Looks like this incredible weather is not going anywhere. Thank God I'm not in full on mileage-gaining at present! I've checked out the pavements and the roads, and there's not a chance of running at all tomorrow.... so I'll resort to swimming instead, although the thought of coming out into the cold air with wet hair does not seem like the best prospect!
I've been looking at the 2011 calendar and noting the key races that I've been accepted into. The first 'biggie' in the calendar is the Ultra 90 in Northampton in January. 45 miles of canal towpath (I'm dreading that already... the monotony of the terrain kills my hips!) a night in a hotel, and then 45 miles back the following day. I need to get on the local canals here and do some long runs. My body is so used to undulating and hilly territory that it cries out in pain with the flat runs.
The next biggie in the list is the Housman 100. I've got my entry confirmed already (number 160 of a max 535) as I sent the form off dead on 1st December. 48 time limit and the kind of terrain I like - hilly, undulating, nice to look at! This will be the longest non-stop ultra I'll have done, and the aim is to run as much as I can, and when fatigue sets in, get a good march on! I'm hoping for 36hours or under... although to finish is the key!
Finally - the last biggie is Thunder Run 24 (TR24). I did it last year as part of a pair and managed 10 laps (62 miles) with my partner covering 31 miles. This year I've entered as a solo and I am hoping to get as close as I can to 100 miles. I know I can do the 62 in about 15 hours, so it is possible. I'll also be a year fitter by then... snow and ice pending...
On the book front, I am obsessed with all books running and nutrition, and the latest read is "Running by Feel" by Matt Fitzgerald. He openly accepts that this book contradicts much of his earlier work, and I think that this shows the progress he has made as a coach/trainer through the years. Running Ultras I think you HAVE to listen to what your body is telling you, and accept that training plans created through formulas just aren't practical when fitting in round jobs, family etc. I'm enjoying the book (although it really gives you no answers as everyone is individual) and it very much mirrors the spirit of 'Born to Run' and the style of the Tarahumara runners.... who run for the sheer joy of running!!
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