For once, I have actually been “on trend” doing my own FKT having completed the Fife Coastal Path in September in a new record time.

I have been watching a few films from the FKTs over the year and one thing that struck me was how I seemed to have a much more enjoyable experience than others did. So I thought I would write a bit on how to have fun on an FKT.

Only run if the weather is perfect

I started running at 11pm on Friday 4th September and I had perfect conditions throughtout. It was a lovely temperature and I was comfortable in my t shirt and skort throughout, only briefly wearing arm sleeves at the very start until I warmed up.

It also wasn’t too warm which was a worry after doing a recce weekend on the hottest weekend of the Scottish Summer. I just found I needed so much more fluids and also chaffing became an issue as I sweated so much. The sun shone throughout and I had a fabulous sunrise and sunset!

So make sure you pick a lovely sunny calm day with pleasant temperatures.

Photo: Provided by athlete

Know your route well

Although the Fife Coastal Path is a marked route there are quite a few points where it is badly signposted (particularly for navigationally challenged people like myself) and errors can be made. I did a lot of recce weekends where I made a lot of mistakes (I actually ran in the opposite direction one day along a motorway…) but meant that on the day I was very confident with the route and could actually enjoy it.

It also meant that I knew what was coming up throughout and had no nasty surprises. The section before St Andrews is beautiful but very tough underfoot with rocky beaches and boulder paths. On the day I was ready for them. Equally I could plan the timing of the day better as some sections were much quicker than others.

Have a good support crew

This is absolutely key – I had my boyfriend driving from point to point with refreshments and fuel stocks (He has zero interest in running unless it is after a rugby ball so I was really worried he would hate it and I would feel bad that he was having a dreadful time but he actually seemed to really enjoy the day out!).

I deliberately planned it so that he could get a good sleep on Friday night and only needed to be at the first stop at 7am – I didn’t want a cranky boyfriend making mistakes later on either! He had detailed instructions that he was to treat each stop like a Formula one pit stop in terms of efficiency. I had a tracker so he had no excuses not to have my requirements/requests ready. In fact he actually surpassed himself and even offered a few (quick and efficient) hugs along the way. He also popped up with ten miles to go with some extra coke for me – and extra fuel for my support runners.

Photo: Provided by athlete

Run with your friends

This is the most important bit. I had my friends running with me for the whole route – different people for different sections. Each and every one of them were brilliant and I actually had so much fun laughing and chatting with them along the way.

It also broke the 117 miles down nicely having people for different sections. After a year where lockdown meant a lot of social restrictions it was great to catch up with some friends I hadn’t really seen all year. They all looked after me so well and did and said all the right things at the right time. Having people that know you well is important – when I was having a low moment I needed my friend Peter to be stern with me and let me know that I needed to eat and I had to keep running, not someone to sympathise with and tell me ok to walk.

I have a lot of fun memories from the day – seeing a tawny owl with Warren in the dark, having Peter M put a seaweed wig on to make me laugh, my friend Corrie bringing a new lip balm as an essential item for me (she knows me well!), my friend Donnie suprising me at Leuchars to run with me and detailed discussions over how Alex’s amazing photo should really have a watermark on it. There was lots of good silly fun along the way!

Remember why you are doing it.

I was doing it as a Fundraiser for my friend Kat who is now paralysed from waist down following a mountain bike accident last year.

So there was never a point where I felt I wouldn’t finish it. I remember she came to cheer me on at 80 miles which was magical – 7 miles later I hit a low spot and wished could have stopped then with her. But then remembered that a proper challenge is meant to be hard and should have a chance of failure.

Overall I had one of the best days of my life!

Ultimately I was getting to spend the day running on a lovely route in perfect weather with my friends. We managed to raise enough money to get Kat her bike which was really what it was all about.

I do think that FKTs will continue to be popular in future years. I have just finished Ally Beaven’s new book “Broken” which details a lot of impressive FKTs over 2020 and it really highlights how they offer a very different challenge to a race. Ultimately you are creating your own adventure and challenge – and you might as well have fun in the process!

The post How to have Fun on an FKT appeared first on Fast Running.

It’s approaching 7pm on Friday evening. We are somewhere north of the Cromarty Firth approaching Alness.

I’ve been with the team since 5pm the night before. Sleeping in car for a few broken hours in a deserted Aviemore car park, driving hundreds of miles to get there and get home. I dodged trucks, ticks and got sunburn on my neck and blisters on the tops of my toes.

All to run alongside Dan for about 75 or so miles, to try and help his relentless march to the signpost at John O’Groats.

And it was worth it, and more. For at that point, as the sun shone down beautifully across the Scottish Highlands, I witnessed a resurrection that makes me want to cover The Stone Roses classic but to change the chorus to Dan is the Resurrection.

I had goosebumps watching Dan slug out mile after mile. Just five hours earlier Dan had pleaded with his crew for a rest. He was breaking down. The incessant mileage and the madness of Scotland’s most dangerous road, the brutal A9, had begun to put Dan in a dark place in both body and mind.

A team effort

I got to witness an amazing balance of athlete care, record focus and excellent decision making in what was approaching the 9th day of continuous epic endeavour. The next steps at this point could make the difference between success and failure. Too reckless at this stage could make for regrets. Not bold enough could make for regrets. The balance was delicate.

Make no mistake, this is not only physically and mentally demanding undertaking for the runner, but for their crew it is as brutal and demanding in its own way for so many different reasons.

But, where are my manners? You may have no idea what the hell I am yapping about here.

In short order. Dan Lawson set a new record running from Lands End to John O’Groats. He bested Richard Brown’s 10 days and 2 hours mark, taking it to 9 days and 21 hours (+change) and in the process beat the 10 hour mark. This is LEJOG’s 4 minute mile.

And I had a ringside seat for a small part of it.

Photo: Dave MacFarlane

The community has a front row seat

Ultrarunning is well known for its accessibility and community. I mean, you can’t just rock up and run with Laura Muir as she attempts a record run. But the average runner can spend a mile or two with Dan as he undertakes this LEJOG mission.

In fact, it is encouraged. From Penzance to Perth it was happening every day. It has the twin benefits of giving a fillip to the runner, the record chaser, whilst at the same time helping reinforce that sense of camaraderie that makes this facet of the long distance two-legged propulsion game so unique.

Meanwhile, Dan has a level of generosity of spirit – an attitude of gratitude – that makes people gravitate towards him like metal to a magnet.

Running alongside Dan for the short time I did (relative to his overall charge) was a lesson in determination and drive. His crew are exceptional. Charlotte is as focused and tough and caring as you could wish for in a partner. Always striking the balance of compassion and competition.

