Do we have a limited number of heart beats and if so am I using them up in a hurry?
One theory I’ve heard mentioned to me is the concept that we all have a limited number of heart beats after which we die. The people espousing this theory to me claim I am very quickly using up all my available heart beats and will come to a grinding halt well before my time. I […]
To stretch or not to stretch?
Two common beliefs with regards to stretching are that we must stretch before we work out to help prevent injury and prepare us for our workout and that we should stretch after a workout to help decrease muscle soreness. Unfortunately although the first one is true, the way most people go about doing it has […]
Should runners hit the gym?
I am often asked this question and the answer is very much dependant on the type of exercises you do. A good weight training program can increase endurance, improve running technique, increase flexibility, decrease risk of injury, balance any muscular asymmetries throughout the body allowing your body to function more effectively, increase the strength of […]
Why Run Ultramarathons?
Running through the delights of Hampstead Heath on a brisk autumn day transported me back to some of the races I’ve done. I could have been anywhere, I couldn’t hear any traffic, there was no-one else around and all I could hear was the sound of my feet hitting the ground. At times like this […]
The Pennine 100 Challenge 2008
From a race with 2300 competitors in 2007 in the UTMB, things were a little different on a wet windy weekend in the Peak District for this tough 100 miler. The gale force wind cut through my five layers of clothing causing an involuntary shiver. The continuous rain over the last 15 hours had long […]
The Ultra Trail du Mt Blanc 2007
UTMB 2007 Without any audible noise the race has begun. I stand unmoving waiting for the runners ahead to move forward through the narrow streets of Chamonix to allow me some space to start running. There is over 2300 runners all packed into a very small area behind the start line, each runner with a […]
The West Highland Way 2006
Rannoch Moor. The vast expanse of Britian’s largest uninhabited wilderness surrounds me. I am all alone save for the peaks of the magnificent Scottish Highlands that can be seen in every direction. Its 4pm Saturday 24th June, I have been going since 1am this morning and am now walking, my legs rebelling against the brains […]