I stopped after 103 kilometres and 28 hours in the Slovenian mountains. I did not finish.

I had gone there to finish. Coming home without doing that was humbling, but there is a lot I will take into the next attempt.

Before the race, I had written about my preparation for Slovenia. This is what happened afterwards: two nights in the mountains, a long day between them, help from other runners and a decision I had not wanted to make.

The first night: rain, cold and relentless descending

I ran through the night in rain that did not let up. It was miserable and cold.

The descents brought their own problem. I started cramping as I came down, and the amount of descending exposed a gap in my preparation. I had not trained for that much vertical descent. Having running miles in my legs was different from being prepared for what these mountains demanded.

At around 7 a.m., I reached an aid station with intense chafing. I asked other runners whether they had any Vaseline. Someone helped me out, and that was enough to get me moving towards the next checkpoint.

It was a small piece of help that made a real difference.

A full day in the mountains

I kept going through the day, climbing through huge changes in elevation with fatigue building in my legs. Some of the climbs towards the peaks felt dangerous. There were moments when I felt delirious. I cannot say exactly what caused that feeling, but I remember how difficult everything had become.

There was still a long way to go. The challenge kept changing: descending, climbing, managing discomfort and finding enough energy to continue.

Where my food plan fell short

I had relied too heavily on the aid stations for food. What I found there did not work for me. I remember bread, cheese and soup, but I struggled with the options and felt badly underprepared.

At the time, I wished I had brought much more of my own food—proper meals, even steak, and the nutrient-dense foods I normally enjoy. That was what I craved. It does not mean those foods would automatically have been easy to eat or carry during the race.

The practical lesson is that I need to test what I can eat during long efforts, bring enough of what works for me and know what the aid stations will actually provide. I left too much of that to chance.

Then night fell again

When the second night arrived, it became freezing cold. I slipped and fell down a hill, snapping my poles. Then the battery in my headtorch ran out.

I had another headtorch, but I was so exhausted that I could not find it. I managed to borrow one. Once again, another person’s help kept me moving.

My legs felt broken. I was cold, exhausted and moving much more slowly than I had expected. I had been anticipating a finish around 9 p.m. At the pace I was managing, it was looking closer to 2 a.m.

With roughly 17 kilometres still ahead of me, the final push felt beyond what I had left. I decided to call it. My attempt ended at 103 kilometres, after 28 hours.

What I would change next time

It was a humbling experience. I went there to finish, and I did not. I can value what I managed while being honest about the preparation I lacked.

First, I want a much more deliberate food plan. I need food I have tested over long training efforts, enough of it available and a clearer understanding of how I will use each aid station.

Second, I want more support. Aid stations became challenging when I was exhausted. Eating, sorting equipment and preparing to leave all took effort. For a future event, I would like a support team where the race rules allow it, with a clear plan for where they can help.

Third, I need to prepare more specifically for the terrain. The descending caught me out. I also want my essential equipment organised so that I can find it when I am tired, cold and struggling to think clearly.

I want to do another ultra. Next time, I will turn up with a better plan for the food, the terrain and the hours when everything starts to feel difficult.

Your goal needs a practical plan

You do not need to want an ultramarathon to recognise the gap between wanting something and preparing for it. Your goal might be to get stronger, build a consistent training routine or feel more capable in everyday life.

At Maxwellness, that conversation starts with your own starting point and what you want to work towards. If you are looking for personal training in Kentish Town, you can request a free consultation at our studio.