Robbie Britton is someone I have experience with in the GB24 team, but this is a different level, needing different decisions for different cares and concerns. As Dan began to wobble midway through Day 8, I watched Robbie and Charlotte get smart quickly. They understand the inner workings of their runner. Charlotte knows the man and the athlete, and Robbie the athlete and the man. That balance showed up so importantly in that moment.

Fresh plans late in the day

A new plan was hatched. A eye on how to best maintain the forward momentum needed to ensure that John O’Groats would be reached before 7am on Sunday. That was what was required to make the record happen.

I watched people come and go and give over anything that Dan needed, that the team needed, in selfless shows of support and it warmed my heart. I got to meet long time social media friends Jim Mann and Ally Beaven. Ambulance drivers shouting encouragement.

Random people with cameras rocking up in lay-bys and passing places to snatch blurred images or wobbly videos of Dan as he pushed north. Him always thanking them. Always.

Then there was Alan Rankin – the physio from the GB squad – who must have driven well over 1,500 miles to meet Dan in various locations at the end of many days just to rub some life back into his aching legs. And, of course, the indefatigable encouragement machine that is Mick Seymour. He’s my Mick Seymour on GB duty. But for 10 days he was Dan’s and Dan’s alone. Except when I needed coke and Clif bar.

As if to make the point about the way this sport is about the community, the previous record holder, Richard Brown, had used planes, bikes and automobiles to be there for the last few days and to help push Dan on. HIs interest was in seeing the record go down. His record. His mark. By his friend.

Dan Lawson LeJog 2020 Teaser from Dave MacFarlane on Vimeo.

More than just the runner, a whole community

On social media all you see are pictures of a runner. A bit of drama in the face at the smartly snapped shot, or a moment in time that cannot do the hours and days of toil, effort and emotion justice. It’s a snippet that can be positioned anyway the taker prefers it to. When you are inside the ropes as I had the honour of being for a couple of days, you see the inner workings of ambition, talent and team all combine to create legend and greatness. Which is exactly what happened here.

To see that was inspiring. It was humbling. It was something I am proud to have witnessed. It also has me google mapping. If that is a verb…

They say you should never meet your heroes. Frankly, if my experience of meeting Dan, a hero of mine, is anything to go by, I’d encourage you all to meet them and more. He is, quite frankly, amazing.

EPILOGUE: Dan and I passed an hour or so chatting as we created our dream teams for a West Ham v Celtic all star match. A nice example of how you pass time on a journey that lasts just shy of 240 hours. I have noted down both teams and may put them together for a simulated game, maybe Fast Running will post the match report one day. Jinky v Roberto Carlos (one of Dan’s wildcards) would be up there with LEJOG.

If you want to be one of the first to see the full film this autumn then the best plan of action is to follow @davemacfarlane on Instagram and join Dan and Charlotte @rerunclothing. We at Fast Running will keep you updated too. 

The post Down, but not out appeared first on Fast Running.

On Friday 3rd July Scotland lifted the five mile limit for leisure travel. For most, this just meant a drive into town but for one man it meant 134 miles on foot.

At 8am James Stewart (Fast 10 class of 2018 and experienced GB 24hr runner) set off on a mission to run an FKT on the John Muir Way.

Beautiful challenge

To quote James: “The route looks pretty cool”. Slicing right across Scotland from Helensburgh on the west coast, through Edinburgh, and finishing at Dunbar on the east coast.

FKT’s or Fastest Known Times are a growing phenomenon and one which James believes will only increase thanks to lockdown, “you can do it when it suits you, at your behest and to satisfy no-one but yourself’.

The aim is to run a distinct and repeatable route which can be followed by others. The best efforts are logged at fastestknowtime.com.

It’s the original socially distanced race. The John Muir Way was even more appealing because “you don’t need trail shoes for most of it – it’s a very runnable route and not super technical” – ideal for a man who hates ridge running and heights!

The John Muir Way

No recce, no problem

In October last year a long held desire to try an FKT solidified, with the aim to hit the John Muir Way at the start of July. Luckily the slight lockdown lifting came just in time (though not enough for his planned post-FKT holiday).

Lockdown restrictions meant James was unable to recce much of the route, though he admits he probably wouldn’t have done so anyway.  ‘It means you can’t be worried about a particular hill or dread a certain stretch’.

Consistent training

That said, he has found that overall, lockdown life has made his training easier. Normally he’d be commuting down to London or around the country in his role as Head of Learning for Sky but instead he’s had more time at home. That has meant more space for S&C (3 classes a week) and a different training cycle with less of a build and taper.

A normal solid training week would be around 80 miles, lifting to 120 at peak, but in current circumstances it has been less variable.

Lockdown life has meant he is able to “have a lie in and just get up on a Friday morning for my long runs which can be anywhere from 25-40 miles”. When pressed as to what time that is he concedes that he’s often out of the door at 4am to ensure he’s ready for meetings at 9am.

Tough conditions

Supported largely by his Dad Andy Stewart and friend Alan MacCuish, with coach Paul Giblin running an early section, James battled horrific conditions for the first 11 hours.

“The problem was, even when it wasn’t raining the ground was wet which means your feet get wet anyway, but I’m a Scot, I’m used to it”.

James had made a pledge at the start of the year not to buy any new clothes so when we talk about kit he’s very straight forward.

“I used whatever I already had that was comfortable – several pairs of Hoka ONE ONE shoes and socks, swapped out when they got wet, plus a Gore gilet that was a leaving present from a past job”, but in general he’s “not one for brands or lots of gear”.

James at the finish with his Dad. Photo: Adrian Stott

Despite the conditions at the start, shorts and t-shirt were enough for most of the route. As for fuelling, his wife’s banana bread got him a good way through the challenge along with sports drinks (SiS) and other solid food until he couldn’t stomach it any more and switched to the ultra-runner’s standard of Coca Cola and gels to get him through the final stretch.

Mental toolbox

James says that breaking the race up into the next few miles or until the next place he’d see his support team was key. While he did do some mental preparation he aims to “have a whole toolbox of tricks rather than one specific strategy, because if that stops working you’re stuck”.

It was eight miles from the end, with a truely stunning sun rise over the Scottish coast and the realisations that a sub 22hrs was in reach, that he “really began to enjoy it”. As Adrian Stott commented “they don’t call Dunbar ‘Sunny Dunny’ for nothing!”.

