Mastering Recovery: A Guide for Runners to ensure you finish with a smile It is no secret now that as runners the hidden discipline is recovery. When we are training, we are breaking the body down with the intention that it comes back stronger thus leading to increased performance. But the question is what…
What a fantastic weekend! Two massive days of talking everything running and coaching with this great group of coaches as they progressed through their Athletics SA Level 3 Performance Development Run Coaching Course. What did we cover, well everything you can imagine: Endurance Theory Training Periodization Threshold Sessions Tempo Sessions Running Video Analysis Race…
Run Coaching to Conquer the MSFT (Multi Stage Fitness Test) Beep Test: A Guide for Non-Runners undertaking the test as part of entry requirements for the Defence Force, Police Force or to become a firefighter. For many individuals pursuing careers in the defence force, police force, or firefighting, the dreaded Multi Stage Fitness Test…
Nick’s Running Adventures – Episode 1: Chambers Gully, Winter Loop Trail Run Click here to watch the episode Welcome to Nick Running Adventures As a coach I am always asked, ‘Nick where should I go running?’ We are going to answer that and cover some of the best running loops…
Coach Profile Q&A – Nick Muxlow Your Coaching Philosophy What inspired you to become a running coach and how has your personal journey in the sport shaped your coaching style and philosophy? My coaching journey began as an 18-year-old, coaching juniors, progressing from my love of lacrosse in childhood and early adult life,…
Youth and Junior Run Squad Adelaide. The Ultra Journey Adelaide youth and junior run squad is launching. This junior run squad is for runners based in and around Adelaide, South Australia as it is for in person coached sessions. We are passionate about supporting runners to ‘run with a smile’. For those…
Wow, amazing Thailand lived up to its name. I was fortunate to receive a call 6 weeks ago that my application to represent Australia at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championship to be held in Chiang Mai Thailand was successful. I was excited, nervous and didn’t even have a passport! Fast forward 6…
Standing on the start line of the Tarawera 50k at Te Puia you could tell everyone was excited to be back and racing. While the 100k and 100-mile course had been changed it was full steam ahead for the 50k and 21k course. As the clock edged closer to 7am a hush fell over the…
UTA 50 Nutrition & Hydration Template UTA 100 Nutrition & Hydration Template Finishing with a smile requires making sure your nutrition and hydration strategy is up to scratch come Ultra Trail Australia. Runners are regularly fit enough to finish but they don’t fuel or hydrate themselves well enough over the event to allow themselves…
Expressions of Interest – Grampians UTA Race Preparation Camp As I finalise details, I need to get a better feel for numbers. If you are interested in coming i’ll need an expression of interest. (A direct message through Facebook with your email address) As a thanks for helping out, I’ll open booking on the…
All runners want to get Run Fit. It’s our nature, it’s in our DNA. The problem is far too many runners are injured, in a performance plateau and have uncertainty over what training they should be doing. They don’t know how to reach their goals. There is a better way, the Run Fit Way. The Run…
Wow what a year it was at UTA this year. Some outstanding results posted by the team. To launch things off we had Jordan tackle the UTA22 on Friday. Jordan is new to the trail and ultra-scene and while he is keen to get to the bigger distances, he’s understands the need to be…
Nick’s Outback Adventure We are headed to the Flinders Ranges and would love for you to come. Come and experience the rugged and awe-inspiring nature of the Flinders Ranges while eating the best food the region has to offer at night. Nick’s Outback Adventure is 4 nights and 5 days of amazing…
While not all, many runners are flat with their training. Some are feeling un-motivated. Others are simply going through the motions and finding it challenging to give any grunt to what they are doing. This is completely normal. We are each experiencing an intense amount of stress away from our training that is not normally…
In the following update I will cover three useful websites for understanding some important information regarding COVID-19, preparing as a runner and contracting COVID-19 from a training perspective. Useful Websites The following three websites and articles provided a great deal of unbiased and useful information. The following Q&A website from the Australian Institute…
