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Long Rambling Post Alert ]
I’ve spent the last 48 hours or so really questioning signing up for this, and now 24 hours writing this post! It’s been 5 years since I last did something like it, and that was the NDW50 (finished with 15 seconds to spare) and Race to the Stones (twisted my right ankle slightly about 10 miles in, carried on because the logistics of quitting were really awkward, left hip has never been quite the same)
Thinking about the process to get to the start line reminds me of the punchline to an old joke… “Well sir, if I was going there I wouldn’t start here”
An assessment of weaknesses.
Weight: I don’t have a set of scales with me just now, but I’d guess I’m in the high 80kgs, to low 90s. Last time I was in shape for this kind of endeavour was 2011 and I was about 71/72. When I look back at pictures from then I’m actually not sure I want to get back to quite that level, but high 70’s would be a big improvement on now without looking “awful” (direct quote from a colleague who recently saw a picture of me at ‘race weight’)
Plan: Eat well. I know what’s involved in dropping weight, it’s keeping track of what I’m eating, avoiding things that I can get delivered, and reducing my beer intake.
Recovery: I don’t recover like I used to! I suspect there’s a few factors here, being older will be one of them, having misplaced a lot of the base fitness I used to have will be another, and being heavier will make the training feel harder.
Plan: Sleep, being consistent with it, and minimizing beer consumption. I should try out some kind of recovery shake/food type thing so I can be quick about starting recovery as soon as I’m done, and not grazing on junk. And the dreaded Roller.
Injury: My calf muscles, shins, knees and left hip. Calf/Shins are a recurring issue since I did the TDS in 2011 about 3 weeks after IMUK, then didn’t stop and recover properly I tried to push on through and ignored the increasing pain in my shins. Well done past Iain, that was silly. Left hip is an occasional issue from the aforementioned Race to the Stones incident, but generally speaking it gets better with more exercise, not worse. Knees just ache at times.
Plan: I should actually do some strength training. I’m weak like a piece of wet tissue paper, and historically I just have tried to get away with it. I suspect with getting older, going further, and what not that won’t be the case any more. I’m pretty sure the knee aches will be helped by that too, along with the roller. And being less fat.
Qualifying: Oh, yeah, I’ve not got a 50 mile race in recent history so need to find one of them to do in the build up.
Plan: Probably the Butcombe 50 in April. It’s a bit closer to the end of the ski season that I’d like. I like the idea of London to Brighton on May 29th, but that seems to close too the big day, or it could be a last big day out before taper starts? The Dragon 50 Coastal race on 2nd May might work, but does it conflict with peak weeks? I don’t think so, I think it’s manageable.
Mojo: So often the problem; as my brother once put it ‘you really love signing up for races, don’t you?’ . Harsh, but fair. Once reality strikes and life gets in the way and I realise I just want to drink beer and eat pizza then fall into a spiral that’s hard to get out of.
Plan: No idea. None at all.
What have I got going for me?
Time: I’m single, and work a job that means I can be anywhere, it’s fully remote and has been for 2.5 years, and I can make the hours work better for me. Does mean I miss out on things like run commuting which I used to find quite a good way to just hide mileage in my days, but that’s OK. I just need to form a plan, and mostly stick to it.
Stubborn: I spent 31 hours and 4 minutes struggling across the Alps in 2011, about 21 hours trudging along the Ridgeway for Race To The Stones and I can be pretty determined about stuff that I think my body should be able to do.
Huh, I was really hoping this part of the list would be a bit longer. 
I wonder if I’d do well to engage the services of a coach.
