Love your honesty in this. I do ultras , but when people ask why (most people think you’re nuts!) I say that I love the adventures, but I ALSO love the training. For me, the 4+ days a week running is what I love to do. If you don’t, then doing ultras would be a really arduous few months, and life’s too short for that! There’s no need to get sucked into the challenges that other people do if they’re not right for you. I bet this video helps others realise that for themselves too. Thanks for the great content 🙏
First video of yours I’ve seen. Really enjoyed it. Longest race ever - 100km. Did my first two this year. Hardest race ever - Leeds marathon 2023. Fell apart at halfway and couldn’t run for 6 weeks afterwards.
Average runner here too! I'm in my mid 50's and I'm not breaking any records, but I still love a good trail ultra. Lots of time to be in your own head, bit of nice scenery, it's great for my mental health. Hardest run was a 24hr event, running a 2.2km loop. Ischaemic colitis was not on my bingo card! My crew (hubby and son) realised I was not ok, and pulled me out after 10 hrs. Bless them! I was oblivious...probably a bit delirious honestly! 😂 Went back the following year for the 12hr event and actually loved it. But prefer the trails these days. Love your work. Cheers from South Australia. 😊
I've completed three ultras so far, a 50K, a 47 ish miler and a 50mile. The 50K was along the Serpent Trail and frankly wasn't that hard however the 50 miler was the South Downs Way 50 which was a different proposition, lots of climbing (for me anyway) and I found it pretty tough. My hardest run though was my first ultra, a 47miler, The Lap up in the Lake District, 2700m of elevation and I didn't really train enough for it. I ended up walking most the of the second half and it was nearly midnight before I finished. Strangely it hasn't put me off and I'm tackling a 100km race next year. Love the content mate, keep up the good work!
Your videos inspired me to start mountain running and my longest run was the Mourne way ultra by myself and 6 days later again in the official race, very tough but absolutely loved them both!
Thanks for the video Steve. Middle-aged dad with a wife and young family, my running journey is only about 5-months old now and I'm averaging about 30k a week, but it can be difficult to fit that around things I should do and want to do; time to spend with family, church, and some down time in between everything! Average runner, definitely. I have some pretty specific respect for the folks who can run quickly, or for hours or days on end, but I'm happy at the minute getting the miles in that I can at this stage of life, and have never yet regretted pulling my trainers on and getting out the door. Again, thanks for the video man, helps a lot!
I did a 3k at the end of my military term (probably around 5-6 during it too), and spent the year to beat my dads record. Finally hit it at 10:28 at the National stadium of Norway 🎉
Runner for years. I've appeared on a few of your H&D/NIMRA races. Hardest race was the Ultra Trail Snowdonia 100km race. It ended in a DNF but it was only 4 weeks after doing the WHW Challenge Race (and yes, the Loch Lomond stretch is hateful). I watch your vids to see what course are like, eg I watched your Lurig race numerous times prior to running it this year and i got a big hole in my shorts. Also your runs take us to areas we may never visit or inspire us to go and visit. Also your wee back stories of the area you're in are interesting.
Yeah, my routine is work in the morning, walking and cycling. Case of having to get out now with a recent diagnosis of prostate cancer. Thank God it's not too serious, will be on surveillance for years probably before anything happens.
I’ll tell you about the toughest race I never ran. Had been training for Belfast marathon 2020, had just completed the longest run in the training plan (and to date my longest run ever, 19 miles) when Boris announced we were going into lockdown and the marathon got cancelled. I’ve not been able to get back into running to the same extent since :(
That was a tough year. Several races I had planned to run were cancelled that year. It was the end of me going to my running club regularly. I think the disruption to routine killed all other routines and habits. I’m still getting back to normal I feel. I think the lockdowns affected us in ways that will have repercussions for years. Question is, do you really want to get back to that level? If you do, make a plan, sign up for something and fight for a routine
Thank you for the reminder that we don’t have to do everything we feel like we want to. I’m pretty new to running but I started out walking 100k Ultra Marathons, doing charity events. I got a bit fed up of them taking so long. The two that I actually finished took me 32 and 30 hours respectively. Then a had a moment of inspiration, it’ll be done quicker if I just run. So I signed up to run my first 50k then had to defer a year because I quickly realised that’s a mad idea. Running is really hard 😅I did my first trail half marathon last month and loved it, despite nearly being sick, and my 50k is in June. My worst race was a road 10k I did, I hate running on roads. It’s boring.