Want to have fun on a trail and ultra running camp with like-minded runners on some of the best trails in Australia? Of course you do! Come and join us on an adventure with the team from The Ultra Journey as we embark on the finest trails in Otway National Park, Lorne, Victoria. Think,…
Why run 100km… ‘Because it will change your life!’ Why is a common question ultra runners get. To answer as above is simple, profound and true. Fortunately the quizzical looks you get in return are always priceless. Few will ever experience this or understand the power of this statement because for true understanding you…
Decoupling is when your heart rate and pace are not longer consistent with each other. Either heart rate rises relative to pace or pace drops relative to heart rate. This can be seen in the photo below. At the start of a run or race these two progress in unison. But if you…
The promise I make, the promise you make. The promise all the ultra runners I work with make to me is, that they will follow their ultra plan to the best of their ability. Run, implement, learn and grow. The promise I make to all the ultra runners I work with is simple, I will…
Are you a fitter ultra runner? Is your fitness better than the same time last year? Or better than when you headed into your last important race? Can you tell? If you can’t tell, how do you know if you’re going where you want to go? I am assuming where you want…
There are tools and there are gimmicks. There was a funky little plastic band a few years back. You could put it around your wrist and it made you better at everything! It was a gimmick. Tools on the other hand allow you to do a job better. If you want to bang…
Kyle Chalmers can swim! He’s not just great; he’s the best in the world. Chances are you can swim too, but you’ll be left a long way behind. When you swim there are plenty of things that you are doing, which are just wrong, hence why, you are nowhere near Kyle. If…
Last week we looked at the 1%ers. How does a coach achieve these? By… Asking the right question at the right time or asking no question at all. Pushing the runner to do more than they could on their own or pulling them back when they do too much. Getting the runner…
It’s the 1%’ers that count! 1% isn’t much and barely makes a difference, it’s quite easy to achieve. 10% on the other hand is a noticeable difference and may be difficult to achieve. The trick is to make a 1% difference 10 or more times, continuously. Then you have not just a 10%…
Do you train by distance or time? While we race to distance, training should be completed based on time. The physiological toll (stress) you are placing on the body is related to the time spent at different intensities (efforts). It is time spent at these intensities that we want to maximize to give…
Our top 10 ways to beat the heat this summer and keep your ultra running on track. Train Early/ Train Late It’s an obvious one, but it still has to be at the top of the list. Train early or train late to avoid the heat and keep the running going. Hydrate –…
You’re an ultra runner. You love to run, run regularly and run a long way. Your friends ask you about it and you let them know what you do. ‘OMG’ they say ‘I could never do that’. But you know they could if they wanted to. The difference is you choose…
When it comes to our running we all have strengths and weaknesses (focus areas). But have you ever considered what is going to be your limiting factor come race day? We want to improve our weaknesses and maximize our strengths but rarely are these what limit our performance when the big day comes. …
What sort of environment are you placing yourself in? One that is going to ensure your success or one that makes it ever challenging to reach your goals? The Lakers triathlon club has a phenomenal rate of triathletes who qualify for Kona – The Hawaii Ironman (well in excess of the norm). How…
Perceived Risk vs. Actual Risk The outcry over the Alpine Challenge has been a farcical! It has demonstrated a distinct lack of understanding amongst the ultra running community over Perceived Risk and Actual Risk. Perceived risk is the risk you ‘feel’ is present with an activity. Actual risk is the risk…
Are you trying to be on your ‘A Game’ 365 days a year? It simply can’t happen! If you are trying to be on your ‘A Game’ year round you are on a rapid path to ‘Runner Burnout’ and killing the enjoyment you have when running. Ultra runners often get caught tackling the…
What is the Focus of your ultra run? The following lists the 21 different focus points or objectives of any run. Often one or more will be developed within an individual run set. The way that the following are mixed and matched together within the types of runs (discussed here) determines the focus. …
