Tiger Feet - Mud

I've got a feeling in my knees - Chinn & Chapman

Mud's the name of the game this weekend as we take on the double 33 mile Pilgrim Challenge, the brainchild of my good friend Neil Thubron.

If last years is anything to go by and following the recent terrible British weather, I'll be leaving what's left of my trainers at the finish line as the grey mud of the north downs doesn't wash too well out of anything.

The event is a good chance for MdS peeps to meet and back to back some decent mileage and to glean nuggets from previous desert campaigns from folk like ourselves.

It will also provide a chance to blow some of the myths about the race which appear on our MdS Facebook group that regularly has me in stitches. It's amazing just how much heavy irrelevant stuff people think, or have been told they need for six days of desert.

Our MdS Weekend in March cuts all the bs and the sand and mountain running will focus the mind more on what not to take!

Anyway, we'll be there bright and early and hopefully not getting lost...

More tomorrow, post Mud!

- Coleman Coaching - The UK's Leaders in Inspirational Coaching.

Location:Pembroke Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

Ordinary World - Duran Duran

'But I won't cry for yesterday. There's an ordinary world somehow I have to find' - Le Bon, Rhodes, Cuccurullo, Robbins & Taylor

I've spent a lot of time this month talking about and describing my 'Ordinary World' to a vast number of folk wanting to take on challenging their human limits of endurance. I always ask bags of questions of them too as I want to understand their 'World' and why they want to do this stuff.

My 'Ordinary World' just isn't that ordinary I've come to understand and as I describe it out loud it does sound quite bonkers sometimes but all I can say is that it's from the heart and that it's the real 24/7 where I live both physically and mentally.

One of my favourite sayings is that 'You don't become a cross-channel swimmer overnight and that you have to do a lot more than a few lengths of the pool to do so', but it's right...You have to work really hard to make a hundred mile race, fun, pleasant and relatively easy. I know 'cos I've done it - many times over and I did it running 100 mile weeks, week in, week out for a number of years.

It takes TIME to get from A to B and with less than 70 days for MdS14 you've nearly missed the boat and I'm now seeing more and more MdS15 runners and with 427 days to your race it's now time to come and find out what it's like to live in a whole new world - You never know, being 'Rordinary' could be the best thing you ever did.

When you are, you'll know what I mean and being extra-ordinary won't feel as scary anymore...

More tomorrow.

- Coleman Coaching - The UK's Leaders in Inspirational Coaching.

Location:Pembroke Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

The Great Curve - Talking Heads

'Sometimes the world has a load of questions, Seems like the world knows nothing at all. The world is near but it's out of reach, some people touch it...but they can't hold on' - Byrne, Frantz, Harrison & Weymouth

I feel like I'm getting nearer again to holding onto the world that 'The Heads' are singing about and the one where I want to be, although it takes time and it's taken a huge amount of effort over the past couple of weeks to get there. Last night's ten miler in the Cardiff rain though was most enjoyable and it felt amazingly easy even though my HRM said that I spent 90% at Tempo! So I'm getting there...

Just shows you that the HRM knows us best and it's one of the subjects featured in the latest Coleman Coaching Newsletter coming out this Friday.

Do you train with a HRM? Do you even know how to use it?

More tomorrow...

Dirty Vegas - Days go by

'Feeling as if I've been cursed, bitter cold within' - Horn

It was more like Dirty Cardiff, not Dirty Vegas yesterday as the weather took a real turn for the worse and the normal Cardiff weather of howling rain plunged to a new all-time wetness low. It didn't bother my MdS trainee for the day, Paul Gurney, too much as he's more used to the 30 odd degree heat of Johannesburg and revelled in the dampness of the day during our 26.2 miles together. He just loved the rain!

Then again he's used to weather extremes as this guys not only walked to the North Pole but has also climbed most of the world's major peaks. He was most interesting and got me thinking. Anyway, let's hope he enjoys the rigour of the MdS eh? He'll be able to look after himself anyway and as you know that's half of the battle of when you are out there in the sand.

I'm going to continue battling the weather this week and countdown to 2 x 33 milers of the weekends Pilgrim's Challenge. It was quite a challenge last year on the chalky trail so I'll be interested to see how I get on this year. I was pleased with my average HR of 107 and it fekt very easy after the #colemanpowerhour I can tell you.

More tomorrow folks...

I Ran - A Flock of Seagulls

Back in Caerdydd and back on the £&@£ing Treadmill for another #colemanpowerhour. Same speeds as a couple of days ago BUT it was SO hot in there tonight as it was full of folk exercising frantically Pre-Friday night party time.

I was drenched in sweat in no time and the humidity certainly made a difference to how hard my ticker was working as I clocked over three minutes more in the High-Intensity HR Zone this time and was over my max HR for most of the last 15 minutes.

It's interesting stuff when you get some data and even better when you do this regularly and then beat your running goal just like this weeks star client Lesley Jones did today at the Dubai marathon running a new PB of 3hrs 28mins...

Ask her, she loved the CPH now I'm sure...

- Coleman Coaching - The UK's Leaders in Inspirational Coaching.

