Beachy Head Marathon Quick Update - And Some Other Bits

Hi,

Yesterday I did my first race since my disappointing DNF at UTMB.  It was the Beachy Head Marathon, which I was racing for the 13th consecutive year.  Over the last few years my finish times have got slower, and my finish places have got lower, as illustrated with the following data: 2010 3:02:25 (1st), 2011 3:02:55 (2nd), 2012 3:10:39 (2nd), 2013 3:12:23 (5th).
 Well I am pleased that yesterday I stopped the 'downhill' trend with my finish time being 3:09:37, nearly three minutes quicker than 2013, however, my finish place dropped one further place to 6th.  Although 3:09 is still quite some way from my personal best time of 2:57:20 when I finished in 2nd place back in 2007, overall I felt I ran quite well yesterday, with the pre-race goal of "running relaxed and not fighting" pretty well being achieved until the last climb up Beachy Head at around 24 miles.

Climbing Out of Jevington At Around 4 Miles (Photo courtesy of SussexSportPhotography.com)

 

Descending Down to Alfriston At Around 8 Miles  (Photo courtesy of SussexSportPhotography.com)

 

Approaching Birling Gap At Around 22 Miles

Running Relaxed After 23 Miles

Passing Belle Tout Lighthouse Approaching 24 Miles

Commencing "The Fight" - The Start of the Last Climb - Beachy Head

 

Nearing the Top of Beachy Head  (Photo courtesy of SussexSportPhotography.com)

Maintaining the Intensity During the Final Half Mile to the Finish at Eastbourne (Photo courtesy Ian Davis)

The plan is for a brief Beachy Head Marathon race report to be included within a seven year review of my trail marathon and ultra-trail racing blog post, maybe next week. However, it could be the following week, as at the moment I am busy with two other projects:

(1) Weald Challenge Trail Races.  Yes, I have just opened entries for the 2015 Weald Challenge Trail Races, consisting of a Trail Half Marathon, Trail Marathon, and a 50km Ultra Trail.  The event takes place on Sunday 24th May 2015 within East Sussex.  The inaugural race this year was very well received, so if you are looking for a scenic but challenging race around the end of May next year, check out the race website for details and entries.  http://www.trailrunningsussex.co.uk/trailraces.html

(2) Like The Wind Pop-Up Gallery.  Many of you are probably aware of the Pop-Up Gallery due to take place in London this coming week.  The event is being put on by the Like The Wind Magazine, and involves some really interesting talks, movie screenings, workshops, etc. spread throughout the week.  The list of presenters is really impressive and to name just a few include Steve Way, Charlie Spedding, Veronique Marot, Sebastien Chaigneau, Robbie Britton, Jez Bragg, Ian Corless, Holly Rush, and yes, tagged onto the end of this impressive list, yours truly Stuart Mills!

Next Sunday, 2nd November the plan is to do a 10 - 11 mile run commencing around 10:15 am, to be then followed by my talk where I reflect on my last seven years of trail racing, highlighting what I have learnt and what training principles enabled me to achieve the level of performance I reached.  Amended details, including the run before, are currently being updated on the Pop-Up website.

Go to the following website  http://www.likethewindmagazine.com/popup/ to view the full Like The Wind Pop-Up Gallery schedule and to book tickets.  Some events have already sold out, so best you check out the website pretty soon.

I'm looking forward to the events I am planning to attend, with I guess listening to Steve Way topping my list.  Hopefully I will catch up with a few of you during the week.

This was meant to be a quick update.  So to keep it quick, no sign-off quote.

Speak soon,

Stuart

Weald Challenge Race Report - The Joy of Trail Running

Hi

Although this post is a race report, it is slightly different as it is not from a runner's view, but this time from the perspective of being Race Director.  Yes, the Weald Challenge Trail Races, started with a simple thought following a training run, and two years later, it took place.  And as the subtitle of my post suggests, based on the feedback received from those that took part, it brought plenty of joy to many runners.

It was Monday 4th June 2012, and it was the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, so the Monday was a holiday.  I was in training for the 2012 Montane Lakeland 100, and as I had lost two months training earlier in the year due to a stress fracture in my foot, I had been 'playing catch-up' since getting back into running at the end of April.  So I was wanting to make the most of the Queen's celebration, and so run that little bit further than I usually would from home.  I got out the Ordnance Survey maps and saw that I could head out along the Wealdway long distance path that passes my front door, which I usually run along.  But if I ran that little bit further, to enter the Ashdown Forest, I could run a small road section along a country lane and then join onto a second long distance path, the Vanguard Way, and follow this pretty well all the way back to my village of East Hoathly, before turning off the Vanguard Way at Graywood, just one mile from home.