There are only 4 different types of runs… yet so many sets? There are four different types of runs that you can complete over the week. They are as follows. Long Run Intensity Run – Tempo, Interval, Fartlek, Build Run Recovery Run Soul Run – run for fun and enjoyment There are…
What to eat before an ultramarathon can be challenging. It needs to be packed full of carbohydrate, low in fibre, have a little bit of protein and of course be tasty! Additionally as you may often be away from home with limited cooking utensils it needs to be easy. The following is a favourite that…
Training Guilt Do any of these thoughts apply to you? A feeling like you should be doing more Inability to take a day off If you do take a day off from running, you feel guilty about it – no surprises there! If you’re sitting there nodding your head then you suffer from training…
Signed up for a BIG RACE Three Questions you must ask yourself. You have signed up for a big ultra race, four that come to mind that have recently opened up for registrations are Ultra Trail Australia, Tarawera Ultramarathon, Buffalo Stampede and Hubert 100. You have entered and now you need to start…
The Number 1 Ultra Myth! The biggest myth that comes up again and again amongst ultra runners is a lack of time, I don’t have the time to fit my long runs in, I don’t have the time to run regularly over the week, I don’t… is always an excuse. We get it there…
The Ultra 5! The 5 things you must implement to radically improve your ultra running. There is so much information out there related to running it’s hard to know what of it applies to you the ultra runner. What should you implement and what should you leave behind? I often get asked if…
The Success Formula – Win at the Game of Life Are you successful in the game of life? If not do you want to be? If you are chances are you are implementing these four steps – The Success Formula – even if you don’t realize it! It quickly becomes apparent that those…
The top 7 ways to include kids in your Ultra Training. The importance of including the family in your ultra training can’t be underestimated. Having the family on side supporting you is guaranteed to make you a better ultra runner but often we overlook the simple ways that this can be achieved. If you’re…
Demystifying the online ultramarathon coaching process. Prior to working with an online ultramarathon coach many runners are unsure of how the coaching process works. Below the process is explained as well as why this is the best way to operate. Training Peaks is essential in the coaching process. Training Peaks is coaching software…
Why do you want that ‘Finish Line Feeling’? It’s a euphoric feeling that everyone wants to experience. It’s spoken about in running folklore and is the holy grail of ultra running. The emotion is filled with pride, excitement, contentment all mixed with a strong feeling of satisfaction. It can be summarised into ten key points.…
1. What was the highlight of UTA? The finishing line and setting a 1 hour 3 minute P.B. 2. Where is your favorite place to run? I love to run trail around Mt. Fuji in Japan but I need to travel even more to find other great places. 3. What did you enjoy most…
The benefit of The Ultra Runners Quiz is that through looking at your results it quickly becomes apparent which area(s) you need to target to improve your ultra running. What do we mean by improvement? Improving your ultra running by 30 seconds/km. Over 100km’s this equates to a 50 minute difference to your end time.…
The Ultra Mindset is your mind’s ability to train and race. The first thing you the ultra runner need to bring to the table is a ‘can do attitude’. Once you have this in place, a positive mindset with belief in yourself and your abilities can be developed. It is through meeting the challenges of…
The Perfect Chocolate Cake – The Perfect…? Out of the oven comes the most delicious, mouth watering chocolate cake! You can’t wait to serve a slice up and start to devour your creation. But how did you do it? No doubt you followed a recipe. First of all you would have checked you had…
Injury is the Enemy – Your body is like a savings account! Injury is the enemy and must be avoided at all costs! Think of the last time your were ill and couldn’t run. How grumpy were you? A running injury compounds these emotions. You become grumpy, irritable and lose an important part…
People tend to become passionate one way or the other, either believing that you should always train to heart rate or always train to R.P.E. Neither camp is right! To believe one way is the right and only way is to only look at the positives provided by one style of training and compare this…
Part 1 of 2 There has been a lot of debate recently over weather you should train by Heart Rate or Rate of Perceived Exertion (R.P.E.). Before we look at this argument we first need to ensure that we understand that the purpose of each method is to develop a range of intensity ‘zones’…
