Specifically, in the field of athletics, where we live and breathe running (or *insert specific sport here*), it can be easy to get caught up in evaluating our self-worth on the basis of how many miles we clock up; the paces we hit; or how precisely we stuck to ‘the plan’.

Nothing is impossible?

We’re living in a world where we’re told that “Nothing is impossible” and, “If you want it enough, you can have it!” Social media is plastered with perfect lives, toned bodies, people working harder than you are – creating unfair comparisons and the illusion that if you want it enough, then why can’t you get there?

But is this actually creating a set of standards which are simply unrealistic? An uphill battle of burnout? Constantly asking ourselves if we’re good enough? It can leave us pooling in states of anxiety, which have simply become the ‘norm’ in a culture which insists we should be everywhere, do everything, be more productive, more resilient, and increasingly zealous.

We begin dreading the next run, the next fartlek, tempo session and race. Passion gradually turns to anxiety, apathy and fatigue. All of a sudden, we’re not hitting magic speeds, we’re plateauing and feeling less than enthusiastic about surpassing the ‘comfort zone’.

Energy sapping

But we keep going, ignoring the fact that our parasympathetic nervous systems are in overdrive, praying that something will just ‘click’ and go back to when things felt better – the reality is, it’s sapping us of energy and we’re exhausted.

• Do you feel overwhelmed by the simplest of tasks?
• Do you feel an inability to sit still, feeling like you must be doing something in order to achieve that sense of productivity?
• Are you happy one minute, and losing your head the next?
• Do you suppress how you really feel when asked?

A dose of realism

Aligning expectations with actual life can be a stepping-stone towards achieving more rationality. Find your growth mindset, and be content in knowing that just because today’s run or race didn’t go to plan, you are human, and ONE training session, ONE race, does NOT define your athletic career.

Bad feelings don’t last forever – accept them, don’t ignore them. In other instances, not hitting goal paces, could be simply a sign that you are not there… YET.

It doesn’t mean you never will be. It’s just going to take a bit more time, and a bit more patience. Go out and just run (or walk), with zero expectation – no watch, no GPS – just revel in the stripped back simplicity of what it is.

Write down how you’re feeling if it all feels too much, or speak honestly with your coach about taking a step back – it doesn’t diminish you as a person to have feelings and emotions (and a life outside of sport)!

Time to step back

Right now, could be a good opportunity for stepping back, with Covid-19 limiting us in what we can do, and when and why we can leave the house. It’s a time for appreciating what’s truly important, and comprehending that there’s more hours in the day than we’d ever cared to realise.

Reconnect with people, get moving, acknowledge the positives, and write down all the things that you are grateful for. In terms of your sport, remember and reflect on why you started in the first place, and make sure you’re doing what’s right for you.

It’s potentially even a good time to try new activities, and develop skills. Of course, ‘nothing worth having comes easy’ and will incorporate a wealth of challenges along the way, but be sensible in your approach and don’t pile on the expectations.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Dangers of striving for success appeared first on Fast Running.

I suppose when I talk about having lots of mental strength in running, most would assume I am referring to the ability to push yourself to your limit during sessions, or to keep going for longer than you thought possible, but this isn’t quite what I am talking about. 

When I think about strength of mind, I think about having the strength to be able to control my own mind. For example, possessing the strength and rationality to tell myself when to stop.

The strength to be able to rest completely on a rest day, and not just pop out for an ‘easy jog’. Because in the world of running, we always want to do more.

So, whilst to the non-runner mental strength may look like going for a 30-minute easy run when you are meant to be resting. To a runner, and me personally, a mentally strong runner looks like someone who is able to embrace their rest days, use their time to recover, and not cave in to the desire to go for an ‘easy run’ despite wishing to do so.

It is in fact easier for a lot of us to just go for a slightly longer run, or run a little bit faster, or squeeze in that extra 30- minutes, than it is to do nothing.

Irrationality is a sign of weakness. 

In the past I have been a prisoner to irrationality, and it is this irrationality that has unduly led me into trouble, because ultimately, irrationality is a sign of mental weakness. For me, I am mentally strongest when I can have a rational outlook on my running and see when things are getting too much, or I need to take a step back before they become too much.

However, this doesn’t come easily and has taken plenty of time and unwanted experiences for me to realise. It has only been as a result of overdoing, that I have been able to see that occasionally, ‘underdoing’ it, is actually the perfect amount.

Another sign of mental strength in my eyes, is being able to know when to fuel myself and how to fuel myself sufficiently.

If my brain tells me I don’t need to eat any more food because it would be ‘too much’, I have the strength to override this, and I eat a lot more! Whilst again, the non-running trained mind may think an impressive amount of strength is shown by being able to resist the drive of hunger, the runner knows the immense weakness displayed by this.

The strength of mind to fuel yourself

Strength of mind is being able to tell yourself to eat when you need to because you know it will provide you with the fuel you need to power a good session. Possessing the rationality to know the benefit of fueling myself sufficiently is a huge strength I am proud to have.

As runners, it is so important for us to be able to distinguish between what is and isn’t conductive for our strength.

As I previously said, someone who isn’t a runner may believe resisting hunger to be a sign of good strength, but when we are working our bodies day in and out, a sufficient amount of fuel is vital, therefore resisting hunger, or simply not eating enough, is only going to lead to problems further down the line.  

Currently there isn’t enough support or information helping athletes understand the difference between fuelling sufficiently for a non-active human and sufficient fueling for a very active runner. Therefore, until this happens we all need to have the mental strength to look out for ourselves and support one another.

