So why - just why - would any normal person put themselves through all this?

“Imagine being described as normal,” says Britton. “That would be rubbish, wouldn’t it?”

🤣

Congrats!

It’s colder, there’s less daylight, I’m busy at work, and I’m not signed up for any races. Even so, I got four nice runs in this week and I enjoyed them all. I’ll probably sign up for a trail race because I do like working toward something.

Sweat-wicking shirts! Compression socks! Non-bouncing shades! UV-proof hats! Neck buffs! Trail shoes! Gaiters! Racing shoes, carbon-plated! Recovery flipflops! Base layers! Jackets, rain and windproof! Reflective gear! A smartwatch! Training plans! Runners’ memoirs! Club membership! Race signup fees! Gels! Electrolyte mix! Protein bars!

And have you tried spirulina, it does wonders for recovery (so they say)

“All you need is a pair of running shoes!” And another. And another. And another. Ad infinitum $$$

I did two recovery runs since my ultra, and they felt good. Think I’ll return to a normal volume again this week.

Sunday was marathon day and I spent almost three hours cheering on runners in the full and half races passing my house. That was fun. I hope that guy running right in front of the street sweepers still made it to the finish…

previously

I’m mostly at 160, a bit higher if I go faster, and lower if slower. I think aside from speed, leg length is a decisive variable. I am tall and have long legs, so I don’t expect I’ll ever average above 170.

A good read on this subject:

https://www.outsideonline.com/health/stop-overthinking-your-running-cadence/

As for the magical 180, my own take is that the idea has persisted because it’s a good aspirational goal for many runners. Lots of runners overstride, crashing down on their heels and putting excessive force on their joints. Telling them to increase their cadence by, say, 5 percent results in shorter, smoother strides, and reduces loads on the knee and hip. But there’s a very big difference between saying “Some runners might benefit from increasing their cadence” and “All runners, regardless of what speed they’re running at, should take at least 180 steps per minute.”

I camped and raced as well. Luckily the weather was perfect. The 8 hours 46 minutes of running through forest and heath were gorgeous. Great event – and I placed 11th in my distance (75km but actually more like 78).

I’d love to know more about how you run commute. Do you carry a bag and a change of clothes? Do you have shower facilities at the office? etc.

I’m about two weeks away from the ultra I’ve been preparing for. I had a few setbacks (plantar fasciitis, a few days lost to a mystery virus), and while I feel physically fit, I worry that at some point during the hours of running I will start dwelling on my less than optimal preparation. I’m trying to remind myself that nobody ever has a perfect race and that I should just control what I can. I suppose I should start tapering around this point, but I also feel like I should maybe plan one last really long training run to help with my confidence. We’ll see if I can find the time this week.

Hard to generalize. I’ve had two pairs of Brooks Defyance shoes last me 1,500km. A pair of Brooks Ghost only made it to 1,000, and the top mesh of my Sauconys ripped after just 700 (though the soles would have still served me longer – maybe i should have tried taping them…)

Do you do any kind of warmup?

I felt optimistic after my chiropractor session. The pain from the plantar fasciitis didn’t magically disappear, but things felt different, like I’m finally healing. Also, I figured out that if I train in my trail running shoes I barely feel any pain in my foot, so by doing so I was able to run the volume I was aiming for over five sessions this week. The ultra I’m doing next month is on trails anyway, so it makes sense to get used to running in them.

This coming week I’ll run a similar volume while also thinking about a fueling plan for the race. A local experienced ultra-runner offered to support me in that, and I’m excited to learn from her!

Interesting, I’ll look into it! Do they help with support around the heel?

Ran six out of seven days this week and it mostly went well. Plantar fasciitis didn’t get any worse, and was barely noticeable for several days.

I finally concluded I probably just have to replace my main pair of distance running shoes, which I’ve been hesitant to do since I felt like I’ve already spent a lot on gear and races lately. I’ll see what the chiropractor I’m going to see tomorrow has to say…

You can ask the store whether they accept old shoes to recycle them. If not, there may be a specialized container someplace in your neighborhood that collects old clothes and shoes.

For a 10km I would consider having a gel around halfway through. They make one with espresso flavor that contains caffeine that I find I can stomach okay in the mornings.

I have also found that I can eat a bowl of oatmeal 30-60 minutes before a run without it bothering me. Slow-burning carbs last longer into your run.

Had to take four rest days in a row this week because my plantar fasciitis was bugging me a lot and I wanted to get it under control with stretches, massage and strengthening exercises. It’s annoying, particularly because I have an ultra coming up in six weeks and don’t really want to reduce my load this much at this point. Going to see a chiropractor for the first time tomorrow to see if they can help.

On Tuesday I’m going to an athletics club running group to try out what running in company is like. I usually enjoy solitary runs, but I think I might benefit from some coaching, so I’m giving the club a try.

Really enjoyed watching UTMB coverage this weekend!

Great goal! It sounds like you’re doing everything right. You’ll get there. Even if setbacks are frustrating, I’m convinced they are part of a necessary learning process to get to ultra distances.