When Mark phoned me a month ago to tell me the good news it was a real bolt from the blue. I mean, nobody enters competitions actually expecting to win them do they? (Apart from the frighteningly talented individuals in Team Runfurther that is!)

Running ultras has been on my radar for a couple of years but I’ve been content to read about the exploits of others figuring that these crazy distances and challenging routes are just too much for the ordinary runner such as myself. Just how ordinary is shown by my pbs:

10km - 53:45 (Chester Zoo, Oct 05, shocking but it was my first ever race and only 10km)
10m – 1:12:25 (Great Warford, Aug 09)
Half Marathon – 1:41:26 (Helsby, Jan 09)
Marathon – 3:36:05 (Chester, May 10)

The inaugural Chester Marathon was last Monday (31st May) and being only 3 miles down the road it would have been rude not to do it! This is what my running year was previously revolving around. In the event I didn’t have a great race and cramped up badly after around 20 miles staggering home and looking a mess (see picture above).

Still, I’ve got the opportunity to make amends next week when I’m doing a hilly training run otherwise known as the South Downs Marathon, then it's 3 weeks to my first ultra - the Osmotherly Phoenix .The madness begins...