The Challenges of TOTAL Training - Application in Relation to the Hoka Highland Fling Race

Hi

Usually I start my race report not really knowing where the report will lead, however, tonight, having already given some time reflecting on Saturday's race I already have a feeling of what I have learnt, and what message I wish to share.

The Hoka Highland Fling covers the first 53 miles of the West Highland Way.  This year was the third time I had raced this excellent event, having finished 10th in 2009 after running significantly off route (yes, I know difficult to do as the entire path is clearly signposted!), and finishing 6th in 2011.  Apart from the Fling consisting of a fantastic scenic course and the race being extremely well organised, the other main reason that I enjoy the event is that due to the race being the UK Ultra Trail Championships and a UK Athletics selection race for the IAU World Trail Championships, it draws a really strong field, arguably the most competitive ultra trail race of the year within the UK.

In preparation for the race, I had been carrying out TOTAL Training.  What I mean by TOTAL Training is preparing both physically and non-physically.  This need to prepare non-physically relates to understanding what causes fatigue and what influences performance in ultra trail racing.  With it being a lot more than just ones physiology and their physical training.

One of the first things I consider when developing my training schedule is to answer the following three questions in relation to the key race:

What do I want?
Why do I want it?
How much do I want it?

Asking yourself these three questions, and providing yourself with the three answers, which are a result of detailed self analysis and reflection, is essential in order to maximise ones performance.  Although I don't want to dwell too much on the distant past, reflecting on past performances is important in terms of learning and developing as an athlete, and as a person.  So tonight's race report will include comparisons with 2011.

Back in 2011, although it was selection race for the GB Team, with a team of up to five runners being selected, in response to the three important questions, my aims for the race weren't about finishing in the top five.  No back in April 2011, having run well during 2010, with some good race wins; Hardmoors 55, Lakeland 100, South Downs Way Marathon, Beachy Head Marathon, and some high placings to top quality opposition; 3rd Marlborough Challenge (33 miles) to Allen Smalls and Paul Fernandez, 3rd Pumlumon Challenge (26 miles) to Jon Morgan and Ben Abdelnoor, and 4th High Peak (40 mile) to Duncan Harris, Brian Cole, and Ian Bishop, I felt that I was one of the best ultra trail runners within the country.  But what was more important was that I didn't just think that possibly I was one of the best, I believed that come race day, if all went well, then I could get close to the best in the UK, who at the time was recent 2010 UTMB winner Jez Bragg.  And looking at my 2010 results there was some evidence to support my belief.  So it wasn't just wanting, wishing, hoping that I could perform at the very front of the race, there was deep down belief!  There was the expectation that, if all went well, it would happen!

I am highlighting here the need to have a race goal, but more importantly a race goal that you believe in, as I feel that getting ones race goal 'right' plays a massive part in determining ones race day performance.  The only problem is, that getting it right isn't easy.  As with many things, it takes loads of time, loads of practise, loads of training, TOTAL Training.

Just before I move on to this year's race, I will just reflect back once more to the 2011 race, as much can be learnt from comparing the 2011 and 2013 experiences.  So leading up to the 2011 Fling, I had the strong belief that I could get close to winning the UK Champs, however, I had just recovered from a fractured shoulder from a skiing accident, so the confidence was lacking.  Although the terms belief and confidence are often interchanged, there is a difference between the two.  To me, belief, is a deeper emotion, something that takes time to change, to evolve.  It is more related to ones inner core, their inner spirit, their 'heart'.  Confidence, is closer to the surface, it can fluctuate more readily.  Both contribute to performance, but it is the belief, which is the more influential of the two traits / qualities.

Race day 2011, I have the belief that I have what is required to win, but I don't have the confidence.  So instead of adopting my usual 'blast out from the gun' tactic, due to the reduced confidence, I simply adopt a strategy of run with the leaders for as long as possible.  I am there to do the utmost to win, not to get fifth, not to simply make the GB team, even though being selecting to represent ones country had always been a 'dream' since seeing Dick Taylor win Commonwealth Games Gold in the 10,000 metres on the track way back in 1974!  No, 2011 was about racing hard, racing to my beliefs, and letting the finish place, the finish time, look after itself!  More specific details on the 2011 Highland Fling race can be found within that year's race report, but now it's time to finally look at what happened last Saturday. (Interestingly having just re-read my 2011 Fling race report, it appears that back then I used the two terms belief and confidence interchangeably, so it does get a bit confusing especially in relation to my defining of the two terms above.)

So leading up to last Saturday's race, my TOTAL Training had been going well.  So I thought!  I have mentioned in previous posts how I have changed quite a bit in terms of my preparation during 2013, including changes to physical training (a large increase in mileage, and changes in intensity) and to nutrition (a periodised carbohydrate availability programme including long runs within a fasted state, and increased carbohydrate fuelling during races).  I also continued with my non-physical training, including answering the three important questions, spending extensive time visualising the race, reviewing the race route, calculating split times for each leg, etc.

My physical training for the year had gone really well.  I had ran more miles than I have ever run, I was the lightest I had been since I was sixteen, and overall I felt physically very fit.  I had raced twice so far during 2013, winning both trail marathons.  Although the winning times weren't  super fast, with the Steyning Stinger Marathon, taking into account going off course a wee bit, my time was around four minutes slower than my quickest time.  What was really positive though, was the manner in which I was able to run strong throughout the entire duration of the race.  I wasn't finding the races so challenging, in terms of struggling to maintain my focus, to maintain my pace to the finish.  So my confidence was high.  I knew I was fit, I was expecting a strong performance come race day at the 'Fling'.

