We’re now well into January but festive frolics and general life got in the way of me writing up my December antics. Last time I wrote, I was on my way to Argentina to run “El Cruce”, a 100km stage race over three days.

With 2,400 competitors, it must be a logistical nightmare for the organisers, but I had a wonderful time and really enjoyed running through pristine Patagonian landscapes and given that I had the Argentine champion hot on my heels I even progressed from running in my waterproof hiking boots to running in real trail shoes on days two and three…and the not so fractured any more foot seemed to survive!

Photo: El Cruce race

Post race “rest”

Straight after the race I made my way up to Mendoza, the closest town to Aconcagua, which at 6,962m is the highest mountain outside of Asia. It’s a peak which has been on my radar for a long time now, probably ever since my dad was stuck up there in a blizzard back in 2001 and couldn’t get to the summit.

Over the years I’d looked at going up, as well as attempting a speed record to the top, and now seemed as good a time as any. In terms of climbing technicality, the mountain is straightforward, particularly if conditions are good. This has however led to its increasing popularity, with many viewing Aconcagua as the next big guided challenge after “ticking off” Kilimanjaro. I felt confident in my own abilities to be on the mountain without a guide and so chose to go it alone.

I filled my rucksacks with 2 weeks’ worth of food and all my mountain cold weather gear and hitch-hiked the four hours to the park entrance in a huge lorry, and then with a friendly couple who fed me croissants.

By this time it was mid-afternoon and my hopes of persuading a passing mule to carry at least one of my bags were very much dashed. The park rangers thought I was truly bonkers to attempt to carry all my things but duly helped me get the rucksacks onto my back and wished me luck.

Holly the pack mule!

It was 32 km to base camp, a monotonous and exhausting uphill journey. It took a tremendous amount of willpower to keep plodding on through the scorching desert sun with such a heavy bag (approx.35kg); everything hurt, particularly my hips where the bag was bruising them.

Arriving at base camp, framed by a glacier and with views up to Aconcagua, I decided that the next day would be a well-earned rest day, eating instant noodles, rehydrating and reading my book.

With most people being part of an organised group, or at least having a mule to carry in their bags, I was a bit of an anomaly [No need to change the habits of a lifetime Holly. Ha! – Robbie]. However, this rogue status, and being able to speak fluent Spanish, certainly helped in endearing me to people who could keep me company and feed me tea and biscuits.

I was astounded at how much food was being thrown away in base camp; half-eaten bowls of porridge and apples with one bite out of them discarded into the “organic waste” bags. Given I’d painstakingly lugged all mine and not had it helicoptered or muled in and then cooked for me, every oat was sacred and not to be wasted!

The portering continues

There are three camps on the way up to the summit; but I decided just to use one of them, camp 2 at 5,500m. Given the arid landscape, water is hard to come by and the thought of hacking at a glacier with an axe to get some drinkable liquid was not enticing, so I had a day “portering” 17litres and a week’s worth of food up to this second camp.

Here I received my first welcome from the infamous Aconcagua winds; the guys in the mountain rescue hut were quite bemused to see me with bare legs “we’ve never seen anyone up here in shorts before!” At least this meant they were happy to befriend me, so we drank tea, ate biscuits and played Yahtzee until it was time for me to “scree ski” my way back down to base camp.

The next day I carried the rest of my things up to camp two. It was tricky getting my tent up in the gale force winds but eventually I got inside only to hear a couple of porters arrive and start putting tents up for their imminently arriving group. The group of Americans duly appeared, complaining about how hard the climb up to Camp Two had been (without carrying anything!!), they got into their pre-erected tents and were promptly told to rest whilst they were served tea.

Does five-star service have a place on the mountain?

I can by no means class myself as a proper mountaineer and many people probably disagree with me, but my view is that if someone is doing everything for you in the mountains it somewhat takes away from the achievement. Aconcagua has become a battleground for different agencies offering all-inclusive expedition packages.

Of course, throwing money at a mountain takes out the logistical and many of the physical challenges, but it also means that if something goes wrong, many of the people being guided would not know how to get themselves out of / avoid a dangerous situation e.g. navigating off the mountain after the death of a guide on summit day / reassembling cairns around the tent if it is destroyed by wind.

Anyway. Having been in Nepal in November, I was feeling well-acclimatised and keen to go up to the summit before heading back to base camp to attempt the speed record.

The weather unfortunately had other ideas. Having befriended the next set of mountain rescue guys, I was resigned to spend a few days in their walk-in-freezer disguised as a hut, hoping that the wind would abate at some point. But it was not to be. Each day we radioed down to base camp for a forecast, only for the news to be the same, the wind would be 90kph+ and a snow storm was on its way.

Photo: Holly Page

Testing the storm

By the third day of either claustrophobic reading in my tent, discussing the legalisation of abortion in Argentina over tea and biscuits and sampling the dubious dehydrated food packages left behind by previous climbers (dehydrated cheese fondue and nachos were voted as my top 2), I’d had enough and decided to go for a little walk to camp three and back.

Pretty much everyone else who had been there to attempt the summit had gone back down to base camp / Mendoza as there was no sign of a weather window opening any time soon.

I packed everything I could possibly need and set off up the mountain. Arriving at camp three I felt good and decided I might as well carry on a bit further; if I felt cold or conditions became dangerous, I would head back the way I’d come.

The camp was completely deserted so I sheltered from the wind in an empty dome tent whilst I checked the map, ate some of my supplies and layered up. Because I’d been away for so long, I didn’t have my mountaineering boots, but rather the Adidas Terrex Freehiker I’d been wearing for the last few months.

Custom mountaineering boots

Although the mountain rescue guys said it was impossible to go beyond 6,000m in these, I had a masterplan of wearing three pairs of socks, hand warmers in the shoes, neoprene cycling overshoes, and crampons on top of that. I knew I was not conventionally equipped in the footwear department and frostbite was one of my greatest fears, but I had told myself that if I was cold, I would go down. Toes are more important than a summit.

I set off up the mountain, feeling rather toasty with my many layers on. After about an hour, the forecast storm was in full flow, battering me with the wind and blizzarding snow. But I pushed on, still feeling fine temperature and energy-wise. It was decidedly miserable once I got to the final push to the summit; the last 350m involve a pretty vertical ascent and by this time any trace of a path had been covered by the rapidly falling snow, but I could make out a line up towards the summit.

Of course, I could feel the lack of oxygen affecting my breathing, but I didn’t have a headache at all and knew I had plenty left in the tank.

Summit storm

Once I turned the corner to scramble up onto the summit plateau all hell broke loose as I was exposed to the full brunt of the storm. I touched the cross on the top and forced myself to remove my gloves for 10 secs for a summit photo, otherwise I thought nobody would believe I’d been up there! In just those few seconds my fingers were freezing; it was no place to hang out and do a celebratory dance, so I focused on getting back down safely.