Food not only leads to a strong runner, but to a strong minded individual. As nobody, and I for one will admit to being like this, can think rationality when they are hungry!

True strength is listening to yourself. 

As the months go by, and I gain more experience about my own body and the sport I am in, I feel as though my mental strength increases.

It increases because I am able to have a rational perspective about my running and because I have control over my thought process, rather than allowing it to control me.

Even though lots of people may not know about a runner’s active lifestyle, if having a rest day is perceived as ‘lazy’ and ‘lacking mental strength’ then I’m ok with that, because I know true strength comes from being able to allow myself to recover. 

RELATED: Full weekend round-up with Hannah’s result at the Rennes 10k

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post The power of a strong mind appeared first on Fast Running.

I do seem to recall ending my last article saying that I was about to run a race called Sierre Zinal in Switzerland, for which I had done zero preparation, other than racing for 8 hours the previous weekend (not advisable!).

It’s a very prestigious race in the mountain running community and always attracts a very strong field of elite athletes from around the world. I guess the race could be described as a double Vertical Kilometre followed by a fast half marathon… 

My legs were what can only be described as exhausted going into the race but I had nothing to lose, and it’s amazing what the power of mental strength can do to overcome physical inability! I somehow seemed to get stronger and stronger as the race progressed and in the end finished five minutes faster than I had last year, eighth in the most competitive field the race has ever seen after my cramping calves prevented me from catching seventh place by four seconds!

Three races in four days

After the race I returned to the more affordable land of Italy and enjoyed a wonderful week competing in every race going – three in four days. I seemed to become a bit of a local celebrity which was fun and it certainly gave a boost to my wine and cheese supplies.

My parents had come out in their campervan as well and I even managed to persuade them to partake in one of the races!

Next on the schedule was the Matterhorn Extreme Skyrace in Zermatt. As a considerable chunk of the race was going to be spent above 3,000m I decided to have a few nights up on the Simplon Pass at 2,000m – I rigged up my hammock and enjoyed a few relaxing days, letting my legs recover before the big race to come.

SimplonPass Redemption

I even discovered that there were showers in the public toilets at the famous Simplon Pass Hospice -huge bonus when you’re living in a van! Back from a freezing cold run in the rain, I went into the hospice to get warm and clean, but as I was putting my shoes on to leave a cleaning lady came into the toilets. 

“Are you staying here?”,

“Erm, no”, 

“Well you are not allowed to shower, are you also stealing food?” 

“No, of course not, I was just cold and dirty and wanted a hot shower” 

“This is not a public place, YOU CANNOT SHOWER!” 

“Ok I’m really sorry I didn’t realise, I thought it was a place to welcome weary travellers, I won’t shower here again”… 

I went to leave the bathroom, but not before the lady ran to the door, slammed it in my face, and proceeded to lock me in. It was quite a ridiculous situation to be in. I’d effectively been taken prisoner in the toilets by the cleaning lady. I went over to the window to see if I could climb out of it but it was far too big a drop down to ground level. So I just started tapping on the door. Tap tap tap. Tap tap tap. 

Eventually an Italian male voice came 

“Who is it?”, 

“A person…” I responded (what else was I supposed to say, introduce myself!?) “The cleaning lady locked me in here!” 

He said no more so I presumed he had disappeared. I continued my tap tap tapping. After what seemed like a very long time, there was a key in the lock and the door opened. There was the cleaning lady looking extremely smug with herself. 

“Why did you lock me in, are you a child?” I asked her, quite calmly. 

“At least I didn’t kick you!” she retorted, laughing menacingly. 

Although I would have loved to, I didn’t retaliate at all and just walked off, still somewhat incredulous as to what had just happened. I guess some people take power trips to the extreme. Whatever floats your boat. Anyway, a word of warning…. Never take a shower on the Simplon Pass! 

Back to normality

Anyway, I ultimately made it to Zermatt; it is a bit of a crazy place which seems to be mostly filled with people who like to look at mountains rather than being up them. The race itself really was quite extreme – vertical scree downhills, a glacier to cross, and sadly I ended up coming down in a helicopter after hitting my head on a rock as I scrambled up the first climb.

Having never dropped out of a race before, despite the blood coming from my head, I was intrigued to see what the rest of the course was like so I decided to continue and thought I felt ok.

Unfortunately, those feelings of being “ok” turned to being “not ok” and I started to feel really dizzy and sick. It was a huge effort to get to the first aid station at 3,200m, even just walking very slowly.

I said to the guys at the aid station that I’d carry on, even though my dazed body was telling me to stop. With the most technical part of the race still to come, and my condition deteriorating significantly, I ended up being bundled into a helicopter to get down to the valley as quickly as possible.

Most people enjoy their expensive helicopter rides with views of the Matterhorn – I didn’t even look out of the window as I had my head in a sick bag – how silly. 

Photo: Hillary Gerardi

Moving on with a helmet

Anyway, I had a couple of days feeling the concussive after effects of the rock encounter, but on the third day I decided I was well enough to join a friend climbing the Aiguille du Tour – an eight hour day including a long glacier traverse and scramble was obviously a great way to test my physical state – but at least I was wearing a helmet and we had a wonderful day out!

I was heading to Chamonix to stay with the Adidas Terrex Team for the week of the UTMB, “the world summit of trail running”.

This would be the fourth year I would be there that week supporting but not actually racing. Given that my legs felt reasonably fresh after missing most of the descent in the Zermatt race, and my mountaineering trip the previous day showed I seemed to be over the concussion, I mulled over whether to toe the startline of the CCC race, 101 km with 6,100m climb.

I had entered back in December as I had enough points to qualify for a free elite entry so thought I may as well have it as an option though had never really contemplated doing it. 

