I know Rachel through the Trail Running magazine #Run1000Miles Facebook community. She was very surprised to be asked to do an interview. Hopefully you’ll instantly see why her story is such an important and positive one to share.

How and why did you get into running Rachel?

Rachel before running

I’m sure you’ll achieve it too! The trail challenges as well will be amazing.  Thanks so much. Looking forward to seeing your progress again on #Run1000Miles Challenge 2018.  

All the best

Jeff

I was incredibly humbled and proud to win the prestigious “RunUltra Overall Global Blogger Award 2018” and to retain the “RunUltra UK Blogger Award 2018“.

With this being a global Awards, a total of 105 bloggers were selected, then 64 shortlisted.  To then be selected as the winner from over 7,900 votes cast, I was incredibly grateful to my amazing readers, Rochdale Harriers and network of supportive people who influence and inspire me in some way. Thanks so much to every single one of you! To call the final 24 hours of voting nail-biting is an understatement. It became like a tight finish of an ultra itself – with the lead swapping places constantly until the final hour! This was the message received from the RunUltra team after the integrity of the votes had been verified: 

Congratulations! You are the winner of the overall RunUltra 2018 Blogger Award and also the UK 2018 Blogger Award.

The quality of the blogs this year has been extremely high.

We enjoyed reading your blog and we wish you a very successful ultra running year.

The prize for winning the overall global award is a Suunto Spartan Ultra Titanium HR. An incredible bonus and my first genuinely smart training watch with HR. This is set to open up a whole new area of training and improvement for me in 2018 and beyond. Let’s see how progress goes

For details of all the regional winners, plus the finalists please click here. Please read and follow their blogs too – there are amazing stories, advice and general experiences to enjoy!

All the best for 2018 and thank you once again for all your support and positive feedback on the blog posts

Jeff

Here he talks about #Run1000Miles, favourite places to run, preferred nutrition and more.

Eddie, what was your reason for getting involved in the #Run1000Miles Challenge?

To be honest, I’m not sure, I think part of the motivation was to get a free ruff. I subscribe to Trail Running magazine and so became aware of the challenge early on. As I reckon that I run about a thousand miles most years, unless I get injured, joining in was a no-brainer.

I didn’t really think about it all that much, but the Facebook group grew and I got more involved in the social media side of things, through that. The group was a real inspiration and it was great to read people’s stories, to meet a couple of folk from the group in real life and to see the photos.

How did you get into running and when?

I guess that it started when I was a teenager in the seventies, growing up in the North East. I did a morning and evening paper-round of about a mile and a half and I used to really enjoy running it. When I got to University and was no longer delivering papers, I started running just to keep fit. This carried on through my twenties; nothing serious, just the odd two or three mile jog to keep the muscles moving. Then my family moved to rural West Africa – no electricity, no running water, but plenty of mosquitos. At that point my running went out of the window. Twenty years later, I found myself living in High Wycombe and somehow I’d become overweight and middle aged. One morning, I decided to set the alarm for half an hour earlier and go for a run. I walked up the hill behind our house and jogged down through the woods. A year later, I was running five miles and the following year I did my first half and a year later, the London Marathon. I’m still overweight (though less than I was) and I’m still middle aged, but I am a lot fitter than I was.

You now live in Yorkshire – where is your favourite local spot to run?

We’ve been in Yorkshire for less than a year, so there is still a lot to explore, I can get onto the moors straight from our house, without ever running on roads; but kicking off with a 500 foot climb without a warm-up is a bit grim. I love running out to Skipton on the Leeds-Liverpool canal and then returning via Farnhill Moor which isn’t too high, but gives great views.

And in the Chilterns (where you were previously)?

There is a very unprepossessing footpath in an industrial estate near the football ground in High Wycombe, which goes between two grotty factories, but ends up in a nature reserve. That opens up a whole network of pathways that go off in all directions, Thirty five miles from the centre of London, I could run for twenty miles, only crossing a couple of roads with red kites, deer and rabbits for company – and hardly a human being in sight. Over the years, I grew to know every mile of those paths and they will always be special.

However, if you want to know my favourite run of all, it is from the Bays Brown campsite in Langdale, down the valley, then climbing up to Blea Tarn and up onto Lingmoor Fell along the ridge and then back town into the valley and through the woods back to the campsite, Six miles before breakfast, followed by a day walking on the hills with my wife – perfect.

Fells, trails or roads?

Anything but roads! My knees are too old (they seem to be older than the rest of me) to take the continual repetitive pounding that road running creates.

What do you most like about trail running?

It depends on the day. Just being outside on the hills, in the woods or by the canal is reward enough. I’m not much into trying to get personal bests and to set fast times; I know my best and fastest days are behind me, but there are times, that I can recapture the feeling of being a kid, running for the sheer joy of feeling my body move rough ground.

Then there are the days when the sleet is in my face, the wind is chilling me to the bone and I feel more alive than anyone sitting by a warm fireside could ever understand (though I like the warm fireside afterwards).  A few years ago, I had a t-shirt printed which said, “Running might kill me, but at least I’ll have lived”. That more or less sums it up.

