Well this will be quite a big blog, as I haven't written for a while. I have been so busy with work and training and LIFE, so apologies if you have been waiting for updates(I think I can safely say, no-one has been).
So we are less than 65 days away from Fire and Ice 2018. London to Brighton has been and gone, more about that later.
So in this Blog, you will hear of New York, food news, another fall lol, how im training and other snippets of info that I have found out on this journey thus far. I've had one big realisation, and again I will elaborate on it later.
OK, so we are now in June , but I have to take you back to March, when I last blogged. Wow, when I wrote it down, its longer than I thought. This year is flying by so quickly.
MARCH
2nd - Slippery 8 miles 9:40/mile
4th - Slushy 13.1 miles 8:45/mile
6th - quick (for me) 7 miles 7:30/mile
9th - 13.1 miles 7;57/mile
11th 13.1 miles with 7kg pack 9:19/mile
13th 7 miles 7:27/mile
15th 2x 4miles with 2x 45minute spins in between 8:30/mile
16th Windy 12 miler 9:11/mile
18th 14.5 miles 8:27/mile
20th 8 miles 7:11/mile
21st 7.5 miles 8:00/mile
27th 8 miles 8:14/mile
28th 8 miles 7:58/mile
29th 5 miles with Paula 10:09/mile
31st 14miles 8:30/miles
APRIL
4th Easy run with Paula
9th 4 mile easy
10th Misty 14 miles 8:28/mile
11th 6miles 7:18/mile
13th 13.1 miles 7:56/mile
15th 8kg pack run with Paula 13.1 miles 10:19/mile
17th 6 miles 7:26/mile
18th 8 miles 7:17/mile
NEW YORK NEW YORK ( More on this later)
MAY
4th 6 miles 7:27/mile
7th Hot 8 miles 7:33/mile
10th 6 miles 7:45/mile
11th Hot 10 miles
13th 27 miles 9:11/mile
15th 13.1 9kg pack run 9:40/mile
18th 13.1 miles steady 8:40/mile
21st easy 5miles
26th Hot and hilly 62.6 miles London to Brighton 13.23/mile (read on for full story)
JUNE
3rd 6 miles 7:16/mile
5th 8 miles 7:36/mile
8th 13.1 miles 8:28/mile *had another fall*
12th 6 miles 7:55/mile
14th 7 miles 8:22/mile
so its now about 8 weeks till Race start. I think I've been organised and have everything I need. Its just a case of if I can pack and get it all in and hopefully it will be under 12kg.
This is the Kit list.
This is the food list that I am taking.
Day 1 Bwell Strawberry Rice 498cal
Ultra fuel 450cal
Extreme expedition Shepherds pie 1000cal
Day 2 Bwell Porridge with Sultanas 571 cals
Ultra fuel 450 cals
Extreme expedition Chilli con carne 1000cal
Day3 Bwell Porridge and strawberries 586 cal
Ultra fuel 450 cals
Extreme expedition Spaghetti bolognese 1000cals
Day 4 Bwell Porridge and sultanas 571 cals
Ultra fuel
Extreme expedition Shepherds pie 1000cals + Ultra fuel 450cals
Day 5 Bwell Porridge and Strawberries 586 cals
Ultra fuel 450 cals
Extreme expedition Chicken Korma 1000cals
Day 6 Bwell Strawberries and Rice 498 cals
Ultra fuel
In addition to main food I will have supplements which include:
50g Rego protein each day 184 cals
50g Pepperami each day 252 cals
400g Mand M peanut and cashew nut mix 1200cals
So I am up to 10 kg over 13.1 miles and plan to get to 12kg over 13.1+. As you may or may not Know, I don't follow plans. I don't, because life gets in the way of plans and that would annoy me. In my head I have places that i would like to be at and things that i will aim to do. Back to back 20's would one, maybe up to 3. The main goal is time on feet with the weight. The scenery in Iceland looks amazing, so i can see a lot of stopping and videoing or taking pictures or just absorbing the surroundings. With that in mind, I don't think that I will be running all the way. The training of course, is injury dependant.
New York
For Paula's 50th Birthday, we took a trip to New York. On the 26th April 2018 we flew out from Heathrow to JFK airport. What an amazing place. So much to see and all so easy to get to. We only took a rid (e in a yellow cab once, and that was just to say that we had done it. We walked or ran everywhere. On my list of things to do whilst there, was to run across the Brooklyn Bridge. We had looked at races that did this and found a half marathon, but unfortunately entry was closed due to selling out. So as an alternative we found online, a running tour. oh my god, I am so glad we had this option. We saw so much and learnt so much in the 2 hours with Lou (tour guide). Definitely a great way to see the city, especially if you love running.
