Training through the coronavirus pandemic – how to stay motivated and come out a mentally stronger runner
Saying things are a little crazy right now is an understatement, with more than half the world either in lockdown or just coming out of it and the vast majority of the other half under some restrictions, life as we know it has been turned upside down. Some runners have found that remaining motivated to […]
How to achieve stretch running goals
Early in 2019, I was approached by an athlete (let’s call her Lucy ) who wanted to run the length of New Zealand and set an FKT in doing so. She had some decent results in some shorter 50ish km ultras but no experience in running anything longer. Yet she was serious in wanting help […]
How to pace an ultra
There are a few different strategies people use when pacing an ultra , which do you think is the best ? Go hard from the start and get as many miles covered before the legs force you to shuffle to the finish. Go easy at the start and aim to pick it up in last […]
Avoiding a DNF
DNF – those three letters are what every ultra runner dreads. Did. Not. Finish. Most of us have a few to our name and they are part of our sport. For some they represent failure, the end result of many months of training, and a bitter disappointment. For others it can be a valuable learning […]
Relentless Improvement Towards Mastery
Mile 27 Coach Ben Duffus joins us on the blog to talk about how constantly focussing on improvement rather than results can lead to better outcomes and more enjoyment of the process. The title of this post might sound a little contrived, but these are the 4 words that pop up on my phone’s to-do-list […]
What can trail runners learn from road runners?
We, as trail runners, gravitate to trails for a number of reasons. It might be the scenery, the lack of focus on split times and PBs, the grassroots atmosphere of trail races or simply because we prefer running in nature than on roads. But somewhere along the way I think those of us who have […]
Power meters for trail runners
What do you use to determine the intensity or pace in races or training on trails? For road runners pace is a good a metric as any to work from but pace on trails varies too much for it to be of any value. What about heart rate? Heart rate training has been around for […]
How to minimise the time you spend at aid stations in an ultra
Time spent in aid stations during an ultra can range from minutes to hours and can be the difference between making the race cut-offs and DNF’ing. It can make the difference from a top 10 performance or top 50, a silver buckle vs a bronze buckle. In this video Ben Duffus; who surely has the […]
Top technique tips to help you get the most out of using poles
Running poles are common place in mountainous ultras but when you first start using them you can be left wondering what the fuss is about. They can seem more of a nuisance or hindrance than something that aids performance. A lot of that comes down to technique. Whenever I watch beginners using poles I see […]
Post Race Recovery – the do’s and don’ts
Crossing the finish line of an ultra is an amazing experience and once you cross that line the next phase of your training starts — recovery. Ultras take a big toll on your body and whilst lying on the couch drinking beer and eating pizza might sound like a good idea there are better ways […]