Andrew Hedgman - King of the Ultra Running Mountain
For most individuals in their early 20's, running the entire length of New Zealand would probably not be too high up on a list of things to. Yet for Ultra Runner Andrew Hedgeman running from Cape Reinga at the tip of the North Island to Bluff at the very bottom of the South Island, a distance of approximately 2200km in 28 days was always going to happen sooner rather than later. And it turns out that was just the beginning of his adventures! When others his age were thinking about a career behind a desk climbing thier way up the corporate ladder, he was quite literally dreaming of climbing a very different type of mountain.
We welcome Skratch Ambassador Andrew Hedgman as a guest blogger sharing his story and incredible experiences within the World of Ultra Marathon running.
For most people bending over while being sick in the middle of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa during a multi-stage Ultra Marathon doesn't seem like the ideal way to spend a trip away from home! And even though the throwing up was far less than ideal, it is actually those exact moments that I love to look back on knowing that I was able to push through and complete such a tough and challenging task despite things not exactly going to plan.
This was the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon, a 250km race over 7 days (including one rest day) and after the second day of the race I started feeling quite unwell. It was hard to consume food or even water without getting that nauseous feeling in my stomach and by day four I had actually started vomiting and had severe mouth ulcers. Not being able to stomach much (if any) food was not going to do me any favours when trying to cross a desert so I needed a solution, fast!
I worked out that the only thing I could keep down was a little bit of Skratch Hydration Mix and some Skratch Energy Chews for food. I'm not sure why this was the only thing that worked and to be honest at the time I didn't care too much, I just wanted to keep going! It actually saved my race and even allowed me to finish in the top 10 despite all of the problems. I'm sure if it was analysed by an expert there would be a scientific reason as to why it worked but I guess keeping it simple and replacing what my body was needing at the time without over complicating things had something to do with it!
I started running in high school and completed my first Marathon at age 18. For many people that would be enough of an achievement but I wanted more so when is was 21 I decided to take up and even bigger challenge and entered my first Ultra event, the New Zealand 100km National Championship where I placed 7th overall. Not wanting to stop at that I decided to run the length of New Zealand a few months later at age 22 finishing in 28 days averaging almost 2 full marathons per day! In 2012 I wanted to put my running to good use so I ran 1000km from Brisbane to Sydney to raise money for animal welfare and since then I have completed many more Ultra Marathons including the South African event and another 7 day race in Turkey, the Lycian Way Ultramarathon.
a.jpg)
Ever since I began running I have always struggled with food and trying to figure out what works for me and what doesn't. Some foods work initially for the first 10-20 kms but then it seems my body changes its mind and I can't seem to take anymore after that. One interesting thing I have found is that Salt and Vinegar chips work a treat and are one staple food that I must include when I run Ultras. I'm pretty sure it's just the salt that my body craves but they go down easier than just salt on its own so why not! Fresh oranges are also a food that I've found to be something I can continue eating during an entire race. Other than that there hasn't been much else, that is until FE Sports put me onto Skratch Labs!
I usually carry two water bottles in my Hydration vest, one with only water and the other with Skratch Hydration Mix. I alternate drinking from each one as a routine throughout my lead-up to an event and then replicate that during a race. If the distance is 30km or longer I will bring my Skratch Energy Chews with me and have a couple every few kilometers. As a Vegan Athlete I can't usually eat most standard Sports Chews but these are made with pectin instead of gelatin so I was pretty excited when I got to try them and the delicious flavour hit my taste buds! The only down side is that when they are sitting there in the fridge or cupboard it's hard not to eat them before running so I usually have to hide them out of sight! During the Kalahari race after realising the Chews were the only thing I could eat I had wished I brought along far more as I had to ration them out super carefully!
Skratch Labs go for the simple approach, the ingredients that they use are not overly complicated but are very effective. They use Real Fruit for flavour so it's very easy and satisfying to consume during an endurance run or race without getting any strange aftertaste or digestive issues. For me it really is a case of simple is best and when you are faced with endurance style events any small issue can multiply very quickly so the last thing you need is a problem with your food!
My next race is actually at home here in Australia, the Run Larapinta. A 4 day Trail Running Race along the most spectacular sections of the iconic Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory. And in April next year I am off to Fiji to run in the 220km Lost Island Ultra, another multi staged running event. Obviously I will be taking Skratch along for my adventures and maybe a few more Chews this time, just in case!
Until next time, Keep Running!
Andrew.
