What do you do when you find out you don’t get PB’s from just simply running anymore?
I started running in 2010; labouring through 10k’s and struggling through injuries all the way up to marathon distance by 2011. All the while however, if I was fit and uninjured, I would ALWAYS run a PB. That went without saying.
Oh, is that a PB? Yeah, sounds about right.
Absolutely no training plan attached to this run. I ran fast when I felt like it; if I felt like stopping to take a few photographs, I did that instead.
Not a great idea to do this all the time, but every now and then, especially if you’re trying to get a little bit of motivation back, this feels great to do.
This was an off-road and country lane route through Macclesfield Forest, Shutlingsloe and Wildboarclough in Cheshire. A pleasant Autumn day, and possibly the last we’ll get for a while. Can’t miss this sort of opportunity.
Earlier in the year, some of you may remember when I ran to North Wales and then with no planning, or thought attached, proceeded to run all through Wales, including one mountain, just using directions from locals I met on the way.
Mountain Lake
Summit of Moel Siobod
Well Part II is going to be more of the same, but bigger, better, colder and more mountains hopefully. Starting from Pembrokeshire in South Wales; I plan to run up through Snowdonia, into North Wales and back home again in Cheshire.
For everyone that competes on a semi-regular basis; that first DNF (did not finish) is always on the cards; it is waiting in the wind like an inevitable pride killer.
As the old saying goes: ‘Finishing dead last is better than DNF, and DNF is better than DNS’. I think this is a great expression, which gives an order of merit to these otherwise difficult outcomes, but surely sometimes there are reasonable scenarios where DNF and DNS are actually the more sensible options…
It’s psychological turmoil, running in a race and having to come to terms with the idea of pulling out, and one which I have now experienced twice inside three weeks.
I’ve been asked before now, what do you need to take with you on trail races, or long ultras? – An excellent question, as these events tend to be predominantly off-road and weather conditions in this country can vary greatly and not always predictably.
Firstly, I find it quite funny when people choose to ask ME about all this stuff, mostly because of my well documented and solidly proven status as a complete moron.
However, it did dawn on me that by making every mistake in the book along the way, I will have surely inadvertently picked up a few things. So here it is! My take on what equipment and nutrition is needed for those long, off-road races…
We definitely took it on the chin, but I still optimistic. It a looooong season so get ready for the ups and downs. Do not doubt for a second that we don deserve to be in first place. Landry SC Cheap Jerseys free shipping, McKean KA, Hubley Kozey CL, Stanish WD, Deluzio KJ (2009) Gender Differences Exist In Neuromuscular Control Patterns During The Pre Contact And Early Stance Phase Of An Unanticipated Side Cut And Cross Cut Maneuver In 15 18 Years Old Adolescent Soccer Players. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. V19(5): 370 379..
Not sure why this took me so long to put together. Was actually fairly tough looking back at some of it, as I’d forgotten what a complete state I got myself into in parts.
I didn’t actually film the worst parts. Filming and documenting was the absolute LAST thing on my mind; particularly in the latter stages in Scotland, but this gives an overall idea of what it was like to run for the 27 days without a break, and carrying what I’d describe as ‘not a lightweight’ rucksack on my back the entire way…
12 months ago, I ran in my first ever ultra (you can read about it here. It’s good, I promise!). So enamoured with the course and the race, I decided that I wanted to have another go at it this year. Seemed like a simple, and good enough idea.
A change to the schedule at the start of the year meant that this race was now only one week after my 100 mile debut at the North Downs Way 100.
It was a strange feeling lining up at the start line as one of the ‘least’ experienced runners out there.
To most of my friends these days, I am now known as ‘Dan the runner’. I am forever being told by people that they have seen me out running while they were driving past; that they tried to get my attention, but I was just off in my own little world. If you were to ask the average friend of mine to describe me, they would probably go with “Oh yeah, Dan. Short guy, looks like a hobbit, always running…” Something like that anyway; or something a lot more insulting.
Last weekend, I traveled to Wales to basically run about with no planned route. My rule was I was not allowed to say “no” to any local route suggestion made by anyone I spoke to whilst out there. The result had me travel all along the north coast, and finish by climbing up Moel Siobod before returning to Betws-y-Coed.
This video shows some of my trip, and a fair bit of messing about. It also shows that I can’t say anywhere in Wales properly and I don’t seem to know what part of my phone does the filming.
