plans, plans and more plans

OK so I like plans.  Plans are good ... they make things easier.

PLAN 1 - running to Grantley on Sunday morning to take part in the annual Fountains 10k.  That way I get to do a long run and a race at, more or less, the same time.  My route to Grantley - via Pool, North Rigton, Killinghall, Ripley and Sawley - is about 22 miles.  And then another long run on Monday (24 miles)

PLAN 2 - a very long run on Monday 9 May.  From York I plan to run back to Otley along the Ebor Way long distance footpath.  This is a distance of 37.75 miles and I'm looking forward to a good day out.  When I last did this run it rained so much during the middle third of the route that I had to buy another map in Wetherby to replace the one which had become too soggy to use.  Looking back through my old training diaries to find when that was I was surprised that I had to go all the way back to July 2004 - almost two years before my first ultra race.  I guess even then I must have been seriously considering 'moving up' ... but that was even before my one and only marathon.

PLANS 3 & 4 - putting together pacing and feeding/drinking plans for my first ultra of the year.  The ULTRArace 100 on Friday 24 June.  All this information will have to be given to my crew when finalised so that between us we can iron out anything that may be impractical or that I've forgotten or that's just plain wrong - yes that does happen sometimes so it's always worthwhile having someone else check things over.

Then it's on to Llandudno in September for this year's big race ... and more plans.  It gives me something to do between training sessions !!!!

Very Long Run

This morning I caught an early train to York and once there called at Starbucks for a large breakfast and coffee ... caffeine is good for these very long runs !!

I then ran back to Otley along the Ebor Way. The route basically is south along the bank of the River Ouse to Copmanthorpe, then east along the line of a Roman Road to Tadcaster.

From there it's along the River Wharfe to Wetherby and Harewood where the path heads uphill to Harewood House. Then the route is along a ridge which was apparently used by Iron Age merchants on their journeys between Ireland and Germany.

At Bramhope I took the direct route into Otley which meant I probably covered about 34 - 35 miles in total in a running time of approx. 4h 47

All in all this was an enjoyable run, quicker and easier than expected.

I also made my own isotonic drinks for the journey. This is the first time I've done this and it was surprisingly easy. I've put the recipe on this page.