Have been fairly quiet on the forum recently, but a new year seems a good time to start a new diary!

So, 2016 went pretty well - PBs at 5k, 10k, and the marathon - and did a couple of offroad events that I found very hard but in hindsight perversely enjoyable.

I have two main goals for 2017. Firstly, I am off to Boston in April to run the marathon, a proper 'bucket list' event for me. I am a couple of weeks into training and feel pretty fit and like I can get myself into decent shape. Plan is to run well, but not chase a time and so actually enjoy the marathon!

The second goal is something I thought I would never do, but it is to run an ultra! Basically something has fallen into place close to me and it would be ridiculous not to give it a go (or so I am telling myself). Two years ago a local charity set up a race from Exeter to Torbay - I ran the 23-mile version in 2015 and the 26.5-mile version in 2016. The longest option used to be 53 miles and I was never going to do that, but they have now replaced that with a 34-mile version and that seems just about do-able to me. So, all being well, in September I will run my first ultra...gulp!

In between times I'll slot in the usual 10ks and half marathons. But any advice on how to tailor training to step up from the marathon to an ultra would be helpful. Slower and further seems like a good place to start, but beyond that I'm not really sure

1st of all good luck with Boston!

Doing an ultra has been on my list for a bit (still haven't - maybe 2018!) & from what I've read, having obviously done a few marathons already, doing that distance shouldn't be too much more of a problem for you.

Either doing back-to-back LSR days, or double run days (if you don't already do these) was the most common thing I came across.

Oh, & a positive mental attitude!

Double days and a positive mental attitude sounds like good advice to me!

In the two weeks since my last diary entry I have had a cold/virus thing that knocked me for six, but I understand that its doing the rounds and so no doubt many of us have had similar I still have the remnants of a cough and sore ribs, no doubt from some of the epic coughing episodes over the past fortnight! I have tried to keep up with my mileage but the quality of my running has definitely taken a hit and I am mostly just plodding along rather than doing any hard sessions - but I am still in the 'base building' phase of my marathon training so am not too dismayed. Hopefully by the time things ratchet up in February and March I'll be feeling better.

I have taken the plunge and put my entry in for the ultra in September, but for the moment am focussing on marathon training ahead of Boston in April, and looking forward to lighter mornings and evenings so that running seems less difficult and I can see where I am going without being blinded by headlights at every turn!

I also am suffering with "man flu" so I feel your frustration Ivan.
I take it ur running Boston Mara in US, I'm hoping to run in Boston Mara UK which is on the same day as the US one this year "but" I'm also on night shifts so I'm undecided at the moment, mainly whether I can perform at the level I want to, I'm sure you'll do fine and good luck with the ultra in September too, i'll look forward t the race report

Yes Shaun, I am spending vast amounts of money to run the Boston Marathon in the USA, although I am sure that Lincolnshire is just as lovely, and no doubt a bit cheaper

My cough has mainly gone, but the sore ribs are still lingering, which is very annoying. That said, I managed a 21-mile plod from Exeter to Starcross and back on Saturday, so it can't be that bad! This week is down on the schedule as a 'recovery' week (so only 50 or so miles instead of the 65 last week), so very much looking forward to that.

Hello!

All I will say about ultras is, don't kill yourself training..if you can run 26.2 miles you can do 34, no need to do anything different, you just need a strong mind. Don't get hung up on B2B runs, they can be quite damaging if you do not have the ability to recover quickly, you also just end up knackered. Double days are ok if that is what you do during your marathon training but not something I have ever had time spare enough for.

Good luck and above all enjoy.

Thanks for the tips Brigitte. I quite like double days (I will do a relatively hard one before work, then a gentle jog in the evening). What I particularly enjoyed training for the autumn marathon last year though was running easy in the summer, morning or evening, just getting out for long runs along country lanes - so will use the ultra as an excuse to do more of that!

Been struggling a bit over past couple of weeks - primarily due to rib pain from cough I had last month. It has meant that I have not been able to push on with pace or effort as it hurts when I breathe deeply. I have been keeping up the mileage, but at a sedate pace. Also been hating the frozen weather and not really enjoying my running much.

