The Matterhorn is coming...

It's now only 3 days till I set off to Zermatt to take part in the Matterhorn Ultraks race for the second time. One year ago I ran probably the best race of my life: I prepared well, rested well, didn't set off too fast or go too hard up the first climb, and gradually got faster over the 46km distance. Let's not get carried away, I wasn't at the front, I ran 5:40 to the winners 4:45, but at the first checkpoint I was in 41st position, and after a great race down the last descent with Eirik Haugsnes (and Emilie Forsberg for a while) I finished 21st, or 18th male, or 5th MU30. The only other race I think I've ran as intelligently was the Fuji Mountain race a month before, when I also finished 21st.

Photos from last year (the ones I didn't buy)
So, it is with a great deal of excitement but also a little nervousness that I look forward to this Saturday. I can't wait for the race, the location is amazing and the course truly incredible, but I honestly have no idea whether what to expect from myself. Before the Snowdon race I felt even less confident but I managed to run reasonably well there so if anything I'm now even more confused about how well, or not, I'm running!

Training recently has been going well, but has not been without a few little niggles. Thanks to coach Stu and physio Pete from APC I now feel these are improving. I've got a little achilles tendonitis, which Pete tells me I should ideally be icing for 20 mins every 3 hours. If you read this Pete, I'm doing my best! Anyway, we will find out... Whatever happens it will be a fantastic experience, and I will do my very best to remember my new racing mantra: Be motivated by the possibility of success, not the fear of failure!

...and the one I did!
I'll be running in my Scott kit, and carrying the little TP10 backpack if kit is required. The weather currently looks like it might be humid, wet and thundery, so the organisers may require us to carry a waterproof and some other kit. Thanks to Scott-Accelerate for sorting me out with shoes in advance of the race, I'm going to take a pair each of Supertracs and Trail Rockets and decide on the morning which are the most suitable for the conditions. The Trail Rockets I wore last year worked perfectly despite losing quite a few studs, but the 2015 versions don't have this problem so I reckon they will be the shoes of choice.

Why it's important not to set off to fast!
That's all for now, I'm now very excited and I can't wait to get out there... Bring on the mountains :)


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