Thats very similar to why I started trail and mountain running, got bored with how long hikes were! all the best with your 50k, loads of time to train. Roads are the worst
I will definitely join you in never doing so, ever, myself. Solidarity! But fair play for doing it at all. I personally enjoy the behind the scenes stuff too
That is a very interesting and helpful insight…I’d love to do ultras one day trail ones, but I can see this really depends on time and other commitments as it takes up a lot…so far I’ve done longest half marathon on the road…I don’t enjoy roads much but living in the city made me run roads…slowly starting to go towards trail running…
24 km out and back in NZ with 1600 m elevation. Nutrition fail, thigh cramps even on the way up, rolled ankle on the way down, and dropped phone at a hut partway up so not even photos of the fabulous scenery. I like the concept of mountain running but have yet to prove I am actually capable of it.
hardest race i have done, and at the same time longest, was 27km from Sorrento to Positano and back on the Amalfi coast with the worst weather you can have in these parts of Italy. Thunderstorm rain most of the race and after finish realising the preparation for it wasn't the best. still was happy to finish it and give it a go in the future again with better preparation and equipment ☺
I have stupidly hypermobile joints so all I'm allowed to do is the treadmill. I top out at about 30/ 40 minutes a few times a week. Turns out, outside has actual terrain that I roll my joints on 😂. Love all your videos because you run and hike in places I would struggle to get to without breaking something! 🤣
My sister has that, was always rolling her ankles when we went hiking. She’s starting using barefoot boots which has helped a lot. Although everyone differebt
A good honest video, Stephen. I class myself as an average runner that does okay in races. I'm very fortunate to live in the Lake District & be part of a thriving fell running scene & club (Keswick AC). I've been a runner for about 25 yrs and it never gets easier! But fell running really helps for ultras, just because of how strong it makes your legs overall. Fell races are mostly shorter yes (some of the Lakeland Classics are 20+ miles tho). I always include a good, weekly long fell run with a couple of shorter runs during the week and I've always found this enough for ultras....I've run several over the years, when I lived in Wales, but I hear you, they can be a big time commitment if you want to do well/finish in top 10%. But I've found once you do 'ok' in an ultra you want to do more! Brecon to Cardiff is a good intro ultra...was my first. Hardest was Ultra Tour of Snowdonia at 60 miles, came 6th and best result was couple of years back in another Welsh ultra, surprised meself with 2nd! All depends on the field, Stephen!
You’re definitely a much better runner than me. Closest I’ve ever come to winning a race was finishing 4th in a 5miler then only had about 20 runners in it 🙈
Everybody's got their ability, Stephen. With all the outdoor stuff you do & all the multi-day treks & biking, you'll have a very good base fitness for ultras. Maybe, if you ever do get the time, have a go at a few 50k races on 'steadier' terrain. I think you'll be surprised 👍 besides, it's just eating a lot with a bit of running thrown in 😂
I've only been for a year when I signed up for a 130k ultramarthon here in Hungary, but got injured for 2 months before the race so I basically ran it wihout any training, but hope lol. It was on roads without any shadows in 40 C+ weather without the slightest bit of wind. Got injured at 30k but pushed through the pain until 117k where they got me out of the race as I wouldn't have finished in time. I'm still surprised of my performance as 50% of the runners didn't finish. Currently training for UB 211 a 211km race around lake Balaton, and trying to be the youngest one to complete it solo. I definitely recommend utrarunning to you in the future, you don't necesseraly need the 100K+ weeks for in my opinion, and it also has trail versions which you might enjoy
Just started getting into ultras and hardest so far was the blue stack way in Donegal, but it was incredible. Just signed up for one in the isle of man and the elevation looks horrendous. But you are right, trail half marathons are perfect distance if you can't train much.
Really enjoy your running videos and I hope the deal you alluded to during the video gets done for you. I’ve been running for around 8 years. I’ve completed two marathons and I am currently comfortable at the half marathon distance. I have aspirations to complete a baby ultra one day once my kids are a little older. Finding the time to run more than 5 hours per week is too difficult at the moment.
I’m training for my first 50k with my previous longest trail race being a 20k a couple years back. I agree that if you are a multi-sport enthusiast it starts to eat up too many hours from other sports. As for my hardest race, I’d say it was my first sprint level adventure race. The mountain bike leg got canceled so we got way more running than I was ready for for. But even with the run beating me up a little it was the orienteering that really put a nail in my coffin that race. I learned as a rookie, don’t try to be bold with your navigation; just stick to the simple routes until you get some experience under your belt.
my hardest race was SVP 50k 2022 it was plus 30 degrees. I ran about km more than I needed to .I drank nowhere near enough water and had almost no food. I decided I wanted to win it in 2023 so I raced smarter. However I only run about 6 hours a week and was not willing to up my miles too much. Not getting lost and starting off easy gave me the win. with my last 10k being the quickest. 10 hours training a week sounds like far too much just to complete an ultra marathon. I think you must have a lot of things you can improve on. If you would like some help please comment back!
@ this will be my 9th Two Oceans have done comrades 3 times and 2 100k races. I didn’t start running till I was 55 I live in Zimbabwe so train in the heat and altitude. I am just a steady everyday runner.
Happy to call myself an average runner too. Agree with the comment above about cross country at school....vomit inducing and put me off running for 30 years. Took it up again in my 40s and while there have been tough races I can say I've enjoyed them all in an average kind of way. One that stands out was a very hot marathon in the Phoenix park, I Sat under a tree and gave up until my partner came to look for me and talked me into finishing.
