Although I've never met him, Tony Mangan is without doubt one of the best ultra runners in the world. His forte would appear to be 48 hr races and he is the current holder of two out of the four possible world records.
The four are: track, road, indoors and treadmill.
He holds the records for indoor and treadmill. The indoor record (426.178 km) was set at Brno, in the Czech Republic, in March 2007 where he became the first person ever to run 200k on each of two consecutive days.
In August 2008 he ran 405 km on a treadmill to recapture that record 'for the running community'. [More about that on the website address below].
A few days ago he ran the Dublin marathon ... and didn't stop at the finish line. In fact he plans to continue running right around the world. Unusually he's running westwards but he has good reason - he wanted to begin with the Dublin marathon but not run through Russia during the winter !!!
Sensible. He plans to arrive back in Dublin in about 1000 days time.
All his past achievements and his progress around the world can be found on www.theworldjog.com Read and enjoy.
All the best Tony ... I truly hope everything goes well
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Yorkshire Veterans Road Relay
This morning I took part in this annual event which was being held in Ilkley for the second time - just six miles up the valley from where I live.
The 2.9 mile circuit comprised a flat first mile, an uphill second mile and then downhill almost all the way back to the finish/start of next stage.
Last year I took part just ten days after the Commonwealth Championships 24 hr race and my time was 19:48. This year, about 7 weeks after my last 24 hr race, but not having done much speedwork in that time, I managed about 19:09 and felt very good indeed. I passed one person on the opening flat stretch, another one up the hill and a third going down the other side.
On the whole, a good run. And my team were the first team from Otley (the other one was disqualified apparently ...).
How can Ilkley Harriers manage to get ten teams together, or more, yet Otley AC can only manage two ? I know they have more members; but not five times as many.
The 2.9 mile circuit comprised a flat first mile, an uphill second mile and then downhill almost all the way back to the finish/start of next stage.
Last year I took part just ten days after the Commonwealth Championships 24 hr race and my time was 19:48. This year, about 7 weeks after my last 24 hr race, but not having done much speedwork in that time, I managed about 19:09 and felt very good indeed. I passed one person on the opening flat stretch, another one up the hill and a third going down the other side.
On the whole, a good run. And my team were the first team from Otley (the other one was disqualified apparently ...).
How can Ilkley Harriers manage to get ten teams together, or more, yet Otley AC can only manage two ? I know they have more members; but not five times as many.
Monday, 18 October 2010
*** RISK OF INJURY - DO NOT COPY ***
I've just spent the weekend mapping out my training for next year's World 24 hr Championships in Brugg, Switzerland - assuming I'll be selected.
There's about 33 weeks to go before the event and lots of hard training to do.
Basically my training is one of four types - cycling, strength, flexibility, running.
The cycling is very straight forward indeed. Hop on the bike and cycle for 45 to 60 minutes speeding up and slowing down (fartlek style) whilst listening to music or the radio or watching TV or a DVD. Easy (sometimes !!!)
Strength work can be broken down into three sub-types: core, upper body and legs.
Upper body work is mainly push ups and exercises for my shoulders which are a particular weakness of mine. I do three sessions of this per week. Core stability exercises take many forms but can include sit ups, crunchies, the plank, etc. Recently I've come across a post on Andy DuBois blog which has changed my understanding of these exercises.
Leg strengthening exercises include lunges, squats, step ups, etc. The composition and frequency of each session varies according to how many weeks there are before the major race.
Flexibility - just a few stretching exercises done almost daily.
Of course, the majority of my training will be running as 'running is the best form of training for running'. My running can be split into one of five types: long run, hill reps, tempo running, speedwork, steady running.
I plan to do two long runs per week, on consecutive days where possible. This week they will be 14 miles in length but will increase to somewhere between 25 and 27 miles in the middle of May. I also make the second of my two weekly long runs considerably harder than the first ... usually fartlek but sometimes much hillier or much faster (or hillier and faster occasionally).
Hill reps - there's a steep hill near where I live and I run up and down it a few times concentrating on form, not speed. I only use a 250m section and this week I'll do 8 reps but progress to 20 by mid to late February.
Tempo - continuous runs of 3 to 9 miles in length at a speed somewhere between 10k and half marathon pace.
