Rona was more interested in running that taking a picture. Short run day getting ready to tomorrow’s long run church. #unbridledrunning #wearebor #100miletraining #ultrarunning #mentalhealthawareness #dailypractice #runningismytherapy (at Ridgetop, Tennessee) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClKkxKqrjP6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

My absolute fave photo from my trail run today. Where else can you get a photo like this, experience a moment this special except for on a trail?! 6.3 miles of absolute beauty, blue sky, clean air and sun today. 🏃‍♀️❤️ This is one of the best parts of the McDade trail... Where the trail curves around and through a big pine forest. It smells amazing, the sunlight through the trees is utterly magical. I stopped for a coffee on the way home and the guy at the window said "have a blessed day". I wanted to say "thanks, I already have". 😊 Days like this I'm so grateful for the ability and determination to be a trail and ultra runner. People think it's so hard, crazy, whatever...but the rewards are worth all the effort in my humble opinion. It's a great thing when you get more out of it than what you put in. Today was one of those days. It wasn't about speed, I slowed down and took so many photos. This was about enjoying nature and the experience. 🙏🌲🌳🌲🌿 #trailrunner #ultratraining #100mileultratraining #100miletraining #longrunday #rty2020 #running365 #rwrunstreak #runtheyear #skirtsports #topos #garminfitness #garminforerunner235 #ihavearunnersbody #iamarunner #runnersofig https://www.instagram.com/p/B766rLcjB1D/?igshid=dqyin4c36827

Lush views, anyone? 😍 . Spent some time out running around Leith Hill and Rhody woods for my penultimate run before the big race this weekend. I had such a mood boost; everything was better after being outside, playing on the trails. . Add to that the fact I was out with one of my besties @katyjoc! We visited my favourite pub after the run and had some delicious ice cream in the car as it was cold and raining outside (ice cream is life, no excuses). What a way to end the week! . I never really understood how much spending time in nature affects your well-being, until I went from running outside all the time, to staying in for most of the week. I welcomed the break, but towards the end of it I started feeling pretty crappy. . Suddenly out on the trails again, and just like that it was like happiness gave my mood a good washing. . Got 3 sleeps to go, and it'll be time to toe the line at SW100! . . #TeamRunningAdventures #100miletraining #justkeepgoing (at Leith Hill) https://www.instagram.com/p/By14rtmHhVG/?igshid=e0mvgnd92sxl

8 days 😬. . This section sees us finally getting into Treorchy, one of the bigger towns we pass through the race. After this ... The towns pretty much get smaller and smaller until we have no more! . Last night, I had a mini meltdown when I saw that the route had been changed in some parts. I should have been happy, as they culled the part that was not nice- but I guess a lot of it is just race nerves 😬🎉. . There's also less checkpoints this year (11 instead of 14), which means I need to update my food strategy too. It's a good thing I ordered lots of food ahead! . #sw100 #100miletraining #CantWaitForRaceDay https://www.instagram.com/p/Byq-9DkHbfj/?igshid=1mn50m23nl34e

10 days!! . Getting pretty excited and it's starting to wash over the nerves. I've still got lots to do prep-wise. I'm currently in the process of calculating how much food to take (loads), nailing how to pack my kit so I only need to pop my bag off for a layer, and writing out my plans and notes from my recce so there are hopefully very little surprises! . In trying to mentally prep myself for this route, I thought I'd put up a photo of what's interesting to see, roughly every 10mi... That is, if I'd stopped to take a photo during my recce (which is highly likely). . We're treated to Castell Coch and a nice gentle run along the Taff Trail for the first 10mi. We start at 7pm, so hopefully I can be here before it gets dark! . #sw100 #100miletraining #trailrunning (at Castell Coch) https://www.instagram.com/p/Byj4vPGnIw2/?igshid=sczviwdfoqa4

Taper time! 🥳 . At last, it's time to bring down the mileage and cruise my way into race day! I've been waiting for this day since I stepped out of the house to do my first training run for SW100. . Went to see my physio for my usual check-up-before-I-do-something-silly. To his surprise and amusement, all he found was a tight tendon under my foot. WIN! Credits to the coach @running_bucky for a great training plan for this race. . And now it's down to me 😳. . #sw100 #100miletraining #running (at London, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByUhczLHDNn/?igshid=13o8d8xtakms7

Just about managed to pull myself together for an epic birthday run after kicking off the celebrations last night 😬🎉. . Got treated to a luxe journey to Dorking with @hellsbells7900, followed by a series of existential questions (mostly around "why am I here?") as we kicked off our run on the all too familiar Ranmore. I've run these trails in all four seasons, during the day, during the night and right before sunrise. I know it better than our own living room sometimes. . We carried on towards Shere where we had some ice cream, down to Peaslake and onto Hurtwood to explore some trails. Unless my map is lying (and it isn't), there is a section called Van Gogh's Missing Ear, and I wasn't going to pass up running that today. It led to a beautiful single track trail in the forest before hitting Greensand Way. . My trail highlight for today was visiting Rhododendron Woods. I remember seeing this in @runsurreyhills photos, and since then I've been itching to see this place. The giant redwoods were incredible! There were also so many beautiful flowers everywhere, I didn't know where to look. I kept telling everyone I had a trail surprise for them, and they thought it was some new massive hill I hadn't dragged them to before (I guess I have a reputation). To their relief and delight, it was just flowers. 💁🏻‍♀️🌺 . We carried on to Leith Hill to finish off our legs, before heading down to my favourite pub @ploughinncoldharbour for some BBQ and cake. . Epic way to celebrate, and I'm glad I got to spend it with some of my favourite people! . #birthdayrun #running #100miletraining https://www.instagram.com/p/ByLTRzwnyB8/?igshid=m41jvwe51qz6

Midnight marathon challenge done and dusted!! . After a failed attempt last week, I was determined to complete the challenge this time. Changed the route up a bit so that the toughest section (i.e. Box Hill) would be after 10 breezy miles. I figured I'd at least be able to convince a soul or two to plod along that one with me, and it worked 😂 #suckers. . We started with a party of 5 people. After the first section, the London contingent (except me) decided to be sensible and call it a night. The rest of us suckers for punishment carried on with 8 gnarly miles on Box Hill. It was a long and tiring plod, and I was definitely getting fairly acquainted with the pain cave. . We paused at some point to watch the sunrise, and though I felt pretty happy cause the sky looked beautiful, it was finally bright and the birds had started singing, I was internally screaming at how bad an idea this was. I was tired, I had been awake for more than a day and I wanted hot food. . The boys eventually tapped out after Box Hill. With 7 miles to go and left to my own devices, I hatched a plan to leave my drop bag in the hotel where we had parked (which they kindly held for me till I got back), and carry on solo. I rode the struggle bus for all those miles; feet ridiculously sore, every single muscle aching except the muscles on my face, with which I took a very unimpressed selfie to send to the boys. . Managed to finish with a huge smug smile on my face, pretty chuffed that I had finished what I set out to do. . The challenge in numbers: • 30 hours awake • 26.2 hilly miles (+ some bonus steps) • 2 @chiacharge flapjacks devoured • 2 @snickers bars gone • 1/5 success rate . I'm proud of what we all accomplished- staying up for that long is a feat in itself! . #midnight2morning #challengeaccepted #100miletraining https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx_sauhH-fc/?igshid=9ijdxn1wjrac