A step into the unknown

Most people said it was a ridiculous idea; I’d done no training for it, it would ruin the rest of my season, I would end up broken…. But a couple of people (including myself!) thought I should give it a go. So after a long and painful decision making process, I decided to do it. Yes I could prepare properly and do it well the next year, but who knows what would happen the next year – I might not have any legs! 

The kit list for the race is notoriously contrived and I spent the three days before the race running around Chamonix like a headless chicken collecting bits of kit from people, buying bandages, spare batteries for the two headtorches we had to carry, do two ITRA Quartz blood tests, signing autographs on large posters of my face (why!?), and then looking at where on earth the route went. 

Race day

The race was Friday and by Wednesday night I seemed to have some kind of stomach upset. I didn’t think anything of it and thought it would pass before the race. Sadly it didn’t and I spent the 30mins before the race holed up in a toilet [There’s a bit of a theme for this blog – Ed.] I’d commandeered in a restaurant in Courmayeur.

No need to go into a long race description, other than it consisted of 80km of rather intense gastrointestinal distress, so much so that I could hardly run at all from eight kilometres in; I had a few moments of feeling better, but mostly it was a pretty grim 11 hours of trudging / baring my arse to passing runners as I squatted by the trails. I kept telling myself the stomach situation would improve but it didn’t. 

Feeling good when it got dark

I finally started to feel good once it got dark, and having run so much of the race with no competitive ambitions, as soon as I put my headtorch on I felt good; I could finally run normally and managed to overtake lots of people on the last 20km section; I felt like I’d only just started running, it was such a wonderful feeling.

I had so much energy at the end that I even did a crazy dance on the finish line. I wouldn’t call my experience a race, as I never felt that I was racing anyone, it was very much myself against the course (and my intestines) and having told myself pre-race that I would only drop out because of a “mechanical” e.g. knee pain etc, stomach problems fit into that category so I was pretty determined to finish. 

Photo: Ian Corless

Since that not so wonderful experience I’ve been having a fairly terrible few days and I’ve finally resigned myself to seeing a doctor today as it’s getting a bit ridiculous. But I’ve now had my first taste of running 100km; it didn’t seem too bad, my legs held up ok and I’d definitely do another one, ideally with more optimal stomach conditions.

What a peculiar hobby this is

It did however occur to me as I was shovelling pasta and sweet potato into my mouth with my hands at one of the aid stations what a ridiculous sport this is. 

When we look at it in the greater context of the world – here we are, so privileged that we choose to force ourselves to run ridiculously long distances for “pleasure” – we pay to do this!?; depriving ourselves of sleep, shovelling as much sugar into our mouths as our bodies can handle and expelling bodily fluids left right and centre when we can’t… it’s all a bit silly really!

I’m not saying that we should stop doing it, but I think it’s important to remember that it’s all a choice, a game we’ve chosen to play, and when we feel “terrible”, we are pretty damn lucky to be in a situation where our greatest suffering is entirely self-inflicted.

Holly Page features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Holly on Twitter and Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post How many races can you really do in one month? appeared first on Fast Running.

Something that has come to the front of my thoughts recently is the importance of self-belief. It really is true that if you believe you can do it and work hard enough to achieve it, it will happen. It’s not necessarily a case of if, it’s more a case of when.

Believing in yourself and your own ability is the hardest part of being a runner, and a human in general. We are all very quick to put ourselves down, to feel we are not as good as other people. The consequence of this negative self-talk is that we  diminish our own self-confidence. We shouldn’t automatically feel this way because it doesn’t help us at all, but unfortunately, we do.

Struggle breeds growth

When I returned to running after almost a whole year out, I could’ve quite easily given up. I could’ve looked at the long journey ahead of me and been put off, but I wasn’t. Of course the journey ahead seemed overwhelming but I believed that I was capable of fighting my way back.

I felt that if I could endure 10 gruelling months of injury I was pretty sure I could endure a comeback to running. Because what’s worse than not being able to run? In the eyes of us runners, there’s not a lot!

Whilst my injury was a tough time it really allowed me to gain perspective and rationality about running. It allowed me to see that running isn’t the be all and end all. Running really isn’t something to get so wound up and anxious about, because that defeats the reason we do it. As long as I believed in myself and stayed positive why couldn’t I get back to where I used to be? Before too long, getting back to where I used to be, became improving on where I used to be.

National honours

The main cause of my reflection on the importance of self-belief, is my recent news that I’ve earned my first England U23 vest. Anyone who has been with me along my journey so far will tell you that it hasn’t been an easy one. I wouldn’t have wanted it to be. I like a challenge, and it’s made it all the more special. Whilst those around me have always believed in me, I haven’t always believed in myself until recently.

I have learnt to see that if I don’t believe in myself, what good am I going to achieve? If everyone else thinks I can get to where I want to be, but I don’t, I’ll never get there, because self-belief is vital.

Thinking big

Since my injury I have learnt to believe in myself more and more. Slowly I am beginning to trust myself and my ability. I feel at times as though my goals and aspirations are far out of my reach and potentially unrealistic. But what is the point of living without being ambitious? Why does it matter if I have extremely ambitious goals and targets that other people may think unachievable?

If I don’t have big aspirations, I’ll never know what my best is. If I don’t succeed, anything short of it is still better than I could imagine. If I don’t believe I can achieve them whilst I am trying to get to where I want to be, then what is the point in trying? I have decided my dream goals, so I am going to believe I can achieve them, until I am completely satisfied I have done all I can to try and get there.

