How It Feels To Run 100 Miles

[@leerunsultras]

its amazing how you can go from basically convincing youself your are going to quit at the next station, to screaming out loud the lyrics to hearts on fire rocky munching haribo and thinking your going to set a 5k pb in the next section........ ultra running is everything to me. love this video butty

[@jamesday1]

Totally agree Lee! I'd always heard about people coming back from massive loves but this was the first time I've really experienced it. Amazing experience.

[@jeremywagner9644]

So. Your content on ultra running is phenomenal and your description of your experience running 100 miles resonates with me deeply. SUBSCRIBED. Congratulations James.

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Jeremy! Really kind of you to say!

[@conradburdekin722]

I loved watching this James. Found it really interesting to hear how you were so affected emotionally - high and low.

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Conrad! Yeah, definitely wasn't something I expected going into the race!

[@stevebrannagan4869]

Unbelievable effort, James, insightful and inspirational. This race is now on the bucket list. 👍🙏

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Steve! I would definitely recommend it!

[@ianl4518]

Well done James. I DNFd this two years ago at 55miles and am still yet to crack 100 miles, although I am in for Arc100 next year 🤞 I've been watching a few of your films and we do some of the same races. I had not realised you are in Winchester, me too!

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Ian! Good luck with the Arc! That will be an epic 100 miler to get your first buckle! I love it here in Winchester for training. If you ever do speed work, you should get yourself down to the running club, Wadac.

[@ianl4518]

Thanks James. Will need some luck, I'm 58 yrs old 😄 I'm actually one of the volunteers at WADAC on Tuesdays. (I assist on track) for the U11s. There are some properly fast folks there! I have the Reading 50km on saturday.

[@lizzypicardi]

Really interesting! Incredible.

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Lizzy!

[@MrXrisd01]

This was awesome. Thank you

[@jamesday1]

Thanks!

[@trailrunningphil]

Im glad you made this video James. Im fascinated by these endurance events and the role the mind plays controlling what the body can and cant do! It makes NO SENSE that you felt much better and ran stronger later in the race does it, but that's exactly what happened. Running in that FLOW state is something to always aim for. I suggest not to wait for it to happen, but start to train your mind better so you CAN reach those places when YOU want to. If you can train your body, why cant your train your mind to the same degree?

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Phil! Totally agree that you want to aim for a flow state in running. I always find running is by far the best way for me to switch off mentally. It used to take 20-30 minutes for my mind to switch off in a run but now it takes minutes. Still have no idea why I felt so good in that night section after all the lows. Really amazing experience!

[@dannygrays]

Really wonderful account of your special race. Thank you for providing more details and going deeper. Love the way you explained your runners high experience. Definately inspiring. Congrats again. Amazing...amazing!

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Danny! Glad you enjoyed it. I felt like there was more to be said after the recap video so glad it didn't feel like I was repeating myself.

[@homonym7638]

Really great to hear about the highs, lows and everything in the mdidle from your race. Such an amazing thing to finish it, well done mate!

[@jamesday1]

Thanks! Really nice of you to say!

[@alanflitton9340]

Great effort James

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Alan!

[@jaygoulden1]

Have really loved these three videos, James, and your thoughtful and different reflections on such an amazing achievement! I dropped at Houghton Farm due to heat and stomach issues, but learned so much, from what went wrong and from what you've shared...and will eventually be back!

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Jay! Sorry to hear you dropped out. I came very close to dropping as well. If you can get back and complete it, it will be an epic achievement. It's always such a hard decision to drop from a race but sometimes the best decision. Good luck getting back to the SDW100!

[@jaygoulden1]

@@jamesday1 Thanks, James - aiming to run Houghton to Eastbourne in a week or so, just to get that monkey off my back, but sometimes that hard decision to drop is the only possible one...and the full SDW100 will be there next year!

[@jamesday1]

Great idea! At least you get to enjoy that section in the day time. Will make it much easier when you running it in the 100! I definitely benefited from running it in the SDW50 last year.

