Dr. Matt Long manages to catch up with the Cardiff based athlete shortly after her fine showing at the European cross country championships where she finished as second scorer behind Jessica Judd, helping a magnificent GB & NI take a team gold.

That aside, Nesbitt is understandably keen to talk about her own performance as an individual and enthusiastically says, “I am really pleased to be honest. Going into the race I wanted top 15 or perhaps even top 12 on a good day. So to finish as high as 10th was a great result for me and a stark improvement on my last Euro Cross”.

She placed 29^th in Lisbon back in 2019 pre Covid and her desire to secure continuous improvements in performance is in her DNA. With a nod of affirmation she continues that, “Typically, as a competitive individual, I now want to do even better”.

Consistency is key

Having demonstrated her consistency by placing runner up in runner up in consecutive British Athletics Cross challenges in Cardiff, Milton Keynes and at the trials in Liverpool already this winter, the Cardiff athlete’s confidence was obviously high before the European championships but she admits that the course was perhaps more severe than anticipated.

With a giggle she conveys that “the course was brutal! I have done some tough courses in the past, such as World XC in 2019 where I placed 34^th in Denmark but this one was more of a grind. The so called ‘slope’ we climbed on the back half of the course certainly felt like a mountain by the time it was the last lap!

The last 800m of the race was very painful. This being said, I enjoyed elements of it too because compared to some continental courses it was far more similar to typical cross here in the UK. There was mud for starters!”.

Festive Fun

The graduate of Bath University, who is now guided by Chris Jones, indicates that whilst the hard winter work of aerobic base building and strength endurance will continue, that there will be the opportunity for a spot of recreational running over the festive season.

“Over Christmas I will stick my regular training schedule and probably use the parkrun on Christmas Day to have a run around with my family”, and as a coach you can’t help but reflect on the wisdom of taking time out to allow your body to regenerate and allow the super-compensation effect of all the training and a hectic racing schedule to take place.

Photo: JHM Sport

Winter boards

Having run well on the track last summer, notably at the Muller British Athletics 10,000m championships and European 10,000m Cup at Birmingham University, Jenny intends to run regularly on the boards this winter.

It must be considered that the tight bends might be to her advantage considering racing style and experience and she asserts that, “I am moving indoors to race now – so will be getting on the indoor track for a few sessions, which I am really looking forward to.  I will focus mainly on the 3000m (where she ran a 9m09s PB last January at Sport City) but I am racing a 5000m in Glasgow early January to see where I am at there”.

Birmingham 2022

When the Spring arrives, Jenny will surely have an eye on selection for Team Wales at the Commonwealth Games next year.

To do so she will be looking to improve on her 15m30s PB set back in 2019 at a BMC Regional race in Tipton. The passion for racing is clearly insatiable and she laughs when telling me, “I couldn’t help but throw myself into the Christmas Classic this weekend at the NIAC and I’m so looking forward to reminding myself how painful track racing is!

Aside from that and looking further ahead, I plan on racing both the British Indoors, Welsh Indoors and maybe BUCS too early in 2022”.

As our conversation comes to an end, it’s clear that this is one Welsh Dragon who threatens to continue to breathe fire well into 2022.

Matt Long has served as both an England Team Manager and England Team Coach and welcomes contact for coaching support- Email: mattlongcoach@gmail.com

The post Red Dragon appeared first on Fast Running.

I received my invitation to compete at the Olympic Trials, which later doubled up as the British Championships, at the start of January, and it led to a host of emotions.

Prior to this, I hadn’t raced 20km since 1st September 2019, and due to the Covid-19 pandemic, my 2020 season was essentially written off due to cancellations, postponements and travel restrictions. The thought of racing brought about feelings of fear and worry – I knew deep down I hadn’t forgotten how to race, but it definitely felt like being thrown into the unknown.

Very fortunately, I had the opportunity through IOM Sport to spend the following weeks working closely with their Sports Psychologist – Rich Sille, in conjunction with my coach Tom Craggs, and simply having the chance to sit and discuss thoughts, feelings and emotions led to huge shifts in mindset – they really helped to prepare me for standing back on a start line!

Travel ‘bubble’

I travelled to London 48 hours prior to the race, and that in itself was an extremely odd experience. I’ve never been on such an empty aeroplane, let alone seen Heathrow airport so desolate. Moreover, arriving at the hotel was far from normal – with access limited to your designated room only.

The day before the race started with a stretch of the legs – a short, easy walk along the canal, before heading off for Covid-testing. To be eligible to race, every athlete had to provide a negative test result, in which you were then presented with a green armband to be worn for the remaining duration of the event. It was a relatively straight forward procedure and over pretty quickly – an absolute relief to get the go ahead to race!