Speedwork - intervals, fartlek and shorter races.
The above types of running account for four sessions per week. I run four consecutive days then have a day rest which means I'm running on 5 or 6 days per week and apart from that detailed above the rest is just steady running at about 8 minutes per mile (often with my clubmates from Otley AC).
One vital ingredient in my training plan is rest days. I mentioned earlier that every fifth day is free from running, well every tenth day is free from all forms of training. I feel that my body needs this time to recover from the hard work of the previous few days.
Most of what I've written about has been come about through a mixture of trial and error, listening to other runners, reading books and magazines ... and learning (not copying) from all these sources.
It's probably appropriate here to include a quote I found on (I think) Dean Karnazes website: "listen to everyone; follow no-one. We are each unique, what works for me may not work for you. Seek advice, listen, analyse, experiment and test new things. Then go with what works best for you."
.jpg)
The running book I'm currently reading is Running Anatomy by Joe Puleo and Dr. Patrick Milroy. It is helping enormously, particularly with strength exercises. It's published by Human Kinetics who have a list of fantastically useful books for athletes.
There's about 33 weeks to go before the event and lots of hard training to do.
Basically my training is one of four types - cycling, strength, flexibility, running.
The cycling is very straight forward indeed. Hop on the bike and cycle for 45 to 60 minutes speeding up and slowing down (fartlek style) whilst listening to music or the radio or watching TV or a DVD. Easy (sometimes !!!)
Strength work can be broken down into three sub-types: core, upper body and legs.
Upper body work is mainly push ups and exercises for my shoulders which are a particular weakness of mine. I do three sessions of this per week. Core stability exercises take many forms but can include sit ups, crunchies, the plank, etc. Recently I've come across a post on Andy DuBois blog which has changed my understanding of these exercises.
Leg strengthening exercises include lunges, squats, step ups, etc. The composition and frequency of each session varies according to how many weeks there are before the major race.
Flexibility - just a few stretching exercises done almost daily.
Of course, the majority of my training will be running as 'running is the best form of training for running'. My running can be split into one of five types: long run, hill reps, tempo running, speedwork, steady running.
I plan to do two long runs per week, on consecutive days where possible. This week they will be 14 miles in length but will increase to somewhere between 25 and 27 miles in the middle of May. I also make the second of my two weekly long runs considerably harder than the first ... usually fartlek but sometimes much hillier or much faster (or hillier and faster occasionally).
Hill reps - there's a steep hill near where I live and I run up and down it a few times concentrating on form, not speed. I only use a 250m section and this week I'll do 8 reps but progress to 20 by mid to late February.
Tempo - continuous runs of 3 to 9 miles in length at a speed somewhere between 10k and half marathon pace.
Speedwork - intervals, fartlek and shorter races.
The above types of running account for four sessions per week. I run four consecutive days then have a day rest which means I'm running on 5 or 6 days per week and apart from that detailed above the rest is just steady running at about 8 minutes per mile (often with my clubmates from Otley AC).
One vital ingredient in my training plan is rest days. I mentioned earlier that every fifth day is free from running, well every tenth day is free from all forms of training. I feel that my body needs this time to recover from the hard work of the previous few days.
Most of what I've written about has been come about through a mixture of trial and error, listening to other runners, reading books and magazines ... and learning (not copying) from all these sources.
It's probably appropriate here to include a quote I found on (I think) Dean Karnazes website: "listen to everyone; follow no-one. We are each unique, what works for me may not work for you. Seek advice, listen, analyse, experiment and test new things. Then go with what works best for you."
.jpg)
The running book I'm currently reading is Running Anatomy by Joe Puleo and Dr. Patrick Milroy. It is helping enormously, particularly with strength exercises. It's published by Human Kinetics who have a list of fantastically useful books for athletes.
Thursday, 14 October 2010
more thoughts for 2011
MONDAY 11 OCTOBER
Still unsure about next year. One problem is that I don't really want to travel too far if I can't be competitive. In practice I feel that I couldn't compete satisfactorily on the trails or where the distance is less than 100k. However, I could easily use a race as a long training run but I wouldn't want to travel abroad to do that.
The most important race next year is the World Championships so if I can't find another ultra race before that then so be it. At the moment I'm inclined to go down to Crawley at the beginning of April but I would prefer something longer and a few weeks earlier.