I’d made sure to remember the way I’d come up as summits can be disorientating in zero-visibility, and I took extreme care on the way down. I knew that if I were to injure myself there would be no rescue party, so it was important to go slowly and make sure that nothing untoward happened (other than a few inadvertent nose-dives into snow drifts).

My goggles had filled with ice, so I resigned myself to having my eyes open to the elements; thoughts of snow-blindness filled my mind as I bashed the mini-icicles off my eyelashes which were freezing my eyes shut.

Returning to Camp Three, in my semi-blind state I took a poor line back down the mountain and ended up much further down the valley than camp two where my tent was. Fortunately, I had the route on my watch and could flounder my way through the snow to the camp. I’d never seen so much snow fall in such a short space of time. There had been no snow when I had left 5,500m at midday, and now, just seven hours later it was chest deep in places.

On top of the world

I’d just been the highest person in the world for the afternoon*, but I was in no mood for a celebration as a crawled into my tent, filling it with snow, and lay on my mattress, waiting for the morning to come.

The next day the storm had subsided, and the mountains looked beautiful, painted in white. I agonised over whether I still had time to do the speed ascent, and although I could potentially have returned to base camp and done it the next day, I would really have been pushing my luck.

Despite the hellish conditions, everything had gone well with my ascent. Seeing who is the fastest person to the top of Aconcagua isn’t all that important in the greater scheme of the world; mountains will always be there, but health and happiness may not. I’d packed so much into the last few months (and years!) that I told myself I should be content with everything I’ve done.

*As the highest mountain outside of Asia, and December being outside the Himalayan climbing period, and 5pm in Argentina being around 2am in Asia, it was fairly improbable that anyone else would be above 7,000m at that time.

Back to civilisation with a thud

There were times sat in the mountain rescue hut when I wondered whether I would even summit at all, so to have reached the top when it was deemed to be impossible, the only person up there for five days, should be something to celebrate, not bemoan the fact that I ran out of time to go for some pointless record.

Of course, I still had to get myself back to Mendoza; as I sweated my way back through the desert to the park entrance, my bag still seeming to weigh not much less than on the way out (I ate too many of the rangers’ biscuits and not enough of my own!), it was strange to think of the climatic contrasts I’d experienced in the last 36 hours.

Back in the UK just before Christmas, my body finally succumbed to a couple of weeks of deep fatigue. I tried pushing on through the tiredness and lack of energy, but was sleeping for 12+hours a night, trying to run but managing only to shuffle, incapable of summoning the necessary energy to ride my bike even slowly up Yorkshire’s steep hills.

A tried reminder

On Christmas day we organised a family handicap run, and it was only when 60-year-old Mamapage caught me up calling “adios amiga” as she jogged, gazelle-like past me that I realised that something was really awry.

Instead of moaning, I embraced the lack of energy and ability to only jog very very slowly and allowed my body to start to rebuild; the views of the Pennines are better enjoyed at a steady pace anyway.

Here’s to 2020 and building back to some energy, a touch of speed and hopefully no more broken feet!

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 highest person in the world appeared first on Fast Running.

For a few years now I’ve had a bit of a dream to live in the Alps, to live in those typical Instagram photos that you can’t help but be awed by – dramatic peaks, twisting single path cut into the mountainside, and endless options for adventure. Last winter this dream visited my thoughts with greater frequency, almost bugging me.

What though was preventing me acting upon those thoughts? Maybe the fear that it wouldn’t work out, or it would not meet my expectations. Fear of not having enough money. Fear of the unknown. Then the idea of being in the same position a year later, having not acted, and when packing up and heading off may not be as straightforward, was far less appealing than the fears overshadowing the dream. So I took the plunge.

Every moment until the day I left I still wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing.

The week before departing I took part in the Loughrigg fell race – a cracker of the mid-week fell series which this year coincided with one of the most incredible evenings in the Lake District you could imagine. Think award winning National Geographic photography material and that’s the kind of landscape we’re talking about.

Well, this did nothing for my conviction on the imminent plans and moving away from what is one of my favourite parts of the world. However, looking back now this fell race, on an immaculate evening, was a culmination of a winter’s worth of enjoyment in a place I am sure to return to.

Loughrigg Fell Race. Photo: Stephen Wilson.

Starting with a storm

The summer started with a storm. Quite literally. I was in the land of exceedingly excellent espressos and peerless pasta. With wall to wall sunshine the sock tan line was already at a level I would be proud of at the end of a summer let alone the start of one. I began my season with a few weeks in Italy and in the ‘home of mountain running’, Malonno, a town passionate about the sport.

First though, I hoped to jump in at the deep end with the steep and quite technical Trentapassi VK. As race day came however, so too did the aforementioned storm. Waking up to the shutters being hurled back and forth against the windows, it was with trepidation I headed out for a pre-race shake-out jog, only to be thrown straight back through the door by the whirling wind.

With no respite forecast and race marshals unable to get onto the route due to much of it being frozen over, it wasn’t looking promising.

With great disappointment the race had to be cancelled. A few of us who had come over from the UK to race took the opportunity of better weather later that day to enjoy the trails the town has to offer, and the finest bottle of Aperol spritz money could buy.

I could not help but feel sad though. Over the course of my time there I had become more acquainted with the race organiser, his story, and his passion for the sport and the race he co-organises; they have put so much time and energy into growing this event.

Cancellation is sad for everyone

The enjoyment that the runners taking part gain is often the only reward that the team of volunteers receive, and ask for. It was saddening then to think of them when the decision was made to cancel the race. They, and so many other event organisers and armies of volunteers, do so much to keep this sport alive and growing, bringing delight and reward to so many people. I endeavour never to forget that.

Onwards we flew into the rest of the summer and my girlfriend and I were fortunate enough to call Chamonix, France, home for the season. Having spent a good amount of time there the previous year (and loved it) it was almost like going home.

With only a couple of weeks before the European Mountain Running Championships, I went over to Switzerland for the Neirivue-Moléson mountain race. An uphill only course, I used it in preparation for the championships.

These build-up races are funny though – you want them to go well but sometimes, weirdly, you don’t. It depends on your psyche; get the bad race out of the system before the big one, or boost your confidence (but conversely greater self-imposed pressure) with a good race. It was more of the former for me on this occasion.

A less than complete race here ensured that I did not place any specific expectations on myself at the European championships. I was enjoying running so much and living in a good place. I was happy in the mind, and full of enthusiasm for our team medal hopes at the championship. When you’re doing something for more than just yourself, the results are usually greater.

European Championships in Zermatt. Photo: Robbie Britton

Once upon a time in Zermatt

That day in Zermatt, well, I can’t really describe that day in Zermatt if I’m honest! As much of a cliché as it is, it’s hard to believe that it ever really happened. A day when my legs were full of infinite energy of which I’ve never experienced before; a day when my mind was of pure calmness, even when I was struck by a horrendous stitch midway!

Losing the lead at that point could have lost me many more places on any other day, but at that moment my mind was strangely unwavering.

