Zak Poland on racing his first ultra
OAP contributor Zak Poland just raced his first ultra at the epic Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB. Zak shares the highs and lows, as well as how it changed him moving forward.
Can you tell us about the hardest part of the race and how you got through it?
The hardest part of the race for me was mountain number three - Mynnd Mawr. Up until that point the race was going really well - my fuelling strategy was on point, but just prior to this climb I’d run out of gels and fuel. The heat was in the twenties and I could feel my energy levels rapidly depleting to the point where it took every ounce of my being not to quit.
Some runners passed me as I took one of many sit down breaks on this climb and one offered me a homemade flapjack to keep me going.
After summiting this climb, the race became enjoyable again and I wanted to dig deep and make sure I finished this race with some metal around my neck.
"I've never been a natural runner or athletic"
What was one piece of kit/gear that really made a difference to you?
I’d definitely say my poles. I did see a few runners without them which absolutely blew my mind. I’m certainly a stronger runner on the downhills than an uphill power hiker; so being able to distribute some of that load to my upper body was a god-send. They were also super handy on the downs and flats to help control speed and stability. I used the Leki Ultratrail Fx.One.
Highly recommend.
How did this race change you?
I had to dig deep for parts of this race and really battle with myself in some dark places to make sure I got this done.
My Mum passed away 2 years ago from a brain tumour at just 57 years old, and since that point my life completely changed. It taught me that life is so short. I couldn't stand the idea of life just passing me by anymore and not taking advantage of the adventures this world has to offer and finding out what we are actually capable of achieving as people.
I have never been a natural runner or athletic but around 2 years ago I did my first parkrun and fell in love with the idea of being able to push past what I thought was impossible. This race has changed me and made me realise that I can overcome difficult things and look beyond what I perceive to be ‘limits’.
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Follow Zak's future races on Instagram at @zak.p____
For more information on Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB, visit their website here.
