Sunday 14 December 2014

From 10 miles to 100 miles in 185 days

What a difference a week makes.  My last post was talking about motivation and how getting a place in the West Highland Way would have motivated me to ramp up my training.  Well I didn't make the ballot, I was one of the 75 people that didn't get in.  I was gutted.  There went my season's "A Race" and who's to say the same wouldn't happen next year as it is an absolutely fair race and wouldn't give preference to those that failed the year before.
The next day I was running an "inspirational workshop" with a senior management group talking about my journey and explaining how important their mind set was.  That night I got home and posted on FB that I was looking for some ideas for a new race for next year.  As a result I have the most amazing opportunity.  I have created my own event.
The West Highland Way + has been launched.  Two days before the main event I will be meeting friends from ATHelite Triathlon Club and the "tartan army" from the Marathon des Sables 5 miles north of Fort William (I don't want to clash in anyway with the main event).  We are going to run the race in the reverse order and we are going to add on 5 miles so that it become a 100 mile ultra (5 miles more than the WHW race).  Some people will be running the whole way, others will be running one section and others will be providing the support required from water to food to encouragement to massages.  My friends have come forward in numbers wanting to support me in this event.  Today The Cross Garage in Stonehouse owned by Davy Dorricott offered me a campervan as a support vehicle.  Thanks guys, this is going to be awesome - even better than running the official race and getting the coveted goblet.
We'll raise lots of money for our chosen charities along the way.  I feel so motivated I can start my training seriously.  I now have 185 days to get my running mileage up from 10 miles to 100 miles - now that's what I call a challenge!  So hopefully those that follow my blog will see what is required to get myself into shape to complete a monster of an ultra marathon.  Thanks in advance to all my friends that will be supporting me in the planning and the execution of the event.  Here goes!