Weeks Until Castle to Castle 100 Miler: 18 weeks (eek!)

One thing I’ve noticed on previous ultras is that I’ve struggled / slowed when the sun has gone done. I think this is partially to be expected. After all, you’ve been running all day, energy levels are probably low and its harder to see. Also nutrition through the night is a challenge with the normal routine of the body shutting down.

As such, as part of this years training regime, I’ve vowed to tackle some evening / night-time trail runs to see if I can help adapt a little and reduce the struggle (I suspect it can never be removed completely).

Last time, stuck for ideas of a route, I decided to head out just as the sun was setting and take in a local trail - the Hitchin Outer Orbital Path (or HOOP). It’s around 12 miles round, and with a few extra miles to join it, I should see me reach my target 17 miles without too many issues. It is also a route I know well, and as such evening navigation wasn’t going to be a challenge.

Main focus for the day was to stay in Zone 2 for Heart Rate, walk the hills, and ultimately try to finish the last 4 or 5 miles strong - not necessarily fast - just strong. A hilly route, done in 3 hours 15 mins, in the dark. Happy days. And ultimately I felt strong all the way round, and stuck to mainly Zone 2 running. Think Zwift and the Gym work is paying off, albeit I would have liked the mile splits to a be a little faster.