Following this, we headed off to walk the course at Kew Gardens – a 1659.1m lap set in beautiful surroundings! It was a great opportunity to get a feel for the course and catch up with teammates who I hadn’t seen for so long.

Race day calm

Friday 26th February 2021 had finally arrived, and I’m pretty sure I saw every hour on the clock until my alarm went off at 3:45am. Before this event, I’d never experienced such an early race start, but I knew adrenaline and excitement would carry me through. I’d also somewhat prepared myself and practiced this untimely start only weeks earlier, taking to the roads at 6:00am and witnessing a beautiful sunrise in the process – every cloud!

I successfully ate my breakfast, felt well fuelled, pulled my racing kit on and left the hotel at 4:40am arriving at the course just before 5:00am. It was pitch black and difficult to navigate the surroundings but we managed to find the building for athletes, where socially distanced, we were left to pin on numbers, tie timing chips to trainers, stretch and warm up. At 5:40am, we were all led out to the start line at Palm House (approx. 600m away), and I used it as a final opportunity to do some drills and strides. I felt surprisingly calm, and in hindsight… maybe too calm.

Stay in control, keep moving forwards

The gun went off and the countdown of 12 laps began. The plan had been to start conservatively and progress pace throughout, but 5km in, I found myself really struggling to engage my brain with my legs, and couldn’t seem to get my body to speed up. It felt extremely frustrating and I knew I wasn’t hitting my splits. Now we had two options: 1) Get upset and angry, which would probably lead to unwanted tension and negative emotions, and perhaps even thoughts to give up, or 2) Don’t react – simply observe and focus on what can be done.

“When people panic, they make mistakes and stop thinking clearly…” – I didn’t want to fall into that trap. I knew it was in my control to keep moving forwards, and ultimately the process goal of standing on that starting line, managing the race as it went on and choosing to smile and enjoy the huge opportunity in front of me, was more important. So we kept going – we got through every single lap, every bout of nausea, every twinge of pain, before hitting the final obstacle… I was aware my knee had been feeling a bit iffy only 24 hours prior to the race.

Despite making positive progress with rehab over the last year since having surgery in March 2020, it felt like it was letting me down all over again, and this had resulted in 3 red cards to my name during the latter stages of the race. On my final lap and only metres from the finishing line, I was pit-laned and suffered a 2-minute time penalty. I knew this was another ‘laugh-or-cry’ moment, and somehow found myself choosing to smile – in the moment, I think I was somewhat aware of a sense of pride stemming from facing a fear and challenging myself to step back out into an elite racing environment, when it had felt impossible.

Fuelling the fire

I finished the race in a time that felt disappointing, but in the knowledge that a lot could be learnt and carried forwards. It was a complete bonus to find out I’d come 3rd, and receive a Bronze medal!

More than anything, this experience has relit the fire in my belly to really hope to race again soon – and to demonstrate all the hard work, time and efforts invested over the last year by my coach and the most incredible support team including RL360! I really couldn’t ask for more.

I have recently left ‘Project Indoor Training Camp’ (my 21 day self-isolation after retaining to IOM) and I can’t wait to get back out racing.

The post Fuel for the fire appeared first on Fast Running.

The winter can be a difficult time to get the miles in, but Fast10’s Zak Hanna, often the only man on the mountain, give his take. 

It’s 6am on a Sunday morning in the middle of December, the alarm starts ringing and it is swiftly turned back off again as I listen to the wind howling and the rain battering off my bedroom window as it blows off the top of Slieve Croob.

Given that winter is setting in and for the UK and Ireland, these storms are a frequent visitor to the islands so it’s no surprise to wake up to another one having a good time outside.

For a large majority of the population they will lie on in the warmth and comfort of their bed and maybe not awaken until lunchtime. To me this is a waste of a morning, but then again those who stay in their bed on a morning like that make see running as a bad way to spend their morning. Horses for courses I guess!

Into the Mournes

Arriving at Meelmore Lodge in the Mournes to meet for the Sunday long run, the wind and rain is still going strong. Give that we are looking directly onto the Hares Gap with Slievenaglogh, Slieve Bearnagh and the Meels hidden in the low most, the weather was showing no sign of shifting anytime soon.

In two hours or so we would be back here to get our breakfast and sit in the heat of the cafe trying to warm up, the perfect carrot for getting the run done regardless of the weather.

My Suunto 9 watch gives off a rather exaggerated buzzing sound with ‘Storm Alert’ showing on the screen, it had been a while since I last saw this notification so this was a sure sign that the bad weather was here and ready to throw everything at us.

We roll down the Trassey Road, onto the Mourne Way trail (ankle deep flooding the whole away along here) and into Tollymore forest. Down on the lower slopes of the forest the wind is somewhat eased by the trees, but a bold decision to head up the climbs to the top of the forest meant we would be greeted with gale force winds blowing us sideways across the trail.