Photo: Rob Turner

“I worked out that I needed to run 10 minute miles which doesn’t sound like much but after that distance it is. But just like a football team who are several goals up and minutes from the end, it was then that I started to really feel it flow and be able to take it in”.

He finished in an unofficial time of 21:53:22 – smashing the previous record by over 7 hrs.

Support team

Having the support of family, supporters and other runners was an important part of the achievement including the CEO of Scottish Athletics Mark Munro, who joined James on the bike for the last eight miles.

GB trail team manager Adrian Stott said “special mention to GB 100k international and former GB 100k champion Rob Turner who buddied James on the last 50k.”

What an athlete, now @james_stewart13 is the true definition of tough, as he smashed the #FKT for the @johnmuirway route, 130+ miles from Helensburgh-Dunbar by over 7 hours in 21 hours 53 mins! @pyllon @VP_Glasgow_AC @scotathletics pic.twitter.com/yISNAaF21L

— SALMarkMunro (@SALMarkMunro) July 4, 2020

Impressive achievement

Clearly tackling 134 miles is an incredible physical challenge but for non ultra runners it can be hard to get a sense of how impressive James’ performance was.

Part of the GB24hr management, Robbie Britton highlights that “what’s always impressive about all of James’ performances is his work ethic.

Even if the odds are against him he will always give his best, so when it comes to a good day like this, when things are generally going his way, he achieves something really special”.

“I was sick at just over 100 miles. That was really hard. Just gone midnight and all that,” remembers Stewart. “But the experience of the the 24hr races kicked in. Salt, Pringles and dark chocolate saved me.”

Stott adds “The JMT is not too technical and pretty much all runnable s played to James’ strength as a 24 hour runner. It will take a top effort to beat this but no doubt others will be tempted”.

Just out for a run with a bottle of pop and the shortest shorts James could find that morning. Photo: Gerry Healy

Looking ahead

Being able to speak so coherently about his experience just seven hours after finishing, James is clearly able to bounce back fast but he’ll be taking some time to recover.

“I’ll take a week off doing anything and tonight I’ll put my feet up and I’ve promised the kids we’ll have a Dominoes.”

The European 24hr Champs in September, where he was due to represent GB this year, has been cancelled so the next big competition is the World Champs in Romania in May 2021.

Selection is still to be confirmed but ”things like this can only help to remind selectors that you’re in good shape and can cover good distance without getting injured”.

Intrinsic drive

With James’s experience, he’ll be hoping to make the 2021 World Champs team, but having said that he’s conscious that his love of running has evolved over the years. Now, racing and placings is not the only thing that drives him. Nowadays it’s “all about the story” and he’s certainly got more FKT’s on his mind.

The best part of the FKT? “The real best bit was that I must have had 30+ different people run with me at times, many of whom I didn’t know. Add to that scores more out supporting and saying hello, waving flags etc. That was so cool”.

He says that having just finished this challenge his mindset is at the point “where I think never again” but in the same breath laughs “I’m sure I’ll have a few more adventures”.

Want to run faster? For just £30 per month athletes are provided with a Final Surge plan for each day of the week, coaching advice from Robbie Britton and Tom Craggs, as well as access to the unique Fast Running Performance community.

If you would like more information on joining the project, click here. 

The post Stewart smashes record on 134 mile John Muir Way appeared first on Fast Running.

Kevin Seaward of St Malachy’s AC moved into second place on the Irish all-time marathon list when he ran 2 hrs 10 mins 12 secs at the Seville Marathon on Sunday (February 23).

Although it was a personal best, Seaward’s time was only enough for 26th place in the race. Race winner Mekuant Gebre of Ethiopia ran a time of 2:04:46 with the top 14 finishing in under 2:08. Last year, before the use of shoes with carbon fibre inserts became almost universal, the tenth runner finished in 2:08.50.

Seaward’s time was more than three minutes faster than the 2:13:39 he ran in Berlin last September and comfortably inside the Tokyo Olympics qualifying mark of 2:11:30. Three Irish athlete now have qualifying times – the other two are Paul Pollock of Annadale Striders with 2:10.15 from the Valencia Marathon in December and Stephen Scullion of Clonliffe Harriers who finished fifth in 2:11.52 at the “gold label” Houston Marathon last month. All three athletes come from Northern Ireland.

In only his second ever marathon, Hugh Armstrong of Ballina AC missed out on the Olympic time by less than a minute when he finished in a personal best 2:12:26. Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock, who has been struggling with an achilles injury, dropped out of the race.

In the age groups, Ray Hynes of Donore Harriers was sixth M40 in 2:24.15, while Mary Lynch of Raheny Shamrock was Ireland’s only winner of the day when finishing first W65 in 3:39.49.

In Australia, Michelle Finn of Leevale AC won the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the Sydney Track Classic on Saturday (February 22). Her time of 9 mins 38.04 secs was a personal best by over five seconds, and although outside the Tokyo Olympics standard of 9 mins 30 secs, it puts her in a good position to qualify.

Finn, currently training full-time, has competed in two World Student Games and two World Championships as well as the 2016 Rio Olympics.

McGroarty still had perfectly coiffured hair, even after 24hrs of indoor running. Photo: Robbie Britton

24hr wondershow

In Espoo, Finland, Ed McGroarty of Lifford Strabane AC set a new overall Irish 24-hour record of 249.626km – a personal best by 27 kilometres.

He finished second in the race, held indoors, behind local athlete Jari Soikkeli who completed a distance of 253.916km, also a Finnish record. There are three Irish 24-hour records records – road, track and indoors – with Eoin Keith’s 248.4km from the 2017 World 24 Hour Championships, held outdoors, previously recognised as the best overall.

Fast Running’s Robbie Britton was in Finland and said “McGroarty ran an excellent race, pacing well from the start and looking almost effortless until the final few hours. He was in the lead and all set for the Irish record when the Finn accelerated around 21 hours in. Sensibly Ed ran his own race and focused on his national mark as we all expected Soikkeli to falter but he just kept going.”

“Both men had an excellent race in the Esport Arena, with the usual carnage of a 24hr race making entertaining watching. Several different race leaders come and went, with some simply faltering and others dropping out of the race altogether. Afterwards McGroarty put his big improvement down to woking heavily on his mental game and he looked like he enjoyed nearly every moment of the event”.

Also in action was Alex O’Shea of St Finbarr’s AC, who completed 170.057km after having some difficulties early on in the event.

All hail Mitchell and Johnston

Emma Mitchell and Neil Johnston were the winners of a well-supported Northern Ireland and Ulster cross-country championships, held in rain and hail at University of Ulster Coleraine on Saturday (February 22).