Really enjoy this content Steve, am a social runner in Wales, hardest race for me was the Beast of the Beacons, trails are my favourite, and I live in a good area for that. 🏃♀️
It's totally fine, I think we all have an individual limit irregardless of any amount of training. If you take elite forces selection as an example, no matter how much training recruits do, many wont be able to meet the demands of the selection process. We're all built differently and there will generally be someone who can go further and faster, just be the best you can and accept your limitations.
kinda true although I don't think I've ever reached my actual physical limitation regardless of training yet as I've never actually put the full amount of training in to reach that point if that makes sense.
I've done the Yorkshire 3 peaks race 4 times (38 km 1600m ascent). A 50k ultra with 1300m ascent. Ive also done a 50 mile ultra with 2000m of ascent. The hardest for me was the shortest of those, the Y3P because of the steeper climbs, plus there was 3 big ones! I felt better at the end of the 50 miler than I did at the end of the Y3P. I'm still not sure whether I want to go longer, I don't think I've found my limit, I feel I could go longer than 50 miles, but I'm not so sure I want to push myself through the night.
I'm not a runner but I follow this channel because I enjoy the craic. But I did the Maracycle once on a tandem with a blind chap (100 miles from Belfast to Dublin) and so had to do a harsh training regime, starting from scratch, building up the miles, taking time out from a hectic home life, juggling work etc. So I understand the commitment required for your ultra marathon. But I don't think the cycling had such a detrimental effect on my body that your running would do. The constant pounding on your knee and hip joints just seems wrong to me and surely anything that will induce you to vomit must be a bad idea?
Running done properly can be great for your body, increases bone density, tendon strength etc. but definitely a lot of runners spend time injured. The vomiting was more due to not being able to breath rather than being in pain at the end. I cycle a bit as well, but it doesn’t give me the same pure joy I get from a really good run
My most difficult race was the Lurig. I didn't end up doing the actual race but i did the course during my training with mates. It is brutal. I have also done some of the hill and dale races and the Cairncastle Classic which again due to the Terrain, climbing and the fact that they are quite short means that its hard judge how hard to go and when.
The Lurig is a tough tough. It’s short and painful. Yeah the hill and dale races are really tough too. I think a mountain race is always equivalent to 2-3x the same distance on road
I hear you Steve! I stopped after doing 2x ultras mainly due to the injury risk. It wasn't so much about the time investment as it was about the amount of time after an ultra where I couldn't go running at all. It just wasn't worth it - I'd prefer to get out most days and do a bit of running without trying to always increase the miles to the point where I'm prone to injury. After nearly 10 months of being unable to run much I had to ask myself if it was really worth it. These days I'm happy with 40k weeks and trail half-marathons (or 25k), which is manageable for me without risking it all :) Deep down... would love to do an ultra again, and running the Kerry Way Ultra lite was one of the highlights of my life. If my mileage naturally increases, without issues, to 80km weeks again, I'll think about another 60k, but not more than that ;)
this is my 1st year proper running, did the antrim coast half marathon this year(loved the route, not a fan of the organizers) have a few halfs books for next year, ideally going to push to do a marathon maybe in 12months time, but cant see me doing more than that, Hardest race for me was maybe Sea2Sky 10k im still not great with constant elevation gain as it blows my cardio / breathwork to pieces ,
I have completed my first two ultras this year, the second of which was the Glasgow to Edinburgh 57 miles along the canals. I have been keen to keep my training time constrained for family reasons. Two evening interval sessions with a local running group and a long run first thing at the weekend before the rest of the family are up. I hope to work up to running the West Highland Way, though not sure if I can on my current training load.
How did you find the canal ultra? My 40miles was along a canal in wales and I never wanted to see another narrowboat again b the end 😂 I met runners doing the West highland way race on I think day 4 of my hike this year. Boggled my mind that they ran it all in one go. I’d love to be able to run that far. Maybe someday when if I can managed to reduce the time I spend working
Yea, I signed up thinking the canal would make it a relatively easy ultra. Only later did I learn that the hills make it easier in an ultra as they break up the course, making it less monotonous and give you a chance to recover. Curious how you would categorise the WHW? Not as much climbing as most mountain races, but still some and lots of beautiful views.
I started training for the first Belfast Marathon and I guess I was running about 10K at the end. But the thing was, my mates said that they were going to train too, but they all backed out and I was running by myself which was pretty boring after a while, so I just gave up also. I took up cycling and never had any desire to run any great distance again!
I’m the opposite I’ve run and cycled and I always get bored cycling eventually. Especially on roads. Something about the simplicity of running that draws me to it
I've done a few marathons. Don't have the interest in putting in the 12/16 week training blocks any more so happy to do a few half marathons a year along with a few 10ks.
