This time next week I’ll be in Arran. Probably nervous. Probably wishing I’d trained more. Probably checking everyone else out and deciding they look fitter and more capable of me. And wondering if I’ll be last! But I’ll also be feeling excited. Enjoying the energy the atmosphere and being secretly proud of myself for putting myself through something that has taken me well out of my comfort zone. I have a last run tomorrow. Mostly to practice running with poles - which I definitely have left too late. Then I’m going into full recovery mode. No formal workouts, just keeping everything moving. Stretching, mobility, foam rolling, and the massage gun. I want my muscles to feel Loose and supple - whereas right now my legs are pretty heavy. Food wise I’ll be eating my normal diet until 24 hours before and then I’ll be doing a mini carb load. I don’t need to go mad and don’t want to be bloated. On the run itself I’ll be dosing with carbs every 30 mins from the start. I plan to run/walk and will use the walking strategically to allow me to eat some proper food later on. Tim will Meet me at the half way feed station with a protein shake as I’ll be breaking down muscle by then. So that’s my plan. And then I’ve got an exciting new training phase for the summer which I’ll share more about soon. Whilst I’ve enjoyed training for this, the longer runs have felt hard on my body and I’m noticeably weaker in the gym. I’ve also got more body fat. Probably from the change in body composition (muscle breakdown), fewer strength sessions to prioritise recovery for longer runs, and the extra stress of long runs. So I’ve got some rebuilding to do to get my muscle:fat ratio higher again. What about you? If you’re close to your big run, how have you found the training. How are you feeling about it as you get closer? I’d love to know more about what other people are doing this month.

I did my long run/walk session yesterday. 26 miles, 1600m elevation and by the last hour and a half I was really feeling it and I knew my body was getting a bit of a bashing. Well a lot of a bashing! This is inevitable, but recovery strategies can make a massive difference and I’m feeling really good today, even though I didn’t have a great sleep which is normal after long sessions. This is what I did: Had a protein shake as soon as I finished my run (>30g protein and >3.5g leucine) Drank 750ml water with one rehydration tab Big dinner, 2 x chicken thighs and big portion of rice with mixed veg Another 500ml water with tab 2 cups green tea Magnesium before bed This morning I was stiff so did a mobility session, with lots of rotation and twisting and mobility for my knees, ankles, back and hips. I find mobility to be much more effective than stretching, particularly rotation and full range of motion to counter the repetitive front to back of running. Zero plans to exercise today. I’ll continue to focus on rehydrating and good nutrition. And I’m having a much-needed eye test! I’ve really noticed it being much harder to see the detail on the trails so I’m expecting to get a lot faster when I can see where I’m going. Have a great Sunday all 😊💪🏃🏻‍♀️