What about my belief though?  Remember, confidence isn't the same as belief.  In answering the three important questions, what was interesting was that this year, I didn't answer "I want to win".  No, whether it was due to my race performances in 2012 being not so great, or whether is was due to two small digits, i.e. the number 50, I don't know.  Most likely a combination of the two.  But I no longer had the belief that I could win the 2013 Highland Fling.  And therefore to avoid disappointment, I decided that all I simply wanted to achieve was to finish within the top five, which in conjunction with my previous race performances, including being the first GB finisher at the most recent IAU World Trail Championships, should then have been sufficient to get selected in the GB team again for this year's world champs, as indicated within the UK Athletics selection criteria.

Why do I want it?  Why do I want to be selected for the GB team?  Well as stated above, to represent ones country at a World Championships had been an ambition, something which many people dream of, but never expect to happen.  Back in 2011 it happened to me.  Not because I expected it to happen, but more of a consequence of my believing that I was good enough to perform at the very front of the 2011 Fling field.  But, come 2013, I had already achieved the 'school boy dream'.  Also, there was in the back of my mind, what if I did get selected in the GB Team, could I expect to perform to such a high level as I did in 2011, where I finished in 15th place?  That 2011 Worlds performance I rate as my best ever running performance, so in reality, I was never going to be able to perform to that level again.  My best running days were over!  I am now 50 years old.  Accept it, no 50 year olds are really still able to compete at the elite level.

So although, I felt that my training had been going well, I hadn't really sorted out these underlying thoughts.  My deep down beliefs, what I really wanted to achieve and why.  I had spent too much time focusing on the physical, which had gone superbly well, but I had not paid sufficient attention to the non-physical training.

Racing through Milngavie town centre after 150 metres.

From left of photo: Matt Wiliamson (3rd), Paul Tierney partly obscured directly behind me (DNF, hamstring issues), Me (8th), Hugh McInnes? (16th), Ricky Lightfoot (2nd), and Duncan Harris (6th)

As mentioned in my quick update blog post the other day.  For the first few miles, the pace wasn't excessively quick.  Then when the pace was quickened, which looking at my heart rate trace, looks like it occurred during the fourth mile, rather than maintaining the increased intensity to stay with the lead group, I simply let the three lead runners go.  There was no real fight, no competitive instinct to stay in contact with the leaders.  I had decided that 5th place was what I wanted, so no need to increase the focus, increase the challenge and stay with them.

The bunch near 11 miles?, just before getting dropped!

From left of photo: Paul Giblin (10th), Paul Fernandez (9th), Hugh McInnes? (16th), obscured behind Marco Consani (7th), Me (8th) and Matt Williamson (3rd)

Now, some may consider that I didn't stay with the initial increase in pace at around the 4 mile mark, and the next increase in pace at around the 11 mile mark, where I later got dropped from the bunch of six or so runners, as because I just wasn't physiologically fit enough!  Those that put too much emphasis on the influence of physiology on trail running performance are most likely to perhaps offer this as a possible reason.  However, I know otherwise, as I am the actual subject involved, and I was there!  But to help illustrate why it wasn't physiology that led to me getting dropped, but other factors, one simply needs to view my heart rate trace, for the Highland Fling race and the Steyning Stinger Trail Marathon a month earlier.  Yes, I know heart rate can vary between races due to many factors including air temperature / body temperature, but in the graphs below, which display the heart rate data, from the Garmin GPS data which provides an average heart rate (and maximum HR) for the entire mile, it should be clear that getting dropped wasn't physiologically determined!  With an average heart rate of only 160 bpm (max for the mile of 165bpm) for mile four, where the three lead runners moved away, and then only an average of 155 bpm, (but a max of 167bpm), when I lost the bunch and then ran on my own in 10th place.  In comparison to the heart rate data for the Steyning Stinger Marathon, one can clearly see that physiologically during the Fling I was working at a substantially lower physiological intensity!

So hopefully the heart rate data illustrates that it was other factors that contributed to me getting dropped, when the change in gradient of the short steep undulations after we left the disused railway required an increase in intensity.  I initially responded to the need for an increase in intensity, however, due to my poor non-physical preparation, the physiological intensity required resulted in a much more substantial demand in mental effort, in concentration, what I refer to within my Race Focus Energy (RFE) model as RFE, than what was physiologically demanded, i.e. what the increased heart rate should have created.  It wasn't that I didn't try to stay with the bunch at around the 11 mile mark.  I did try.  But it just felt too hard, and reflecting back now I also feel that it did perhaps seem too easy to readily accept to let them go.   Which I attribute now to my TOTAL preparation being lacking, not having resolved the conflict between my wants, i,e, finishing in 5th place, and my underlying belief, i.e. I am now too old to compete at elite level, even though I had thought the TOTAL preparation had been good.  What is most strange from Saturday' performance is that in comparison to 2012 when I was at times just 'going through the motions' in terms of my running.  This year I have been really excited by the prospect of racing.  I have been really enjoying my running.  So to not have the total competitive drive on race day was, like I say, strange!

I attribute this unproportional increase in mental effort (RFE) in response to the increased physiological demand is as a result of poor TOTAL Training.  Rather than trying to explain the concept here.  I suggest that you have a good look around my blog, especially my Race Focus Energy Fatigue Model article.

