63 hours and counting

Almost there now ... one more training run, two more sessions of strength work, two of stretching and no more cycling.

And plenty of rest.

Glad to be able to report that last weeks selection stresses have been resolved and it's fair to say that good old fashioned common prevailed.  I would like to think that all sides have learned a few lessons for the future though which can only be a good thing.

The weather has been excellent in Yorkshire for the past few days ... warm and dry with sunny spells.  I'm not sure it's going to last until Friday though but I don't expect it to rain as much as it did last year ... PLEASE.

Apparently there are a few other races this weekend, so ... all the best to all the runners but especially:  Richie Cunningham, Adrian Stott and Paul Tranter in the West Highland Way Race; Jez Bragg in the Western States Endurance Run (Western states 100); and Racheal Bamford in the UKA Olympic Trials (1500m).


Hope we all have a good one.

bits and bobs

First of all many congratulations to Matt Podd and Matt John on completing their first ultra race last weekend in north Yorkshire ... a trail race but it's a start.  Hope they plan to do some more.

Earlier this week the Olympic kit was launched for team UK.  There has been quite a lot of things written in the media about 'the missing red' but the best thing I saw was on Terry Lonergan's blog - Running On Empty.

Also found some good stuff on the West Highland Way website from a 'night of inspiration' held in Edinburgh recently.  A few hundred people turned up for talks by various knowledgeable people including Adrian Stott and Dr Andrew Murray.  Videos and downloads are on the site and are well worth looking at.

My training this week has been a bit tiring.  Tempo run on Sunday then two long runs (Tuesday and Wednesday) followed by two 7 mile (11.2 km) runs yesterday and speedwork this morning.  Plus lots of core and strength work.  Yesterday's early morning run was completed with heavy legs but the porridge back at home was well worth the five or six minutes effort in making it.  The combination of oats, milk, fruit and spices soon had me back to normal and the evening training run with the club saw me moving much better.

This morning's speed session was also quite good as, once again, I managed to hit all my targets in the cold early morning mist.

A good week but a bit tiring.  The improving weather is definitely helping - almost spring like at times.  No training tomorrow ... a scheduled and well earned rest day.

Otley - home of the ultra distance runner

First of all a big well done to Phil Robertson of Otley AC who has completed the West Highland Way Race (95 miles) in just under 28 hours - an amazing achievement. He was with Paul Tranter [another Otley resident] who has now completed the Marathon des Sables and the West Highland Way Race in less than five months.

For more details about Phil Robertson see his blog at http://www.runtothehills.blogspot.com

Just noticed, on the UK Athletics website the selection criteria for the IAU European Championships and World Cup 100k to be held in Etruschi, Italy on 8 November. Basically they are only considering individuals if they are confident of a top 15 placing. This means they have set standards of 7h 05 for men and 8h 15 for women. In the last 18 months only one man and two women have achieved this (Jez Bragg, Adele Salt and Emma Gooderham).

They have also set lower, team standards, of 7h 20 and 8h 30 but, again, I think that perhaps they are setting their targets a bit high as no other British runners have achieved this lower mark in the qualifying period which began on 1 January 2007.

I wonder what the criteria will be for the 24 hr World Challenge in Korea on October 18/19.