A good talking to!

Spoiler alert.  Not to be read while eating. 
What a shit week - literally!  The first rule of an ultra is "don't trust a fart".  I have a well practiced routing in the morning making sure I'm as "light as possible" if you get my drift before I leave for my run!  But the "runners curse" kicked in and let's just say it was a very messy last kilometer!  But I didn't slow down as I had a target to hit!
My first race of the year is 4 weeks away.  125km over two days with an over night under the canvas to look forward to.  3,513m of elevation is the key and as you know I've spend a lot of time in the mountains to get my legs used to the ascending but more importantly the descending - that's where the damage is done.  In training you need to regularly "shred your quads" to get them used to the strain because if they fail, and it's happened to me before, it's the equivalent of going down hill with no brakes.  You lose control over your legs.  The training in the gym makes them stronger but trashing them on the descents makes them race ready.This weekends weather meant it wasn't safe for me to be high in the mountains on my own.  I decided to recce the start of the race because I have run it in the other direction when I ran the Great Glen Way (73 miles) but I have no recollection of coming off the hills except I did too much walking because my head was in a bad place, despite coming top over 50 vet.  I drove up the night before and at 8am headed off on the trail.  I remembered none of it some of which was due to a lot of the trees having been cut down.  But the first 10km felt awful with my legs being tired and my head telling me to turn back as I obviously "wasn't well" and the snow was starting to fall.  I find the greater the distances I run the longer it takes to warm up.  The route out of Inverness isn't a steep climb but it's generally upwards.  I stopped and took a gel and drank some water.  I jogged on and within a few minutes started to feel better and I talked to myself about how lucky I was to be in this beautiful forest.  In short I'd given myself a good talking to and reminded myself of the journey I'd been on to get to this place and the goals and adventures I'd set myself for the rest of the year.  I imagined what it would be like on race day with the excitement of running with my Canadian pals who I met in Romania and my spirits lifted.  I thought of all the tough training runs with my friends over the years, yes years as you can't run these kind of distances on one seasons training.

It was an out and back and I did miss on very small waypoint and will make sure on race day that I don't.  32 km in the bag and nice to know that I felt comfortable with the start.  I headed straight down the road and stopped for food as I was starving having burned 2,817 calories.  I haven't stopped eating since getting home!
This morning was 15km, 2 laps of Chatelherault.  The first minute is a gradual climb and I could feel my legs which up and till then had seemed fine.  I told myself how important this run was because it's the combination of the back to back runs that matters.  Running when your legs are tired is the only way to prepare for long distance runs because in reality it's 3 marathons in 2 days and it's hilly and on trails which drains your legs.  I've ran longer, 205 miles in 3.5 days with 40,000 of climbing, and while this might give me confidence in knowing I can do it, it's down to my physical and mental conditioning on the day.  So this mornings run was important and I dug in deep.  I ran on feel and was surprised when I completed the first lap in 43min 33sec - faster than normal by a couple of minutes.  I set off again and said, let's make this a negative split (a faster lap than the first one) but I knew it would be hard as I was fatigued.  I felt good as I'd warmed up with the first lap but knew it wouldn't be easy as I rarely manage a negative split around Chatelherault.  But then I'd never consciously decided this was what I was going to do. 
And this is where you help me.  I think about what I am going to write in my blog while running. I want to pass on any tips or to inspire to you "raise the bar" as we are all capable of so much more.  So thinking about you reading the blog made me push myself on the second lap.  I could feel the fatigue in my legs but again I gave myself another good talking to.  FFS I said, in 4 weeks time a 15 km run is nothing so what are you moaning about.  I applied "rule 5" (Man the fuck up).  I made my split negative, by 20 seconds.  Had I not set that target I would have been at least 3 minutes slower so thank you for being there for me.  Pushing me on when I needed it.  I know you'll be with me in 4 weeks time when I will really need your positive energy.  I've rested all afternoon and haven't stop eating or rehydrating.  My Garmin said I should take the next 4 days off.  My coach gave me 1 day off and I have 14 km to run on Tuesday and a gym session.  She understands what I need better than my Garmin.  
Set your goals high for the season because there is nothing worse than setting them low, and achieving them!