Those of you that know me, those that have raced against me, will know that I am more than a little bit competitive.  I love being involved in a battle, and this is one aspect of ultra trail running that I love.  I am fortunate in that usually I am able to battle it out near the front of the field, so I get this enjoyment in addition to the tremendous enjoyment of running in amazing scenery, and the satisfaction from the internal challenge as I focus hard to get the very best out of myself.  Once I had lost touch with the top ten runners, and then having dropped down to 11th place going up Conic Hill,  I then quite happily forgot about the competitive side of ultra trail racing, and ensured I got enjoyment from being within such a spectacular outdoor environment, and also from the personal challenge.  My approach was that I would still run hard in an effort to obtain a personal best, but with the key emphasis now being dominated by maximising the enjoyment of the present moment.  My rationale was if I focused on the enjoyment, my pace would remain pretty quick, and a personal best (PB) finish time could result.  I also decided that if any other runners did catch me up, (none did though), I would immediately get back into competitive mode, up the focus, the concentration and not drop to a lower place.

Running in 11th place, I also had in the back on my mind, that it is likely that a few runners ahead may struggle and slow down,  So I was expecting to gain one or two places, so was expecting to finish within the top ten, and with this placing I concluded that this position was 'respectable'.  This is what actually happened later along the route, and I moved into 8th place at around the 48 mile mark.  After crossing the busy A road, at around the 50 mile mark, I noticed that Paul Fernandez, who had been struggling quite a bit as I had overtaken him about five miles earlier, was now running strongly again, and not too far behind.  Within an instant I was back fully into competitive mode.  There was no way that I was going to let him overtake me.  Back in 2010 in the 33 Marlborough Challenge Paul had finished ahead of me in 2nd place, when I had finished 3rd.  I was not going to let him beat me again!  So for the last 3 miles, it was back into full race mode.  Maximum focus, maximum concentration, and yes maximum 'enjoyment'.  But a different form of enjoyment, now from really extending myself, as I gave it everything right though to the finish line.

Working hard right to the finish line

I managed to hold Paul off by a little over a minute and a half, and finish in 8th place overall in a time of 7:59:03.  This time, being nearly seven and half minutes slower that my 2011 finish time (6th place) of 7:51:36.  This year's course was however slightly longer due to being re-routed near Drymen.  John Kynaston had measured the changed route and compared it to the normal route and concluded that the route was 0.36 miles longer.  So this would equate to being around 3 minutes longer.  So in real terms my finish time was only four minutes slower than 2011  Not a PB for the Fling, but not too far off!

Looking at the Garmin GPS/HR data, available on GarminConnect, there is quite clearly an increase in intensity which results in an increase in pace over the last three miles.  However, although I may have felt that I wasn't really going as hard as possible for the majority of the race, since Conic Hill, it is pleasing to see that I hadn't actually eased off that much, as giving it one hundred percent for the last three miles didn't actually increase my running pace that much.  I was still unable to go quicker that a 8:06 mile!  So looking at the data it is pleasing to see that I did run not too far off my maximum the entire way.  But with better TOTAL preparation, with the RPE - RFE needle consequently being rotated downwards, what could have been achieved?   See RFE articles for detail.

After the race, the atmosphere was fantastic.  Yes, there is more to ultra trail racing than the actual racing / running of the course.  The ultra trail community is so friendly and the positive energy that was at the finish line, even though people were pretty exhausted from running 53 miles, was again amazing.  A few runners asked me, "Was I disappointed with my finish place and finish time?"  I gave it some thought, and replied that I was actually disappointed in that I wasn't disappointed!  In the past, running slower than a previous year, would have upset me.  Not having that 'never ending competitive fight' would have upset me.  But, it was strange, I wasn't upset.  I really enjoyed the whole day.  Not running faster, not finishing higher up didn't really seem to really matter!

Having just typed the above, I can't actually believe I have typed those words!!!  "Not running faster, not finishing higher up didn't really seem to really matter!"  I am in definite need of working on my TOTAL Training!  Or maybe it is something to do with getting a bit more 'mellow' as one gets older.  On paper I may have moved up into the next age category, but in my mind and spirit I'm not yet ready.  So as much as 'smashing' the 50+ Highland Fling record by 70 minutes is pleasing, I am not yet ready to change my trail racing focus.  So, having already spent significant time reflecting on Saturday's race, I know what I need to work on, in preparation for my next race.  Yes, every race is a learning experience.  After 35 years of endurance racing, I am still learning, still trying to get the best performance from myself in each and every race.

I would just like to finish this post with a few thank yous.

Firstly to John and Katrina Kynaston who were such fantastic hosts, and making my weekend in Scotland so very enjoyable.  John is famous for his Ultra Trail Running Blog at http://www.johnkynaston.com/  If you haven't been to it before check it out, and take a look at his extremely high blog viewing numbers, clearly reflecting the quality of his blog.  Whilst staying with John and Katrina, John interviewed me for Episode 39 of the West Highland Way 95 mile Trail Race Podcast.  Click HERE to listen to the one hour interview which includes both pre-race, and post race discussions.  (Just one note though in relation to the interview.  Having just listened to the podast, there is one bit that could be a bit confusing, where I am talking about how in a race getting to a checkpoint too quickly can be seen as a negative.  Off course this isn't my view, as the quicker the better.  But I was trying to illustrate how this is often interpreted, i.e. the generally accepted view being a negative response.  Within the podcast I don't think I made that point clear, so it does sound as though I am contradicting myself, especially in relation to my approach of starting fast in a race as being ideal.)

Secondly, I would like to thank John Duncan and his massive team that put on the Highland Fling.  Having run the event three times, every year it just gets better and better.  Your time and effort, and attention to detail are massively appreciated.