So at 6:01 am I started my run, and 3 hours and 18 minutes later I was back home, having completed 22.02 miles.  How do I know this?  Well, because I was going that little bit further than I usually would in a training run, I wore my Garmin GPS watch, which I tend to only wear for races and special training runs.  So the run is stored on Garmin Connect.  I got back from my run and as I was thinking how fantastic the run had been with such a variety of great terrain and scenery, I noticed the distance of 22 miles and thought that it wasn't too far short of a marathon.  Our neighbouring village Chiddingly is two miles away, so there and back would add the extra 4 miles needed to make the run up to the marathon distance.  And at that moment, the Weald Challenge Trail Marathon was created.  Although the name I originally gave to the run was the "Vanguard of the Weald Trail Marathon", acknowledging the names of the two long distance paths.

Shortly after that discovery run, I proposed to training partner Kev that we do the run one Saturday morning, starting and finishing at Chiddingly, in order to measure the exact distance.  So around four weeks later on Saturday 7th July 2012, at 5:04 am, Kev and I commenced the running of the very first Weald Challenge Trail Marathon, starting and finishing at Chiddingly Primary School.  Later that morning, after running 26.35 miles, completed in just under 5 hours, Kev and I had the 'honour' of being joint course record holders!  Click HERE for the inaugural course record Garmin data.

So that was the beginning, and since then, until two weeks ago, I have been on a Race Director's journey; turning an idea into reality!

Although I have been race director for our village 5km road race titled the 'Kings Head Canter 5K' for the last eight or nine years, this is a pretty straight forward race to organise.  I have support from the East Hoathly and Halland Carnival Society, who provide the volunteers for the day, and with it being a road race along quiet country lanes, it requires I think a grand total of four direction arrows at the four road junctions along the route.  Organising an off-road marathon, and also a 50km ultra event and a half marathon as well, was a much more challenging task!  The additional 50km and half marathon distance events simply seemed the 'natural' thing to do, after discovering that these were the distances that resulted if runners either continued further into the Ashdown Forest to directly join the Vanguard Way before starting to head back to Chiddingly, or if they turned earlier at Blackboys where the Wealdway and Vanguard Ways meet.

I won't bore you with the 'million and one' things that were done prior to race day some 22 months later.  But if in the future, I hear anybody perhaps questioning the worth of a race director, I will just ask them if they appreciate just how much is involved in putting on a running race.  From: getting race permits; informing the police, councils, Ashdown Forest; sorting out first aid, volunteers for the day, race entries, race numbers, finisher momentos, prizes, feed stations, portaloo toilets, car parking, registration venue, etc.  You can be guaranteed that just when you thought of everything, something else needed to be done, or you discover that you have upset someone, for example local horse riders extremely upset at the flapping red and white barrier tape hanging from trees that 'spook' their horses, or runners that wish to enter after entries have closed, even though entries had been open for six months!

Now the above paragraph may come across as being a bit negative.  I don't mean it to appear negative, as it was my decision to take on the race.  It was my challenge, and as with running a race, if it wasn't a challenge, the satisfaction upon completion wouldn't be as great.  However, looking back now, if someone had told me that it would take so so many hours of time and mental energy to put on the event, then perhaps I wouldn't have taken on the challenge.  Fortunately, nobody told me about the reality of being a race director for a new event.  But now with the Weald Challenge Trail Races having successfully taken place, I am very pleased that I did complete the journey from thought to fruition.

I don't want this post to sound like 'The Oscars' with loads of thank yous, but I will just thank one or two people, which clearly isn't everyone, as the list would be far too long.  First and foremost I would like to thank my family Frances, Rob, and Chris.  To those of you that ran the race, the majority of the cakes that you enjoyed upon finishing were homemade by Frances, and the two photographers that were taking your photos, which are available to download by clicking HERE, were our two boys Rob and Chris.

Chris the Photographer

Rob the Photographer and the Medal Designer

In addition to these specific tasks, they provided non-stop support and positive encouragement, right from the concept, all the way through to creation.  They, along with running friends such as Kev, Rob, Jim, and physio Luke, were my 'market research'.  I would sound an idea with them, and following their comments, the decision would be made.

