Beggining with insanity

This is the first blog post as it is when I signed up to my first ultra-marathon. Written as a retrospective.

My friend who I had recently moved away from messaged me asking if I was up for the Xterra Snowdonia Ultra Marathon. Not wanting to say no to the first event he suggested I accepted with seven and a half weeks to get in shape. That day I had just got back from an (accidental) 18.5k run. Having not run more than 15k in over a month with my last half at the end of January. At this point a half was as far as I had ever run.

I initially made a plan to just add 5k a week on my Sunday long run until I was running 50k then call it a day. A quick read of some running blogs left me with no doubt that this would be a terrible idea. I quickly changed that plan for a plan that involved doing long runs on Saturday and Sunday to get used to running on tired legs. Building these runs up to culminate at running 25k on Saturday and 35k on Sunday then tapering for two weeks before the event. On the weekend before I ran a parkrun on saturday and a 17k with some mild intervals. The weekend of the event I ran a parkrun the day before to make sure I was loose.

The final weekend of training was tough with 20 plus degree heat and 75-80% humididty. It did however see me dial in my nutrition plan and drinking, the addition of nuts is a godsend with gels for 4 hours plus feeling dire.

Overall this training was a bit overly demanding on my weekends with 6 plus hours spent a week running around Coventry.

2024

2024-01-28 Weekly Blog

1 minute read

Personal Bests 1k: 3:52, Aug 07 2023 1mi: 6:44.2, Nov 19 2022 5k: 21:04, Sep 30 2023 Parkrun: 21:04, Sep 30 2023 (Coventry) 10k: ...

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2023

Race Prediction

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I think i will miss the 7 hour goal by up to an hour, keeping it down to 7:30 would be ideal. I havent had time, i.e. forgot to make time, to practice nutrit...

2023-10-29 Weekly Blog

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This weeks training was: 5.7km, 4:57 min/km 10x 500m intervals, 1 min rest, avg interval pace 4:13 min/km (8.5km total distance) 4x (Squats x6 60...

2023-10-22 Covid!

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This weeks training was: 10km Run (PB 46:54) 5 hill reps 200m avg pace 3:20 Then I got covid and did nothing for 2 days Dog walk 8.5km Dog ...

2023-10-15 Weekly Blog

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This weeks training was: Intervals 10x 500m (race pace) 1min rests, 8.5km total with warmup/cooldown Beginners Yoga 1h Easy pace 10km (51:37) ...

2023-10-09 Weekly Blog

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This weeks training was: 8.5km 39.02 min 4:37 min/k 1.5km Swim Body Pump 10km 56.01 min 5:36 min/k Dartmoor Hiking 3 Days 72k, and a small ...

2023-10-01 Weekly Blog

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This weeks training was: 2k Swim Stretch, slow run, stretch Cycling to and from work 2.5k stride repart warmup for parkrun Parkrun, PB 21:0...

2023-09-24 Weekly Blog

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This weeks training was: 8.41km with speedwork, 10x 500m @ avg ~4:12 min/km (1 min rest with 2 min rest after 5) 5.5km Easy avg hr 162bpm and avg pa...

2023-09-17 Weekly Blog

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This week my training was: 8.4km poor dicipline and went too fast Core workout with reps increasing from 5 to 15 hold/rest time is 2xreps (twists, s...

2023-09-11 Weekly Blog

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This weeks training was: Hill Sprints 10x 200m Flat out 15k trail run 400m ascent decent (~1:50) 200m Intervels flat out Outdoor gym workout ...

2023-09-04 Weekly Blog

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This week (medium week): 6.5k run at 80-90% effort Upper body Strength workout Trail run with 5 hill repeats Parkrun (Pacing a 24min) with a 7...

2023-08-27 Weekly Blog

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This week: Light (nearly) 5k Ab repeats N from 5 - 15, with Nx2 rest between each exorcise N Russian Twists Nx2 seconds side pl...

2023-08-21 Weekly Blog

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Since the last post my training was: Strength training, hitting the big muscles and then doing core. Warmup run to Parkrun, 5:08 pace Zone 3 for 50\...

2023-08-18 Weekly Blog

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This week (and a bit) training was: Intervals 5x 1k on 1 min rest with warmup/cooldown for a 6.5k run. Average running pace was 4:14 min/km. 1k pb set ...

2023-08-06 Weekly Blog

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This weeks training was: 10 sets of 1 miniute sprints 3 minuite cooldown, for a 8.5k run A lactate threshold test (the last 3 mins of which was tour...

Running some numbers

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Ran a lactate threshold test, ~10min warmup, 4 heart rate zone (HRZ) tests, ~11min cooldown.

2023-07-30 Weekly Blog

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This week I: Did my short running workout Ran 5x 5min race pace intervals with 2 min walking rest Swam 1.1k Ran 6.5k at an easy pace ...

2023-07-23 Weekly Blog

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My Current goals Road Distance/Time goals: 5k: 21:00 10k: 45:00 Half: 1:45:00 Marathon: 4:00:00 3:45:00 ...

2023-07-16 Weekly Blog

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My Current goals Road Distance/Time goals: 5k: 21:00 10k: 45:00 Half: 1:45:00 Marathon: 4:00:00 3:45:00 ...

Post Ultra Rundown

3 minute read

I finished the ultramarathon in 09:58:23, 60k 2000m climb. It was the best run I have ever been on. It is one of the best things I have ever done.

Beggining with insanity

1 minute read

This is the first blog post as it is when I signed up to my first ultra-marathon. Written as a retrospective.

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