And lastly I would like to thanks the many readers/ followers out there who wished me well for the Fling race.  The support does really aid my performance.  If you have read a little bit of my Race Focus Energy (RFE) Fatigue Model, you will understand just how important the surrounding positivity can boost ones RFE tanks prior to the race day.

May you all have enjoyable, satisfying trail running experiences,

Stuart

PS To those of you I have recently met on the recent TORQ Trail Team days, reading some of the words above, especially the "Not running faster, not finishing higher up didn't really seem to really matter!" are probably quite a surprise, especially after I had spent quite a large portion of my TORQ presentation trying to get you to reflect on your aims, your self perceptions, and to challenge yourself to question whether you should focus on a faster time or a higher finishing place.  Well, although I seem not to be putting what I say into action, it has been very, very rewarding to read how many of the TORQ community runners have been reflecting on some of my messages from my TORQ presentations, and have been achieving some great performances.  So below are a few comments I have received which I would like to share with you, to help increase the level of positivity with the running community:

First, Ashley, who recently raced the Snowdonia road half marathon.  "My first road race, and potentially a good placing. I'm happy with the mental approach though thanks to Stuart Mills " Click this link to read his blog post.  But here are a few bits from Ashley's post: "I don't know what it was about the TORQ trail team assessment but it tempted me to run a road race. My first road race. Eeugh!  There was something about what Stuart Mills was saying about belief, and mental attitude that I wanted to test, and a half marathon with hills was just the right thing to do it on."  ....  "Look at the watch, just under 1hr 35 and a 4:29 min/km pace. Tick. I ask whether I might of made the top quarter. "Definitely" says Michaela, "Probably top 40".I can't quite believe that. The finish area is pretty quiet, maybe that is why. I still can't quite process that though." ....  "Did I enjoy it? I enjoyed running well, I enjoyed controlling my mind and I enjoyed my finishing position."

Next, Sally, who ran the North Lincolnshire Half.  "Your motto worked for me today, I got a massive pb in my half, ran the 2 quickest mile splits in the first 2 miles (despite the headwind!) and gradually slowed, but managed to hang in to get 3rd lady and 32nd overall in North Lincolnshire Half in 1:22:26. It was also a 10k and 10m mile pb along the way."

Also Sotiris, who recently ran the Paris Marathon: "The weekend after (the TORQ trail team day) and having run a fastest of 3:35 in the five previous road marathons I had attempted, I was determined to go below 3:30.  That was my target. Being late (to the TORQ day), I ended up sitting at the back of the room and I was absorbing, thinking and analysing the information I was receiving.  It  made sense to me, I was convinced and I decided to use some of your tips for my race on Sunday." ....  "To cut a long story short, before your talk I would have run the marathon probably do 3:29 and be very happy.  Having gone through the changes, I ran my fastest marathon at 3:13 and it was a highly enjoyable experience and I managed to maintain my positive approach throughout.  I had just delivered a performance that I did not consider possible. I learnt a lot in one day about how your frame of mind determines your performance and unleashes your potential and how physical training is not the main determinant."

And lastly Simon, who ran London Marathon:  "So I had decided that I would try out the Stuart Mills method - I was trying quite a few new things anyway, so why not that?"  ....  "I was delighted when I came round on to the Mall and saw the time. I think that undoubtedly your strategy paid off and thank you so much for taking the time to advise me."  .... "I was delighted to get a PB - they are not as easy to get as they once were."

"TOTAL Training does work, but as with all training, it can be difficult to get totally right, hence the need for patience and perseverance, but most important, BELIEF is the key!"  Stuart Mills, 2013

Training for Ultras - What's It All About?

Hi,

Not sure how this post will develop.  I will just type and see how things go!  My aim tonight is to hopefully 'tie up a few loose ends'!  Hopefully I will clarify for me, some structure to a 'jumble' of thoughts from a number of my blog posts during the last year or so. And within my clarification, you the reader will hopefully gain some benefit from me trying to organise my thoughts. 

WARNING BE PREPARED, AN ULTRA EFFORT MAY BE REQUIRED!!!

Way back in January I typed up a reply to a follower's question which came all the way from Istanbul, Turkey.  But somehow I 'lost' my reply before it got published.  Well tonight hopefully I will go some way towards answering Aykut 's question which was:
"When training for a road marathon, how much do you think doing some of the runs in the trails help? I'm asking it because for this last marathon, I did about 10 runs of 20K to 32K in the trails. (never trained in the trails for my first 3 marathons). And I think they contribute a lot to my performance as I believe they made me physically stronger and probably mentally tougher."

Aykut had recently raced a marathon and "finished in 3:27. Not a significant time for most experienced runners but a  HUGE personal best for me. Whenever negative thoughts emerged during the race, I'd remind myself about your thinking positive approach and it worked well."  (Maybe Aykut has answered his own question within the e-mail he sent me.  Hopefully it will become clearer during tonight's post.)
In addition Thomas left the following comment at the end of my IAU World Trail Champs Quick Update: "You provide a lot of details regarding the mental aspect of race preparation in your blog but I would die for getting some more 'physical' insight in your training: In particular training distance, peaking, sharpening and tapering etc."

Also Johny left the following comment at the end of the Worlds race report: "I have a query though and have been mulling over this one for a while now; When one has an inferior VO2 max but is always highly positive and determined, how do they overcome that inherent weakness?"