 

The Original Medal Design Concept

The Weald Challenge Medal

Hopefully if you finished the race you would have recently received the finisher's medal, designed by Rob.  Which although two weeks late, I am pretty pleased with it.  Also before I forget, a big thanks to the potter Trevor who created by hand all of the Weald Challenge coffee mugs and trophy plates.

A Proud Trophy Winner

In terms of putting on the race, one of the very first things I needed to sort out were the many volunteers required for race day.  Being a member of the recently renamed running club Uckfield Runners, I raised the idea with them regarding jointly putting on the Weald Challenge Trail Races.  They were really keen on the idea, so it was mainly Uckfield Runners who were the friendly encouraging volunteers that were so widely praised within the extremely positive post-race feedback provided on facebook, or via e-mail.  Although in addition to members of Uckfield Runners, there were also four injured runners, or runner's partners who also volunteered and provided great help on the day ensuring the event was a success.  So many thanks to all of the race day volunteers.

Will there be a 2015 Weald Challenge?  Well, I am pleased to say YES.  The intention is to hold the event on the same weekend next year, so please enter Sunday 24th May 2015 into your diary.

Although it was a tremendous amount of work, seeing the amount of enjoyment that so many of the 311 runners that took part on the day experienced, although a cliche, did make it all worthwhile.  Yes, my number one running passion is my own personal racing, and the joy I get from the competition with others, whilst challenging myself to complete the race as quickly as I can.  But having been fortunate to experience so many excellent trail races over recent years, the least I could do was to put that little something back into the trail running community, through organising the Weald Challenge Trail Races.

Time to sign off. 

“The reason we race isn't so much to beat each other,... but to be with each other.” 

Christopher McDougall, 2009, Born to Run.

Hopefully see you at a trail race during the coming year, or at the Weald Challenge next May.

Stuart

PS  Shortly before the Weald Challenge Trail Races took place I was fortunate to receive from Mizuno a pair of their newly released Wave Hayate trail running shoes.

Mizuno Wave Hayate Trail Shoe

  

The timing was perfect, as although I do the majority of my training and racing wearing my Mizuno Wave Rider 17 road shoes.  When the ground is a bit wet and slippery, I prefer to run in trail shoes.  Therefore on the Saturday prior to Weald Challenge race day, following loads of overnight rain, I was able to test out the Hayate Trail Shoe as I finished off marking the race route.  

So following around eight hours of running, all be it very stop-start running, on at times rather muddy terrain, what were my feelings on the shoe?  Well probably one key bit of feedback was just how 'responsive' the shoes felt.  I am a big fan of light shoes, and with an official weight of 252 grammes (Mens size 9) they are pretty light.  Although one can find shoes that are plenty lighter than this, I find that it is the lightness in combination with the feeling under the forefoot, that creates the perception in terms of whether I like the shoe or not.  The Hayate seems to feel about right, with their being sufficient cushioning under the forefoot, so one feels light and responsive to the underlying terrain. without either the soft spongy unresponsive feeling one gets if there is too much cushioning, or alternatively the dis-comfortable feeling in sensing every sharp rock or uneven surface that often results if there is too little forefoot cushioning.  So my initial feeling, is that with the Hayate, for me, Mizuno seem to have got the balance pretty well right. 

Will I therefore be wearing the Mizuno Hayates this Saturday in the Centurion Running South Downs Way 100 mile ultra trail race.  Well unless there is non-stop rain between now and Saturday, which is looking unlikely, the answer is no.  With the South Downs Way tending to be pretty smooth underfoot, and consisting of mainly a chalk based surface, there isn't really the need for a trail shoe.  So as I have done in the majority of the trail races I have recently raced in, unless there are muddy conditions, I will be wearing my Mizuno Wave Rider road shoes.  Which with an official weight of 244 grammes are a tiny bit lighter than the Hayate trail shoe.  But the reason I like the Wave Rider shoe and why I have predominantly trained and raced in these shoes over the last six years, is that to me they are plenty responsive, but also, especially important when racing 100 miles, they feel pretty comfortable. 

Mizuno Wave Rider 17 Road Shoe

Look out for my South Downs Way 100 mile race report here on UltraStu next week.  Where hopefully the many hours of physical training spent marking the Weald Challenge race route, and then collecting in the route markings following the event, will have paid off with a strong race performance.



Review of 2013 - Still on the Upward Learning Curve!

Hi,

Happy New Year!

I actually started this blog post shortly after new year, but it just wasn't flowing (Yes I know, some people suggest that none of my blog posts flow!)  So I waited until I had a bit more time to think before re-starting the post!  Hopefully the wait was worthwhile!

