This week my work schedule changed slightly so I wasn't able to get my usual run commuting miles done. I could only fit in one run per day and this meant that I had to be flexible and change my day around to hit my weekly target of 100 miles. The weather didn't help as we've had sub zero temperatures overnight all week. And to make things even more challenging, I live out in the countryside where there aren't many pavements or well lit streets. It's definitely been an interesting week. Man plans and God laughs... I started the week with a solid plan for getting to 100 miles - 13 miles a day on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, followed by 8 miles on Friday and then a 40 mile moderate tempo session on Saturday. But as all runners know...man plans and God laughs!
Living out in the countryside meant that I would have to run up and down the same stretch of road to get those 13 miles in each day. It's just about the only safe and runnable road in the area. Going any further would put me at the mercy of drivers on the dark, narrow lanes. I can stretch my route to 10 km (6.25 miles) from home, so this meant 2 times out and back followed by an extra kilometer round the block to make it up to 13 miles. No problem and great for ultra marathon specific training. Things went great Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Up at 4:15 am, a quick coffee, get changed and then out the door. Two times out and back, then once round the block finished my runs off. After a quick shower and breakfast I was still in work before 8:00 am. Thursday was a little bit different. I went out to do the usual 2 times out and back but the ice was so thick it was difficult to keep my footing in most places. There was one stretch of road where the bus route goes and this had been gritted, which made it runnable. So I quickly adapted and set off along this 0.9 mile stretch of road. Up and down, up and down, until I hit 13 miles. I think it was around 7 times out and back. The fact that I can't quite remember how many times out and back this run was is a great example of the mindset that I needed to be in to get the run done. I zoned out and just focused on getting the next mile done. This was great ultra marathon training and something I'll keep in my training in the future. It was valuable to have this experience now as I have two important ultras coming up - one on a track (Barry 40) and one on a 4 mile loop (British 100 km Champs). This sort of training will help build the mental strength that I need to compete in these arduous races. Saturday was also a different kind of day. I had planned a 40 mile moderate tempo run to practice pacing and fuelling ahead of the Barry 40 in March. But my body had other ideas. I set off just before 6:00 am and within 30 minutes I was having stomach problems. I'm not sure if it's something I had eaten or I'd caught a virus from somewhere, but whatever it was didn't want me to run 40 miles. I planned to take isotonic fluids every 4 miles. The first drink at 4 miles didn't go down well at all - it made my stomach worse. The second at 8 miles didn't help, nor did the third at 12 miles. Then I reached 16 miles and planned to take on my first gel...big mistake! My stomach problems got worse, leaving me with no option but to plan my route to the next toilet. "Just hold it in and get there" I kept telling myself for the next 3 miles. I made it and did what I needed to do but that didn't stop the stomach problems. I did the sensible thing and decided to call it a day at 20 miles, eventually running around 22 miles when I got back to the car. I was disappointed as this little mishap meant that I wasn't at 100 miles for the week - the minimum number of miles I aim to run every week. That voice inside me was screaming, "YOU NEED TO DO THIS". I had no choice but to get up early again on Sunday and get those extra miles done. Luckily, the stomach problems had subsided by Sunday morning as I woke up 4:15 am to head out on a 20 mile run. The same route as the day before, but this time I decided to leave the fluids and gels for another day. So after a coffee and a cereal bar, off I went with no fuel to take along the way. Things went much better and I ran 21.53 miles in 2 hours 16 mins 33 seconds. The relief was palpable and I was delighted to have clocked 106 miles for the week, as well as back to back 20 milers at a decent pace; 6:31/mile and 6:21/mile. The voice inside me was very satisfied. Next week I'll be doing more of the same - building mental resilience and an ultra marathon mindset to make me competitive in races!
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July 2023
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