My old friend, Relentless Rain

The rain never eased the whole time and we would end up doing two laps of this loop, two hours, 16 miles and 2,000ft of climbing later we arrive back at Meelmore car park and feeling a whole lot better that what we felt before starting the run, ready for a warm shower and a warm breakfast in the cafe after for our efforts.

We should know by now to expect this weather for most of the winter, and whilst this was the worst day for running for the season it felt great to finish the run knowing we had a solid long run in terrible conditions.

I’ve never called off a run due to bad weather. When I was a cyclist in a former life I trained with a group that would have given never-ending abuse if you didn’t show up because it was too wet, too windy or too cold; and I suppose that mentality has stayed with me and it has served me well when the skies are grey and miserable looking.

With the clothing available to us for the bad weather nowadays there should be no excuse for getting out and embracing the conditions.

Thankfully I have the backing of Salomon who have provided me with the best gear for battling the elements, so no matter what it is doing outside I always know that I’ll be kept warm and dry when it is need the most. Petzl have also been great in supporting me with headtorches for running in the dark before and after work.

If it’s good enough for Rocky

During the winter I seem to always watch the training montage from Rocky IV when he is out in Russia training to fight the big man Ivan Drago. Working out in the coldest conditions in Russia with minimal equipment, no distractions like social media or TV; just the drive and determination to train hard to succeed.

This is something I try to replicate as much as I can, as I find that there are so many athletes in running and other sports who over-complicate things in terms of training and recovery.

A great phrase I seen on Twitter recently was ‘Less time tweeting, more time training’ in relation to professional footballers and I couldn’t agree more; focus more on the small things like eating healthy, stretching and sleeping instead of posting what you had for breakfast or how cold it is outside.

It has its place in sport for athletes to post for sponsors etc, but not a step-by-step account of what you do every day of the week!

Going old school

The old school runners of the 70s/80s/90s didn’t have the same technology as we have now, such as shoes, phones, lab equipment etc and still they managed to win and break records, some of which still stand today.

Take Kenny Stuart, who is arguably one of the greatest fell runners of all time, still holds the records for Snowdon, Ben Nevis and Skiddaw, with very few coming close to his times, making his running even more impressive.

Normally cross country races would be on every weekend across the UK and Ireland but with the pandemic the calendar has been wiped; on Boxing Day Northern Ireland enters a 6 week strict lockdown similar to March; which to me is another opportunity to continue making myself a better runner in anticipation for what hopefully is a summer of racing in the mountains across Europe and further afield.

Embracing the winter grind is something that we all should look forward to as it is a chance to work on the weaknesses and strengths we have in order to make us better at what we do whilst racing is at a minimum.

Grab your headtorch, put on a good warm jacket, lace up your shoes and get out for that run you’ve been contemplating putting off because it’s raining.

Everyday you are able to run is a good day and don’t let a bit of wet weather stop you from doing so, you will feel great after and you will be better for it.

Zak.

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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.

The last blog post I wrote talked about how I spent my time whilst on furlough, turning three and half months of not working into an opportunity to live like a professional runner and trying to become a better runner in that period of time.

Fast forward to now, the current furlough scheme  has ended with many workers returning to work full time, with some part time and others unfortunately having no job to return to.

Since I wrote the Furlough Pro article I have managed to successfully salvage a racing season out of all the races that have been cancelled this summer due to Covid-19.

Making the most of a COVID Summer

I have ran in five races, one being in County Wicklow, and the rest in Italy. The Wicklow race was at Lugnaquilla and was used to test out the Irish Mountain Running Association’s new safety protocols for a safe return to racing, and it felt so good to finally be back on the start line after so many months of logging the miles.

I managed to win that one by over eight minutes, signalling that the shape was good and that I was ready to go a bit further.

Travelling to Italy to race was exciting tinged with  a hint of nervousness. It had been the worst hit country for the virus in Europe, so obviously it was only normal to be anxious, and others had expressed their concerns at me heading over there (We dealt with it pretty well though, learning quickly as the first country hit in Europe too – Italy based, defensive Ed.)

Off on a summer holiday

Packing a suitcase, checking in for your flight and getting your boarding pass is the standard procedure everyone goes through before flying, but never before have I had to fill in paperwork to justify my reason for travelling and to let the Italian authorities know where I’m travelling to, where I’m staying and for how long.

The contact tracing system had not been put online at that point so it was all filled in on pen and paper, I don’t think I’ve done that much writing since I was in school!

Another new novelty of flying in the Covid era was the essential wearing of face masks-from the minute you entered the airport and left the airport at your destination, you have to wear one at all times, even on the flight.