We need to believe in ourselves in order to succeed at what we want to do. Success won’t happen without self belief, but you won’t even get on the pathway to it without believing in yourself.

Hannah Irwin features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Hannah on Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Importance of self belief appeared first on Fast Running.

One month on from writing about a positive training camp in Majorca and meeting a local star, exciting 800m and country runner Alex Bell talks training, spreading the wings with different races and racing 800s by early July.

FR: How’s training been the last few weeks? Meet any more local heroes?

Really solid. I have continued the hard work since returning from Majorca and really enjoying training at the moment. Unfortunately I’ve not come across any more “Joes” since my return. Like I mentioned before though, he gave me a new perspective on your effort levels and performance and the fact that you shouldn’t have any excuses or hurdles in your way holding you back, if you want something so bad.. go get it!

FR: The season is about to kick off and you’re starting with the Westminster Mile. Why the traditional distance race?

Why not? My mantra this season is that I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I want test the water and spread my wings a little this season and not feel restricted to competing in just the 800m.I displayed some strong performances over the winter period with the mixed relays and I want to bring some of that strength and depth to my track season too.

Competing in longer distances this season of course is going to put me out of my comfort zone but I really want to test myself and see what I am capable of. With this summer season being so long it also keeps it fresh too, giving myself plenty opportunities to shave some of my times down.

FR: Any particularly fun sessions you’ve done with this mile race in mind?

So usually, by now in the season I would have tapped into a fair few “sprint sessions” but alternatively, with the decision to do more distance this season, I’ve not even whacked out the spikes yet! I’ve dropped a few quick 200s in my flats which I’m happy with, so I know I’ve got some gears at the moment, I’m looking forward to the fine tuning in a couple of weeks. But with regards to training on the lead up to the mile, I’ve really been enjoying my tempo runs.

We had an amazing bank holiday in Leeds a few weeks back where the whole of the Team Hendo squad met on the Leeds Liverpool canal to train. Coach was on the bike overlooking everyone’s performances, the sun was blazing, we all produced a spectacular mornings graft and to top it off, we even had ice cream for recovery.

I am surrounded by a great bunch at Leeds Beckett, my coach, Andy has been doing a fine job in helping me find pacers and other athletes to have company to train with making sure we all get the most out of each other and nailing the paces, times and distances set.

FR: Do you think you can go quicker than your Great North City Games 4:40 from 2017?

I am very very hopeful. Newcastle was at the end of a busy 2017 for me and I was truly exhausted. A holiday was long overdue when I raced there in September! Also, from what I remember, we finished on what seemed to be a massive hill at the time, so take that out of the equation and it should be quicker!

I’ve had a great winter behind me and going into this summer season I am very hopeful and confident from the training I’ve done that it will be quicker.

FR: Your run at the Northern Counties XC showed some great endurance, do you think the XC will help with the track season ahead?

Definitely, I’ve always dabbled in cross country but this year in particular, the winter has been stronger and longer than ever. Hitting my highest mileage, producing some mighty grass sessions, it’s all going to be beneficial in the long run.

FR: What races have you got next?

After the mile I will be racing in a few events in Europe competing over different distances. I plan to race the 800s early July.

FR: Highlight of the year so far?

Representing GB in the Mixed relay, Stirling.

FR: One piece of advice for any aspiring 800m runners of the summer ahead?

Be patient with yourself and your performances and keep believing in yourself. Always listen to your body and take rest when needed. If mistakes happen along your performance journey, welcome them as it can never be seen as a failure, always a lesson!

RELATED: “As well as a strong body you equally need to train your mind”

Alexandra Bell features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Alexandra on Twitter and on Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Get out of the comfort zone and spread your wings appeared first on Fast Running.

By the nature of the sport, being a runner easily results in comparison. We love times, numbers and data. Today comparing has been taken to new levels with social media, Garmin’s and other devices recording cadence, elevation, and everything else we could possibly use to compare; all linked to apps such as Strava and Garmin connect, where as we can compare our own training and that of other athletes. 

We often compare, and instead of seeing how far we have come, most of the time we only see how far we have to go. Not only does comparison leave us with self-doubt and lack of confidence, but it also prevents us from being present in the moment. Being completely engrossed in the now is essential when it comes to running. Focusing on the present moment will force you to stop overthinking (something us runners are also very good at) and will boost your awareness of how you interpret and react to what’s happening around you.  This is absolutely essential when it comes to racing and performance, so that you are able to react to how your body feels or reacts to other competitors. 

Theodore Rosevelt’s well known quote “Comparison is the thief of joy” explains how comparing your work, your life or whatever else will only serve to make you unhappy. This rings true for athletes as well. We can become so fixated on what other people are doing, what they can do better than us and what they have that we don’t, that we forget to enjoy the here and the now. We forget to enjoy the journey we are on as individuals, and what we do have. The only way we are going to be comfortable within ourselves and be confident in our own ability is if we focus on ourselves and our own potential. 

The perception of our own success

I’ve come to realise that much of our stress, frustration, disappointment, guilt and regret is the result of our preconceived ideas about how we should be running, acting, looking or how our personal success is perceived by others. It’s important to take a step back and be okay with who we are and where we are at in our process rather than focusing our energy on where we want to be.

In my own experience I have known myself to complete a workout, return home feeling confident and happy with where I am at until I’ll be scrolling through social media and find myself reading about fellow competitors’ workouts and find myself second guessing my workout. This comparison game would leave me on edge and less confident in my own fitness, while questioning myself whether I should be doing the same as them. The rational side of me knows that no build up between two athletes is the same and just because one workout works for one athlete it doesn’t mean it will work for me. 

