Liverpool to Manchester Preparation

The Liverpool to Manchester Ultramarathon is a fifty-mile jaunt along the Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) starting close to Aintree in Liverpool and finishing in Didsbury in Manchester (unless you’ve selected the 100 mile run and have to run back as well!!)

This isn’t one for the mountain dwelling beasts out there with only around 300m elevation over the whole route.  However for those dipping their toes into ultras or anyone who just wants a flat out fifty mile PB its perfect.  Since I’ve moved to Glossop I seem to get 300m elevation when I go and fetch some beers, so the climbing isn’t too concerning but the race is certainly a big mental challenge as there’s really not much to break it down – it’s just a long ol’run.

I did a recce of the route last weekend arranged by the Race Organiser www.gbultras.com.  They’ve actually done recces for the whole route in three sections but I’ve only been able to make one of them.  What a great option to give to entrants though!

That’s me on the left and last years winner (Matt Rushbrook) behind.  I guarantee this is the only time I’ll be in front of him

With less than four weeks left, here’s a few things that need to get sorted before a big race.

Gear choice: Get it nailed.  I already have my “favourites” so not too much trouble here.  I’ve just kicked off a new pair of shoes (Columbia Montrail Rogue FKT) to make sure I’m completely happy with them.  Many suggest doing this race in road shoes but having done the recce, I’m sticking with trail – nothing too grippy though!

Food plan:  I know what food I can stomach and my plan will be to eat very regularly from about 30 mins in and at similar intervals.  I’ll be building up a more detailed plan to take out the choice when my brain is frazzled.  Oh, and i’ll be drinking like a horse.

Know the route:  Unfortunately I haven’t been able to attend all of the recces, but the route should be well marked and is largely along the Trans Pennine Trail.  Stories from last year suggest there were a few wrong turns, so I have the GPX file loaded to my watch – again to stop any need for thinking (difficult after hours of running).  I’ll also have the map stuffed in my bag which I’ll have studied (probably…. 😉 )

Mental Preparation:  I definitely need to (wo)man up for this one.  Quite a challenge as my training has suffered due to tightness in my hip.  I’ve tried all sorts, rest, extra stretching, pilates, sports massage, strengthening exercises and just about seem to be getting past it but still feel a bit “awkward”.  What it boils down to is my longest run is likely to be 20 miles with very little speed training.  This is definitely not how I’d like to be going into this but not really much I can do to change it.  Now is not the time to panic train.  I’ll be sticking to the same plan as the Wendover 50 – stay positive, avoid negative thoughts and have fun and ENJOY IT! We enter these because we want to run ultras right?

Don’t worry, be happy

Getting through this one will give me a great mental/physical boost for the 110km Lakeland trails run in July, especially given the issues I’ve had with training.  Not getting through it, for any reason, would be really tough to deal with knowing that the next race is longer and tougher….

The finish line doesn’t move, you do!

Wondering whats for lunch.

Also I’ve finally added a few reviews to the gear section HERE

The Terrible Taper

The taper.  The final few weeks of preparation and contemplating the challenge lying ahead.  Some runners seem to love it as a chance to fill their faces with carbs; others are bouncing off the walls, desperate to get to the race. Here’s a few of my tapering observations…

Where has all the time gone: You’ve had this race booked for months. Training plans were meticulously created with mileage building up until race day. Suddenly, you’re mere weeks away and the taper is here. You begin asking yourself, “Have I done enough?”; “I don’t think I got enough long runs in!”, “Why on earth did I skip so many sessions from my training plan?” It’s not the time to play catch-up, though; the work is done and suddenly doing back-to-back runs to “catch-up” is only going to end in disaster.

All sorts of things start hurting: You’ve worked far too hard for anything to scupper your race now. But every run is a potential disaster, and the phantom injuries start to appear. Twinges appear in the knee/ankle/hamstring without warning, but are you imagining it? Is it the paranoia of a potential injury? Why does everyone on the bus/in the lift start stepping dangerously close to your toes?  Why have they organised a BMX night at work? (This actually happened).

Embracing the carb load: Everything contains carbs, right? At least that’s what you tell yourself.  The fourth biscuit from the office cupboard is just taking advantage of a carb-loading opportunity, and no-one can tell you to stop eating because you quite simply need the energy. Best to try not to end up stuffed full of white pasta and a dodgy stomach the day before though, eh?

