I tried to even-split a double marathon!

[@kevinwhite5805]

Hi Chris great video I am doing the Chester 50 as a build up to the Chester 100 next year so this is a great insight on the route, the unexpected hills and also working on nutrition 😁

[@ChrisBranch]

Amazing! The Chester 100 will be a beast! The 50 was fun. The first twenty miles or so became a bit monotonous along the canal, and it would be so easy to run too fast there because it is completely flat, but save your legs and start picking people off in the hills. Good luck with your training ☺️🙏

[@markg99]

Well done mate. I think starting too fast and not eating enough consistently are amazingly common. Sounds like you're working on fixing those issues in a sensible way. It must be hard not to speed up a bit when you're feeling good later on in the race.

[@ChrisBranch]

Thanks Mark, I feel like I've been a slow learner 😂🤦‍♂️ but yes, I'm trying to be sensible now. Having the hundred booked has forced me to pay attention; mistakes I've made in the past will be magnified and will break me in the hundred. It's good to have a scary race in the diary to tighten up my strategy 👌☺️

[@imogenrickell6417]

I'm considering this race for next year so I'm glad I found this. I hadn't checked the profile yet - didnt realise there was so much flat. I live in the Highlands so I'm not much good at flats. So thanks for the heads up - I'll need to practise them! 👍

[@ChrisBranch]

It was a surprise to me too! 😂 Honestly, the first 20 miles was a bit bland, but the second half of the race redeemed itself 😊

[@gingleb3792]

I’ve just found your channel and I’m binging all your content. Excellent work. I’m definitely one to get over excited and head out too quickly. I have an utmb ultra I’m doing this November and starting to train for it. Glad I watched your video on recovery and zone 2 runs again I get over excited and just go as quick as I can. Will take some adjusting 😅

[@ChrisBranch]

Welcome to the channel! And don't worry, I learned all these lessons the hard way and made the mistakes too! Pain is the best teacher 😂 Best of luck in your training 🙏

[@Kelly_Ben]

"But no, I am not Kilian. " 😂 Great job on the race!! I just found your channel from Wild Ginger Running, looking forward to binging your videos!

[@ChrisBranch]

Haha I hope you enjoy them ☺️🙏

[@jakejames6994]

Well done Chris, keep up these videos mate your a natural ❤

[@ChrisBranch]

Thanks Jake, that's a lovely thing to read, I appreciate that ☺️🙏

[@anonymousperson167]

300cal/hr sounds rough! Great video!

[@ChrisBranch]

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I may struggle sticking to it in the hundred-miler; it was hard to swallow towards the end! 😂 It definitely helped my energy level compared to other races I've done though 👍

[@Knightcommander69]

Any thoughts on building up from literal couch level of fitness? I'm keen to getting into long distance running, but I couldn't run for 30 seconds straight without collapsing...

[@ChrisBranch]

The best way to start is to use the Couch to 5k app. It transitions you from walking to running a 5k over 9 weeks (although you can take longer if you want). I've got so many of my patients onto it and they all love it ☺️🙏

[@guillembauza1658]

I think I finished 2nd to last in this at about 1030pm

[@ChrisBranch]

Oh wow! I remember driving home that night (my wife was driving and I was wimpering in the passenger seat), and I remember thinking that people were still out there in the dark and what tough cookies they all were. Well done for finishing! I came penultimate last in my last ultra too, and I cried tears of joy on the finish line because I was so happy to have completed it. Best of luck in your training ☺️🙏

[@guillembauza1658]

@@ChrisBranch Thank you! It was hands down the most miserable day of my life! I've still got the bottle of alcohol free Erdinger 😅

[@ChrisBranch]

@@guillembauza1658 hahahaha but was it type 2 fun? It's fun looking back at it?

[@guillembauza1658]

@ChrisBranch by the end I was following a Bolivian guy and we'd managed to miss a turn until the race organiser phoned me. Ended up doing about 88km in the end! Proud to say I finished a 50 miler but very disappointed with the time.