Risk v Reward

Everything you do in life involves risk.  Driving your car, going out on your bike, investing money and going for a run.  Even going shopping can be risky as our friend Carol found out when she fell over, sober, on the pavement and broke her hip.  A big shout out to Carol who will be working hard at her recuperation and we look forward to seeing her back in her high heels in due course.  But it just illustrates how easy it is to injure yourself.
I wanted to talk about risk because the more time I spend in the mountains on my own, the more I have to make decisions which involve risk.  On Saturday I went solo up Ben Vorlich, Stuc a' Chroin and Bein Each.  At the last minute I threw in my mini-crampons and ski gloves and I was extremely fortunate that I did.  As usual the first summit was in cloud base, the ground was frozen solid and I had to put my jacket on plus ski gloves.  I met someone at the top and he was heading to Stuc a' Chroin but hadn't been there before.  We decided on safety in numbers so I joined him and his two cocker spaniels and we head off - he was a bit slow but it was better to have company and time or goals disappear when you are in difficult conditions. As we started the safer route to the summit the conditions were getting worse and a ridge of snow stood in our way.  He decided it wasn't worth the risk but I decided that as I had poles and mini-crampons, I'd give it a go.  The risk paid off as the snow lasted for 50m then it was back to the hard ground.  I was then rewarded with improving visibility and was able to continue my route to the third summit and then complete my planned circular route back to my car.  Being solo however I slowed down to make sure I didn't go over on my ankle but had a back up plan if I did i.e. survival bag, mobile phone, spare phone charger, food and drink.  I live by my 7Ps mantra; Piss Poor Preparation Precipitates Piss Poor Performance!
Today's run was back to Ben Ledi.  It was a quick up (54 mins) and down (25 mins) and the conditions couldn't have been better with clear blue skies all the way.  There is a path to the top but running down it at speed is risky and requires your full attention.  Every foot step is a potential ankle twist or worse but I reduce the risk by running with poles which can help me correct a slip and save a tumble.  But the reward was the most wonderful downhill, exhilarating.
As I found out last year, entering a race doesn't mean you are guaranteed to complete it or complete it in the target time you set.  But by taking the risk of entering the race it sets expectations in your head and gives you something to train for.  Your race may only be a stepping stone as the Moray 50 mile ultra was for me and of course I was disappointed when I pulled out at 35 miles but I achieved 3 things; the race shaped my training, it gave me something to aim for and I was bang on target time wise when I threw the towel in.  But I did it to avoid an injury so I was managing the risk.
Everyday we face risks and when we run, cycle, swim we increase the risks.  But if we prepare well, read up on the race or mountain we're heading to then we gain a better understanding and reduce the risks we are exposed too.  My final point is I am not a full time athlete whose career depends on a win so if the risks are too high then whilst its a hard decision, live to fight another day.  Stay safe out there but get out of your comfort zone and take some risks because that is where your personal development will grow.

Perseverance & Patience

What an amazing weeks weather we've had.  It was like summer had arrived early with blue skies, sunshine and little wind.  Time to get into the mountains whenever I could squeeze it into my diary.  Wednesday presented me with an great opportunity to head up early to Ben Ledi.  A route I knew the first half of and not too far that I could get back and do an afternoons work.  
I arrived at the hill and was so excited, a mid-week solo adventure.  It's a steep start but I headed off briskly.  It soon became clear that there was a haze so the summit photos wouldn't be clear but that was made up for but the snow which showed off the surrounding hills.  I passed one climber on the way up and nobody else all day.  Therefore it was a magnificent summit just taking everything in in peace and quiet.  The only company I had as a black crow and it followed me as I descended the other side which was new territory for me.  I missed the path and found myself on my back on a wet peak bog and up to my arse in purple heather as I cut down the side of the mountain - great fun!  The crow must have thought I was mad as the path was hidden about 30 yards away!
My chest wasn't great when I ran 5km on Thursday, nor was my heart rate so Friday was a day off.
On Saturday I headed off to Ben More which is one of the steepest climbs around.  I aimed to climb to the summit then follow the ridge round to another summit completing a circle.  However, despite the blue skies on the way up, cloud base came in and there was some technical climbing across some icy and snow patches that required me to be careful.  At the top it was completely clagged in with no views and it was cold.  This is why I carry a survival bag and full waterproofs, gloves and hat even when it was blue skies at the car park.  For safety reasons I didn't complete the circuit but came back down and after 15 minutes the sun broke through and there would have been lovely views at the top!  Still I was happy I made the right decision and didn't take any unnecessary risks.  Had I gone with my friend Michael I would have had blue skies where he went but it was too far to travel and I didn't want to hold him back with my chesty cough.
I parked up down the road and had myself a delicious picnic as my reward for the early start.  I was a beautiful journey home in the sun and it's days like these that make me realise how lucky I am living in such a beautiful country with the mountains less than 2 hours away.
On Sunday the clocks changed but I still managed to get it wrong so was up way too early.  I headed to Blair Atholl to tackle 3 summits with my pal Stu.  I had full fog lights on as we travelled north and we thought we'd made a mistake in not bringing head torches!  The driving conditions were awful. But after Perth the blue skies appeared and stayed for the rest of the day.
My legs were a bit tired from the day before but we raced up the first summit in under an hour.  The conditions were perfect and crossing the long curved ridge to the adjoining mountain was fun as we ran down the snow never knowing whether we'd sink 2 inches of 4 feet!  We didn't see the climbers we met on the first hill again as we were travelling at pace and in just under 4 hours we'd completed the 3 summits and were back at the car.  Those are the best conditions for being in the mountains.  There was almost no wind at all.
I got home but was too tired to write the blog, so apologies. I had burned 2,400 calories and needed to replace them which I did with my daughter's beautiful paella - thanks Eilidh!  When I woke this morning I was starving so had a big breakfast to satisfy me.  Being out in the mountains gives you an appetite and you need to make sure you eat well.
So this weeks message is you need to persevere if you are to achieve what you want.  I have fought through this chest cold and risked the weather conditions all so I could be where I wanted to be - in the mountains.  And you need to be patient as the weather is so erratic on this small island so be prepared for the worse and hope you get the best while carrying a heavier load on your back.  Better than than being caught  out with life endangering consequences.  I got first hand experience of that in the mountains of Tahoe and many racers had to pull out as they were ill equipped despite the warnings.
So persevere towards your goals / dream and be patient along the way.  We are so lucky living in a stable country where we are not fearful for our lives.  Take nothing for granted and when I'm in the mountains it reinforces how lucky I am.  
I'll sign off now but as I look out the window the skies are blue, there is no wind and whilst I know I have a lot of work to do, what I'd give to be back on the mountains.  They are special.  Why not try them if you haven't been out.  Pick an easy one and take some advice on what to wear, especially on your feet.

