Montane Lakeland 100 Preview and a bit about Trailblaze

Hi,

Just a quick mention regarding this weekend's Lakeland 100 Ultra Trail race, probably the premier ultra trail race in the UK.  Although I am not running in it this year, (as my 100 mile ultra trail race for 2011 is the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc at the end of August), I am going up to the Lake District to watch.  Having raced against a few of this year's entrants I am taking a keen interest in how they get on.

Looking at the start list for the Lakeland 100 it looks like it will be a pretty competitive and exciting race.   Although it is likely that there will be a few runners near the front that I do not know, I suspect that the top finishing places are likely to filled by the following runners:

Terry Conway - 4th= last year. Terry has improved loads since last year.  He demonstrated this with a pretty strong run in the Highland Fling, which would have been heaps higher up if he didn't have severe cramp problems, so we can expect a strong performance from him.

Simon Deakin - A bit of a dark horse especially for a 100 mile event, but he could shock a few up near the front, if he can handle the increase in miles up to 100!  Not totally sure of his ultra trail achievements, but he ran a good 2nd place finish in last year's extremely demanding Hardmoors 55.

Duncan Harris - 3rd last year.  Duncan finished last year's race with the fastest leg 15 time.  Maybe he should read my blog and adopt the "Run as fast as you can, while you can" strategy, rather than keeping running fast until the very last leg, when it is a bit too late!  In addition he finished last year with amazing form, winning a few races, and started this year with a win in the 32 mile Wuthering Hike race back in March before I believe getting injured.  If he his back to full fitness, keep an eye out for him.

Andy Mouncey - 2nd last year.  Andy last year was unfortunate in that he suffered a pretty severe injury around two weeks before last year's race, that although I believe it didn't affect him too much during the actual race, the lack of final preparation leading into the race wasn't ideal.  So he is as determined as ever to 'nail a big one' this weekend.  Whether he can improve from 2nd last year we will have to wait and see.  I would consider this year's field to be substantially stronger than last year, however, a full-on performance with un-interrupted preparation could put him right up near the front, especially during the initial stages as  he appears to have similar views to myself of adopting a strong, fast start!

Barry Murray - A bit of a new comer to the ultra trail scene, but having run 28 miles with him during last month's recce weekend, he has the potential to give the front guys a hurry up.  He was a bit 'overcooked' due to being too keen with his training and racing preparation, at the IAU World Champs earlier in the month over in Ireland. So his performance there probably wasn't a reflection of what he can achieve.  If he has adopted a 10 day recovery, followed by a 10 day taper during the last three weeks since Connemara, (as suggested to him by yours truly), he should be all set for a good run.

Adam Perry - DNF last year.  Adam is the youngster in the group, although he has quite a bit of experience in ultra trail running.  Winner of a number of ultra trail races last year, over shorter distances though, the question is, can he handle 100 miles.  Last year he started strong and was in 2nd= place for the first 4 legs, but then the 'wheels fell off'' and he had to DNF.  If he has sorted out his preparation to handle 100 miles then he should show the oldies a thing or two!

Paul Tierney - A name probably not familiar to many of you, that is because he has only raced in Ireland.  He classifies himself as a "middle of the pack runner", but his performance representing Ireland at the IAU Worlds earlier this month was very impressive.  A bit of a youngster like Adam, but learning loads from each race, and from reading my blog!, so you should be able to expect another equally impressive performance from him this weekend.

So the above seven runners, if all run to plan should full up seven of the top ten places, leaving three places for runners I haven't met.  In which order will they finish though?  I have my views on the finishing order but I think I will keep these to myself so I don't put added pressure on any of these seven.  These seven runners are probably already less than impressed with me for 'blowing their cover' in terms of just potentially how good they can run, and are now no longer able to surprise the field with being an unknown!  All adds to the excitement of the race!