So all three of these readers are interested in, and wanting to know more about my views on physical training for marathons and ultras.  However, sorry, I hope to not disappoint them, but to start my response tonight I will firstly refer back to November last year, at the end of my Beachy Head Marathon race report , I wrote the following:  "Too often, the improved performance is credited to the increased physical training people may have carried out prior to the event. Marathon running performance, and even more for Ultra running performance is largely determined by self expectation. I believe it is the heightened self expectation following a good bout of training that leads to the improved performance, not the actual training per se! So only indirectly has the increased physical training lead to the improved performance."

And then I signed off with the following quote; "There was a time, not so long ago, when we really did know everything about human physiology. After all, it was all so very simple. ...... But the more compelling challenge for the traditional model (of fatigue) is that it simply cannot explain the obvious." Tim Noakes (2007) From the foreword for the book: Brain Training for Runners, by Matt Fitzgerald. I'll come back to the author Matt Fitzgerald later on. 
Finally, within the comments of the following post titled Developing Positive Self Expectations - Part 1 (Yes, I know!  I never wrote Part 2!), also last November.  I quote Tim Noakes again as he writes about fatigue in terms of a Central Governor in his book Lore Of Running. He writes on page 19 (fourth edition):  "At the same time, information is sent from the controller to the emotional and other centers in the brain. These influence the level of discomfort that is felt, the emotional response, and the self-talk and self-doubt that are additional but poorly understood features of the fatigue that develops during exercise."

The key words within his quote are the "poorly understood features of the fatigue that develops during exercise."  Yes, the understanding of fatigue is really limited  Not much is actually known regarding the causes of fatigue during endurance events!.  So therefore if this isn't really known, then how does one know how best to reduce the fatigue!!!  So this is why it is so hard for me to really comment on what physical training is best in order to improve performance, i.e. reduce fatigue, during marathons and ultra runs. 

Just before I do however attempt to try to do this, I will refer to one final previous post, to help set the scene.  In February, within the Plans for 2011 - How to Adjust My Self Expectations? post I was discussing why I slowed down so much during the 2010 Montane Lakeland 100:  "So, why did I slow down?  Those of you that have read my post from last May titled "What Determines Performance in Ultra Running? - Part Two" will know that I believe ultra trail running performance is all about "the ability to remain within a 'positive state of being, a positive state of mind', while all of the many negative states from various sources are being initiated."  Looking at my list of potential negative sources, I seemed to have missed one.  Well I'm not really sure if it is actually a negative source.  It is as if the 'mind' gets fatigued. ....  It was as if the mind was no longer able to maintain that 'Within the now focus', .... It is as if the mind has decided that after so many hours of race focus, it has had enough."  ....  So the secret is to develop 'race focus' endurance."

So FINALLY to summarise, where I am actually at, taking the key aspects I have raised in previous posts, it gets down to the following:. 
(i) Nobody knows what causes fatigue during endurance running.
(ii) The mind plays an EXTREMELY LARGE role in resisting/delaying fatigue. (Remember the mind and body are not separate identities, they are all as ONE!)
(iii) Remaining within a positive state of mind, is the KEY ASPECT to endurance running performance, as highlighted in my signing off quote from my Highland Fling Preview post:  "Ultra trail running performance is dependent upon the preparation that has taken place prior to the event.  The preparation must be TOTAL and not just the physical, as the preparation must ensure one remains in a positive state throughout the entire event." 
(iv)  Remaining within a positive state of mind is determined by one's 'Race focus endurance'.  Race focus endurance, was introduced within the Montane Highland Fling race report, as being "largely related to how difficult it is whilst racing to maintain a positive race focus. The greater the sources of negativity, the greater the difficulty in remaining focused and keeping positive."
(v)  So finally, yes physical training does have a role to play with endurance running performance, but not directly due to resisting physiological fatigue, but solely in terms of making it easier to maintain a race focus, i.e. to maintain positive, to stop the MIND from fatiguing!!!
(vi) Sorry, (v) was meant to be the final reference to a previous post, but this one (vi) definitely is! The signing off quote from the Montane Lakeland 100 Preview post was:  "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!
Therefore: (vi) Fatigue during endurance running is largely determined by how one perceives oneself, in terms of their running capabilities.

So the six points above sort of summarise where I am at in understanding what factors influence performance/fatigue during endurance running. 

I just need to clarify a bit of my background first before I continue.  Although the above six points are my personal views, I do actually have an academic background in Sport and Exercise Science, and work as a Principal Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science. I started out as predominantly an exercise physiologist, but over the last ten years I have diversified into a technique/performance analysis.  I therefore will admit that my reading of the latest physiological research is therefore a wee bit lacking!  And as to reading psychological literature, well totally non-existent!  I rely on my own personal research, with a sample size of one, yes (n = 1) ME!.  So you may not actually find much scientific research to support my personal views, apart from Professor Tim Noakes from South Africa.  Although he is at times criticised within the sports science community for 'thinking too much outside the box", without sufficiently strong research to support his ideas!  I see this characteristic as his strength.  Like I was probably around ten years back, when I moved away from physiology, Tim is well aware that the simplistic current theories to explain fatigue within endurance sport, are just that, too simplistic.  I still haven't read much on his Central Govenor Theory, but the brief bits I have seen, I do tend to agree with.