On top of the world

Pain and suffering before gain and achievement.  That's how I finished last weeks blog.  It's fair to say I had a lot of pain last week.  I couldn't walk properly till Thursday, I just wasn't in control of my legs due to the DOMS from Saturdays repeats of Tinto!  I had a hot Epsom salt bath every night for 4 nights and had to drop my gym sessions as I literally couldn't bend down.  It didn't stop me running 3 times during the week before my longer runs at the weekend.  In total this week I have run 56 km which includes 19km in the mountains.
All this was possible due to a massage on Wednesday.  Rhondda worked very hard just to access my quads which had a "field force" in place and needed a lot of encouragement to let her have access.  She said she'd never seen my legs so tight.  To say it was painful is putting it mildly. There was nothing pleasant about the massage and even the "cupping" that she did was uncomfortable.  When I woke up the next day I felt my legs were working normally and I had no pain.
But the highlight of the week was my run in the mountains with my pal Michael Martin.  Not only does he pick good routes, he makes sure we are safe and takes terrific photographs at the same time.  I have been missing the mountains so much.  It's my happy place.  Being out in the wilderness with a pal and in stunning scenery is a privilege and I don't take it for granted.  There was snow above 700m so we had to cross snow fields and be careful when near the ridges.  You could be running with your foot sinking 6 inches and then suddenly you were up to your thigh.  Due to the snow conditions we had to alter our route slightly which meant a monster climb straight up hill to the second summit.  My legs knew they were getting a good workout but this was the type of gradient that I will be experiencing in Romania, so good practice.
On the second summit it was like being on top of the world.  We could see all the major snow covered peaks in a 360 degree view and there was no noise other than our breathing.  That makes the climbing worthwhile.  Getting to the summit where there are only two of you and you take the time to enjoy the views and the peace and quiet is bliss.
The descent was technical and slippy so it wasn't quick.  It would have been easy to have fallen so the poles were working overtime.  Eventually we arrived at the forest track and I didn't bother asking Michael how far we had to go to get back to the car.  What's the point?  It is what it is so I was prepping my mind for race conditions and just thought about finishing strong so we started running as the track was ok under foot.  There was a nice little uphill slope right at the end and when I finished I knew my legs had worked hard, but were in good condition.
When you are on the mountains you need to be careful so I had all my gear in case of an emergency such as waterproofs and a survival bag.  I had food with me and water was in plentiful supply from the rivers where it was crystal clear and cold.  It's lovely to drink the fresh water and made me feel at one with nature.
I woke this morning and my legs were great.  Todays run was a 16km slow heart rate run with my target HR 126-132 which isn't easy to achieve.  It was a hilly route so I did go above the target but was very happy with the outcome.  To make the run easier I replayed some of my favourite runs in my head from the mountains in the past.  This has a double benefit.  It makes me want to get back to the mountains to experience the same feeling of freedom and at the same time, makes the run pass quicker.  I floated round my run today and loved every minute of it with no pain in my legs - it was over before I realised it.  So last weeks "kick start" at Tinto has worked.  
My coach wants me in the mountains for the next 4 weeks in preparation for the Inverness 125X Ultra so hopefully the weather will be kind to me.  We are so blessed living in Scotland and having this magnificent "play ground" in our back yard.  Get out there and get on the mountains, but be safe.

