The Ultra Diaries 1 - Ultra Marathon Training: 'why? you're an idiot'

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Monday the 25th of March 2024, the start of a new training block… only this time, it's for an ultra marathon. Firstly, thanks again for coming back. I'll occasionally chuck in a training update into a blog as I'm going.

This isn't my first ultra marathon. In fact, it will be my 3rd ultra in 12 months, 4th in total, with a couple of training runs that have/will hit the “ultra” distance (50km+). I've actually done more official ultras than I have marathons — something which only dawned on me while writing this.

However, this race will be the longest. On Saturday the 15th of June I'll be running 70 miles from Carlisle to Newcastle along the historic Hadrian's Wall. But why?

When I told my best mate Paul, who is also a runner, that I was doing it, he called me an “idiot” and regularly reminds me that it's a “lunatic distance”. He's not alone in this. Whenever I'm asked what races I have this year, this one is often responded to with “oh god, that sounds tough”, “rather you than me”, and my personal favourite, “are you ok?”.

So, the answer is yes, I'm ok. At least I think I am. As a recovering depressive, this is one

of the more planned and joy‑providing decisions of the last year or so. But again, why?

Well, there are a few reasons why I started and continue to run ultras. Here are my experiences to date:

Ultra #1 — Herrington Park 50km

The first ultra was a 50km accumulated through 7 loops of Herrington Park in Sunderland. This was in December, on the back of completing my first marathon in October ’22, so I had a bit of fitness at the time. It was a race where you could run as far as you wanted or could in 7 hours. Paul sent me the race to see if I was interested. I'd been to the pub and indulged in a few pints of the Irish milk, so I drunkenly signed up. I messaged Paul back to say I was in and well done for taking on the challenge… until I noticed there was a 10k option and that was the race he was opting for!! He didn’t end up running it at all, but he did drop me off, pick me up and give me pizza afterwards, so I forgive him.

Being December, it was freezing but relatively dry overhead. A naughty little ankle roll on

a puddle‑covered pothole during my 3rd lap slowed me down, but I wanted to get to 50k and I got there in 6:14:37. I actually got my only top‑10 finish as well — 9th based on distance covered within the time. I was last of all those achieving 50k, but hey, top 10 is top 10, baby!

Ultra #2 — Devil O’ the Highlands (42 miles)

The second was the one I was most nervous about. The Devil O’ the Highlands in August ’23 — 42 miles along Scotland’s West Highland Way, over 6000 feet of elevation with a 12‑hour cut‑off. The reason I signed up? Purely FOMO. About 10 people from my running club signed up. That number dwindled to half. I was constantly injured in the training block — pulled calf in Edinburgh Marathon, multiple rolled and sprained ankles on the trails. Hours spent on mobility and strength (still made of glass!). I checked the pace of every run to see if it would get me through the cut‑offs. Confidence only came once I finished a marathon in under 7 hours during training, including an out‑and‑back from Conic Hill to Ben Lomond.

On paper, the Devil should have been the worst race ever. Hilly, far, pissing down for most of it, up at 2:30am to get to the race for 5am, midges fucking savage, half the route under 2 inches of water, and the dreaded runner’s belly kicked in after 18/19 miles at Glencoe. Luckily, I made it to a hotel toilet 2 miles later. With a queue outside, I had to wait for Corey to wash and dry his hands to cover the noise of the world falling out my arse. Every runner has a 💩 story — that’s mine.

For the next 5 miles I was the most miserable I've ever been. Corey practically dragged me up the Devil’s Staircase and fed me. The man was a lifesaver — I genuinely don’t think I’d have finished without him. Luckily that was my crash for the day. Once up the Staircase, I was a lot better. I repaid the favour in the last 5 miles, helping Corey through his struggle bus journey. Crossing the line with him is my favourite running moment ever. Proper teamwork — and we got our A‑goal of under 10 hours.

Ultra #3 — Glasgow to Edinburgh (56 miles)

The third and most recent was Glasgow to Edinburgh in October ’23. A nice cool 56‑mile flat route. I was still in ultra condition from the Devil, so I knew if I didn’t go out too hard, I’d be ok. Unfortunately, I didn’t plan for an Amber weather warning for rain all day. The race sold 529 places — 165 didn’t start due to weather and another 66 DNF’d.

I was soaked through from about a mile in, waterproofs or not. At halfway, I put my hand in my pocket to retrieve my earphone case and found it floating in about 2 inches of water. Brutal. Thankfully Jen was at Falkirk with dry clothes (briefly). Beth and Callum chased me across Scotland to cheer me on — missing me by minutes at multiple stations before catching me at 37 miles. I left that station buzzing.

About 5 miles later, the race went to shit. I stopped to help an injured runner whose wet vest webbing had locked him out of his phone. Lovely lad, first ultra, couldn’t put weight on his foot. We waited over 90 minutes for medics. In that time, I covered 2 miles trying to contact them and cooled right down — knees seized. I emptied my bag trying to keep warm. My foil emergency blanket became my cape for the rest of the race, with my spare going to him. Jen said I’d gone from around 100th to last place on the tracker.

Once he was with medics, I tried to get going but couldn’t move faster than a walk. My foil cape flapping like some sort of shit superhero whose powers are running pretty far, pretty slowly. I missed the last cut‑off by 3 minutes but was allowed through thanks to the medic’s call — unlike the poor fella 30 seconds behind me (he seemed happy enough). The last 7 miles took 2.5 hours in pitch black. I finished just before the final 15‑hour cut‑off in 14:47:59, 295th out of 298. Best thing of all — I crossed the line with Jen and my new puppy Cassie, who dragged me around the final loop.

So, what have I learnt and why do I keep doing this?

Reason 1: Ultras are never straightforward, but mentally I know I’m stubborn and tough and can overcome adversity. They push me out of my comfort zone, and my mental resilience grows with it.

Reason 2: The rewards and feelings from completing an ultra are some of the best you’ll get in sport — possibly even in life. The people who go on the journey with you are some of the best you’ll meet. From Jen crewing me in awful weather, to club members turning up to cheer, to sharing 10 hours of mutual suffering and support like with Corey — the resilience you build is matched by the support around you.

Reason 3: The main one — I want to inspire. I started running during Covid and couldn’t run a minute without being out of breath. Three and a half years later, I’m running the width of the North of England. I’m not a gifted runner — probably the opposite — so if I can do it, why can’t you? People limit themselves through belief. That 5k or 10k you can run now was once impossible. So why can’t the next distance be possible too? The only thing stopping you is you.

Training Update — Week 1

So, what’s my training looking like for week 1? Well… it’s definitely not easy. In fact, the training is usually harder than the event. This is the first week of my ultra block and it’s looked like this:

• Monday: Full body gym session (am)

• Tuesday: 8k run (am) / 10k run (pm)

• Wednesday: Lower body gym session (am) / 10k run (pm)

• Thursday: 70 mins recovery spin bike

• Friday: Upper body gym session

• Saturday: Parkrun (am) / Yoga (pm)

• Sunday: 20k run

Despite battling the remnants of man flu, this week has been ok. A lot to squeeze in, but I’ll benefit from running on tired legs come race day. The mileage so far isn’t too bad — pretty normal for a marathon/ultra block — but for some reason the double sessions are harder than doing them back‑to‑back. I’m already looking forward to week 2.

Thanks again for stopping by 😊

Muchos Loveos

Ben