News Archives

Tomorrow is marathon day but after this morning's run, and taking into consideration my sensations over the last couple of weeks, I can say that I'm not in a state to complete it.

What is clear is that my wish to break the 3-hour mark will remain just that, a wish. My next best target is to go the distance at 5'/km, a pace I would expect to maintain when I tackle my first 12-hour race. So even though I cannot challenge for age group or team honours, a finish time of 3:30 over 42km will serve as good practice for the ultra event.

Tomorrow is marathon day but I do not exclude withdrawing from the race if I feel that carrying on can be detrimental to my ultra preparation.

Last Sunday's 4-hour run was a personal achievement. Not only was this the longest training run I had ever done but it was also completed without any major discomfort. Sure, there was an element of fatigue but not exhaustion.

The next stepping stone is 24 February, when I return to the Malta Marathon since my first - and only - appearance in 1995. Thirteen years ago I managed to dip under the 3-hour mark by a few seconds. Wouldn't it be great if I could repeat the feat?!

Just great! No expectations for the Challenge Marathon held over the weekend and yet I came away with 2 trophies: 1st Over 40 and 3rd placed team. While I certainly have room to improve my performance, these prizes are a lovely sweetener to the hard work I've been putting in and an encouragement to carry on hitting the road :)

Strange. I achieved my target time of 1:28 for the Zurrieq Half-Marathon last Sunday and yet I am dissatisfied. First things first. Not having run such a distance in 2 years nor tapered off for the event and also running with toothache, I wasn't expecting to set any houses on fire. However, in view of the pace I maintained while shadowing Carmen Hili (2nd woman in), the surge I put in just after half way (hill just before old air strip), the strenuous effort in the closing 4k and my physical exhaustion at the finish, the time just wasn't rewarding enough.

Am putting these sick days to good use by drawing up a race schedule leading me to a 24-hour event in 2009, my target now being the Commonwealth Championships (see press release below).

First-ever Commonwealth Championships for ultra distance and mountain running will take place in Cumbria in 2009, it was announced today by the International Association of Ultra Runners (IAU) and the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA).

Their joint proposal, which has been accepted by the Commonwealth Games Federation, is for two ultra distance events, a 100km road race probably involving scenic laps around Derwentwater and a 24-hour event in the centre of Keswick, plus an uphill only mountain race and an up/down mountain race in the Lake District.

The four events will be open to all 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth. If they are successful, the disciplines could be added to the main Games from 2014.

The decision has delighted Norman Wilson, a former marathon running international who is now the European representative on the IAU and UK event coach for ultra distance running. He began campaigning for these events to be recognised by the CGF in September 2004 and said today: “If we get into the Commonwealth Games, it will open-up the possibilities for the Olympics. We are following the likes of synchronised swimming onto the major sports stages.”

------------------------------
Trevor Frecknall
Communications Officer
UK Athletics
Telephone 07803 671968