There was no panic, no looking back.

I knew, as the eventual silver medallist came past me, how much I wanted to cross the line first. Almost half a year has passed now, and I don’t think I’ve gleaned any further understanding as to why that run was better than any other, except from my state of mind.

What happened that fine day?

It was the conviction in setting out to achieve something greater than ever before, and crucially the enjoyment in something I do every day. We are at risk of over analysing performances, the good and the bad ones. I’ve found it almost impossible to replicate a successful preparation and race, but have been mindful that making the right choices along the journey is your biggest key to unlocking great preparation and greater results.

I spent the month before the championship enjoying a new kind of life in the Alps alongside another who appreciates it in a similar way; I had a relaxed outlook and therefore was in a position to reach that next level needed to fulfil a dream of reaching a podium. 

From Zermatt it was to the Dolomites in Italy to climb into an amphitheatre of dramatic rocky peaks and ankle braking boulder fields. Then to Sierre-Zinal for what was billed by many as one of the deepest and most competitive fields ever assembled – a who’s who of the sport, it was quite something else.

A day and a fourteen-hour flight later I looked as though I’d badly applied a fake tan, the dirt trails of Colorado, USA, offering up some memorable adventures. After a two-week stint of exploration in this crazy place, it was my marathon debut… up and down a 4300-metre mountain. I can’t say it was pleasant!

Not feeling it

This period of racing in the couple of months after the European championships was one of those times I’m sure many have had, when you’re just ‘not feeling it’ in training or racing. Without realising, I think I’d put all my eggs in the European’s basket. I wanted to perform to a high level at every race over the summer.

The motivation to do well at these subsequent events was there, but in reality, I struggled with energy and was hampered by in-race fuelling problems that can only be resolved with practice, time for which I didn’t have. I have absolutely no regrets however for taking those opportunities that I’ve been very fortunate to receive.

They have certainly shown up a lot of my weaknesses but that’s invaluable, and therefore a positive! I committed to too many big and longer races this summer, but it was only by doing this that I am able to gauge where I’m at and where I go from here. The European championship was an emotional and physical drain to a depth I did not comprehend until I put myself out there in a race again.

I am sad and annoyed that I wasn’t able to capitalise on the incredible chances I had, competing against the best in the world, yet it did help me realise that I don’t wish for my life and happiness to hinge on race results. I’m in a privileged position to be able to stand on the start line of any race, so remembering that and maybe inspiring a few people to try out the sport along the way is an honour enough.  

Chamonix VK. Photo Credit: Dan Evans @sickofthecity

Step back and readjust

After taking a much needed step back to rejuvenate I went into training for the World championship trials with renewed vigour. All was going dandy until a virus hit, rendering running on a route without a convenience at regular intervals impossible… ideal in the week before the trials!

An intense debate with myself then ensued; was it sensible to race the trials in a weakened condition? In the end I decided against risking exacerbating and prolonging the illness and regretfully pulled out of the trials. After a nervous wait though I was delighted to gain a discretionary place on to the team.

The conclusion from pre-trip analysis was that the course in Argentina was to be a tough one. We hadn’t quite expected however the challenge of crossing a fast flowing, icy cold river, twice. Blue skies and sunshine during the week gave way to icy rain and high winds on race day, almost frightening us into running faster along the forest trails to avoid getting crushed by ominously creaking trees.

Many rivers to cross

An unfortunate incident during the second river crossing resulted in my teammate Andy and I both losing time in one way or another; I ended up submerged in the fast flowing water with the proposition, as I struggled to breathe, of descending the 700m of height back to the start a lot quicker than I’d expected.

With feeling in any part of my body virtually non-existent, and energy levels sucked away, it wasn’t the optimum second half performance I was after. Yes, it wasn’t ideal, but I’m not one to shy away from a challenge and do enjoy competing against the terrain put in front of me, even in this more extreme case!

With all the team making it around in one piece, with a great many incredible runs, it really was a fitting way to finish what has been a challenging but uplifting year.

This summer was more than just Instagram photos; it was a memorable story of my life that I shall always have. It wasn’t long after the final race before a warming pint was in my hand and we were toasting the end of the season and to a long-awaited break – the road trip continues.

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 2019 reflection for European Champion Adkin appeared first on Fast Running.

It seems like only yesterday I was heading into 2019 after a year of injury, only just starting to get back into shape, and nervous as to what the year would hold for me. However, this year has far outlived anything I thought possible at this time in my life. I have achieved things I would only have dreamed of last year and I have continued to learn more and more about myself and this crazy sport. 

Something this year has cemented to me is that hard work, determination, and consistency are key. Therefore, with all these factors in mind, I feel I have only just begun and have a lot more to give in the coming years.

However, I want everyone to remember when reading this, that it isn’t all straight-forward and happy, there are weeks that feel a struggle and there are races that don’t go well. There are times when you have to take unintended rest days and others when you’re forced to cross train if your body says no to running.

But it is these obstacles that make the highs so much sweeter and make us appreciate the power of running. Whilst I may reflect on the highs, there were plenty of times I didn’t think I would achieve any of my goals and there were moments of disappointment. 

Reflecting on the highs. 

There is no doubt about it that my stand-out moment of 2019 was earning my first England vest. This is something I had thought about for years, but never even came close to achieving.

When it was in my sights at the start of 2018, I was hit with injury before I could even attempt to make it happen. But a thought that certainly never went through my mind, was that I may come home with my first international silver medal at the Rennes 10k whilst representing England.

This proved to me where I want to be and where my goals truly lie. Whilst I don’t know if my goals are achievable, one thing I do know is that I won’t give up until I have given my all to try and make them happen. Putting on the England vest and representing my country for the first time is a moment I will never forget, and something I want to relive with hard work. 

The summer of 2019 was slightly different to previous years as it was the first time I have ever fully committed to a season on the track.

Initially I didn’t think I would enjoy it that much, but I loved it! I love the focus on speed the track provides without there being any other obstacles getting in the way. I also love the fact there is no course to walk and no possibility of going the wrong way (unless you really don’t pay attention)!!

Amongst this enjoyment, I was able to reduce my 5,000m personal best by a minute and ran my first ever 10,000m on the track, which was exciting, but definitely a challenge. These races all gave me an insight into the summer season and continued to give me the racing experience I need. It allowed me to race alongside my regular competitors, as well as people I had only ever seen run on TV. 

Power of self-belief. 

Ultimately, all of these achievements have taught me the power of one thing, self-belief. I am so lucky to have such a supportive network of people around me, but possessing self-belief is immensely important. No matter how much other people believe in you, the most important source of belief comes from yourself.

This year has allowed me to see that if I work hard and believe in myself, I can achieve more than I feel is possible. Whilst it sounds cheesy, this reminds me to never give up and keep working hard to achieve my ambitions. What may now seem unachievable, may one day be achievable.  