Totally sympathise with you. I work for myself too as a freelance web developer. Longest race Brecon beacons ultra. Hardest race was Dorset Gravel Dash a week after the ultra on a single speed fat bike ( great stupid idea) 😂
100k in flat forest, did 60km of that. I was 20 y.o. I watch your channel because I miss the Mourns, and Ireland in general. I came back to running after over 10 years break. Doing 10k once a week. Would like to walk an ultra (~50km) twice a year in Japan. I have no performance goals other than enjoying outdoors.
Longest run - marathon, albeit multiple but I’ve never finished a marathon in my life and wanted to run even one step further - so very much on board with the ‘no more ultras’! Half’s are a great distance I find, an ideal distance to aim to keep yourself fit for year round, Also, is the potential running related project anything to do with a local Olympian??? 😮. Looking forward to seeing what’s next!
Straight over the line and onto a bike 😂 I think I like the idea of ultras more than the reality. I would like to do a multi day ultra as a fastpacking trip. That appeals to me more. Ultra distance over several days with camping and exploring. Kinda what I did a bit on the west highland way, although I probably only ran about 10% of it
Local Olympian? Hmmmm nope. To be honest elite runners don’t excite me that much, I’ve met a few and I find ordinary runners more interesting. Elites are rarely happy and are more interested in statistics than the actual joy of running.
Longest run is 50k (I didn't vomit at the end - did I do it wrong? 😂) hardest was Lyme Park Half Marathon which has almost 2000 ft of elevation. That was so tough but I loved it!
Hardest race I ever did was Snowdon trail marathon... in a heatwave 😅😅 the fact everyone was struggling and lying down in streams to cool down definitely made it feel like a collective struggle rather than just me dying on my own with no other runners in sight
@runwithstevetoday definitely. Did Saddleworth 10 ressers early this year in blizzardy conditions. Lost count of how many times I went knee deep in a bog. Absolutely loved it 😂
Like many here also not a runner (vicarious viewing)😅 but I have been up the hills when the dragons back is on (goes through my local patch) and respect to them 😳 Also have seen people stop to throw up a fair few times, there’s been ultras running on the hottest days of the year a few times….yikes 🥴
Running in really hot days is the worst. I got horrendous cramp during a mountain race on a really hot day, I drank 6 litres of water over the first few hours and then my calfs turned into knots
@ yeah I’ll stick with the swimming on those days! Last year one of the races was running on one of the hottest days with no wind which is so incredibly rare in snowdonia! Really bad timing, several air-vacs and lots of withdrawals. I’m curious, if you know, (I don’t do well in heat so don’t tend to push things), is cramping under those conditions very different from an experience side of things than cold induced cramps?
I’ve completed 4x 100 mile trail races in the last 3 years but there is something about that distance that is so full of multiple unknowns I find you have to adjust and adapt to weather conditions or whatever is going on like nutrition or navigation etc that I have found them to be the most rewarding race distance to actually finish 😅 My first 100 was at age 58 so maybe you’ll return to them like myself ; when although a bit more decrepit I do have more time ? 😂
Fully agree with you Steve, which is why I am only signed up for four ultra's next year. Hope to kick the habit by 2026 and focus on Half Marathon and less (though secretly want to do UTMB).
Enjoy watching your mountain races (adventures on speed) on your other channel. Playing sports growing up running was punishment so I hate running but prefer to hike. Longest hike was 2 x Colorado fourteeners ⛰⛰in one day. 🤠
Love your honesty in this. I do ultras , but when people ask why (most people think you’re nuts!) I say that I love the adventures, but I ALSO love the training. For me, the 4+ days a week running is what I love to do. If you don’t, then doing ultras would be a really arduous few months, and life’s too short for that! There’s no need to get sucked into the challenges that other people do if they’re not right for you. I bet this video helps others realise that for themselves too. Thanks for the great content 🙏
First video of yours I’ve seen. Really enjoyed it.
Longest race ever - 100km. Did my first two this year.
Hardest race ever - Leeds marathon 2023. Fell apart at halfway and couldn’t run for 6 weeks afterwards.
Average runner here too! I'm in my mid 50's and I'm not breaking any records, but I still love a good trail ultra. Lots of time to be in your own head, bit of nice scenery, it's great for my mental health.
Hardest run was a 24hr event, running a 2.2km loop. Ischaemic colitis was not on my bingo card! My crew (hubby and son) realised I was not ok, and pulled me out after 10 hrs. Bless them! I was oblivious...probably a bit delirious honestly! 😂
Went back the following year for the 12hr event and actually loved it. But prefer the trails these days.
Love your work. Cheers from South Australia. 😊
I've completed three ultras so far, a 50K, a 47 ish miler and a 50mile. The 50K was along the Serpent Trail and frankly wasn't that hard however the 50 miler was the South Downs Way 50 which was a different proposition, lots of climbing (for me anyway) and I found it pretty tough. My hardest run though was my first ultra, a 47miler, The Lap up in the Lake District, 2700m of elevation and I didn't really train enough for it. I ended up walking most the of the second half and it was nearly midnight before I finished. Strangely it hasn't put me off and I'm tackling a 100km race next year. Love the content mate, keep up the good work!
