Its vary rare you get to a start line 99% fit, healthy and happy. There is always something. A niggle, a travel issue, a sniffle or kit query. For this race there was nothing. 

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The slate was clean and i'd had a beautiful and brilliant summer. I had messaged my friend and mentor Steve to let him know the place I was in and for it to be recorded as the 'best ever', because often something creeps up and knocks back your mindset or fitness pre race.

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For example, before the Scafell skyrace, I picked up a niggle DRIVING up the M6 to the race, it was very bizarre. 

 

Nothing to report apart from a huge level of gratitude and happiness pre race..

 

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With a bit of reflection now, how do you feel your race went at the world champs?

My race went pretty badly and turned into more of a run than a race. An experience and test of patience and tenacity. I couldn’t show fitness or form and really had to hurt in order to finish. There are photos of me on my hands and knees at the end suffering, it was a difficult day for me.

A feeding pattern I’d followed in training up to 6 hours on the mountain and longer for the Cocodona training block, let me down badly and I had to survive the race on next to no fuel.

I was on the course for up to 4 hours, and I was happy with how things were flowing, then vomiting and sickness soon showed up and unfortunately it didn’t disappear or subside. I had something similar at UTMB in 2022, but thought I’d rectified the issue with a decent run at Trot Dret last September and learning about the body at altitude.

I didn’t have a plan B, and the remaining 7 hours were fuelled on next to nothing. I had to
protect the performance and get back to Canfranc which is what I did. I did the bare minimum to finish which is sometimes how it needs to be done. The few times I tried to rectify the situation I’d got myself in with a different idea for fueling, the pain and discomfort was unnecessary and would have lead to a DNF. So I sat in, ran when I could and smiled, sort of.

I also decided to race without poles, I believed I had the fitness and technique to run the climbs in the second half of the course well, even on fatigued legs. However, when my energy levels plummeted I could have really done with the added stability and option of poles. I suspect this added 35+ minutes to my overall race time.

Positives to come from the race?

The second half of my race was spent at the sharp end of the women’s field which was brilliant to see. Different styles, techniques and attitudes to the race as some excellent females passed me. I apologised everytime some for the world’s best saw me stationary on a rock, vomiting and muttering good luck.

I rolled both ankles in the race on the brilliant but brutal terrain.
Both early on, (mile 9 and 17 I think) I’d been working on stability and strength a lot pre-race to protect and prevent injury. The rolls didn’t hamper me for more than a few minutes each time and didn’t affect my race.
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I thought back to Cocodona during this race and how I’d picked up and injury which lead to an early flight home and a sadness.
This race was different and I wasn’t injured, I was hurting internally but it could have been worse.

That realisation was okay and kept me from feeling sorry for myself. I’d earned my spot on the team through an unrealistic race schedule post Cocodona, dealing with stress, injury and illness and now I had the chance to finish.
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⁠What key learnings you taking away from your first international experience and does it make you want more?

The course was without doubt the most spectacular I’ve ever been on. It was hard yes, but the variety was outstanding and intriguing. I don’t think it’s as hard as some of the terrain in the Aosta valley but it’s close.

The support on said course was also brilliant. I was surprised at the volume of people out and about in some high and wild places. It had a real UTMB feeling and the public got behind it. “God save the king”they would shout at me. “God save me”, I would mutter back.

To be part of the team setup and have this opportunity so soon after disappoint in America was special. To be in a positive and successful environment linked to running.
We had some outstanding performances within the team and in our long trail team, (male) we managed 5th overall. My time didn’t contribute to that as it was only the top 3 concept which scored but the lads did a superb job of traversing those mountains, especially Hugh who ran a blistering 09:38 for 12th overall.

I feel the week as a package was hugely beneficial for me, although I ran the course around 90mins slower than I expected, I believe I’m a better runner and coach for what I’ve seen, felt and heard.

My wife and mum were at the finish, this was my mums first trip abroad for over 10 years and I couldn’t not limb over the line under the Union Jack.

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To conclude,

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I feel I am due a "result".

 

Im not sure what that looks like or where that is, but I certainly won't go looking for it. I've had a difficult year of finding what I need when it really matters, here in Spain and also at Cocodona back in May.

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I will stick to my principles and absorb it all, be patient and appreciate the ability to move, laugh, cry, win and draw.

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When things have gone superbly for me in the past I have never reacted or got ahead of myself. The same goes for when things aren't so shiny. Stick to it, believe it and enjoy it.

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Theres a reason I've chosen to put my energy and time into this sport and not follow the lures of chess, rounders or bowls.

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God save the king.

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