Wow, I am about 6 months late in writing this but as they say better late than never! Before I jump into the common questions that I receive about ‘Journey to 100’, I first have to thank everyone who made Journey to 100 possible! Cliché I know! But that includes you. Without fantastic runners…
You’re on the start line surrounded by runners; there is a still silence in the air as your mouth becomes dry with anticipation. BANG the gun goes, and you’re swept up in the emotion of the race. If you are embarking upon an ultra there are Five Ultra Race Day Rules that you must…
Hey there Ultra Journey Community. Concerned about your nutrition and hydration going into Ultra Trail Australia? Chances are it’s not your fitness which will let you down come UTA but your nutrition and hydration strategy. Did you know that in 2016 the DNF rate was 6% in the 50km but jumped up to 21%…
Now that you have taken The Ultra Runners Quiz. Fingers crossed you have started to tackle some of the run sets that are recommended inside your personal report…? Today however we’re going to look at the two big mistakes. There are two BIG mistakes that new ultra runners make! Interestingly they fall at opposite…
By clicking on the below link you can open a printable file of the running zones we use with all our coached clients. These are the same zones which are outlined in ‘Journey to 100 – How to run your first 100km ultramarathon – and love it’ Great if you have read the…
You want to improve your ultra running, right? You even have an event coming up that you want to go really well in. You have started training and that means that you’re invested. You’re investing, Time – hours and hours, think of all the training runs! Money – hundreds and hundreds of dollars, think…
2017 in Review and what’s to come in 2018 This year has been a massive year at The Ultra Journey. Let’s take a look back on the successes that have occurred and what’s in store for 2018. What amazing goals did the athletes at The Ultra Journey achieve this year? Yurrebilla 1st place…
What does The Ultra Journey application look like? We ask four simple questions because we want to make sure your going to achieve the results you desire. We ask all runners who wish to be coached to submit answers to the following four questions. Ultra Runner Coaching Application This application form is not concerned…
People think that successful ultra runners are simply gifted and just run lots each and every day. Underneath the facade that they simply run lots and lots there is meticulous planning that is going on, it doesn’t happen by luck or chance. The truth is that they train smart and have build up their ultra running…
As the saying goes, what goes up must come down. This is the fun bit. What is often not recognised, though, is the physiological effect that downhill running can have on your fatigue levels. The uphills work the energy systems; the downhills destroy the muscles, specifically your quads. This is due to the eccentric loading…
Runners often dread the uphills, but this certainly doesn’t need to be the case. The first thing you need to do is accept the hill and accept that, regardless of your running ability, you are going to run slower when running uphill. Just because you slow down doesn’t mean that you are not becoming a…
1. How do you know if hiring a run coach is right for you? The following list highlights the key reasons that runners tell us. You know you can put in the time and effort but you want to know where this time will be best spent based on your personal circumstances, you want to…
If you plan to run your first ultramarathon or are relatively new to ultra running read on and make sure you are not making these 5 common mistakes in your training and racing. 1) Not training Smart There are two parts to this. Not starting consistent training early enough and not doing the right training.…
This is a useful way for a coach and an athlete to break events up into different categories depending on their importance. This helps with planning your season. An ‘A race’ is your target or goal race. These events are your major focus for the season. Normally one or two and generally a maximum of…
A common concern of people new to ultra running or people stepping up the distance of their ultra running event is “Can I make the distance?” After all you have invested a lot of time into training for the event, you have sacrificed evenings with family and friends to get to bed early, the family…
Double runs are a great way to increase run volume while lowering the chance of injury compared to completing a similar run volume in one session. The key point in this approach is that it allows for a recovery and refueling period between runs. I often use this strategy as a great midway point when…