With regards to the women's field, I apologise but I am not so familiar with the key leading women runners.  However, since I have put pressure on some men runners, to be fair I will single out one women runner who I have met at a number of races and seen just how good she is.  Yes, keep your eye out for Sue Sleath.  She ran really well in last year's Lakeland 50 to finish in 2nd place.  I don't know if she has raced 100 miles before, but based on her 50 mile performance last year, and strong performances in multiple ultra trail runs and marathons over the last few years, I think she could surprise a few of the women runners, well that was before I named her here!

Looking at the Lakeland 50 men's race, the two names that stand out are Craig Stewart and Andrew James.  Andrew won last year's Lakeland 50 in a record time and was in awesome shape earlier this year.  Unfortunately he picked up an injury which resulted in a DNF at the IAU Worlds.  I haven't heard whether this is now fully recovered, but if he is on the start line then, expect another strong run from him.  Craig ran a very impressive 100km on the roads back in March at the Celtic Plate up in Perth, recording a 7:01 winning time.  Whether he can transfer this form onto the trails is however uncertain, although I have a feeling that he is due a good performance, so he won't be too far away for the front, especially if it is dry underfoot.

Overall I am really looking forward to this weekend.  I wish I was running it as well, but with UTMB only four weeks later it wasn't really possible.  However, I have already put the race down as my focus race for 2012, and will be the first to enter once the entries open later in the year!

Time to sign off with a relevant quote which I feel will be largely related to the finishing place order this weekend:

"The way we perform is the result of the way we see ourselves.  To alter our performance we need to alter or change ourselves and it is that changing that's difficult".  Gary Elliott (1983), coach to the great New Zealand women marathon runner, Alison Roe.  Hence the need for the TOTAL preparation that I keep on going on about!

To all of you out there running either the Lakeland 100 or Lakeland 50 this weekend, I wish you all the best. Enjoy the experience!


Stuart

PS  Those of you who listened to my radio interview regarding the Trailblaze scheme last month, (the Radio 4 broadcast of Open Country is available as a podcast here),  may be interested to know that there was another feature on BBC South East Today programme yesterday regarding the Trailblaze scheme, and yes, again I was interviewed.  You should be able to view the two minute clip by clicking the following link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-14297982 If you don't know much about the Trailblaze running scheme, go check it out on their website: http://www.trail-blaze.com/ There is also an opposing Trailblaze website that provides the arguments against the scheme click this link: http://www.trail-blaze.co.uk/#update  to see the latest updates on the controversy.

This Saturday - BBC4 Trailblaze and IAU World Trail Challenge

Hi Again

Wow!  This Saturday is a 'double header'! 

At 6:07am on radio BBC4 there is a 23 minute programme titled "Trailblaze on the South Downs", part of the weekly Open Country series.  Back in April I had a post about the new Trailblaze concept that involves running along some of the National Trails, including the South Downs, with an electronic 'dibber' to see "How far can you go?".  During my Trailblaze run in April, starting at Eastbourne, I only managed to reach the 40km mark at Housedean Farm.  Such is the appeal of the Trailblaze concept, there was the desire to run further.  So around 2 weeks ago, starting early in the morning at 5:24am, I managed this time to reach the 56km mark at Devils Dyke.  You can view my results on the Trailblaze website by clicking http://www.trail-blaze.com/race.asp?race=7You can also see the GPS trace on GarminConnect, where the elevation profile shows that it wasn't really a flat run!

Back to the headline news, yes this Saturday BBC4 are doing a feature on the apparent controversy surrounding the new scheme!  Yes, believe it or not, but there is quite a vocal group campaigning against the Trailblaze scheme, who are fighting for the small white dibber boxers, located along the trails to be removed.  They have even set up an opposition website using a nearly identical website address.  Click http://www.trail-blaze.co.uk/ to see the opposition website!