THURSDAY 14 OCTOBER
I have recently been coming around to thinking that it would perhaps be a good idea to do one or two shorter ultras in the lead up to the World Championships.
This morning I learned that there is the possibility of a 100k race in Scotland next March. Taking that into account I've narrowed down my choices to the following:
(1) Country to Capital 45 and Barry 40
(2) Country to Capital 45
(3) Ultra Race 45 and/or 90
(4) Thames Trot 50
IF I CHOOSE 2, 3 OR 4 ABOVE THEN I WILL ALSO RUN EITHER
(a) Hardmoors 55, or
(b) 100k in Scotland, or
(c) Calella 100k, or
(d) Kienbaum 100k
At the moment my preference is for 3b
There's no hurry at all to decide on what races to run in the latter part of the year so I'll leave that a few months and begin planning the training necessary to take me a very long distance in Brugg.
And then to the Commonwealth Championships in September and/or October.
Thursday, 7 October 2010
choices for 2011
Time to choose my races for 2011.
The most important race of the year, for me, will be the World 24 hr Championships in Brugg, Switzerland. This race will take place in June and after my performance in Perth a few weeks ago I expect to be selected again for the GB team.
Also in 2011 will be the second Commonwealth Championships [probably]. This is expected to be at the end of September or the beginning of October.
So I have to fit my other races(s) around those two championships and, after looking at various race calendars, it appears that I have the following options:
PART A - BEFORE THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
1a) Country to Capital (15 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Wendover, UK)
1b) Country to Capital (15 Jan)
AND Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK)
1c) Country to Capital (15 Jan)
AND Barry 40 (13 Mar ?)
AND Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)
1d) Country to Capital (15 Jan)
AND Hardmoors 55 (19 Mar) - 55 miles trail race (Helmsley, UK)
OR Frottstadt 12 hr (26 Mar or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Germany)
OR Celtic 100k (26 Mar ?) - road race (Ireland)
OR Kienbaum 100k (26 Mar) (Germany)
OR Crawley 12 hr (2 Apr) - track race (UK)
OR Athens International Ultra Festival 24 hr (9 Apr) - road race (Greece)
OR Bergen 100k (9 or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Norway)
OR Glasgow to Edinburgh double marathon (9 Apr) - towpath (Scotland)
OR Taby 100 miles (9 Apr) - multi terrain (Sweden)
OR 100km du Perigord Noir (16 Apr) - road race (Belves, France)
OR Copenhagen 100k (16 Apr) - road race (Denmark)
OR Woldsman 50 mile challenge (16 Apr) - trail race (Driffield, UK)
OR Iserlohner Stadtwerke 100k or 12 hr (16 Apr) - road race (Germany)
OR Saxonian Mt Everest Marathon (16 Apr) - 84.39k (Germany)
OR Coventry Way Challenge (17 Apr) - 40 miles trail race (UK)
OR Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)
2a) ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)
2b) ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)
AND/OR ULTRArace 45 (23 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Tring, UK)
The most important race of the year, for me, will be the World 24 hr Championships in Brugg, Switzerland. This race will take place in June and after my performance in Perth a few weeks ago I expect to be selected again for the GB team.
Also in 2011 will be the second Commonwealth Championships [probably]. This is expected to be at the end of September or the beginning of October.
So I have to fit my other races(s) around those two championships and, after looking at various race calendars, it appears that I have the following options:
PART A - BEFORE THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
1a) Country to Capital (15 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Wendover, UK)
1b) Country to Capital (15 Jan)
AND Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK)
1c) Country to Capital (15 Jan)
AND Barry 40 (13 Mar ?)