Something else I often have to remind myself of is we only see snippets. If you scroll through social media, it seems everyone is winning at life. That’s simply because we choose to share our “wins” and very few people share their failures. Of course, we don’t want to be viewing failure after failure as that would make feeds a very depressing place to visit. However, I think it is important to share some hardships amongst the successes. 

Find your own path

It’s important to remember that there is no single way to an end result or goal. Everyone has their own paths and own barriers to get over. Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are. And watching someone else go for it would be upsetting to a person who spent a lifetime building cases for why they can’t. 

Natasha Cockram features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Natasha on Twitter and Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Comparison is the thief of joy appeared first on Fast Running.

Ironically my April Fast Running contribution does not include any fast running. Or indeed any running at all. I’m writing this whilst I sit in a hospital in Germany (thanks for the support Adidas Terrex!), waiting for my second MRI of the month. That’s not how I had intended my April to pan out, but hey ho, sometimes things don’t go to plan. 

On 1the first of April I headed off to Japan for the first skyrace of the World Series. After which I would travel to the mountains of Western China for the second one which I’d actually won last year and knew I wanted to return to.  

Other than the sore foot (see March article) I was feeling really fit and strong. Although I’m not one for outward self-confidence when it comes to running, I guess I genuinely felt like I could do pretty well at the races. 

Seeing a new country on two wheels

I’d not been to Japan before so decided to spend the first 10 days cycling tramping around. My plan had been to get a running session in each morning before cycling but given how sore my foot was I decided it would be wise to give it “total rest” and just stick to cycling. I adapted my road bike by attaching my sleeping bag with bungees to the handlebars and then bought two bike packing bags for the frame and seatpost. No space for a tent, but I would make do with a bivvy bag and warm thoughts.

I came up with a logistics masterplan and arranged with a Warmshowers host (a fantastic community of people) in Osaka to leave my race bag with him whilst I pedalled around, and then swap the bike for the race bag before I travelled to the race. 

“Where are you heading” asked Yoshi. “No idea”… I was just going to make it up as I went along. 

Making it up as I went along

The first day could have been better; I tried and failed to get an MRI on my foot at three different hospitals, then spent the rest of the day cycling in the freezing rain until it got dark. Eventually I found a picnic shelter outside a little restaurant and decided to spend the night there. 

I thought I’d sit in the restaurant trying to warm up and dry out until somebody came to bring me the bill / tell me it was time to leave and battle a night freezing in the rain outside. 

After a little while the restaurant owner asked if I’d like to sleep there. I didn’t take much persuading and made up my bed on the floor. After a long flight and an afternoon of miserable cycling I was pretty exhausted and fell asleep instantly… only to be awoken 5 minutes later by the lady inviting me to join her and her extended family for dinner; they’d even wheeled out the 93-year-old grandmother to meet me!

Jokes are an international language

Honestly the last thing I wanted to do was spend the night being sociable, communicating through Google Translate, but I thought I ought to. After all, smiling and laughing goes a long way, and it is very possible to make jokes even when you can’t speak the same language. They lived in a basic house with the restaurant attached, they weren’t particularly wealthy and had lived there for generation after generation, but they were so kind and welcoming.

I’d been told that Japan was a safe country and it certainly seemed that way. I had no problems sleeping in public parks and temples and also had a few nights with couchsurfing / warmshowers hosts which was a great way to get an insight into Japanese life. 

When I got too smelly, I would go to the public baths (called an “onsen”) and flounder around in the steaming water with the local women. Unfortunately my lack of Japanese meant that I couldn’t distinguish between the symbols for “Male” and “Female” so had quite a shock when I opened the door to a large room of naked Japanese men enjoying the bubbles. 

An adventurous soul on the bike and the karaoke

I love to travel by bike; I find it to be a great way to see somewhere- a compromise between the slow pace of walking or running and the too quick pace of a car. There’s a real sense of freedom, having everything you need strapped to your bike, no clue where you will sleep that night, contrasting beautifully quiet closed roads (I carried my bike over a lot of No Entry barriers!) with “hold on tight and hope the lorries see you” tunnels and I even had a joyous day where I cycled 100miles on a motorway. That was really grim. 

In and amongst the cycling, I tried all sorts of food including matcha tea icecream sandwiches, icecream with an onsen egg on it and baby squid for breakfast. I dressed as a tiger at a baseball game and sang karaoke like a true Japanese woman. 

One “no entry” barrier too far

One day in particular turned into a bit of an adventure. A bit too much of an adventure. Having woken up to my frozen sleeping bag outside a temple, I’d got up early and decided to cycle 45km up and over a pass to a town for breakfast. I clambered over yet another road closed barrier and started cycling up the hill, big snow walls on either side of me where it had been cleared from the road. I eventually came across the huge diggers which were making the road ready for spring. The guys gestured at me to go back down. But after a few seconds of deliberation I gestured back that I would continue on. 

I somehow climbed up and onto the snow wall carrying my bike but walking was so much more difficult than I’d thought. With every step I was sinking thigh deep into the snow. It was like running an ultra race except that with an ultra race at least you know how far it is until the end. I had no idea how far it was. My map said 14km up and over the pass but I was moving at less than 1km / hour. This was also pre-breakfast and all I had with me was the remains of a giant lettuce I’d bought the night before. Delicious and nutritious.

After a few hours slogging, I came across two guys carrying guns. We couldn’t understand each other but they were quite surprised to see a random Western girl walking / sinking her way without snow shoes over the pass…carrying a ladened bike on her back. They were the only other signs of life, and once they’d gone there were no more footprints and I was very much alone.

