I’ll be honest, this plan was a challenge for me. But I do like a challenge and I’m really happy with what I’ve created. What else do I love? Numbers. I use them as often as possible. Hence why training points became a thing. They just tell the facts in a simple way.

So this plan averages 160 points per week. When you first came to me, you’d been averaging 183 pts per week but that was off the back of some pretty hefty mileage and I’m not sure long term it would have been sustainable.

The last plan just gone? 132pts per week in the end. But the target initially was 150. So we are only creeping up a little bit, hence why if this goes well you should see further progress.

Getting the miles in is key, hence why I’ve dropped you to 1 speed session per week, but they will be demanding and plenty of hill work in there too. There are 3 races though before the back yard ultra. You’ve got the Winter 5K and I was able to keep in December and January’s XC races, the others just didn’t fit.

Before Longbridge we’ve got a practice run of at least 8 yards and doing it through the night would be ideal. I’ve put a couple of night time 2 hour runs in there, to be honest I say night time, so long as you’re running in the dark that’s the main thing and ideally on the trails. If I’m fit come the 2nd one of those, drop me a message and I might join you for a late evening one, say 6 or 7pm on a Saturday.

There’s a couple of back to back, but nothing major, and we’ve got 2 x 3 hours and a 4 hour run in there. Just leisurely time on the trails really. No need to push the pace, just enjoy being out in nature.

I’ve scheduled in the Chichester to Rye run and the SDW 50. In terms of strength work, I’ve done 1 per week. I think the strength you’ll get from a lot of the hills, and slower miles will benefit you.

I’ve also put some spin in there. I’ve just started using the gym and did 45 minutes on the bike, solo I should add but I’ve created a session which kind of just flushes out the legs and I think you’ll enjoy it. A good way to get the heart rate going a bit and the sweat pouring off, without that constant impact on the legs.

As always its super flexible and the plan at first assumes every week you’ll be feeling the same in terms of strength and motivation. When clearly that won’t be the case for any of us. So use that Training Readiness feedback and we can increase on the weeks you feel good and ease back on those weeks that prove tough.

But I’m happy. There are still only 4.09 runs per week on average, and never more than 5 in the same week, so it adopts the same approach which has worked well on so many of my marathon and ultra plans to date.

Now time just to go out and execute.