Looking back at my 2012 review which was titled “Nothing Special – Time for a Re-think”, the review highlighted the need to make some changes in order to perform to the level I felt that I was capable of in my focus race of 2013, the Montane Lakeland 100.  Well did the changes work?  To a certain extent the training I carried out prior to the Lakeland 100 improved my performance quite significantly over my 2012 Lakeland 100 race, i.e. a quicker time by around ninety minutes, but I still felt that I didn't quite ‘nail it’.  So there is still room for further improvement within 100 mile races for 2014.  Although, I didn't quite reach the extremely high levels that I expected from myself, I was still very satisfied with my race performance, and winning the event for a second time gave me a great deal of satisfaction. 

So, one question I have been asking myself recently is; “What do I need to do in my training this year, to go even quicker in 100 mile ultra trail races?”  I guess a good time to look at what I did last year, including looking at some numbers for the year.

First statistic: Total Mileage = 2389 miles. This consisted of 257 runs so an average of 9.3 miles per run, and with a weekly average of 45.9 miles. Comparing to the weekly mileage average for 2012 of 40.7 miles, I ran on average around five miles more per week.  But with the miles per run being nearly identical (9.3 vs 9.2) the increase in weekly mileage appears to be mainly due to doing more runs, i.e. having less rest (or injury) days.

2013 - 257 runs, 108 rest days, total 2389 miles, average of 9.3 miles per run
2012 - 229 runs, 137 rest days, total 2115 miles, average of 9.2 miles per run
2011 - 259 runs, 106 rest days, total 2217 miles, average of 8.6 miles per run
2010 - 260 runs, 105 rest days, total 2276 miles, average of 8.8 miles per run
2009 - 195 runs, 170 rest days, total 1783 miles, average of 9.1 miles per run
2008 - 199 runs, 167 rest days, total 1806 miles, average of 9.1 miles per run.

This mileage of 2389 miles was 274 miles more than 2012, and was my 3rd highest running mileage year since I started training in 1978, with my three previous highest years being: 3rd 2300 (1983), 2nd 2520 (1981) and 1st 2588 (1984), when I was aged 20, 18 and 21 respectively!

As mentioned my planned big change to my physical training for 2013 was to significantly up my weekly mileage to around 100 miles per week.  Well I managed this for five weeks, before the big mileage training was interrupted with a week’s skiing in February.  Upon returning from the skiing I never really got the opportunity to ‘bang out’ the big miles again as I had two lead up trail marathons, prior to my first key race of the year the Highland Fling at the end of April.

Although the two trail marathons, the Steyning Stinger Marathon and the Endurancelife Sussex Coastal Trail Marathon were both simply build-up races, whenever I am on the start line I always ensure that I am competitive and therefore aim to perform to a high level.  I don’t believe in ‘training races’, so trying to race to a high level whilst still trying to run 100 miles per week didn't seem a logical approach, so my weekly mileage dropped.  The table below breaks down my physical training into months.  The massive mileage during January really stands out, but I do recall that right up to the Highland Fling at the end of April, I was really pleased with my physical training, with there being less rest days than previous years.

Looking back now at the mileage numbers within the above table, I do recall thinking at the time last year that I had run quite a bit more miles than what the numbers above illustrate.  As what I actually ran was only a slightly higher weekly mileage during February to April than what I would usually run.  However, the thinking at the time that I had run significantly more than usual helped develop the confidence, which I still regard is probably the main benefit from increasing the mileage, or in this case simply thinking that I had increased the mileage!   The incentive to increase the weekly mileage was to ‘toughen up the legs’.  This false belief that I had actually run more than I thought has got me giving some thought to whether the benefits of the ‘toughening up of the legs’ is actually related to how much attention during the race one gives to monitoring / expecting the damage and discomfort of the legs!  Perhaps if one is less concerned about the possible discomfort that is likely to eventuate during the later portions of an ultra trail race, then less attention is directed to monitoring the legs, and the resulting less discomfort that is experienced after ‘toughening up the legs’ may actually be due to there being reduced monitoring for, reduced expectation of, pain!  