Therefore when I was recommended last year Matt Fitzgerald's Brain Training for Runners book to read. After reading the Noakes' foreword, I thought great, finally some published material to support my beliefs on running.  However, apart from some good material in chapters 1 and 2, the remainder of the book was very disappointing. It just didn't develop onwards  from these two chapters.  So when I saw that Matt Fitzgerald had recently released a newer book, I was a bit cautious.  But I have just read the first 23 pages, and so far it is really, really good.  He even acknowledges that his Brain Training book was " a sort of rough draft", as an example where he has since discovered errors in his previous beliefs!  However, before reading any of this book further, I thought I would try to clarify/summarise what I have struggled with, discovered, tried to express, over the last year or two, in order for me to be in a better state to be able to take on board Matt Fitzgerald's latest ideas.  Hence tonight's post!  In addition, all of this thinking about fatigue, endurance performance, is a key component of my TOTAL preparation for UTMB next week.  I see this form of preparation as far more important that any hill session, or long mileage run!  And typing my thoughts up on this blog is just the final aspect of this part of my preparation.  So excuse me, if this post is lengthy.  I guess it relates a bit to specificity of training.  UTMB is a pretty lengthy race!

Over the last three years since I have got into ultra trail running, I have developed many ideas, based on my own personal experiences, but these ideas have also been developed from material I have read, watched or listened to.  I am a keen reader of auto-biographer books by sports people.  I try to get a 'deep' understanding of what 'made them tick'.  The great thing about using this blog to clarify my thoughts is that I often get positive feedback, (yes, also feedback to tell me my ideas are stupid), but often feedback from people in agreement.  So reading the first 23 pages of Run: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel, Matt Fitzgerald seems to be in total agreement with me.  Although, I guess I should really express this as, I seem to be in total agreement with him, that is unless he has been reading my blog, or was at my presentation at the Lakeland 100/50 recce weekend back in June!

During my recce weekend presentation, I asked the audience to give some thought, and then share with the group, what a typical weeks mileage would be in order for them to achieve their goal during the upcoming Lakeland 100/50.  We had a massive variety of mileages, ranging from 30 - 110 miles per week.  The take home message I presented to the audience in response to the question; What weekly mileage is required in order to achieve your goals, was simply being, the weekly mileage that YOU BELIEVE is necessary.  If you believe 30 miles is sufficient, then it is.  If you believe that 100 miles is needed, then you need to do 100 miles.  It all comes down to what you believe is required.  What does Matt Fitzgerald state?  On page 23, "If it does nothing else, a runner's training must make him (or her) feel prepared, because if he (or she) feels prepared, he is prepared, and if he doesn't, he isn't."  Just prior to this on page 22 he states:  "The primary objective of training for every competitive runner should be to develop confidence in her (or his) ability to achieve her (or his) race goals.  Well don't these statements sound a bit like some of the material highlighted above, a bit like Gary Elliot's ideas (Alison Roe's coach) from 30 years ago!  Talk about someone being ahead of their time!

So this EVENTUALLY leads me on to FINALLY trying to answer some of the questions above!  What physical training is best?  Are hills useful?  What did I do physically in order to be the first GB finisher, in 15th place, at the IAU World championships?

Well as much as you may read in running magazines, there is absolutely no scientific evidence that one form of training is better at developing VO2max, lactate threshold, or running economy, than other types of training!  It is total speculation.  So stating that threshold training will improve your lactate threshold has simply not been demonstrated by scientific research, similarly for the other physiological measures that supposedly determine running endurance performance!  So, in relation to Johny's question, having a low VO2 max, this being an "inherent weakness".  VO2 max has very little to do with endurance performance.  If I am correct in my reading from the past, Derek Clayton, a 2:08 marathon runner, back in the sixties, only had a VO2max of around 69 ml/kg/min!  Nothing special.  Many of this blog's readers will have higher values, but unable to run a 2:08 marathon!

So, returning back to Fitzgerald's statement from page 23 of his latest book, to put it simply, it doesn't really matter what physical training you do, as long as you believe that it is sufficient for you to be able to achieve your goals.  Back in 2009, my 20 week build-up average weekly mileage for the UTMB was 34.5 miles per week.  This for the majority of the runs was easy running, on pretty flat footpaths and bridleways.  With the biggest hill being pretty well 150 metres to the top of Beachy Head within the South Downs National Park.  Would I do repetitions of the hill climb,  DEFINITELY NOT!!!  Why run to the top, to simply turn around to go down, and run back up to the top again!  I run to enjoy myself, the scenery, the variety.  If I wanted to run over the same ground again and again, I would be a track runner!  The secret to my physical training, which now no longer appears to be a secret, is for running to be enjoyable, to feel comfortable, to run by feel at a pace, for a duration, over the terrain and gradients, that feel right for me, to maximise my enjoyment!  As simple as that!  It will be interesting whether Matt Fitzgerald within his latest book has similar views.  From the title, you would think so.  But then the title Brain Training was a bit of a fraud!

Was, 34.5 miles per week of easy, flattish running sufficient to achieve my goals for the 2009 UTMB?  NO!  Although I finished in 22nd place overall (from 2300 starters), in 26 hours and 29 minutes.  I did not achieve the goals I had set.  So yes, this year I have needed to increase my weekly mileage slightly, in order for me to "feel prepared".  Have I changed the gradient of my runs to try to replicate the huge elevation ascent demands of UTMB.  No!  Why?  Because hill training doesn't specifically make you a better hill runner.  Believing that you are a good hill runner, makes you a better hill runner.  Yes, by doing lots of hill training will help you to develop this belief, but if you understand that belief is actually all you need in order to be a better hill runner, then you actually don't need to bother with the actual physical hill training.  The benefits of hill training are not actually physical!  Referring back to some of the above six points, one needs to be reminded that: endurance performance isn't physiologically determined, it is determined by the mind, by one's self expectations, one's enjoyment whilst running. 

