TCS London Marathon 2022

Believe the hype. The atmosphere. The crowds. The organisation. The landmarks. The London Marathon is everything I’d imagined it would be…and more! 7 years I’ve applied through the general ballot. 7 years of rejection. 7 years of watching it live on the tv, soaking up the atmosphere from the comfort of my sofa. 7 years

Robin Hood 100

“When you run for 10 miles you have ideas. When you run for 100 miles you have epiphanies.” Michael D’AULERIO A 100 mile run. ONE HUNDRED miles. Who’d have thought when I started this running journey back in 2015 that I’d be towing the start line of a 100 mile race – I certainly didn’t!

Conti Thunder Run 24hr – Solo

The Conti Thunder Run is the original 24hr trail race consisting of as many 10k laps as you can muster in 24hrs. Held in the grounds of Catton Park, Derbyshire, it attracts thousands of runners each year and with the option of running solo, in pairs or relay teams of up to 8, it’s inclusive

Ham & Lyme 100k

The Ham & Lyme 100k follows the stunning Liberty Trail which runs from Lyme Regis in Dorset to Ham Hill Country Park in Somerset, before turning around and heading back to the start line to finish on the promenade. I went into the event both physically and mentally unprepared. On-going Achilles and knee issues meant

Bluebell Challenge

The Bluebell Challenge is organised by Big Bear Events and challenges you to run as many 2.9 mile laps as you can muster within a 6-hour time limit. I’d come across this event fairly last minute via social media and the ‘lapped format’ immediately caught my attention. Held in the grounds of Hartshill Hayes Country

Millennium Way Ultra

Well, I f’ked that up! The Millennium Way Ultra – despite milestone PB’s at 30 and 40 miles – left me feeling somewhat disheartened and proof that not all races go to plan. For anyone who wants to know how not to race an ultra, read on… The race itself is a 41 mile point-to-point

Ashby 20

Ashby 20 – now in it’s 30th Anniversary – is a 20 mile road race ‘organised by runners, for runners’. Based in Ashby-de-la-Zouch – a small market town in Leicestershire – the race attracts over 1000 runners and is considered to be ‘one of the last long runs’ in the calendar before the major spring

Scott’s Dirty Dozen Trail Race

To quote the official website, the Scott’s Dirty Dozen Trail Race is “quite simply the best trail running event in the area.” I happen to agree. Set amongst the beautiful backdrop of Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, it’s the true definition of a trail run – with plenty of single-track, forestry trails, mud, hills and the

Imber Ultra

I first ran this event in 2020 and was keen to give it another go despite last years event falling victim to the pandemic. The Imber Ultra is a 33 mile mixed-terrain race taking in the Salisbury Plain and the Imber Range Perimeter Path. Jointly organised by Avon Valley Runners and the Rotary Club of

Country to Capital Ultra

The Country to Capital Ultra is a 43 mile point to point race from Wendover in Buckinghamshire to Little Venice in London. As the name suggests, the route covers approximately 23 miles of glorious countryside, woodland trails and muddy tracks before hitting the Grand Union Canal for a further 20 miles of canal tow path

Endurance Life: Gower Ultra

Another race that’s been on the radar for quite some time. The Gower Ultra – as described on their website – is a 32.9 mile trail race ‘set against an awe-inspiring natural backdrop of cliff tops, downland, woodland, sand dunes and world famous beaches’. With over 4,000ft of elevation and the prospect of gnarly, wintery

Conti Thunder Run 24hr – Solo

My first 24hr event. The Conti Thunder Run is the original 24hr trail race consisting of as many 10k laps as you can muster in 24hrs.  Now in it’s 12th year, it’s held in the grounds of Catton Park, Derbyshire and attracts thousands of runners who are up for a challenge – whether that’s running

The Piece of Cake Trail Marathon

The ironically named ‘Piece of Cake Trail Marathon’ which proved to be anything but… Located in the spectacular Carding Mill Valley in the Shropshire Hills, this is another one of Denzil’s ‘How Hard Can It Be Events’ which have now become a firm favourite of mine in the calendar. With options to run either a

4x4x48 Challenge

The challenge: run 4 miles, every 4 hours for 48 hours. I stumbled upon the 4x4x48 challenge a couple of years ago and it has resonated with me ever since. Popularised by American fitness guru, ex navy seal and ultra runner David Goggins, it’s now an annual event featured heavily across all social media platforms.

The Lickey Hills (Unofficial) Marathon

The Lickey Hills – my old stomping ground and the setting for my latest adventure. With over 524 acres of hills, woodland trails and panoramic views over the surrounding countryside, it’s an idea location for a bit of Type 2 fun! I’ve been running the Lickey Hills religiously for the past 5 years – it’s

The Edale Skyline

The Edale Skyline is a 24 mile circular run around the stunning vale of Edale in the Peak District. With over 5000ft of elevation, the route summits Win Hill, Kinder Scout, Brown Knoll, Rushup Edge, Mam Tor, Black Tor and Lose Hill. I’d been planning a visit to the Peak District for a few weeks.