Haha, brilliant! What keeps you motivated?

In 20 years’ time (perhaps ten?), I’ll struggle to walk in wild country, much less run. I know it sounds morbid, but I want to enjoy every moment that I can.

Langdales Temperature Inversion

What is your favourite pre-run and post-run nutrition?

I’m a creature of habit, so pre-run tends to be my normal breakfast of sugar-free muesli. If I’m going for a very long run; say 15 miles plus, I’ll add on a couple of slices of toast and marmalade. For long races, when I tend to be camping the night before, I go for those pots of porridge that you make by adding hot water.

Post-run, I tend to go with whatever my body tells me I need. That’s generally something with a fair bit of protein – it may simply be a coffee with lots of milk. After really long runs in warm weather, I often have a massive craving for ice-cream. Lots of long races serve vegetarian chilli at the end, which is always a good option. I’m not sure that the beer and fish and chips, which I got at the end of the St Begas Ultra last summer was the ideal recovery food, but it certainly hit the spot.

During runs, I tend to prefer real food to gels and energy bars. When descending from Grisedale on the Ultimate Trails 55 a couple of years ago, someone I was running with offered me a mini-cocktail sausage, which seemed a strange thing at the time – but I’ve never enjoyed a sausage so much in my life. Strange though it may seem, I now carry mini-pork pies on ultras. I do have the odd gel or bar in my pack, too, but they often come home with me. I’ve learned that it is important to take on nutrition before you need it and even on a ten mile run, I’ll often eat something at five miles, just for the discipline of the thing. If I know that there is a big hill coming up, I’ll try and have a gel or something about 10-15 minutes beforehand to get more sugar into my system.

What most people don’t realise is that ultra-running is basically a mobile picnic.

Start of UT55

Stickle Tarn on UT55

It is indeed! Do you ever have doubts when running?

I don’t have many doubts when I’m running, as such. However, at the start of races, I tend to be very conscious of being a bald, slightly tubby, old bloke who is surrounded by younger, thinner people who actually look good in lycra. When the said young, thin people vanish up the trail leaving me panting in their wake, I can wonder what on earth I’m doing there. But then I settle into my own tempo, grind out the miles, enjoying the views and chatting to other mid-to-back of the pack runners and I have a whale of a time. I rarely overtake anyone on the trail (did I say, I was slow?), but it’s not unknown for me to be in and out of checkpoints while others are gorging on the flapjack. At my age, you never sit down at checkpoints (unless you are changing your shoes), the danger is that you’ll never stand up again.

I love this quote on ultra running but can’t remember the source:

“If you ever find yourself feeling good during an ultra, don’t worry, it will soon go away.”

Who or what inspires you?

I could watch Nicky Spinks’ film, Run Forever, once a week and not get tired of it. She is a real inspiration and meeting her was a highlight of 2017 for me. However, the thing that really inspires me is any photograph of a random runner out in the Lake District, or somewhere beautiful. I like the hills and I want to enjoy them.

How do you get through those tough runs when you just can’t be bothered?

The hard part is getting out of the door. If I can manage that, I’m generally ok. One thing I find is running out and back routes; that means you’ve got to keep going otherwise you’ll never get home.

What are your plans for 2018?

I’m sixty this year and I have a personal goal that I’ll tell you about when and if I achieve it. It’s probably more than an overweight late-middle aged bloke should be doing, so I’ll keep it under my hat for a while. I’m desperately trying to lose weight and to get generally stronger, but I find that it’s hard to balance everything. It’s great to know that I can do ten back squats lifting 80 kilos, but it gets my legs so tired, I can’t run up hills for days afterwards.

I guess that my real goal is to stay injury free, to enjoy running and to be out along the canal and in the hills as much as I can.

Eddie thanks a million for this interview. Can’t wait to hear more about your personal goal. Also to seeing you again for our #Run1000Miles Challenge 2018. Enjoy another awesome year

All the best

Jeff

In this poignant, touching and stirring interview, Raj Mahapatra explains how running helps him cope with one of the most debilitating conditions.

In an attempt to do Raj justice, I’m writing this pretty much as the conversation between us went. Really hope you get some insight, awareness and encouragement from this

Raj Mahapatra on Lakeland 100 2015

Where do we even start Raj? How about barefoot running?

Barefoot running was the revelation for me. It happened after failing the BG 7 years ago when I analysed what happened and why I hadn’t finished. I’d used cushioned shoes by a major brand and ultimately switched to VIVO BAREFOOT shoes. It was a case of transitioning over a 3 year period and adjusting to 1 mile a day when I’d previously been running 15.

So you totally committed to barefoot?

Yes. You can’t go barefoot for running only, otherwise your feet won’t adapt properly. My foot arch came back through extensive use over a sustained period of adjustment. Barefoot affects everything you do and the way your whole body moves. For that I have to thank Paul Tierney who gave me some really sound advice when I needed it – and ‘Barefoot Aleks‘ who is a real inspiration. VIVOBAREFOOT have been a revelation. Even my son (18) is doing the Lakeland 50 in VIVOBAREFOOT this year.