Welcome the pain

It's been an amazing week with a mix of different training.  I'm preparing for a 125 km ultra over 2 days in 56 days time and building the mileage in my training runs.  I've also included a couple of quicker sessions just to remind my legs about speed.  They have been fun and the target was to get my heart rate over 160 and as my fitness is better, this isn't easy in a short run.  Funny really as a couple of months ago I couldn't get my heart rate below 160!  I was away on business in Belfast and had a lovely run along the river Lagan where it was a steady start followed by an increase in pace to get over 160 bpm.  It was my fastest run so far this year averaging 4:51 min per km, but I never got my HR over 156.
Contrast that with Saturdays challenge which was a real "mind f@@k".  This was my first hill session but the weather isn't good enough to get into the mountains, so I went down to Tinto Hill which is 711m high.  It's a bit  of a wolf in sheep's clothing as there are a few steep sections but when your target is to summit it 4 times in a row, you can understand why it's a mind f@@k.  Add to that the appalling weather, I needed full waterproofs to protect against the rain, sleet, snow & high wind.  As I set off from the car park the rain then snow was smacking me in the face and I was talking myself down from 4 summits to 2.  But I convinced myself that these were the perfect conditions to retrain my mind to "suffering".  I could either be miserable and give up or I could remain in my "bubble" and welcome all the weather that was being thrown at me as I power walked my way up the hill and ran down in tricky conditions under foot.  When I passed people for the second or third time they shouted encouragement like; "your mental but good on ya mate!".  All comments helped keep my spirits up and I also imagined my friends were also running with me so I didn't feel so lonely. 
I was using my new poles but on the last ascent my triceps felt every pole plant - more pain.  4 hours 31 minutes later with over 2,000 m and 28km and I was done - really done.  The last summit was so tough and I had to be extra careful coming down as my quads we shot to bits and my legs a bit out of control.  It will take me a few mountains before this pain won't exist but  I've been here before.  Getting out the car when I got back home was hilarious as I staggered into the house and fell into a hot bath.
This morning I had a 15km heart rate recovery run and my pal Stu kept me company and helped with the pacing so I could meet my HR target - 126-132 bpm.  Every step hurt my quads.  To make it more bearable I imagined that the pain I felt with each step was like getting a sports massage and that it was benefitting my quads.  Again more "brain training" to get me through something that was  painful/boring/uncomfortable. It's a large part of the training as I'll be in a lot more pain in my first race.  My mindset is that I welcome the pain and when you do multi-staged days you know that when you start each day there will be pain.  I welcome the pain because it means I am closer to achieving my goal.  If I'm not in pain then it's obviously early in the race.  Multi-staged events don't happen without suffering so to prepare for them you have to put yourself through the pain as part of your normal training.  With the weather improving I'll find myself in the mountains with my friends who will motivate and inspire me to keep pushing the bar higher.  My training base has been excellent and now it's time to step it up and welcome the pain that will bring which means I'm nearer to my goal.  In the end, like all things that are tough to achieve, the only question that matters is "how bad do you want it"?
Pain and suffering come before gain and achievement.