Rory Coleman - The UK's Leading ULTRAmarathon Coach

Location:Pembroke Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

I've got the Power - Snap

Working Hard and Classic HR Trace

'I've got the power, like the crack of the whip' - Jerkins, Garrett & Deitrick

People keep posting about my famous #colemanpowerhour so I thought I show you some details of the one I did yesterday here. It's basically a treadmill interval session designed to build your speed training and resistance to quitting the pain as the intensity nears ones Max Heart Rate (MHR) running over the course of an hour.

It's a gentle build and it's amazing how after that initial HR Max burst how easy the first few reps are and the fifteen minute mark is all too easy to reach. After that each five minutes feel like a lifetime BUT after getting thru the 45 minutes barrier the last fifteen become a bit more of a physical than a mental battle and evaporate quite nicley as I wish the sweat I generate would too!

Yep, I was pretty drenched after this one. I also peaked my HR at 161 over the last couple of reps so for me the intensity of this session was just right. It will be interesting to see how much I can improve my fitness and see my HR reduce before upping both speeds by 0.2kph.

If you haven't a Power Hour yet, maybe you should see what the fuss is all about and reap the benefits of a great session that you will hate for an hour but love when you see your treadmill display shows 60.01 minutes.

If you want me to show you how to do them - come and see me as EVERYONE who does them shows improvemnt in their performances and lots put it down to #colemanpowerhour.

More tomorrow...

Andy Saville BTW is my #colemanpowerhour - World Record Holder!

Passion - Rod Stewart

A lotta people ain't got, passion - Cregan

I've had a very busy month coaching a multitude of folk preparing for the impending 'Marathon des Sables'. EVERYONE single one is entrenched in the KIT and all of the training involved in getting to the finish line and getting the MdS Medal. At £3600 it's not a cheap date and one that no-one wants to return empty handed from.

Anyway, I had a wonderfully refreshing conversation with Steve Deiderich, Racing Sahara CEO yesterday morning, where we spoke about just how brilliant the whole race experience is and how much we both have enjoyed it over the past years.

It really fired me up and if you are going, enjoy it. Train hard and you'll enjoy it even more.

After speaking to Steve, I did a Tempo 10 and a Power-Hour today which I will tell you more about tomorrow.

More then... 

Camera Eye - Rush

'Pacing in rhythm, race the oncoming night' - Lee, Lifeson & Peart

Well I certainly paced it tonight and after a couple of consecutive twenty milers over the weekend, a fast three felt like a complete cop out and I was back home in no time in 24 minutes.

Not lightning fast but pacey considering I was running in the dark on Cardiff's rather rocky pavements.

Another good solid day of Long, Slow, Disatnce will be most useful tomorrow with a couple of MdS Days to follow later in the week to get my mileage up round the 100 mark.

Happy days down here and I have a bit of a spring in the old step back again after having a good December rest.

More tomorrow...and for those of you who have been directed over to my blog and are running MdS this year, it's time to pull your finger out and get training. Come and see me if you don't know what to do...I DO, it's my job!

The Right Decision - Jesus Jones

'When they say ignorance is bliss, it makes it sound too good to miss. How about that? And the problem with success is you become what you detest. How about that? So who to believe and who do you trust? Well, it might as well be you. 'Cos it seem that no-one else has got a clue.' - Edwards

If like me you are competing at this years Marathon des Sables and you haven't started training in earnest yet - well it's about time you did as not only are the days and vaporising away but so are your chances of finishing the race with much of your feet left intact.

Yep, it's time to toughen up on those who enter races and then don't give the time and energy required to get a decent result worth speaking of. You know who you are!

The MdS is just a completion event for most and there are always those who get injured or ill during the race BUT it's those that 'Fail to Prepare' who Fail most and sickeningly with a proper training schedule could have easily made the finishing line.

I'm not exempt and have cracked in 2 x 20 Long Slow Distance runs in this weekend as a start to my big endurance week of Spring training. It's been FUN too and that's what it should be.

Is your training fun? Or are you just kidding yourself that it will be ok on the day?

- Coleman Coaching - The UK's Leaders in Inspirational Coaching.

Location:Capel Gwilym Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

Talk Talk - Talk Talk

Well what a day I've had speaking at three workshops for the ED&F Mann Company in London.

Each session had its own vibe and being able to speak in groups of switched on people prepared to express their opinions in front of their colleagues made it very easy work and I thoroughly enjoyed being able to inspire folk to greater days ahead.

For me it was a chance to experience the hectic commute of city working and speak in a wonderful office environment at London Bridge.

It's back to Cardiff and the gym for me tomorrow and I'm even inspired myself to run later on.

Happy Days...

- Coleman Coaching - The UK's Leaders in Inspirational Coaching.

Location:Broadmoor Lane,Reading,United Kingdom

Zeros and Ones - Jesus Jones

I'll be honest and admit that I had underestimated the amount of hours I would be coaching during the first couple of weeks of the new year.

Don't get me wrong as it makes up for my two weeks off at Christmas so no Ferrari for Mr. C, I can assure you. BUT it's made me think about times when YOU are busy...