Barefoot Aleks, Raj, Paul Tierney at Moot Hall

Completed BG for Raj: 23hrs 51 mins 39s

So going barefoot affects the whole body. Can you briefly describe your condition please?

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is an inflammatory arthritis, mainly affecting the spine. Inflammation occurs around the spine where the ligaments or tendons attach to the bone. It often starts at the bottom of the spine in the sacroiliac joints but can happen anywhere in the spine. Over time this repeated inflammation can lead to further bone formation and the vertebrae may fuse together.

At the moment it takes an average 8.5 years to get a diagnosis of AS. So our work at National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS) is about raising awareness of this awful condition. AS is still largely unknown although it affects 200,000 in the UK. To put it into context, in the UK just over 100,000 people suffer with MS, which many have heard of.  If more people knew about AS that 8.5 year delay to diagnosis, and therefore access to treatment, would drop.

Simon Armitage poem about AS

When did you discover you had AS?

When I was 21, after years of not knowing what was going on! It typically takes 8.5 years for AS to be diagnosed, even though it’s at its most aggressive during the first 10 years. In my case, with the benefit of hindsight, I had been displaying symptoms since I was 16, but it was 5 years until I was diagnosed. When I finally had my diagnosis, I had no way of searching online for information at that time. There was no Google! In total I had 15 years of no running: Crutches for 3 years; walking stick for 2 years and constant failure from then on.

On diagnosis I was told, like all AS patients, not to run and to do moderate exercise. I was also told that it looked like my AS was fairly active and I would probably be in a wheelchair within 10 years.

Goodness me! How did you respond to that?

Well I’d always run and competed nationally in my youth, prior to the onset of AS. We’re designed to move and I was determined to stay active if I could. AS is a spectrum condition and I know I have it easier than some for whom running would be impossible. I’m intrigued to know “What I can throw at my body? How much can it take?”.

So you decide to do THE MONTANE ® Spine ® Fusion?!

Yes – and the Lakeland 100 within a month of that! For THE MONTANE ® Spine ® Fusion my main intention is to finish the 268 mile course within the 7 day cut off. I hope to get a good time too but that’s not the important thing. Spine fusion happens through AS and this race was too good an opportunity to pass up. I approached Scott Gilmour, one of the Race Directors, about NASS being the official charity partner and he was very supportive of this.

For the Lakeland 100 this will be my third year so I’m striving for the ‘500 up’ trophy.

What drives you?

Since my 1st BG attempt, I have never again DNFd. In fact my outlook now is that you don’t ‘DNF’, you ‘RTC’ (refuse to continue). It’s a much healthier way to look at ultra running and life in general. Whenever I have hit thatpoint in a race I have asked myself, “Are you refusing to continue?” I’ve never replied, “Yes” to that but there are challenges yet!

The ultimate catalyst was reading Feet In The Clouds. I asked, “What was it about mountain running that enables people with conditions like arthritis to run for hours and hours over such rough terrain?”. Many people with AS can barely move and that is a worst case scenario. Other AS ‘sufferers’ like me are pushing the limit of what has been traditionally thought as possible with this condition. There is an international community of people with AS who ultra run and, in fact, there is a group of US runners looking to do the Spine ® Fusion alongside me.

Ultimately, I get out running to manage the pain and having the goal of events like THE MONTANE ® Spine ® Fusion give me a positive goal to focus on. And the Peaks Sky Ultra is a possible target for 2018.

How do you go from learning to run again to completing the most challenging Ultras?

By exercising daily many things become available to you. Running is not only my medication, but also my meditation and I have been able to access more than I thought possible. I celebrate the pain of an ultra as it creates ‘good’ pain that I’m in control of. AS is bad pain. For me, that low point in a race when you’re so low you feel you can’t do any more…That’s pain I’ve created and it attracts my brain so stops me thinking about AS.

I like the isolation of running. It’s positive and meditative for me. There is so much in this country to explore.

What do you think is behind the growth of events like Ultras?

I now coach runners twice a week and a couple of them normalise ‘stupidity’ – the idea that running so far can’t be good for the body. Our cultural reference point has shifted. A marathon used to be insane and now that’s much more mainstream. Ultras are growing and that can only be good.

Raj BG Approaching Steel Fell

Raj BG – Harrison Stickle

Raj BG – Dropping from High Raise towards Thunacarr Knott

Raj BG – Dawn

Inspirational quote before last leg of BG

Raj BG Final Peak – Robinson

Who inspires you?

Well I have an incredibly understanding and patient wife and family. In terms of running, there are so many. I love how Barefoot Aleks related to his environment. For me, Aleks and his blog sum up what adventuring is all about. Also George Bate of TheRunningCharity. Their work in helping the homeless is incredible. Through running, they provide some structure, help raise self-esteem. Also Jasmin Paris who through her own feats and support of others demonstrates what a privilege it is to be part of the running community. That is what trail running is all about. There is no elitism on the start line of a trail race. It’s so much more like real life than road running. Often someone will sacrifice their own race to help another person in need. On my BG last year, some many amazing runners came out to support me, GB and Irish internationals, 100 mile race winners, successful BGers and aspiring fell runners. It was a microcosm of what trail running is!

