Finding the right path!

It's not often I'm given 3 days off running but following last weeks back to back mountain running on Friday & Saturday, those were the orders from my coach Genevieve.  Her data indicated a rest was required so I happily obliged.  That didn't mean there wasn't any gym sessions however!  I had two runs of 14 & 16km later on in the week and I felt the benefit of my rest.
Her generosity was because this weekend was a biggy.  Going solo in the mountains and staying overnight, in a hotel not a tent, to get the early start today without a long drive made sense.  The weather forecast was fantastic and it didn't disappoint.
I headed off to Kinlochleven to gain access to the Mamores.  A stunning mountain range that I raced the Ring of Steall last year.  On Saturday it was blue skies all day.  The scenery was stunning and my pal Michael had planned the route for me using the online OS map so I had it on my phone and watch - what could possibly go wrong?  Starting from the right place is so important and after 200m I checked my phone which showed I was on the wrong path!  Once on the right path it was fine, until there was no path to be seen.  Apparently Michael's red line on the map doesn't mean there is a path!  So it was a straight climb up the front of the mountain.  Mostly through heather but that can be very tiring.  If there was a path, I never found it until the last quarter of the climb where a path appeared from nowhere!  The views from the summit of Stob Ban were absolutely stunning. I met a few climbers and we took pictures using each others cameras to capture the views with us in them.  Then it came to finding the way off the summit down to the ridge.  It wasn't obvious at first as it was a very steep drop and it was one of the other climbers that spotted it for me.  It was a precarious descent and I had to pick my way carefully through the rocks, making decisions about the direction to take.  I then followed a stunning ridge to East Top then Mullach nan Coirean.  On reaching that summit I could see across the mountain range to the sea loch at Fort William. Although it wasn't on my plan I decided to add another 30 mins to my run and go across another ridge to Meall a' Chaorinn.  The picture I got was worth the effort and I took ten minutes to eat some food while enjoying the mountain to myself.  These days are very rare.
But then the descent, which is connected to the title of this blog, was awful.  In short there was no bloody path and once again I was walking straight down the face of the mountain.  It was slow and painful but I almost made it unscathed.  15 m before the track at the bottom my foot disappeared down a hole, I fell over an my right ear landed on the handle of my pole - ouch.  Thought I'd burst my eardrum but as I hadn't lost my balance I picked myself up and ran out to the end.  A wee reminder of how easy it is to hurt yourself and why you always need to be on guard even when safety is in sight.  That could easily have been a broken limb which is why I always carry a survival bag and other provisions.  But 21km with 1,500m of ascent was just what I needed.
Today was always going to be a tough one on tired legs which was the plan to build me for my 125km race in 2 weeks.  33km with 2,000m of ascent and an out and back just to muck with my head.  From Glencoe over the Devil's staircase to Kinlochleven then out the other side and up the initial climb of the Ring of Steall and summit Am Bodach then back down and over the Devil again.  Another nice day although windy so I kept my jacket on until I had descended Am Bodach - it was definitely chillier.  The path is fine till you start the final climb to the summit and it's a boulder field.  There are numerous routes because the one I went up was definitely not the one I came down.  When you're solo on these mountains you are hyper aware that every step is important and when running down from the top, every footstep is an potential ankle turn or break.  So you are constantly making decisions about which path to follow as the path splits giving you two or three options.  You have to concentrate so hard as you are travelling at speed over loose rocks, shale and soft peat.
In my head I wasn't looking forward to the route from Kinlockleven back over the Devil so I imagined my running pals were with me.  It was good to have some "imaginary company" and the amazing thing is, I flew up the hill quicker than I'd thought possible.  It's a reminder of what goes on in your head makes a difference to how you approach challenges.
When I'm out on the hills solo, finding the right path is essential and constantly being aware of the risks of descending quickly needs my full concentration.  And starting from the right place or heading off the summit in the right direction, even if you can't see the path is important.  Sometimes the right path isn't visible until you've started and your vision of the landscape changes.  Have fun out there but be careful and if your head is in a negative place or your nervous (as I was on the summit) call on your "imaginary friends" - it works!