In the women’s race. Mitchell, a member of Dublin club Clonliffe Harriers, was a clear winner in 24 mins 9 secs. Catherine Whoriskey of City of Derry Spartans was over half a minute behind for second in 24:47 and Lauren Wilson of Lagan Valley AC third in 24:53.

First home of the 14 teams entered was North Down AC led by Katie Moore in sixth place. Beechmount Harriers finished second and City of Derry Spartans AC third.

Johnston, a member of of Springwell RC, won the men’s race in 44 mins 47 secs, with Eskander Turki of Annadale Striders second in 45:06 and defending champion Mark McKinstry of North Belfast Harriers third in 45.47. The clear winner of team gold ahead of 16 other teams was Newcastle AC, led by Patrick McNiff in fourth place with mountain running international Zak Hanna not far behind for seventh.

City of Derry Spartans AC and North Belfast Harriers were second and third of the teams.

At the English “Nationals”, also on Saturday, Jayme Rossiter of Clonliffe Harriers, representing Newham and Essex Beagles AC finished 13th.

In Dublin’s Phoenix Park, the annual Colours Cross-Country between Trinity College and UCD on Saturday (February 23) resulted in a double victory for Trinity.

In the women’s 4km race, Trinity took the top three places with Cliona Murphy the winner by over a minute in 14 mins 52 secs. The men’s victory was even more comprehensive with Trinity taking five of the top six places. Oisin McKinley led them home, clocking 21 mins 36secs for the 6.44km course.

Winning a thrilling men’s race at the Central Bank BHAA cross-country in Wesley College, Dublin was George Snee of Fidelity Investments Ireland who just made it to the line ahead of Sean Doran of Harrier Products.

So close were the two that they were both given a time of 22mins 33 secs for the four mile course. With one race to go, Doran currently leads the BHAA Winter League Table for Grade A. Best of the A graded teams was Bank of Ireland led by Michael O’Connor in eighth place. Dublin City Council won B, ESB were tops in C and AIB the winners in D.

First woman was Rachel Yorke of Deloitte in 27:06. Grainne Butler of the Health Group was second, while Niamh Corby of Revenue was a close third. Next BHAA race is the CIT 5km in Bishopstown, Cork on Sunday March 1 (11am). That’s followed by the AIB NUI Maynooth Cross-Country on Saturday March 7 (11am) – the final cross-country fixture of the season.

Home roads

Kevin Maunsell of Clonmel AC showed a welcome return to form when winning the Adare 10km in Co Limerick on Sunday (February 23).

Maunsell’s time of 30 mins 18 secs saw him finish 21 seconds ahead of Rory O’Connor from North Cork AC and Alan O’Shea of Bantry AC. Rathfarnhm WSAF AC’s Kevin Donagher was eighth overall and first M40.

Best of the women was was Sorcha Nic Dhomhnaill of Donore Harriers in 36 mins 41 secs. Dympna Ryan of Dundrum AC and Siobhan O’Doherty of Borrisokane AC were second and third. Former Irish international athlete Rosemary Ryan of Dooneen AC took the W40 prize.

South Galway AC was first of the men’s teams ahead of West Limerick AC and Dooneen AC, with Watergrasshill AC beating Dooneen AC and North Cork AC in the women’s team category.

Winning a well-supported Kinsale 10-Mile on Sunday (February 23) was Pat Hennessy of West Waterford AC in a course record time of 51 mins 13 secs. Jeremy O’Donovan of St Finbarr’s was second and first M40 in 53:55. Clare Gibbons McCarthy of Leevale AC was first woman in 61:21.

A day after finishing second in the Central Bank BHAA Cross-Country, Sean Doran of Clonliffe Harriers was the winner of Sunday’s Clogherhead Seaside 5km in Co Louth with a time of 15 mins 42 secs. First woman was Claire O’Malley of Dunleer AC in 19:37.

In another Sunday race, Brian Kelly of St Abban’s AC in 32 mins 34 secs and Aisling O’Connor of Edenderry AC in 35:31 were the winners at the Graiguecullen 10km.

Slight shorter indoor action than Finland

Anne Gilshinan of Slaney Olympic AC in Enniscorthy, recently named world master athlete of the year for middle distance running, continued her current purple patch with victory in the W55 1500m at the Leinster Indoor Championships at the NIA, Abbotstown, on Saturday (February 22).

Her time of 4:46.10 was the fastest women’s masters time of the day. Winning the women’s senior title was Niamh Kearney of Sli Cualann AC in 4:33.02. Taking the senior men’s 1500m title in 4:06.98 was Mitchell Byrne of Rathfarnham WSAF AC.

Over 3000m, Emmett Jennings was the winner in 8:25.75 beating his Dundrum South Dublin AC clubmate Robert Corbally who finished in 8:37.56. Winning the senior men’s 800m in 1:55.88 was Cillian Kirwan of Raheny Shamrock AC. The M65 winner was world champion Joe Gough of West Waterford AC in 2:22.81.

At the final NIA Live meet of the season on Tuesday (February 18), 17-year-old Cian McPhillips of Longford AC ran a time of 4:13.00 for the mile – the fastest of the night. Last month, McPhillips improved the Irish junior 1500m to 3:44.85. He then went to New York where he won the boys’ invitational mile at the Millrose Games. Second in the NIA mile race with a time of 4:18.25 was U23 athlete Kevin McGrath of Bohermeen AC.

Not far off the world M50 mile record with a time of 4:26.66 was Shane Healy of Metro St Brigid’s AC. Winning the women’s mile in 4:47.82 was former Irish international athlete Kelly Neely.The National Indoor Championships are the big event for next weekend, taking place at the NIA, Abbotstown.

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The post Seaward runs 2:10 marathon in Spain – Irish round-up appeared first on Fast Running.

I have always been someone who likes to prepare as much as possible for everything- I have an “intolerance for uncertainty” (control freak) and have always tried to combat that by doing as much as I can for things….I was never a crammer for my exams in school!

When I played tennis I practised and practised every single shot thousands of times…I had a bucket of 100 balls that used to practice my serve while my Mum or brother scootered around the court picking them up for me to serve them again. My first tennis coach told me that to master a new shot/stroke you needed to practice it 10,000 times and this is something that has always stuck with me.

I have taken this approach to my running too – and with ultra running preparation seems to be all encompassing. There is just so much that can go wrong in a long Ultra…but the better you prepare the less likely things will go wrong….and if they go wrong you will be better equipped to deal with it.