To 2020 and beyond…

Whilst it may be the end of a year, it is just the start my journey and I feel I have a lot more to come. Heading into 2020 and beyond, my main goals are to happy and healthy, and most importantly injury free. I want to be able to see the effect consistent training can have on my performance.

Whilst you never know what lies around the corner, I will do my best to continue to grow into a stronger, more mature, and ultimately faster athlete. I will carry on learning from my mistakes and believing in my own, less conventional way of training.

The post 2019: A year that surpassed all expectations appeared first on Fast Running.

“It is quite common in Ireland to blame the American route, that the coaches run us too hard or you’re gone off on the drink, people disappear, but people forget that it is easy to get lost, especially coming back from the States.”

Most of his teammates joined professional teams in America upon graduating, Craig Engels for example having joined the now defunct Nike Oregon Project. Others joined the likes of Hoka Northern Arizona Elite, Reebok Track Club, Saucony Track Club and Hoka One One New York New Jersey.

Tobin, however, found himself back in Clonmel, lost, lonely and unsure what he was going to do. He was certain he was going to run. That is his chosen profession. What was not so certain was who he would run with, and how he would fund it.

The next steps after coming home

Coming home from the States people would ask him what was next. If you ask any recently graduated student, you are often met with evasive answers while the student grapples with big life choices and situational changes. This is particularly pertinent for students who don’t have a city base, whose family homes are in rural places with little to no access to people to train with at their level.

For athletes exiting the American collegiate system this transition is particularly challenging. In America, saying you are a full time runner is met with enthusiasm, people back you and are excited for you to join a team and chase your dreams.

In Ireland though, the same culture does not exist, and so outside of immediate friends, family and other athletes, Sean found it quite difficult to explain a career choice that involved making no money. He would tell someone that he was trying to qualify for the Olympics and they would ask “but what do you really do?” Sometimes he would rather just say he was a student.

“You come home after a good percentage of your life, and everything was looked after for you in college, and you’re trying to figure out your own rent and to adjust to running outside of college.” It is common for non-athletes to take their time figuring out their professional career, taking a year after college to do so.

But it seems athletes can be held to a higher standard and if someone is not performing straight off the bat, people can be quick to criticise. If one thing is clear from talking to Sean, it is that life is not straightforward and it is not as easy as just coming home and transitioning smoothly. “You meet other guys who have been through the system and they’re completely lost still”.

On a road to nowhere

In summer 2018 he was racing and hoping for some performance but nothing was clicking. “It all fell to pieces” and he ultimately found himself with his parents in Clonmel, at his wits end, no professional set up, and running out of options. All his friends had moved on and that was difficult.

“Socially it was very tough, it got to the point where going down to the coffee shop was a big deal, just very nervous, very lost. You’d be afraid to go out as people would be asking you what you were doing and you don’t really have answers you know.”

Then, a chance presented itself. “It was like something out of a movie, I remember sitting in bed saying please just give me some bloody sign, and then I got a message from Feidhlim, and there was the opportunity.”

They agreed he would join the Dublin Track Club. “Feidhlim has been wonderful to me and he has been around for years. He is the one coach that put himself out there in positions, he has travelled and linked in with guys like Nic Bideau, and lived in London trying to make it as an athlete, he has done a lot. He is willing to learn and listen, he is so hungry.”

The group has developed and expanded since then, and “it has a lot more meaning for me now, it’s about developing the Irish system.”

Photo: Liam Kelleher

The importance of the right environment

Tobin mentions when he was training in Falls Creek, Australia, there was literally “nothing to do.

The house didn’t have wifi or anything.” Sonia O’Sullivan told him that during her time there they just read books, and one thing she said that stood out to him most was that “you almost have to re-adjust to civilisation when you come down off the mountain, and it’s true.”

“You’re so used to it being so quiet and silent, and everything is so loud and noisy. That is the lifestyle you want for running.” Dublin is not quite the same, but that is not to bash Dublin, “we obviously will make things work here.”

In the Dublin training group, few are full time, most are studying or working with flexible arrangements. “We have to create something ourselves, we can’t just expect the same model as Kenya or the US. As athletes we need to be educated in terms of how can you be a full time athlete and create an income, what job opportunities for someone who is in college and can make money online say.

“There are a lot of opportunities to make things work.” He refers to the Melbourne Track Club who also built themselves up, and when they need money the race. “They work hard and they don’t complain.”

Keep it simple

The life of an athlete is relatively simple. But the simple things are the hardest to secure: housing and food. It’s fine in college, but once you graduate into adulthood you need independence from your parents. If you’re from Dublin it is much easier, of course, the cost of living in Dublin is just so high if you are renting.

It is also hard to hold down a full time job and then ask for 6-8 weeks off to go to Australia to train. Sean has held odd jobs on and off, for example in his local coffee shop, Coffee Works, while he was injured, but as the miles crept up again this was not sustainable either. He considers himself very lucky to be supported with Richard Donovan, he couldn’t be in Dublin without that support.

Brendan O’Neill had a big influence on Sean’s decision to stay in Ireland. He noticed that athletes struggle with visas in the USA, then they’re home, and back and forth. It can be all over the place and “suddenly it turns into a three year cycle of trying to find your feet. He said I have to find a rhythm, he was the one that convinced me to stay home and make it work, get settled for a year at home and then the second year is not as bad.

So this is really the second year home, having my own place and being a little bit settled. It has been huge, having my own room.” Having stability, rather than living between places and out of suitcases has been a very positive development.

Funding athlete lifestyles

The funding system here is strange. He lives beside the National Sports Campus and sees the boxers going in, always together for training, “a proper national squad, where as the runners are scattered everywhere. I don’t want cash or whatever, I just want a house and food, as an athlete all you need is your food and your housing.”

“Imagine if Athletics Ireland had invested in houses over the years.” It would be very helpful for someone coming home too, if they could offer a base for six months while they find their feet and figure things out. “Sometimes the simple things go over people’s heads.” It seems that private sponsorship is a better model, evidenced by teams around the world, but it is missing in Ireland.

“As a group, anything that is stressful is always financial, thats a big thing that is stopping athletes going after it. If you look at the people deciding to have a real go of it, they decided to go abroad.” For example, Síofra Cléirigh-Buttner has joined the New Balance team based in Boston which is coached by Mark Coogan.

Tobin chasing down Great Britain’s Marc Scott, a member of the Bowerman Track Club, at the European Champs in Tilburg last year.

Clearly not a lack of motivation

What is clear in the transition from college to professional running is not a lack of motivation or ambition, but the very basics. People can be very quick to say that athletes are burnt out “but really it is just that life hits you, do I get a job, what do I do, et cetera. You can be pulled a lot of ways. And the more you go through the running ranks the tougher it gets.”

The Irish funding system is rewards based, if you compete well on a world stage you will get funding, but “if I finish top 8 in the world I don’t need that then, I needed it to get there. And even this year trying to qualify for the Olympics, if I qualify then suddenly I will be given more funding.”