On the Ultimate Trails event, Graham Patten gave a really moving briefing before we all headed off. He said “On this you’re all marshalls. Look out for each other. What we’re doing is inherently dangerous.” He’s absolutely right. Doing an ultra you can go for 5 hours without seeing anyone else in the night (I did on the Cotswold Way) and that really strips you down.

The Running Charity

How would you like to finish off?

Just to say that I’d love to inspire people to transform their life by taking control of their health – if they can

Raj Mahapatra & most of his BG team

A brief note from me… I hope you enjoyed reading this post. I have to say, it was very moving and humbling to meet and interview Raj. To say he has inspired me is an understatement!

Yours in sport

Jeff

Below are my favourites. I hope they inspire you as much as they do me  Feel free share the joy by passing on to your running buddies!

Run Forever

Nicky Spinks is a (s)hero of mine! Amazing athlete, amazing person and what she has achieved is beyond words. Awesome film of an awesome woman. Loved her team and the camaraderie. Tears, smiles, awe.

Paradise Lost

Absolutely love the raw honesty and vulnerability portrayed by Frosty in this film. Incredible cinematography. What an amazing land & culture Papua New Guinea. Haunting yet very uplifting.

Cape Wrath Ultra

Truly wonderful! Made me wonder at what it is to be alive and what we can do. Wonderful people, wonderful scenery, wonderful adventure. Blown away!

Mt. Marathon

Insane! Laughed out loud. Added to bucket list! Didn’t want it to end!

Life On The Fells

Inspirational. Fell running does indeed make you feel like a kid again. Gives you perspective when most of us complain about little injuries and you have people like Adam dealing with heart transplant and BG attempt!

The Bob Graham

Just love this story. The simplicity, the history, the mountains! Great music and imagery. Amazing.

The Crown Traverse

Brilliant, brilliant film. Adventure, friendship. Amazing traverse. Loved the 599.7 miles realisation at the end! Superb.

Trail Dog

Beautiful life lessons and joyous message. Incredible short film.

Beauties and the Bog

Excitement, awe, fun. Very uplifting film showing how great challenges in a team can be. Love the mix of sunset, head torch, daytime shots. Great music too.

Chasing The Distance

Fantastic film. Moving and humbling yet inspiring.

Running Sucks – Story of a Barefoot Runner

Love the sound of the slate scree! Great little film.

Yours in sport
Jeff

* Judging was as part of the Trail Running magazine team.

 That was the question posed by a running club mate as we both recovered from a chip-timed track 5k.

What he was getting at, in joking obviously, was the pain. You know you’re going to go through it. You know it will hit you and your brain will tell you “Stop!”. You know if you’re trying, you’ll endure self-inflicted pain.

When you push yourself, in either training or during an event/race, you go through this. Anyone doing any kind of endurance sport knows it. So why bother?

Well for a start, there are the endorphins on finishing. As GB ultra runner, Robbie Britton says: “…your short-term memory plays tricks on you. After your legs stop hurting…you only remember the elation.” That feeling of elation, in body and mind, after you have completed a session…it’s the great thing about any strenuous exercise.

pic by @bobotheeklown

Then there is the runners high. In his ground-breaking book “Born To Run”, Chris McDougall describes how the natural engaging of body and mind, causes our brain to release endorphins to such an extent that a feeling of extreme euphoria can be experienced for anything from a nanosecond to a few minutes. It’s as if you’re floating, effortlessly  running in an other-worldly manner. Everything seems easy and you are so intensely in the moment, totally immersed in your activity. You feel nothing of the pain, no pounding of the feet, no gasping of breath. Just. Pure. Joy.

Obviously that doesn’t last and the pain, self-doubt, nagging voice etc etc all kick in again. But that’s all part of it. You also know the feeling of elation at the end. That may be in achieving your furthest ever run, completing your first parkrun, running with mates.

So put your shoes on, smile at the world and head out of your front door. There’s joy to be had on those trails

Have you achieved the runners high? What pain do you put yourself through?

Join me on the #Run1000Miles challenge with the Trail Running magazine Facebook community. You’ll be amazed at what can be achieved.

Yours in sport
Jeff

This is one of a series of amazing feats Lowri has in store 2016/17. #BeInspired

 
 

What have you learned about yourself through ultra running?

What’s your greatest achievement?

pic @s4c

Lowri, thank you so much for your interview. #Her333 is a fantastic, awe-inspiring series. Good luck with your World Record attempt – we can’t wait to hear how it goes!

Jeff

In this interview, he shares the motivations, trials and teachings from his 2016 adventures.

Brendan, how did you get into running?

I stared running in 2006, it was actually a bet on a drunken night. A group of us agreed to run the Wilmslow Half Marathon 3 months later. So with no experience I would get up at 6am before work and run/walk from lamp post to lamp post. I hated it to begin with but once I built up periods of running I started to really enjoy it. This was the start of a life transformation from debt, partying and being unhealthy to becoming more healthy and my early morning runs would wake me up and start my day so well.

