Seeing as Don Ritchie is an ultra runner, this may not appeal to too many of you.
However, it is an astonishing catalogue of Don's amazing running achievements.
Born in 1944, Don is 11 years older than me. I first met him at the Aberdeen Marathon in 1980. He had already achieved several world best marks. He set the world best for 40 miles (which still stands) of 3:48:35, at Copthall Stadium in 1982. He was always the first runner I wanted to come to the Barry 40, and although it took until 1995 before he actually ran, he set then world bests for 30 miles, 50 kms and 40 miles for the Over 50 age group when finishing second in 4:21:34. He was to grace our race with his presence many times, even though he was past his best. He encouraged many other Scots, like Simon Pride, Alan Reid and most recently Grant Jeans.
Most ultra fans would describe Don as the greatest ultra runner of all time. To my mind his best performance was on 28 October 1978, at Crystal Palace, where he ran 6:10:20 for 100km. Just to translate that for you: at our Handicap 10 earlier this year, 5 runners broke the Hour. In this race, Don broke 6 hours for 60 miles! His weekly training mileages for the 6 week period leading up to his last week where he did the carbohydrate bleedout diet were:132, 138, 147, 117, 141 and 161.
Final week:
Sun: 26 mile forest and road depletion run.
Mon: 6.5 miles with school club, 14 miles home.
Tue: 14 miles to work, 14 miles home (6:30 min/ml)
Wed: 14 miles to work, 14 miles home (very weak)
Thurs: 14 miles to work - 6:30PM carbohydrates
Fri: No run, travel to London, resting.
Sat: 100 km in 6:10:20.
"On Saturday morning, I had two cups of tea and three rich tea biscuits for breakfast for breakfast and then John (Lamont) drove me to Crystal Palace stadium for the 100 km track race organised by the Road Runners Club. John was to be my handler, so I gave him my drinks and a schedule of when I would require them. My first was half an hour before the race start, when I drank a bottle (200ml) of "dynamo". Martin Thompson, an Australian physiologist, asked me if I would participate in a study he was conducting into Cortisol metabolism and I agreed. To do this accurately a small amount of marked Cortisol, flavoured with cordial was required to be taken before the start. The race pace felt good for a start and Cavin Woodward, Mick Molloy and I passed 10 km in 34:06, and 20 km in 1:09:21. My insides began to give me trouble and at about 16 miles I had to stop and go into the changing room to use the toilet (due to the Cortisol, possibly). On rejoining the race, I was a lap and a half behind Mick and Cavin. I gradually caught up and and was then a lap behind and the leaders' time at 30 km was 1:46:55. At 40 km the time was 2:23:12 when I was 1:22 behind Mick and Cavin and at 50km (halfway) it was 2:59:59, 7 seconds behind Cavin and 1:37 behind Mick!
I started to unlap myself and, as I did, Mick Molloy came with me and then passed me and got a lead of about 150 metres, plus the lap. He then "blew up" so I caught and passed him. From then on I felt strong and pulled further and further ahead of the field. I passed 40 miles in 3:52:55, and I was pleased to break the 50 mile record (world!) in 4:53:28, 11:26 ahead of Cavin. However, I found the last 12 miles very hard, , but I never became depleted of glycogen. I passed 60 miles in 5:56:57 and completed the last of the 250 laps in 88 seconds to finish in 6:10:20. My legs and feet were not too bad. Mick Molloy had to leave the track for quite some time after he faded, and on rejoining continued in his socks! Cavin also had to leave the track, but for a much shorter time. Several years later, when the IAU recognised 6 hours as an event, my distance of 97.2 km was also accepted as a world best performance.
10 mile splits: 55:28, 59:26, 58:51, 59:30, 60:33, 63:29."
What is amazing is that Don was only third at halfway. It was all about the competition.
"Results: 1. Don Ritchie 6:10:20, 2. Cavin Woodward 6:38:48; 3. Mike Newton 6:48:08; 4. Jan Knippenberg (Hol) 7:07:50; 5. Mick Molloy (Irl) 7:26:11.
John was an excellent handler and promised to take me to a "Real Ale" pub in the evening to celebrate the occasion. Later on, he fulfilled his promise and we walked to the pub, where we sampled some of the extensive range of real ales on offer. On the walk back we picked up carry out meals to round off a memorable day.
The following evening I travelled back to Inverness by the familiar overnight train and on to Elgin. I could not run for the next three days because I lacked motivation and had a feeling of anti climax"
There's some interesting info about his early days. Started running in 1962. There's a nice account from my close friend Colin Youngson (Scottish Marathon Champ in 1975 with 2:16:50) in which they travelled by hired Vauxhall to the Nos Galan in 1970, as finished third team as Aberdeen University Hares and Hounds, with Colin 9th and Don 13th,and Charlie McCauley 55th, so Don must have been quick. And although he spent much of his latter years as a lecturer, he also spent some time on the North Sea Oil Rigs, so he was a tough cookie, in many ways!
Finally, he details all his Barry 40 runs, including a struggle in 2003 (when 58) when he placed 19th in 5:38:03, a lap and a half behind the first V 55, Gary Hyatt!
£19.99 on Amazon, but worth every penny.(355pp)
Edited by user 27 December 2016 18:38:52(UTC)
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