Man v Miles

London-based editor & writer covering tech, fitness & running. Mostly rattle on about run stuff, fun stuff, tips & clean eats. Also catch me at: Web: Manvmiles.co.uk Instagram: @manvmiles Twitter: @kieranalger Races: 25 x 26.2 47 x 13.1 7 x ultra 2012 miles in 2012 31 half marathons in Dec 2014 1 x Marathon des Sables 2015 (Top 100) Lavaredo Ultra Trail 2016 DNF

[manvmiles]

[manvmiles]

Tiny shoes!

[manvmiles]

[manvmiles]

Sometimes when I’m racing a word or phrase pops into my head and refuses to leave. Often these serve as little mantras that help me through the race. On Saturday about 4 miles into the @trailevents.co Lulworth Cove Ultra 50k this word popped up. I went to the Jurassic Coast for this race specifically to find hills and hardship and so it felt smart to get my head into a place where I would accept whatever came my way. To make a conscious decision to accept the hard hills, the low moments and struggles and not push back against them. To stop wishing it would be easier and just accept whatever the trails threw at me. And it worked. I felt much freer, I didn’t waste mental energy being grumpy about the harder moments and those moments passed much more quickly as a result. I’m adding this one to the toolbox for the @lavaredoultratrail for sure. #runningmotivation #runspiration

[manvmiles]

What will you attempt? What’s your goal?

[manvmiles]

More running and motivation at www.manvmiles.co.uk

[manvmiles]

In September 2018, I sent an email to my tent mates from the Marathon des Sables 2015 saying, “Hey guys, do you know the Thames is 184 miles long? Who wants to run it?” Within minutes, one of our eight, Fabrice, had replied and thrown his hat into the ring. Next came Becs. By the end of the day, three others had signed up. And the challenge to run the length of the River Thames, approximately 184 miles from its source to the Thames Barrier, was born. 

We ran to support one of our tentmates, who's fighting cancer. True to Sam's incredible strength of character he's also raising money and awareness for Children with Cancer UK.

This is what happened as we attempted to tame the Thames. 

[manvmiles]

[manvmiles]

Going into the week ahead with a renewed sense of purpose. Time to put in the graft again. #runspiration #motivation💪 (at London, United Kingdom)

[manvmiles]

Going into the week ahead with a renewed sense of purpose. Time to put in the graft again. #runspiration #motivation💪 (at London, United Kingdom)

[manvmiles]

Going into the week ahead with a renewed sense of purpose. Time to put in the graft again. #runspiration #motivation💪 (at London, United Kingdom)

[manvmiles]

It's soon time for me to go back to the hills in training for my various upcoming races and PB attempts and a post I saw from @matt.runs this morning summed up what I think everyone feels about the bastard hill reps. Which I think is pretty much this... 👟😂⛰🤮 However, I'm pretty sure that I was the fittest I've ever been pre-MDS when I spent my weekends carrying 8kg of water in a backpack up and down one hill in Richmond Park. It was gruelling stuff mentally and physically. And while it definitely made me a stronger runner legs-wise I think the real reason my coach sent me to that bastard stretch of muddy grass each week was to build mental toughness. You need to be able to dig deep into the 'WTF am I doing here' reserves to run for an hour up and down the same stretch of hill, and do the last rep in the same time as the first. I kind of see the whole thing as painting Mr Miyagi's fence. It's hard, soulless graft that makes you hate the world but boy does it pay dividends. 👟🏃‍♂️ Hands up if anyone actually likes hill reps? #running #ukrunchat (at London, United Kingdom)

[manvmiles]

It's soon time for me to go back to the hills in training for my various upcoming races and PB attempts and a post I saw from @matt.runs this morning summed up what I think everyone feels about the bastard hill reps. Which I think is pretty much this... 👟😂⛰🤮 However, I'm pretty sure that I was the fittest I've ever been pre-MDS when I spent my weekends carrying 8kg of water in a backpack up and down one hill in Richmond Park. It was gruelling stuff mentally and physically. And while it definitely made me a stronger runner legs-wise I think the real reason my coach sent me to that bastard stretch of muddy grass each week was to build mental toughness. You need to be able to dig deep into the 'WTF am I doing here' reserves to run for an hour up and down the same stretch of hill, and do the last rep in the same time as the first. I kind of see the whole thing as painting Mr Miyagi's fence. It's hard, soulless graft that makes you hate the world but boy does it pay dividends. 👟🏃‍♂️ Hands up if anyone actually likes hill reps? #running #ukrunchat (at London, United Kingdom)

[manvmiles]

It's soon time for me to go back to the hills in training for my various upcoming races and PB attempts and a post I saw from @matt.runs this morning summed up what I think everyone feels about the bastard hill reps. Which I think is pretty much this... 👟😂⛰🤮 However, I'm pretty sure that I was the fittest I've ever been pre-MDS when I spent my weekends carrying 8kg of water in a backpack up and down one hill in Richmond Park. It was gruelling stuff mentally and physically. And while it definitely made me a stronger runner legs-wise I think the real reason my coach sent me to that bastard stretch of muddy grass each week was to build mental toughness. You need to be able to dig deep into the 'WTF am I doing here' reserves to run for an hour up and down the same stretch of hill, and do the last rep in the same time as the first. I kind of see the whole thing as painting Mr Miyagi's fence. It's hard, soulless graft that makes you hate the world but boy does it pay dividends. 👟🏃‍♂️ Hands up if anyone actually likes hill reps? #running #ukrunchat (at London, United Kingdom)

[manvmiles]

Another one from the @asicseurope Blackout Track. The experience has got me thinking a lot about focus and how much I rely on my watch when I'm running. This weekend I'm going to take @katehelencarter advice and stick some tape over my watch for my long Sunday run and cover my miles 100% on feel. 🏃‍♂️🙈🙉 I've also got my races lined up for the second half of 2018. It goes like this: @racetothestones @runthroughuk Wimbledon Half @great_run Bristol Half @ealinghalfmarathon @bournemouthmarathonfestival marathon Gosport Half Marathon @maratonvalencia 👟👟💪 It's gonna be a busy rest of the year. #running #ukrunchat (at London, United Kingdom)

[manvmiles]

Another one from the @asicseurope Blackout Track. The experience has got me thinking a lot about focus and how much I rely on my watch when I'm running. This weekend I'm going to take @katehelencarter advice and stick some tape over my watch for my long Sunday run and cover my miles 100% on feel. 🏃‍♂️🙈🙉 I've also got my races lined up for the second half of 2018. It goes like this: @racetothestones @runthroughuk Wimbledon Half @great_run Bristol Half @ealinghalfmarathon @bournemouthmarathonfestival marathon Gosport Half Marathon @maratonvalencia 👟👟💪 It's gonna be a busy rest of the year. #running #ukrunchat (at London, United Kingdom)

[manvmiles]

Another one from the @asicseurope Blackout Track. The experience has got me thinking a lot about focus and how much I rely on my watch when I'm running. This weekend I'm going to take @katehelencarter advice and stick some tape over my watch for my long Sunday run and cover my miles 100% on feel. 🏃‍♂️🙈🙉 I've also got my races lined up for the second half of 2018. It goes like this: @racetothestones @runthroughuk Wimbledon Half @great_run Bristol Half @ealinghalfmarathon @bournemouthmarathonfestival marathon Gosport Half Marathon @maratonvalencia 👟👟💪 It's gonna be a busy rest of the year. #running #ukrunchat (at London, United Kingdom)