Ultra Runners Chatty Thread

[RelentlessForwardProgress]

If you regularly run ultra, are planning your first or are kinda secretly mulling over the idea of doing one welcome to the party.

@WithCatLikeTread - that’s what I really disliked and found so tough. I realised a lot about why and how I run on Sunday. I’m used to tuning out / mulling things over/ listening to a good audio book or podcast whilst running along trails. Complete opposite! However useful for learning about myself (repeatedly for 5 hours 😂)

Can I join the group please? 👋🏻

@ultra88 well only if you don't have 10 toenails. Thems the roolz

Welcome @ultra88
Have you got any races coming up?

Laughing about the toenails I've got all mine at the moment, but I'm not as much of a trail runner as most on this thread I think

Welcome @ultra88! I have all my toenails but one of them is black, I hope that's ok!

I've got all mine but I have to keep them constantly painted a discreet mocha brown to disguise the ingrained dirt down the sides of my big toenails that I can't get out however much I scrub or gouge

welcome @ultra88
What kind of running do you like to do?

I'm currently at 9 toenails, (two of those are being held on largely by nail polish). That's actually fairly good for me.....I bought the book 'fixing your feet' which is recommended in Relentless Forward Progress, and he says in that if you put a finger on the top of your toe and you can feel the tip of your nail, they aren't short enough, so cut them down more, and that is starting to make a big difference.

Is it a road race marathon you've got coming up @WithCatLikeTread or trail?

I'm still feeling like death warmed up, my breathing isn't any better. So I thought sod it, and joined Cross Fit. My DH was literally speechless when I got home. I figure it will be kill or cure

I've just had a debrief session with my coach and decided on my main races for next season now so quite pleased to have a plan in place- I winged it slightly last year and entered stuff at random without really thinking about the distance and where they would fit in my training plan for my main goals.
I've now got LL100, plus another couple of ultras booked in March and July
What has everyone else got planned or is nobody else as obsessive as me??

Wowsers @Giraffeski...the lakeland 100 is a SERIOUS race. I'm in awe.

I've got Endure24 booked in for July (i've unfinished business there due to the storm this year) and I'm going to do Autumn 100 in October as my Western qualifier. I'll do a few local things too but don't know yet which ones. I really wanted to do the Thames Path but I didn't book it in time, so I'll be booking that on the day it opens next May for the year after,

I've entered the ballot for London, obvs practically no chance of getting in! I LOVED the reverse marathoners, I'm very tempted

You never know re London- someone has to get in!
Much like having a baby, after swearing I would never do another road marathon, the endorphins have crept in now and the lure of a Good For Age place is calling as I was well within the time so....
I'll enter a few local things too, I like entering the shorter FRA races nearer the time.

@RelentlessForwardProgress

welcome *@ultra88* What kind of running do you like to do?

I'm currently at 9 toenails, (two of those are being held on largely by nail polish). That's actually fairly good for me.....I bought the book 'fixing your feet' which is recommended in Relentless Forward Progress, and he says in that if you put a finger on the top of your toe and you can feel the tip of your nail, they aren't short enough, so cut them down more, and that is starting to make a big difference.

Is it a road race marathon you've got coming up @WithCatLikeTread or trail?

I'm still feeling like death warmed up, my breathing isn't any better. So I thought sod it, and joined Cross Fit. My DH was literally speechless when I got home. I figure it will be kill or cure

Neither in a way. A wooden pier.

Not sure it’s a good idea, and the weather may kibosh it anyway.

11 loops. Lots of friends doing it so hoping seeing them go past the other way will help!

Awww that sounds like a lot of fun @WithCatLikeTread, I hope the weather holds off

Oh yes a wooden pier sounds great if it's dry but not in the wet

How long is this wooden pier? I am intrigued!

I have done two recovery runs so far, one was on Tuesday and was a 7 mile club run off road with about 800 ft of ascent in which we got lost, stuck in a load of brambles, had to cross four barbed wire fences and was generally shit due to driving winds and and rain/ storm conditions so was not really the best 'recovery' run.

The second was a proper recovery run and was a nice steady 3 miles on a lovely flat trail yesterday in the sunshine.

Legs are feeling a lot better now and although I need to writhe around on the dreaded foam roller again as my quads are still tight as f**k, I can see some light at the end of the tunnel! British fell relays a week on Saturday so got to recover properly!

@RelentlessForwardProgress the LL100 will be my hardest race yet.

I'm actually less worried about completing it as much as the marital strife it may cause through the training I will have to do to get a good time, as I am competitive to a fault and not normally content to just go out there for a good day out, so will be out for the fastest time I'm capable of. DH gets quite upset about my long runs although I think I've somehow persuaded him that 15 miles is a short run now

Wooden pier! That does sound slippery!
I haven’t done any recovery runs yet-just a few walks with the dog. Legs pretty much back to normal.

Relentless-Thames path remains the hardest thing I’ve done-did it as a Walker before I got into running so far. So flat and so much time on feet! Ugh.
I’m considering Lakeland50 but same as above need to consider whether my marriage would survive the training needed!

How’s everyone?

I’m ignoring the bursitis in my heel and just running anyway, it’s not as bad as it was and running doesn’t seem to make it any worse.

Anyone running an event this weekend?
I’m not but will probably go up to the end of Chelmsford marathon to cheer friends on.
I’ve done it twice and it’s a good one, got my pb there.

Then a week to go until my pier marathon, feeling slightly better about it as I’ve managed 12 and 8 miles so far this week with no ill effects.

Hope your heel behaves itself! I am off to Speyside for the Dramathon tomorrow, heading up tonight and hope for an ok sleep. Weather looks like 4 degrees at the start, warming up to a tropical 9, mostly dry

I am minus two toenails but to be fair one has been missing for years. I think it gave up the ghost. I have a race tomorrow and just waiting to check in my kit for the Gower Ultra tomorrow. Really haven't done enough training but have planned something nice to eat at every checkpoint so I have something to look forward to.
Everyone sounds super fit on this thread. . I feel like a fraud 😀

Good luck for the races emummy and ultra88, let us know how they go!
Withcat I hope your heel continues to hold out.
Not much planned for me this weekend, I'll probably do a longer run on Sunday while both DCs are at a birthday party as part of my "reverse tapering".
There's a half here next weekend but I might sit it out and concentrate on the one in November. It's one that starts and finishes in different places and I think DH might actually kill me if I make him drive me to the middle of nowhere early on a Sunday

I will do parkrun tomorrow then ten miles on Sunday. I have done my 20 miler in preparation for my off-road Marathon in early November.

I am not fast. I just love being out moving.

I'm on my way to the British fell relays as we speak! Anyone else going to be there?
Good luck @emummy and @ultra88 !

Good luck all! Currently eating breakfast in the car park at Glenfiddich distillery.

Good luck at the Dramathon @emummy,

Good luck at the Gower Ultra @ultra88

Good luck in the fell relay @giraffeski

I hope you all have a great time, let us know how you get on after!

Survived! Slow & steady, beautiful hilly route, really well organised event. And an excellent goody bag…

Well done!!
Wow that looks like a good selection. Nice t shirt too!