Since I got back from America, I took one week off running. 2nd week I ran a little, 3rd week I ran a little bit more. I have been a bit like Charlie Sheen over the last few weeks, going out with friends a lot and had work dos, I have got myself into some right pickles.I have never been a good drinker, I think after running 100 miles the booze hits me even more now. I also pulled my left hamstring tendon so have had 2 trips to the physio to sort that out. I feel it's okay now, I can feel it slightly but I think I will be okay.
The last weeks running has looked a bit like this
Saturday - 6.4 miles
Sunday - 8.64 miles
Monday - 5.41 miles
Tuesday - 6.2 miles
Wednesday - 6.2 miles
Thursday - 4.37 miles (Interval training)
Friday - 6.9 miles
Total - 44.12 miles
I have the Three forts marathon on Sunday which is in Worthing and is 3400ft climbs, my friend James won it last year with a time of 3.13.24, he won the race by 22 mins which is a massive effort. First marathon back for me, I am looking forward to getting out there again. With regards to breaking 3 hours at Essex next Sunday, I am not sure that will happen due to injuries, haven't been doing enough interval training and I am running Three forts this Sunday but you never know, I may fluke it somehow or feel amazing on the day. I am still waiting to get into Vermont 100 in July, I am in touch with Julie the race director and at the moment they are at just over 345 and she said she will let me in when they get to 335 so I am hopeful. I have entered Caesars Camp 100 in Aldershot in October so I am hoping to do 3 x 100s this year but who knows what can happen. I have recently started taking Udos Choice Beyond Greens which was recommend by another friend James Keenan who was recommended it by Tony Robbins the American Life coach. You mix the supplement with water and take it 2-3 times a day, it give you lots of minerals, vitamins and is suppose to give you 8 greens a day. Apparently it's good for endurance athletes with recovery and joints,etc so I am hoping that will help me- I am all about living a healthy lifestyle now, the old booze up is fine but should more be moderation - easier said than done. I have also started taking Hammer Perpetuem mix in my water while running - this was recommended to me by a guy called Tony who I was running with at Umstead as it's easy to digest than gels so I will see how that goes. Anyway, that's about it for now, happy running!!!!!!
Friday 29 April 2011
Wednesday 6 April 2011
Recovery, Halstead and Vermont
4 days after 100 miler, everything has calmed down a little now. I am still on a high, still a little tired, not sleeping well for some reason. My legs are still a little stiff, I told myself I would take this week off to rest and enjoy myself. Hopefully I will recover well with no injuries, I now have 2 personal goals over the next few months
1) To break 3 hours in a marathon, current p.b 3.13. I have one opportunity which is the Halstead marathon 4 weeks on Sunday, this seems a bit mental considering it's 5 weeks after the 100. You have got to set your goals high in life though. If my legs are okay, I will go easy next week then the 3 weeks after I will do a lot of speed work, interval training to give myself the chance. I obviously have the endurance and mental aspect, I just need to work on the speed, I ran 1.28.50 at the Brentwood half, I would just need to keep that pace up for double the distance. This maybe a lot to ask but I like to set the bar high.
2)Vermont 100 miler, only after finishing Umstead the other day I was thinking I love this sh8t and would love another piece of the action in the States. I had an eye on Vermont earlier in the year and was tempted to enter but didn't as not sure I would enjoy 100 or not. Turns out I loved the 100 and think I have potential with this distance, Vermont is harder than Umstead as will be hotter and bigger climbs. Here is the race description http://www.vermont100.com/100_mile_description.html, 14,000ft climb compared to 8,000ft climb at Umstead. Anyway the race is full at the moment but I have spoken to Julia the race director and James has and I am now first reserve so hopefully someone drops over the next month.
1) To break 3 hours in a marathon, current p.b 3.13. I have one opportunity which is the Halstead marathon 4 weeks on Sunday, this seems a bit mental considering it's 5 weeks after the 100. You have got to set your goals high in life though. If my legs are okay, I will go easy next week then the 3 weeks after I will do a lot of speed work, interval training to give myself the chance. I obviously have the endurance and mental aspect, I just need to work on the speed, I ran 1.28.50 at the Brentwood half, I would just need to keep that pace up for double the distance. This maybe a lot to ask but I like to set the bar high.
2)Vermont 100 miler, only after finishing Umstead the other day I was thinking I love this sh8t and would love another piece of the action in the States. I had an eye on Vermont earlier in the year and was tempted to enter but didn't as not sure I would enjoy 100 or not. Turns out I loved the 100 and think I have potential with this distance, Vermont is harder than Umstead as will be hotter and bigger climbs. Here is the race description http://www.vermont100.com/100_mile_description.html, 14,000ft climb compared to 8,000ft climb at Umstead. Anyway the race is full at the moment but I have spoken to Julia the race director and James has and I am now first reserve so hopefully someone drops over the next month.
