No worries Anna and I really hope the time off makes a big difference. You could do lots of stretching, some walking and perhaps some time on the bike?

I think what this current situation is telling me is the importance of your planning going forward. And which races you enter. That’s become even more apparent for coming off that marathon. Not just the physical demands of a big race, but the mental demands too.

So I think just be careful before entering anything for 2026 and plan wisely. Two big events would be fine. One in the Spring, one in the Autumn, but keeping them as far apart as possible would help, and any additional races (50k warm ups) should be carefully selected too. 5-6 weeks out from the goal race.

When I look back at what you’ve done in the past 6 months it does give some indication as to why the leg is an issue.

SDW 50
Race to Stones 50K
The Amble
South Coast Challenge 100K
Maverick (Upcoming)

That’s probably 1, maybe even 2 races more than we’d like. I know things might change in a few years time with the menopause but if you plan well, there’s no reason you can’t be running Ultras for the next 15 years. 2-3 a year, that’s another 30-45 ultras. Hence why I think the planning is so important.

One top coach I started following recently only lets his marathon runners do one a year. He says two is too much and puts too much demand on the body. As he’s ,”self proclaimed” it has to be said, one of the top coaches around, apparently. After my experience at the weekend I’m going to stick to one marathon a year going forward.

Anyhow, best of luck with the running/rest and reach out about the Maverick if you want to discuss race tactics again. Then if you want a discussion about planning 2026, I’d love to chat about that too.