Possibly the above concept may seem a bit far-fetched, although the more experience I gain as I continue to race more trail races, especially the ultra races, the more I am convinced that the slowing down in pace that occurs during endurance trail racing is simply a result of one’s emotional state!  Which I guess answers my key question above:  “What do I need to do in my training this year, to go even quicker in 100 mile ultra trail races?”  Simple, just ensure I maintain an effective, productive emotional state during the latter portions of ultra trail races!  But how do I do this?  Well that is the real challenge of ultra trail racing, and in some ways the real joy of ultra trail racing, as one is always learning from each and every race! In terms of what I mean by one’s emotional state and its relationship to fatigue, a little bit is explained within my Race Focus Energy Fatigue Model article. 

So as I plan my training for 2014, the planning involves two aspects: (i) What have I learnt from 2013?  And (ii) What do I wish to achieve within my 2014 racing? 

Lessons Learnt from 2013

I raced six times during 2013, and following each race I reflected on my performance and attempted to summarise what I learnt within my race report which was usually written the following week.  As these race reports contain much of my thinking I won’t repeat it here, but within this review I will rather try to come to an overall conclusion. 

My placings in the six races were four wins, one 5^th place and one 8^th place.  Just because I win a race, it doesn't automatically translate that I am pleased with how I ran.  My win in the London to Brighton 60 mile off-road ultra was a prime example of this, where in reality I DNFed shortly after half way!

I was reasonably pleased with both of my early season trail marathon performances, so I was expecting ‘great things’ to happen at the Highland Fling, but it didn't happen!  Looking back now, the Highland Fling ‘non-race’ was my first big lesson I learnt in 2013   Heading up to Scotland, I had put too much emphasis on my physical training.  And as I was pretty pleased with what I had done, or what I had thought I had done, I therefore seemed to expect the top race performance to simply happen.  Without realising it, I had massively under prepared in terms of the Highland Fling non-physical training.  In relation to the three important questions I ask myself at the start of my non-physical training are:. What do I want?  Why do I want it?  How much do I want it?  I hadn't spent the necessary time getting the answers ingrained into my subconscious, along with the other mental strategies required to perform up to the maximum of one’s physical limits.  The visualisations were lacking, the race strategies were lacking, the excitement, the ‘buzz’ from the upcoming race, looking back now, was also lacking.  So the result on the day, a disappointing performance resulting in eighth place!

The Highland Fling race reminded me of the importance of the non-physical training in terms of influencing race performance.  Coinciding with this realisation, I had a frustrating injury that severely interrupted my physical training for six weeks.  Within my rather lengthy Montane Lakeland 100 race report I expanded on my non-physical training, but the question I am trying to resolve now is:  Was the improved performance at the 2013 Lakeland 100 a result of my high quality non-physical training?  Or was it as most physiologists would like to argue, simply a result of my increased mileage at the start of the year, followed by reduced physical training that allowed be to be fully recovered and therefore ‘fresh’ for the Lakeland 100, rather than the simple over-trained / run-down explanation for my below-par performance at the Highland Fling! 

Perhaps the relationship between physical training and ultra trail performance is that simple, BUT I THINK NOT!  Yes, physical training is hugely important, but as I plan my training for 2014, rather than looking to replicate the 100 mile weeks from 2013, I am paying increased attention to my non-physical training, which I feel relates more directly with an emotionally focused fatigue model!  I won’t go into detail now on some of my plans for my 2014 TOTAL training, but will definitely try to address these is a future blog post.

So I felt like I learnt loads from the Highland Fling, which helped contribute to a strong performance at the Montane Lakeland 100.  My second big learning experience came from my disappointing performance resulting in a fifth place at the Beachy Head Marathon.  This realisation of the ‘damaging’ effects of ‘fighting’ / ‘battling’ during a race, I feel were quite enlightening!, and really helped to explain some of the 'mystery' of endurance trail running performance.  I am therefore reminding myself of this lesson and keeping it to the forefront of my mind as I carry-out my non-physical training for the upcoming 2014 race season!  This therefore leads nicely into the second aspect involved in my 2014 planning.

Race Expectations for 2014

Firstly my race schedule for 2014.  With this being my seventh year of ultra trail racing, it is my most ambitious in terms of racing, including for the first time, two 100 mile trail races within a single calendar year!  So the 2014 race schedule is:

2nd March – Steyning Stinger Marathon – 26 mile
5th April – Centurion South Downs Way 50 – 50 mile
26th April – The Fellsman – 61 mile
14th June - Petzel South Downs Way 100 - 100 mile
26th July - Montane Lakeland 50 - 50 mile
29th August – Ultra Trail Mont Blanc – 103 mile
25th October - Beachy Head Marathon - 26 mile

I start and finish the racing season with familiar trail marathons, having raced the Steyning Stinger four times and the Beachy Head Marathon twelve times, but the intervening five races are all ultras of 50 miles or more, all being new events to me, apart from the UTMB where come the end of August, I will be on the start line in Chamonix for the third time!