Your videos inspired me to start mountain running and my longest run was the Mourne way ultra by myself and 6 days later again in the official race, very tough but absolutely loved them both!
Thanks for the video Steve. Middle-aged dad with a wife and young family, my running journey is only about 5-months old now and I'm averaging about 30k a week, but it can be difficult to fit that around things I should do and want to do; time to spend with family, church, and some down time in between everything! Average runner, definitely. I have some pretty specific respect for the folks who can run quickly, or for hours or days on end, but I'm happy at the minute getting the miles in that I can at this stage of life, and have never yet regretted pulling my trainers on and getting out the door. Again, thanks for the video man, helps a lot!
Thanks so much for watching and keep getting out there 🙂
My hardest race was a marathon. I had plantar fasciitis and ran anyway. So painful.
I did the same! Took me a year to sort out the repercussions! Why do we do that?! 😂
I did a 3k at the end of my military term (probably around 5-6 during it too), and spent the year to beat my dads record. Finally hit it at 10:28 at the National stadium of Norway 🎉
nice!
Runner for years. I've appeared on a few of your H&D/NIMRA races. Hardest race was the Ultra Trail Snowdonia 100km race. It ended in a DNF but it was only 4 weeks after doing the WHW Challenge Race (and yes, the Loch Lomond stretch is hateful). I watch your vids to see what course are like, eg I watched your Lurig race numerous times prior to running it this year and i got a big hole in my shorts. Also your runs take us to areas we may never visit or inspire us to go and visit. Also your wee back stories of the area you're in are interesting.
Fair play for your honesty, I'm just trying to cycle because running I know is tough. Love watching ❤❤
Doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re getting out 🙂
Yeah, my routine is work in the morning, walking and cycling. Case of having to get out now with a recent diagnosis of prostate cancer. Thank God it's not too serious, will be on surveillance for years probably before anything happens.
I’ll tell you about the toughest race I never ran. Had been training for Belfast marathon 2020, had just completed the longest run in the training plan (and to date my longest run ever, 19 miles) when Boris announced we were going into lockdown and the marathon got cancelled. I’ve not been able to get back into running to the same extent since :(
That was a tough year. Several races I had planned to run were cancelled that year. It was the end of me going to my running club regularly. I think the disruption to routine killed all other routines and habits. I’m still getting back to normal I feel.
I think the lockdowns affected us in ways that will have repercussions for years.
Question is, do you really want to get back to that level? If you do, make a plan, sign up for something and fight for a routine
Thank you for the reminder that we don’t have to do everything we feel like we want to. I’m pretty new to running but I started out walking 100k Ultra Marathons, doing charity events. I got a bit fed up of them taking so long. The two that I actually finished took me 32 and 30 hours respectively. Then a had a moment of inspiration, it’ll be done quicker if I just run. So I signed up to run my first 50k then had to defer a year because I quickly realised that’s a mad idea. Running is really hard 😅I did my first trail half marathon last month and loved it, despite nearly being sick, and my 50k is in June.
My worst race was a road 10k I did, I hate running on roads. It’s boring.
Thats very similar to why I started trail and mountain running, got bored with how long hikes were! all the best with your 50k, loads of time to train. Roads are the worst
I will definitely join you in never doing so, ever, myself. Solidarity! But fair play for doing it at all. I personally enjoy the behind the scenes stuff too
Ta! Vlogging a race this weekend
That is a very interesting and helpful insight…I’d love to do ultras one day trail ones, but I can see this really depends on time and other commitments as it takes up a lot…so far I’ve done longest half marathon on the road…I don’t enjoy roads much but living in the city made me run roads…slowly starting to go towards trail running…
24 km out and back in NZ with 1600 m elevation. Nutrition fail, thigh cramps even on the way up, rolled ankle on the way down, and dropped phone at a hut partway up so not even photos of the fabulous scenery. I like the concept of mountain running but have yet to prove I am actually capable of it.
Pentlands Skyline race this year was pretty rough, but that's mostly because I went far too hard on the first few hills
Always a regret
I did a half marathon many years ago. I don’t run anymore but I do enjoy hikes and long walks!
hardest race i have done, and at the same time longest, was 27km from Sorrento to Positano and back on the Amalfi coast with the worst weather you can have in these parts of Italy.
Thunderstorm rain most of the race and after finish realising the preparation for it wasn't the best.
still was happy to finish it and give it a go in the future again with better preparation and equipment ☺
I have stupidly hypermobile joints so all I'm allowed to do is the treadmill. I top out at about 30/ 40 minutes a few times a week. Turns out, outside has actual terrain that I roll my joints on 😂.