So BBC4 decided to investigate the controversy, and in order to get a balance of opinion regarding the scheme, they needed a runner.  Hence where I stepped in!  Yes, I was the example runner, totally in favour of the scheme, with the strong belief that anything that encourages more people to get out into the countryside to appreciate the amazing outdoors which Britain is privileged to posses, must be a worthwhile project.  So that is what I told the BBC4 reporter Helen a few weeks back, as she attempted to run the start of the South Downs Way, unfortunately for her up the steep climb to the top of Beachy Head.  As you would expect trying to interview me whilst jogging beside me proved a wee bit difficult, so we soon stopped, turned around, and enjoyed the awesome view overlooking Eastbourne as she continued the interview.  I can't remember exactly what we chatted about, but after standing and then walking a bit more along the South Downs Way, she took the easy option, climbed into her car, to leave me to run the short (but to her, the rather long) 4 miles along the trail, to Birling Gap, where we continued discussing the merits of the Trailblaze scheme.

So to get the full picture surrounding the Trailblaze scheme, and apparent controversy, make sure you tune in, this Saturday, radio BBC4, at 6:07am!

Will I be tuning in to listen?  No, definitely not!  As at around that exact time, I will be doing my final preparations for my first International race running for Great Britain.  The 44 mile IAU World Trail Challenge, taking place in Connemara, Ireland, which starts at 7:00am.  My preparation has gone well.  The last two weeks has been all about the TOTAL preparation necessary to perform with success during Ultra Trail races, as I talked about during my recent presentation as part of the Lakeland  100/50 recce weekend.  So I have been looking at my own presentation slides, and ensuring that my preparation is TOTAL, and that I haven't missed any key aspects.

So as I look forward to being on the start line, alongside 83 other male runners from 20 countries, I am really excited about running against some of the best ultra trail runners in the World.  I don't think that you will be able to follow the race live, however, if I can get internet access in Ireland I will put a quick update on how the race went on my UltraStu blog on the Saturday.  Otherwise, hopefully the official race website will publish the results soon after the race is complete.

Last month when I announced my selection in the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team, I mentioned that there would be a post regarding the long journey from joining Hutt Valley Harriers in 1977 as a 14 year old, to gaining international selection as an Ultra Trail runner as a 48 year old!  Many apologies, but the story of my journey will have to be now even longer, to include the 44 mile journey around Connemara!  Hopefully within the next week or so I will have time to share my experiences with you, especially including the next few days in Ireland, which should be Ultra special!

Time to sign off with some current thoughts:  "Too often it is easy to accept that one's ability is lacking, and to be comfortable with what 'cards one has been dealt'.  However, 'the hand you end up with' is totally within one's own control, and is largely determined by the ability to question, to reflect, but most of all to persevere and to look deeply within at oneself, to develop the confidence, to possess the self belief, that more can be achieved, to extend oneself beyond the norm!"

May you all develop the confidence, and possess the self belief, to excel!

Stuart

Trailblaze - South Downs Way - The Enjoyment and Satisfaction from Running

Hi

Two weeks ago I mentioned how I ran 25 kilometres with Andy McMenemy as part of his Challenge66.  Well he is still progressing his way through his target of 66 ultra runs, although his blog reports that he is really struggling with injuries, so he is now having to walk the 50kms each day.  Hopefully his injuries will improve to enable him to continue with this demanding challenge.

When I joined him at Hove Park, although it was an enjoyable and interesting experience, running multiple laps around a one mile tarmacked circuit was probably the least likely choice of a run route that I would choose!  Tonight's post is about nearly the exact opposite; running a point to point route, along one of England's classic long distance trails.

This Friday, Good Friday 22nd April, sees the launch of a new concept known as Trailblaze.  Trailblaze involves signing up on the Trailblaze website (and paying a fee - £70 for a one year membership) and then running along one of the nine trails which have had installed permanent orienteering control boxes that record your run time, using the dibber that Endurancelife (the people behind the project) send you in the post.  Upon completing your run, (no matter how far you get along the trail, as there are typically around ten checkpoints along each trail), you send the dibber back, and then your run times go live up on the website.

When I first heard of the concept, I thought it was an excellent idea.  So I contacted Endurancelife and they sent me a dibber earlier this month to allow me to 'test out' the South Downs Way trail, prior to the official launch this Friday.  Some of you may be thinking, why pay £70 when you can run along the trail any time you want, totally free!  Yes, this is true; however, you could probably say the same about races. Why pay an entry fee to run a race.  It is because, as with running a race, running a Trailblaze adds that something extra to make your run that little bit more enjoyable.  The day after I ran my Trailblaze run along 40 kilometres of the South Downs Way I wrote a brief report which I have pasted below, which I think illustrates the 'added extra' that the Trailblaze concept generates.