Monday 4 April 2011
Umstead 100
Took off on Thursday morning to the airport. When I said goodbye to my brother Charlie, he said good luck, I was walking up the road to the train station and I was choked and I kept receiving messages from people saying good luck and we are really proud and nearly started crying but didn't, haha. I checked in at Heathrow and had a full fry up, I have never been away on my own before so this was all very surreal to me, walking around the airport and having the fact that I had to run 100 miles in the back of my head was pretty nerve racking. My flight was at 12.55, American Airlines, got on the plane and there were no tv screens, I thought, what a shocker. Luckily I had a book which I finished "Catcher in the Rye" very famous book and I had my MacBook so I watched 7 curb your enthusiasms which kept me entertained. Towards the end of the flight, I had stomach upsets which was not good. I got to the airport and had to go through security which was ridiculous, typical America - finger prints, "Why are you here?how long for?what are you doing? - I am here to run 100 miles, next" Finally got through and had to get a shuttle bus to my hotel. A kind American lady rang my hotel for me, Americans are so kind. Dumped my stuff and went and had a burger, chips and coke from Wendys. Then sat in my room and was getting paranoid about my stomach, it calmed down. The next morning there were a few upsets but luckily it ironed itself out at the end of the day. I got a taxi to Wallmart which is mental, no wonder why yanks are so fat, I loved it in there though, topped up on pepsi, water, bananas, oreos and salted crisps then back in taxi to Umstead park. The park is 40 miles wide according to the taxi driver so it took a while to find the race camp but found it and 45 dollars later - the taxi driver must have been loving it, fair play. I checked in and went to my hut, I thought - what is this, no light and some bunk beds...not good but only in there for 2 nights. Went to race briefing and dinner at 5 which was amazing, they made me feel very welcome and met some amazing people including the race director Blake who made me feel very welcome. I was the only person from UK in the race which was quite cool, a lot of people where saying to me you flew over here to run this....bumped into a guy called Ray (he has run over 70 x 100 milers) who looked at me and said have you done a 100 before - I said no and he said I reckon 18.42 for you, I was like no way, all I want to do is finish....Anyway I went to wash my teeth and this guy called Jim approached me and said can I stay in your cabin, I was like, yeah f8ck it there are 4 bunk beds. Chatted to him for a while, he is a 52 year old American and was attempting his first 100 miler. I got to sleep around 10 and woke up at 4, was a very patchy night sleep. When the alarm went off I thought, this is it, got ready and down to the HQ where I gave my 2 drop bags in.
The Race
We lined up on the start line with our head torches on at 5.55, I was thinking, this is it..I have been waiting for this, game on. The gun went and we were off. Imagine 300 head torches running off into the pitch black in a forest, it was pretty mental. I ran the first 2 miles with Ray and a girl called Cherry who was running with Ray, Ray and Cherry were very uplifting, they were singing, shouting stuff, it was pretty mental. After about 25 mins of running it started to get light and warmer, when I got to the first check point at 6.85 miles I stocked up on some peanut butter on crackers and some water then got back onto it. Mile 6,7 and 8 were the hardest, very hilly. I ran the first loop in 2.09.49 which was probably a little too quick. I took off my jacket, hat and gloves and got back out there. I ran the 2nd lap with 2 guys called Tony and Eric who had done a few 100 milers - Tony knew James from Badwater last year, it shows how much of a small community this is, I was running a 100 mile race in North Carolina and I bumped into a guy who knows James. 2nd lap was completed in 2.16.17, was feeling strong. 