[@bev9708]

It was quite emotional just following along this entire experience with you James , not to mention inspirational, so truly , thank you for this video!!! It caps it off perfectly and is so very interesting!! Next time you’re out struggling in the heat, maybe you could think about the deaf AND blind ex US soldier who just last week actually completed the Blackwater 135 … from the lowest point in the US in Death Valley, running 135 miles mostly uphill to Mt Whitney, the highest point in the US!!! After I heard about him I went out and ran 30km in the heat the next day when the day before I barely managed 21k!! VERY curious what your next adventure challenge will be!! 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Bev! Those Badwater runners are on another level. The thought of that heat is very unappealing 😅 very impressive! I'm looking at a few races, and will set out a plan soon 🙂 The only race I've entered is Copenhagen marathon but I'm also looking at some ultras (backyard, winter 100 milers and faster 100ks).

[@pete801]

I balled my eyes out at the end of 100k 😂 100 miles will take me somewhere brand new. May 2024. Well done by the way 🎉

[@bev9708]

Sending you lots of good luck for May next year Pete and enjoy your training!!!

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Pete! 😅 You better prepare for an emotional roller coaster then! Good luck with your first 100 miler! Which race are you doing?

[@pete801]

@@jamesday1 I went for the Thames path 100. Seemed like my best chance of finishing with it being pretty flat.🤞🤞 I've done a bit on the South downs and 100 miles of that (in the peak of summer) would've seen me off.

[@jamesday1]

Nice! Thames Path 100 is a great first 100 miler. Just make sure you pace it conservatively in the first half. Because it's flat, the race is notorious for runners going out too fast. I've been listening to the Centurion podcast where they recap the races and it was interesting to hear the race director discuss TP100. Hopefully you get better weather next year!

[@livsframgång]

Very interesting insight into the mental side of it. It would also be great if you could break down how your race was split into the HR zones percentage wise. Thanks

[@jamesday1]

Thanks! I know there are different ways of calculating heart rate zones but generally for me sub140 is recovery, 140-150 is easy, 150-160 is tempo, 160-170 is threshold, 170+ is hard efforts & race pace heart rates, I think my max is around 190. For the first 20k, my HR was around 148bpm. Then with the heart it drifted up to around 160bpm (20k to 70k). It then dropped to about 150bpm until about 90k. As it started to get dark, it dropped to around 140bpm and then for the last 40k it was around 130-135bpm. For a 100 miler I wouldn't expect my hr to go over 160bpm but the heat was obviously a factor. You can see my detailed HR data on strava if you want a bit more detail 🙂

[@Mookiethedog]

Cool analysis.....I was thinking for you fast peeps finishing at 4:00am has to be so odd as your normal body is thinking about waking up soon where as yours has been pushing on through the night. I was wondering how soon did you sleep/nap and/or did you try and stay awake for the most part that day...and go to bed early? (I'm in Canada and travelled many times to the UK...and always find if I didn't sleep on the flight the first day is brutal because you arrive on the UK morning....and that's nothing compared to a 100 miler)

[@jamesday1]

Thanks! I really struggled to sleep after the race. I sat in a chair at the finish line for 1-2 hours and tried to sleep but couldn't. Got to my parents at around 7/8am and managed to sleep for about 2 hours. That evening I finally managed to get a decent sleep (10 hours), but then my sleep was bad for a week after. I recently visited LA and then jet lag on returning to the UK was the same, I get 1 good catch up sleep and then 2-3 days latter, the lack of sleep catches up with you. So yeah, the 100 definitely impacted my sleep cycle and it took about a week to get back to normal sleep.

[@gaborcsapo2790]

Good job James, after 100 miles do you wish to race again a 100 miler maybe try to get in the UTMB lotery or do you have other ideas ?

[@jamesday1]

Thanks! I am looking at some races. Maybe a backyard ultra to see how far I can go or some 100 milers. I don't feel I'm quite ready for UTMB yet but I've been looking at the Swedish 100 mile race organised by UTMB. A technical winter 100 miler in Sweden. I'm also looking at some shorter races like Copenhagen marathon and some faster 100k distance ultramarathons.

[@gaborcsapo2790]

@@jamesday1 you mean the kullamennen by utmb ?

[@jamesday1]

Yeah, that's the one. Still undecided really but it looks like a good challenge. Relatively flat but cold, dark and technical.

[@mariemeyer6852]

Really enjoyed this video! Did you do anything special over the 24 hours or days afterwards to recover physically and mentally?

[@jamesday1]

Thanks Marie! I mainly focussed on getting as many calories in and getting my sleep pattern back to normal. It took a few weeks for my sleep to really normalise after the race. Physically, my legs/body felt no worse than my previous ultras, but my energy levels were far worse.