AND Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)
1d) Country to Capital (15 Jan)
AND Hardmoors 55 (19 Mar) - 55 miles trail race (Helmsley, UK)
OR Frottstadt 12 hr (26 Mar or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Germany)
OR Celtic 100k (26 Mar ?) - road race (Ireland)
OR Kienbaum 100k (26 Mar) (Germany)
OR Crawley 12 hr (2 Apr) - track race (UK)
OR Athens International Ultra Festival 24 hr (9 Apr) - road race (Greece)
OR Bergen 100k (9 or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Norway)
OR Glasgow to Edinburgh double marathon (9 Apr) - towpath (Scotland)
OR Taby 100 miles (9 Apr) - multi terrain (Sweden)
OR 100km du Perigord Noir (16 Apr) - road race (Belves, France)
OR Copenhagen 100k (16 Apr) - road race (Denmark)
OR Woldsman 50 mile challenge (16 Apr) - trail race (Driffield, UK)
OR Iserlohner Stadtwerke 100k or 12 hr (16 Apr) - road race (Germany)
OR Saxonian Mt Everest Marathon (16 Apr) - 84.39k (Germany)
OR Coventry Way Challenge (17 Apr) - 40 miles trail race (UK)
OR Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)
2a) ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)
2b) ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)
AND/OR ULTRArace 45 (23 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Tring, UK)
2c) ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)
AND/OR ULTRArace 45 (23 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Tring, UK)
AND Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK)
2d) ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)
AND/OR ULTRArace 45 (23 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Tring, UK)
AND Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK)
AND Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)
2e) ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)
AND/OR ULTRArace 45 (23 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Tring, UK)
AND Hardmoors 55 (19 Mar) - 55 miles trail race (Helmsley, UK)
OR Frottstadt 12 hr (26 Mar or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Germany)
OR Celtic 100k (26 Mar ?) - road race (Ireland)
OR Kienbaum 100k (26 Mar) (Germany)
OR Crawley 12 hr (2 Apr) - track race (UK)
OR Athens International Ultra Festival 24 hr (9 Apr) - road race (Greece)
OR Bergen 100k (9 or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Norway)
OR Glasgow to Edinburgh double marathon (9 Apr) - towpath (Scotland)
OR Taby 100 miles (9 Apr) - multi terrain (Sweden)
OR 100km du Perigord Noir (16 Apr) - road race (Belves, France)
OR Copenhagen 100k (16 Apr) - road race (Denmark)
OR Woldsman 50 mile challenge (16 Apr) - trail race (Driffield, UK)
OR Iserlohner Stadtwerke 100k or 12 hr (16 Apr) - road race (Germany)
OR Saxonian Mt Everest Marathon (16 Apr) - 84.39k (Germany)
OR Coventry Way Challenge (17 Apr) - 40 miles trail race (UK)
OR Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)
3a) Thames Trot (5 Feb) - 50 miles trail race (Oxford, UK)
3b) Thames Trot (5 Feb) - 50 miles trail race (Oxford, UK)
AND Hardmoors 55 (19 Mar) - 55 miles trail race (Helmsley, UK)
OR Frottstadt 12 hr (26 Mar or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Germany)
OR Celtic 100k (26 Mar ?) - road race (Ireland)
OR Kienbaum 100k (26 Mar) (Germany)
OR Crawley 12 hr (2 Apr) - track race (UK)
OR Athens International Ultra Festival 24 hr (9 Apr) - road race (Greece)
OR Bergen 100k (9 or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Norway)
OR Glasgow to Edinburgh double marathon (9 Apr) - towpath (Scotland)
OR Taby 100 miles (9 Apr) - multi terrain (Sweden)
OR 100km du Perigord Noir (16 Apr) - road race (Belves, France)
OR Copenhagen 100k (16 Apr) - road race (Denmark)
OR Woldsman 50 mile challenge (16 Apr) - trail race (Driffield, UK)
OR Iserlohner Stadtwerke 100k or 12 hr (16 Apr) - road race (Germany)
OR Saxonian Mt Everest Marathon (16 Apr) - 84.39k (Germany)
OR Coventry Way Challenge (17 Apr) - 40 miles trail race (UK)
OR Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)
4a) Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK)
4b) Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK)
AND Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)
5) Hardmoors 55 (19 Mar) - 55 miles trail race (Helmsley, UK)
OR Frottstadt 12 hr (26 Mar or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Germany)
OR Celtic 100k (26 Mar ?) - road race (Ireland)
OR Kienbaum 100k (26 Mar) (Germany)
OR Crawley 12 hr (2 Apr) - track race (UK)
OR Athens International Ultra Festival 24 hr (9 Apr) - road race (Greece)
OR Bergen 100k (9 or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Norway)
OR Glasgow to Edinburgh double marathon (9 Apr) - towpath (Scotland)
OR Taby 100 miles (9 Apr) - multi terrain (Sweden)
OR 100km du Perigord Noir (16 Apr) - road race (Belves, France)
OR Copenhagen 100k (16 Apr) - road race (Denmark)
OR Woldsman 50 mile challenge (16 Apr) - trail race (Driffield, UK)
OR Iserlohner Stadtwerke 100k or 12 hr (16 Apr) - road race (Germany)
OR Saxonian Mt Everest Marathon (16 Apr) - 84.39k (Germany)
OR Coventry Way Challenge (17 Apr) - 40 miles trail race (UK)
OR Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)
NOTES ... (a) there is also an indoor 24 hr race at Espoo, Finland at the end of January but I've recently learned that all the places in that race have been taken. (b) the Athens 24 h race is only about 8 weeks before the World Championships and I'm not sure this gives enough time for recovery, training and tapering. (c) if anyone out there knows of another European 24 hr race, in January, February or early March, please let me know.