3rd lap commenced, I ran most of the 3rd lap with Tony and Eric as well who were very friendly, I kept stopping at aid stations to eat and top up with water as James said always eat even if not hungry. They had really good aid stations - Turkey sandwhiches, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, M&Ms, pretzels. Towards the end of the third lap I caught up with Ray and Cherry and they were being lively, singing, etc I was feeling hot so Ray said change to short sleeve shirt and I said I was feeling a little sick, he said take on Gatorade instead of Gels so I did at aid station, and every station from then in - felt so much better. 3rd lap completed in 2.12.34, was smashing it really, probably a little too quick. I was running with Tony and Eric again and they said about putting the gels into your water bottle so your not taking it down in one go - great advice, thats what I did from now on. Towards the end of the 4th lap I started to feel pretty dehydrated - finished in 2.26 so still way ahead - 37.5 miles covered. I commenced running the 5th lap and a guy called Billy ran alongside me for a bit who was running his 4th Umstead (A lot of people come back to run this race a few times) he said you okay, I was like a bit dehydrated so I kept drinking loads and it eventually ironed itself out. I stopped in the toilet for my only pit stop for no 2 towards end of 4th lap. Once I completed lap I pulled out my friend Keenan's shuffle (He had put together a running play list for me as I had lost my shuffle charger)also at the aid station they were worried about me and said can you put some more clothes on as going to get cold, I was like do I have to as was hot so tied a top to my waste. My garmin died then - battery only lasts 7 and half hours, I had 2 watches for race - Garmin for pacing at start, Polar for overall timing. I got some food and kicked on up the hill, I put the shuffle on and "Jesus Walks" by Kanye West came on, I was like this a tune, I actually went goose pimply. I started running and thinking, I am over half way now, I am on count down, this is where I expected it go wrong as never had run over 50 miles before. The music on the shuffle helped me - Foo Fighters, Foals, Blink 182, Eminem, Jay Z and Faithless - all very good running music. Completed the 56th lap in 2.18.03 - 11.23 of running for 62.5 miles. Kicked off again for lap 6, feeling strong so much goes through your mind when your running a 100 miles, you think about everything in life, what kept me going was people following at home and the messages people had sent me. Lap 6 completed in 2.18 - 75 miles in 13.42 - I was like this is ridiculous, I am killing this, I could break 20 hours but all I wanted to do was cross that line. I pulled the head torch out for lap 7 as was starting to get dark. Started running and it went pitch black very quick - I was running through a forest in North Carolina with a head torch on, was amazing...haha. I lapped Ray on this lap and he said - well done...you are going to break 20, possibly 19, he said that's amazing for a first 100. I also lapped Jim on my 3rd lap, and he said "You lapped me, you bastard" as I ran past..haha. 87.5 miles done in 16 hours 20 mins, I couldn't belive how well I was doing. Last lap I was buzzing, got mid way through stocked up at check point, I was running fast up hills, wanted to finish, passing people, Americans were saying "Great Job". When I got to mile 99.5 - last half mile down the hill, I ran as fast as I could - Finishing in 18.53.48. Finished 20th place out of 260 people - http://www.umstead100.org/raceresults.txt . The guy gave me my buckle and said congratulations, they thought I had done a few 100s and I said that was my first one, they were shocked.
Garmin report of first 40 miles - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/77215785
Post Race
I then sat down near the fire and had some soup, I was in pain but it's probably one of the best moments of my life. I had a massage and chilled, I got chatting to this American girl called Crystal, she was very nice - she asked where I was staying I said my hut, she said I dont normally do this but do you want to stay in my spare room - I was like yesssssssssssssss. Stayed at hers and had lunch the next day then got dropped at the airport - she is a great person and I met a lot of great people this weekend. What went from being a trip i was dreading on my own to one of the best weekends of my Life. I flew back and I am now writing this, cant walk too quick but I am okay, I have only had a 3 hours sleep over last 2 days and had 4 hours today so hopefully should get some more tonight. What next?who knows...definitely another 100....Game on.
