New record in Slovakia for William Sichel
A welcome write-up in this week’s Orcadian, following my trip to Slovakia. Under the headline "New record in Slovakia for Sichel,” the paper’s Running page reports on my Sri Chinmoy 12-Hour race in Šamorín at the end of May — my second ultra-distance event of the year since hip surgery.
The piece focuses on the result I was most pleased with: 92.515 km / 57.5 miles in 12 hours, enough for first place in the M70 category, third in the M55 standings and seventh overall — and, best of all, a new Scottish M70 12-hour record. It also picks up on the home heat chamber I set up in Orkney to acclimatise for the warm, humid conditions out in Šamorín.
I broke my own record, set in Italy in March, with about 45 minutes to go — which was a nice feeling and made it all worthwhile.
As I told the paper, that will be my last "short” ultramarathon for now. From here on I’ll be focusing on the longer multiday races — 48 hours, six days and ten days — which have always been my forte. Before that, though, I’ll be at the St Magnus Marathon in Kirkwall on 5 July, treating it as a training run while pacing a friend.
My thanks to The Orcadian, and to the Pickaquoy Centre, who sponsor the paper’s sport coverage.