Arriving in Dublin airport at 4:30am in the morning in normal circumstances is normally a busy affair; airport buses are dropping off passengers from all corners of Ireland, and there is always a hive of activity going on. Not this time. I parked my car after the 90 minute drive down on an empty motorway, and within 10 minutes I was through security and sitting down to a coffee and a second breakfast.

A surreal travel experience

The airport was empty; 3 members of staff at security, one at the boarding pass scanners and two staff in the cafe. It was quite eery, and the lack of flights on the departures board was surprising.

Arriving in Italy I was surprised at how ‘normal’ everything was; except for everyone wearing a mask inside and outside, hand sanitizer was placed in every shop, temperature checks took place in certain areas-this was a sign of what was to come in Ireland, but this was my first experience of what you could call ‘the new normal’.

The new procedures for racing where quite simple; everyone wears a mask on the start line until 500m in which they can be removed, putting it back on at the finish line, no elite athlete presentations, aid stations would be limited and everyone stood one metre apart on the start line.

This would be the new normal for all of my races in Italy, but everyone was in cooperation with the organisers which made it run like clockwork and apart from slightly smaller crowds (when I say smaller, the atmosphere was still fantastic)

Starting strong, finishing stronger

The season started at Lugnaquilla and finished in Morbegno for the Trofeo Vanoni mountain relays where myself,  2019 Mountain Running World Cup winner Andy Douglas and Leeds United’s number one fan Ben Mounsey finished 5th in what is one of the best races on the calendar.

One win, 2 podiums and 3 top ten finishes is how I finished up results wise, with two weeks of racing coming as back to back races with a vertical kilometre on the Saturday and a 21km mountain race on the Sunday for Fletta Trail and Trofeo Nasego.

Given that back in March racing looked gone for the year, I remained positive throughout and continued training so that if any racing was to go agead, I would be ready to go. Thankfully this paid off and I was able to use the base I had built during the the first lockdown to carry me through from late July to the end of October and still deliver consistent performances on the mountains.

Back to the grind

Right now I am now back to work full time, five days a week from Monday to Friday which as the title suggests, is the end of the Furlough Pro.

It was a good run that lasted longer than first anticipated, but I feel I made the most of it and came out the other side a better runner than I was before. Returning to work part time was a bit of a shock as I had to re-adjust to running at 6am in the morning but after a few days it felt normal again.

I’m now back to training after a week off with no running done at all, probably the most boring week I’ve had in years but one that was needed to allow the batteries to recharge both physically and mentally.

From Lugnaquilla in County Wicklow to Morbegno in the Valtellina region of Italy, the 2020 mountain running season is over and now the focus turns to getting the work in over the next few months with my dog Corragh alongside me to prepare for what will hopefully be a better and more complete 2021 season for everyone.

Let’s go.

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 The end of the Furlough Pro? appeared first on Fast Running.

In many ways, runners and particularly competitive runners, have an advantage when it comes to health monitoring. This mainly stems from the fact that our bodies need to be firing on all cylinders to achieve the adaptations we hope to achieve through training week in, week out.

This means that we tend to clock when things aren’t feeling right earlier than most. Often athletes complain of a lousy session or a few laboured recovery runs a few days prior to the onset of full blown cold symptoms, for example. 

It is because we know how important it is to be fit and healthy, that our threshold for what’s ‘okay’ and thus what we are willing to tolerate tends to be lower.

The athlete can be a little… precious

A random back twinge may be largely ignored by a non-sports person because, rightly or wrongly, they can put up with a few days rest and an extra cushion at night. The same twinge in an athlete is likely to invoke an hour-long YouTube-led self-help session of targeted stretches, foam rolling and intermittent hot and cold treatments in an effort to quickly relieve the issue.

It is not necessarily because an athlete is any more caring towards their body, it’s just that that same twinge is impeding pain-free running which for many athletes is a complete deal breaker for what they consider acceptable.  

If your normal is legging it past the Houses of Parliament with your mates, then you might need to let the doc know. Photo credit: George Russell of Up and Running, Fleet Street).

When the doctor gets involved

Some problems require some form of medical intervention. Those lingering sort of issues that make us miserable, either because of, or-in spite of their impact on our running.

The list for such ailments is of course extensive but generally includes one, two or more of a pic ‘n’ mix selection of chronic pain/discomfort, fatigue, insomnia and low mood. The kind of things that can make us miserable enough to make the hassle of booking an appointment (invariably at an inconvenient time) with a GP, physio or other health care professional seem worth it.

If your problem can be handled by a highly recommended physio or osteopath and you can afford the treatment brilliant. If, like many athletes you do not have this luxury or your issue is not soft tissue-related then you’re likely to have to roll the dice with the local GP.

