Students across the College, including those isolating at home were treated to a truly inspirational talk by World Record Breaking Ultra Runner, Carla Molinaro this lunchtime.
Students tuned in in their bubbles across the College campus, as well as those isolating at home to hear how in July this year, Carla broke the Women's World Record for running from Land's End to John O'Groats in 12 days, 30 minutes and 14 seconds.
Carla was invited to Shiplake by Head of Athletic Development Mr Ed Bowden who put the distance into perspective. He said: "It's the same as running around our 4k cross country route 332 times. So 28 times around the course every day for 12 days with no breaks!"
During her talk, Carla spoke about how she came up with the idea during lockdown in South Africa where she couldn't leave the house at all. She started to run up and down hers and her neighbours' driveways, 100km there and back and it got her thinking about what she could do now all her races for the year were cancelled. She felt it was a huge opportunity to do something 'cool' and plan an adventure.
Great Britain and Land's End to John O'Groats (or LEJOG for short) kept jumping out at her. More than 4,000 people do the distance every year on foot, on bike and even skate boards and unicycles!
Carla wanted a challenge and thought about trying for a Guinness World Record. She asked other people who had attempted it for advice with each person saying it would take two years to plan - she only had three months.
And so Carla set about putting together a training plan, planned her route, recruited a support team and wrote to sponsors. She also had to make sure she had everything in place for the Guinness rules which are very strict. She had to have witnesses not connected with the race to sign a log book everyday, take photos, submit 10 minute videos and have two trackers on her person so Guinness could see her location at any time.
The race from start to finish was gruelling. 4.00am starts, running from 5.00am to 10.00pm everyday, managing food every 30 minutes and water every 10 minutes, Carla ate the equivalent of 30 hamburgers a day!
By day eight, she had ulcers on her tongue and her feet had started to swell. She had blisters under her toe nails which she had to pierce with a needle to get relief. On day nine, Carla ended up on antibiotics after contracting a skin infection on her shin.
She had low points each day where the pain and tiredness had got too much. However Carla knew that running the equivalent of three marathons a day was going to hurt, and she pushed on through.
The final day was 27 July 2020, Carla's birthday, and she was expecting to finish the race on this day. However a storm was coming in with 60-90 mile per hour winds which blew her across the road. The rain got worse and worse and she had to keep changing her running kit to keep her as dry as possible. By 11.00pm, the time Carla expected to finish the race, she still had 50 kilometres to go and with the infection and the bad weather she was having to walk.
The thought of having to go to sleep for one more night and get up in the morning and have to do it all again kept her going and she pushed on through the night to get to the finish in 12 days, 30 minutes and 14 seconds, beating the previous record by 10 hours and 36 minutes.
Carla said never again at the time, but when offered to attempt a World Record attempt for the fastest LEJOG relay - she said YES! She takes on her challenge with her team mates in December this year.
Before she finished her talk, Carla gave Shiplake pupils a half term challenge. To go for a run around streets where you live and spell your name using the first letter of the streets you come across. You can't cheat using Google, you just have to go for a run and see what street names you come across - take a photo and spell your name.
From everyone at Shiplake College we wish you all the very best for your challenge, and would like to say a huge thank you for your inspiring and motivational talk today.
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