What inspired you to start fundraising?

My 1^st trip to Malawi in 2008 was the start of fundraising, visiting one of the poorest countries in the world had a huge impact on my life. Behind the extreme poverty the people showed incredible resilience, I was welcomed with open arms and the smiles, laughter, singing and the dancing gave me such an appreciation for life.

In 2009 I returned to Malawi visiting FOMO (Friends of Mulanje Orphans) an orphan care programme. I spent 3 weeks there and witnessed the incredible work they do supporting 4,500 orphans and that inspired me to fund raise for them for the last 7 years.

What was the ‘Why’ behind your Malawi challenge?

So after traveling between 2012 and 2015 I had returned to the UK inspired to return to my favourite country Malawi. The last time I was there was 2009 and really wanted to return.

During these years of travel I had not been running so the combination of wanting to raise money, getting back to fitness and having the idea that the best way to see a country is by foot the idea of Running Malawi was born.

I had met with FOMO and asked if I could have a fund raising project. The run was to raise £35,000 to build a Science Block for their Independent Secondary school. Education is something I am also passionate about.

How do you plan and train for over 1100km 27 days?!

In 2015 I was back training quite hard, and over the summer had completed 3 marathons in 12 weeks, ran 2 ultra marathons a 50km and 58km and ended the summer running the famous Wainwright Coast to Coast 192 miles in 8 days. That gave me the confidence to complete running the length of Malawi.

I would also train most days covering 20 miles a day this would in include a walk/run training plan where it was not about speed but just being on my feet most days for 20 miles.

I also introduced cycling in the afternoons.

Goodness me! How did you get through tough moments?

There were a few tough moments through out the run –  when I got sick and had terrible stomach problems, also my legs swelled, running a marathon a day for 27 days was going to be tough in the heat, I didn’t have the luxury of showers, a bed, variety of food. Instead we were camping, showered with a bucket of water and ate rice, veg and chicken most days.

But all of these things were put into perspective as the poverty I witnessed daily was so extreme. The 1^st school we camped at the classrooms were falling down many not even having a roof.

That was the drive behind the tough moment’s that I was so determined to make a difference and in my head kept thinking all of these tougher moments are just short term – keep thinking of raising that money and building that school block for these incredible children.

Every day I would be joined by so many children this also helped me a lot especially when it started to get hot – its great to have company.

What did your daily nutrition typically consist of?

It was quite limited what we did have to eat.  In the mornings I had a rice porridge and peanut butter and jam bread rolls. Lunch and evening meal would be rice, pasta with veg and chicken.

What is your most treasured memory of Malawi?

My most treasured memory of running Malawi has to be when I met Ganizani a little boy who was 12. His parents had died and he was disabled. His life was dragging himself along the floor I found this extremely difficult but returning a few days after I had finished the run with a wheel chair was so overwhelming.

There are so many special moments it’s so hard to choose just one. The whole run was completely out of this world.

Describe JOGLE in three words.

Immense – Spectacular – Freedom

How was it different to running Malawi?

Running JOGLE was completely different than running Malawi. In Malawi I had a support team and Emma cycling close by, I had far more challenges in Malawi heat, limited choice of food and camping every night.

Running JOGLE I was running alone, I did have company a few days. I could stop when I wanted to cafes, I could stay in a hostel if I wanted to rather than camp. Also because I was running alone my mental focus was greater.

What have your challenges taught you about people?

Running Malawi the people and children were just so overwhelming having them join me it was crazy.

Running JOGLE I experienced so much kindness with people offering a free bed for the night, people would pay for my lunch/food and people I met along the way would donate. I loved how both runs pulled people together in a positive way.

What motivates you?

I want to gain and grow through experiences so if I can combine a run/adventure with fundraising then I get the perfect mix. A lot of what motivates me is making a difference changing a life.

Cairo to Cape Town! Tell us more…

Its something that has been in my head for a while, it’s a huge challenge and I really do believe I could do it. Its just when. Its early days but I think I would need to run the coast to coast of Africa before I make decision.

Coast to coast of Africa before the length?!  Can anyone do such challenges?

I think everyone has the potential to do far more than what we believe. I think it’s circumstances that can hold people back sometimes, jobs, debts, children.

I do think however people should take more risks instead of something in your head is an idea make it a reality. Start smaller and who knows where it may end up. I think challenges can be made pretty cheap, and they don’t have to be in another county. Great Britain has so many places to set a unique and special challenge.

courtesy B Rendall

Suggestions to #getoutside?

We are in a time of screens, people being more stressed, working more so it’s now that getting outside is so important.

Its free walking, running or cycling lose your self in your surroundings, it’s the best therapy.

Any other plans for 2017?

In 2017 I plan to do some races over 10km – marathon I would like to get a bit of speed back, improve my times over those distances. Run Hadrian’s Wall and also the Wales coastal path.

In August I am also running a 200 mile Ultra race.