This is not actually conducive to promoting and supporting Irish athletes development. Sean notes that he is in a very good position, probably better than most in the country because of Richard Donovan’s support and is keen to express that he does not take that for granted.

What can athletes do to help themselves?

“It is something that as athletes we can be very ‘take take take’, we need this we need that, and it is figuring out how can we actually give back to a community or a sport, what can we do to benefit others.” Coaching is the obvious first option of course, Sean coaches the DCU endurance group.

Other athletes have successful coaching businesses. The coaching also gives him a bit of perspective with the variety of levels involved, “we can forget how we got here too.”

Athletes need to look for opportunities to earn money doing online work. In terms of options to do things like grinds, Sean says that he did “an athlete’s degree” at Ole Miss, he wasn’t really study focused.

“I neglected academics and that was a hard lesson for me. As an athlete it is a great opportunity to self educate, read, learn new skills, it is a wonderful opportunity.” He realised a bit too late that he liked studying economics, so now a lot has changed in his mindset and approach to academics.

If he were to go back to University he wouldn’t choose a place purely based on its name, more so on the courses available and professors teaching. He regrets it, “I was given a wonderful opportunity that I tossed away, school is expensive.” But one can only learn the hard way, and if he returns to education he has made it more difficult for himself to get into a programme, but “I understand to make the most of that time now.”

Photo: Athletics Ireland / Sportsfile

Nothing is guaranteed

This sport is hard and cruel, “Feidhlim reminds us of that every day. This is not easy. You can do everything right and not be rewarded. Look at me this summer, I learned that the hard way. I put in one of the best years of training I ever put in, thought suddenly I was going to go out on the track and have this outstanding season, and bang, leg just gone.”

He raced two 5kms on the track with his leg hanging off, and ran personal bests but they were “nowhere near what I could have done.”

After John Travers running 13.28, “I buzz off the idea of the Irish doing well, if I can run 13 and twenty something that’s great now we have two irish guys doing it.” Look at Scullion and Pollock going 2.10 and 2.12. And not to forget the people behind the scenes, “I don’t think anyone is safe”.

When people assume someone is off to Tokyo “that boils my blood because no-one is guaranteed anything. I am not guaranteed anything.” This was the caption of Sean’s strava during the week, it points to an athlete working hard to make it work, and grateful for what he has.

Bláithín is a middle distance and cross country athlete who has been known to accidentally run into trees. She is in total denial about having to work for a living – you can follow her attempts at run-commuting to work on Strava.

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 Sean Tobin is taking nothing for granted appeared first on Fast Running.

After my last blog I asked readers what they would like to see in my next piece of writing. One reoccurring topic that came up was “How do you mentally deal with injury”.

I received several messages from runners at all levels asking for advice and talking about their mental health struggles during difficult times. This is something most athletes experience at some point in their career and is something I have had my fair share of experience with. 

We often read about success stories of coming back from injury, but there seems to be a lack of information on the injury/illness phase. Recovery often focuses on physical rehab, but it is also important to include the psychological aspect to get through these difficult periods.

When help is needed the most

Injury or illness periods are a time when we all need the extra help, coping mechanisms and support to get through. After writing my dissertation on the barrier’s athletes face on getting mental health help and as someone who has experienced long periods out through both injury and illness, I hope to offer some advice to help others through the inevitable barrier every athlete will face at some point in their career. 

As an overview of my own experience, a few that have stood out was my first stint of illness during my second year at university where I spent a year or so fighting through and getting over glandular fever.

My second stint was during my fourth year when in the doctor’s words I had a “career ending” injury which took me a good two years, if not longer to get back to fitness. My most recent injuries came at the worst time- one week prior to London Marathon and then came a horse kick four days before Dublin Marathon. 

Injuries and illnesses are devastating to athletes and even more devastating when they come at the end of a long training block, just before a race. The injury itself is often apparent resulting in all treatment and rehab to be focused on the physical aspect. But what about the psychological aspect that just took as big a knock (if not bigger) as the actual injury itself?

Feeling the weight of injury

When things go wrong it can be easy to get weighed down with negativity and even become irrational. It is easy to give up on your goals and completely lose sight of why you have just spent the past few months pushing your body through gruelling workouts. It’s times like this when we need to realise these feelings are normal and there are ways to treat them just like there are ways to treat the physical injuries. 

I think the first step to take is to realise is although these feelings might seem extreme, they are in fact are normal.

If you don’t experience any feelings then you probably aren’t as committed to your goals as you should be. Each athlete may react differently but there are several traits that are common responses for a lot of athletes which include anger, depression, low self-esteem, fear, anxiety, isolation and even denial. Injuries seem unfair and on the surface it’s impossible to see past the negatives, however it is important we find positive strategies to cope with the set-backs.

It is also important we learn from each injury just as we would learn from each race or training session. 

Coping Mechanisms

Something I struggled with during my first two stints (glandular fever and my knee injury) was not knowing what was wrong. I knew something was wrong but doctors couldn’t tell me what. All my test results came back normal which in one sense was good but this caused great frustration as I knew something was wrong.

The frustration then turned into low self-esteem and a lose of sight on my goals. It got to the point where I even tried telling myself I was just being weak and it was just in my head.

I tried to run in denial and get through the pain which then lead to me telling myself I wasn’t strong enough to cope with the demands of an elite athlete as the more I went on the harder things got. The biggest take I got from both these experiences is- you know your body better than anyone else!

Test results and health professionals can be wrong sometimes. If you can’t get answers continue to search for the answers until something makes sense. Feeling pain or feeling unwell is not a weakness, giving up is a weakness, so don’t give up- somewhere or someone will have an answer. 

Set smaller, achievable goals along the way

Another struggle I faced, was post-surgery when everything seemed impossible and all my previous goals seemed unrealistic. I had the goal of running the commonwealth standard yet I couldn’t even walk! This is when the use of short-term goals is important to help focus on the current situation.

However small a goal may seem it can keep you motivated.

Once I could walk, a goal I had post knee surgery was to be able to push the pedal on a stationary bike in the complete circular motion- this took me weeks of sitting on a bike pushing the pedal down then repeating. When I finally had the mobility to push the pedal all the way around, I was so happy that the feeling of accomplishment is still so clear in my mind several years on that achieving what seems like an insignificant goal has stayed with me. 

Use cross-training to help overcome the challenges

Prior to running Newport Marathon, just when training was starting to come together, I picked up another knee injury. After the normal irrational reactions, I was able to maintain my focus through cross training. If you can’t run but can-do different forms of exercise to maintain your fitness this can act as a great psychological relief as well as give you all the physical benefits that come with it. 

When I got injured one week out from London, I experienced the feeling of denial. I had trained for months; I had just got over the flu so to then get injured as well was too much for me to accept.

A marathon is perhaps the worst race to try and deny an injury as trust me 26.2 miles will show you there is no way to hide from an injury or illness. The disappointment of my performance at London left me in a far greater emotional state than what accepting the injury and withdrawing from the race would’ve left me.