Which event excites me the most is hard to say, but I guess heading back to UTMB for the first time since 2011 must top the list, but only slightly ahead of racing the South Downs 100, on my ‘home patch’, and taking on the challenge of the Fellsman with its huge tradition and history.  What do I expect from myself during these races?  Now this is an extremely hard question to answer, and I continually struggle with this question.  Getting the answer ‘right’ I would have to say is THE ABSOLUTE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF TRAINING! FULL-STOP!  No matter how many miles you run, what nutrition/hydration strategy you implement, what equipment you purchase, and what pacing strategy you adopt.  If you don’t know what to expect from oneself, what you want, what you belief you are capable of achieving, then you are never going to perform to your BEST!  One real problem is that one never really knows what their best is.  So one can never really assess whether they have achieved their best!  I am going a bit around in circles here, but hopefully I have made it very clear, it is the non-physical training that influences ultra trail running performance substantially more that the physical training!  And the longer the race, the greater the influence.

Within the above paragraph I mention a few key topics related to trail running performance.  It just so happens that Great Britain 24 hour runner Robbie Britton has also been giving these topics some thought.  Go to the Run 24/7 website to read his interesting articles on speed training, nutrition and pacing.  In researching his pacing article, Robbie gave me a quick call, simply to get a quote or two from me on my pacing strategy.  Well about an hour or so later, Robbie finally managed to ‘escape’ from the quick call after managing to convince me that he probably had more than enough UltraStu material on pacing, and more importantly his evening meal was getting cold!  Robbie nicely summarises the various topics and encourages all runners to give the topics serious thought and to question their approach.  It is nice that Robbie has highlighted some of my ideas in order to present the contrasting pacing approaches. although I think an UltraStu blogpost on pacing is probably well overdue.  Hopefully sometime this year!  The one sentence I particularly like from Robbie’s pacing article is “In my opinion the longer the race goes on, the less influential genetic factors such as strength, fitness and body type, commonly benefiting male or younger athletes, become and more emphasis can be placed on the subjects of these blogs, nutrition, hydration and for this one, pacing.” although he hasn't mentioned THE key subject – SELF EXPECTATIONS!  Hence, with my two focus races for 2014 being long at 100 and 103 miles, my training plans include reduced emphasis on developing my strength and physical fitness.

Although I have highlighted my racing schedule, running wise, I have a lot more happening during 2014.  Firstly, my Run Coaching, which I commenced doing last August is giving me great satisfaction.  The ten runners I am coaching have a great number and variety of races during 2014, and I am finding that being involved with their preparation gets me emotionally involved with their race performances.  So although I am only racing seven times in 2014, it feels like my race calendar is busier that ever, especially as I look forward to hearing how each of my athletes get on, and helping them learn from each of their races.  Just a quick side note, as indicated on my Stuart Mills Run Coaching blog page, unfortunately I am currently unable to take on any new athletes.  

In addition to the run coaching, I am organising my first trail race in 2014.  For the last nine years I have been race director for our village 5km road race, the Kings Head Canter, which has been great fun organising, as each year, race day is a great occasion, with around 250 runners enjoying themselves.  On Sunday the 25th May 2014, it will be the first staging of the Weald Challenge Trail Races.  There are three race distances: a 50km ultra, a trail marathon, and a trail half marathon.  All three races start and finish in the same place; Chiddingly, East Sussex, and all three races follow the long distance footpaths of the Wealdway and the Vanguard Way.  On-line race entry and further race information can be found on the Trail Running Sussex website.  With still four months until race day, there are already over 100 hundred runners entered.  So it is looking like it will be a really successful event.

And finally, as many of you are well aware, I do like talking about trail running.  Well on Saturday the 8th March 2014 I have been invited by Cannonball Events to do a talk up north at Todmorden.  In addition to the Saturday night talk and meal, there is also the opportunity to join in with a 22 mile run during the day, that follows the route of the 51 mile Calderdale Way Ultra that takes place on the 7th June 2014, which looks like an excellent event.   Within my talk, that includes plenty of opportunity to ask questions, I will expand upon some of my perhaps 'out of the box' ideas that has enabled me to get close to achieving 'my best' during ultra trail racing over the last few years.  If you are from up north, and wish to chat in person about my ideas, then click this link to book a place and for specific details about my talk and run. It would be good to meet many of you in person. 