Bren, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. Your fundraising and challenges are inspiring to myself and many many others. We look forward to following your adventures in 2017 and beyond

Jeff

(DNF = ‘did not finish’)

I’ve had a funny old year for running this year. I’ve been running for 13 years now, starting as a fun runner, taking selfies during my first charity 10k (Great Manchester Run). I progressed quickly to marathon runner – well, embarrassingly, at the time the London marathon was the only other race I’d ever heard of! I’ve now done 12 marathons so far and counting. In 2010 joined a club and became a bit more of a competitive runner. Took up fell running and decided off-road running was definitely for me. And finally when the marathon training/running started to feel decidedly ‘comfortable’, I started ultra running.

Ultra running seemed to combine several of my favourite things – long distance running, off-road running and eating. So three years ago I took the leap and entered my first ultra marathon in 2013, the Ladybower 35. A stunning trail route running round the beautiful reservoir of ‘Dambusters’ fame. Joy of joys I had a wonderful run and finished 2nd lady, 5th overall!

I entered my next ultra within 6 months. Next was the 50k Canalathon which I decided to run all the way without the usual walking/eating breaks. My theory was ‘well it’s only a few miles over a marathon’… now I’m not entirely sure that this theory stands up but I did just about manage to run it all the way in about 5 hours 20-odd minutes. I moved up distance, completing the 100k Canalathon the year after, followed three months later by the 110k Ultimate Trails Lakeland ultra. These last two events had been tough in very different ways – the canalathon mentally challenging (running along a flat canal for 12 hours, suffering with terrible nausea for the whole of the second half) and the UT110k physically challenging (69 miles, 14,000ft of ascent and quite technical running) but completely exhilarating. I started thinking about entering a 100 mile event. I’d just need to run the UT110k again and use this as a qualifying race. I looked forward to getting a 100 mile race under my belt. Just imagine being able to say you’d run 100 miles!

So as 2015 drew to a close I entered the same ultras again for 2016, the 100k Canalathon in late March and the 110 Lakeland ultra in early July. With the experience of having run the events before I felt confident I’d be able to complete both events again and was hoping to improve my time in the Canalathon in particular as I’d found it hard going when the nausea kicked in. Training went well through the winter and into spring. I seemed to be running a bit faster than I had previously. Everything was on track. And then. The week of the Canalathon I became ill. The worst cold I’ve had for many years. I never get ill. Ever. Why now!? Still, I’d done all the training and I had the confidence knowing I had completed the event last time, even though I had felt terribly sick during the race. So it didn’t even cross my mind to pull out or even drop to a shorter distance (oh hindsight..) Anyway, a couple of days before the race we went for a short walk up Holcolmbe Hill. I struggled so much. I got to the top drained and out of breath and turned to my friend and said “I am seriously worried about this race now!!” But still, I had another couple of days to rest and was still relatively hopeful.

Race day came! An early start and especially so as the clocks had gone forward the previous night. We set off from Sowerby Bridge for the 31.5 mile outbound stretch to Manchester. All good up to the first check point at 10 miles. And then things rapidly went downhill! I got to 15 miles – still very early in the race bearing in mind there were 64 miles to do overall – and I felt shocking. No energy, feeling sick… so early in the race but feeling like I had at about 40 miles last year. I was worried!! I managed to get to the halfway point at Manchester, turn around and head back. So many friends and family had turned out to support me, I was so grateful. I could only apologise to them, crying and emotional, knowing I was having a nightmare. I got to about 80km, roughly 50 miles and timed out just before the last checkpoint 13 miles before the finish. Devastated doesn’t come close. I cried all the way home.

At least I still had the Lakeland Ultimate Trails to look forward to. I got back into training again. Got up to doing 40 mile training runs, feeling good. Race day arrived (I say race day, we arrived at the event on Friday ready for a midnight start!). All good. Thank goodness! I did exactly as I did the previous year, even down to eating the same type of pasta salad the evening of the race. With the midnight start a nap in the early evening was essential. Feeling full and a bit uncomfortable I settled down in the tent for a few of hours sleep. Waking at 10pm I knew things weren’t quite right. The full stomach I’d gone to sleep with was still there. But now it felt tender to touch, even having my backpack strap against it felt uncomfortable. Probably just the late race start. Nobody feels that great starting a race at midnight!

Very, very soon into this race once again I knew things were not going to plan. I couldn’t bear anything touching my tummy. Although managing to get to Kentmere faster than the previous year, I felt terrible. Gripping my sides and walking I managed to get over the first three mountain passes, increasingly uncomfortable and struggling with stomach cramps. Made it over Nan Bield (a real highlight last year!) and onto the next leg. Shortly after leaving the checkpoint at Haweswater I had to find a secluded spot. And (apologies if you’re eating) thus ensued horrendous diahorrea. Ah right… so I was ill!!! That explained everything. Food poisoning. Unbelievable. How unlucky can one person be? Walking most of the way to the next checkpoint I deliberated about continuing – could I possibly walk for another 40+ miles to the finish? Finally arriving at Bampton I accepted the inevitable and handed my number in. Another DNF.