It is at this point that a conflict can arise. The NHS, for all its brilliance has limited resources. Resources that, quite rightly, are skewed towards emergency treatment and chronic disease management. For the remainder of cases, the GP must make an assessment based on the perceived impact a person’s ailment has on their quality of life before recommending them for a referral to a specialist.

There are other important considerations to be made. They of course have to make a judgement call on whether they believe the patient would benefit from a course of treatment versus rest in the case of physical injuries. But all things being equal this is where athletes can lose out if they have a GP that fails to take a patient-centred approach.

Feeling exhausted but still better than most

For example, a young distance runner comes in complaining of being exhausted after every run.

On the surface, they look fine and their vitals are normal. Young, slim-build, and they say they are able to run 5 miles a day which is far more than the average Joe. Afterall, aren’t most people exhausted after jogging five miles, let alone every day? Maybe they just need to run less?

The issue is of course that they aren’t the average Joe, they are an athlete and the only point of comparison should be themselves. It is far more important to investigate the changes that have led up to this point – their so called ‘loss of function’.

A chess player that complains he can only think 5 moves ahead might sound a bit of a nonentity. But if it turns out 5 years ago they were a grand master capable of thinking 25 moves ahead then there is grounds that this deterioration represents some level of cognitive decline.

By analogy, if our young athlete 6-12 months back could comfortably run 8-10 miles carefree then this is a red flag that needs to be addressed. It could be an early sign of relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S), anaemia, depression, Lyme disease or even autoimmune diseases like coeliac disease and diabetes that are being partially masked by a patient’s athleticism. 

Talk to and work with your local GP. The NHS is working in extreme circumstances in 2020 and the fact your 5k PB isn’t dropping as quickly as you hoped might not be an alarm bell for them.

Some general advice

I think there needs to be some level of responsibility taken by everyone involved to ensure that athletes’ problems are noted and listened to at the earliest possible stage.

Coaches, an athlete’s wider support network and the athlete themselves have just as much responsibility as the health care professionals in ensuring that appropriate interventions can be made. A doctor of course KNOWS the important of taking a patient-centred approach and should be well-versed in taking a full history from a patient in order to contextualise their problems. But they also need a bit back from the athlete. Athletes need to get across two really important things during these consultations:

1. That they are an athlete and what their baseline level of health / normality looks like. 

I.e. “I am a competitive distance runner and I would usually be running 60-70 miles a week…”

2. The impact of their current health problem on their running relative to their own baseline from point 1. It may also be good, if relevant, at this point to explain the impact this is having on your mental health too. For many of us, running is an outlet for neutralising stress and an opportunity to meet up with friends which can be compromised when we are injured or otherwise feeling unwell. 

i.e. Over the last 2 months I’ve been really struggling to summon any energy to run even 3 miles a day and when I do I’m exhausted. It’s also meant I’ve been feeling increasingly lonely as I’m no longer seeing my friends as much…

Communication can be key

Ultimately this will lead to productive discussion between an athlete and physician. It will also ensure that a good, trusting patient-doctor relationship is established from the off.

I think historically, some athletes in a bid to be heard have felt the need to exaggerate or worse invent symptoms. But this can lead to problems of its own.

Being open and honest with ourselves, our coaches and our GP at all stages has got to be the way forward and I think that’s something we can all improve upon going forwards.

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 What’s up doc? appeared first on Fast Running.

Build-Up

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic I had only raced twice in 2020, so like most athletes going into the race it was hard to gauge a sense of specific fitness.

I had planned to do the Antrim Coast Half Marathon a few weeks out from London, but I was unable to do so due to the Isle of Man’s regulations which require people to isolate for 14 days upon arrival back to the Island. This would have been a perfect opportunity to run a fast half and get the legs moving a bit quicker, but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be.

There was about 8-10 weeks of solid marathon training, with weekly mileage reaching 120 miles, and sessions accumulating to 24 miles in volume. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a few setbacks in my buildup, but on the whole, training went well and I felt ready and eager to toe the line in London.

The ‘Bubble’

Once I landed at London City Airport I was picked up and taken to the London Marathon hotel, situated in a TOP SECRET location!

What should have been a 30 minute drive turned into 2 hours thanks to the infamous London rush hour. Once we finally arrived at the hotel I was instructed to go for a COVID test, and was then informed on the protocol regarding the following few days ahead.

All athletes, event staff and security had to wear face masks and a ‘Bump’ device at all times, bar a couple of exceptions. The only times we were able to be free of the mask and the ‘Bump’ was when we were in our own room, running, and eating meals in the dinning area – however we still had to maintain a 2 meter distance.

All athletes had access to the grounds around the hotel to use for walking or running, however it seemed like the whole time we were at the hotel it was torrential rain and strong winds – so these runs were not pleasant.

