As I've mentioned previously. Training has been incredibly inconsistent for me the last 6 months. It's been a bit of a car crash, if I'm being honest. What's especially frustrating is I've been committing to eating clean and working through my training plans consistently. The first part hasn't been too awful, the last part has been impossible.
If I was tackling most other things then I'd likely not be as concerned. Just putting it down to more of life's lessons. When we make plans God laughs, right? True story. The problem is I have a deadline. I'm taking on a 100km continuous ultra. These things are tough. Going into it underprepared could make it especially brutal. Feel good for 20km, feel like I want to die for 80km. The prospect of misery, suffering, and pain is one that becomes very real when going into this. With little two thirds of the normal volume I'd put through my legs in preparation ANY weakness will not only be exposed, but will be attacked like a hungry kid with a doughnut
Can't say that I'm relishing that prospect, if I'm honest. That said, I'm in. I'm committed and will do what I can to see it through. Life throws shit at you. Sometimes from left field. The question is always how do you respond when it does?
Make Best of What you Have
Perspective matters. Despite my tribulations, I have two legs, a loving family, I don't struggle financially, friends (who even though they take days to respond to WhatsApp messages, I love them to bits). I'm healthy, I'm experienced, and I have a quick mind. I've a huge amount to be grateful for.
Moreover, I ran 200 miles only 9 months ago. I KNOW I can do really hard things. Muscle memory is a real thing, and pain on an ultra will not come as a surprise. I know how to suffer and keep moving. My body knows how to complete these and that counts for a considerable amount. We can safely say that this won't end in a personal best, but given the above I've a lot to be grateful for. That I can even get to the start line is a gift.
Control the things you can control and let go of what the outcome looks like
All I can control is me. I've dealt with my long standing issues around hip, Achilles, ankle and knee as best I can. I've managed to get through training in May and on track for these run-in sessions through June.
I put in a 50km weekend with no serious reaction, and in a reasonable time. This isn't so bad. Given where i was 7 weeks ago (flat on my back for a week staring at the ceiling) I'll take that. I've held on to a decent level of aerobic fitness and coming through back to back trail 25's with the second one faster than the first.
I have 3 weeks now until the 100km in the peak district. I'm in a long-ish taper now. No point in pushing too hard as the risks of injury in doing so would outweigh the benefit in adaptations. I have a couple of easy mid week runs and three long runs of 20/10/6km stepping down each week to allow best recovery. I can control my fueling. I can control my mobility work and injury management, I can control my sleep and control my stress. These things should all add up to at least feeling well recovered when I get to the start.
I can't control the conditions underfoot, the weather, missed volume over the last few months, etc. I just need to let go of these. I am where I am. I certainly need to let go of the outcome. It's a new route I've never seen before. The weather could be anything from hot to cold and wet. All I can do is show up and take it one step of a time for 150,000 steps. The result will be the result. 60km or 100km, 23 hours or 27hours. I won't know until the end. No point targeting it in advance as I've been unable to train to such targets. Let go and lean in to what will reveal itself on the day.
Lean in
Let's face it... it's 100km. Everyone is going to hurt at some point. That's what you sign up for. Accepting this is fundamental in giving yourself the best shot in getting through it. Leaning into this whenever I reach that point of awfulness is the only way. The only way out is through.
Last year I made some poor kit choices on a 100km and ended up with heat stroke only getting through 60km. It happens. Lesson learned. I made the right choice to not push it as I couldn't risk jeopardising my 300km challenge only 4 months later with a long layoff so was comfortable with my choice. This time around I can push the hurt harder if I'm faced with the choice to. I'll lean into that decision if I'm faced with it.
What I do know is that I've been in worse shape. I've gone into a 100km with worse injury issues on the day and still come through. I've tackled 100's with less experience and less training, so I'm happy that I can at least give a decent account of myself even if I have to only walk it.
Trust in the training, let go and lean in.
Thanks for reading.
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