This weekend I will be mostly running

So this weekend I will be mostly...

Running....

For the third year I am taking part in Spitfire Scramble but this time instead of being part of a team I have taken the plunge and am running as a solo runner.

My aim is to cover 100K in the 24 hours which will be my first stab at an ultra.

I will be honest and say I am not sure what to expect, running so much further than I ever have before, going solo instead of being part of a team and pushing myself as far as I can go are all challenges that I will tackle.

Can I cover the distance? 

On the one hand when I think that in previous years at Spitfire I have covered almost 60K and felt fine then why by slowing the pace down a bit I should easily be able to cover a bit more distance, but then again the thought of running two and a half marathons just doesn't seem feasible! I cant say I have ever felt like running another mile after any marathon I have completed let alone another marathon and a half!

What are my tactics to get me through?

I have a schedule of how the 24 hours are going to plan out in terms of my running and rest periods. I have planned out my scheduled start times for each lap and how long my rest periods will be so I know what I need to do.

I know staying hydrated will be key as well as taking on enough calories to keep me running. The plan is to take on something after every 10K lap whether that be a gel, some dried fruit or something more substantial if I can take it.

Other than that my tactics are consistency, coffee beans, trying to get a few hours sleep somewhere in the middle and trying not to feel like a hamster going round and round on a wheel!

I am hoping it will be fun and I will embrace the challenge of running longer and further than ever before.

Any last minute tips and advice for a first time ultra runner? If you are also spitfire scrambling this weekend good luck and I hope to see you there! 

A nice running experience

Yesterday I headed out for an hours run, it wasn't really planned I just wanted to get out and run so I did. 

I headed out to Ingrebourne Country park with the aim of running through to the far side of the park, up Ingrebourne Hill and back again, a total distance of around 12km. 

On my route out I decided to deviate away from the main path and take on one of the off road trails just for a bit of variety as I don't usually run that way. The trail I headed onto is part of the Spitfire scramble course which naturally brought me to thinking about the event, both last years and this years up and coming race.

So Spitfire scramble was fresh in mind as I continued my run, I was thinking about what objectives I should set myself for this years race and reflecting again on how much I enjoyed last years event.

As I headed up Ingrebourne Hill I was aware I was being followed by a cyclist so naturally I pulled over to one side of the path to allow him to pass. He didn't seem to want to pass though. I wasn't sure if he was hanging back as he was either struggling on the steep incline or perhaps didn't want to risk passing me on such a narrow and twisting path. I just tried to concentrate on my running and the climb up the hill. 

Next thing I know I hear, 'excuse me, sorry to interrupt...' as the cyclist tried to strike up conversation with me.

The cyclist preceded to question me about whether I know the park and knew the route of a 5.8 mile course. After some discussion I realised he was referring to the spitfire scramble race. We soon stopped at the top of the hill and engaged in conversation about running in general, his running and cycling around the Ingrebourne area. I tried to advise him and direct him around the course which in fairness was quite easy a he had a good knowledge of the area from his previous experiences training here. 

He went on to explain that he had read about the event and in particular the solo male category and he was aiming to better the 17 laps achieved by the male winner last year, I felt quite inferior referring to my 6 laps achieved as part of a 6 man team. 

Some 10 minutes later I continued with my run after I had imparted by knowledge and we had gone our separate ways. stood at the top of the hill in the cold and the wind was not ideal and I never really warmed up on the run home! However I was left feeling a great sense of friendship and camaraderie that you can experience as part of the running community. 

I always enjoy the opportunity to share my passion with other runners and that is in part the reason why my blog exists. This chance meeting has reignited my desire to interact with other runners wherever possible both in person and online via social media and my blog. 

Day 15 Enjoying a day off work with a run

Today's run - Slow and Steady - pavement/trails - 9K approx - 50 minutes

Today was a nerve wracking day as it was the first day myself and 49 other bootcampers waited for a call to hear our fate in the Runners World Asics Target 26.2 competition.

It is now around 9pm and I haven't received a call nor seen any evidence of anyone else having received a call via Twitter so all I can presume is that the judges are having a difficult time in deciding and will let us know their decisions tomorrow.

In terms of running as I was off work today I headed out early for a longerish run aiming for a around 10K. I headed out into my local country park of Ingrebourne Valley which you will have heard me mention often in my blogs.

I headed out alongside the Ingrebourne river before diverting off and following along some of the Spitfire Scramble course. This turned out to be appropriate as I received notification later in the day that I had been offered a place in one of the UKrunchat team for the 2015 event.

If you aren't aware of spitfire scramble it is a 24 hour team event which I took part in earlier this year, my write up of the event can be found here.

My run itself was most enjoyable, I enjoyed being out early in the quiet and enjoyed going a longer distance. The scenery was great and I found it most rewarding especially in comparison to my commute into London that I would have been undertaking at that time had I been going to work.

Despite trying to stick to paths and trails that would be more solid under foot I did encounter a few dodgy muddy areas where my trainers ended up taking a dip

into the dirty muck!

Alongside my exciting Spitfire Scramble news I also discovered today that Brentwood now have their own parkrun and it is going to be staged in the lovely setting of South Weald Park which was the venue for my third of three marathons in three months the South Weald Marathon. I am really excited to be taking part in this inaugural parkrun on Saturday and hopefully on many future Saturdays to come! 

In terms of my runstreak I continue to enjoy running everyday and continue to feel stronger and fitter. I am now halfway through and am looking forward to finish the raining days strongly.

Tomorrow will now be my day of reckoning to see if I make it through to the next stage of the process for the Asics 26.2 competition! I am keeping my fingers crossed to see what happens!