Pictures Below
The Race
We lined up on the start line with our head torches on at 5.55, I was thinking, this is it..I have been waiting for this, game on. The gun went and we were off. Imagine 300 head torches running off into the pitch black in a forest, it was pretty mental. I ran the first 2 miles with Ray and a girl called Cherry who was running with Ray, Ray and Cherry were very uplifting, they were singing, shouting stuff, it was pretty mental. After about 25 mins of running it started to get light and warmer, when I got to the first check point at 6.85 miles I stocked up on some peanut butter on crackers and some water then got back onto it. Mile 6,7 and 8 were the hardest, very hilly. I ran the first loop in 2.09.49 which was probably a little too quick. I took off my jacket, hat and gloves and got back out there. I ran the 2nd lap with 2 guys called Tony and Eric who had done a few 100 milers - Tony knew James from Badwater last year, it shows how much of a small community this is, I was running a 100 mile race in North Carolina and I bumped into a guy who knows James. 2nd lap was completed in 2.16.17, was feeling strong. 3rd lap commenced, I ran most of the 3rd lap with Tony and Eric as well who were very friendly, I kept stopping at aid stations to eat and top up with water as James said always eat even if not hungry. They had really good aid stations - Turkey sandwhiches, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, M&Ms, pretzels. Towards the end of the third lap I caught up with Ray and Cherry and they were being lively, singing, etc I was feeling hot so Ray said change to short sleeve shirt and I said I was feeling a little sick, he said take on Gatorade instead of Gels so I did at aid station, and every station from then in - felt so much better. 3rd lap completed in 2.12.34, was smashing it really, probably a little too quick. I was running with Tony and Eric again and they said about putting the gels into your water bottle so your not taking it down in one go - great advice, thats what I did from now on. Towards the end of the 4th lap I started to feel pretty dehydrated - finished in 2.26 so still way ahead - 37.5 miles covered. I commenced running the 5th lap and a guy called Billy ran alongside me for a bit who was running his 4th Umstead (A lot of people come back to run this race a few times) he said you okay, I was like a bit dehydrated so I kept drinking loads and it eventually ironed itself out. I stopped in the toilet for my only pit stop for no 2 towards end of 4th lap. Once I completed lap I pulled out my friend Keenan's shuffle (He had put together a running play list for me as I had lost my shuffle charger)also at the aid station they were worried about me and said can you put some more clothes on as going to get cold, I was like do I have to as was hot so tied a top to my waste. My garmin died then - battery only lasts 7 and half hours, I had 2 watches for race - Garmin for pacing at start, Polar for overall timing. I got some food and kicked on up the hill, I put the shuffle on and "Jesus Walks" by Kanye West came on, I was like this a tune, I actually went goose pimply. I started running and thinking, I am over half way now, I am on count down, this is where I expected it go wrong as never had run over 50 miles before. The music on the shuffle helped me - Foo Fighters, Foals, Blink 182, Eminem, Jay Z and Faithless - all very good running music. Completed the 56th lap in 2.18.03 - 11.23 of running for 62.5 miles. Kicked off again for lap 6, feeling strong so much goes through your mind when your running a 100 miles, you think about everything in life, what kept me going was people following at home and the messages people had sent me. Lap 6 completed in 2.18 - 75 miles in 13.42 - I was like this is ridiculous, I am killing this, I could break 20 hours but all I wanted to do was cross that line. I pulled the head torch out for lap 7 as was starting to get dark. Started running and it went pitch black very quick - I was running through a forest in North Carolina with a head torch on, was amazing...haha. I lapped Ray on this lap and he said - well done...you are going to break 20, possibly 19, he said that's amazing for a first 100. I also lapped Jim on my 3rd lap, and he said "You lapped me, you bastard" as I ran past..haha. 87.5 miles done in 16 hours 20 mins, I couldn't belive how well I was doing. Last lap I was buzzing, got mid way through stocked up at check point, I was running fast up hills, wanted to finish, passing people, Americans were saying "Great Job". When I got to mile 99.5 - last half mile down the hill, I ran as fast as I could - Finishing in 18.53.48. Finished 20th place out of 260 people - http://www.umstead100.org/raceresults.txt . The guy gave me my buckle and said congratulations, they thought I had done a few 100s and I said that was my first one, they were shocked.
Garmin report of first 40 miles - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/77215785
Post Race
I then sat down near the fire and had some soup, I was in pain but it's probably one of the best moments of my life. I had a massage and chilled, I got chatting to this American girl called Crystal, she was very nice - she asked where I was staying I said my hut, she said I dont normally do this but do you want to stay in my spare room - I was like yesssssssssssssss. Stayed at hers and had lunch the next day then got dropped at the airport - she is a great person and I met a lot of great people this weekend. What went from being a trip i was dreading on my own to one of the best weekends of my Life. I flew back and I am now writing this, cant walk too quick but I am okay, I have only had a 3 hours sleep over last 2 days and had 4 hours today so hopefully should get some more tonight. What next?who knows...definitely another 100....Game on.
Pictures Below
Friday 1 April 2011
22 hours to go
Sitting in my hotel room writing this. My flight was okay yesterday, 8 and half hours into Raleigh airport. My hotel was near the airport so I got a shuttle bus to hotel room. We are 5 hours behind here in North Carolina, I must admit I feel a bit weak today and have had stomach problems which is worrying, hopefully I will feel okay later. Maybe it's my body clock and everything adapting. Plan for today is to chill out here until 12 then get a taxi to race camp via supermarket (Where I am going to pick up some supplies) then register for the race, chill out. Race briefing is at 5, then dinner, then an early night. I will be up at 4am for the start at 6!!!This is it now, I am starting to feel nervous, maybe that's why I am feeling a bit weak, who knows.I hope I feel better for tomorrow. Hopefully today will be good fun and hopefully I will meet some nice people.This is my last blog pre race now, this is it!!!!
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