Talk about lowpoints. Nothing could have made me feel worse. What was happening? I had never DNF’d before and now I had DNF’d two major races that I’d trained months for. It really made me think about how much I had invested, just for everything to fall apart at the last moment. I had sacrificed other races (missing club championship fell and road races) for months in order to get the long ultra training runs in. The early weekend starts, the hours spent in wind, rain, hail.. alone for long hours on the trails. All for nothing. Time I could have spent with my daughter, my partner, family… what had I been thinking. Everything went through my mind. More tears.

To cut a long story slightly shorter I decided never to do ultras again. How could I invest so much for things to go so wrong at the last minute. Decision made. I started to enjoy running shorter distances again. We went on holiday… 

And then I started thinking about ultras again. I’d started to realise that I couldn’t leave things as they were. I had to do something. How could I finish the year achieving nothing, having started the year with such high hopes? Within a couple of weeks of returning from holiday I entered the Ladybower ultramarathon again. I’d had such a positive experience there three years ago it would be the perfect choice. A lovely undulating trail run which I’d thoroughly enjoyed last time. This time having no 35 mile option I entered the 50 mile. I decided not to tell anyone (apart from my partner Nick who would need to drive me to and from the event) for several reasons. Self-doubt being the chief one! But still, feeling terribly guilty about not sharing my decision to enter another ultra. But what if I DNF’d again? Self doubt again! I had to finish.

Race day came, another early start. Doubts on the way to the race -“maybe we should just turn back, nobody knows I’m even entered!” And then the start. Again everything seemed to be going well. Running at a comfortable pace and enjoying the route. The relief! An ultra going well. Even so I kept waiting for thing to start going wrong. Starting to feel things hurting at 30 miles, but only to be expected. Dip in energy at 37 miles. Bit of refuelling and things started to pick up again. Feeling amazing as I passed the 40 mile mark. The overwhelming happiness realising that I was going to finish!! Never mind racing it, I’d have been ecstatic just to complete it. Last few miles and realising that I was overtaking people, I ran in to the finish as 4th lady. Talk about highs and lows of running!

I’m not a fast runner, I’d probably describe myself as a pretty average club runner. There’s plenty of people who have run further and certainly faster! I’m not sure how much this will help others, but just wanted to share some observations from this year’s experiences:

1. Don’t beat yourself up about a DNF

Everyone has a bad run. In all likelihood anyone running for long enough will experience a DNF. Especially in ultras! You’re not the first to do so and definitely won’t be the last. Even the elites DNF now and again. There’s no shame in a DNF.

2. You are more than the sum of your runs

Having two DNFs after 13 years of successful running made me question my self-worth like nothing ever before. How had I come to tie my confidence up so closely with my long-distance running? I hadn’t even realised I had until I DNF’d. A valuable life lesson.

3. Take the positives – and get some perspective!

Okay so you didn’t finish for whatever reason. But you were brave enough to put the hours of training in and step up to the start line. More than most. You managed to run ‘x’ number of miles into the race. Again, more than most could hope for. Looking back I knew I’d done the best I could on the day in both DNF races. Once I’d calmed down and stopped crying I realised this. I’d managed to get over three mountain passes with food poisoning. Ran as far as I could in the Canalathon. Never again will I bemoan ‘only’ being able to run 50 miles before DNF’ing!

4. Don’t be afraid to ‘get back on the horse’

After a disappointment like a DNF it would be quite understandable to decide never to take the plunge again. Only you can decide what’s best for you. You know your own body and mind. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Take some time out. Don’t rush. But don’t be afraid to try again.

5. Keep a lookout for ferns!

Happy running!

Jill x

© Outdoor Fitness

Damian, your friends say you’re “annoyingly cheerful”. How would you describe yourself?

Occasionally cheerful, always annoying? I’ve no idea. You’d have to ask other people. Oh wait, you did. Annoyingly cheerful it is then. Although, meet me 87 miles into a 100-miler and you’ll likely see a less cheerful side.

When are you at your most miserable?

87 miles into 100 milers. Especially if I’ve run out of trail mix.

In 3 words, describe your #SouthWestCoastPath FKT.

A. Looong. Run.

How cathartic were your ‘power sobs’?

They worked amazingly well. I felt emotionally refuelled after them and then usually had my best spell of running. They would only be five or 10 seconds at most, a mixture of chronic tiredness (I was averaging three hours’ sleep a night), anguish and guilt at being away from my children for so long. A quick dose of sweaty eyes and everything would feel okay again. I recommend a daily power sob to everyone. Read more at The Guardian.

You’ve said you were constantly rewarded by the generosity of strangers. Can you share a story related to this?

That was mostly down to the amazing Tom Jones (not that one). He was our crew man extraordinaire and I couldn’t have set an FKT on the South West Coast Path without him. He was so dedicated and forgiving of my lack of gratitude at the time. Anyway, he’s one of those people who just gets to know people, he likes talking to strangers. Often he’d be waiting for me up ahead somewhere and would get chatting and they’d learn what I was up to – and that I was fundraising too. When I turned up they would often put cash into my hand, or refuse to let me pay for hot food or a ferry ride. It was moving stuff and helped motivate me.