Love all your videos because you run and hike in places I would struggle to get to without breaking something! 🤣
My sister has that, was always rolling her ankles when we went hiking. She’s starting using barefoot boots which has helped a lot. Although everyone differebt
A good honest video, Stephen. I class myself as an average runner that does okay in races. I'm very fortunate to live in the Lake District & be part of a thriving fell running scene & club (Keswick AC). I've been a runner for about 25 yrs and it never gets easier! But fell running really helps for ultras, just because of how strong it makes your legs overall. Fell races are mostly shorter yes (some of the Lakeland Classics are 20+ miles tho). I always include a good, weekly long fell run with a couple of shorter runs during the week and I've always found this enough for ultras....I've run several over the years, when I lived in Wales, but I hear you, they can be a big time commitment if you want to do well/finish in top 10%. But I've found once you do 'ok' in an ultra you want to do more! Brecon to Cardiff is a good intro ultra...was my first. Hardest was Ultra Tour of Snowdonia at 60 miles, came 6th and best result was couple of years back in another Welsh ultra, surprised meself with 2nd! All depends on the field, Stephen!
You’re definitely a much better runner than me. Closest I’ve ever come to winning a race was finishing 4th in a 5miler then only had about 20 runners in it 🙈
Everybody's got their ability, Stephen. With all the outdoor stuff you do & all the multi-day treks & biking, you'll have a very good base fitness for ultras. Maybe, if you ever do get the time, have a go at a few 50k races on 'steadier' terrain. I think you'll be surprised 👍 besides, it's just eating a lot with a bit of running thrown in 😂
I've only been for a year when I signed up for a 130k ultramarthon here in Hungary, but got injured for 2 months before the race so I basically ran it wihout any training, but hope lol. It was on roads without any shadows in 40 C+ weather without the slightest bit of wind. Got injured at 30k but pushed through the pain until 117k where they got me out of the race as I wouldn't have finished in time. I'm still surprised of my performance as 50% of the runners didn't finish. Currently training for UB 211 a 211km race around lake Balaton, and trying to be the youngest one to complete it solo. I definitely recommend utrarunning to you in the future, you don't necesseraly need the 100K+ weeks for in my opinion, and it also has trail versions which you might enjoy
That's seriously impressive! I'd have quit at 30k! I might just revisit in future
Just started getting into ultras and hardest so far was the blue stack way in Donegal, but it was incredible. Just signed up for one in the isle of man and the elevation looks horrendous. But you are right, trail half marathons are perfect distance if you can't train much.
Really enjoy your running videos and I hope the deal you alluded to during the video gets done for you. I’ve been running for around 8 years. I’ve completed two marathons and I am currently comfortable at the half marathon distance. I have aspirations to complete a baby ultra one day once my kids are a little older. Finding the time to run more than 5 hours per week is too difficult at the moment.
Finding/making the time is the hardest part I think
I’m training for my first 50k with my previous longest trail race being a 20k a couple years back. I agree that if you are a multi-sport enthusiast it starts to eat up too many hours from other sports. As for my hardest race, I’d say it was my first sprint level adventure race. The mountain bike leg got canceled so we got way more running than I was ready for for. But even with the run beating me up a little it was the orienteering that really put a nail in my coffin that race. I learned as a rookie, don’t try to be bold with your navigation; just stick to the simple routes until you get some experience under your belt.
Nav is tricky! Over the mountain or around it is always the biggest conundrum
my hardest race was SVP 50k 2022 it was plus 30 degrees. I ran about km more than I needed to .I drank nowhere near enough water and had almost no food. I decided I wanted to win it in 2023 so I raced smarter. However I only run about 6 hours a week and was not willing to up my miles too much. Not getting lost and starting off easy gave me the win. with my last 10k being the quickest. 10 hours training a week sounds like far too much just to complete an ultra marathon. I think you must have a lot of things you can improve on. If you would like some help please comment back!
Steve done a 20miler along the north coast but trained on the flat and suffered badly. Awesome love the running videos
That causeway trail is brutal!
The Canadian Death Race has been my hardest race to date with 4600m of elevation gain and 118km long. My family loves your videos!
That’s twice as tough as my hardest mountain race! Thanks for watching🙂
2 ultra races on the road, Two Oceans in Cape Town 56k and Comrades in Durban 90k. Still going strong and will turn 70 next year.
That’s amazing! What’s your secret?
@ this will be my 9th Two Oceans have done comrades 3 times and 2 100k races. I didn’t start running till I was 55 I live in Zimbabwe so train in the heat and altitude. I am just a steady everyday runner.
Happy to call myself an average runner too.
Agree with the comment above about cross country at school....vomit inducing and put me off running for 30 years. Took it up again in my 40s and while there have been tough races I can say I've enjoyed them all in an average kind of way.
One that stands out was a very hot marathon in the Phoenix park, I Sat under a tree and gave up until my partner came to look for me and talked me into finishing.
By the way love the content of your videos
Really enjoy this content Steve, am a social runner in Wales, hardest race for me was the Beast of the Beacons, trails are my favourite, and I live in a good area for that. 🏃♀️
Sounds brutal! My ultra was from Newport to Brecon along the canal
@runwithstevetoday lovely route I ran that canal on Sunday only live a few miles away.
