Asia Trail Masters Campbell vs Kitamura

What does it take to win the Asia Trail Masters ? Last weekend saw the running of Asia Trail Masters Championship Final – an 84km race in Borneo. The race produced a thrilling finish as Jeff Campbell held on to take the win from a fast-finishing Hisashi Kiamura by just over 2 minutes  after almost […]

Training through Menopause

Mile 27 Coach Cathy Duffy discusses the impact of menopause on female athletes and what she has learnt whilst navigating her own perimenopause journey. She wants to start a discussion about this time in every woman’s life which can be challenging and confusing, but can also be a time of change and discovery. I recall […]

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 […]

How to choose an online running coach

As an online running coach I’m obviously a big believer that a coach is a good investment in your running. It’s not just for the elite, in fact many of my clients make up the back half of the field. If you want to take away the uncertainty of what type of training you should […]

Hoka One One – marketing hype or running shoe revolution?

Ever since Hoka One One was launched a few years ago it has divided runners opinions – depending on who you speak to its either a revolutionary shoe or a fad that will disappear with time. Since they were launched right at the height of the minimalist shoe trend they stood out amongst the zero […]

Blister prevention 101

Blisters are a common problem for many marathon and ultramarathon runners. There are many ideas for how to prevent them, some of them old wives tales and some of them have a bit more credibility. But despite the use of every remedy known to mankind some of us still suffer blisters. Maybe our understanding of […]

Strengthening your Gluteus Medius

A while ago I posted a blog on the the relative ineffectiveness of typical glute strengthening exercises such as the clam and side lying leg raises and recommended some more effective exercises. I have had a few requests for a video of these to show more clearly how to perform them so here you go. […]

What Causes Running Injuries?

Running injuries are so common , more than 50% of runners suffer one every year. Why? Is it because they a) Increased their distance too quickly   b) Increased their intensity too quickly   c) Didn’t stretch before running   d) Didn’t stretch after running   e) Were wearing cushioned supportive running shoes   f) […]