Reframe the challenge

The key to building up for a long distance race, is back to back runs.  If you are doing a 75km race there is no need to run the distance before the race.  Running two consecutive days of say 40km followed by 30km will suffice as it's running on tired legs that you need to practice. Getting "comfortable being uncomfortable" is the phrase that springs to mind as you need to prepare your mind for the discomfort that lies ahead and get used to pushing through that potential hurdle.  To some people hurdles are an obstacle but to others they are a form of exercise - yes we're back to mindset again.
I exactly 3 weeks time I will be putting this to the test as I will be on day two of my 125km Ultra.  Day one will be 75km so my legs definitely will be tired and there is plenty of elevation to remind them that it's going to be a tough day.  I'll have dined alfresco eating a freeze dried meal and slept in a tent which is not quite the same as having a warm shower, a lovely meal and sleeping in your own bed but I will feel much closer to nature which will be invigorating. 
On Friday I headed off to the mountains with my pal Michael and we completed 4 Munro's over 35 km with 2,240m of climbing.  It took 6.5 hours and we were met with low cloud base, snow fields to cross, high winds and eventually some sunshine.  The last summit was spectacular and we enjoyed taking some pictures before heading down.  Even with the best navigational equipment we couldn't find a path and had to walk straight down the mountain which hurt, quads, knees, ankles, & toes - picked up a blister!  There was a short run out at the bottom through a lovely forest but we both decided just to walk it as our legs had had a tough day.  The thought occurred to me that in 3 weeks time I'd have a similar ascent to climb but over 75km not 35km but that I'd still have 40km to go to finish day 1 - just short of a marathon!  Then I'd have another 50km to go the next day.  Thinking like that isn't good for me so I reframed it into a wonderful day out in the mountains with like minded people and how much fun we were going to have with the beautiful scenery.  That felt better and more positive.
On Saturday I headed off for a solo trip up Ben More and was hoping to continue onto Stob Binnein.  This is the forth time I have aimed to do this but once again the weather conditions were poor.  I choose Ben More because the ascent is relentless - 1hr 14 mins of constant ascent with no break.  But even before I set off I could see the cloud base was half way up.  When I got to the summit I couldn't see anything.  The sun looked like it was trying to get through but visibility was very poor and being solo I didn't want to take the chance of being on a new route.  My legs had "enjoyed" the short sharp reminder that they had had a hard day the day before so I decided to take my time on the downhill which is tricky and as the rocks and mud were slippy, I strolled down the hill.  It was busy so I chatted to people who were heading up and based on the footwear of some, if they made the summit the descent would have been extremely slow.  When will people learn the Scottish mountains are dangerous and proper equipment is required or you are putting yourself and others in danger.  The other reason for going slow was my feet were sore from the final descent the day before and I had an annoying blister on my toe in an unusual place.  So the pressure of a steep descent was, uncomfortable and I did what I could to make it less uncomfortable which resulted in a stroll.  It gave me a chance to take a load of pictures when I was out of cloud base as the scenery is spectacular.
I might not have covered the miles that I was scheduled for, but I'm here writing my blog which means I got off the mountain safely.  Had I been with others I'd have gone on but the ascent certainly gave my legs a workout.  Getting off the sofa last night required quite an effort as my quads were complaining and required an extra push.
It's been a good weeks training with a few mid week 16km runs to keep me ticking over.  My gym work is slightly hampered by golfers elbow and a shoulder injury but that doesn't stop me working my legs. Whether you are running your first 10km or marathon or ultra marathon, if doubts flood your mind on the approach to the event (I haven't done enough training is a fairly typical one) then reframe the challenge.  I was not going to enter the Tahoe 200 in 2019 because I'd heard negative stories about the organising of the event and safety concerns but then I reframed the challenge and regarded it as a "survival course".  Turns out that was the case and allowed me the mental strength to get through the challenges that came my way.
I am really looking forward to the challenges that Ultra 125 X Scotland will offer me but running with my Canadian friends Kristine and Mike will make it an exciting adventure.  I've enjoyed the journey to prepare for this event and the "cherry on top" will be completing it successfully.
I leave you with the message, we're all capable of so much more and if you want to overcome challenges then reframe them in your head.  Go on.  Raise the bar and enjoy the journey.

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.