My first GB Vest: Joy and Sadness

Sitting in the hotel after the Anglo Celtic Plate 100k Redwick I got chatting to Adrian Stott. Adrian is fantastic guy and works tirelessly for the good of Scottish Ultra running. Not only this, but he is heavily involved in the GB ultra running scene too. As with any race, once you cross the finish line the chat inevitably moves to “what next?” . After a pretty brief chat I had pretty much made my race plans for 2013. Adrian told me that the 2013 Highland Fling was the qualifying race for  the International Ultra Running Association (IAU) World ultra trail race championships.

To run at this you need to be selected to run for the GB athletics team. Being picked to run for Scotland in 2011 and 2012 was a great honour and privilege, It was something I had been aiming for for a number of years, but being picked for the GB team was something I have given little consideration to. I say little because if I said none I would be lying. After coming second to Brian Cole ( A GB ultra runner) at the high Peaks 40 in 2008 with little specific ultra training the thought had been lingering in the back of my head. Knowing little about the selection process I didn’t want to be unrealistic with my goals but with I bit of encouragement from Adrian my dream was set in motion. I knew that cruising to be picked for the team wasn’t an option but so long as there was an outside chance that I could be picked I was 100% focused on that dream. From that moment on all my running and racing plans were focused on initially preparing for the Fling and ultimately on qualifying for the World Championships. All thoughts of other races were put on hold. All my eggs were in one basket.

In March I raced the Howarth Hobble and after being with the leaders finished a disappointing 5^th due to a navigational error. Come the 29^th April the pressure was on. My training had gone well and I felt strong, I needed to come in the top two to be automatically selected. On the day my race went to plan, I was hoping for under7h30 and finished in 7h21.^rd.

I tried to be happy with my race but ultimately couldn’t’ help be disappointed that I hadn’t finished in the top two and had felt my dream falling down around me. Cue Adrian. I had ran past Adrian during the race on my way into Balmaha and as I passed he could see I was on a mission. He said “ you really want that GB vest don’t you Matt”. I don’t think I answered him out loud, but in my head I was screaming “ tooooooo right!!!!”. Adrian was at the finish line and after congratulating me on my run he said not to be dishearten and that I still had a chance to be selected. My dream was still alive!!!!! He recommended I contact the selectors to state my interest and give them a bit more info on my recent performances. This I did with every finger and toe crossed. I had an agonising wait to hear my fate, but still refused to plan anything else and focus us my training entirely on the slim chance that I would be selected.

Twenty five minutes faster than I had ran in 2011, but despite that I only finished in 3

I was on holiday sitting at the edge of an outdoor pool on a grey day in Evian in France when I got the email. I had been picked to represent Great Britain. I was ecstatic!!!!!

Now I’d l like to tell you a nice fairy-tale about how perfect the next few months were, but sadly life often just isn’t that straight forward. The start of 2013 came with the stark reality that each month that passed would likely be the last I would spend with my Dad. After a many years of ill health his health was rapidly going downhill.  It was hard to come to terms with and there was every possibility that might move back to Belfast to help my Mum care for my Dad. Being in Scotland was hard and at times I felt selfish coming home and then disappearing off running, knowing how precious our time together was, but my dad was a proud man and wanted us all to go on as normal.

As the race loomed closer I did at times seriously consider pulling out to allow me to have some more free time, but my Dad knew how important running at the world Championship was to me and would have been desperately sad to think I had had to give up on my dream because of him. It was a very hard decision but I decided the best thing to do was to see him as often as I could but focus on making him proud of my achievements.

Despite the mental distraction, physically I was feeling good and as July grew close I became more confident that I would overcome the next big hurdle. I.e. getting to the start line in shape and injury free.

A week or so before the race we received our official team kit. It felt surreal receiving huge amounts of kit branded up in the union jack, something I was more used to seeing on athletes on TV than in mirror. I felt like a kid in a candy shop.

The race was in Llanrwst in Wales and as we gathered in Llandudno a few days before the race the reality of how disaster can strike at the last minute was emphasised when one of our team( Lee Kemp; a top guy who had won the Fling) had to pull out of the race  because of an ankle injury he sustained the week before the race. I felt so gutted for him, being there but not being able to race. As the team walked through the streets of Llandudno in full GB kit we attracted some attention and I felt so excited and honoured to be part of the GB team.

The race consisted of 5 laps of an 11k course through forest trails. Our team did phenomenally with Ricky Lightfoot being crowned World Champion and the men’s team winning gold. The girls came in 2^nd. I finished 22^nd overall and 4^th out of the 5 GB men.

It was a phenomenal experience and while I missed out on being one of the counting runners for the team prize I was delighted to have had a solid run and experience I would never forget. My dream was to I) get picked to run for the GB team 2) get to the start line 3) finishing knowing I had given it 100%. At the finish line my dream had come true. Standing on the podium after the race to the national anthem receiving our medals was the high point of my running career and life so far!

In August 2012 my dream was set in motion, in 2013 my dream was realised. I knew it was going to be a gamble pinning my hopes on GB team selection, but it is important to have dreams. It is even more important to be determined and dedicated to making your dreams come true. Dreams are worth gambling for!