Today I was entered in the Exeter Half Marathon, but have spent the past week worrying about it. Do I potter around at a pace I am not happy with for the sake of it; do I try to race and possibly exacerbate my ribs or pull something in the cold weather? In the end I decided to do neither and just didn't bother to go to the race at all. However, I was due to do 13.1 miles on my training schedule of course - so I just went out for an easy run on my own.

This was a bit cowardly and pathetic, as I evidently had the distance in me, it was just the 'performance' aspect that was playing on my mind and not wanting to run a race 15 minutes slower than I normally would. Turns out I am still in the thrall of times more than is probably good for me!

Bit of a better running experience today. My sides still a bit sore when I push the pace or start to get tired, but it was much milder and so I was able to potter along without too much discomfort. I am hoping that some day soon its just going to 'click' and my legs and lungs get back to where I think I should be!

Had a good run at the weekend. Have no top end pace at the moment, but I can lock into a decent enough rhythm and just tick off the miles, so on Saturday I ran the 20 miles from Exeter to Shaldon listening to Marathon Talk and Running Commentary on my ipod. It is a flat route for the first 12 miles, then gets a bit lumpy for 4 miles or so, which is good training for Boston. Kept an even effort going over the hills into Teignmouth and felt ok. A bit tired for the last mile or so, but happy overall. Sides still slight sore and my left Achilles is stiff every morning, but am getting the miles in and starting to feel like I am becoming marathon fit.

Got the train back - standing room only! Felt a bit a bit bad being a stinky runner on public transport, but I certainly wasn't going to run back

An encouraging week. Despite general fatigue and windy weather have been keeping up the mileage - and this morning had what felt like my best run for ages. Firstly, going out in the light made a huge difference psychologically, then decided to see if I had any pace in my legs - and put in a good solid 4 miles tempo, before hitting a few hills and easing back. Finished off with 4 miles at MP for an excellent 12-miler. Happier now with how things are going. Have another 20-mile run pencilled in for tomorrow, will probably go over an undulating route at a comfortable pace

A nice hilly 22-miler completed in just under 3 hours on Saturday. Plodded over the hills, let the brakes off a little coming back down...and then turned into a headwind after 17miles . Those last 5 were a bit of a chore, but got I through ok. No gels, and only a sip of squash at 20 miles. It felt really good to get the distance in and I enjoyed the run. Had a 6-mile recovery jog yesterday. Am feeling the long run in my hips today - a bit stiff - so will take it easy for a couple of days, but 6 weeks out from the marathon reckon I am on track and looking forward to more 20-milers in March. Just need to plan the routes now...

You are a great man!

Another long run ticked off at the weekend. Still not going particularly fast, but 1500ft of climb in a 20-miler and the last 10 miles into a headwind made me feel like I had put in a decent workout! Ordinarily when I was at this stage of marathon training I'd be thinking of having a thrash and attempting a fast Park Run, but with the wind and rain recently I just don't fancy it, so I'll keep plodding along and working on the general fitness.

I have a 20-mile race at Okehampton this weekend all being well. Last year I did it in around 2hrs 22mins, but I am not in the sort of form this year and feel like I would be happy in the 2hrs 28 - 2hrs 30 range...weather permitting!

Things generally going well in my marathon training, which is encouraging. Haven't been sure how fit I actually am due to a lot of training runs being done in wind and/or rain, making them unnecessarily hard work! But had warm-up race on Sunday, the Granite Way 20 in Okehampton, where I essentially planned to do all 20 miles at marathon pace to let me know where I was. Target was around 2hrs 25 mins, as I hope to be around 3hrs 15mins for the Boston Mara.

Start was surprisingly tough - uphill, into a headwind - and I struggled to get up to pace in the first 4 miles, but after that it went really well. I found a steady pace, engaged in a couple of positive mantras to keep me focussed, kept my eyes on the guy about 100 yards ahead of me and relaxed into the run. At 12 miles I caught the man ahead, pushed on, and did the remainder of the run basically alone. I managed to stay strong (didn't take any drinks or gels at all) and held pace to the end. Finished 12th of 79 in 2hrs 22mins 40secs with slightly sore quads but a smile on my face. It was a minute slower than the same race last year but from feeling that I was a long way behind where I was then I am now more confident of a decent marathon next month. The time target remains the same, I am just now more confident of achieving it without damaging myself!

Easy 9-miler this morning. Quads still a bit sore, so will have a nice recovery week and not push my luck.