Nothing worth bear-ing in mind

I remembered the signs I’d seen for bears a few days previously and it dawned on me that it was prime bear time as they came out of hibernation. Hey ho, hopefully bears don’t like lettuce [or mountain runner – Editor]. The “road” had been cut into the side of the steep mountain meaning that I had to negotiate various points where avalanches had come down. 

I was somewhat uneasy about the whole thing but there wasn’t much I could do so I just got on with it, there’s no point sitting around feeling sorry for your predicament. It’s not going to help. I fully expected to have to spend the night up there trudging through the snow, warding off bears and avalanches and bonking big time, but miraculously, the snow came to an end after five hours. 

It took me more than two weeks to get the feeling back in my toes, I’d got ice burn up my legs, and my back and neck were pretty beaten up from bike carrying. 

Finally an MRI

It was pouring with rain and I still had a really long way to go to get to my Warmshowers host that evening so I ended up persuading a bus driver to let me get on. My host happened to live next to an MRI centre, so I went the next day to get my foot checked out. “FRACTURE”. Oh great. I’d been told it was probably just bruised, or tissue damage. But a fracture was a whole new ball game.

It wasn’t the best news to receive only one week into a six week trip. So I annulled my racing plans in Japan and China and mulled over what to do next. 

It’s really not the end of the world

Two weeks later and I’m back in Europe. I’ve been told that I need another two weeks of rest before I can start to run again. So that will have been two months off altogether. I’ve given up my place on the GB team for the upcoming Trail World Champs and not sure when my first race back will be but we shall see. 

Obviously it’s extremely frustrating to have put in so much work for it to be wasted right at the start of the season from one freak incident, but sport can be cruel, and ultimately it’s just running, and I’m very fortunate to have so many other opportunities.

Flying back via 19 hours wandering around poverty stricken Manila puts everything into perspective. Yet another example of the lottery of birth which I’ve seen so much of over the years and which always makes me appreciate who I am and the privilege of having choices in life. Yes, woe is me, I have a fractured foot. But it’s really not the end of the world.

Holly Page features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Holly on Twitter and Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Japan on two wheels, snowy passes and a broken foot appeared first on Fast Running.

The frequency of runners making their way to fields, barns and boots of cars to register their name and pin a number to their vest is once more on the rise. Across the country, they group together on start lines and look up to see the ground rise above them, the path their studs will tread disappearing from view.

As a collective, they are called hill runners (or fell runners, if you’re reading this in England).

Runners of every age, and every level, have a spot in these gatherings. Brushing shoulders are the people who will finish at the front and at the back, and they are as likely to share a post-race coffee and cake or something stronger as with anyone else in the field.

Everyone, bar maybe a couple of unfortunate injuries during, will make it around the pre-set checkpoints, and then recount their unique tale of the race, highs and lows, afterwards. And that is the purely lovely thing about this sport – fastest known times are kept track of and record chasing times congratulated, but the real stories are between the individuals and the hills.

It is a feeling shared amongst all who take part. It is a mindset engrained in the sport.

Speaking of mindsets, there are some who query the logicalness of these hill people who congregate to run around wilder landscapes. So for those who wonder, here is (a very small) idea of what a hill runner’s mind is like.

A hill runner never stops thinking about hills

The more time I started to spend in the hills, getting to know the fell running community and acquainting myself with the sports history, the more my outlook of the outdoor landscape changed.

No longer did I just take in the views as they were, appreciating only their natural beauty; I also began to see what they could offer to satisfy my craving for more. This craving is shared extensively among those who have been absorbed into the sport. The hills have a hold, and they continually tug at our thoughts, our minds unable to resist wandering among their majesty while on the work commute or eating dinner.

Hill runners relish seeking out new challenges for themselves, whether that be mapping out a new route through familiar hills, bagging a set of Munros, or taking down all 214 Lakeland Wainwrights in one sitting. Granted the latter is a more ‘hardcore’ example, but whatever the level of the challenge, it is relative to the person who’s conjured it up.

It’s about self-progression and fulfilment. Each and every one of these is to be admired, and I never fail to be inspired on an almost daily basis from hearing of remarkable feats from the many individuals that make this sport what it is. The act of running in hills is unconfined, the sport is what the person makes of it – there are no limits for you here.

A hill runner is impervious to adversity

Mad – the word that most commonly follows in a runners wake as they pull themselves up steep ascents and dive with seemingly complete lack of control off summits.

Hill runners possess a slightly different type of common sense. They have a tenacity and almost ignorant mindset towards extreme conditions and levels of physical pain. I don’t think I’ve met a people that are as resolute in pushing on into the wild, unknown depths of unpleasant places, in landscape and head. Give them a ferocious winter storm, give them baking hot summer days, they will drive on with unfaltering assuredness to see it through, or until they sink on broken legs to the ground.

I was about 11 or 12 years old when I first took part in a hill race. Following in my older sister’s footsteps, I stepped onto the start line of Scald Law junior hill race in the Pentland Hills just outside Edinburgh, having just pulled on every layer of clothing I possessed. These were reluctant beginnings for an obsession with elevated lands – a bitterly cold day, snow up to my waist at its deepest, I almost cried my way to the turn-around marker.

I can’t lie, this experience put me off for a few years after. Returning to the sport however, I found a new understanding and acceptance of hills and their frequently testing moods. A desire to spend more time in these places regardless of the elements started to grow, and I believe it came from the seed that was planted in that first wild experience (it just took some time to flourish).

A hill runner has a single-minded approach when it comes to their pastime, almost considering nothing other than their next footsteps. Anything that the natural world throws at them they can almost disconnect from. They enjoy the individual moments, the present, and no matter how bad the conditions, this focusses their mind on completing what’s ahead of them.