As soon as I could managed after the race I called home to speak to my Mum and Dad. I found out my Dad had been taken into hospital as they had been packing the car (oxygen canisters and all) to come to Wales as a surprise to see me run. Leaving the house was an effort for my Dad at that stage and the thought that he was preparing to travel all the way to Wales to see me run brought tears to my eyes. They followed my progress on the computer from his bedside instead.

Three days later my Dad passed away. One of the happiest days of my life was followed by the saddest day of my life.

Although my Dad was never a runner, I know that I have inherited his traits of determination, hard work and stoicism which is a huge part of how I have become the ultra runner that I am now. I owe that and a huge amount more to my Dad, A man I always respected and sorely miss.

Scotland vs Northern Ireland: My first Scottish Vest

Later in 2011 I had a test of my loyalties. Off the back of my recent performances I was approached by Adrian Stott one of selectors of the Scottish ultra team. He informed me that I was in the running to be selected to run for Scotland but I would also be illegible to run for Northern Ireland. It was very exciting news but I had to make the decision as to what country I would like to represent.

I have always described myself as a bit of a mongrel when it come to nationality. I was born in Elgin in Scotland and lived near there until I was 3, I then moved to Belfast where I grew up and stayed until I was 18. Since the age of 18 I have lived in Scotland. My Dad was from Northern Ireland and my Mum is from Scotland and my accent is up for debate. It required some thought but untimaley it wasn’t too hard a decision to make. Most of my running career had been in Scotland, I lived in Scotland and I knew some of the Scottish team so I told Adrian it would be an honor to run for Scotland if there was a place for me on the team.

A few months later I was on the start line of the Commonwealth Championship Ultra Trail race in Angelsey in wales in my first Scottish Vest. It was a great expeience and it was great to see the other memebers of the Scottish Mountain running and 24h team do so well as well as see Lizzy Hawker break the 24hr race record running 247k.

I had a solid enough race finishing 11^th overall and 2^nd counter for the Scottish Team. The guys team finished 4^th and the girls team finished 2^nd.

A focus on Ultra and my first Scottish Vest

2011 was the start of my journey into life as an ultra runner. By this stage I had spend 6 years dedicating 4-5 months of each year marathon training. I spent many hours running the same canal path week in week out. I was stuck in a rut and I wanted out!! To this point I had dabbled in ultra running but I decided that in 2011 I was going to make it a focus and see what I could achieve.

I started the year with the D33,SUMS). It’s a 33M out and back race along a disused railway track in Aberdeenshire. It was a great introduction to the Scottish scene and like hill running, the friendly, low key events appealed. I was happy to finish the race in 4^th position in 3h41. My plan was to run steady as my main focus was the Highland Fling in April.

The start of the D33

the first race in the Scottish Ultra series(

The Highland Fling is the largest ultra race on the Scottish ultra scene and is set on the first 53M of the famous West Highland Way (WHW). Running from the suburbs of Glasgow to the village of Tyndrum it consists of a nice mix of flat, fast trails to very undulating technical trails along the bonnie banks of loch Lomond.

I finished the race in 5^th in 7h46m and as the event was the Scottish Ultra Trail Championship for 2011 and I was pleased to finish strongly and to top it all off I was Scottish Ultra Trail Champion 2011.

In June I went back to the Laraig Ghru and took 22mins off my time finishing in second place.

My next challenge was back to the SUMS series to the WHW for the Devil of the Highlands.

The Devil of the Highlands

My first win.

The second half of the WHW a 43M stretch between Tyndrum and Fort William. The route takes in the Devils stair case, which is my favourite section of the WHW on the approach to Glencoe. It was here I recorded my first win as an ultra runner finishing the course in 5hr32m.

Three weeks later was theThe Speyside Way Race  a 36M section of the Speyside Way, finishing on the beautiful Moray Coast. Only a few miles from Garmouth a tiny hamlet where I spent the first 3 years of my life. Despite an extra couple of miles on route I clocked my second win.

Kenya and a poster Boy

Following the trend in 2010 I should have upped my distance again, but as things would have it this didn’t happen. As part of my physio course I had the opportunity to do an elective placement. i.e. a 4 week placement in a physio practice of my choice. I toilied with lots of different ideas but couldn’t resist a wee google search with the key words “physiotherapy, Kenya and Running”

Six months later I was on a plane to Nairobi to spend 6 weeks in Eldoret a town at 2500m altitude just down the road from the well know running mecca of Iten.

Unfortunately I was just coming back from injury when I arrived so while the training and altitude was great I really just got me back to fitness rather than giving me the boost I had hoped. The trip was certainly enlightening. Definitely not all sunshine and smiles. Working in a Kenyan hospital was a real eye opener and quite harrowing at times. Running with other Kenyans watching the sun come up over the mud tracks was a great experience I will never forget. Reading “Running with the Kenyans” last year was a good read and I think gives a good perspective as to what life as a runner in Kenya means.

My other running highlight of my time back at uni was to be called up an asked could they use a picture of me to promote the 2012 Belfast marathon. Sadly no royalties but I did get offered a free place and seeing a life size picture of me immortalised against Belfast City Hall at the Dublin marathon Expo brought a smile to my face.