Wild, wet and wonderful

January and February are my least favourite months of the year.  The lack of light, although it's getting better, and the miserable weather get me down.  This weekend is typical where I ran in 40 mph wind both days and on Saturday the pain of the rain in my face made me pull up my buff for protection.  Today it was snow that was battering my face as my feet waded through the slush on the pavements.  
It's a world apart from my adventures in the Sahara, the Grand Canyon, Tahoe and Romania.  All of which I was talking about to 4th year students at the West Of Scotland University this week.  Understanding what happens to an athlete when running in extreme conditions is part of their course and on 16th Feb I will be getting tested by them in their heat chamber!  I'm very excited and privileged to be getting this opportunity and it will help prepare me for my return to Romania in August.
But back to the wild, wet and wonderful weather in Scotland.  As this is the country I choose to live in, there is no point moaning about the weather.  I also believe that when you are sitting in your warm house or car, the thought of going out is worse than it actually is.  Once you're out you adapt to the conditions, assuming you are properly dressed - I ran with ski gloves on. My mindset is that I am running in a bubble which protects me from the elements.  I'm only out for an hour and even if it was 2 or 3, I set my mind and visualise what lies ahead of me.  I always carry a picture of my goal in my head, the finish line of URR, so when going through a horrible run in the wet, sleet, snow and wind, if I can picture the goal in the future then it make the discomfort more bearable.  We always forget when we were ill or injured and couldn't run what we would have given to be out of your sick bed, even if the weather was horrible.
But as I've said many times before being in your comfort zone doesn't allow you to develop and grow.  Putting yourself in stressful situations hardens you so that when it happens in a race, you can remember you did the "hard miles" training in miserable conditions.
Last week I talked about Nadal in the middle of his Australia Open final and he went on to win - just incredible. Yesterday, like a lot of Scots, I sat in amazement as Scotland struggled against England, then came back and hung on to win the Calcutta Cup for the 2nd year in a row and the last time this achieved was 40 years ago.  What both these incredible examples show is how the players had total belief in themselves and you can rest assured they'd have visualised their success in advance.  But they would have done the "hard miles" in the gym, on the pitch, on the running track to put them in a place physically and mentally where they could realise their dreams.  As long as you know what you want, can visualise it and are prepared to be patient, put in the hard miles you will realise your dream / goals. So get out in the wet and wind and have a wonderful time.  1 life, live it!

Dare to dream

I'm typing this as I watch the Australian Open and Nadal is staging a come back having been 2 sets down.  Obviously I don't know what the outcome will be but he's putting everything into this match that would make him the worlds best ever tennis player with 21 Grand Slam titles, if he succeeds.  The reason I'm bringing tennis into my blog, is that even Nadal will dream of winning and his focus is laser sharp.  Even when it looked like he was down and out he believed in himself and is still going strong.  Every training session he ever does will have that goal of a 21st Grand Slam - today we will see if he can convert them but he has a worth opponent who is equally dreaming of his 2nd Grand Slam victory. The commentators have just said this is all about "heart and hunger" and hopefully he can pull off what would be a miraculous victory. 
Back to every day life now.  Back to how to go from 12 km to 150km in 13 weeks!  This week I had a back niggle that needed treatment but this just disrupted my gym work, not my running.  It's sorted now but a reminder as to how your plans can be disrupted and I really can't afford to be injured.
It's getting real.  My Canadian friends Mike & Kristine are racing the Ultra 125 X in Inverness with me - they entered first and I was going to support them but then decided it would be better to join them in the race.  Mike is going to run solo so I will be running with Kristine, as long as I can keep up!  I'm now starting to look at the logistics and yesterday went out and bought new poles to replace the ones I broke in the ROS last year.  My pal Michael Martin is already talking about mountain running so I bought some micro crampons as it will be snowy and icy at the mountain tops.
And all of this is because I dare to dream.  The dream is going back to Romania for the 250km multi staged ultra.  I aim to build on last years disappointment and come home with the precious medal around my neck and a rucksack full of wonderful memories. In the end it's the memories that are the most precious take aways from these adventures.  What's your dream and how bad do you want it because in the end, that will determine your success.  I'd wish you luck but luck has nothing to do with it - it's sticking to a well thought out plan and executing it.