There is an engrained spirit in all hill runners and no matter when things go wrong, the situation is never too bad because of it. A recent junior fell championship race characterised this. I was acting as ‘sweeper’ marshal for the day, and during one race a young runner was struggling at the halfway point. They could easily have given up and sat down at the side of the path, but instead they continued putting one foot in front of the other.

The perseverance was clear to see, and although their face told a different story, I imagined there to be a small but discernible burning light of strength and heart deep inside them, keeping their belief alive. This not only kept them going, but on making it to the final stages, lifted them to greater speed. From a place of pain to a place of exhilaration, it was inspiring to see the energy and motivation they had.

A hill runner enjoys the experience

For many, hill training is repelling. For hill runners, it is empowering. A common trait of training is the repetition of a set distance or time, until such a quantity is reached to make a perceived benefit. On flat ground, the sanity of this routine is only occasionally questioned, yet the slight variation used in a hill runner’s training diet gives way to a much higher frequency of disbelieving looks.

The concept of running hard up and down a hill repetitively, undoing all the energy used to gain the height, could be seen as counter-productive. To a hill runner however, they can finish this relentless punishment and stand back to say “I just conquered that hill and felt good for it”.

The slightly nauseating feeling akin to a stormy sea as the built-up lactate tips around upon turning to descend or ascend once more is part of that conquering. There’s a perverse sense of enjoyment in the discomfort. A “glutton for punishment”, an onlooker described my friend as they ran on higher.

Those days of a beautifully painful repetition then give way to the ever-growing freedom found during long escapades across hilly lands. Rising and falling, the hills provide a multitude of soul-satisfying moments, all connecting to create this great story that will always have a place on the bookshelf of memories. I don’t believe you can get that anywhere else.

RELATED: How to regain your running mojo

Jacob Adkin features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share his running journey. You can follow Jacob on Twitter and Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Inside the hill runner’s mind appeared first on Fast Running.

Isn’t it marvellous what a ray of sunshine can do to you? Time away in Majorca was certainly very beneficial. The couple of weeks of warm weather training definitely came at the right time and I’m now back in Leeds feeling recharged, happy, fitter and healthier – so much more than four weeks ago to say the least!

Whilst I was away it gave me the time to apply the perfect ratio of training to recovery. It didn’t take me long to get into a routine, and even after the first run I instantly felt a lot more perkier and exhilarated than I have in a long time. I just knew that from that point that it was going to be a very good couple of weeks.

It has been proven that being in the sunshine actually does have a beneficial effect on performance, making you not only emotionally happier but with physical improvements too. This definitely worked for me.

We were based in Puerto Pollenca and the facilities were brilliant. It really was a great set up with everything so close by and because we travelled prior to the holiday season we had the track and gym more or less to ourselves too. I have never considered this location as a base before and it is not a very well known spot for athletic training, but after this trip, I will definitely be making a return.

The terrain was very flat with roads that seemed endless making it a very popular hot spot for cyclists, thankfully for them we actually took advantage of their paved routes on the sea front which was perfect for the tempo sessions and recovery runs.

The athletics track was a 10 minute drive from our accommodation and it was such a beautiful place to train. Nobody was even around to pay for the use of the facilities which showed how quiet the place was at this time of year.

It was also comforting to know that we were not the only athletes on the island that were making use of the quieter, less known warm weather training location, I believe Callum Hawkins was here prepping for the marathon as also were some of the GB triathletes too.

It is not vital to go away as an athlete, but for the last few years I’ve incorporated a few weeks at the start of the year and its always been a big plus for me, giving a refreshing boost at the gloomiest time of the year. It was certainly necessary more than ever this year feeling the way I did before this trip. The results have left me feeling refreshed with a base level of fitness and health ready for the hard work to commence for the forthcoming summer months.

Inspiration from a local star

Whilst we were warming up on our very first track day, I saw an old man power walking around the infield of the track in some really old school Adidas spikes. He had a beaming smile and couldn’t exaggerate a bigger wave to us if he tried. Instantly he made me smile and at that point he made me think “What a great life this man leads, keeping healthy and active with a brisk walk – at that age, I hope I have that enthusiasm”.

Little did I know at this point he was actually just warming up for his sprints session! When I was performing my warm up and drills he approached me and we spoke for a little while (although neither of us could fully comprehend fully what was being said).

Joe, the 76 year old, marched over to the changing rooms waving and pointing for both me and Josh to follow him. At this point I was a little sceptical but he rummaged through his sports bag in excitement to only go and whack out a shiny national medal.

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As long as you have got passion, faith and are willing to work hard, you can do anything you want in this life – – – This is 76 year old Joe. Spanish Vet Champion. Joe brings his A game every day. He couldn’t wait to show me his national medal. He even showed me his pacemaker in his chest too. Be a Joe today, make a move.. not an excuse. #ageisjustanumber

A post shared by Αlexandra Bell (@alexbell1992) on Mar 19, 2019 at 9:18am PDT

You could tell he was so proud, he was bursting with delight and rightly so as he explained how he beat many men from all over Spain and surrounding islands to receive this.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, he then took his t-shirt off and showed us both his pacemaker in his chest too which made it even more of an impressive achievement. Every track session, Joe was there with his smile and retro spikes, getting the job done. I’m sure he would time it just right to wait for me to get to 100m to go for him to start his rep so he could zoom alongside me, but I was far from caring – He was a legend!