PART B - AFTER THE COMMONWEALTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
indoor 48 hr race (25 Nov ?) (Brno, Czech Republic)
OR Bislett indoor 24 hr challenge (26 Nov ?) (Norway)
OR Marseille 24 hr race (26 Nov ?) - road race (France)
OR No Finish Line 24 hr race (26 Nov ?) - road race (Monaco)
OR 24 ore del sole (26 Nov ?) - 24 hr track race (Palermo, Italy)
OR 12 ore del sole (26 Nov ?) - 12 hr track race (Palermo, Italy)
OR Marseille 12 hr race (27 Nov ?) - road race (France)
OR Normandy indoor 48 hr race (1 Dec ?) (Evreux, France)
NOTES ... I really would like to have a go at a 48 hr race in 2011 but the only one I can find that fits in with the two championship races is in Evreux and it is by no means certain that it will be held next year. Also, it is only about 9 weeks after the Commonwealth Championships - is that enough recovery time.
If anyone reading this knows of another 48 hr race which may fit better please let me know. Ideally it should be in January, February or later in December.
If you happen to know the confirmed dates of some of the races above with a question mark please let me know.
Could I fit a race between the two Championships ? Or would it be a bad idea to run an ultra in August 2011 ?
I'll let you know shortly what I decide to do.
I'll let you know shortly what I decide to do.
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Ultrarunning World #2
I've just come across this on the ultra running website multidays.com It's issue 2 of the magazine Ultrarunning World and contained within is a large article about my Run To London eighteen months ago.
Reading this brought back lots of good memories of a sunny weekend in May during which my helpers and I raised well over £2000 for Orchid. Everything about the amazing Run To London experience can be found here.
The magazine also has lots of other stuff and is well worth a read. One good thing I noticed about it is that photos are all properly credited, well done to Abichal for that.
Reading this brought back lots of good memories of a sunny weekend in May during which my helpers and I raised well over £2000 for Orchid. Everything about the amazing Run To London experience can be found here.
The magazine also has lots of other stuff and is well worth a read. One good thing I noticed about it is that photos are all properly credited, well done to Abichal for that.
Sunday, 3 October 2010
yesterday's relay
Yesterday afternoon was my first race since the Perth Ultra Fest four weeks ago. It was the North of England 6 stage road relays held at Wythenshaw Park in Manchester.
Mick Jeffrey did a sterling job organising two Otley AC teams featuring a good number of newer members of the club. I ran for the B team and covered my 5.6k stage in 20:55. I'm very pleased with that as it represents about 18:40 for 5k ... not bad considering I've only done two speedwork sessions in the last month.
Also pleased because it was surprisingly muddy out on the roads. And then I remembered ... I was in Manchester - it rains a lot there.
Good to see Julian there too after his health scare earlier this year.
Mick Jeffrey did a sterling job organising two Otley AC teams featuring a good number of newer members of the club. I ran for the B team and covered my 5.6k stage in 20:55. I'm very pleased with that as it represents about 18:40 for 5k ... not bad considering I've only done two speedwork sessions in the last month.
Also pleased because it was surprisingly muddy out on the roads. And then I remembered ... I was in Manchester - it rains a lot there.
Good to see Julian there too after his health scare earlier this year.
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