Training notes updated 29 September 2026. The September results below were added after the August publication date.
After six months away from running, getting back into it has been harder than I expected. I’m following a 19-week Runna plan for a 50 km ultra in December. I’ve finished eight weeks and moved into week nine. My longer outings have grown from around 8 or 9 km to 30 km.
That is a lot of progress. It also leaves another 20 km between the furthest I’m currently running and the distance I’ve signed up for. I’m pleased with where I’ve got to, but I’m still anxious about December.
The biggest lessons so far have been fairly ordinary ones. Eating enough. Fuelling during a run. Starting at a pace I can sustain. Getting enough rest before asking my legs to do it again. They sound obvious when I write them down. I’ve found they take more attention once the runs get longer.
Getting to 30 km
Looking back through Strava makes the progress easier to see. On 9 August I recorded 9.05 km. That became 10.05 km on 16 August and 12.05 km on 23 August. By 13 September I was up to 21.71 km, followed by 30.15 km on 20 September.
That 30 km activity included some running with the buggy and a pause before I carried on. Strava records 3 hours 20 minutes of moving time and 3 hours 57 minutes elapsed. The following Sunday was 26.07 km. Seeing those outings together helps me remember that progress has room for a shorter week too.
I can’t separate a long run from what I’ve done before it. If I haven’t eaten enough, I struggle. If I don’t fuel while I’m out, I struggle. If I start too quickly, the distance catches up with me later.
It has made me pay much more attention to how I arrive at a session. Trying to squeeze in too much training, or heading out without being properly rested, has made some runs much harder than they needed to be. Following a plan gives me some structure, although it doesn’t remove the temptation to do more when I’m feeling good.
There is a balance to the time before a run too. I’ve noticed that sitting around without moving much beforehand can leave me feeling sluggish when I start. I’m still working out what helps me feel ready without using up energy I’ll need later.
I’m learning to judge a run by whether I can finish it feeling reasonably in control. Going out too fast because the first few kilometres feel comfortable has been an easy mistake to repeat.
Giving myself permission to slow down
Taking it easy has helped. Once I’ve run at least 5 km, I’ll sometimes walk for around 60 seconds if my legs need it. That short break can make the next stretch feel more manageable.
Some days need a different approach. I’m trying to get better at noticing that early, instead of treating the distance on the plan as something I have to force through regardless of how I feel.
Nose breathing has also given me something simple to concentrate on during easier stretches. So have podcasts and music. They help me settle into being out there instead of constantly checking how much distance is left.
A long run gives my mind time to wander. I’ll think about work, family, something I’m designing or building, a book I’ve read, or whatever I’m listening to. Sometimes it’s enough to pay attention to my surroundings. Living in Suffolk gives that part of running a place in my week that I appreciate, especially when so much of my work happens at a screen.
More than the long run
I’m building this around running, walking, cycling and some strength work. My activity log gives a more complete picture than the longest run on its own:
| Activity | August 2026 | 1–29 September |
|---|---|---|
| Running | 25 runs, 159.3 km | 24 runs, 224.7 km |
| Walking | 22 walks, 53.3 km | 17 walks, 51.6 km |
| Zwift cycling | 7 rides, 201.7 km | 4 rides, 92.3 km |
| Strength | 6 sessions | 1 session |
These are recorded Strava activities. Cycling distances are virtual distances from Zwift. A planned run is counted once when it appears as a completed run in the log.
The sessions have different purposes. Early August includes runs labelled “7.5km Easy Run”, “1km Repeats” and “Over and Unders 1km”. September has interval sessions alongside the longer outings. There are short runs with the buggy, regular walks, and Zwift sessions ranging from a light workout to longer rides. The Runna plan is attached to my running activities; the log shows the other things I’m doing around it.
Strava is useful to me as a record of that effort. A difficult session can take up much more space in my head than several steady ones, and looking back helps put it in context. I’m mostly there to keep track. I’m certainly not posting my pace to show off.
I want the plan to give me consistency. I also want running to fit into a life that includes work, family and other interests. I’ve written before about fitting running around a working day, and that is still the challenge: making time for it without turning every spare moment into another training obligation.
Carrying less, and sorting out the kit
One very practical lesson has been that an overloaded running vest is unpleasant company for 30 km. Carrying water is awkward enough, and mine bounces up and down far more than I’d like when I load it badly. I’m still trying to get the fit and the load right. The aim is to carry what I need in a way I can tolerate for several hours.
I recently bought a Garmin Fenix 8, which I’m using alongside my cellular Apple Watch Ultra. The Garmin is there for the running and training. The Apple Watch lets me leave my phone at home and still have the connection and music controls I want. Being able to change a track or pause something without reaching for a phone is a small convenience I really appreciate when I’m out.
I have Shokz bone-conduction headphones as well, but lately I’ve been enjoying a pair of Sony wireless earbuds. They fit my ears well and are light enough that I hardly notice them. They have a pass-through mode so I can hear what is around me. I don’t use their noise cancellation when I’m running.
There is an irony to the watches. They make following a plan and recording activities much easier, but they also put the distance right there whenever I’m tempted to check it. Watching every fraction of a kilometre arrive can make a long run feel longer. I’m trying to let the watch record the run while I get on with it.
Why I’m sticking with it
I run because I want to keep fit, manage my weight and make everyday life more enjoyable. I like having something to work towards that gets me away from the desk. Reading, design and development take up plenty of my attention; running gives me a different way to spend it.
It isn’t supposed to feel like a chore. Sometimes it does. Some runs feel awkward from the beginning, and others never quite settle. I’m trying not to turn one difficult outing into a judgement on the whole plan.
I’m also looking forward to canicross with Murphy, our border collie, at the start of next year. That gives me another reason to keep building my fitness beyond this one event. It’s something I want to be able to enjoy with him.
I’m nearly halfway through the plan. Getting from 8 or 9 km to 30 km gives me something concrete to look back on when the ultra feels a long way beyond me. I still have work to do, particularly around pacing, food and recovery. For now, I’m concentrating on the next session and trying to arrive at it ready.
Activity figures checked against my Strava log on 29 September 2026. Monthly totals are rounded to one decimal place; the September column covers activities recorded up to that date.