Listen to your body

The biggest lesson I learnt from this was always listen to your body. You are better off accepting an injury and dealing with it right away rather than acting in denial, prolonging recovery and dealing with the mental knock from a bad race on top of the original negative emotions that already came with the injury. 

Something else that I have also found a major help when dealing with injuries is surrounding yourself with the right people. You know you have a good coach if he or she will support you through injury unlike several coaches who just write their athletes off during injury. Injuries can be isolating as you are taken away from something that you normally do every day.

If you have a coach or teammates who don’t want to know you when you are injured this will only elevate the feeling of isolation further. Isolation then leads to further negative feelings, turning injuries into a vicious psychological cycle. It is so important to surround yourself with positive people and people who believe in you. 

Injuries can make you a better athlete

Prior to injuries I took running for granted and definitely took my running goals for granted. Injuries have made me resilient and have made me value every day I can run. Therefore making every day count.

The big injuries have made me level headed and have helped me to overcome other barriers and smaller injuries. For example, before Dublin marathon when I got kicked by a horse 4 days prior to race day I was able to stay level headed and keep a positive mindset despite the undesirable circumstances.

Without the other injury barrier’s, I have had to overcome I think my reaction to the kick would’ve been far different and impacted on my performance and perhaps I would’ve never have broken the Welsh record. 

Also remember how far you’ve come

When something is hard, I think to myself, I’ve overcome an injury that doctors said would end my running career, if I can do that I can definitely get through a minor injury, hard work out or hard race!

Rewinding back to when I was struggling with glandular fever and then when I had my first knee injury, whilst Olympics was always my dream it never seemed realistic. But now Olympics is a realistic goal, to look back and remember the months I was bed bound and the months I couldn’t walk it seems unrealistic to think that was actually me.

Injuries and setbacks have really taught me anything is possible if you truly want it and if you have the right mind-set and work hard for it. 

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 Coping with Injury appeared first on Fast Running.

For me, cross country season is a true test of bodily strength. When there’s hills, thick mud, and driving rain to run through, you can’t hide away from any weaknesses you may have. It is the purest form of running, there is no glamour, no PB times to get, oh, and no toilet roll!

Not always fun and games. 

I’ve had times in the past where I’ve practically walked an entire cross country race because my body was too weak to be able to run it. I remember my dad standing there shouting encouragement at me the entire way, telling me I could do it, but we both knew I couldn’t.

I’d let him down because although he could see how weak and tired I was on the outside, he couldn’t see that I was even weaker on the inside. I didn’t have the strength to even try to run the race, I was exhausted from the start gun. Whilst my physical strength clearly wasn’t there, it wasn’t until I ran a cross country race that I realised the reality of my situation. I was far from the ‘strong’ athlete I needed to be to run, let alone for cross country. 

Reality check in the mud

For this reasons, cross country can be an extremely brutal reality check. Whilst there are the challenges of the mud and hills, the greatest challenge can be posed by yourself. I love cross country, but you can’t hide behind it. Although I was going to other races and not quite running the times I wanted, it wasn’t until I was faced will the added challenges cross country poses, that it was impossible for me to get away from the situation I had put my body in. 

This may seem harsh and torturous, but it was a good thing! Yes, it was torture running cross country with a weak body, but I needed to face the struggle of cross country to be confronted with the reality of my situation. The only way I was able to see the need for change was by shocking myself with how hard cross country had suddenly become. It used to feel nicely tough, but it had become physically impossible. 

After a few races struggling through the mud, I became too scared and intimidated to enter any cross country race, let alone the almighty Cross Challenge Series. To me, being able to run in the series seemed worlds away from the one I was living in.

I believed I wasn’t good enough to run in it. Whilst this isn’t true, and anyone can run in the Cross Challenge, as an individual I was too embarrassed and traumatised by the weak body I had to do it. 

All in the past 

Now, this is all in the past. My past will never leave me, but I don’t want it to because I am a million times stronger for those difficult times. However, this year I have no longer been feeling weak and I wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone. If I want to run faster, I need to run again people a lot faster than me, so, I entered the Milton Keynes Cross Challenge to kickstart my cross country season.

I went into the race nervous but also excited, as there was no pressure and I had no expectations of myself other than to enjoy it. My aim for the race was a top 20 finish, but realistically I had no idea where I stood in the field. I felt slightly out of my comfort zone due to the shorter course length, but I was ready to give my all and enjoy the mud and rain, and that I did. 

Throughout the race I had no idea of my positioning except in my head I knew I wanted to keep picking off the people in front of me. It wasn’t until I came into the finish line that I realised I finished 5th!! I was absolutely ecstatic, and as my boyfriend will tell you, that meant I didn’t stop talking for the rest of the day!! Although, I talk a lot the majority of the time! A top 10 finish wasn’t even in my sights, so to finish 5th was more than I ever expected. 

Happiness and health

This truly showed to me that two of the most important things in life are happiness and health. When I lived in an unhealthy and consequently unhappy body, I was struggling within the first 100m of a cross country race because I wasn’t strong enough to get through the thick mud.

However, today I live in a happier and healthier body, and that means I can enjoy cross country because I have the strength and power to stand up to it. I no longer mentally give up before even starting the race, I’m in it till the end. 

Ultimately, you can’t hide behind cross country. If your body is weak, you will soon realise. I learnt the hard way. 

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 Why you can’t hide behind cross country appeared first on Fast Running.

October brought with it the Sky Pirineu race, my final event of the Skyrunner World Series before the Grand Final in Italy a few weeks later.  It was my last opportunity to score points in the series and I was finally feeling quite fit. I’d been to the area a few years previously when I’d cycled over to the Pyrenees on a whim from the Alps, but this time I took the lazy option of using transport with more than two wheels. 

The Catalans always provide a splendid welcome and I very much enjoyed eating crema catalana until my heart’s content. My performance in the race itself was a little disappointing; I was in second place throughout the climb but pulled away from third towards the top.

For some reason I presumed I would catch the leader at some point on the downhill, but I never saw her, so contented myself with a second place. It was only when I crossed the finish line and found out that she was just 90 seconds ahead that I realised I should have been pushing harder from the start and never let her get away.

I normally finish races feeling like I’ve really given everything I have, but on this occasion I think I could perhaps have made up that deficit at some point on the four hour course. 

Running above the clouds at Sky Pirineu Photo: @lauraerrephotos

Always one more fell race…

Back in the UK, I packed my belongings and made plans for the upcoming months; Italy, Nepal, Oman, Patagonia… not an easy jaunt to pack for with kit for high altitude glaciated peaks and desert all to fit into one rucksack.

Despite a torrential downpour and a stinking cold, in the knowledge that I wouldn’t be doing any more fell races in 2019, I cycled over the hills to Haworth for a local fell race. Given I had the final of the skyrunning series the next week I ran very conservatively, taking no risks and really enjoying the race. It was however rather tricky to cycle back with the ridiculous prize haul – you can’t beat a good fell race for keeping the wine, beer and chocolate stash topped up. 

