Future Plans

With the anticlimax that was the Milton Keynes 10 km, it’s time to lay out and confirm some future plans, rather than just considering them. If the ultimate destination is to cover 66 miles in less than 24 hours, and the current location is 13 miles in 90 minutes, there’s quite a journey to be had. So, how to get there?

It’s difficult to visualise being able to complete something that seems so far away, both in time and in capacity. But if we know the magnitude of where we want to get to, we can break down that goal into smaller sub-goals, which are more manageable, and target those.

The next natural goal from a half marathon is, of course, a marathon. But the thought of running 26 miles on tarmac really does not appeal to me. There is a reason why I’ve been running for 13 years and yet haven’t raced a distance further than 13.1 miles. Actually, I think it’s the training for it that puts me off more than anything. Weekly 2-3 hour runs, with long sections at marathon pace, pounding the pavement. No thanks! Luckily, there are a multitude of companies that offer races of marathon distance over trails. Training for a trail race involves running over trails. Perfect!

So, how to choose one? Like I said, there are an awful lot. As it happens, a fellow club member asked if anyone would fancy running the Broadway marathon, which takes place in November. Broadway is in the Cotswolds, so not too far away and, that Sunday in November, I don’t have the children. It’s also months away, plenty of time to up the training and get ready. Let’s do it.

First up then, the next stepping stone, is the Broadway marathon, Sunday 17 November.

Moving on from the marathon, I guess the next logical step is a 50 km race. Not too much of an increase from a marathon, but a step into the ultra running world and a small step towards my goal. I was thinking spring time for this, which gives me a good amount of time for a decent block of training after the marathon. We’re looking at the end of March, potentially the beginning of April.

Another club member did the Hundred Hills 50 km, run by Centurion Running in mid-March of this year. He said it was tough going, but the general consensus is that it’s an ideal first step into ultra running. It’s a figure of eight course, with two 25 km loops around Stonor Park, in the Chiltern Hills. Thankfully, there aren’t literally one hundred hills, but it does look like a very undulating course, as opposed to one with big climbs and long descents. The total elevation gain is stated at 1,200 m. Seems ideal.

I’m still a little reluctant though, and have been searching around for alternatives. Given that I know someone who ran this in 2024, I don’t want to get caught up in trying to race against his time. I’m confident in that I will be slower than him, but I don’t want to be massively slower. I want to take it steady in my first ultra, and not be too concerned with the time, just get the miles in the legs. However, if I’m aware that I’m far behind his time, I might end up pushing where I shouldn’t, or not spending long enough taking a breather and taking on food in the aid stations. Of course, I could just forget about all of that, but I know I won’t. That said, I haven’t found any alternatives yet and, again, this lands on a weekend where I don’t have the children,

Beyond the springtime 50 km, I’m undecided on how I will progress. The next step up is probably a 50-miler (there aren’t many 40-milers around), but do I go for another 50 km first? 1,200 m of ascent is very different to the 8,500 m that I will be experiencing on the Bob. But do I up the elevation as I progress through the distances, or do I get the miles in my legs first and then come back for the elevation?

Either way, I’m thinking of a 50-miler towards the end of 2025. It just depends if I squeeze in another 50 km in between, which I would treat as a training run as opposed to another race. That decision doesn’t need making yet anyway. Lets get through my first marathon and 50 km, and then we can make some decisions.