Super Fit at 50: an autumn training update

Training has been going well, albeit pretty light on running this past week. I have to adapt my training around work commitments – something I’m sure most runners can relate to. Running for life, not living to run I love running, but it’s not the whole story. It has to fit around my other responsibilities. […]

🍂 Super Fit at 50: Falling into new things this autumn 🍂

Is it just me, or is this time of year quite intense? I find myself starting to plan out my goals for the new year ahead, including which races I want to enter and finding my ‘A’ race: that Big Goal for 2020. I actually caught myself giggling on a recent run, just thinking about […]

Super Fit at 50: what to do after a DNF

I’ve just finished my first week’s training after DNFing at the Cotswold Way Century. It’s times like this that make me appreciate having already thought through a plan for dealing with disappointments to help me move forward quickly. And I’m not just talking about prepping myself mentally for race DNFs; I’m also talking about any […]

Super Fit at 50: Cotswold Century Race Report

As I wrote last week, I set out to complete 102 miles of the Cotswold Way this weekend just gone. I fell well short of that goal, calling it a day at 35 miles when I realised I wouldn’t make the cut-off at 40. Here’s a very honest report of what happened on the day… […]

The next Super Fit at 50 milestone: this weekend’s Cotswold Century

102 miles of Cotswolds racing await me tomorrow. As I write this, the pre-race nerves have set up camp. To mentally prepare, I’m visualising myself at various stages of the event, including crossing that finish line at Bath Abbey on Sunday. Most ultra-runners blog about events after they’ve finished – and I hope to be […]

Ultra-running in my 50s: some good news

This week, I had my annual PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test, a screen for the signs of prostate cancer. It’s something I’ve blogged about before, having had raised PSA levels that turned out to be benign last year. It’s a test I’d wholeheartedly recommend for any man in their 50s – ultra-runner or otherwise. […]

Finding my next endurance milestone: the Cotswold Way Century

After DNFing at the SDW100, I enjoyed three weeks of rest (plus a week on antibiotics) to recharge and refocus. Since then, I’ve returned to training and feel surprisingly all the better for taking that break. I have a real extra zest and ambition for my running, and am enjoying it so much more. Now […]

Feeling like spring in July

After pulling out of the SDW100 with kidney pain, I set about getting myself back in the groove. My good friend Neil Thubron suggested I do the opposite of what I would normally do, and take three weeks rest from running. This post is really about picking yourself back up after a disappointment – and […]

Things runners don’t talk about #4: Chafing

Ultra-runners! Hands up who’s ever felt the burn of some serious chafing? I have a good friend and fellow ultra-runner who once had to put a sock in-between his butt cheeks to relieve the pain of a friction sore so he could finish an event, which I’m glad to say he did! Whatever gets you […]

Zero-drop trail shoes for overpronators: Altra Provision 3.5

For regular readers, you might remember that I was frustrated when Brooks discontinued the ASR trail shoe. Since then, I’ve been using the Brooks Cascadia out on the trails. It’s a good shoe, but not available (at least in the UK) in a wide fitting, and gets a bit tight around the toes on longer […]