In a grump mid-race I decided I wasn’t going to write about the North Downs Way 50 this year. It wasn’t going to plan, I saw no reason to remember it or to prolong the suffering. On reflection my run writing has always been about preserving my memories & there are definitely things from this … Continue reading The North Downs Way 50, mk II. How not to run 50 miles.
I *totally* get the irony of calling a 50km race a training run, but that is exactly what the XNRG Humanity Direct Ultra was. On the 10th March, four weeks before the SDW50, I lined up on the start line ready for my longest ‘training’ run & what would hopefully become my second longest run … Continue reading The XNRG Humanity Direct Ultra, aka the 50km training run
A week ago I was running through fields & woodland, up & down hills, across stepping stones & up some steps. Smelling the scent of the wild garlic lining the paths, basking in the late afternoon sunshine. A week ago I was running 50 miles. All day my thoughts have been consumed with “this time … Continue reading NDW50 Wk 27: One Week On
0 miles, 0:00:00, 0:00 min/mile, 0ft elevation gain This will be a short post. Three weeks out from race day & zero miles this week. After the disaster (okay, maybe a little exaggeration) of Cannock Chase last week I decided that if I am to make the start line fit I needed to rest the … Continue reading NDW50 Wk 23: Zero (wc 17.04.17)
After the high of Brighton... 13 miles, 2:05:50, 9:41 min/mile, 1000ft elevation gain I shared my NDW50 adventures on Instagram this week & then promptly had the worst run of the training cycle which made me wish I had kept quiet & I could just ignore the whole thing. In fact the whole week post-Brighton … Continue reading NDW50 Wk 22: Bad training runs happen to stop bad race days (wc 10.04.17)
Chasing sunset not sunrise 9 miles, 1:23:21, 9:16 min/mile, 272ft elevation gain I did not want to run. Sunday’s long-run had not quite gone to plan due to tiredness. I was still tired, I was worried about my knee & I had serious DOMS. I had been dreading it all day to the extent that … Continue reading NDW50 Wk 20: Back in the Game! (wc 27.03.17)
AKA Insomnia stole my sleep 20 miles, 3:01:09, 9:03 min/mile, 95ft elevation gain The start of British summer time, the clocks go forward an hour so we loose an hour’s sleep & insomnia stole the rest… I remembered this about mid-way through when this run started to feel really, really hard. Note to self, a … Continue reading NDW50 Wk 19: Thames Path Twenty (wc 20.03.17)
London looking mighty fine! 5 miles, 46:56, 9:23 min/mile, 142ft elevation gain Two days post-mara & I ran! I’ve never done that before, I’m usually still struggling to move at this stage! I think it’s a testament to how much improved my post-run recovery routine has become over the past 12 months. My plans changed … Continue reading NDW50 Wk 18: Hills (wc 13.03.17)
The most spectacular positive split... 26.2 miles, 4:17:34, 9:49 min/mile, 0ft elevation gain (ha ha ha ha ha!) When you discover a London based marathon organised by the excellent Hermes Races that is on your actual birthday the temptation to enter is just too great... Originally I entered telling myself that it would be a … Continue reading NDW50 Wk 17: Thames Meander Marathon (wc 06.03.17)
A gloriously sunny 12 marathon paced miles 12 miles, 1:40:11, 8:20 min/mile, 46ft elevation gain (ha ha ha ha ha!) And that was EXACTLY what I needed! I almost deleted last weeks post. I don’t like negativity & was worried I was beginning to focus too much on it & that by doing so I … Continue reading NDW50 Wk 16: A gloriously sunny 12 at marathon pace (wc 27.02.17)
Photo Girl Runs 