This year's races ... at last

OK here we go ... time to get serious.

As mentioned in a previous post I plan to take part in three long ultras this year - that's anything over 100 miles.

Originally I had also planned to take part in the open 100k race which is being staged at the same time as the Anglo Celtic Plate 100k in Perth, Scotland.  That's at the end of March but my recent knee injury scuppered that plan.

Sorry Adrian.

But then, only about 10 days ago, I received a phone call from Norman Wilson (chairman of selectors, England Athletics) asking if I would consider representing England at the Anglo Celtic Plate.  Apparently they were having trouble finding enough 100k runners to complete the team - injuries, etc - and so the 24 hr runners were being asked if they would be able step into the breach.  Unfortunately my lack of running recently meant that I had to turn down the offer as there's no way I'd be fit enough to run 100k at the end of March.

100k is a long way - even for a 24 hr runner.

It's a shame really because I really like the course at North Inch and I know Adrian and the team will put on a terrific race.  I know the course well, having completed almost 100 laps last September - see this page for full details.

Recently I've been putting in place my racing plans now that I'm fully recovered from that injury and I can now reveal that my first long ultra this year will be on 24 June.  It will be the ...

... which starts and finishes in Stratford upon Avon.  All the event details can be found here.

I'm really looking forward to this race as it's the first open ultra race I've entered since ... the Tooting Bec 24 hr event in October 2008.

Wow ... is it really so long ago?  Since then I've had the Run To London in May 2009, Commonwealth Championships in Sep 2009, World Championships in May 2010 and the Perth Ultra Fest in Sep 2010.

It's also the first time I've taken part in a long ultra which hasn't been staged on a closed loop - it's going to be fun.  Even in the heat of summer, on a hilly course.  Last year the temperature apparently reached 31 degrees Celsius (88 F) but it must have been close to that on the Run to London.

Or when, in June 2006, I warmed up for the Thirsk 10 by running 45 miles from my home to the start.

For me, this will be the ideal build up race for the year's big one [for me at least] which takes place in September.  The Commonwealth Championships ... the inaugural event was in Keswick in 2009 and now, the second championships will take place in Llandudno, Wales, at the end of September.

All the details for that can be found on this page.  I know there isn't very much on that site at the moment but I'm sure more and more will be added in the coming months.

The event in Keswick was an extremely enjoyable experience - my first international race - and I'm expecting to do quite well in Wales.  I finished fifth last time with a pb of 231k (143 miles) but I'll be looking to go a lot further in about seven months time.  I never aim for positions, I only aim for distance or time and if that's only good enough for 8th or 23rd then so be it, if I come away with a personal best I can't really complain.  It just means the other runners ran better than me.

Of course, there are occasions when some of the other runners can push or pull me to a better performance and to some extent that happened in Perth last September.

My third long ultra of the year will most likely be either the World 24 hr Championships or the Barcelona 24 hr race.  The World Championships were due to be held in Brugg, Switzerland but that was cancelled and now it seems likely that they will be held in Taiwan in December ... but if, for any reason that doesn't happen, or if UK Athletics decide not to send a team, then I'll probably take part in the race in Barcelona where Emily Gelder ran over 220k last year.

Barcelona is a wonderful city which I visited in October 2005, only five months before my ultra running debut at the Barry 40.

So ... lots of training to occupy me this year.  I'm very happy with how things are progressing with all the running, cycling, strength work, etc [well over 12 hours per week at the moment, but not enough yet] and I'm relishing the challenges to come in June, September and December.

There's also going to be quite a few shorter races this year and full details of everything I've got in the pipeline can be seen on this page.

I'd like to finish this post by thanking Angie and Phil for agreeing to crew for me in the first race and offering me somewhere to stay too.