Yesterday morning, on a warm summer's day, even though it was only April, just before 7am I dibbed my dibber at the finger post in Eastbourne at the start of the South Downs Way and started running along the Trailblaze trail. My initial intention was to run to the Devils’ Dyke checkpoint at 56km, however, although I was only cruising along at training pace, by the time I had reached checkpoint 4, Southease, at 29km, I was feeling a little tired. With it being only a little over three weeks to the Highland Fling 53 mile race, one of my priority races of the year, I decided that a 40+ mile run today (Running to Devils Dyke then along to Brighton train station) wasn’t really the best preparation, so I decided at that point to just run to the next checkpoint, CP5 at Housedean Farm at 40km, (and then run around 3 miles to Lewes train station, to get me back to Eastbourne).

Although I have run along this portion of the South Downs Way a number of times, the use of a dibber to check in at each of the checkpoints added that ‘little bit extra’ to the run. Finding the control, (which wasn’t at all hard due to having clear details of their location), and dibbing my dibber and hearing the beep as my dibber is recorded, to my surprise gave me a sense of increased satisfaction. Just as the Trailblaze slogan reads, “How far can you go?” There was the feeling of “right, now lets get to the next checkpoint”. Not in a race sense though, where at times you may be working so hard that you can miss the amazing scenery around you, but in an accomplishing/achieving sense. Although you are aware that your run times are being recorded, the quickness of the times isn’t the priority. That is for later, to compare with friends and others. No, the joy of the Trailblaze run is, being in the present moment, experiencing the amazing surroundings as you run along one of England’s scenic and challenging long distance walk ways. But with the added bonus, as I found, experiencing an increased sense of achievement, not just when I completed my run, but also as I discovered, an added boost of satisfaction as I dibbed the dibber at each checkpoint as I finished each section of the trail. As I mentioned above, my pace wasn’t very quick, however, I am already looking forward to seeing my times listed on the website, and already I can feel the need to run the Trailblaze trail again, to both go that bit further, (well there are actually quite a few more bits before reaching Winchester!), and to perhaps run that little bit faster.

So in comparison to running multiple laps around Hove Park for Challenge66, the Trailbaze run was definitely more me!  One of the benefits of Trailblaze is that I wouldn’t typically run along lengthy sections of the South Downs Way as part of my training, but with the added incentives of the checkpoints, I am probably now more likely to. With the South Downs Way being such an amazing trail, increasing the frequency of my runs along this challenging and scenic path I'm sure is going to add to the enjoyment I get from my running.  But an added bonus of having a Trailblaze annual membership, is that when I am away around the country, and if I am near a Trailblaze trail, then I am probably more likely to do a lengthy run along some of the other Long Distance Footpaths.  Whereas before, I typically had the sense of needing to run the full trail, (still the overall aim).  With there being checkpoints along the route, running less than the full trail distance is now recorded on the website, which I think will encourage me to run part of the trail even if I don't have the time to run the whole way.

Here is a shot of me dibbing my dibber at the start of the South Downs Way. (Actually a 'posed' photo taken on a different day, as I ran the Trailblaze run on my own and at 7am in the morning there was no one about to take a photo!)  My Trailblaze times will be live on the Trailblaze website for the South Downs Way Trail following the official launch this Friday.

Time to sign off with a thought; "Running is much more than the racing, the performance.  Solitary runs, being within the moment, running peacefully and freely over the trails, amongst the surrounding landscape, is a different dimension, that equally provides great levels of enjoyment, satisfaction."  Stuart Mills, 2011.

May your running be enjoyable and satisfying,

Stuart

PS  Unfortunately I didn't get to hear Bruce Fordyce talk last week although I have just discovered that he was interviewed on Marathon Talk recently, so I will have to download the interview to my ipod.