The next big challenge

I have entered my biggest challenge to date this year…the Madeira Island Ultra Trail. 115km across the island with about 8000 metres of ascent. I am terrified to be honest – the longest I have ran for is when I did the Highland Fling in 2018 when I ran for 8hrs 26 minutes (I was seven minutes quicker in 2019) – realistically looking at previous times and knowing my strengths/weaknesses on that sort of terrain I will be running for 20 hours or so!

The beautiful, but unforgiving landscape of Madeira. Photo: Nicola Duncan

So how am I preparing?! I have broken down the preparation into different sections and am focusing on each of these to try and make sure I am doing everything I can to get ready:

Training with the goal in mind

For whatever event you are training for you need to keep the training specific. I love long runs and already run quite big mileage every week.

So realistically I know I can’t really increase my mileage more than what doing already. So I have been focusing on lots of hilly routes (living in Edinburgh I have the Pentland Hills as my playground and the Seven Hills of Edinburgh is all-time favourite route), hill rep sessions, longer progression runs and am currently in Madeira doing a camp which is a recce of the race route.

One thing that is difficult to replicate for events in Europe is the long sustained ascents and descents…my runs are much more “undulating” in Edinburgh. This week of training is the ideal opportunity to get my legs used to climbing for AGES and then descending for AGES. Interestingly it is the long descents that trash my legs much more and I have suffered with cramp at races like the OCC as a result.

A night out on the trails

My race starts at midnight…so will be a) running with a head-torch and b) running when I should be sleeping.

I run a lot throughout Winter with a headtorch so am comfortable with this, although I had a nasty fall in Sicily in September running in the dark without a headtorch on an uneven gravelly path along a pier. One of those runs where, in hindsight, you couldn’t have been more of a numpty! I have the scars on my face to show for this but it took months to regain my confidence running in the dark (and a new super duper 900 lumen Petzl headtorch).

A few pals of mine have planned some nocturnal Pentland Skyline runs where we will start late on a Friday evening – replicating starting a bit tired and ready for bed. Hopefully this will help with confidence too – of course it is a balance as you don’t want to mess up training generally and sleep so important in any training cycle.

Keeping the body healthy

Consistent training is so important and this means avoiding injury. I used to be permanently injured when I did road marathons and have learned a lot through making all the mistakes possible.

I do Pilates regularly, train with an amazing outdoor fitness group called Race Fitness which incorporates lots of strength and core work (and “hardship” training), get a massage every month and have an amazing osteopath who sorts me out instantly when I have any issues. I have regular recovery days (My coach Robbie makes me) too which I find hard.

Eating for the miles (and mountains) ahead

I have been working with my coach Robbie Britton with this – I remember the first time he asked me what I would have for a race and his absolute horror when he realised I meant for the whole thing and not per hour…

I now use Maurten which has been amazing for me – an easy way to get carbs and liquid in, especially when weather is warm and drinking more.

There’s a good variety of race food I enjoy, like mini rolls (you can just shove them in and no chewing required!), clif blocks (experimenting with caffeine versions also) and jelly babies. But for Madeira I need to expand my list of foods as everyone tells me you get sick of some foods..imagine if I couldn’t face any more mini rolls.

I am going to try Swiss roll (less messy than mini rolls when warmer and not much chewing), rice with jam and Nutella sandwiches on the camp in Madeira…but any suggestions welcome? I love ice cream but think this isn’t really going to be possible logistically carrying my own food.

Last Summer I did the UTMB route over four days when there was a heat wave and survived off ice cream and coke! Every time I got to a town the plan was to load up on vanilla ice cream – it was immense. Cooled me down, full of energy and just a comforting food in general.

So if anyone has any secrets on how to transport ice cream during a long mountain ultra then please do get in touch.

Colour coordination and a strange leg twist are key for your trail photos. Photo: Provided by athlete

Got to look the part

The fun bit of training and racing! I hope to have an idea of what runners will be best after my recce camp in Madeira – thinking La Sportiva Helios or Inov8 Trail Talon [Although since writing this Nicola has discovered the trails are quite rocky for these lighter shoes – Ed.]

My Ultimate Direction pack is the business and fits in everything (down to my lipgloss) and is super comfy. I have found THE perfect shorts for race day – multi coloured short short ones with ice cream cones on them as it might be the only ice cream, I get on race day.

And will wear my tried and trusted Lululemon t shirt – no matter how much I sweat it dries and I still smell lovely. Gloves and buff are key parts of my kit also – my friends joke how “tapps off” weather means “gloves off” for me. I have my lucky underwear that I wear for all my races too.

The race is 10 weeks away and the racing outfit is sorted. How’s that for organised?

Getting the head in the right place

This is a key aspect of any race – how do you cope when the going gets tough and you have those periods of “darkness”?

I think it is important to have a very defined “WHY” for doing the race…so when you want to stop you have a reason not to. I like to challenge myself and see what I can do but I have an extra component in my “WHY” this time.

I am fundraising to get a super duper bike for my lovely friend Kat who is paralysed after an accident on her mountain bike last Summer. Kat is one of the best downhill runners I have ever seen (we always joked we needed to find a relay hill race where I went up and she went down) and we have done lots of OCR events together too.

She loved mountain biking and being outside. Her accident has meant a complete change of life for her but this bike will be a game changer. She will be able to get back on the trails and hills where she belongs and will mean that her quality of life will be so much better. I am determined to get this bike for her so that we can continue to have fun together…so when I want to stop on race day…this will keep me going.

Here’s hoping that all this preparation and consideration will pay off and I will finish in one piece on April 25th. If I have missed anything…please let me know.

If you would like to sponsor Nicola to help raise funds for Kat’s bike then please follow the link here.

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Earlier this year inov8 sponsored man mountain Paul Tierney  attempted to break the record for completing all the Wainwrights in one go. 214 Peaks, 318 Miles, 36,000 Metres Elevation in the English Lake District. Dave MacFarlane, of DMTwo Media, has made a lovely film about it and here’s the trailer.

Alfred Wainwright is famous for his seven volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells he authored about his favourite hills and a few years back Steve Birkumshaw ran all of them in one go, with a few wee sleeps along the way, to set a record of six days and 13 hours. Before that Lakeland legend Joss Naylor held the record of seven days.

And in the spirit of the fell running community Birkumshaw and Naylor were on hand to help Irishman Tierney when he decided to have a crack at the long run himself.

Running around your home hills

“I decided to try it because I was inspired by Steve’s attempt and the film and his book were reminders for me of how deep he had to go to get the record.” said Tierney when asked why he wanted to attempt such a huge undertaking. “For me one of the things I like most about endurance sports is someone’s ability to keep pushing long after the fun wears off”

The Irish international relocated to Lakes with his partner, and probably even more accomplished mountain runner, Sarah McCormack and their dog Quilla.

