gain, and has eight aid stations which are spaced apart (roughly) every 10km.
The logistics – A night in a wagon on a field
After a stint of being horrendously ill, I was almost a ‘Did Not Start.’ But a trip to the doctors and a few COVID-19 tests confirmed that I was more or less recovered by halfway during the week before the race on Saturday. I decided to give it a shot.
My brother and I, being the organised gentlemen we are, left booking pre-race accommodation incredibly late. Three days before late.
On Air B and B, we managed to find a cheap and close option to the starting line in Lewknor. We rolled up to what looked like a small campsite in Garsington, and followed the instructions. We headed past a farm shop, along some fields, past some campers, and we found our accommodation.
I could only describe it as a small Sheperd’s hut (or a wagon) on wheels. It had a small interior with some cooking utensils, a kettle, a hob, and a double bed. Top and tailing it was!
Whilst the accommodation was small, and there were a few insects dotted about the inside, I actually really enjoyed the stay here. It felt removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, truly out in the sticks and in nature. We had some snacks and drinks as the sun started to set, and opted for an early night ready for the morning.
We awoke very early, before the sun had risen, to sort ourselves out and meet the taxi driver who took us to the race HQ in Lewknor.
A race village was set up and runners were starting to arrive, ready to race. A cool wind was blowing as the sun started to establish itself in the clear sky.
Over 2,500 participants were expected from over 22 countries, taking part in a range of distances and stages from 50kms broken up into two days all the way up to the 100km continuous. The waves were broken up by start times, and my brother and I had opted for the earliest possible kick off at 6.30am.
Race start (0km) to 21.6km
I lined up with what felt like 300 or so other runners, and the race kicked off. Sounds of cheering and clapping filled the air, and I saw a drone overhead capturing a shot of the starting funnel.
We passed some large crop fields and made our way onto a narrow trail. Back on the trail racing saddle for me.
Starting out, the terrain was mostly flat and fairly simple. Through dense woodlands, across the occasional road, past country houses, and onto aid station one.
Whilst the first hill came as a bit of shock to my system, having been out of running for three weeks, I felt good. The climbs in Mozart 100 were still in my legs, and I attacked the climb with confidence.
I reached aid station 1 (approx. 9km) at 53 minutes in. Immediately, the sun felt like it was going to be a major force during the race so I topped my bottles up and had some fruit.
On I pushed, with many runners from the starting pack. I passed countryside fields, a large golf course and made my way through crop fields. Some people had come out of their house to clap and cheer us on. A nice touch, especially so early in the summer’s morning.
I felt okay all the way through this leg, and the elevation gain was pretty gentle overall.
What was cool, is that I had joined up with my brother Jack. We’d done a few ultramarathons together before, but I always ended up overtaking him pretty early on. This time was different. Given my imposed running break, from illness, I wasn’t interested in running a decent time or performing particularly well. My main objective was just to finish and enjoy myself.
Some paths in this early leg got narrow, and I ended up stinging my legs on a couple of stinging nettles. You just can’t help the clumsy ones.
I left aid station 2 with 2 hours and 11 minutes clocked up, and in 21.6 kilometres covered.
21.6km to 35km
Leaving aid station 2, I recorded a video check in for my YouTube channel. I remarked at how the terrain was overall, pretty decent, and there was some technical terrain in places but nothing too crazy.
Nothing as hard as the jagged stones, steep ascents, and tree root laden paths which I had to deal with during the Mozart 100 just three weeks prior.
As I rolled through this leg, a thick layer of cloud appeared in the sky and gave me some relief from the sun which had been out aggressively since sunrise. Later, the clouds would prove they weren’t just for show. All I can say is that I’m glad I packed my waterproof jacket.
I pressed on through the country side’s greenery and spent a small stint running along the River Thames. Past South Stoke, Goring on-Thames, and then over a small bridge back onto the main Ridgeway trail.
Running by the river brought back some memories of my Centurion Running Thames Path 100 mile race ‘Did Not Finish’ in May. The Thames Path 100 is – to date – the only race I’ve DNF’d in my running career. Twice, in fact. I thought about the race, and how I was looking forward to giving it another shot and finishing it once and for all in the 2024 edition which I had signed up to.
I crossed a small bridge and passed Streatley, a charming village in Berkshire.
Early on, I followed my new nutrition strategy for ultras which seemed to be working well. Eat and drink little, often. Aim for a somewhat even balance between ‘real’ food calories (fruit, bars) and ‘liquid’ food calories (gels, electrolyte drink).
Past a few fields and a long stretch on a tarmac road, with cars passing every now and then. My brother and I suddenly found ourselves on a long gravel path ascent, and we took a brisk walk to the top. Along the trail at the top, I made my way down the other side and into aid station 3.