Worcestershire Circular (Unofficial) Ultra

I’d got the idea of running the Worcestershire loop from Kate, a friend from club who had devised the route and posted it on Strava. The route was a 32 mile circular starting and finishing at her parents house in Bromsgrove. I lived a couple of miles away so starting and finishing from mine would

Icing on the Cake Marathon

The first race in the calendar and one I very much look forward to. The Icing on the Cake‘ marathon is set in the Shropshire Hills and covers just shy of 5,500 ft of climb in and around Carding Mill Valley and the Long Mynd. Last years event was cancelled due to snow so I’d

Post-Race Blues and Stuggling to find my Mojo

It’s been two weeks since I completed Lakes in a Day and I’ve done very little in terms of running. In all honesty, I’ve struggled with fatigue and illness but more worryingly, I seemed to have lost my mojo. It’s not uncommon, I know I’ve felt like this post marathon or milestone run before. It

Lakes in a Day

It was 07:59 and I was standing at the start line for the Lakes in a Day 2019 ultramarathon. Everyone around me looked nervous, it felt unnervingly quiet and I felt sick to the stomach. What lay ahead was a 50 mile race from Caldbeck to Cartmel covering the length of the Lake District from

Additional Kit, Nutrition and the Final Long Run

Week 19 – Taper Phase w/c 23.09.2019 Recommended mileage: 14 milesActual mileage: 28.1 miles I’d booked Monday and Tuesday off work. Ruth was away in the Lake District, enjoying a relaxing week at Centre Parcs whilst I got to spend some quality time with Thomas whilst James and Oliver were at school. It also gave

Trailffest Half Marathon

About to board the train to the start line What a brilliant race! The Trailffest Half Marathon is billed as ‘one of the most scenic you could hope to run, with dramatic changes of scenery and terrain the whole way to the finish line’, I wouldn’t disagree. Everything about this race, from the steam train

Working Away, Night Running and a Return to the Malverns…

Week 17 – Peak Phase w/c 09.09.2019 Recommended mileage: 55 milesActual mileage: 40.3 miles I was fortunate enough to be working in Cornwall this week but only managed to get in a couple of runs due to work commitments. Both were circular coastal runs; one from Cardis Bay to Hayle and the other slightly further

Navigation Training and a LiaD Recce

Week 16 – Peak Phase w/c 02.09.2019 Recommended mileage: 50 milesActual mileage: 48.8 miles Monday came around fairly quickly. Ruth and I were at the Moseley Folk Festival all day Saturday and Sunday was spent tobogganing for Oliver’s birthday – I still can’t believe he’s 5! I’d rested the knee somewhat in terms of running

The Isle of Wight Half Marathon 2019

The Isle of Wight Half Marathon is organised by Ryde Harriers and is best described as an undulating, two-lap, scenic race held on hard packed farm tracks and bridleways. It attracts over 250 runners made up from local running clubs and tourists alike. The event is held in August and starts and finishes in Appley

Rest, Recovery and Aching Limbs

Week 12 – Build Phase w/c 06.08.2019 Recommended mileage: 40 milesActual mileage:  3.4 miles I did it! I ran the length of the River Tees, from it’s source in Durham to the sea in Redcar. 92 miles! Yes, 92 MILES!  I’m still buzzing. I’m still overwhelmed. I’m still in pain. My feet are in bits,

Physio and a Return to the Lickey’s!

Week 11 – Build Phase w/c 29.07.2019 Recommended mileage: 40 milesActual mileage: 98.2 miles Monday started with a trip to physio and some good news. After an initial assessment, the ankle had shown significant improvement in terms of mobility and strength that I was given the all clear to start running off road and on

Working Away and Weekend Camping

Week 10 – Build Phase w/c 22.07.2019 Recommended mileage: 40 milesActual mileage: 17.9 miles Work took me to East Anglia on Monday. I’d based myself in a quaint little B&B in the historic village of Weston Longville, just outside Norwich. The B&B was situated above a family restaurant and country inn; which would prove to

Canals, Country Lanes and Calorie Counting

Week 9 – Build Phase w/c 15.07.2019 Recommended mileage: 35 milesActual mileage: 35.4 miles The week started with a trip to physio. Rehab had been going well. I’d been strict on myself with the exercise program, doing them religiously 2-3 times a day and I felt there were definite signs of improvement over the past

Building up the Miles and a Manchester Legend

Week 8 – Build Phasew/c 08.07.2019 Recommended mileage: 35 milesActual mileage: 16.8 miles I took Monday as a rest day. I was conscious of doing too much too soon and wanted to stick to the schedule as much as possible. It’s easy to think that once you’ve done a couple of runs pain free then