I came away from each session with a whole new level of appreciation of the time and effort people give in life. It just shows no matter what your age, race, ability or health, if you want something you will go and get it. There is no reason or excuse to not do what you want to do and it is all about choices and decisions, as Joe proved.

Blood results and nutritionist

Whilst I was away I received my blood results which I sent off for prior to flying out to Majorca. I was right when I mentioned in my last blog post that I thought my vitamin D was low – at an all-time low actually. There was also a showing of increased white blood cells, meaning I was potentially fighting something off these last few weeks.

I did not realise how much of an effect a slight imbalance of vitamins can have on performance. For what range could be perfectly normal for a ‘non-athlete’ is a completely different scale for us as performing athletes. I know vitamin D sounds so insignificant and there is so much negativity in the news about sun exposure and the risks that come with it, but it is important that we are exposed to the sun’s rays regularly to get the nutrients in which we need to be able to perform and feel at our best.

There is not enough in the food alone to get the requirement and so either a supplement or 10-15 minutes of the rays is vital – hence the reason why so many athletes decide to seek the sunshine at this time of year, especially us Europeans living in the northern hemisphere. Now that I am back home I will take the tablets in order to maintain an efficient and stable level, equally trying to maintain this tan too – which is real for once in my life!

Leaving no leaf unturned, I decided to meet up with an old friend, training partner and also nutritionist, Cara Sloss. Andy and I thought it may be a good time to have a few sessions with Cara to see if there was anything more I could be implementing or if there was anything I was actually lacking within my recovery and diet.

We wanted to be sure that I was doing everything in my power to refuel, energise and hydrate to the best of my ability. So after reviewing my food diary it was clear to see I probably hadn’t been recovering to the best of my ability with shabby refuelling over the final weeks of the winter season.

Cara has given me a lot of food for thought, quite literally, and for me, it wasn’t until I saw the results on paper that I realised I actually need to make a change and implement and tweak a few minor things to hopefully gain greater results.

We have already made some ever so slight changes, but this will be an ongoing journey with Cara as we work on a number of things. I’m excited to see the changes and improvements over these next few weeks.

RELATED: “As well as a strong body you equally need to train your mind”

Alexandra Bell features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Alexandra on Twitter and on Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Healthy, happy and hungry for track ’19 appeared first on Fast Running.

Cross country, indoors, outdoors, indoors, more cross country and road. In under five months I’ve covered every season – in that order.

In this short space of time, I’ve learned five key lessons, most of which I attribute to the Melbourne Track Club.

This group has opened up my eyes to professionalism. In this article, I will do my best to share these insights.

Lesson 1: The group

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, working together is success” – Henry Ford

Melbourne Track Club’s most powerful asset is simply the training group. Yes, there are days the guys may be out there training alone but for the most part the guys are training together.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are the workout days, it’s simple: be there at 9:30am. It’s a massive help when you have a set time for training.

The guys don’t complain, they make it work, they show up ready to train and willing to help each other out.

Running can be a very lonely sport so it is a massive help when there is a social aspect to it, having fun is essential for one’s sanity, especially on the tough days.

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First week done in Falls Creek. Looking forward to learning as much as I can from these lads over the next month @ryangeard #lovethepain #getitdone

A post shared by Sean Tobin (@theirishhammer) on Jan 4, 2019 at 11:39pm PST

Lesson 2: The coach

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a moulder of consensus” – Martin Luther King Jr

Nic Bideau has set the tone for the group, everyone knows that if you want to train with the group, Nic expects high standards. No one questions if he’s a good coach, the man has managed over 20 Olympians.

It’s simple, believe in the coach and do what you’re told. Everyone in the group has faith in Nic and they know if they listen and follow his guidance, they’ll be successful. Recognising a competent leader and putting your trust in them is fundamental.

Nic is a tough man and no one wants to piss him off but if he’s mad at you, be happy because it’s a sign he cares.

If you find people like this in your life, you better goddam hold on to them, whether they are your friends or your coach, they want the best from you, they want to see you succeed, if they are upset or disappointed in you it’s because they respect you enough to see you for what you could be, not just what you are.

Lesson 3: Ego is the enemy

“Impressing people is utterly different from being truly impressive” – Ryan Holiday

If you turn up thinking you’re better than everyone else or come in boasting about what you want to achieve you won’t last long in the group.

It’s very simple, everyone knows they are there to work hard and everyone has their own intrinsic goals in mind. Telling people your goals does not correlate with actually achieving them.

There’s no need to run your mouth, just show up and do the work. The guys are very good and leave their egos at home when doing sessions.

You may not be having the best day at training and instead of working yourself to death to stay at the front, they know when to let their egos go and pull back.

It’s not going to kill you to run a few seconds slower per rep, what will kill you however is smashing your body just to make yourself look good.

Lesson 4: The simple stuff

“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook” – William James

The guys keep everything simple, in their training and in their lifestyles. There’s no secret formula, nothing is overcomplicated.

Train, eat and sleep (although I also use my rest time to self educate, my young legs won’t last forever).

You train to get fit, you eat to refuel and sleep to recover. We can often over complicate everything in life and it is such a great feeling when you keep things simple. The no clutter approach frees the mind.

Lesson 5: The work never stops

“Don’t count the days, make the days count” – Muhammad Ali

No matter the time of the year, the Melbourne Track Club are working. They will keep the sessions and volume going all year round.

They are most likely only a few weeks from a strong performance all the time. There’s no major drop in workload when coming into a race and after a race no matter the result, you are back at work. Consistency is key.

Sean Tobin features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share his running journey. You can follow Sean on Twitterand Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post 5 key lessons I learnt at the Melbourne Track Club appeared first on Fast Running.