The big day itself 

The race itself was held on a 2.15km loop around St. James’ Park, and finished in the same iconic location as the traditional London Marathon – along The Mall.

As forecasted, the weather was appalling with persistent wind, rain and cold temperates, reaching a maximum of 9 degrees – lovely. I naively thought these conditions would be conducive to running fast times, but as time would tell I was very wrong.

The race had three/four paced groups with the slowest being the Olympic qualifying group (2:11:30) paced by Matt Clowes and Mo Farah. I decided not to go with this group but to run my own paced race with Jack Gray at around 2:13/2:14 tempo. I thought going off at this pace was sensible and if we felt good there was scope to pick the pace up in the latter stages. 

Ollie and Jack Gray stick to their own pace early on, agonisingly close to the assistance of the the pace group. Photo: Jon Super for Virgin Money London Marathon

Overcoming adversity mid race

Once the gun went off, we got into our running and it was very comfortable and we dialled into the pace. However, once we hit the 8-mile mark I felt a sharp pain in my hamstring, as though someone had shot me with a paint ball. Rarely having issues during a race this took me by surprise.

Trying to ignore the pain and push through it I pushed on, but it was to only get worse.

At 20-miles still on for the 2:14 pace, my body was having none of it. I began to slow dramatically, finishing in a time of 2:19:40. As soon I finished, all I wanted to do was to get warm, but once I’d stopped running, I found that I could barely walk without the aid of someone helping me.

I got to the tent and couldn’t even bend down to take my shoes off due to the pain in my hamstring. However, concerns quickly turned to the fear of missing my flight due to the tight turn around (and the fact that I was now operating on one leg). Luckily I hopped to it and did make the flight with a bit of wiggle room to spare.

Reflecting on a big experience

After some ruminating, I feel somewhat disappointed with my result – particularly because the time does not reflect how training went.

Regardless of this, it was tough out there! Stepping back a little, as an outsider looking in, I take pride in knowing that I did everything I could to give myself the best chance of performing on the day. Unfortunately there are some things we simply cannot control – in this instance: the weather and how my body held up in the conditions.

I can however take a lot from this, and learn from my weaknesses. It wasn’t all doom and gloom either – there were many positives to running through the pain, and ultimately finishing the race, including achievement of a Commonwealth Games standard and breaking an Island-Record, which has stood since 1974! 

Yes, the time wasn’t what I wanted, but with lessons learnt, and more experiences to benefit from, I know the time will come. This race has given me a good opportunity to set my sights very clearly for Birmingham 2022, and beyond. 

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 Reflecting on the 2020 London Marathon appeared first on Fast Running.

Every successful athlete is a product of how much time and effort they dedicate in order to better themselves.

However, sometimes it isn’t just the time and effort that equate to successful performances – an athlete’s circumstances can have a direct impact. For example, one factor that could significantly contribute to success is the level of support an individual receives.

This can come in many different forms: emotional help, medical services, financial assistance, and training environments. In this blog I will concentrate on training and emotional support. 

Unfortunately as athletes, we never have complete autonomy over the support we receive, and this in turn, can have both positive and negative impacts. Athletes who struggle to access these support systems will no doubt, be less better off than someone who has access to all of them.

Therefore, it can be vital that athletes do their best to make the most out of the opportunities they have and to strive towards gaining further future support. 

Training Assistance

For a lot of athletes running can be a solitary sport, with longer sessions and workouts being completed without the help and company from anyone else. Training solo can cause athletes to become demotivated, isolated and lead to underperformance in training and even racing situations.

Some athletes genuinely prefer to train alone and choose to do so, whereas others seek out the company. Unfortunately, not all of us have access to this luxury.

From personal experience I thrive from training with like-minded athletes, however within my current circumstances, I face completing my faster sessions alone. 

Working harder with others around

When training alone, I feel I struggle to get the most out of myself, due to the lack of a group to push me and hold me accountable. Having had the experience of training with a group at University, I’ve come to comprehend the importance and huge benefits that this type of support offers.

Having  shared goals and camaraderie with others is special, and this can go a long way towards bettering yourself and subsequent performances.

The perceived benefits of running in a group are huge, and can help push you on a gear and into another zone, which could otherwise be very hard to do by yourself. 

In order to overcome this barrier, I have sought help from a couple close friends who have selflessly given up their time to hop on a bike and pace me during my harder sessions. I have found this extremely beneficial and I believe this has been influential in my progress on the roads during the last year. Any athletes in a similar situation, who are struggling to hit their splits in training and/or are lacking a bit of motivation, I strongly advise seeking out this kind of assistance. For me, it has been invaluable.  