It's totally fine, I think we all have an individual limit irregardless of any amount of training. If you take elite forces selection as an example, no matter how much training recruits do, many wont be able to meet the demands of the selection process. We're all built differently and there will generally be someone who can go further and faster, just be the best you can and accept your limitations.
kinda true although I don't think I've ever reached my actual physical limitation regardless of training yet as I've never actually put the full amount of training in to reach that point if that makes sense.
Seven Sisters 30k in Donegal, has killed me the last 2 years
Doing the 55k this year, pray for me
I've done the Yorkshire 3 peaks race 4 times (38 km 1600m ascent). A 50k ultra with 1300m ascent. Ive also done a 50 mile ultra with 2000m of ascent. The hardest for me was the shortest of those, the Y3P because of the steeper climbs, plus there was 3 big ones! I felt better at the end of the 50 miler than I did at the end of the Y3P. I'm still not sure whether I want to go longer, I don't think I've found my limit, I feel I could go longer than 50 miles, but I'm not so sure I want to push myself through the night.
Climbs are brutal! Those are tough races
I'm not a runner but I follow this channel because I enjoy the craic.
But I did the Maracycle once on a tandem with a blind chap (100 miles from Belfast to Dublin) and so had to do a harsh training regime, starting from scratch, building up the miles, taking time out from a hectic home life, juggling work etc. So I understand the commitment required for your ultra marathon. But I don't think the cycling had such a detrimental effect on my body that your running would do. The constant pounding on your knee and hip joints just seems wrong to me and surely anything that will induce you to vomit must be a bad idea?
Running done properly can be great for your body, increases bone density, tendon strength etc. but definitely a lot of runners spend time injured.
The vomiting was more due to not being able to breath rather than being in pain at the end.
I cycle a bit as well, but it doesn’t give me the same pure joy I get from a really good run
My most difficult race was the Lurig. I didn't end up doing the actual race but i did the course during my training with mates. It is brutal. I have also done some of the hill and dale races and the Cairncastle Classic which again due to the Terrain, climbing and the fact that they are quite short means that its hard judge how hard to go and when.
The Lurig is a tough tough. It’s short and painful. Yeah the hill and dale races are really tough too. I think a mountain race is always equivalent to 2-3x the same distance on road
I hear you Steve! I stopped after doing 2x ultras mainly due to the injury risk. It wasn't so much about the time investment as it was about the amount of time after an ultra where I couldn't go running at all. It just wasn't worth it - I'd prefer to get out most days and do a bit of running without trying to always increase the miles to the point where I'm prone to injury. After nearly 10 months of being unable to run much I had to ask myself if it was really worth it. These days I'm happy with 40k weeks and trail half-marathons (or 25k), which is manageable for me without risking it all :) Deep down... would love to do an ultra again, and running the Kerry Way Ultra lite was one of the highlights of my life. If my mileage naturally increases, without issues, to 80km weeks again, I'll think about another 60k, but not more than that ;)
You inspired me to sign up for Skyrun the Mournes this year. Now for 2025!
Awesome, brilliant race!
this is my 1st year proper running, did the antrim coast half marathon this year(loved the route, not a fan of the organizers) have a few halfs books for next year, ideally going to push to do a marathon maybe in 12months time, but cant see me doing more than that, Hardest race for me was maybe Sea2Sky 10k im still not great with constant elevation gain as it blows my cardio / breathwork to pieces ,
Sea2Sky 10k is tough but a great race for road runners interested in trail
I have completed my first two ultras this year, the second of which was the Glasgow to Edinburgh 57 miles along the canals.
I have been keen to keep my training time constrained for family reasons. Two evening interval sessions with a local running group and a long run first thing at the weekend before the rest of the family are up.
I hope to work up to running the West Highland Way, though not sure if I can on my current training load.
How did you find the canal ultra? My 40miles was along a canal in wales and I never wanted to see another narrowboat again b the end 😂
I met runners doing the West highland way race on I think day 4 of my hike this year. Boggled my mind that they ran it all in one go. I’d love to be able to run that far.
Maybe someday when if I can managed to reduce the time I spend working
Yea, I signed up thinking the canal would make it a relatively easy ultra. Only later did I learn that the hills make it easier in an ultra as they break up the course, making it less monotonous and give you a chance to recover.
Curious how you would categorise the WHW? Not as much climbing as most mountain races, but still some and lots of beautiful views.
I started training for the first Belfast Marathon and I guess I was running about 10K at the end.
But the thing was, my mates said that they were going to train too, but they all backed out and I was running by myself which was pretty boring after a while, so I just gave up also.
I took up cycling and never had any desire to run any great distance again!
I’m the opposite I’ve run and cycled and I always get bored cycling eventually. Especially on roads. Something about the simplicity of running that draws me to it
The most difficult race I attempted was the Mournes extreme Ultra, it is beautiful, but wow is it steep and some of the paths are very rocky.
mournes has some very nasty climbs. I've run the Mourne Skyline and the Seven Sevens, tough
I've done a few marathons. Don't have the interest in putting in the 12/16 week training blocks any more so happy to do a few half marathons a year along with a few 10ks.