“Just the act of stringing all the Wainwrights together in one long run was very motivating. I wanted to see if I could do it,” said the two time Tor des Geants finisher. “If I didn’t live in the lakes then I may not have been attracted to it as much. But being able to train on and recce the route made it seem more possible to at least attempt.”

It’s stopped being fun

We’ll let the trailer speak for the upcoming movie by Dave MacFarlane and inov8, which will be premiered at the Kendal Mountain Festival in November.

But one more word from Paul, on if it really did stop being fun?

“Yes it really f**king did” laughs Tierney. “The second half of day 6 was agony on my knee and I was totally knackered. There were lots of other low points but they wouldn’t last very long.”

“I think that bit where I said it wasn’t fun anymore [in the film trailer] was the Tuesday morning. I really struggled just to get out of the van that morning and at the time wondered how I’d manage to do another two and a half days.”

The premiere screening at Kendal Mountain Festival sold out quicker than an inov8 sample sale at the Iain Hodgson Fell Relays, but if you’re lucky you might see the big man himself talking about it in his sexy Irish accent on one of the breakout sessions.

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.

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Last week I made a decision that I’ve never made before, I didn’t line up on the start of the Snowdon Skyline.

Maybe I’m getting older (definitely) or maybe just a little wiser (probably not) but it is absolutely the right decision for my body, however my head and heart had a hard time letting go. Somehow I feel like I’ve let myself down when in reality it is the exact opposite.

Commitment to your health, as well as your races.

Growing up my family didn’t have loads of spare cash, as many families don’t and I wanted to do all the extra classes (unless I was bad at them my mother reminds me and then I wasn’t interested which feels very familiar and is why I won’t play pool with George) so my sister and I were allowed to pick one or two.

The rule in the house was if you committed to something then you were to show up to every practice and every game no exceptions. It is one of the many qualities that I am so grateful my parents instilled in me and has been the backbone of my running and hairdressing career. If I sign up I show up and get it done, no matter what.

In my running career which now spans more than a decade I only have two DNF’s to my name both in small local races which were down to injury  but never a DNS. Gutting it out is how I learnt my craft, it’s how I refined my racing strategies and built up experience.

Leading by example

Maybe it’s the fact I’m a coach now but I do want to lead by example and I’d never recommend an athlete do these races so close together. There are so many exciting races out there that you just can’t do them all, at least you can’t do them all well and keep running for years.

My problem is I like to race long but I also like to race technical and those calendars just don’t line up. Three weeks ago I raced the TDS [a 145km sister race in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc series] and stepping over the finish line I knew it had been a hard race that I’d left a little extra out on that course.

I couldn’t even talk about racing Snowdon for a few days as it was just too daunting but I’d been here before, surely a few days of sleep and I’d start to get my head around it. There were heavy thoughts about keeping my UK Sky Running crown but to do that I’d have to place first or second in the final two races of the year and with Snowdon being the UK Champs my race game would need to be strong.

Photo: George Woods

Recovery is so important for a long career

How’s your recovery going? Are you recovered yet? As a runner I’m sure we’ve all had to field these questions. Recovery takes time, more time then I’d like it to, it’s more than just catching up on your sleep and refuelling your body.

Recovery is something you feel in your bones, it’s regaining that motivation to get running again. When you finish a big race you will be less fit then when you started but the temptation to race again soon is huge! Goodness knows I am certainly guilty of slapping on a smile and trying to fool my body and mind into thinking I’m ok to race again.

Learning from 2018

Last year I raced Lavaredo Ultra Trail and two weeks later the Lakes Sky Ultra, then went onto the UTMB, stupidly climbed Mont Buet three days afterwards and two weeks later was at the Glencoe Skyline. Unsurprisingly I felt rubbish but my desire to run that route outweighed the fatigue.

As soon as I started I knew it was going to be a battle and even though we were on the bad weather shortened course the finish couldn’t come quick enough. I simply don’t want to feel like that again. I don’t want to delay actual proper recovery by another month just to satisfy my desire to be out in the mountains and see my mates.

Making the smart decision

Even as I write this though a little voice is saying ‘would it be so bad? Maybe you should just do it, it would be so much fun!’ Don’t worry I’ll head out for a run soon and be swiftly reminded that 60 minutes is more than enough right now.

Ultimately it’s a case of FOMO and I was very jealous of others this weekend when I wasn’t shimmying across Crib Goch but it is never the wrong decision to be kind to yourself.

So I took my coach’s advice and did something fun that didn’t involve running and will look forward to feeling fresh again much sooner. I put my energy into my sport in a different way, going along to cheer on some of my athletes at the Centurion Chiltern Wonderland 50 miler.

Anyway there is always next year for Snowdon…

Sophie Grant is a UKA Athletics Coach, GB Trail international and part of the Centurion Running Coaching team. If anyone can convince you that #vanlife is a good idea, it’s Sophie. 

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The post Did Not Start appeared first on Fast Running.

Although the event started at midday on Sunday, no one has yet reached the finish and most of the field is still heading towards halfway.

A fuller insight into the wild and wondrous mountain epic will come at the end of the whole week (once I’ve had more than a few hours of sleep at a time), but here is some of the fantastic pictures from the event so far.

The highlights are not just the spectacular scenery, but also the vibrant and supportive local communities that seem to find great joy in welcoming runners from all over the world to their mountain towns.

The pride in the race is clear for all to see and the coveted finishers jacket is the one bit of race ‘swag’ you might actually wear.

Fast Running?

Now you might ask why a race that takes the winner around 70 hours is featuring on a website called Fast Running.

So the picture below shows Canadian runner Galen Reynolds, who finished second in 2018, enjoying one of the more runnable sections of the course. Certainly in the first half the leaders are shifting and the pace certainly looks unsustainable (which it is for some).

Reynolds is London based, which makes his success in mountain races, like the Tor des Geants and this years Dragon’s Back race in Wales, ever the more impressive.

Photo: Stefano Jeantet

Putting in a shift

No of this event would happen without the awe-inspiring volunteers that make it happen. Year on year the same smiling faces greet the runners as the whole community come behind the event.

Monday night we booked into Le Coeur du Pont hotel in Donnas and as I set off at midnight to support my runner, our receptionist Giorgia finishes her work day and changes into her volunteer’s top for a night serving hot pasta to weary runners in the Lifebase.

