just a quick update

Good to find my normal self again hiding in the sunshine.  With less than four weeks to go before my next ultra all my usual enthusiasm for training seems to have returned.  Looking forward now to a good race.

Yesterday's training run was hill reps in the afternoon.  Ten times up a short steep hill (250m) to the north of Otley.  All in all I was out of the house less than 45 minutes and lost over 2 kg in weight (3.5 lb).

Fay says:  "If you find it can you give it back please ?"

The temperature in the shade was apparently 25.8 C (78.4 F).  There wasn't much shade where I was running though ...

I've just recently come across a blog written by A Big Horse and the entry for 24 May describes what a 24 hour race is all about.  I'd say that is one of the best descriptions I've ever read, especially the following ...

"The time after 100 miles is all about making peace with pain and finding your most efficient stride at effort level you can continue to the end of the race.  Will there be pain - Yes.  What kind of pain - Unknown.  Nausea, knee, hip, ankle, shoulders, feet, blisters, chaffing, fatigue, dizziness, hamstrings, quads, calves, headache ... Who know which combination you will face - Only that there will be pain.  This is where you find out how serious you are about the race.  There will be multiple, reasonable reasons to stop or at least back down and only 1 reason to continue at max effort ... because you will it.

All plans of 24 hour racers are limited by 4 things:  1)  Actual fitness level for race, 2)  What your body decides to give you that day (Much more variable than marathon or even 50 mile races), 3)  Weather and 4)  You ability to problem solve the issue that yo will face - There will be things that go wrong, how well do you problem solve to minimize those issues."


Great stuff by a member of the US team.  They will be very difficult to beat in Poland come September.


Off to do lift some weights now.