Fresh off Rasselbock BYU

Fresh off the BYU

I managed 20 yards, my personal distance best, and my 100km speed PB.

Strategy

Pace

I was trying for 45 minute laps. I found this gave me good time in the chair and with a massage gun and elevated feet not too much trouble getting going. On lap this gave me the ability to run at a comfortable pace and ability to walk on the accents, and the sharp decent (save those quads).

Fuel

I had tailwind as a staple and a wide range of savoury and sweet items available, Trek flapjacks and Higgidy mushroom rolls being standouts! I had meals planned for lunch and dinner, lunch was Higgidy items and dinner was miso noodles. Still hungry I also had a hash brown bap and chips on order for after the ‘dinner lap’. I was happy with this no ‘bonking’ and plenty of warmth in the food. Late night cuppa and flapjack were also just lovely. My stomach was super stable no issues and no revulsion like I had on the NC110.

Endurance

Garmin tells me I lost all my endurance capacity 13 hours in! My lap times were consistent (ish) until lap 12 when I went a bit quick, 13 and 14 wobbled a bit, then from 15 to 20 I was gaining time and feeling worse. I crossed the line for lap 21 but didn’t try to run the lap. I find that funning performance fails little by little then all a sudden all at once. On lap 20 i was starting to not be able to throw myself into a run that little movement was getting harder and a couple times felt like it may make me fall over. Lap 21 I almost certainly couldn’t have run and could have been dangerous to try, real risk to my health is my cutoff. I’m happy I had nothing more to give.

My main issues were in my legs, my IT bands were tight both knees hurting, my left knee which is usually fine was the real culprit. A support kept it tight but not happy, the pacing choice was great as it kept the knee happy at running speed and walking speed. Shoulders, cardio even feet (mostly) were happy. 6 hours is the longest I should go without a kit change and re-lube, however I did keep comfortable enough with the changes made.

Event

The event was smashing I met a lot of lovely people on the trail, my thanks for everyone who chatted and encouraged especially Inara, without who I don’t think I would have got as far as I did! The organizers, marshals, and catering were great all just perfect for getting you ‘just one more lap’.

My Crew

Crewed by my wife and best friend I had high hopes and they exceeded them in every way. Knew when to put a stop to my moaning, knew at the end I was serious about finishing and switched to praise. The MVPs of my race and I owe them a great deal of my success.

Resolutions

I’ve got one more 100k booked, this is a ‘just finish’ with a friend. My takeaway is I like doing 100k/100mile, I love doing 50k/50mile. There is also the training time getting to 100km+ a week required to do this is too much ‘life’ for the payoff. I will keep running keep ultra-ing, keep training, keep running, if in some years I do another BYU maybe 24 is on the cards but no pressure. People run ultras for years decades of conditioning, if i come back to 100’s it will be with this. I can see Endure 24, Ben Nevis, and a load of others in my future. But 100’s just are not right for me now, I’ll check back in on them in a few years.

Next up

I’ve got a 50km run round Bath, I’m gonna go fast (hopefully).

Personal Bests

1k: 3:39, Dec 23 2024

1mi: 5:59, Jan 25 2025

5k: 19:09, Jan 25 2025

Parkrun: 19:09, Jan 25 2025 (Coventry)

10k: 41:25, Feb 02 2025 (Warwick HM)

Half: 1:27:47, Feb 02 2025 (Warwick HM)

Marathon: 3:36:59, Mar 03 2024 (Oulton GP)

50k: 5:22:35, Mar 29 2025 (Bath 50)

50 Miles: 11:44:14, Mar 01 2025 (Rassselbock BYU)

100k: 14:46:51, Mar 01 2025 (Rassselbock BYU)

Longest: 134.04km, Mar 01 2025 (Rassselbock BYU 19:59:27)

My Current goals

Road Distance/Time goals:

5k: ~~21:00~~ 18:30

10k: ~~45:00~~ 40:00

Half: ~~1:45:00~~ 1:25:00

Marathon: ~~4:00:00~~ ~~3:45:00~~ 3:10:00

Ultras:

50k: ~~5:30:00~~ 5:00:00

50 mile: 10 hours

Trail Ultras:

Distance goals:

~~Complete a 50 mile~~

~~Complete a 100 km~~

Complete a 100 mile (Postponed for the foreseeable)

Position Goals

~~Come top 50% in my age category on a fell run~~

Come top 25% overall on a fell run

~~Get to 25% consistently on runs~~

Other:

24 hour race

Backyard Ultra

~~12 Laps (50 mile)~~

18 ~~Laps (75 mile)~~

24 Laps (100 Mile) (Postponed for the foreseeable)

Peaks

Summit all three highest UK peaks on 3 separate fell runs. ~~Scafell~~ ~~Snowdon~~ Ben Nevis

Coventry Way

Upcoming Events

Booked

27/04/2025 Shakespeare marathon (Pacing 4:00:00)

12/07/2025 Race to the Stones (Finish)

2025 3
2024 1
2023 23

2025

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