I always started in January and trained for a may marathon and was miserable out for hours in the cold and wet on the roads
Totally sympathise with you. I work for myself too as a freelance web developer. Longest race Brecon beacons ultra. Hardest race was Dorset Gravel Dash a week after the ultra on a single speed fat bike ( great stupid idea) 😂
single speed fat bike sounds like a fun torture device
100k in flat forest, did 60km of that. I was 20 y.o.
I watch your channel because I miss the Mourns, and Ireland in general.
I came back to running after over 10 years break. Doing 10k once a week. Would like to walk an ultra (~50km) twice a year in Japan.
I have no performance goals other than enjoying outdoors.
That’s some going! I’ll have to get a few mournes running videos on here
@
BTW: I’m Polish who used to live in NI, now based in Tokyo :)
I also updated my initial message
Longest run - marathon, albeit multiple but I’ve never finished a marathon in my life and wanted to run even one step further - so very much on board with the ‘no more ultras’! Half’s are a great distance I find, an ideal distance to aim to keep yourself fit for year round,
Also, is the potential running related project anything to do with a local Olympian??? 😮. Looking forward to seeing what’s next!
Straight over the line and onto a bike 😂 I think I like the idea of ultras more than the reality. I would like to do a multi day ultra as a fastpacking trip. That appeals to me more. Ultra distance over several days with camping and exploring. Kinda what I did a bit on the west highland way, although I probably only ran about 10% of it
Local Olympian? Hmmmm nope. To be honest elite runners don’t excite me that much, I’ve met a few and I find ordinary runners more interesting. Elites are rarely happy and are more interested in statistics than the actual joy of running.
Longest run is 50k (I didn't vomit at the end - did I do it wrong? 😂) hardest was Lyme Park Half Marathon which has almost 2000 ft of elevation. That was so tough but I loved it!
Hardest race I ever did was Snowdon trail marathon... in a heatwave 😅😅 the fact everyone was struggling and lying down in streams to cool down definitely made it feel like a collective struggle rather than just me dying on my own with no other runners in sight
I'll take cold weather running over hot any day!
@runwithstevetoday definitely. Did Saddleworth 10 ressers early this year in blizzardy conditions. Lost count of how many times I went knee deep in a bog. Absolutely loved it 😂
Like many here also not a runner (vicarious viewing)😅 but I have been up the hills when the dragons back is on (goes through my local patch) and respect to them 😳
Also have seen people stop to throw up a fair few times, there’s been ultras running on the hottest days of the year a few times….yikes 🥴
Running in really hot days is the worst. I got horrendous cramp during a mountain race on a really hot day, I drank 6 litres of water over the first few hours and then my calfs turned into knots
@ yeah I’ll stick with the swimming on those days!
Last year one of the races was running on one of the hottest days with no wind which is so incredibly rare in snowdonia! Really bad timing, several air-vacs and lots of withdrawals.
I’m curious, if you know, (I don’t do well in heat so don’t tend to push things), is cramping under those conditions very different from an experience side of things than cold induced cramps?
my hardest race so far has been my next one
Fiver says your running an ultra next summer 😂
Believe me Steve, you have a wide range of runners watching you. I know of one Irish international at least! Me however, not quite there yet 😂
Not quite an international or not quite watching my videos? 😜
I’m not a runner. I hate running. Lol I did walk a 6k once for charity many moons ago though. I watch for the fun of it though.
Love your honesty
I’ve completed 4x 100 mile trail races in the last 3 years but there is something about that distance that is so full of multiple unknowns I find you have to adjust and adapt to weather conditions or whatever is going on like nutrition or navigation etc that I have found them to be the most rewarding race distance to actually finish 😅 My first 100 was at age 58 so maybe you’ll return to them like myself ; when although a bit more decrepit I do have more time ? 😂
Hardest race definitely the Mourne 7 7's. I've done trail and road marathons but it was definitely harder
Mourne 77s is tough! I've done it and Skyline, not sure which is worse. Skyline has more climbing but 7 7s has that bog crossing to the reservoir
What’s training?
Not a runner, just enjoying your content. But to answer the question cross country runs at school setting off migraine. 😬
Ouch! I sometimes get horrible headaches after long runs. Not sure why
Fully agree with you Steve, which is why I am only signed up for four ultra's next year. Hope to kick the habit by 2026 and focus on Half Marathon and less (though secretly want to do UTMB).
“Only four ultras” 😱 would also kinda love to do UTMB.
Enjoy watching your mountain races (adventures on speed) on your other channel. Playing sports growing up running was punishment so I hate running but prefer to hike. Longest hike was 2 x Colorado fourteeners ⛰⛰in one day. 🤠
I’m guessing a fourteener is over 1400m?
@@runwithstevetoday A fourteener is over 14,000 feet ⛰