Well let’s not beat around the bush, its now August, the race is 33 days away. It’s all just a little too real. I’ve done my miles, I’ve done the wet mornings, snowy ultra marathon distance runs, I’ve been up before many have gone to bed to run silly amounts miles. I’m prepared. But the task in hand is still a significant one, it’s still a really big deal.
Four years ago I thought, yeah I should take up running, might like it, might lose some weight. But in all honesty will probably lose interest as many other hobbies have dwindled away in the past. It won’t last, I’ll sell those cheap New Balance shoes I got in June 2017 and forget about it.
Fast forward 4 years and we are at some sort of bizarre point whereby I’m nearly at the point of lining up on the start line of a 100 mile trail running event. The mind boggles, it really boggles.
Anyway, July, what’s happened?
The main highlight of the month was the trip to Cornwall and pulling on my Inov8 TerraUltra G270 shoes and throwing some shapes on the St Michaels Way and South West Coastal Path. A real dream of a place to run.
The month started with the end of an endurance block with some big miles. The last really big ones of the training session.
I suffered though with some struggles to get time to put some of the longer runs in and also had some rare spell of feeling unwell, so the training plan had to bend a little. But that’s what a training plan has to do. You have to listen to the issues and flex the plan accordingly, continuing blindly with a plan when things are not right is a path to ruin. Down that route injury lies!!
The month then moved onto a speed session, which overlapped my break down in Cornwall.
I’ve been using the Nike Vaporfly Next% shoes recently and have been impressed with the results. In the end of July block of speed sessions I managed to claw a new 1Km PR of 3:33. Very pleased with that. The speed sessions continued in August, but I won’t spoil the surprise with what happened there :)!
PREPPING
I’ve pretty much determined my race plan, food, nutrition, hydration etc and know what I’m going to work towards on race day. I’ve planned out my food checkpoint by checkpoint and will now work on preparing those parcels for race day, so each checkpoint I have prepared a bag with food/electrolyte tabs etc that I need to consume. Doing it this way (especially with the food) means that if I am anywhere near my plan I will have just the right calories/carbs to consume to keep myself in good shape. I need to eat the contents of the bag before the next checkpoint! Simple as that.
I’ve settled on my race pack for the day and have practice packed my bag a couple of times. Does it all fit, do I have everything? …
I’ve also planned my drop bag and. just need to pack this a few times to be sure.
That just leaves selection of the actual clothing. I have most settled on, I just need to pick the shirt I’ll use, and maybe 1 or 2 changes (if I need it).
It’s getting there, I’m nearly ready.
Just about a month to go and all this effort will be put to the test.
My running in July:
No human is limited.
See my previous post here.
