News & Summaries - Brathay Windermere 10 Marathons 10 in Days

10 Tips To Running 10 Marathons In 10 Days!

Over the years I have learned many things about long distance running, both physical and psychological. Clearly there are no hard and fast rules that suit every individual as we are all different; however I hope that some of my suggestions might be useful in your preparation. The list below is made up of my tried and tested top tips that I personally follow. Some of them will no doubt be already familiar to you:

1. Training Miles This is not an exact science and tends to be different for each individual, but try to follow the golden rule. All increases in mileage should be gradual, that is no more than a 10% increase in mileage per week to minimise the risk of injury and trauma to joints and muscles. Given the choice long steady runs will generally be more beneficial than short faster runs, although a combination of both is always the best option. You should attempt to run six days a week (allowing for 1 rest day) on both flat and hilly courses. One 20+ mile run should be included at least once a fortnight, but preferably once a week if possible. A full marathon distance run every fortnight would be even better!

2. Train Off Road Where possible try to run on grass as this is obviously much softer than tarmac. It’s kinder on the joints and believe it or not will actually increase leg strength and stability. I aim to run half of my total miles on grass, even at this time of year when it’s muddy, as it helps minimise the risk of injury.

3. Stretching After each and every run stretch those calves, hamstrings, glutes and quads. Check the internet for the best stretches and use them religiously. Again this will help minimise the risk of injury and will also help with overall running efficiency.

4. Running Shoes Alternate between two or even three pairs of running shoes as you train each day to allow the cushioning to recover from the previous session. This will not only help with minimising the risk of injury but also maintain a spring in your stride. Never run in completely new shoes, always walk around in them for a few days to allow them to mould to your feet. Again to minimise risk of injury and blisters!

5. Injury Niggles Active runners all succumb to occasional minor injuries from time to time. However this might not necessarily mean stopping running or training completely. Always keep a bag of frozen peas handy in the freezer and at the first sign of any soreness, stiffness, swelling or inflammation on a joint or muscle apply an ice compress, 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off. This is something I've done for many years and it can be very helpful in stopping niggles turning into full blown injuries. I also follow another rule based on these questions: Does it hurt resting?....does it hurt walking?....does it only hurt when running?....is it an ache or a sharp pain?....does it improve or worsen when I run? Then I weigh it all up before deciding whether to continue running or whether to rest. I might consider an alternative form of exercise to keep my cardio vascular work rate going. I would however advise getting a professional opinion for any injury that lasts more than a week. It might not be serious, but you want to know one way or another.

6. Cold Baths After a long run, particularly a marathon (or longer), your legs will really benefit from a soak in cold water. It’s not easy getting in but I guarantee that 10 minutes of this will help your legs to recover better than anything else I know. It will minimise stiffness and soreness in the muscles which means you can then run as normal again the next day.

7. Nutrition If you're increasing your mileage and number of sessions you will need to eat more to fuel your runs and also aid recovery. Plenty of carbs and protein rich food with fruit & vedge, you know the drill. Don't be afraid to eat a little more during your preparation - your body needs it. Running on empty means tiredness, longer recovery and therefore possible risk of injury. Remember carbs are the fuel to run and reload before, during and after a run; protein is for rebuilding muscles.

8. Hydration Same as above, increased mileage and sessions means keeping more hydrated. This doesn’t mean just water, but also salts. So focus on keeping well hydrated before, during and after your sessions.

9. Supplements Following on from the two tips above you might like to experiment with hydration and carbohydrate drinks, gels, bars etc. I personally use the drinks and gels during events and the drinks during harder training sessions. These can help to refuel, stay hydrated and help the body to recover. However, not everyone gets on with all products, so experiment now before the challenge, there are many different types in varying flavours.

10. Fit & Healthy Most importantly get to the start line on 8th May fit and healthy, without injury or illness. Yes, you do need to train, but you also need to rest to allow your body to recover. Overtraining can lead to injury and perhaps even illness. None of us want to be struck down with injury, a cold or worse approaching the big event. In the two weeks leading up to the start minimise the risks by tapering down the weekly mileage by 25%, and then with a week to go by another 25%. Any increase in fitness level during this period is very negligible, if at all. However, the risk of being tired and becoming injured or ill are greater, so enjoy this period of reduced training and allow the body to recover and rebuild. Consider having a sports massage or two to push out any tightness or niggles in your legs. Arrive at the start line refreshed and ready to do battle!

Steve Edwards - March 2008

On 11 May 2007 seven athletes assembled on the start line for the inaugural Brathay 10 Marathons in 10 Days Challenge, the first event of its kind anywhere in the world, let alone the UK. However this wasn't just anywhere in the UK, this was Windermere in the heart of the Lake District, which boasts some of the most exhilarating scenery anywhere. Having said that, scenery usually means hills and the Brathay Windermere Marathon course certainly lived up to this expectation. There are a collection of them scattered from start to finish that would test the resolve of a seasoned athlete running it once, let alone ten times in succession. The seven runners that started were no ordinary athletes though, as they had collectively clocked up over 1000 marathons during their running careers.

