Bite off more than you can chew
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Hitting the wall
When I did The Wall ultra-marathon1 in June 2022 I was at about mile 50-something (out of 70) and I was going over and over in my mind how to craft the email that I’d write to the MdS organisers to try and get out of it and get my deposit back. “I’ve bitten off more than I can chew….”, “Please give my place to someone who deserves it more….”.
A couple days after finishing The Wall, however, I was so chuffed with myself that I wanted that feeling again after the MdS. So of course I didn’t write the email.
Training plan
It’s now the end of January, three months to go until the MdS and I’m up to 30km runs at the weekend with 5kg on my back (plus water). I’ll probably want some in the Sahara but right now I’m sick of the cold and the frost. On a 30km run I walk to take a break but I get cold. So annoying.
I reckon if I can get up to three 30km runs three days in a row, each with 8kg in my rucksack, then I’ll be in good shape. I’m aiming for that by the end of March.
Tea or soup?
I became interested in ultra-marathons after doing a few ‘normal’ 26.2 mile road marathons and thinking, I could try and get quicker and quicker but one day I’ll start getting slower and slower. Perhaps it would be good to try something a bit different.
I read the brilliant ‘Feet in the clouds’ by Richard Askwith around that time, which also had a big effect on me. Getting in good shape for a normal marathon is all physical. For ultra-marathons the appeal was to test myself mentally.
After running a 26.2 mile marathon people ask what time you did. After an ultra they just ask if you want a cup of tea or a cup of soup. Often there are no medals, no crowds to cheer you on and no one asks what time you did.
The last hurrah
When I talk about doing the MdS I say that I “have a place…I’ll be on the start line”. Whether I’ll finish it or not is another matter. Either way I’ve been wondering if the MdS is my ‘last hurrah’. I doubt it. There’s always something else to bite off.
Important: None of these posts are investment advice. If you are thinking about investing you should seek the advice of a suitably qualified independent advisor.
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An ultra-marathon is anything over 26.2 miles. The ones I’ve done have been between 36 miles and 70 miles.