markhartell.blogspot.com
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports: April 2010
http://markhartell.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports. Friday, 16 April 2010. An ultra-runner - again! It’s been quiet on here for a while. Mainly that’s because it’s been quiet on the running front for me. Constant pain from the knees acts as a powerful disincentive for training. Couple it with the dark winter weather and the feeling every time I ran that I had been hit by a truck and you get a picture of a more sedentary life. The day left me chomping at the bit to run a little myself so early on the Sunday morning I decid...
markhartell.blogspot.com
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports: May 2011
http://markhartell.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports. Monday, 16 May 2011. Disappointment - yes, frustration - yes! I pulled out of the Fellsman on Saturday at mile 12 with a hamstring tear. It had been tight coming off Ingleborough but quite suddenly "went" on the steep part of the descent off Whernside. Whilst it is only twinging today it cut my pace in half at the time and was clearly not going to appreciate another 50 miles of use. It also puts a big question mark on my other plans for the summer. Sunday, 8 May 2011.
markhartell.blogspot.com
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports: March 2012
http://markhartell.blogspot.com/2012_03_01_archive.html
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports. Sunday, 25 March 2012. A Great fortnight and a FKT (Fastest Known Time). Two weeks with some great and varied running. Still recovering from yesterday’s effort but more of that later. The week after our Santa Cruz island and Backbone Trail adventures was quiet but I was entered for the Chuckanut 50k on 17. March This year would have been a great race as organiser Krissy had obtained a huge permit for 1000 runners and was celebrating the 20. Place was all I could manage b...
markhartell.blogspot.com
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports: June 2011
http://markhartell.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports. Tuesday, 14 June 2011. As my good friend and experienced ultra-runner said to me at mile 59, “training, it’s a good idea to do some”. That pretty much sums up the weekend – you can’t fake being fit enough to run 100 miles so Saturday exposed that fact that I was 50 mile or 60 mile fit but not 100 mile fit. On the day there were some schoolboy errors too – I dimly registered that the race would be up at 6000ft but dismissed it. You may think that I would be really down ab...
markhartell.blogspot.com
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports: It Took A While!
http://markhartell.blogspot.com/2012/05/it-took-while.html
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports. Sunday, 13 May 2012. It Took A While! It did take a while; both for me to write this long overdue update and to cross the finish line in each of my last two races. Before the wheels fell off at Sonoma 50. Based on that, I felt that 3 whole weeks should be ample time for recovery from my efforts at the Backbone trail – I knew I had worked kind of hard over the last 18 miles that day but, 3 weeks, surely. One of those and so we ran together for about 5-6 miles before, amaz...
markhartell.blogspot.com
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports: January 2012
http://markhartell.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports. Sunday, 29 January 2012. Pleased to say that some reasonable training is continuing and that I am having fun doing it. In fact more than fun – I ran a race, climbed a mountain, did some speed work and a long heat training session as well as firming up my race calendar for the first half of the year, deciding to offer coaching and discussing a film project. Read on for details of that little lot. At halfway to 2. Climbing from the desert. 6 miles Elings Park. 21 miles (ro...
markhartell.blogspot.com
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports: December 2012
http://markhartell.blogspot.com/2012_12_01_archive.html
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports. Tuesday, 11 December 2012. Opportunity meets Challenge - an open letter. I find myself in a very exciting but potentially very difficult situation and it’s complex. A little background first. I have been running long for 23 years. Many of my most memorable days have been on the trail and many of my closest friends, particularly my wife, I met through that love of the trails. Events must be permitted, insured and safe for the runners. The area where the event is held shou...
markhartell.blogspot.com
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports: May 2010
http://markhartell.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports. Monday, 24 May 2010. Scottish Island Peaks - race report. The story of the 2010 race - hot and calm - sunburn and rowing. Commenting that I would be back in the office Monday morning – wind permitting – was intended to be light-hearted. Whilst it’s obvious you cannot sail without wind, none of us could imagine the hours and hours of rowing that would be required to win this year’s Scottish Island Peaks Race (SIPR). Largest in the world with currents up to 8.5 knots.
markhartell.blogspot.com
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports: A time to appreciate
http://markhartell.blogspot.com/2012/06/time-to-appreciate.html
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports. Friday, 22 June 2012. A time to appreciate. I have, of course, spent many hours over the past few years considering what motivates me to run long. This is a necessary process, I think, for anyone facing the realities of ageing and slowing down. It was, after all, 23 years ago that I ran my first Bob Graham round with 3 cigarette breaks and almost no knowledge of suitable running food. To be near the front of a race gives me a kick; to challenge a record likewise. A littl...
markhartell.blogspot.com
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports: February 2010
http://markhartell.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html
Ultrarunning and Mountain Sports. Monday, 1 February 2010. After missing the worst/best winter weather for many years I was hankering after a mini-adventure and the weekly forecast seemed to be promising some clear skies and cold temperatures for last weekend so plans started to form. The start of an adventure. Getting to grips with the Crib Goch ridge. And were soon trotting down the line of the summer railway to search out the steep descent to Nant Peris. No crampons = consequences. Thanks Kahtoola!