Photo: Provided by athlete

Create a “Team” 

If you are a victim to solo double-runs and hard sessions, then I believe it is important to build a community type environment around your training.

This can be done by sharing your experience, thoughts, concerns, and highlights with people who genuinely care. Whether it’s your family, friends, or coaches, sharing your journey with others can help to keep motivation and avoid fizzling out.

In my circumstances I try to keep my coach, physio, sports massage therapist, S&C coach, and my family/close friends within the same bubble. Aside from the clear physical benefits physio’s, therapists, and coaches play, I strongly believe that combining these support networks helps emotionally.

Accountable to the team

Having a team around holds you accountable as you are not only performing for yourself, but equally for those people who do their very best to keep you healthy and positive. 

For many, it can be difficult to turn to others as they may not be able to fully empathise and comprehend the importance of a sport that means so much to you.

It’s therefore important to seek out those with similar interests who can relate fully. Even if you have the best coach, trainer, or therapist, if they are missing the emotional supportive element then this could hamper your performance and subsequently your involvement with the sport.

Being able to turn to someone and know that they will be there for you is invaluable, and it is vital that these relationships are maintained. Seeking out individuals who go above and beyond will no doubt help psychological well-being but will ultimately enhance performance as well.

Therefore, the physical push of a training aid and the emotional backing of a “team”, may be the two elements that play a pivotal role in your development as an athlete. 

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 The importance of good support  appeared first on Fast Running.

I know I won’t be alone in trying to comprehend the confusion, disruption and disarray that 2020 has brought.

It’s for the first time in my very short career as an athlete so far, that I have found myself struggling to find enjoyment and solace in the sport that I’ve loved so much for the last few years.

The year couldn’t have gotten off to a better start – travelling to Murcia in January for a really encouraging training camp with the Welsh Athletics Endurance team, alongside my best friend and partner, Ollie. It always feels incredible to be able to share these experiences together, comprehending the sacrifices that come with training as full-time athletes.

I think we both felt that this camp was setting us up for a bright year ahead… but then a global pandemic happened.

Not just a pandemic to deal with

Not only did Covid-19 rear its ugly head, but on return to the Isle of Man, I found myself unable to fully extend one of my legs – a requisite for legal race walking technique. After weeks of confusion and conservative treatment with IOM Sport, the situation wasn’t improving.

I wasn’t displaying any distinctive symptoms and didn’t appear to be experiencing much pain, so we had to look to an MRI scan for answers. And just like that, it felt like my world had ended. A lateral meniscus tear requiring surgery, and Hoffa’s syndrome. Three days passed following the scan, and very quickly, I found myself lying in the operating theatre.

It’s been a very longgggggg six months of rehabbing. The recovery process was far from straightforward (such is life) and every time there was a glimmer of hope, another niggle/issue would come to the fore. It’s been one of the most disheartening experiences to have gone through – with every step forwards, we took about three backwards. And maybe this is where it all started – where I begun to succumb to my situation, lose faith and ultimately self-belief and confidence. 

The highs and the lows

In April, I was over the moon to get selected to represent England in Podebrady over 20km, but as quickly as I had accepted my invitation, the event got postponed.

This year has seen so many major goal races postponed and/or cancelled, including the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Minsk, which in part I feel, has fed this lull in desire and motivation to race.

Very fortunately, I have been able to benefit from some local island-based races, to race against a clock, and benefit from judging feedback. They’ve been a proper mixed bag of experiences – sub-par performances, lack of enjoyment, and my first ever DNF (which genuinely had me feeling so gutted, I cried for days), but we ended on a high with a loverly PB and a smile on my face! 

Opportunities close to home

On-island opportunities are brilliant when the world around you is shutting down, but they’re just not quite the same as being thrown into a highly competitive environment, in which you’re surrounded by like-minded athletes, pushing you to your limits.

Moreover, living on the Isle of Man has come with its own set of challenges, and I found myself feeling incredible deflated at having to turn down an opportunity to race in the 2020 British Championships in Manchester, due to the necessity to self-isolate for two weeks upon my return. It simply couldn’t be justified at the time.

In some ways, the silver linings to all of this are that, getting injured and having to rehab for 50% of the year couldn’t have aligned better with the onset of a virus swarming across the world, meaning that goals, races and events, very sadly, have had to be written off or postponed to later dates.

If 2020 has taught me anything, it’s that the most challenging of situations, coupled with your weakest moments can give rise to the opportunities that allow you to truly comprehend just how strong you can be. Keep showing up, keep dreaming, keep believing.

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 When 2020 sucks the life out of you… appeared first on Fast Running.

To follow Nicola’s run this weekend check out the live tracking here.

One thing that has occurred as a result of COVID-19 and lockdown restrictions is an abundance of FKT attempts across the UK!