That same dreaded feeling…

The next morning I set off for a run, but a couple of minutes in had to stop and loosen my shoe lace as it felt like there was a lot of pressure across the top of my foot. Shoe loosened, there was no change. I walked back home with a sinking feeling in my stomach. The foot felt exactly the same as when I had fractured it back in March. I knew something was wrong, and leaving for my big trip in 3 days meant I didn’t have much time to find out what. 

After a lot of shenanigans with the local doctor’s surgery, I managed to get a referral letter to go and get a scan done privately; I needed to know for sure if it was fractured or whether I was just imagining things. The day before leaving for Italy I got the scan done and after more shenanigans about getting the results, I had my suspicions confirmed – the foot wasn’t fully fractured, but “prolonged weight bearing activity” would cause the microfracture to grow.

Quite a shame that all my plans for the foreseeable future involved prolonged weight bearing activity. 

It never crossed my mind to cancel my plans. What was I going to do stuck in the UK, go aquajogging and hop around in a moonboot? That didn’t really appeal so I decided to go ahead with my itinerary and just take each part as it came. 

One perk of being on crutches at an airport is getting priority treatment; my crutching skills became top notch and although it was difficult, I accepted having to watch the Skyrunning Final from the sidelines rather than competing. I might not have won the race but I did my utmost to win on the dancefloor at the afterparty with my exceptional hopping skills. 

Onwards to Nepal

The next day I squeezed my sorry self and bags into a tiny Fiat 500 with some British journalists and headed back to Milan for my onward journey to Nepal for the Final of the Golden Trail Series.

Although I couldn’t join in any of the running, I had a great week with my trail running friends from around the world. Just like the previous weekend in Italy, it was hard to see everyone out running in the mountains, but I tried to stay positive, enjoy some downtime and the day of the race I hired a mountain bike and went on a circuitous route round to the finish line so that at least I felt I’d had my own “day out”. 

Once the main group left Nepal, my plan had been to hike the Dhaulagiri circuit trek, one of Nepal’s “wild” treks where you have to carry all your food and equipment for at least a week as there are no tea houses to stay in (unlike most of the other well-known treks). I knew that it was too risky to attempt such a committing route, so, having enjoyed my mountain biking experience, it was decided that a good “non-weight bearing” alternative could be to mountain bike the Annapurna circuit instead. 

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been properly mountain biking (as opposed to inadvertently off roading with my road bike). But my friend Tom and I rented some bikes of questionable quality, got some trekking permits, negotiated the bikes onto a few buses, and got our way to the start of the Annapurna circuit. 

Nappies for Tom

Because it had taken all day to sort everything, we started out in the dark. I quickly learnt that the mountain bike would indeed go over rocks and I didn’t need to keep putting my feet down in fear on the downhills.

We’d managed to acquire one pair of XL Chinese cycling shorts, but Tom soon realised that a pair of running shorts would not be sufficient protection for his derriere, so after declining the man in the shop’s suggestion of cutting up his own carpet and sewing it into Tom’s shorts, he purchased six nappies and enjoyed not entirely comfortable days of riding along with occasional “nappy slippage” as they fell out into the dust. 

The route was tough but beautiful, we climbed from the hot tropical rainforest up into the high snowy Himalayan peaks, temperatures plummeting and oxygen becoming increasingly scarce as we worked our way up to the Thorong-La pass at 5,400m. This certainly beats aquajogging as a “non-weight bearing activity”.

Each night we stayed in tea houses, small basic rooms and simple food, but incredibly hospitable people who were surprised to see us on bikes, and particularly surprised to see Tom’s nappies drying by the fire in the evening. 

We cracked out a very long (and tough!) last day to avoid having to sit on a bumpy bus for hours on end, returning to Pokhara as the sun was setting. My foot seemed to have come out of the biking relatively unscathed, so we decided to risk the Dhaulagiri trek.

Dhaulagiri escapades

It was a quick turnaround; shower, beer, food and packing our things for the trek. 36 hours after setting off on Nepal’s infamously steady public transport and death defyingly unsafe road network, we arrived at the start of the trek. 

We thought our bags were heavy but it was humbling to see the ridiculous loads being carried by local people, expertly negotiating the icy paths in just a pair of flip flops. We weren’t particularly lucky with the weather and got caught in a storm on the second day, a tent pole snapped on the third night setting up camp on a glacier, I got a fairly severe bout of diarrohea and ended up having to extricate myself from to the tent multiple times in the night, barefoot on the freezing glacier digging little snowholes with my bare hands.

Our wet shoes froze completely so we couldn’t put our swollen feet inside them until we had defrosted them down our jackets, all water sources had frozen so we could only melt snow down our tops / on the gas stove or on one occasion get some water out of a glacial pool after hacking at it with an ice axe. 

Into the storm

Despite avalanches crashing around us, at Dhaulagiri Base Camp we were lulled into a false sense of security, spending an afternoon relaxing under pristine blue skies. The next morning we awoke to a howling gale. We spoke to the only Sherpa at the base camp, in charge of a group of Dutch hikers who were having their things carried by porters and mules. He said that the conditions were too dangerous to continue that day and that if the storm didn’t clear the next day he would send for a helicopter evacuation. 

We both had insurance for a helicopter rescue but I didn’t feel that the conditions were bad enough to warrant it. Nothing a bit of Yorkshire grit couldn’t handle. So I made a difficult decision to pack up our camp and venture on into the storm. Tom had been feeling weak with the cold and the altitude but I told him that as long as we kept moving and eating we would be able to brave whatever the weather gods threw at us.

And throw at us they did. We endured snow, gale-force winds, freezing temperatures as we spent 80% of the day exposed above 5,000m. But eventually we pulled through the other side and after 10+ hours we finally started to lose some elevation and the weather calmed down. We had planned to camp somewhere en route but in the end cracked out a 13 hour day and got all the way down to the valley floor – a return to “civilisation” involving hitch hiking with a party bus full of youths who’d come from Kathmandu. 

What an experience it was. Importantly, the foot seems to have come out of it relatively unscathed so I can hopefully join the Manaslu Mountain Trail Race in the coming days… even if I will only be hiking it!

More tales from Nepal, or any of her adventures, can be found on Holly’s Instagram page 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 On through the storm 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.

Day in and day out I hear people give the excuse of they don’t have time to do something and more specifically they don’t have the time to run or workout. But is this really the truth? We all have an excuse for not doing something but it all comes down to time management. 

Life is temptation, it’s all about yielding, resisting, yes, no, now, later, impulsive, reflective, present focus and future focus. 

The most common excuse for not exercising is “no time”. However, clinical psychologists have concluded that typically it is lack of motivation, lack of enjoyment, negative associations or low self-esteem that prevents someone from doing something rather than lack of time. 