There are six lifebases, where you have a bag of kit transported ahead of you and they are a little more substantial than your normal race checkpoint. Massage, sleeping rooms, fully working kitchens and a beer pump at each for the runners, it’s almost a luxury gastronomic tour of the valley, if you weren’t so bloody knackered.

The community are one of the main things that make this race so special.

Photo: Stefano Jeantet

Getting high

The event isn’t just big hills, it’s high mountains. With the highest point being over 3200m the runners are often in rarefied air and feeling the effects of altitude.

The cols, lower points between higher mountains that have seen people passing on foot for hundreds, if not thousands of years, are the only way to get from one life base to the next, and even then it isn’t easy. The race profile has more ups and downs than the English cricket team.

With the first night seeing snow and temperatures as cold as -15 at the highest points, the athlete have to be prepared for the worst and experienced in suffering. Even then 150 have dropped out before the second night arrives.

Photo: Stefano Jeantet

Previous winners in the 10th anniversary

With this being the tenth running of the event the organisers wanted to put on a show and invited back every former winner of the grand spectacle.

Currently both male and female leaders are those who have been atop the podium before with Italian Olivio Bosatelli ahead in the mens race and Spain’s Silvia Ainhoa Trigueros Garrote (pictured below) leading the women and in ninth place overall.

Photo: Stefano Jeantet

Fast Running’s Robbie Britton and his wife Natalie are out in Italy where Robbie is providing unsolicited advice to runners and cycling between the checkpoints to support Icelandic ultra runner and friend Birgir Saevarsson.

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The coaching team I work with at Centurion Running are some of the most experienced ultra coaches in the UK and between them have coached athletes to complete just about any ultra race you can think of.

Ultra running itself is more than just one race, but often a journey into a whole new sport that requires patience and plenty of self-reflection. For those starting out on their adventure we asked the Centurion Running coaches for their best beginner advice.

Even if you’re a salty old ultra running sea-dog (I know that makes no sense) there might be some gems in there to make your next 100 miler a little bit easier too. 

Make a plan

“Make a plan and share it with your family,” says England international and Sports Science & Education graduate Edwina Sutton. “Like all things in life, being organised and thinking through where you want to go and how you are going to get there is key to long term success.”

Be it just for the training ahead or your long term goals, putting it down in writing and making yourself accountable to others is proven to help with motivation, focus and drive. We’ve already discussed setting SMART goals here.

“I have found having a plan with scheduled workouts, recovery runs, long runs, races and weekends off (shock horror!) is a great way to stick to your training,” continues the ex pro-triathlete and coach. “After all consistency is the key to ultra success, so allow yourself a healthy blend of life and training.”

It’s important to plan for all eventualities in an ultra. Photo: Robbie Britton

The C word

It keeps coming up with my own athletes, but consistency is the key to endurance training. It’s a trial of miles that you just keep adding to over years and years and includes all the ups and downs. There is no one “killer session” that will equal ultra marathon success, but a much bigger jigsaw you must put together over time.

“Moderating your long runs to ensure you are always feeling pretty recovered within a couple of days is crucial to achieving consistency,” says Centurion race director and UKA coach James Elson. “Scale it back if recovery is taking longer than that.”

No long run will make your performance on race day, but one could certainly break it. Having a series of good long runs, with weeks of lower mileage when needed, can ensure you focus on consistency over the one big blast.

“I think most people come into ultras because they enjoy running so much they want it to last even longer, so make sure you keep enjoying it.” says GB international Sophie Grant. ‘A sign that you’re not recovering can be that training becomes a slog and at this point, it’s worth just dialling it back a little.”

“Its better to come into a race 10% undercooked than 1% overcooked,” says super experienced Neil Bryant. “ultra running isn’t about being in your fastest shape on the startline, but a block of consistent training, not necessarily certain big sessions, is going to make those race day miles easier.”

Variety is the spice of life

“Diversity is key,” states Edwina Sutton. “Just because your actual racing might be over a long distance, and thus run at a relative slow speed, don’t neglect all of your running gears. On a very basic level, the faster you can run a 5k race, the faster your ‘jogging’ pace becomes.”

Looking at the demands of ultra running, physiological fitness is still a key component, although not the only one. The best way to develop your physiological fitness as a whole involves working across a range of speeds and effort levels.

Mix it up & don’t be afraid of a bit of tempo running.

For marathon training the closer you get to race day the more specific your training becomes to that marathon, but you still don’t neglect the faster speeds. It’s all got a time and a place.

You might work on your speed endurance or higher end threshold training further out from your event and go through marathon pace work and get closer to race pace as the event gets closer. At any one time you can keep the faster work involved, variation is key to physiological improvements, but you wouldn’t want to be doing your 800m reps two weeks out from your first 100 miler. 

Not just about the heart and lungs

It’s not just the speed and effort you can make specific. GB24hr international Elson points out that you should “focus your training as you get closer to race day so that you can closely match terrain, environmental conditions and footwear/ kit/ nutrition to that which you’ll have or face on race day.”

As mentioned above, your physiological fitness is just one factor and the longer the race, the more other aspects will impact your result.

“Practice everything, especially eating, as you can’t ask your body to do these long events without giving it fuel,” is the golden rule from UKA coach Grant. “If you want your best result, then the biggest area for improvement for 99% of ultra runners is improving your race nutrition.”

Whilst you might have heard of the ‘marginal gains’ from running on empty and increasing your fat-burning ability, for all beginners the improvements will pale in significance to the ‘maximal gains’ you can get from a successful nutrition strategy.

No amount of stubbornness or marathon fitness will keep you moving well in the latter stages of an ultra if you haven’t got the fuel inside. Take that drive and energy you might put into your final long rep or getting to that next checkpoint and put it into eating a sandwich. You’ll make everything easier. 

Photo: Sophie Grant at UTMB by Zoe Salt.

All about relentless forward progress

The chances are you won’t run every step of your first ultra. Even the top elites are still walking sections of the steeper races and many incorporate hike breaks into all their racing.

“Expect to walk/hike” says Sophie. “Sometimes you’ll move faster doing this compared to running so practice this too.”

“Practise your hiking. Being able to hike at a good effort level, with purpose, but comfortable, is a huge weapon in your ultra armour,” continues Alps based Sutton. “This can incorporated into recovery sessions or hilly routes, get comfortable dropping down to a hike and then going back into a run and vice versa.”

We all work on different speeds in training and race pace is key to many distances. Ultra running is no different, but it might feel a little slow to do a workout at “100 mile pace” but keeping it easy for your recovery and easy running can help improve your efficiency at the pace you’ll likely move on race day. Especially in the second half.

