Less than 24 hours to go!

My stomach is in knots and I am buzzing with anticipation for tomorrow. I can't believe it's here. Drop bag and kit ready for number 159's check:

I have been feeling quite sick and have a sore stomach but hoping that is just the nerves. It makes eating a lot difficult, especially not having done a huge amount of exercise this week, but I know that what is before me requires calories and lots of them. So I am doing my best to chow down on whatever I can, especially of the carbohydrate form (not difficult for me as I love my carbs!)

Anyway, the next post I put up will be an account of the race, and hopefully with a successful outcome of finishing. Until then...

2 days to go....NERVES, EXCITEMENT, PREP PREP PREP

Race brief
Kit check
Drop bag
Lists lists and more lists
Facebook Banter
Recce videos
Weather checks 1,2,3,4,5+times a day
Noticing every ache and pain
Taper
Stretch
Excitement
NERVES!!!
EAT
SLEEP

ONE WEEK TO GO!!!

It doesn't feel all that long ago that I was sat in Costa at Manchester Airport on the 1st October 2016 waiting for 9am with my iPad ready to try and bag a place in the lakeland 100. After months of training I am a week away from starting (or continuing) my lakeland journey. There is nothing I want more than to be able to cross the finish line; whatever ungodly hour that may be, to claim my lakeland 100 medal and t-shirt and do all my supporters proud. Joe has been amazing, encouraging me, giving me a push when I needed it and helping me to put things into perspective and take a break when essential. And I know he'll be there with me (not always physically of course) every step of the way. I just need to remember the advice and run my own race. That's all I can do. I am scared, excited, anxious but I am determined. I just pray that I don't get injury because I hope that anything else I have the mindset to keep going. 

September 2016 I bagged a place to run the 2017 UTLD #LL100...training begins in Sedona, Arizona!

First race after Lakeland 50. winning Ennerdale 50k

Training continues in the winter on new home turf...Lake District

All smiles as I go to win the Keswick mountain festival 50k in 5.31

Last longish run out...fatigue setting in, time to taper

So tapering is underway and I can think about nothing else. I have made lists, watched the recce videos, looked at the route, starting studying the road book and going over so much in my mind. I am slowly easing back, though I find it difficult, but know that I need to start twitching to go, and enjoy that feeling of energy because I am sure 30 miles or so in I will be craving it. Sleep, eat, stretch and gentle exercise for the next week!!!

Fatigue, tears and fear...ready to taper now!!!

Right, so I am really starting to freak out. If I thought about the 100 event frequently before it's now all I think about. I go through the route, being in the dark, getting lost, eating, feeling rough, hoping to feel ok. It goes on. My biggest worry is that I haven't done the really really long days (8 hours plus). The last 2 weekends I headed out with the intention of having long days out (as in 7-10 hours), but on both occasions really struggled to get past even a couple of hours. 
On the first occasion an hour in and I wanted to quit, turn around and go back. That's not unusual and can pass but after a couple of hours of just not wanting to be out and knowing the further we went the further back we had to go, we turned back. I was feeling similar on Saturday, had a bit of a panic attack, a cry and sought reassurance from my very patient husband. Long days out are meant to be about keeping going when you don't want to, pushing through no matter what. I reached that point, just not as far in as I'd hoped, so I will just hope and pray I can use the experience to keep going on the day. (These are the wise words from Joe and I feel I need to cling onto them and believe that I have done enough training).
I can tell I am tired of the pushing and now just need to focus on staying fresh, letting my sore ankle/foot rest and pray and hope that I will feel fresh and ready to face this insane challenge that is ahead...very soon!!!

Reece Skelwith bridge to consiton and back along the cumbrian way...lovely!

Today was a good run out. Really steady 24 miles and feeling like I could keep going, and actually wanted to. It's a good feeling to have rather than just wishing it would be over. Having good weather and good company of Joe, Marcus and, Kibo of course always helps. We were all in good spirits and happy to be out on a steady paced run in our beautiful playground with the sun shining.

After the usual faffing about getting kit together and trying to find a toilet we got going on the lakeland 100 route from Skelwith bridge. I kept thinking how great it would be to get to this point on the route. I'll be hurting and every bit of me will be wanting to stop, but being well over half way I hope that I can find it in me to crawl to the end. I will!!!

Not long to go now, just hoping and praying that I've done enough and, despite not doing long long days, I have done more consecutive days out and got more experience on the fells. 

3am start for a Joss Naylor support

I can't believe I am saying this but there was something quite exhilarating about getting up as others head home after a night out to start a run before the sun came up. I wasn't much looking forward to it but knew that starting in the dark and after only a few hours sleep was all good practice. However; once we got going tiredness was forgotten and feeling like the only ones out on the hills was really peaceful and felt like a privilege. As the sun started to come up we saw two packs of deer galloping across the fells, which added to the beauty of the early morning light hitting mountains. It really was spectacular. 
The pace was really steady as Jack had a long way to go. But today wasn't about pushing hard, it was about supporting Jack and running with lack of sleep.  Experiencing an unfamiliar place and getting to know people I just met was so lovely and is one of the great things about this sport.
I had planned on doing another leg but my ankle was a little sore and knowing that the 3rd leg was very rocky I decided to give it a miss. It was so lovely getting home and going back to bed for a few hours knowing the rest of the day was ahead of me. I would like to say this has encouraged me to run at such early hours but we'll have to see.