Don’t spend too much time wishing for 25 hours in a day

When waiting for an appointment I came across a magazine offering its readers help on how to find an extra hour in the day.  The idea was to shave bits of time off everyday activities, add it up, and we’ll have time for the good stuff.

I questioned this entire premise of this piece, one of my favourites was being extremely judicious in microwave usage: it says three minutes to three and a half minutes on the package- always go in on the bottom side of that.

Another favourite, which makes sense on some level, is to DVR your favourite show so you can fast forward through the adverts. That way you save five minutes or so every 30 minutes, so in the course of watching two hours of TV, you find 20 minutes to use for running. Another way to find 20 minutes (and of course the 30 seconds you saved from going on the bottom end of your microwaving)…don’t watch two hours of TV a day!

Time going backwards

I believe this idea of saving time here and there to get to everything we want to do is completely backwards.

We don’t build the lives we want by saving time, we build the lives we want and then time saves itself.

There are 168 hours in a week. Even after you subtract 56 hours to sleep and 50 for work, you’re left with 62 hours. We have the power to fill our lives with the things that deserve to be there. If you truly want to start running or working out, you must place it high on your mental to do list. Then you need to put it in your physical schedule, by planning your week before you’re in it.

Guilty as everyone else

I am just as guilty as most, I have a busy schedule- working full time, running full time along with all the other normal day to day commitments. I love running and I have no problem getting out the door for my workouts and recovery runs.

I enjoy running so I make it a priority, however the other aspects of running, such as stretching, I find boring so often find myself using the excuse “I don’t have time” when in reality this is not the reason for me neglecting this aspect of being an athlete.

I found I will plan my day out around running, working, dog walking, looking after my horse, general every day chores and running again with “no time” to stretch.

Yet if something unexpected comes up such as a flat tyre, I’d somehow have time to get all of my original activities done  as well as spend 2 hours getting to the garage, and waiting for a new tyre to be put on. This unexpected situation showed me time is highly elastic. We cannot make more time, but time will stretch to accommodate what we choose to put into it.

Cockram has another way to save time, always be at the finish line before everyone else. Photo credit: Porthcawl 10km

Prioritise your time

I have learnt the key to time management is treating my priorities as the equivalent to my flat tyre. I need to make stretching a priority. Everything we do, every minute we spend, is our choice. The times I have told myself “I don’t have time to stretch” really meant, “I don’t stretch because I find it boring therefore, I don’t make it a priority”.

Granted there maybe consequences for making different choices, but we are smart people, and certainly over the long run, we all have the power to fill our lives with the things that deserve to be there, whether that be running for health reasons, or for a physical challenge, competitiveness or anything else.

If you want to run, make it a priority; set yourself goals and understand why you want to do it, realise the positives you will get from it and see it as a highlight of your day. If you make it a priority you will never need to use the excuse of “you don’t have time” ever again.

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 Time waits for no woman appeared first on Fast Running.

Running to Your Best Degree

Heading to university, one of the biggest causes for excitement was the prospect of having a greater focus on running (the reality of studying dawned later) and all the fast new people I’d be doing it with.

It was almost dreamy; I left school where there were few who’s enthusiasm for the sport matched mine, and jumped into a place where, after finding the right circle, the feeling was shared amongst many. However, I experienced and witnessed first-hand the negatives and positives with running at university. To this end I have compiled a tips from the mainstream university guides, and given them a running twist.

Learn to budget

During your time at university, you will more than likely have moments of panic at the sight of your bank balance, regretting falling for those Sainsbury’s cookie deals (if you know you know).

I wished I had kept a track of my spendings instead of avoiding the bank app, the thought process being that if you ignore it, it’ll work itself out. This was sometimes the case for the running ‘budget’ too. 

Although you should defintely be adventurous with your running, exploring new surroundings, new training groups, it’s well worth the effort to keep a track of your training. Reflect on it week by week and change it accordingly to balance the books in a healthy way amongst all your commitments.

It’s much easier to save yourself from edging into an energy overdraft if you are able to spot early on the signs that your bank is being overworked. There are few loans of good value in running, unfortunately.

Make friends with lots of people

A big network of friends is not only handy when it comes to deadline season, supporting each other through long library stints (and then celebrating afterwards), but also essential when applied to in your running.

Make an effort to get to know a wide range of runners, as this will ensure there is a number of run options available. I agree that it’s nice to have a conistent training group to bash out sessions and the like, but giving time to at least easy run with others outside of this core circle is very beneficial.

It prevents the risk of unconscious competition within every run, which left unchecked will lead to undue tiredness and leaves you susceptible to all the risks of overtraining. Running at a wide spectrum of paces while enjoying different craic will keep you feeling fresher, more motivated and happier in general – win, win. 

Deal with chores before they get out of hand

Nothing seems more bothersome than the stack of used pots and crockery from dinner, still sitting at the side of the sink from the previous night, or week. It plays on your mind as you ignore it for another day, until the pile builds up to toppling heights, until one day it creates a more serious mountainous, and mouldy problem. In some way, this is similar to the neglected strength exercise plan (sorry to say).

When you’ve maybe progressed to two runs a day, or have only a short gap in the day to fit one run around your univeristy schedule, there’s not the same motivation to hit the yoga mat for some planks, or take to the weight room to prove to the bodybuilders that runners can lift.

However, it’s much more beneficial to start a routine early on so that you don’t put cracks in the crockery, and run the risk of injury to a point of no return. Strength training is a key component to building a stronger body and greater injury resistance. It can be just important as physically running, so it shouldn’t be seen as a lesser to that, but something that can replace it without guilt. 

Seek to create a simple exercise routine, one that doesn’t take an age to complete. It doesn’t even have to require a multitude of gym equipment – one can base a very beneficial plan around a theraband in your bedroom, which can be completed after a run session for example. Keep it sustainable and it’s much more likely to be maintainable.  

Learn how to sniff out a good deal

It’s a skill that is truly honed throughout life as a student and one that has as much right to a place on your CV as any other. Running kit can be costly, but take a little bit of time and confidence and you may be able to wangle yourself some treats.

Get to know which shops offer discounts to athletics club members, scour the internet for discount codes for online retailers, or even check out the job availabilty of local running shops (free shoes are often a perk of the role). [Maybe check out some pre-loved clothing at ReRun too – Editor]

Figure out the washing machine

This one is a given. Unless you enjoy pulling on muddy wet socks…

You can thank Jacob at the end of your first semester

So there you have it – a hopefully handy pocket-sized guide of tips that I believe are good essentials to keep in mind so that running remains healthy and happy throughout university. Be open minded, it’s not so much a time to be writing plans and goals in stone but one to enjoy and explore what running can open up to you.

Most important of all, speaking from experience, university is about finding the balance in your life. Running should not and cannot be something that overides everything else and becomes so prioritised that it prevents you from enjoying other parts of life.   Training is important, but you will look back more fondly on a time when you chose a night in the pub with friends over an extra 5 mile run in the rain. 

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 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 Hit the ground running at university appeared first on Fast Running.