Have I any evidence for this statement immediately above?  Well surprisingly , or perhaps not that surprising, there is actually some published research which seems to back up this believe/expectation/enjoyment theory on endurance performance.  Fitzgerald refers to some published work by Marcora.  Currently being on holiday, I am too busy! (building fences, fixing guttering, repairing bikes etc.) to read the literature, although I have had a quick scan of one of Marcora's articles from 2009 relating to "race focus endurance".  They got cyclists to repeat a cycling task to exhaustion twice, with the only difference being that they exposed the cyclists to a mentally demanding task for 90 minutes prior to the cycling exercise.  And yes, as one would expect, understanding that it is the mind that determines endurance performance, when the mind gets tired, physical performance is statistically and significantly decreased!  Absolutely rubbish though if you are a believer of the dated idea that physiology determines performance!  However, these results are published within the scientific literature!

So trying to get back to the reader's questions regarding physical training.  One of the key attributes to the physical training that it is hoping to improve, is that for during the endurance race, your mind doesn't become tired.  How though does physical training specifically improve your mind?  Well although within this post above, including the reader's questions, and pretty well within everything you read on running, in magazines, books, published scientific literature, absolutely everywhere, it is pretty well always separated into physical and mental training.  After believing this idea for 30 years, I guess around three years ago I realised that this view is just totally flawed.  I guess a bit like, when people finally realised that the earth wasn't flat!  Why did it take so long to accept this,when the answer was so obvious, i.e the moon.  Also why does everyone seems to think the mind and body are different identities when they are totally the same???  Does, your body determine how you mentally feel?  Yes, of course!  But then ask the opposing question, does your mind determine how you physically perform?  Again yes!  So, obvious really, totally inseparable!  So when you are physically training, you are also mentally training, and similarly, when mentally training, you will improve your physical performance.  Hence, why I go on about TOTAL preparation.

So now in trying to respond to the above questions, one must refer to TOTAL preparation, not physical preparation.  So that is the purpose of training?  No, not to increase VO2max, or lactate threshold or running economy, but to increase the enjoyment and the positivity in order to prevent race focus fatigue, when your mind and body together as one begin to get tired, resulting in your pace slowing.  The following are some of the principles related to the necessary training.

(i) Have a good understanding of what the endurance race will entail, in terms of duration, terrain, elevation, temperature, company, loneliness, darkness, etc.  By having a good understanding of the demands/characteristics of the race, your mind and body are better prepared in terms of having positive self expectations that you are capable of achieving your goals.

(ii) Be aware that you do not have to have actually carried out the demands of the event, in order to be confident of 'handling'/achieving the race demands.  Remember, success in terms of achieving realistic goals, is largely determined by self expectation, self belief that you can achieve, simply your confidence.

(iii) Understand, that as long as you have a positive attitude, and are enjoying the 'journey', i.e. enjoying the present, the 'here and now'.  Then you will be able to achieve much, much, more that you have ever achieved before.  You don't need to have run 100 miles in training in order to run 100 miles in a race, as long as you believe this.  If you believe you 'have to', and you haven't completed the 'required' 100 miles training, then, according to your expectations, your performance will be poor, due to poor preparation.
(iv) Remind yourself, that performance is not simply about physical attributes.  Therefore do not expect a low performance due to your well accepted assessment of your physical attributes in that you 'are no Kenyan athlete'!  Reassure yourself, with the appropriate TOTAL preparation, that you can be fully prepared to achieve your realistic goal.

You will note that I have used the term "realistic goal".  This is extremely important, because if your goal is not realistic, then there is no way that you can deeply, deeply down within yourself, truly believe that you can achieve your goal.  And without this belief, success is not possible.  So to put it simply, don't have a goal of being an Olympic champion if you haven't got any evidence to provide some 'substance' to help you develop this belief.

(v)  Your TOTAL preparation is all about collating evidence, obtaining 'substance', that you are capable of being able to respond to the anticipated demands of the event.  Obviously it firstly gets down to knowing what these demands of the event are.  Secondly, it is totally acceptable to compare yourself to others, to help gauge how others have responded to the event demands, if you are a newcomer to the event.  Although, whilst racing you should focus on yourself, and not be distracted by others.  During your preparation, it is a good strategy to compare yourself to others who have completed the event you are preparing for, and you have some knowledge of their total person, not just their physical attributes.

(vi)  Within your preparation, give the event plenty of thought.  Consider, whilst running on your own, and at other times while on your own, how you will respond to the demands.  One of the key benefits of running miles, is the time that becomes available while running, to consider, to think about, to visualise, how you will respond when it comes to the actual event.  Ensure your response is positive.  Be excited about the upcoming event.  Reflect on why you are doing it.  What is it that you enjoy about it so much.  Look forward to it, knowing that you are carrying out the necessary TOTAL preparation.  Simply, giving the event some positive thinking time, is improving your performance.  The more miles you run, the more thinking time, hence the improved performance.  It is therefore not actually as a result of the miles, improved physical/physiological attributes as most runners probably believe that are responsible for the improved performance.  Although there is also the increased feeling of being fully prepared when people have put 'more miles in the bank'.  Again, it is the confidence, not the physiology that improves performance.