We started at the Woolworth building in Lower Manhattan (I read somewhere that this was the tallest building before the Empire state was built). we then went across to Chinatown, then across Manhattan Bridge to Dumbo, then back over the Brooklyn Bridge (amazing) to the 9/11 memorial and Wall street. Along the way we saw lots of things and places including Tai chi on a basketball court in chinatown, one the first fire stations to respond to the 9/11 tragedy. When we return, we would definitely book another tour. Thank you Louis Kuhlmann for your Knowledge and enthusiasm on the tour.
CLICK TO WATCH OUR TOUR
We of course did all the other main tourist attractions - Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Rockerfeller Building, Central Park, Grand Central Station. Heres some Pictures of our stay.
London to Brighton Ultra 100KM
It was a 6.30am start. The day even at this time was warm. It was cloudy and humid. On the startline I was feeling apprehensive, having DNF'd this race 5 years ago. I had a race plan of 10 minute miling for the first 30 and then up to 12 minute miling for the remainder. That plan went out of the window at about 15 miles, when my left calf started pulling. Plan B....slow down and think of Iceland ( if Achilles goes, then so could Iceland) So the plan now was to get to each checkpoint , re-assess and then go onto the next one. The calf actually didn't get any worse, but it didn't get any better either.
As the day went on it was getting Hotter and Hotter. I got to Tulley's Farm, which is the halfway point, so glad to see Paula. I had a brief sit down, quick drink and food, but quickly moved on to the next checkpoint. Paula later told me that the weather had taken it's toll on alot of people, some even pulling out at Tulley's Farm. I ran out of water at about 40 miles point with about 3 miles to the next checkpoint, so had to ask a kind lady in her garden if she could fill my water bottle for me, which she did and even added some ice.
I got to the 50 mile checkpoint ( where I had DNF'd last time) and got an uncontrollable urge to lie down on the floor. My fingers started tingling and I asked Paula to get St Johns ambulance over, even though I knew that they could possibly pull me out of the Race. I asked them kindly not to pull me out if possible. They checked my vitals and didn't seem too concerned. After 5 minutes I was up on my feet again walking around. I had a can of coke, changed my top and doused myself with water from a hosepipe, and off I went again to the finish with the greatest inclines to come. It was a tough day but that last 12 miles was so so hard. The day didn't start getting cooler till about 7 pm, and that was such a mental challenge as well as a physical one.
I finally finished with a run time of 13 hrs 58 minutes with a distance of 62.6 miles. 13.23/mile pace. A long way of my plan,but I finished and that race is now well and truly ticked off. It had been my Nemesis race , but not any more.
Realisation Time
Following events on London to Brighton Ultra, I had the realisation that 63 miles is probably my limit in one go. I feel that as runners, we train and train for an event. Especially Ultras, they take so much of our time and we could arrive at the start line the fittest we ever been, but then during that event things (possibly even out of our control), could occur which stop us from completing. So all that time training goes to waste. Time which could have been spent with loved ones and family.
How much do we need to achieve before we can say enough is enough. * Please message me at mark.fitforlife@hotmail.com if you have any comments about the last paragraph. I would be interested in other peoples thoughts and experiences.
Another fall ( clumsy bugger)
You may remember, that a few months ago, I had a fall and took a big chunk out of my left knee, which took an age to heal. Well on the 8th June, I caught my toe on something and did it again, this time damaging my right knee. Probably shouldn't have carried on, but in my defence it felt ok until a few days later.
it was sore to touch and felt like an electric shock and very hot when pressed. However it felt ok to walk and run on. But it may be causing me to run differently as I developed a hamstring issue, which at the time of publishing has now gone away. Knee still sore to touch, but have the dilemma of getting it looked at and finding out that there is a slight fracture and it stopping me going to Iceland.
Why do we do what we do?
Heres a link to an interesting article that I found, which explains why some of us run Ultras. It may resonate with you or may not.
Charity news
I am now over halfway to my target, with a total of £1400, and would like to say a massive thank you to the following people for their donation:
Diane and Trevor Gooch
Chris Knights
Jay Lingwood
Leon Neeve
Ray Knights
Ben Crane
Lee Singleton
Jason Browne
Sue and Andy Trohear
Emma Freud and Richard Curtis
Noreen Mcloughland
Lee Ffrench
Until next time. (promise it wont be as big a wait)
9th - 13.1 miles 7;57/mile
10th Misty 14 miles 8:28/mile
10th 6 miles 7:45/mile
Day3 Bwell Porridge and strawberries 586 cal