Time flies

Having passed a significant birthday recently I have been thinking about time.  Where does it go?  It seems to disappear quicker the older you get.  One theory is that as you approach your own "exit", time speeds up so make the most of the time we have.  Sadly Meatloaf exited stage left this week like a bat out of hell but he left behind music that millions of people around the world know the words to every hit.  I wonder what I'll leave behind?  I don't think my blog will ever feature in the British Library or any library for that matter, but it's purpose is to act as my journal which records this adventure of a lifetime that I am on.  If that inspires or helps anyone raise the bar, reach for the stars or achieve something they though was impossible then that is a bonus which makes me happy.  I do get some lovely feedback from time to time and it always gives me a warm feeling.
Sticking with the subject of time.  There are 168 hours in a week.  If you sleep 60 and work 40 then you have 68 hours left.  What do you do with them?  As we can't expand time, we need to make the most of time and that requires planning.  You don't just sleep and work but where is the time "carved out" for you to improve yourself?  This could be a training plan for a race or it could be extra study you are doing to progress your career.  As far as I'm concerned every day is a learning day and when you stop learning, you start going backwards and ageing faster, like a bat out of hell!
This weekend I got to run with my coach Genevieve which is always a pleasure.  I know she's listening to my breath and checking out my form.  You can only read so much into the data but being up close you get a much better idea.  After today's run we took some time out for coffee, cake and a review of where we are in relation to my next race in 14 weeks time.  We'd like to vary the training plan to incorporate swimming and some indoor cycling but my training schedule is full as it is.  So whilst it would be nice to swim, my body would get a better return from adding in a speed run session and two indoor bike sessions.  We also need to up the Stair Master sessions building from 20 mins to an hour plus adding in a weighted rucksack in time.  This all takes time so my daily schedule is going to be tightly managed to get the balance between family life, work, training and rest.  That last one is very important as I don't want to burn out or get injured.
Thoughts of Ultra Race Romania are starting to come into my head and with only 199 days to go I'm starting to get excited.  On Friday I was speaking to Professor Chris Easton of West of Scotland University and I'll soon be working with his 4th year students as they put me through my paces in their heat chamber.  I'm hoping to be able to help them understand the stresses and strains that an ultra runner goes through in a 250 km race and will be looking to them for some nutrition and hydration strategies based on the results from their tests.  As I said, every day's a learning day.  I'll work on my running and cycling but leave out the swimming after all as Meatloaf said, "2 out of 3 ain't bad"! (sorry I couldn't resist)

Running free and easy

January is the month where I'm building up my running, but I'm under no pressure.  My coach wants to make sure there is no hangover from Covid in December plus it's about getting back into a regular routine having enjoyed time off at Christmas.
I've been increasing marginally the distance I'm running and the number of consecutive days that I run has also increased.  I've combined this with my gym work and I am starting to see the benefits of the work over the last 4 months.  I've put on 7lbs but I needed to as my weight was 140 lbs.  As long as the weight is muscle I don't mind and I can see a change in the shape of my legs which is satisfying. In Romania in August I will be ascending 40,000 ft and descending the same so it's vital to have my legs in great shape.  The stair master will be getting plenty of use and this will be replaced by the mountains in the better weather. In Romania I will be carrying everything with me and it takes its toll on your traps and back so I need to be stronger than last year.   I now have some good routines in the gym and whilst I have to "force" myself sometimes to go, I know it's an important part of being a successful ultra runner or athlete.
My highlight of the week was a change in location for my run.  I was in London on business and took my running kit with me.  On Friday morning I woke up tired from the long day before, I'd got up at 4.30am to catch the flight, and headed out into a crisp cold day with a solid blue sky.  I chose a route that took in Trafalgar Square, St James Park, and Hyde Park. At one point I was running beside this majestic beast.  One of the Queen's black horses.  It was stunning and trotting up the space allocated for horses.  Running through such a historical city taking in all the sights, watching the newscasters setting up outside Buckingham Palace is always fun.  Such a buzzing city and best seen early morning before it gets busy, although it's still relatively empty compared to pre-covid days.  There was no pressure on my pace so I ran free and easy just enjoying being alive, feeling good to be healthy running in London.
Saturday was a contrast in a dull, grey and cold Scotland but today's run in the beautiful sunshine.  I ran with a pal which as you know is my preference than running solo and we bumped into friends along the way.  We even paused our watches and enjoyed catching up with them.  Life is good and when the sun shines and you are running free and easy there's not too much that can improve on that.  The only thing that would be better is running in the mountains but that will happen when the weather improves.  In the meantime I just need to build my strength and fitness and would like to thanks all my friends, family and my coach who share in my journey and inspire me to keep going.