I went to the toilet, had some fruit, a bar, and filled my bottle up with water. To get some more calories and energy in, I dropped some high 5 electrolyte tablets into them.
36km to 59km
Leaving aid station 3, I was at 3 hours 40 minutes and had amassed 35 kilometres. During my video check in, I remarked how I had started to already experience some minor pains in my legs which were making the going pretty tough. That being said, I was enjoying it and I was lucky to be out there on the trails running, racing, doing what I loved.
I glided along a narrow trail with long grass spilling out on the sides, which occasionally brushed my legs. There was a gradual grassy climb, and I came onto a long trail with views as far as the eye could see to my right. I saw fields, farmland, houses, and the different colours complimented each other so nicely I felt like I was looking at a Microsoft Windows screensaver.
For about 4km or so, the route followed a flat, grassy and muddy trail which looked like it was repeating itself. This was definitely a tough section mentally, as the lack of variety meant I had to focus solely on the running. Putting one foot in front of the other in succession, marching forwards.
A light rain emerged from the clouds, and cooled me down as I approached the legs conclusion. I ran past some orange construction site like netting, across a few tiny foot bridges, and saw aid station number 4.
With Race to the Stones being an event with multiple distance options, from a one 50km leg, to 50km the first day with camping and 50km the next day, to the continuous 100km, this aid station at the halfway point was huge.
There were tents, gazebos, tonnes of portable toilets, a camping area, and a race official on the microphone greeting us as we crossed the timing mat.
Leaving the halfway point, I was at 5 hours and 25 minutes.
At the aid station, I had a few mouthfuls of coke, grabbed a couple of chocolate bars, filled up my bottles, and jumped back onto the trail.
Still running with my brother, it felt good to have company during the ultramarathon. Whilst I usually end up chatting with other runners for long chunks of time on course, it was nice to have a familiar face with me for the majority of the run. Whilst I had already had a busy year of ultrarunning, including a Thames Path 100 did not finish, Ultra Trail Snowdonia 50km, and the Mozart 100km, this was my brother’s first ultra event of 2023. Though he likes to keep fairly quiet during ultras, especially when the going gets tough, I could tell he was enjoying the challenge.
Ultra running is a bizarre, complex, and physically and mentally demanding sport. I love it. I like to think of it as a strategy, with many problems which can crop up and require rapid resolution to ensure a successful finish. It was good that we both had a mutual understanding of the challenges and problems which could arise, and push each other on if we needed it.
This leg featured many long roads, gravel paths with plenty of rocks, and some more muddy countryside trails with stunning views of the British countryside.
During this section, my legs started hurting more and the physical effort was taking its toll on me. I chucked a wireless earphone in my left ear and put on some music I enjoyed. The Smiths, The Strokes, The Who. A variety of artists. It did the trick and got me out of my head, and focused onto the intricacies and energy of the music.
60km – 88km
Along the gravel, stone covered roads I continued. My brother and I were still together, running at a consistent pace. We passed agricultural farms, pig farms, hikers enjoying an afternoon stroll, and rolled into aid station 6.
The rain had stopped (momentarily) at this point, and I wasn’t too concerned about it starting again. As I was soon to learn in the final leg, I should have been slightly concerned.
At aid station 6, 72km in, I took a while to sort myself out. I was really starting to feel the effects of the race, and physical and mental fatigue were setting in. My legs felt so sore and I was feeling tired. Three weeks out of running was proving to have put a sizeable dent in my fitness.
Determined to rally my spirits, I shoved a bag of Walkers Ready Salted crisps down with some big gulps of Coca Cola. I was optimistic that the caffeine and carbs would give me the boost I needed for the last legs of the race. I filled my bottles, thanked the volunteers, and set off.
Leaving aid station 6, I was 8 hours and 37 minutes in having climbed 3,400 feet in elevation gain.
The gap between aid station 6 and 7 is over 15km (9.3 miles). Whilst this didn’t seem a massive distance in absolute terms, it seemed mentally daunting. For me, aid stations during ultramarathons are a tremendous psychological help. Even if I don’t particularly need many nutrition supplies, each aid station reached feels like a key milestone in the race. A mini goal achieved, all in pursuit of the ultimate objective. The finish line.
Knowing this might be the most mentally tough leg of the race, I put my earphone in and my brother and I carried on.
The terrain underfoot was pretty stable and not undulating at all. Lots of soft mud beneath, long straight lines, and minimal ascent and descent.
I felt pretty horrendous during this leg. I felt sick, my legs were stinging, and I was physically tired and starting yawning a lot. It felt weird to be yawning in broad daylight, with hours of light left.