At 44 years old I was the second youngest in the group and felt privileged to be amongst such dedicated and committed people with ages ranging from 41 to 72, ….and yes you read that right! Sir Christopher Ball, the brainchild behind this event, was 72; with John Dawson at 69 and Brent Iddles at 65 not far behind. With the bravery and commitment of these seasoned runners you certainly didn't have to look far for inspiration. The other athletes were Jim Mundy age 56, Brian Meakin age 45 and Simon Moseley age 41.

So the first day began with none of us really knowing what to expect. Brian was the only one to have run the course before during the early 1980’s in the Windermere Marathon’s first incarnation. The rest of us had previously only driven around the course once, and this only told half the story. This really is a challenging course and the thought of running it ten times in succession was a daunting prospect. Although most of us had run back to back marathons, a number of ultra events, and even triple marathons before, nobody amongst us had ever run ten on the bounce. Chris was in fact the most experienced in this department having completed seven marathons in seven days back in 2004. It was this achievement that inspired him to look for an opportunity and group of likeminded enthusiasts to undertake ten in ten days.

Following words of advice and encouragement from the legendary Joss Naylor, Patron of the Brathay 10 Marathons in 10 Days Challenge, we set off from the lawn at Brathay Hall, settled into the running, and got marathon number one under our belts. For me personally this first circuit of England’s largest lake was about 10 minutes down on the time I had expected to run, most likely due to the nature of the course. In retrospect this was probably a blessing given the enormity of the task ahead. It was reassuring to know that we all had the benefit of daily massage and treatment for injuries at the hands of Kaz Stuart – restoration which proved to be invaluable as the days went by. We each adopted our own strategies for surviving the challenge. For me personally I soon realised that to get through these ten days I was going to have to adopt a disciplined daily regime including massage, cold baths, rapid replacement of fluids and carbs, and of course plenty of rest in between.

As the days passed the challenge became just as mentally testing as it was physical. Running the same course every day, although being very scenic, meant that we would get to know every mile intimately. So it was inevitable that your mind would think about every difficult incline that was ahead of you. Fortunately we all had the experience and determination to remain focused as the days passed. It also helped that the camaraderie between us was superb and we would meet for dinner each evening and regale our experiences of the day. We even started referring to ourselves as “The Magnificent Seven”, - surely nobody would deny us this rather auspicious title.

It was of course difficult not to dwell on the scale of what we had taken on and we had to balance the way we ran each marathon, against what still lay ahead. Overdoing it on just one of those first nine days could ultimately jeopardise successful completion due to injury. I tried not to think about the days remaining, but instead focused on getting through a particular day in one piece. In fact my main worry would come each morning when I got out of bed. Being able to walk relatively pain free to the bathroom and then subsequently to the dining room for breakfast was a good indication of my recovery from the previous marathon and hinted at the chances of getting round the course again that day!

Marathons seven and eight were the toughest for all of us and this showed in our finishing times, which were generally slower than the previous six days. We were all now showing the expected signs of excessive mileage, including shin splints, inflamed Achilles tendons, knee pain, and calf strain. However it was amazing to see and experience just how well the body can adapt and respond when pushed, and miraculously most of us ran marathons nine and ten in much improved times. In fact four of us ran our best times on the final day!

On day ten itself we were joined by almost 1000 other runners arriving for the Brathay Windermere Marathon proper. A crowd gathered at the start line to see us off on what was to be our final lap of honour. I felt like a coiled spring and couldn't wait to get going; my legs felt so good it was as if I hadn't even run on the previous nine days. I recall the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end as we were about to set off. Seven athletes were about to make history if they could just run one more 26.2 mile circuit of Windermere – England’s largest lake, and didn’t we know it!

Surprisingly this proved to be my quickest run of all and I remember thinking how quickly time passed me by. It seemed that no sooner had I started I was already leaving Bowness at 21 miles and on the final stretch towards home. My pace quickened as I felt the excitement of completing the first ever ten marathons in ten days. During that final run for home, as I entered the Brathay Estate for the last time, I began to realise what it must feel like to be an elite athlete entering the Olympic stadium on his own to win the Gold medal. It was quite simply an amazing experience to cross the finish line knowing what had been achieved. One by one each of us crossed that line for the last time to the cheers of accomplishment from the crowd - we had all done it!

Later in the day Joss Naylor presented each of us with an award to mark the achievement. We may not have been elite athletes in the Olympic sense but on 20 May 2007 seven virtually unknown athletes made history. For a brief moment in time each one of us felt like an elite athlete, proud to hold our head up high as the realisation of what we had achieved began to sink in.

Steve Edwards’ 10 Top Tips for the 10 in 10