It cost me a race at the weekend, where in the past I had got up at 4, driven for three hours, run for 8 hours get a train for an hour and then drive home! Yep, I was just too bu99ered to do it AND just not in the right place mentally to give it my best.

If you are preparing for a big race too and feel like I did at the weekend - think again and run a nice easy 20 like I did and enjoy it. There's no shame in it I promise and psychologically you will feel a lot better about yourself.

For me, I have to feel strong as I am speaking to employees at ED & F Mann in London tomorrow and I need to be at my inspirational best!

More then...

Coleman Coaching - The UK's Premier ULTRAmarathon Coaches.

Location:Pembroke Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

Urgent - Foreigner

Earth-Rise - We live in an AMAZING World

'Got fire in your veins, burnin' hot but you don't feel the pain' - Jones

My word that takes me back and if only I had my youth mixed with my aged wisdom as I'd be unstoppable right now - well that's what I tell myself anyway BUT it's not actually that far from the truth as if you compare your fitness acquired from all of this running to the people you of a comparable age with who don't exercise at all, you probably shape up pretty damn well.

I thought about this earlier on and at 52 next month, I feel quite proud that I'm going to run 45 miles on Saturday. I think we take this for granted a lot of the time and it's pretty amazing if you really think about it.

It's also pretty amazing that in a comparably short time this level of fitness is achievable by ANYONE as long as they WANT to do it.

Is that you? I met a new client only this morning who is going to - and he will.

More tomorrow...

Excuse Me - Peter Gabriel

'Grabbing those good years again' - Sir Peter of Gabriel

Now I'm not going to make excuses as I did do my hard 10 mile run today BUT I didn't do it BEFORE 10 am like I said I would yesterday, as you guessed it, it was lashing down in God's Country and as you know I don't DO rain unless I have to run with clients or in a race.

Anyway, I did run my socks off and gave it a really good go for all of the 10 miles including Leckwith Hill and the steep climb out of Dinas Powys and knocke in 85 mins which I was pleased with.

I'm forever encouraging my clients to run FAST and not just to bash in lots and lots of 9+ minute empty miles, so today was a good opportunity to sample some of my own medicine and increase the intensity of my training.

We'll see what difference it makes as it's only now, some 30 days post Pneumonia, that I'm feeling anything like I'm back on good running form.

More tomorrow... 

Back in NYC - The Almighty GENESIS

'So you think I'm a tough kid? Is that what you heard?' - Sir Peter of Gabriel, Lord Philip of Collins, Baron of Rutherford, Duke of Banks & The Reverend Hackett.

I feel like a tough kid as I embark on another year of Coaching Clients.

The first day back in the office has been a complete frenzy of arranging training dates and clients embarking on a new life journey to fitness and achievement.

It's my job to kindle these early flames of intent and nurture them to fulfilment. 

Easy to say but it's my aim to keep every single client's desire fuelled and burning brightly in their hearts and minds...I found out today that on average only 8% of folk realise their New Year Resolutions and I'd like to think my clients have a better conversion rate that that when they come to see me!.

Anyway, I have to get my backside into gear and make sure that I too keep the faith too. Country to Capitol beckons at the weekend and a 10 miler tomorrow before my first client is my aim - Let's see if I can keep my own desire in place tomorrow eh?

How are your New Year Resolutions going?

20 years - The Civil Wars

Yes! 20 years ago today, I went for that first run which definitely saved my life and I gave up the dreaded booze.

I didn't know at the time if I could keep the pledge I made that day back in 1994 but 20 years on I'm still dry and still running of course, celebrating today with a Power Hour in the gym that really pushed me!

I was hoping to bash in another 10 miler over Leckwith Hill but I couldn't face the rain if I'm being honest and the gym seemed a much less inclement option. I did get soaked going there of course but hey ho..

Words can't express the feelings I have over completing 20 years booze free and maybe only those of you who have done the same will know how I feel and just how lucky we are to have pulled out if the tailspin of alcohol abuse before it's too late. I've met loads of people in the same 20 year period that didn't.

So if that's you and want to join me let me know as I would only be too pleased to help you out.

Here's to the next 20...and I'll raise a glass of squash to one and all...

Location:Pembroke Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

New Year's Day - U2

'All is quiet on New Year's Day' - Clayton, Evans, Mullen & Hewson.

I loved seeing the Facebook messages people posted about the closing moments of 2013...Some were said they were glad to see the back of it and some were looking forward to a better 2014. Most interesting...

Personally, it was a year of two halves, the second outshining the first by more than an ULTRA-mile, I hasten to add.

Anyway, what difference does the passing of one year to another really make? In essence it doesn't as its just the Gregorian Calendar notching up another milestone along a timeline that will out-see us all BUT for some of us New Year's Resolution Believers makes a suitable juncture to draw a line under the past and recreate a new future.

If that's you, then good luck as if you can keep it going for six weeks, it will hopefully become part of your behavioural process and you'll keep your resolution forever.

I drew a line myself today and bashed in a nice hilly 10 as I have a busy first half of 2014 to look forward to and I need to train like an elite-athlete.

What's your resolution?

Marathon des Sables - 94 days
Mega-Day Run - 129 days.