Sometimes, I find flatter ultra marathons more challenging than ‘hilly’ ultras. In flat ultras, you need to be a master of self-control and consciously regulate your own pace. In hilly ultras, the hills control your pace for you. Go off too fast in a flat race, without the hills to impose walking breaks, and you’ll blow up from exhaustion and have a grim second half. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why I found Race to the Stones particularly challenging as I’d been running flat out the entire race baring aid stations and some small climbs. Oh, I’d also ran Mozart 100km three weeks prior and hadn’t been able to run for three weeks too! Nevertheless, I was enjoying myself (in a messed up way).
I passed under a large bridge, next to a small village, before making my way back onto the ridgeway. Despite the terrain and course being technically uneventful, the scenery in this ultramarathon was absolutely beautiful. Green fields, grassy meadows, farmland, in an array of colours, for miles. These views truly are a site to behold. Even if I was in the latter stages of a 100km ultramarathon, feeling worse for wear.
88km – 100km, the finish of Race to the Stones
At the final aid station, my brother and I were really feeling the effects of the run. To reset ourselves, we both ate more Walkers Crisps, drank Coca Cola, and had some banter with the fantastic volunteers. They were telling us about how they’d be camping the whole weekend in support of the event, and loved the experience.
Leaving aid station number 7, I was at 4,100 feet climbed in a time of 11 hours and 5 minutes. 88km on the clock. I set off and a thick cloud rolled in over the horizon. It seemed to be coming right towards us.
This section started with gravel trails, with small rocks underneath to sidestep, and a few climbs and descents added much needed variety. Suddenly, the sky opened up and the rain came down. I was about to get drenched.
I’d been running with my brother the whole race, from the starting line, up to this point.
Suddenly, he surged ahead and said he’d meet me at the finish. I have no idea where his energy came from, as he was suffering pretty bad at aid station 7 at 88km in, but he just went for it. I didn’t see him again until the finish. Fair play, bro!
The last descent, towards the finish, was along an incredibly muddy, boggy grass path which had been mulched from all the runners and hikers who’d used it. Also, it was absolutely hammering it down with rain and my visibility was severely reduced. Despite a few slips and near misses, I made it through this section without face planting into the mud. A success in my book, as I have a track record of extreme clumsiness when running.
I came onto a regular country road, past some country houses, and there they were. The stones! Preserved and on display, from the neolithic period. The stones which gave the race its title. We ran up the road, next to the stones, and around a traffic cone back the other way where we’d join a wheat field before heading to the finish.
I’d heard from a few runners on course that some were disappointed about the race's conclusion. In previous years, you could actually run around the field in which the stones are situated and get to behold them in all their glory up close. To be totally honest, I wasn’t bothered at all. I was too tired to be bothered. I was just pleased to be near the finish.
I made my way across the last field, and onto a final trail about 150 metres in length. Suddenly, I saw multi-coloured medieval looking flags and the blue Race to the Stones branding. There it was. The finish line. I’d made it. Race to the Stones 100km. Done.
My performance and final thoughts on Race to the Stones
I found this race incredibly hard. Despite being objectively harder, than the Mozart 100km (which features 16,500 feet in elevation), I found this much tougher. This is mostly due to my three weeks off of running, but also due to the lack of hills in the course which tempted me to run a bit hard throughout the majority of the race.
I was incredibly pleased to have made it to the finish line, but I knew that my pacing is a key area for my future improvement. Not every ultra or trail race features hills, so being able to better self-regulate speed is a must for sustainable running and enjoying the race experience.
I finished in a time of 12 hours, 49 minutes and 39 seconds in 150th place out of 869 finishers. Just to note, some walked most of the 100km as hikers so my results look a little bit better than what they are.
Overall, I had had a blast and I enjoyed this runnable course. The hot temperatures and torrential rain in the last leg made this one extra challenging.
This was a particularly special ultramarathon for me for two reasons.
Firstly, I ran 85 kilometres of it with my brother Jack. A first in our ultra running journeys. In the last 12km, he went full beast mode and gained a massive 13 minutes over me to finish in 12 hours, 33 minute and 9 seconds. Nicely done bro.
Secondly, this was the 10th ultra marathon I’d successfully completed. The others being:
I’d never imagined that when I did my first ultra marathon, London 2 Brighton in 2021 (100km), that I’d have done so many in just 2 years. But this is a sport which leaves you wanting more. I’m grateful to have found ultrarunning so early in my running journey.
I hope this blog post has been entertaining and useful. If you are considering doing Race to the Stones one day, let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading.
Craig
Running Cafe
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