Be a part of the community

The ultra running community is a wonderful group of people so be a part of it. From keeping a “leave no trace” attitude, to sharing miles with a whole host of eccentric and varied people, try to be a positive part of ultra running.

If you do want a head start into the world of ultra marathon then it’s always worth talking to others, either in the community, on the trail or working with a coach. We know a few good ones.

The Centurion Running Coaching team consists of James Elson, Robbie Britton, Edwina Sutton, Neil Bryant and Sophie Grant.

As qualified coaches, together with a vast wealth of personal experience of marathons and ultras across every type of format, terrain and environment, we are able to drive your running forward enabling you to reach your highest potential.

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 Centurion Running tips for your first (and next) ultra appeared first on Fast Running.

Those rare days where everything seems to flow like clockwork and nothing can go wrong. It’s a great feeling every now and again to have the race of your life and come away with a PB, but a greater measure of a runner is if they can run well when everything goes wrong.

As an ultra runner I’m used to problems. Even the best results have their ups and downs, but these can make the result even more satisfying.

Racing the Wicklow Way 127km recently it all looked plain along from the outside. At every checkpoint until halfway I was either just ahead of or with second placed Gavin Byrne. It seemed very much in control for those watching the trackers. Yet from very early on my stomach had other ideas.

Probably due to attempting to take on too much liquid in the first couple of hours when the cool conditions meant there wasn’t much sweating going on, but let’s just say I had to hide behind a few stone walls whilst Gav repeatedly overtook. 

As the race continued I wondered if eventually my stomach would leave me weak, but I kept eating and drinking, keeping pitstops a short as possible. For some reason this extra personal battle was giving me extra strength, not less.

The fight

There are many reasons people excel at running races, normally down to them being fast. I know I’m pretty quick (for an ultra runner) but that isn’t why I do well. It’s down to dealing with problems. Coping with adversity, even enjoying it. 

We all know great runners at our club or local races that have so much potential, but cannot hold it together when the going gets tough. Their coping skills are not a strong point. 

The fight inside is part nature, but it’s also nurture too. many fast athletes have never had to fight in their early careers. They are used to being clear winners, arms aloft and smiling for the cameras crossing the finishing line. It has made some of them weak. 

Fionnula McCormack is a great example, fighting at the Euro and World Cross Country for year after year. Working hard against faster runners and building that fight that makes her such an exciting prospect over the marathon distance.

Photo: Michelle Sammet

Learning those lessons

Speedway 10k race director James Blore, where the featured sprint finish photo is from, was surprised that “over 10% of the field dropped out of the two lap course. It wasn’t crap weather, or a mega hard ultra race, but a different type of suffering chasing a PB.

“People want flat and fast courses with good quality fields that will enable them to run fast. As a race organiser that loves athletics it’s simply about giving them that opportunity – but ultimately it’s up to them if they take it.”

Fighting for position, for a prize, for a time, are all important in developing a runner. You can learn a hell of a lot in the second half of a tough 5 or 10k race, let alone the marathon and longer. Ultimately working on the skills that keep you going forward when those around you seem stronger, when your legs are going through treacle.

Photo: JHMSport

Good competition breeds good competitors

That is why it delights me to see the likes of Patrick Dever and Emile Cairess fighting for the finish in BUCS cross county. For the victor the spoils, but for the defeated, the fire. Both lads clearly have a huge amount of ability, but it is nothing without hard work. They have each other to thank for future successes.

Some see strong competition as a negative. They like to win, it builds their confidence, but confidence is fragile if not hard fought.

The harder you work to achieve something, the greater the confidence it can provide. The strength in British distance running is growing and the competition, such as the strong women’s field at the Vitality 10,000 and the Nights of the 10,000m PB’s, will only make our athletes more resilient.

Back in the 80’s it was Coe, Ovett and Cram, alongside a huge chasing pack of British athletes, that meant no one was invincible. Athletes worked hard and still fastest defeat, but it made them stronger for the next time.

Not just in racing, but in training too. Those solitary efforts on a country lane or a windy track might be the practice needed to dig deep when the big stage beckons. Practice driving for the line within your mind, controlling the narrative in your own mental arena so that you can attempt todo the same on race day. 

Learn to cope

Some of you reading this may relate. You know your strength comes with coping well when it hurts and pushing forwards. Other may recognise the feeling of it all slipping away when things go wrong. All of us can improve.

Mental skills are just that. Skills. They can be learned and improved. Techniques such as self talk, visualisation and goal setting can all be practiced during training and races. Research has shown that all can improve performance and all can be improved.

You might think talking to yourself is reserved for those haring voices, but it doesn’t have to be shouting “COME ON ROBBIE, YOU CAN DO THIS” to yourself as you run through the local park, especially if you’re not called Robbie.

An inner monologue, urging yourself forward, believing you, will help you keep pushing. you can shout out loud if you want to, it’ll probably help even more. Certainly during long ultras I have given myself a talking to, even in the Valencia marathon last December in the hard last few miles. 

Practice makes perfect, so hen you’re training imagine yourself running the final miles, overcoming whatever obstacles the race has thrown your way. Chuck yourself into a competitive local race or a parkrun (not a race, but you can still race others). Practice going too hard at the start and how you cope in a race that doesn’t matter to you. 

Have you got the fight?

Then the next time a race starts to hurt or goes off plan you can tell yourself “I have the fight for this”. Know that you have practiced and worked harder than those around you, whoever they are. Because thinking you have a natural talent will only get you so far.

A growth mindset, one that knows hard work is how you improve, will take you forward. instead of bemoaning the natural talents of others, focus on the fact you’re nowhere near your own genetic limits, that’s for sure.

Photo: Sam Morley

The above picture is from the European 24hr Champs. Featured is James Stewart and James has the fight. In the early stages sickness in the heat was a problem, but the Scot fought on, eventually coming good and finishing 11th, helping GB to team silver with his 244.35km.

When the the fight comes, one day you won’t dread it, you will relish it. That’s what I felt on the Wicklow Way. The challenge was ever the more satisfying because I had a race and even at the start the plan went out the window.

In the second half of that race I knew no one would catch me. Not because I’m super talented, because I don’t think I am, but because I’m willing to fight every step of the way. Whatever happens, with any problems, you can only do the best on the day and most of the time that is good enough. 

Robbie is sponsored by Odlo, Profeet Sports Lab and Precision Hydration. If you want to follow his training chasing sub 2:30 you can also see it here on Strava or the highs and lows of Twitter and Instagram.

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 Have you got the fight? appeared first on Fast Running.