Training Plans & Runs | Fox Ultra | Online Running Coach

Just enjoy this one. Anywhere around 60 mins for 10k pace seems right to be and will mean you can save some energy for the latter stages. Be sure to hydrate and keep fuelling, happy to discuss in more details if need be.

Coach Simon

FEEDBACK

9 ENJOYMENT

9 RPE

PACE

This was hard. The backs of my legs, hamstrings and calves were stiff throughout. I didn’t hurry at all but still got tired after the early hills. The hills, particularly BlackHeath after only five miles, were the prettiest bits. Good support throughout, some lovely cheering from teenage girl army cadets. A really well organised event and the signage was great throughout I only went wrong once and that’s because the bridge over the weir was so pretty that I didn’t look look for the red ribbons and flags. There were many places where I walked, up even the slightest hill in the second half. It felt better even in a shuffling run because walking was just too slow. I did pick it up in the last few miles to try and get under eight hours but I ended up running 39.5 so finished about six minutes over. Really enjoyable and satisfying. I’ll do a couple more but probably not much more in distance. Probably somewhere with great scenery. I’ve seen people running the Exmoor ultra, which is so beautiful but I know that countryside so well that I’d probably want to walk. One thing that does make me think is that I was in quite a bad headspace most of the way round and was having arguments with imaginary people all the way. I knew it was dumb and a waste of time and energy but I still did it. In a marathon I wouldn’t allow myself such foolish negative thoughts. Need to learn from that and improve. My enjoyment at the time of running obviously is quite different from the satisfaction and enjoyment after finishing. The miles ticked off very slowly in places. At other times they passed in big blocks.

Conal Tracey

I might be wrong, but when I look at you as a runner, I get this sense you are your happiest when you can dial into a pace and just maintain it. Probably why you’ve had so much success in the marathon holding 5:00 kms. I’m similar and enjoy running when I feel like I’m moving well. So perhaps that negative mindset was just a result of the fact you were having to slow down because of the hills and trails. I had a nightmare at the Beachy Head Marathon for that very reason. If that were the case and you do enter future ultras, I think it’s a case of just taking your time. No worrying about pace or the clock. What does it matter if you finish 10-15 minutes quicker? Save that for the road races. But really well done. 62km. Blimey that’s a long way. To run a marathon and then another half on top, with hills, is pretty amazing. So you certainly have to be delighted with this achievement. Another excellent run ticked off in what is turning out to be a very good year. Well done Conal. So much respect for you doing this.