6 days to go

This week has been fairly chilled-

Monday - 6
Tuesday - 4
Thursday - 6
Saturday - 10

Total - 26 miles

Just started packing my bag, the kit I need to take is pretty mental. Picture below



Plus I need to add sleeping bag to this. So I don't have much room for anything else. I fly out Thursday at Midday, land in the evening, in a hotel Thursday night. Then I am off to the Camp on Friday - race briefing Friday afternoon and dinner then back to my hut and the race starts Saturday at 6am - 11am UK time. I will run and hopefully finish sometime Sunday morning, then I will die in my hut and fly back Sunday evening and land in the UK monday morning I am pretty nervous now, this is going to be a mental experience but I am up for it. Game on!!!!!!

This week

This week has been pretty low key with a few runs

Monday - interval training at lunch, 8.13 miles in eve
Tuesday - 3.1 miles
Wednesday - 8.2 miles
Friday - 6.2
Sunday - 13.1

Total - 38.7 miles

Today I ran the Brentwood half marathon with my friend Tom. I managed a p.b in 1.28.49, was sick 5 times on the finish line. Probably not the best thing do 13 days before a 100 mile race but I think I will be okay. I managed to come 73rd out of 3000, I am not really bothered about positions as running is all about your own goals but not a bad finish http://www.brentwoodhalf.org/Results/half_results.php.

Garmin report - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/74160361

Tom ran a p.b himself with 1.41 which was a great effort considering he just wanted to come in under 2 hours. A friend from work Holly also ran her first half marathon, having only ran 8 miles before, she ran it in 2.12 so another great effort. I would recommend this half to anyone, great course and very well organised. Anyway only 13 days to go now, so need to jog out a few miles this week and get myself sorted. Peace Out

A little snap of me and Tom at the end

Training and Umstead 100

Monday - interval training at lunch, 8.13 miles in eve
Tuesday - 3.1 miles
Wednesday - 8.2 miles

Found out today my friend James definitely isn't coming to America with me as he can now transfer his flight for another race. This is fair enough as there wont be much for him to do out there anyway. So I am heading out there on my own on Thursday 31st March, I am still up for it, I think going to these things on your own can be interesting, meet new people and it's a test of character. Pushed my run tonight, wanted to see how fit I was, I ran the first 5 miles in 33 mins then slowed the last 3 as a couple of hills and didn't want to go too mental but I feel like I am getting fit now and there are the odd tweaks in my legs so I need to be careful I don't get injured. I am running the Brentwood half marathon on Sunday then I will take it proper easy for the next couple of weeks.

84.18 miles

I ran 84.18 miles this week, I needed a big week as haven't had a big week in a while and was a bit behind compared to Elson's schedule and I still am but getting this big week in has made me feel a lot better.

This week looked like this

Monday - Lunch - 6.2,Eve - 6.34
Tuesday - Lunch - 6.2,Eve - 3.1
Wednesday - Lunch -6.2,Eve - 6.34
Thursday - Lunch -6.2, Eve 3.1
Friday - Day Off
Saturday - 23
Sunday - 17.5

Miles logged - http://www.attackpoint.org/log.jsp/user_8677

Today was the hardest run, I ran the whole way but struggled for the last 2 miles, good training running on tired legs. I spoke to Elson today about how many Electrolytes (This explains what they are http://www.planetultra.com/training/born2.html) to take during the 100 as I don't really take them that much but need to take them in this race as could be out there for 30 hours. I have decided to take one Electrolyte every hour and a gel every 45 mins. I am not sure I will be able to take 40 gels as after taking 12 in the Thames Path 50 miler I felt a little sick. Luckily there will be food at aids stations as well so I will be taken on food as substitutes. It's sort of becoming a reality now, race is 2 weeks on Saturday and it's starting to hit me that 100 miles is a long way, massive distance to cover in one go. As Elson has said to me, the worst bit is when you have covered 50 miles and your knackered,it starts getting dark and you have to cover the hardest part of the race in the dark with a head torch on. Anyway game on...!!!!take it on!!!!this week is probably going to be around 50-60 miles, I have the Brentwood half on Sunday with some friends, I probably wont be in any state for a p.b but you never know.

This week

This week I am aiming to run a big week as haven't been putting in the miles over the last few weeks due to illness, boozing and small injuries. 3 days into the week I am on 34.3 so I am going strong. I always find when your trying to put in lots of miles, it becomes a bit like trying to get a run in whenever you can and you're just running for the sake of it and not through enjoyment. For me with a 3 hour daily commute and working full time in media, I just have to try and squeeze in a run anytime I can. I am very lucky as we get an hour and half lunch break so I can squeeze in 10k up the gym. Today I ran 6.2 at lunch and 6.3 along the seafront tonight and pre running tonight I was on the train feeling tired but as soon as I got out there I felt good, I ran the first 3 miles in 20 mins which is a bit quick then the next 3.3 miles in 24 mins. I was running along the seafront tonight in the dark watching other people run, people on their own, people in 2s, people in large groups and I was thinking what a great sport this is, everyone is out there working away, all of us have our own goals whether it be to lose weight, get fit, run a 5k,10k,half marathon, marathon or ultra. I just thought you don't get many sports where you talk to people and everyone looks happy and you can cheer each other on. I find when you run most people give you the runner's nod or a smile, most runners are happy. With just over 3 weeks to go, it's getting to the crunch and everything I am doing now is all for that end goal. My friend James who was suppose to be running isn't running now due a stress fracture, he is going to be out of action for 6-8 weeks which is a massive shame but he has a big year this year with Comrades, Western States, Leadville and many more races so it's important he rests and the injury is rectified. Good news for me is, he is still going to come out to North Caroline as he already had his flight and accommodation booked and I could do with the support.So he will be very valuable to me finishing the 100 miler in one peace and can advise me accordingly. James got me into running in the first place, I remember walking over to his desk when he was a manager on Pinnacle at CC and asking him which marathon to enter, we entered the Essex marathon, that was 2 years ago in early May. Now look at me, I am running a 100 mile ultra marathon in 3 weeks time, without meeting James I doubt I would have ever got into running, he is a great inspiration. There are people running across America like Dean Karnazes and Marshall Ulrich, then you have your super athletes like Scott Jurek, Anton Krupicka, Geoff Roes and Ian Sharman who are all very inspiring as well.I read all these guys blogs as they have been running a long time and are achieving some amazing things and it gives you something to aspire to.

This week

This week has been low key due to illness and not feeling too good after Cambridge last Sunday

Monday - 5
Tuesday - 5
Friday - 6.2
Saturday - 6.5
Sunday - 8.3

So not good mileage at all, this week I am going for big mileage. Game on, need to put in a big week this week with just under 4 weeks to go.