Something old, something new...

This week I am in mourning. The Merrel trailglove which I bought six months ago is no more, having worn through both soles (right one slightly more) they have been retired to the bin. I must say the customer service at Merrell and Ellis Brigham was great and I think that if I pushed I could have got a free replacement under their 1-year warranty on Merrell's. These were my first "proper" trail shoes and I learnt a lot from them.

1) Wear socks, running barefoot/minimalist is great but once your shoes get wet a few times they do not smell good.

2) I need more traction and on reflection am probably off-trail more than I'm on it. I also like to run in the wet and the mud so more grip is the way forward.

3) I love minimalist shoes. They keep me light and fast. I feel more connected and respond better with more preternatural feedback.

So my Merrell's are my something old. Time to find something new...

Following advice from some amazing runners I have settled on the inov-8 Baregrip 200. Light, zero drop and a sole that looks like it could chew through pavement. I've ordered them in and get to try them on next week. I then intend to spend some serious time on the trails.

In other news, the ultra training continues. I ran my first run over 20 miles and was a little disappointed with my pace, averaging 8.42min/miles. But still, bringing in 20.5 miles in 3hrs flat was an achievement and I'm mindful of just how far it is. Again I based the run on my HR, setting the maximum at 145 and aiming to stay below it. This process still seems to work for me. I never feel to wrecked after a run, just tired and a bit achy in my legs. This comes from an ultrarunner technique I picked up aiming to keep your bpm at 70% of your max. Try it and discover new levels of stamina. As with last weeks long-run it was a 5 am start and a 9-bar to start, camelbak filled and Brooks Adrenalin donned for the roads. Overall I was happy with the run. And if I don't sound convinced it's because I'm frustrated at having to wait for another race. Nothing planned until April is killing me. It may be time to break out the race book.

I only managed to fit in one other run this week. I did four miles of intervals doing 400m on/400m off.  enjoyed it and definitely felt the change in pace was testing my resilience.

Some great new contacts on Twitter this week, some running ultras, some working towards their first 5/10k, half or marathon. Each of them inspirational in their dedication. Increasing my circle of runners has helped hugely. Seeing others going out running appeals to my competitive side. Reading of their pace makes me want to go faster and for those running ultras, it gives me something to aspire to.

Listen to your heart....

Having made the decision to "go ultra", this week the training started.
I never fail to be impressed at the amazing level of support you can get from social networking. On twitter I have been able to get advice and support form lots of amazing people. Some are professional runners and athletes and others are keen amateurs, but as I've always found with runners, it's an inclusive sport.

From words of praise and support to lengthy technical advice, with the help of these great people, I have got the confidence and the plan to get ultra fit by next summer and Marathon ready in April.

I've had to reassess my goals along the way, all for the best. There is now no point in me leaving the marathon training for next year. My marathon in April means I could start to train in the new-year, but by July I need to be able to do 70 miles, so the marathon in MK has become a training run along the way. The best news is that I have the chance to run with my brother in MK now. He's a great guy who got me into the sport in the first place and for this and so many other things I will be eternally grateful.

 So the goals have become:

a) Be running 40 miles p/w by January.

b) Finish MK Marathon in April in sub 4 hours.

c) Be running 50 miles per week by April.

d) Complete 70 mile ultramarathon in July (I'm not putting any time limit on that one).

So this week was a 27.5 mile week, including a 13.2 mile road run in my new Brooks Gelatine trainers, a 6 mile trail run in Trailgoves and an early morning 8.3 miler. These are all runs I have done before, but I have taken a new approach to them.

What has changed is the training methods I'm using. After listening to an interview with an amazing ultra runner called Lee McKinley, I have started using the HRM on my Garmin to set an upper limit for my heart rate. If during the run I reach that limit I slow my pace/effort to bring it down to my target. I have used the target of 75% of my max HRM which is 150bpm. Using an external measure of your effort (hrm) rather than "how you feel" means you never start too fast it push too hard, important as the distances increase. The trade off for losing a small amount of pace is a massive increase in stamina. To give an idea of the benefits of this method, I ran a half marathon yesterday in 1:49:37, only four minutes off my PB and with the strength in my legs to keep going a lot further if I had to.

As the distances increase I'll consider dropping this to 140 bpm, but as a method for increasing distance and stamina it's second to none.

Once again running has surprised me with how good it makes you feel and how you can improve with effort. And runners have impressed me with huge levels of support along the way.

Northface Blacks single track trailrun.

One year ago exactly I completed my first trailrun and was immediately hooked on being closer to nature and engaging with the countryside. Along with a free copy of Trailrunning magazine I got some nice kit and had a great day, well satisfied with my 49:06 time.

But what a difference a year makes....

Last year I attended as a Trail virgin, nervous and excited, buzzing with excitement. In 12 months, the excitement hasn't gone, but my focus and determination have increased hugely. My wife came with me today, looking to do her first run, the equally challenging 5k. The weather was immense, chilled and with a heavy dew, but bright and windy. A great day to be outside.

I can't talk about the 5, but the 10k route starts with a quick first section, bringing the first mile in under 6 and a half minutes, before plunging into the shadows and single track on undulating terrain.
After tackling Bison hill, nearly 300ft of ascent, the course opens into woodland and farmland before returning to the start on open chalkland.

I put myself near the front of the pack for the first time in a race and gave it everything to keep up, instead of starting near the back and working through the pack. It seemed to work and without the pressure of overtaking, I settled into a fast pace, averaging 7:29 min/miles over the entire course.

