My running Journey.

If you haven’t guessed, I quite like to run. Not just run, run far.

I discovered running during the first COVID lockdown and since then, it has been a big part of my life. I had ran a little when I was younger, training with my local triathlon club for a few years, but no more than a couple of miles. It started as a little hobby, going out for the odd 3km run a couple of times a week, but I soon realised that it was something I really enjoyed. A 3km became a 10km, which became a half marathon. After a couple of months of running I was hooked.

Me being me, I was keen for a challenge, and as the pandemic restricted socialising, I decided to undertake my first challenge. The plan was simple, run a mile extra a day for 30 days. 1 mile on day 1, 30 miles on day 30. Unfortunately, I was only able to reach day 15, however, I was very happy. From running 3km in March to running 5 back-to-back half marathons in May, little did I know, this would be the start of my quest to run far.

Inevitably, this ‘challenge’ left my body quite damaged and, therefore, I took some time off for a couple of months. It was soon time to start university, which would prove to be where I would find my love for running. Throughout the start of my first year, I was running on and off, but my fitness was quickly improving. The first term went by, and before the start of second term, I decided to sign up for my first running race, the Race to The Castle. A 100km race, how hard could it be?

Over the next few months training and preparing for the race became my priority. Building from the bottom, I was soon running 10+ hr weeks. I ran my first marathon during my first 50km ultra and things were going well. However, I picked up an injury about a month out of the race (good job I had exams to do). I managed to make the start line in pretty good shape but, unfortunately, I finished the race after 80km. Although slightly disappointed, I had learned a lot during my training and the race, and I was looking forward to giving the distance another shot.

And that’s where my slight obsession for ultra-running started, June 2021. Since then, I have been training as much as I can (providing I’m injury free) and I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds.

Results.

Here is a list of all of my running race results up to now.

2024

December: Celtic Trails Races Ultra 55 km - 1st (new CR)

2022

October: Round Ripon Ultra 56 km - 1st

March: Derwent X-Trail 10 mile - 2nd

2021

June: Race to the Castle 100 km - DNF @ 80 km