The MudCrew South West Coastal Traverse

At 44 miles, my longest race so far (and I’m not sure that I need to go any longer).  The race started at Lizard Point and followed the Cornish Coast line all the way along to Lands End.  I had signed up to this in the middle of lockdown when all my races had been …

Learning to Run with Poles

If you start running hilly Ultras or mountain races, you will probably come across runners with poles, but do you need them and how do you learn to use them? My introduction to running with poles was to borrow a pair to use in a 64k mountain race.  Probably not the best way to learn, …

Should I Walk in a Running Race?

Many people think that walking during a running race is wimping out, but there are times when it is the best race strategy and you do see elite mountain runners using walking on long, steep climbs. Some of the elites use a 1-2 minute walk, 1-2 minute run approach when ascending long climbs.  There are …

First Ultra Race Training Checklist

If you are preparing for a first Ultra race there are some vital sessions to add to plenty of running, to ensure a successful finish.  In fact these could be even more important than running a long way in training.  Your ultra pace will be very easy and relaxed.  What is most likely to prevent …

ChaChaCha and training for mountain races without mountains

I have just returned from successfully completing the epic 64k ChaChaCha Ultra race in the Swiss Alps: http://chachacharun.com As I had never run this far before, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to complete it. I also have the added problem of not living anywhere near a mountain! I have run some shorter …

Best Running Films to keep you inspired

I’ve been watching a lot of films and movies recently and these are my top picks. They cover a range of different running, including one non-running movie, but they all inspired me, or made me happy, or both. Kungsleden with Emelie Forsberg*: My number one favourite running film.  Emelie just has so much joy for …

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