Age - it's just a number

From the day we are born, we're one step closer to death.  It's what you do with your steps that matter and if your lucky you'll live to a "ripe old age" having enjoyed good health and happiness - not dribbling in a nursing home!  At this point you're probably wondering what "I'm smokin", but I'll explain.  Maybe it's because I turned a significant age in December that I seem to know more people that are dying.  The other day Shane Warne the cricketer died at age 52 of a heart attack.  I don't follow cricket but he was such a mega star that I remember him at the height of his career.  I can't comment on how healthy his lifestyle was but it just serves up as a reminder that we're only here for a short time so make the most of it.  I do firmly believe that being active gives you the best chance of a healthy life but that doesn't mean running the distances that I do.  Regular walking and some yoga will keep you ticking over nicely.  
Yesterday I was at a friend Colin's 50th.  Half a century!  He's as fit as a "butcher's dog" and still behaves like a teenager which I think is part of the secret of keeping young.  Todays 50 is yesterdays 30!  When I think of my parents and their friends, there was no way they were as fit as my 50 year old friends today, nor did they have the youthful outlook with stretching goals which takes a lot of commitment.
This youthful approach is helped if you surround yourself with people who set the "bar high".  Yesterday I brought a significantly younger pal Chris along for the run.  Introducing a youngster to the group had the predictable effect, we all pushed harder than normal.  I got dropped off the back and with my max heart rate  of 207 and average 187, I felt terrible.  I was blaming my age and the few extra glasses of wine I had the night before until I looked at my data once the run was over.  I was 24 seconds per KM over 15 km - no wonder my heart rate was so high!  I was pleased with those results.
This morning was a beautiful spring day.  Zero degrees, no wind and the sun was shinning.  My target was to do a pacey 12km so I headed out determined to hit the target set.  It was a brilliant run and when it got tough on the hills, I just imagined my friends were running slightly ahead of me so I'd work harder to catch up with them.  It worked as I did my quickest 10k and 12k of the year.  Not bad following Colin's 50th birthday party celebrations.
Age is just a number.  It's your mindset that matters. When I turned 60 I felt down about being "so old" however I've managed to reframe it and I'm grateful to have had 60 good years and hopefully many more to come as not everyone gets to that age.  Assuming I can stay relatively fit and healthy my goal is to run an Ultra Marathon at 80.  I'll be that "mad old guy" that the youngsters will point at as I toe the start line with them.  It will be the tortoise v the hare but it's not a race for me, it's a state of mind!  Spring is here, get out and enjoy the lighter days and the sunshine.  Your body and mind will thank you.

War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing!

I very rarely allow politics or world events, over which I have no control, feature in my blog but I couldn't ignore Russia invading Ukraine.  Life is so precious and the people making the decisions that will kill hundreds if not thousands of people, will be safely tucked up in their bed at night while families are torn apart.  Why is it we do not learn from history?  It was the late  Edwin Star who sang War, what is it for?  Absolutely nothing.  He was spot on and I hope and pray from the citizens of Ukraine and Russia that a peaceful solution can be found.  
The song is also close to my heart as it was my "walk on" song when I started all this madness with a white-collar boxing event in 2008.  A sell out crowd in London, TV cameras and 3 x 1.5 min rounds and by the end I could hardly walk out the ring as I was exhausted.  Fortunately I lost which meant I have never entered a boxing ring again so I keep my straight nose!  It was brutal and I have nothing but respect for anyone who steps into the ring.  But I liked the fitness and 3 months later took part in my first triathlon and as they say, the rest is history.
This weeks challenges have been snow and alcohol.  During the week the weather was atrocious but I headed out onto the braes with a head torch on as the snow was falling and I was running through 4-6 inches of fresh snow.  The wind meant the snow was smacking me in the face and I regretted not having a buff with me which I usually do.  7 Ps springs to mind (piss poor preparation precipitates piss poor performance).  There's nothing worse than forgetting an item of clothing or equipment because it can be critical depending on the weather.  But despite being local, I still took the precaution of carrying a survival bag, a charged phone, waterproof trousers, jels and drinks.  It might sound like overkill but if I'm on the braes on my own and take a tumble it could be a while before anyone discovers me and I was literally the only person out that morning.  So think ahead and make sure you come fully prepared.
As for the alcohol challenge it's been a very busy weekend on the social front and I juggled my priorities.  A night out with "the boys" meant I had to "pace myself" so that my Saturday 8am 20km run would be ok.  I felt surprisingly good when my pal Stu turned up and with the last 4 km being uphill, I turned up the "burners" and finished strong.  An hour later I was heading to my next social function and paced myself again as today I had a 6.45am gym session followed by a 15 km where I had to run faster than normal.  Again I had a good run and my objective was achieved.  After the run I then went for a social walk with a friend for 6km.  I pigged out on food to replace the calories lost and now I'm resting, an important part of my training regime.  Once I finish my blog I'm going to close my eyes and have a cat nap.
How lucky are we that we live in a stable country and on a Sunday afternoon I can have a cat nap while my lamb is roasting in the oven.  Let's pray the invasion of Ukraine is resolved quickly  before too many lives are lost.  War is a stark reminder that life is precious and we should live in the present and squeeze everything out of life. This week appreciate everything, even if its snow smacking you in the face while running.