Its only November and already we are all thinking about Chester Ultra which to be fair is only a few months away.
Those of us who have done Chester will be praying for dry weather leading up to the race, as last year’s course was a muddy one and unless you’re great at ice skating you’re not going anywhere quickly. In 2017 the race was just that a very crisp morning but no mud to contend with which made the surface suitable for road shoes.
If you’re thinking of doing your first 50mile ultra or starting your race season early then Chester Ultra is a perfect race to start with. Only a small amount of elevation but enough to get the heart and lungs warm. With plenty of flat terrain to get ahead of the cut off times. Adding canal paths to your training would be great idea, not just to cover similar terrain but for the mental training as the canal of death awaits you at the end. Basically it feels like it goes on for ever but before you know it your awarded with one of the best medals you will receive on any race, their massive.
Frodsham and Helsby hills and the trail through Delamere forest are the highlights of this race for me. As you reach top of Frodsham and Helsby your met with amazing views over the Mersey which makes the climb all worth it. Delamere forest with its natural trails is my type of terrain with plenty of it till the final canal section.
Coaches, Sponsored Athletes & Ambassadors Tips
Our Coaches, Sponsored Athletes and our Ambassadors have come together to give you their Top 5 Training Tips for next year’s race.
- Wear trail shoes and watch out for the stairs coming down Frodsham Hill, especially if it’s muddy but don’t forget to look at the views! – Lainey Jones
- Start training yesterday and when the day arrives, run to the conditions – Charlie Sharpe
- Take it is easy at the beginning as this race starts off very flat and save yourself for the hills – Alex McMunn
- Bring a good headtorch for the Start of the Race due to the Sunrise being around 06:30 – Alex McMunn
- Training Tip: Get out on the Free of Charge Training Runs organised by #GBUltras leading upto the Race. This will give you the best insight on the course terrain and possibly show you where your training needs to focus on before the Race. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail! – Alex McMunn
by Alex McMunn – GBUltras Athlete & Coach