Well time to sign off with some words that directly follow on from Robbie Britton's observations regarding long race performances highlighting the reduced influence of strength and fitness, and thus reinforces the importance of the non-physical training.  

"As one begins to get that little bit older, so no longer able to perhaps classify themselves as young, (I guess I have now just entered this category), then in order to continue to maximise ones performance, it is all about training those aspects that provide the largest contribution.  Therefore in order to improve performance, one must understand what actually determines their performance.  What did you learn about trail running performance last year?."  Stuart Mills, 2014

All the best with your running and racing during 2014.

Stuart

PS Around two weeks ago I went to place my vote for the top male and female ultra runners, and the top male and female performance during 2013 on the UK Ultra Running Award website.  I clicked on the Male Ultra Performance of the Year category and there at the very bottom of the list was my name.  Quite a pleasant surprise seeing that the UK Ultra Running Award panel felt that my Lakeland 100 win was worthy of making such a prestigious list of ultra performances.  I then see the word (VET) after my name, and realise that it is most likely due to my not so young age that I made such an impressive list.  

Yes, it is nice that my Lakeland 100 performance has been recognised, but being that little bit older than my fellow competitors near the front of the race, now aged 51, for 100 mile ultra trail races I don't see it as a disadvantage.  Yes a gradual decline in strength and fitness has occurred during recent years, however, I feel this has more than been compensated by  my experience and  increased wisdom and understanding of what factors actually contribute to ultra trail running performance.  So please don't vote for me this year just because I am an oldie.  Hopefully next year you can vote for me simply due to one of my 2014 race performances, without the word (VET) needed.  

So I didn't vote for myself.  Who did I vote for?  It was a really tough decision.  Ricky Lightfoot's IAU World Trail win immediately stands out, as does Ian Sharman's Grand Slam performances, but in the end, perhaps a less obvious choice, I voted for Paul Giblin for his amazing win in a course record time of 15:07:29 at the West Highland Way.  What makes this one performance so special?  Well the race has been going since 1985, with the present course now being slightly longer due to it being lengthened in 1991.  Paul's winning time was not only over THIRTY minutes quicker than Terry Conway's 2012 course record time, which was recognised as being pretty impressive, due to it beating the previous course record of Jez Bragg.  But by taking over 30 minutes off Terry Conway's course record, which is quite unbelievable, Paul's winning time is the quickest time ever, regardless of the course, from a substantial history of 28 years of racing!  Voting closes on the 14th February, so still around two weeks to get your vote in.

Upcoming UltraStu Presentation - March 2014

Hi

Just a quick blog post tonight to let you know about a presentation and run I am doing next March up north in Todmorden, West Yorkshire.  It was back in April at the TORQ weekend, that took place in Shropshire, when I met John Lloyd from Cannonball Events.  Recently he approached me to see if I would be interested in doing a Performance Enhancement Presentation on my trail running ideas, to the trail running community up north.  No doubt as you are probably aware from the length of my blog posts, I do enjoy sharing my ideas, so I agreed to travel up in exchange for some good friendly northern hospitality and of course, a reasonably lengthy trail run with a group of runners.

So on Saturday 8th March commencing in the morning there is a 22 mile run along the Calderdale Way, part of the Calderdale Way Ultra race route.  Then later that day at 6:30pm, as described by John from Cannonball Events, there is "An Evening with Stuart Mills".  Sounds a bit like a BBC Evening with a Famous Singer TV show!  Don't worry, I definitely won't be singing!

The image below is from the fancy flyer that John has produced.

Click the following link: http://www.cannonballevents.co.uk/specialevents.php to find out further information.  It should be a great night, as well as an excellent run at a pretty leisurely pace.

Just one more tiny bit of news tonight.  I was recently approached by a Mum whose son is a trail runner who enjoys reading my UltraStu blog and finds the material aids his running.  She asked me if it was possible if I could share my racing, training and coaching experience in person with her son in conjunction with a weekend of trail running taking in the amazingly scenic countryside of East Sussex.  Her plan was to give the Trail Running Weekend as a Christmas present to her son.  I felt really 'honoured' in that running with me would be someone's Christmas present, so I produced a fancy voucher to mark the occasion. 

