CM33 Personal Training

07/03/2026

Not quite the post or result I was after.
They say if you can walk the walk then don't talk.

But the other side to that is challenging yourself in ways you couldn't imagine possible.
Taking on the tunnel I knew would be one of my biggest challenges not only because of the tunnel but because it's was fully pavement (tarmac)
Which meant I knew my quads would get very sore at some point.

Well they did and sadly I had to call it a day at 50 miles.
I will do a race report but for not yes this is a DNF because if you don't reach 200 miles then it's a Disney not finish but at the same time it was a did not fail.
Why?
Because I put my body and mind on the line where very few get a chance to.
I went for the challenge and gave it my best shot.
Currently my quads and calves are in bits.

But there are a strong group of runners still going.
When I had to drop out, of the 37 runners there was only 1 other runner who had to drop out and again that was at 50 miles.
That tells you how strong the runners are.
Sometimes you have to put yourself on that line and see what you can do and I did that

05/03/2026

I have been rather quiet.
Training has been small and infrequent but here we go.
Tomorrow the big event of
The combe down tunnel to be exact. A 1 mile tunnel, darkness and the chance to attempt with others to reach 100 out and backs, 200 miles in total in the tunnel ultra.

Timing link will be put on tomorrow

22/10/2025

Abingdon marathon

It has been a while.

This year my running had to go into the background as things out of my hands happened at the start of the year.
I was supposed to be chasing 12 fkts. I did go out to attempt 1 but my body was nowhere near in condition for it.
Running has been little this year with this marathon being my only official race so far.
This marathon was in the plan to meet up with my good friend as we had been trying to run marathon together for the last few years.
Both of us were a little run down but no excuses we were out on track.
The first half went well pacing wise for a 4 hour marathon but I'm the second half our bodies let us know that wasn't going to happen but we stuck together and ground out the last few miles and completed in 4 hours 29 minutes.

Does this mean I'm back?
Yes and no.
My body has been struggling for the past few months due to a lack of folic acid.
I'm now slowly building that back up but right now the focus is on getting my body right.

What does this mean?
This means that racing competitively and any fkt attempts are out for the rest of this year, as I need to get my body back to the right conditions to be able to train properly and have the energy and efficiency to do that.

Looking forward
I'm already in planning for next year and will look to announce my plans towards the end of November.

For now this was a great marathon to run and catch up with a good friend

11/05/2025

A celebration of making 2500 miles on and also the sadness of it being the 5th anniversary of losing my younger brother.

In 2020 we lost Paul to a heart attack. I was already doing treadmill training and through found zwift.
Since 2020 I have been stepping on the treadmill doing various workouts from tabata to sprints from 5k up to half marathons. Flat and hill work.
During Covid I even did a marathon on the treadmill but that was before I had my footpod.

In just under 5 years 2500 miles and just over 341 hours of being on a treadmill doing training.

Focusing on keeping fit and healthy and trying to keep my heart in good shape.
If you feel you need a check up please go and get 1 done.

This isn't just me and the treadmill though. Yes it's just me on it but so many others help to keep me on it by inspiring actions and companies with their products as well.

There are so many people who keep me stepping up to that challenge.
Training is never over in running or life.

21/01/2025

02/01/2025

Treadmill training

There are various reasons why sometimes we cannot train outdoors so we use treadmills

Will this ever be as fun as outdoors, probably not but the treadmill can help you focus mentally, it can help you with your pacing, your breathing and the ability to do various programmes in the same space.

A focused 5k on the treadmill for me today.
Have you been on the treadmill?
How has it made you feel?

Also it's back to spinning classes today so looking forward to that later on abergele

The focus is on and fitness is key toy targets this year

01/01/2025

First run of the year
So 2024 ended up with not much running.

What will 2025 have in store?

1 thing is for sure I am going for round 2 of 12 in 12 months

This means training is well under way along with studying with to become an ultra running coach.

Get ready for updates and more on personal challenges as well as coaching challenges

Who is ready?

29/10/2024

It was a busy weekend.
But Saturday was the

This was my second time doing this marathon so I knew exactly what was coming.
The joys of the views, the course and the runners, the atmosphere and the experience.
Also what comes with that is the experience of pleasure and pain whilst running.
Having not done a lot of training I knew this would be a hard task on my legs with just under 3,000 feet of elevation on the course.

Last year I had great company for the first half of the race.
This year, no company just concentrating on my own pacing and enjoying being out running. The weather turned out to be a really sunny day with heat as well.
Having hydrated the night before with .root electrolytes and wearing my ankle supports I was ready.

Getting into my own zone starting the race and not actually rushing off at a fast pace for a change I managed to keepy pacing more controlled.
Up the first elevation my pacing working really well, then down the trail hill and getting into the flat.
Getting to near mile 10 and I could feel the energy levels dipping and the legs starting to tire but I was still on my pacing.
Reaching half way at bedgellert and the half way distance at just under 1 hour 50.
Then starting the slow long incline up the road, at mile 14 cramp set in both calves.
I made it almost a mile longer than last year 😂 no panic but I knew it would now be a slow grind of walk and run.
The heat taking more and more out of me so at every opportunity at water stations pouring water over my head and taking on water and electrolytes.
Knocking down the kilometres and miles 1 after the other and reaching the final climb.
A long steep 1 - 1.5 mile climb,
I felt a little stronger than I did last year but when I reached the top I knew in myself I couldn't go as fast downhill as I went the previous year.
Getting onto the downhill I still ran down passing people left and right as I let my legs go, coming down into the finish line with the fantastic support close to the finish line.
Crossing in 4 hours 18 minutes 32 seconds, only a few seconds behind last year.
A fantastic race and result

27/08/2024

On Friday evening the .marathon race started.

On the start list were quite a few familiar names that I have met and ran with on this course and others.
As frustrating as it was that I wasn't on the start line I turned the tables and became a volunteer at 1 of the checkpoints.

Dot watching all weekend and then on Sunday night going to the Bodfari checkpoint to look after any runners that came through.

After finishing my volunteer stint I then went home to catch up on a bit of sleep and headed to the finish line in the afternoon to see a few of the runners finish.
Then in the evening I managed to get back out again and surprise a couple of the runners a mile and a half from the finish line to have a quick chat and run to the end with them.

Some I haven't seen for years but you would never know that as we all connect and chat away like we only saw each other yesterday.

These runners have gone through 185 miles of the course.
Some runners do not make the finish line but that doesn't mean failure as they started and gave it their best shot.
Each runner pushing themselves to the most they can do.

As a runner I don't want to just achieve things myself, I want to see others improve and achieve as well.

We are individual people that achieve things personally, as a group, as friends and as a community

That is running

17/08/2024

Didn't wake up in time for this morning 🙈

Got myself out just after lunchtime, not feeling it at all.
Struggled through today's run, not sure why but some days are like that.

It has been 2 weeks since the backyard ultra, it might have drained me more than I thought it did.

My mind is ready for another challenge, I just have to get the body going again.

05/08/2024

Pen Llŷn Ultras
Pig on the hill
Backyard ultra (4.16 miles on the hour every hour until the last person is standing)
Race report

10 laps completed
41.6 miles
Between 6-6,500 feet of elevation

Full race report on my page