(vii) Learn to remain positive, confident during training.  Learn to counter the negative arguments that will develop within during the actual event.  One way to do this is to think in advance what these negative arguments could be.  Maybe think of it as preparing to talk to a 'stroppy' teenager!  You prepare for this situation by being ready with an appropriate response to whatever irrational argument they may 'hit you with'.  Be prepared with some evidence from your TOTAL training to counter the arguments.  Maybe some examples here to illustrate may be useful. 

You are half way through a 100 mile race, and feeling tired.  Argument being presented within your head: you have to walk, your training hasn't been sufficient, your weekly mileage has been too low to handle a 100 mile event.  You need to have ready someone you know who has performed during a similar event, doing similar mileage to you, e.g. that UltraStupid guy Stuart Mills, ran 26hours at UTMB on only 34.5 miles a week of easy running. 

Another example.  It is a hot day during the event.  Argument being presented within your head: you must slow down as it is far too hot to perform at your usual pace.  Well during your TOTAL preparation, you hopefully gave the likely weather conditions some thought, and you appreciated that there was some chance that it would be hot.  You therefore did some running in the heat, not for your body to physiologically acclimatise.  No, but for you to gather some evidence, to counter the argument, so you could reply; remember back to those hot runs I did it the heat, yes it was hot, but I was able to continue running along at a good pace then.  A bit like hill training earlier.  The actual running in the heat has nothing to do with physiology, it is all about raising your self expectations, your self belief that you will be able to respond to the likely demands of the event. 

One final example, somehow, you are running way quicker than you ever thought possible.  The argument being presented within your head: you have started far too fast, you will 'blow-up', you must slow down before it is too late.  Perhaps you are running quicker than you thought possible due to you being much further up the field than your fellow training partner.  Remember, it is okay to compare to others during the preparation, but not good during the actual event.  Argument response, remind yourself that performance is determined by TOTAL preparation, not just physical attributes.  You have carried out the necessary TOTAL preparation, you have developed high self expectations, high self belief.  Don't let your training partner's lesser performance cause you to doubt yours.  Your have no idea what their TOTAL preparation has been like.  Simply, belief in yourself.  If you are enjoying the 'journey', i.e. enjoying the present moment, and all is going fine and you are positive, then don't let this doubt that wants you to slow down, to allow any negative thoughts to develop.  You are what you believe.  If you believe that you have gone to fast and you will suffer for it, then you will suffer.  As simply as that! 

I could go on and on providing examples.  But maybe your endurance training in terms of reading blog posts doesn't quite match, my preparation in terms of typing them up.  Remember my motives for typing such lengthy posts.  It is all to do with my TOTAL preparation.  The thoughts involved in typing this post, is as important at developing race focus endurance, as the same time involved as running across the South Downs.  To put it simply, 3 hours of typing is as beneficial, NO, probably more beneficial with regards to ultra endurance performance than a 3 hour training run!  Hence why I only needed 34.5 miles per week back in 2009.  I probably did equivalent mileage, reading, thinking, visualising.  The improvement in my ultra running performances over the last 18 months since starting the blog, I think is largely a result of the extra training time I have put in thinking about and typing up these posts.  On paper I may only be a 40 mile a week runner, but in reality, taking into account my TOTAL preparation, I am probably more like a 150 mile a week runner.  Remember the key message. ultra running performance is not physiologically determined!!!!

To finish this post of with, is just a quick two examples to help illustrate more. just how endurance running performance isn't physiologically determined.  The first is to do with Mo Farah and his rapid improvement over the last year or so.  If you haven't come across the Marathon talk podcasts, then they are worthy of a listen, especially the interviews with various runners.  Mo Farah was recently interviewed on Marathontalk.  If you have a few spare moments, take a listen.  Also if you have even more spare time, remember, you can include this listening as part of your TOTAL training for the week, listen to the interviews with Tim Noakes, Liz Hawker, Jez Bragg.  There are loads of great interviews.  But don't miss the David Hemmery interview, an Olympic gold medalist for the 400m hurdles from 1968.  Some really good words of wisdom here!  Listen to what Mo Farah says about the influence of Alberto Salazar, his new coach.  Nothing physically training wise has really changed, but agrees that "Salazar gives his athletes an incredible belief to achieve things that perhaps they thought they weren't able to do". 

The second quick example is concerning Haile Gebrselassie and his final eleven days of run training prior to winning the 10,000 metre gold at the Athens 1996 Olympics.  Within the book titled "The Greatest" by Jim Dennison, it is reported that apart from running the semi-final three days before his victory in the final, for eleven days before the final Gebrselassie was totally unable to run, due to his left foot becoming severly infected.  Meanwhile, his great opponent Paul Tergat "had completed a perfect run-up" to the final.  Interestingly within the first 23 pages of Fitzgerald's latest book. both Alberto Salavar and Haile Gebrselassie are repeatedly referred to as examples of best practice!

Well, I did warn you at the start, that I didn't really know what would happen once I started typing tonight's post.  I have really started a huge topic, that will take me years to understand, if ever!  Hopefully my "mutterings" above have been of some benefit to you reading it.  I know for sure that for me, thinking about the whole area, and typing up my current thoughts on the topic has definitely been hugely beneficial to me.  How beneficial, maybe next week at UTMB, we will see.  Time now to start my TOTAL preparation tapering.  So don't expect any more lengthy posts to after UTMB.

Sorry, but I am suffering a  wee bit from 'race focus fatigue', so the sign off quote will be short.

"You are, what you believe!"  Stuart Mills, 2011.

All the best with your TOTAL training.  Don't forget to log one hour plus as TOTAL training within your training diary, if you have managed to get this far through the post.  Hey, why not read it again, and double your training for the day!

Stuart