Selection Criteria

Here it is ... the selection criteria has been announced for England in the following ultra races next year:

- Commonwealth Championships - 24 hr race and c.50k trail race
- Anglo Celtic Plate 100k

Personally I'm only interested in the Commonwealth Championships 24 hr race and I read that selection will be in two waves:

(1a) for those men who have run over 230k between 1 May 2010 and 3 April 2011
(1b) for those women who have run over 205k between 1 May 2010 and 3 April 2011

(2a) for those men who have run over 225k between 1 September 2009 and 5 June 2011
(2b) for those women who have run over 200k between 1 September 2009 and 5 June 2011

I would imagine that only performances in race with an IAU label will be taken into consideration therefore I believe the following men from England have met the criteria:

Richard Quennell ... 246.121k ... World C'ships (14 May 2010) and
 ... 234.813k ... London (18 Oct 2009)
Jim Rogers ... 244.108k ... World C'ships (14 May 2010) and
 ... 228.214k ... Commonwealth C'ships (18 Sep 2009)
me ... 238.286k ... Perth (5 Sep 2010) and
 ... 231.506k ... Commonwealth C'ships (18 Sep 2009)
 and also ... 222.760k ... World C'ships (14 May 2010)
Pat Robbins ... 231.086k ... Perth (5 Sep 2010)
 and also ... 215.818k ... Commonwealth C'ships (18 Sep 2009)

The following men would also be in with a chance of selection as they have run over 215k:

Keith Straw ... 221.882k ... Cleveland (USA) (4 Oct 2009)
Chris Finill ... 219.032k ... World C'ships (14 May 2010)
Neil Bryant ... 218.425k ... London (18 Oct 2009)

The women who have met the criteria so far are:

Sharon Gayter ... 226.489k ... Commonwealth C'ships (18 Sep 2009)
Vicky Skelton  ... 212.683k ... Commonwealth C'ships (18 Sep 2009)
 and also ... 198.098k ... Perth (5 Sep 2010)
Angela Sadler ... 205.984k ... Perth (5 Sep 2010)
Marie Doke ... 203.985k ... World C'ships (14 May 2010) and
 ... 201.631k ... Commonwealth C'ships (18 Sep 2009)

The following woman should also be in with a chance of selection as they have managed  a performance of over 185k:

Sandra Brown ... 187.119k ... Commonwealth C'ships (18 Sep 2009)

Of course there is still quite a few months in which other runners can register a qualifying performance ... but I'm confident of my selection.

As only five men and five women can be selected it appears that for the women it's quite straightforward but not so for the men at all.  And then there's 'current fitness' to take into account when the selectors meet next April and June.

I would suggest we have a couple of good teams though.

team news

Found, on the England Athletics website, all the news relating to the England team for the Six Nations 24 hr race in Perth.  I mentioned earlier that my selection had been confirmed and now I can also say that Richard Quennell, Chris Finill, Pat Robbins, Marie Doke, Vicky Skelton, Sandra Brown and Angie Sadler have also been selected.

Congratulations to them all.

Richard ran exceptionally well at this year's World & European Championships.  Chris was also in Brive and also took part in last year's Commonwealth Championships, as did Pat, Marie, Vicky (second woman in Keswick) and Sandra.

Pat holds the course record for the 145 mile Grand Union Canal Race, Marie was also at this year's World & Europeans.  Vicky was at last year's World & European Championships in Italy whilst Angie ran well in the Commonwealth Championships 100km race only about nine weeks after winning outright the Hull 24 hr race.

Norman Wilson, when he phoned, explained that the selectors have decided to send a fourth man and a fourth woman for 'development' purposes - these will be non-scoring members of the team.  The aim of this policy is to help those who are just below international selection get the necessary experience.  I hope it works out that way and we get a really good performance in Perth and a few more runners run the distance needed for next year's championships.

I plan to do well too of course.

Which reminds me ... it's also been decided that there will be another Commonwealth Championships for mountain and ultra running and it will be staged in either 2011 or 2013.  This depends on what bids are received for staging them.  Good news indeed.