Start of the Pennine 100

Friday 27 February 2009

Bourton 10km
I know its not an ultra but I have really wanted to do a 10k to then tweak my training paces and so on an ideal running day, cool, bright and a very flat course. I set off on the first of two laps around the town before a run out and back and two more laps of the town. I was running very well for a ultra chugger and was very pleased that I came in at 38:44, which put me in 104th I achieved a PB and was very glad I did this race. The winner came in, in 29:50 (not normal!!)

Wednesday 18 February 2009

I am currently training to a 50 mile plan I found somewhere (not sure) and would highly recommend it to anyone wishing to run a long ultra. I will soon be putting it OR a link to it on this blog but if anyone would like a copy i have a PDF I could send.

Tuesday 17 February 2009

Races so far ...

In the last three years I have competed in the following mountain and
ultras races

Snowdon Marathon 2006-2008
Best time 3:19:08
I love this race and my Running Club usually takes a bus full of runners and supporters so we have a great weekend ( and have won the team prize, not with me though, for the last two years)


Tring to Town 2007-2008
My first ultra and a true baptism into the sport. First one was 45 miles and I took 7:59 to complete and was promptly quite ill and unable to walk properly for about a week. The second time it was a shorter run of 40 miles and I did it in 5:22, and was not ill at end




Wuthering Hike 2007
My first true off-road ultra. Made me think, " why have i waited so long to do this wonderful, painful, exhilarating sport?"

Thames Path 50 2008
This race was supposed to be along the River Thames from Reading to Shepperton but because of all the rain it turned into one long paddle and a search for a route around the floods, I even achieved complete immersion at Maidenhead as the river and the path were just one sheet of water. Came in at 7:42 and was happy with completing the race

Tough Challenge Marathon 2008

This race is held at Wendover Woods near Alysbury, it consists of around 22 loops of an off-road course which had a very fast downhill and yes, you guessed it, a VERY steep up, so much so that due to the rain the organisers needed to install a rope to ascend the final third of the hill. Finished in 4:49 and that was a top 10 finish!

Calderdale Hike 37
This race was along with the Wuthering Hike part of the then Montrail (now Vasque) series and covered some of the same ground as the last race so I felt a little more comfortable. Ran with some great lads who helped me to finish in 7:35.

Pennine 100
This has been my longest and best race so far, I was lucky enough to have a great day (well more than a day) and achieved my best result - second place. It took me 26 hours and around 32 minutes to complete the distance.


JW U
ltra 30

This was NOT a good race for me although very well organised. I was too hyped up as I wanted to do a good time and I blew up at around 18 miles. I had also been following a training plan I knew was not working for me but persevered with it BAD MISTAKE. Tip from me if your plan is not working, get a new one.

Round Rotherham 50
T
his was run in my hometown area so I just had to do it. Also one of my relations had run it a number of times before and even been the first Female overall - so no pressure there then. I felt that this race, more than any others I had done, was the most controlled I had ever run and along with great family support I achieved 11th place overall in 8:34:34.

Training Plan

Week M T W TH F S SU
1 Rest 6-10 miles, including 4x1 mile at TMP Easy 5-mile jog 7-9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 90-minute run 3-hour run (or about 18 miles)
2 Rest 6-10 Miles, including 4x1 mile at TMP Easy 5-mile jog 7-9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 90-minute run 3-hour run
3 Rest 6-10 miles, including 2x2 miles at HMP Easy 5-mile jog 7-9 miles, middle 3 at MP (5:00) Rest 2-hour run 3.5-hour run (or about 20 miles)
4 Rest 5-8 miles, including 3x1 mile at TMP Easy 5-mile jog 6 miles, middle 2 at MP Rest 1.5-hour run 2-hour run
5 Rest 9 miles, including 6x1 mile at TMP Easy 5-mile jog 9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 3.5- to 4-hour run (or about 20-24 miles) 3-hour run
6 Rest 9 miles, including 6x1 mile at TMP Easy 5-mile jog 9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 3.5- to 4-hour run 3-hour run
7 Rest 9 miles, including 6x1 mile at HMP Easy 5-mile jog 9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 3.5- to 4-hour run 3-hour run, last hour at MP
8 Rest 9 miles, including 3x2 miles at HMP Easy 5-mile jog 9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 2-hour run 2.5-hour run
9 Rest 9 miles, including 6x1 miles at TMP Easy 5-mile jog 9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 4-hour run 3.5-hour run, last hour at MP
10 Rest 9 miles, including 6x1 miles at TMP Easy 5-mile jog 9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 4-hour run 3.5-hour run, last hour at MP
11 Rest 9 miles, including 3x2 miles at HMP Easy 5-mile jog 9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 2.5-hour run 3-hour run
12 Rest 9 miles, including 6x1 mile at TMP Easy 5-mile jog 9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 4-hour run 5-hour run (or about 27-29 miles)
13 Rest 9 miles, including 6x1 mile at TMP Easy 5-mile jog 9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 4-hour run 5-hour run
14 Rest 9 miles, including 4x1 mile at TMP Easy 5-mile jog 9 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 2-hour run 2-hour run
15 Rest 7 miles, including 3x1 mile at MP Easy 5-mile jog 7 miles, middle 3 at MP Rest 1.5-hour run Easy 1-hour jog
16 Rest 6 miles, middle 3 at HMP Easy 5-mile jog Easy 3-mile jog Rest: Stay off your feet 50-mile race Rest. (Duh.)

Key:(MP) Marathon Pace: the pace/effort you can hold in a marathon
(HMP) Half-Marathon Pace: the per-mile average of your best half-marathon
(TMP) 10-Mile Pace: the per-mile pace of your fastest 10-miler
Recovery for HMP/TMP: Jog slowly until you feel fresh enough to start the next repetition.