Hi Ben, You have just made the first step, and that is that you have decided you want to do it I went late into ultrarunning and I can't really say how or why I went into in but what I can say is I hate these large, overly organised, over sponsored events with 1000's of people running in them. I can see my feeder runs were cross country, hill runs, fell runs (I'm English) and then marathon fell runs. I have got to 20 miles into a run with the idea of another 10 miles but actually stopped and looked at the view from the top of the hill just to take in the sense of accomplishment. Ultra running is a totally different game compared to boring marathons with different techniques, tactics and I have noted tends to be run by people in their late 30-s going into the 40s and 50s. You are in a perfect position to start both in age, fitness and maturity. There is nothing special about ultra runners, they are normally the quiet man or lady in the middle of the crowd. First thing you have to do is set your self a series of short, middle and long term goals, I'll give you an idea of mine from Jan 2008 when I was challenged to an ultraun 1) April - Trail half-marathon (hill run) 2) June - Fell half-marathon (hardest as the hardest in the UK 3,000 feet) 3) September - 20 mile Fell endurance run (orienteering 4,500 feet) 4) October - Trail marathon (26.2 mile 4,000 feet) 5) December - 30 mile trail ultra 6) February 2009 - 32.5 mile nocturnal trail Note how I have progressed my short, mid and long term goals each was set up as individual training plans and with every success I moved to the next level. I will be running a series of trail marathons and entry level 50 km ultras this year to finally do the London to Brightom 56 mile ultra trailmarathon in September 2009. I think you can see that, I am probably like a lot of ultrarunners who utilise a schedule and plan at least a year ahead, you have to if you are to progress. You know when you are there when you are offered a marathon number only 2 weeks away from the start and you say yes and run it!!! You will be setting yourself a big challenge, it looks like you are a Dad of a young kid and with that you have to set yourself quite a strict routine, I run every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The latter is for long runs and have found that the only way to keep my sanity I have met up with similar minded friends who keep me company on the long trail runs. So don't just run for the sake of running, run in a routined, scheduled and controlled way. Ultrarunning is about discipline and running in a controlled way. I promise you, you will absolutely love it, the mix of emotions that you undergo during your first ultra is brilliant and all the hardships, pain and injuries you collect over the 6 months of training will pale into insignificance to the feeling when you cross the line. So for the next 6 months, set yourself a nice easy target, say a flat marathon or half marathon, get the miles under your feet, and the time on your trails. Sorry if I am teaching you to suck eggs, I love the sport of extreme running and I love to see new people wanting join the sport, even if they are 6,000 miles away. Good luck, I'd love to hear your progress.

Looking at your goals, they are easily achievable, don't set those targets to high Get those schedules written up....naaaahhhh don't for the first few weeks, just get those shoes on and run, no more preparation, just get out for 30 minutes. I was laughing to my "long run" buddies last weekend that I used to drive2 miles to a particular park to run around it now I don't bother with that park as there is another one 5 miles away that I run to and back. I just have to visit where I have come from and how far I have come in 18 months. I'm trying to sound motivational here, not doing a very good job but I am trying to open that door for you to take the first plunge. Your only hurdle now is the motivation...keep it going.

Marshall, Thanks for the confirmation, I sometimes think it is just me when it comes to being slightly obsessive about training plans. I have had running buddies who tease me as at one point I had the habit of prededing sentences involving training runs with "But my training plans say I have to....." One used to "So Jerry, if the plan says jump off a cliff would you do it?" They gave up in the end as they found me running to the meet point and then running home from it just so I could get my alloted time/distance in. Which brings me onto my next point; I have had a quick read of your blog and I see you have quite a few runs under your belt and therefore, as a trainer, do you rather run with the idea of " Time on your feet" or concentrate on the concept of "mileage only" plans or a mixture of both. I say this as I do feel I have come a slave to the mileage plans as I sometimes hear one of us saying "I have to get back for 11.00am to take the boys to soccer" so we say. "OK 2 hours out, 2 hours back let's see where we get to"

...as a trainer, do you rather run with the idea of " Time on your feet" or concentrate on the concept of "mileage only" plans or a mixture of both.

We've recently been debating this with Team in Training since one of our coaches has started focusing more on time rather than distance. I am still wedded to distance rather than time. I know people that can stay on their feet for hours but could never finish an ultra under the cutoff. So I focus on mileage and time, since that is really how an ultra is judged - finishing the mileage within an allotted time. I base all of my training plans on my intended mileage for the day. And don't feel bad about planning - I can't imagine not having some sort of plan if you've got some sort of goal. I'm not a slave to the plan (and I'm sure you're not either) but I have goal races and training "guides" that I follow to get me to the race.

That is really interesting reading, thanks guys. I feel vindicated when it comes to my running plans. All I have to do now is get of these crutches and get going, I am looking to try walking without them tomorrow and then get out for the weekend.

Actually, no, you didn't I have been jumping forums and forgetting not everyone knows of my little accident. I was running a 17 mile training run a couple of Sundays ago and managed to stump my right foot on a fallen branch end on at about mile 1. I took it as a "trail runners bump", you know the type, run it off, rub some mud in it and it will go away until you have a shower but it was at mile 16 when we had a particularly quad sapping up hill that I realised it was now a bit more than a runners bump. Took my shoe off at home and winced with pain, realising it was a bit more than my usual bumps went to the hospital and they X-rayed it and diagnosed a suspected fracture of the 1st metatarsal. I have been on crutches for the past 9 days, but have returned to just one today as I have now been told it was not broken. It appears it is just a bit of bruising and so will get back into my runners on Thursday or Friday for an exploratory run and then get back to shortened long run on Sunday if all goes well. I have a 32 mile night run on 7/feb/2009 to prepare for so have taken it very carefully. MTA. Now I know you, you have changed your avatar recently. I love your bio with "I aspire to be the crazy lady at the end of the street with 20 cats and a thousand books, movies, and CDs."

MTA. Now I know you, you have changed your avatar recently. I love your bio with "I aspire to be the crazy lady at the end of the street with 20 cats and a thousand books, movies, and CDs."