What’s next for @Damo_Hall then?

The Trail Running World Championships for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team in Portugal in October. Then some time off, before probably another FKT next year and some more exciting challenges and ultra-distance races – TBC, but at the moment UTMB is still very much on my mind.

Why are you happiest running in ‘lumpy places’?

I’m just not so excited by flat races. I like lumpy stuff. I like going up things. Then down the other side. There’s just something about wanting to get to, and then getting to, the horizon, isn’t there?

© Summit Fever Media/Contours Trail Running Holidays

What does running give you?

Huge endorphin highs. Work. Adventure. The chance to eat a lot of cake. Fulfilment. Emotions. Chafing in the bathing suit area.

From your 1^st marathon in 2012 to elite Ultra runner 2016. Did you ever dream of coming so far in such a short time?

I still think people have got me confused with someone else when I see my name in the same sentence as the word “elite”. I don’t know where the line between elite and non-elite is drawn. I’ve never won an ultramarathon, but it’s flattering if people see me that way. I still feel like a newbie trying to suss this whole fascinating thing out. But the short answer is no, not at all. And I still don’t think I am one.

© Summit Fever Media/Contours Trail Running Holidays

Run slow to get running fast. How and why is this?

GB international ultra runner Marcus Scotney coached me for a spell and he believes in training with a heart rate monitor. Simply put, according to the principles of periodisation, your training should start with a block of running in Levels 1 and 2 only, slowly building fitness without destroying it by running too fast. You add strength and speed later, but that period of slow running is key. It really worked for me in 2015.

How do you find running through the night?

I love it. Less so, perhaps, five days into the Spine Race when you’re so tired you just sit down in the middle of the road to try and sleep but can’t because it’s too cold and then you start hallucinating that someone’s setting off Chinese lanterns to guide you the right way and you follow them but really they don’t exist and now you’re in the middle of a huge bog and deeply topographically befuddled and you might end up crying again. But usually, especially at UTMB when the stars are out and you’re in these huge mountains, it can be unspeakably wonderful.

© Summit Fever Media

How does walking benefit your running?

My current coach Ian Sharman is big on this. I guess above all it’s building strength, if done on hilly terrain, something that again has really helped me. But also in most 100 milers, especially UTMB with 10,000m of climb, there will be a lot of hiking and that needs to be efficient.

Why is the horror and torture of ultra running so rewarding?

It’s like Fight Club. Running stupid distances (rather than punching each other) makes us feel alive, when for much of the time our lives are very safe, predictable and unchallenging.

You seem to have adopted a more thoughtful approach to your 2016 Ultras. What did you change and why?

I raced less, trained more specifically and did more strength work. I had raced too much and with perhaps too much variety in 2015 – great fun though. I changed things because I wanted to improve.

Your favourite running foods?

Salty nuts. 33Shake gels and shakes. Shot Bloks. Fruit and salty noodle soup. Cake.

Nice! And your favourite running fluids?

Tea. I ruddy love tea. Chocolate milk. Smoothies. I loathe cola normally, but it can be good in ultras. Liquid calories are a great way to stay fuelled towards the end of longer races where eating sold stuff is unappealing.

© James MacKeddie/Inov-8

What is your favourite trail running memory?

Gah. So many. But it has to be finishing this year’s UTMB with my two kids – they had said they didn’t want to join me, but had changed their minds when I got back to Chamonix. It was well brill.

What have you learned from supposed ‘failures’?

I’ve been pretty lucky so far and would only really count one race as a failure, Lakeland 50 in 2014. That taught me not to undertrain, not to try and keep up with Kim Collison, to respect the heat and to steer clear of unmarked courses (unless they’re bona fide mountain marathons).

Your book “A Year On The Run” – any teasers for us?

Thanks for the plug. It’s an alternative history of human endurance, with some wonderful leftfield illustrations (not by me, by a proper artist dood). It includes legends like Emil Zátopek, Kilian Jornet, Yiannis Kouros, Lizzy Hawker, pedestrians, polar explorers and madcap folk who ran around the world. But also anecdotes about chronic misfortune, poison, big fibs, pre-race beer drinking and people who happily call themselves the Wily Wobbler. I love all that sort of stuff.

What motivates you?

Jeez. Isn’t it meant to be nice easy questions at the end, you rapscallion? I’d love to say, inspiring my children. But if I wasn’t a parent I’d be running anyway, so that’s only half true. Hmmm. I don’t really know. It’s work for me. And it’s not entirely without ego, either. Plus I have a lot of running shoes and don’t want to see them go to waste.

You achieved a fantastic 19^th at UTMB. What plans for 2017?

So far it’s likely to be Marathon des Sables, a race about which I once said on Telegraph.co.uk is “incredibly expensive, more-famous-than-it-deserves-to-be, not all that demanding comparatively”. So I may well be eating some humble pie there. And probably UTMB again. I think I can do better. Though it might hurt more.

Haha, excellent! Well enjoy it Damian  

Damian is an ambassador for Contours Trail Running Holidays and for Inov-8 – the all-terrain running brand.

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