Giving up the beer: Months and months ago when you booked on that race, you promised yourself to go tea-total for at least the final two months, well maybe one month. As time creeps along, you suddenly realise there is your cousins wedding, the works outing, and at least four Fridays during your dry period, so you decide two weeks will be enough, maybe one week. Roll on the night before and you’re convincing yourself that surely one glass of red wine will be OK? It’s mainly fruit, right?

You’re about to stop boring everyone to death: Everyone will be glad this is over. The missus has heard so much about your current kilometre pace and which socks you’re going to wear that she only has to look at you and starts glazing over. People dive for cover in the office in case you start to talk about your upcoming race. Don’t worry, it’ll all be over soon and you can bask in the glory of all the hard work you’ve done. At least for five minutes until you start scouring the internet for the next one!

Originally published on Men’s Running: http://mensrunninguk.co.uk/uncategorized/the-tale-of-the-taper-2/

Lemon, Chicken and Rice Stew

Marathon time is here and we all know it’s wise to get some extra carbs in before race day.  What this doesn’t mean is you have to stuff your face with piles of white pasta that you’re not used to and barely anything else (which is the “advice” I’ve seen dotted round the internet).

Here’s a carb-heavy simple recipe.  Along with some bread on the side, perhaps not the white bread pictured 🙂 it makes for a nutritious meal leading up to race day.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (free range)
• Several decent sized potatoes
• Servings of rice (2-3 people)
• 1 Courgette
• 2 carrots
• 1 large onion
• 2 sticks of celery
• Large clove of garlic
• 1 Lemon
• Salt/Pepper
• Bay leaves

Method

• Cut the chicken into small chunks and fry in a small amount of oil until lightly cooked.
• Meanwhile chop the potatoes, courgette, celery, carrots, onion and garlic and place into a large pot along with a few bay leaves

• Add the cooked chicken and just about cover with water and add salt/pepper to taste.
• Bring to the boil and then simmer for around 45 minutes.
• Add the rice and squeeze of lemon and simmer for another 10 minutes until the rice is cooked. This should have absorbed much of the water giving a thicker texture.
• Serve in a bowl along with bread and another squeeze of lemon.

I generally make this, eat it, then look over and see a lemon on the worktop that I’ve forgotten. As a reminder, here is a picture of a lemon.

Easing into the New Year

Its been a tough start to the New Year in a “1st world problems” type of way because I haven’t been able to get into the training that I wanted.

At the end of November I completed my longest ever race, the Wendover Woods 50.  It went better than planned.  I kept a reasonably consistent pace throughout the whole very hilly 50 miles, finished without any blisters, or “serious” pain other than the fully anticipated tired/aching muscles.  Stairs were a problem for two days, but after that I did a small bit of tentative running on a treadmill and all seemed ok.

Within two weeks, a friend was coming back to visit and before I knew it I was on a hilly two hour trail run in the Peaks.  It was great.  Apart from my hip.  And my feet.  Since Wendover I seemed to have developed various problems – significant tightness in the hip, pain in the top of both feet, dodgy shoulder and sore coccyx. Perhaps I’m not as “ultra-ready” as I though I was!

Anyway, this site isn’t about moaning, so I’ve been on “active” recovery i.e. a few very slow runs, some HIIT work, lots of stretching and foam rolling, basically anything which doesn’t bring back any recurring problems.

It’s a odd time of the year to be doing it though as everyone has suddenly gone fitness crazy.  I feel like a school kid in detention, nose pressed against the window, watching all the other kids play football outside.  Marathon plans have started, gyms are bulging at the seams, and parkrun attendance figures have shot up.  My running friends are building up the mileage for spring races and banging out interval training like its gone out of fashion, but I’m worried to accelerate above anything that might break a sweat!  But actually, I’m kind of easing back into it now, I’ve had a (very painful) phsyio session recently which has helped and kept the runs sensible and am feeling ready to start ramping things up which is great!

So in summary I need to (wo)man up and get back into being an……

Final couple of updates, knowing that I’m moving to Glossop shorty, I’ve planned my run-commute! A mere 25km from Manchester City, through Ashton-under-Lyne, Stalybridge, Hadfield and into Glossop.  Its got a “lighter-nights” feel about it though, but i’m looking forward to doing it!  Click the pic for the Strava route!

I’ve also updated my Race Results page, just into a more easily readable table format.  Definitely looking forward to developing this site further with a few new recipes and routes!

Until next time…