I ended up in 31st position out of 430 runners. A good result for me.

On reflection, I enjoyed the day, I love the trails round here and I'm happy with the result. But most of all I loved sharing the day with my family. They were all there and its the support at these events that gets you through the tough parts.

God knows how much support I'll need to complete an ultra!

Dirtrunning 8k - Ashridge

After a late entry, a hastily put together training plan and a shedload of overtime meaning I've struggled to meet every date with the trails, race day finally arrived. I woke to clear skies, bright sun and gentle breeze, perfect for a run in the hills.

About a week ago I got my race pack from Dirtrunning, as ever it was promptly received, the instructions were clear and the race number and (disposable) timing chip were enclosed. I always think of receiving your race pack as the most exciting part of your pre-race prep. I turn into a right girl at this point and start considering which kit to wear and what shoes would do me best.

But the days passed, the weather improved and race day arrived.

Ashridge is a huge forest not far from where I live and part of the National Trust. Getting there an hour early, the Dirtrunning guys were present and well set up and over the following hours a total of 173 runners arrived for the inaugural Ashridge5.

I didn't get pictures of the trail, it is a race after all, but the start line was about 500 metres downhill from the Bridgewater monument. As I lined up near the front, the usual sense of trepidation crept in. Was I too far forward? Would I be swamped off the start line and left for dust? Was I too far back and about to be swallowed in the masses? The trail on which the start was located was very narrow!!

Looking back at the crowd I saw someone I knew and went back to see them. At this point I realised I'd made a mistake. The crowd surged forward and I found myself a lot further back than I'd planned.

On the sound of the start my saviour arrived in the form of a Cani-x runner and his monster of a dog, who between them were cutting a nice path up the outside of the crowd. I nipped in behind him, took some creative approaches to the high banked sides and emerged onto wider paths much nearer the front of the pack.

Garmin showed the first mile passed in 6:34 and I was feeling strong, the Merrell trailgloves were exellent, finding traction and making me feel lightfooted, the perfect mix. Once out of the descending woods, the course skirts some fields and heads past a golf club, a welcome change to the gnarly roots and soft path in the first mile.

After levelling out and crossing a minor road, a few right turns opens to a vista of desending hills. The beacon hills are steep and constant and while I was still moving through the pack, I realised these could be my undoing. So I focussed on my training. On the step uphills I leaned forward, took shorter steps and found my rhythm. On the downhills I leaned forward and increased my stride. I was moving up the field better than I could have hoped.

Mile3-4 was nasty. The trails went back into the woods and up a series of paths with cut in wooden steps, they varied in height and length so the footfall was uneven and technical, but it was great fun and I really started to find my groove.

By mile 4 the course heads up one last and long hill, so far I'd not had anyone pass me and was aware that I'd moved up the field but no idea how far. On this hill though I decided on tactical slow-down. A fast walk, with two runners doing well to retake me, got me to the top, re-energised and ready for the last mile.

I got back on my original pace, retook the two guys who had done me on the hill and steeled myself for a strong finish. I didn't go as fast as I'd hoped yesterday, but the course was more hilly than I'd predicted. The garmin data  speaks for itself at this point. Once I'd seen this I was very pleased with the result. When I saw the published results, I was even happier.

http://www.racetimingsystems.com/public/results.aspx?raceid=1934

I placed 17th, inside the top 10% which is great for me. I felt like I ran hard and got a good result, which is what it's all about really. But the beauty of trailrunning is that along the way I saw deer, went through some amazing woodland and saw the beauty of the countryside.

As usual with dirtrunning events it was well organised and the t-shirt and medal were suitable rewards. Up&Running sponsored the event so I got a £10 voucher for them too as a bonus.

The location was amazing, great trails and right on my doorstep, couldn't ask for more.

Top marks to Merrel for the Trailgloves I was wearing and Garmin for the GPS watch, both worked perfectly.

A great run, a great day and now a bottle of wine.

For tomorrow, training starts for the next one. And I can't wait.

Just one day to go...

Work is over for a few days, as well as the normal family stuff I now have a day to prepare for the race tomorrow. Although in all honesty, I've been preparing for this for ages.

I can safely say that this is the race I have most prepared for in the two years since I took my first (difficult and awkward) steps into the world of running. I've run further and faster than ever before and am in the best shape of my life (yet, I have by no means finished).

DirtRunning are a local company who arrange trail runs of various lengths, this one is short at only 5 miles but is set in the beautiful Ashridge Estate about five miles from where I live and train.

The hills in the distance covered in cloud are part of tomorrows race.

So this morning's run was just three miles of loosening up, a few hills, a fats downhill section, but nothing too gnarly or difficult that I could hurt myself or go too fast.

The weather in this country is famously unpredictable, so after a wet Summer and a grey start to Autumn, it came as no surprise but with a great amount of pleasure that the sun was up, the air was fresh and the sky was clear. It's just the kind of weather I love to trailrun in.

I'm wearing the Garmin tomorrow to track my pace and the target will be 7:15 min/miles. This is fast for me, especially on unknown trails but I think it's achievable. I'll also be wearing the immense Merrell Trailgloves, the best running shoes I have owned.

So the plan is no booze tonight, lots of water, a nice light dinner and an early night.

'Cos tomorrow is race day, and that's my favourite day of the week.