I then thought maybe there are other people out there who have a keen trail runner friend, partner, son/daughter, or Mum/Dad and just don't know what to give them for Christmas.  So if you like the idea of giving a Trail Running Weekend in East Sussex as a present, then simply zap me an e-mail StuartMillsRunCoaching@talktalk.net and we can discuss details.  It wouldn't have to be the same format as the voucher below.  Whatever you feel would be the most ideal Christmas present.

Anyway just a thought.  Just one last point, although the Christmas present is Trail Running with me, it wouldn't actually be during the Christmas period, but some time during 2014.  As I am commencing my summer training camp out in New Zealand next week.  Yes, I am off to New Zealand for Christmas to catch up with family and friends, as well as planning to get a few fantastic hot sunny trail runs in.

Hopefully, I will be publishing a few posts from New Zealand, but just in case I am too busy doing loads of running, have a great Christmas.

Stuart

PS Just one last mention.  No doubt many of you are probably planning your races for 2014 around now.  If you are looking for an off-road run that takes is a variety of terrain and scenery, including the Ashdown Forest, designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, then checkout the Weald Challenge Trail Races, that take place in East Sussex on Sunday 25th May, 2014.  The Weald Challenge Trail Races consist of a 50km Ultra Trail, a Trail Marathon, and a Trail Half Marathon.  Go to the race website for further information and to enter online:   http://www.trailrunningsussex.co.uk/trailraces.html

A Few Bits and Pieces

Hi,

Due to finding myself pretty busy recently, I haven't really had time to put my thoughts together into writing a blog post on the process one can take when structuring a training programme.  The reason I mention this now, is due to the process I have been going through whilst constructing training programmes for a number of the athletes I am coaching.  You may recall a few blog posts back I mentioned that I had started doing on-line coaching.  Well it has been going really well.  I am now coaching ten athletes towards various goals, mostly ultra trail running goals, although a few of the runners have as their target race the London or Brighton road marathon.  So I'm finding it a good challenge, personalising each of their training programmes to accommodate their race goals, as well as addressing those aspects that appear to be currently holding them back.

I have also been pretty busy assisting with the setting up of the Weald Challenge Trail Races.  Yes, the Weald Challenge Trail Races are a new addition to the Sussex trail running calendar, that take place at the end of May 2014.  There are three race distances: The Weald Challenge Ultra Trail 50km, the Weald Challenge Trail Marathon, and the Weald Challenge Trail Half Marathon.

 

All races start and finish at Chiddingly, East Sussex, and are 85% - 90% off-road, traveling along two long distance footpaths, the Wealdway and the Vanguard Way. The terrain is varied, and quite undulating, with the Ultra Trail and Marathon races taking in the spectacular Ashdown Forest. Visit the race website http://www.trailrunningsussex.co.uk/trailraces.html to enter online, and to find further information on these exciting new trail races. Entries opened only a few days ago, and it looks like the races could be popular with entries coming in already.

I also have some exciting news regarding my racing next year.  Yes, next year I will be racing as part of the newly formed TORQ Performance Trail Running Team.  I am joining British trail runner Tracey Dean, in addition to a few other trail runners on the team, but I don't think they have been officially announced yet.  I understand that there will be an official launch of the team at the start of 2014.  But here is the news item on the TORQ website announcing my 'signing' to the team.  Sounds a bit like a Premier League club making a new signing.  Pity I don't get a huge weekly salary like the overpaid football superstars. Actually a pity I don't get paid anything!  Just the 'glory', friendship and support of being part of the team.

Although it is exciting to look to next year's races, I haven't quite finished my 2013 racing season.  Yes, this Saturday I am racing the Beachy Head Trail Marathon for the 12th consecutive year.  I have mentioned many times on my blog, just how good this race is, hence why I have already raced it eleven times previously.  Last year's race didn't quite result in the performance I was hoping for, so I have increased the level of non-physical training this year, to ensure my mind is in the right place come race day.

Although the extent at which 'getting the mind right' influences ones race performance isn't as great in a trail marathon as it is in say a 100 mile ultra trail race, the mind still plays a huge part in determining trail marathon performance.  I often receive comments to my blog highlighting that I perhaps place too much emphasis on the non-physical, i.e. the mental training.  It was therefore nice to hear Scott Jurek's comments in an excellent brief interview that was conducted by Ben Abdelnoor.  Here is a link to the interview.

Time to sign off with the words from ultra trail legend Scott Jurek:

"In ultras it's really more about the mental component than anything else"  Scott Jurek, 2013,speaking in the Lake District

All the best with your physical and non-physical training, and yes with your racing,

Stuart