Beth Pascall sent a fantastic record of the Bob Graham round last month. First John Kelly and then Damien Hall broke records along the Pennine Way, Jo Meek broke an overall record down on Dartmoor and Sophie Mullins set a new mark on the Union Canal.

Arguably the most impressive feats were the recent LEJOG attempts – Carla Molinaro and Dan Lawson both setting female and male records of the 820-30 mile route from Lands End to John O Groats.

With my own events all being cancelled and not looking good for the rest of the year I decided to do my own FKT and use it as my fundraising event for my friend Kat – my original challenge was the Madeira Island Ultra Trail in April.  I decided to take on the 117 mile route of the Fife Coastal Path, starting at Kincardine and tracing its way around the coast to Newburgh.

So what is an FKT?

FKT is shorthand for “Fastest Known Time”—essentially, a speed record on any given route. There is no formal race or event for these routes, which include everything from long-distance hiking trails to circumnavigations of lakes or mountains, to “up-and-down” times summiting an iconic peak or completing a linkup of multiple peaks. 

In many ways, chasing FKTs is the ultimate egalitarian “sport.” There is no entry fee to participate, nor any permission necessary (other than being allowed on the route).

Anyone, at any time, on any day, can try to break a record and set a new FKT.

Photo: Provided by athlete

So how does one prepare for an FKT?

Unlike organised events there are no arrows or marshals during an FKT.  Therefore a very important part of preparation is becoming familiar with the route.

For me that was actually quite a pleasant thing to have to do as the Fife Coastal Path is beautiful – certainly no hardship having recce days along it! 

As it is 117 miles long it can be a logistical nightmare to sort out getting sections done.  My two running friends Alex and Neil were fantastic at chumming me along different stretches….often cycling to the start for out and backs and occasionally getting buses and trains to different sections and getting a train back. 

Lessons learned on the trail

It becomes harder the further along the route when there are no train stations and no direct buses back to Edinburgh.  I did a recce weekend where I did 31 miles one day and 33 miles the next – solo on the hottest weekend of the year!  Here’s what I learned on my recce adventures:

1. It may be a way-marked route but I can still get lost.  A few times.  In particular on my last recce weekend, with just five miles to go I missed a sign and ended up on a motorway.  I needed to get to Newburgh for my lift to train station so decided to run on the big road for 5 miles. Unfortunately I ran 5 miles…..in the wrong direction.
2. Tides exist…high and low.  I will likely end up getting wet at times not having the luxury of being able to pick and choose when the tides are at the right level.
3. Some villages still only accept cash.  This was very sad when I needed an ice cream in Ansruther and there was a big queue for ice cream which I waited in and then couldn’t buy one.
4. Some cows are friendly – some aren’t.  Extreme caution at times required.
5. If it’s hot…use lots of Vaseline.  The chaffing I got on my recce weekend was indescribable due to sweating so much!
6. I will need to eat and drink a LOT over 117 miles. 

Photo: Provided by athlete

Part of the FKT community

As part of my preparation I helped support two FKT attempts – I cycled beside Sophie along the Union Canal and I guided Dan Lawson across the Pentlands on his LEJOG attempt.  I learned a lot from these experiences too:

HAVE A PLAN B. I got a puncture when supporting Sophie which meant she was without her energy drinks while I repaired (thanks Matthew the Maths teacher) my puncture and caught back up. 

This has made me be over cautious with my own plans and I will aim to carry everything I need myself and have extras.  I can restock and refuel along the way but just in case something happens and I don’t get my restocks at a certain point – I will have enough.

There will be low points.  Pain and suffering is temporary.  Watching Dan on day seven of his challenge was so inspiring – he told me that he did have low points and that you have to almost see it as a shift at work.  In my case…maybe three shifts.

Energy from supporters

Seeing people cheering you on really perks you up.  I saw how Dan got lifted when people came out to cheer and run with him and this made me decide that I would like people to run stretches with me too. It will make it much more fun and ultimately I want it to be an enjoyable experience. Also it might be less scary tackling the cows in the dark with company.

When it’s really tough….remember your WHY. For me this is easy – fundraising for Kat is the main goal of this event and hopefully will be successful with that. 

This weekend will be my final recce of the route – doing the one section I haven’t managed yet and re-doing the last section to ensure I don’t end up on the big roads again.

So that’s how I prep for an FKT – there may be another article to follow afterwards with more lessons. I will have a tracker and if anyone wants to run some of it with me or cheer me on let me know.

If you want to follow Nicola’s run this weekend then the tracking can be found here.

If you would like to assist Nicola in raising funds for Kat via this FKT attempt then follow the link here.

The post Preparing for an FKT on the Fife Coastal Path appeared first on Fast Running.