Slip sliding away

 From 28 degrees in Miami to below zero degrees in a matter of days has been tough to adjust to.  Throw in jet lag and it's been difficult to get back into a normal routine although I'm there now.  Jet lag always throws you out and waking up at 4am bright eyed doesn't help your recovery.  But I did manage to get some runs in since returning home on Wednesday and some gym sessions - that was definitely helped by continuing light training on holiday (note for future holidays - it doesn't need to be much).
Having returned from holiday I had to do a "day 2 PCR test" so the advice was to "self isolate" which meant solo training till I got my results back - remember I had taken 3 tests in the last week so was fairly confident it would be negative which on Saturday I found out I was.
I always prefer running with my pals as the company helps pass the time and holding a conversation keeps you at a steady but not fast pace.  Catching up on what everyone has been up to and finding out their goals and plans for 2022 is always exciting and once they have declared them, then they know I will hold them to it.  Being accountable is important and it certainly helps me reach my goals no matter how unrealistic they may be.  Is it unrealistic to be running 125km over 2 days in 16 weeks time when currently my biggest run is 10km?  Don't worry this happens every year and my coach has me running easy this month but the distance will pick up.  Best to be safe having had Covid in December and I also want to avoid injury.
That brings me on to my runs at the weekend.  The forecast for Saturday was wind and rain.  My clubmates were running at Chatelherault but I decided against it as it's a longer drive and I was short of time - plus I didn't have my PCR result back yet.  So I headed out to Calderglen Park which was more local - big mistake.  The snow from the day before had frozen and where it had melted it was either a flow of running ice cold water or a massive puddle that you had to wade through.  There was also a tree down and a diversion so it was a bit of a stop start run while I picked my way round the course and tried to remain upright!  All that can be said is that it was invigorating and that despite my ice cold feet I came away smiling having enjoyed the environment and it had set me up for the day - running in the right environment always does that for me.
The following day I decided to play safe and stuck to the pavements.  Well at least I tried but they were still covered in ice and it was tricky.  It was only a 7km easy run so I finished it injury free which is always a result.  I definitely prefer off road running in the  trees with the sound of the river but in Jan/Feb you really need to take the underfoot conditions into account.
I'm back in the gym and being careful as I have a couple of niggles, elbow and shoulder, that I don't want to aggravate.  As a precaution I have booked an appointment with my chiropractor who will make sure I am properly aligned before ramping up the training.  I'm excited for 2022 and have set myself some massive challenges which I am looking forward to.  I know that when I have completed them I will have raised my bar which is a continual goal of mine.  In my opinion the comfort zone is the death zone.  When you move out of the comfort zone, this is where the growth and excitement is.  Have a brilliant week and be careful out there as slip sliding away can be painful!

Margarita Marathon!

Not the title you'd expect for a blog about raising the bar, from a fitness and goal setting point of view.  But it's the holiday season and having celebrated a big birthday at the beginning of December, I headed off to Miami with my wife and family to celebrate in style.  2 days soaking up the atmosphere of Miami was amazing.  Joe's Stone Crab restaurant has to be the highlight and both mornings I ran on the boardwalk before the heat became unbearable.  The running allowed me to justify the wine!
We then headed off for a five day Caribbean cruise.  If you've ever been on a cruise ship before you'll know the food is awesome and you check your liver into rehab when you get back.  We weren't disappointed and had a lot of fun visiting Nassau and Cozumel, wonderful new years eve celebrations and if you haven't tried a "silent disco", then you've missed out.  We danced the night away.
As for the Margarita's, that was inspired by visiting Cozumel.  And when you are drinking with the "youngsters", you have to show them the benefit of your experience!  That experience involves demonstrating how to treat the margarita like a shot which certainly impressed Caitlin King who was too slow and hers disappeared down my throat before she could blink - if you're not fast your last!  The experience however comes down to knowing when to stop and I was in a lot better shape than them in the morning.
It wasn't all about the margarita's as my garmin stats will demonstrate. I was on the treadmill every day running and also in the gym.  I was ticking over running for between 30-40 mins so that when I start back properly, on Thursday, it won't be too difficult.  The margarita marathon was tough but I was assisted by the family who supported my efforts.  It was a fun trip and fully of memories that will no doubt get cast up to me in years to come!  The holidays are over.  Let the training plan kick in to achieve the goals for 2022.  In May I have a 125km ultra in Scotland and in August 250 km multi-staged ultra in Romania (unfinished business).  If you haven't set unrealisitic goals for 2022 you're missing out on a lot of fun as you raise the bar.  Cheers!

Work out the WHY

Christmas means different things to different people.  If you've got young children it's an exciting and frantic time as you are continually scraping them off the ceiling as they get wound up about Santa coming.  Having young adults is different again, but you can have a lovely "grown up" time round the table reminiscing about the old days and watching films - although deciding whether Die Hard was a Christmas film or not, was a debate!  For the record in my view it's a film which takes place at Christmas, but not a Christmas film.
We give our digestive systems a battering for a few days but it's only for a short period of time and it's ok to let your hair down.  When you come out the other side you promise to be good and if you are determined, it's time to focus on your diet and maybe make some changes.  I'm not into new year resolutions as I think the phrase itself has negative connotations and set you up for failure.  If you want to make changes to your diet or even your life, work out the WHY before you make any plans.  Understanding the WHY is what you should focus on if you want to achieve change.
I'm looking forward to the down time, loads of good food, indulging in some nice wine and catching up with friends.  
I also would recommend you change your running routes, just to get a different perspective on your running.  We do tend to run the same routes and we run  on "auto pilot".  I'm lucky to have the 'braes on my doorstep and what I love is running through the "Big Wood" and finding new routes.  These woods have loads of hidden trails or if you get lost, like I do, make your own trail.  Today was one of these days when I went wandering and I was wading through beds of golden leaves with the occasional very muddy patch.  I just love running with no particular plan in mind other than the total distance that is in my training plan.  I'm enjoying find hidden "nooks and crannies" some of which can take your breath away, literally.  I came across a big set of stairs and this will be great for hill reps although today I walked them.
Enjoy the festivities and keep your training ticking over.  Get plenty of rest because the hard work starts in January.  Talk to your training partners and get them committed to joining you in your goals for 2022.  Having the support of your fellow athletes will raise your game while helping you raise the bar.  As long as you understand the WHY you are on the right path.