Centurion Running’s One Slam Virtual Event

In short, run/walk 1,000 miles in 70 days….. Easy for some, challenge for most!

This blog post will be updated weekly with my progress and any other thoughts about the challenge. before we get into the detail there’s a couple of things worth noting, firstly at the bottom of the blog is a “What is it?” section describing what this event is and a “What do you get out of it?” section also. Secondly I’ll be honest I didn’t think Virtual Challenges were for me (even if the bling looks good), but I’ve got a Race in March and already drew up a challenging training regime and then after looking into this One Slam Event if fits perfect in the timescales for my training program.

So this challenge should keep my training focused and ultimately provide a great spring board into my first attempt at the Back Yard Ultra format in March. I’ll breakdown each week below on how training has gone with the most recent completed week at the top.

Week 10 – 26th February 2024 – 3rd March 2024

So hyped going into this week with the prospect of a race coming up, catching up with friends who are supporting me and taking a week off work to spend some time with the family. So I knew I’d got ~112 miles to get the 500 miles and assumed a couple of work walks, route recce and the race would (optimistically) put me way over that. Everything was going to plan until I realised I might not be able to upload my final activity or mileage to the One Slam Event as the signal within the forest my intermittent, so I submitted a 27 hour activity with 112 miles manually with the note “I’ll delete if I don’t complete as expected”.

This left me to run the race without an added worry of submitted my activity or trying to manually update the system after running 27+ hours or even just before midnight if I was by some chance still going. So in short things didn’t go quite to plan (I’ll link the race blog here once I’ve had chance to write it), I completed 25 loops and only 110 miles for the week leaving me potentially 2 miles short from the 500 miles required. It’s now the 2 days since the deadline and I might have to send Centurion Running an apology email for the unsuccessful pre-emptive manual entry, the fact I came up short and please could they move me down to the 400 miles section.

I then remember the work walks, like the pennies behind the sofa there’s a small chance I can scrape up enough to get me over the line….. It quickly comes apparent before adding the totals there’s enough walks to get me over the line with a final total of 502.37 miles recorded. I guess this is the part were I conclude what a total success this has been, which in some cases it has been. I really don’t think I’d have done anywhere near the mileage I’ve done in the last 10 weeks and ultimately that may have lead to less loops at the Backyard Ultra.

My final thoughts are I really wanted to hit the 1,000 miles and get that Buckle, I set my plan to attain that with some contingency for any unforeseen distractions. Late nights and early mornings up with poorly kids, visits to hospitals, picking up another chest infection and getting lazy/lost towards the end sealed my fate and halved my target. Changes if I attempt it next year??? Not sure plan wise I can change anything other than I might have to mixed up the long runs in the week if weekends get missed. So maybe I will attempt it next year with the hope of staying healthy and that my young children don’t bring home any bugs…..

Lastly, I’ve noted quite a few posts on the Centurion Running social media commenting on how this has been the best start to a running year they’ve had. I’d echo those comments having managed to rack up 400+ miles in 2 months of 2024, which with a busy year full of ultra distance challenges gives the confidence that I can complete everything that’s ahead of me. Check out the final results here.

Mileage for the week as per below:

Hours training for the week as per below:

Week 9 – 19th February 2024 – 25th February 2024

With less than 2 weeks to my first Backyard Ultra and having not run/walked much at all in the in February I pretty much force myself to go out Tuesday for a long walk, that changes to a run, walk, run, walk “backyard ultra practice” I reassure myself….. Quick check of my mileage total on the Centurion Running’s website and I need ~112 miles to get to 500 miles (my 3rd revision to my target down from 600 miles).

Mileage for the week as per below:

Hours training for the week as per below:

Week 8 – 12th February 2024 – 18th February 2024

A couple of walks at work in the week with plans to run over the weekend that fall very short and I convince myself that with two weeks until the backyard ultra there’s nothing to be gained by running this weekend (basically as my plan has fallen apart I’m in no man’s land with regards to a plan for these last few weeks).

Mileage for the week as per below:

Hours training for the week as per below:

Week 7 – 5th February 2024 – 11th February 2024

I’ve stopped religiously starting my watch for each lunchtime walk, while recording the painfully low mileage on my spreadsheet. I’ve definitely lost a bit of mojo this week having conceded that I won’t be getting the 1,000 miles completed. I think my chest infection has gone and just the residual stuff to get rid of and choose to play it safe on the weekend with a long pushchair walk with the youngest and plans to run on the Sunday (this doesn’t happen).

Mileage for the week as per below:

Hours training for the week as per below:

Week 6 – 29th January 2024 – 4th February 2024

So having fallen deeper into another chest infection, I’ve made the wise decision to just get better this week. This kind of seals the deal on not making the 1,000 miles, which is a shame but totally the right decision for my health and future races. I’ve already planned how I’d attack next year differently and would look to do more miles for 2 weeks and an easy week and so on.

Now all is not lost, the next level down is 600 miles and I’ll still be looking to achieve more than this by the end of the challenge. So currently I need a further 231 miles over the next 4 weeks, I’m going to knock the evening running on the head and allow for more of a taper heading into the Back Yard Ultra on 2nd March.

Mileage for the week as per below:

Hours training for the week as per below:

Week 5 – 22nd January 2024 – 28th January 2024

Healthy start to the week, with a missed morning run on the Wednesday that lead into my Daughter becoming ill with a chesty cough….. More work commitments resulted in no runs on Thursday with hopes of recovering lost miles on Friday with a day off work….. Daughter full cold/chest infection and by Saturday I’d got it. This is about the time I start to lose a little hope of recovering this, although I still had the Ace up my sleeve (The Back Yard Ultra).

So over 100 miles behind plan at this point I’d need some 100+ weeks and to do well at the backyard ultra to get that 1,000 miles. let’s see what next week brings….

Mileage for the week as per below:

Hours training for the week as per below:

Week 4 – 15th January 2024 – 21st January 2024

Strong start to this week, with some early interruptions due to work commitments finishing the weekend strong to recoup some of the lost mileage from last week. 80 miles of running this week so really happy with that, although no doubt a few niggles will appear elsewhere now I’ve upped he running.

Mileage for the week as per below:

Hours training for the week as per below:

Week 3 – 8th January 2024 – 14th January 2024

I had a lazy start to the week and struggled to get out of bed on the first alarm, which resulted in the start of the week falling behind plan. I was mindful of this and convinced myself the lower mileage would aid my recovery ahead of another big mileage ahead and ~10 miles behind would hurt me. Unfortunately my daughter had been getting progressively sick through out the week, which ultimately led me to take her to hospital on Friday. I didn’t feel right going out early Saturday morning and leaving my wife to fend for herself with a toddler and a sick child.

This resulted in a walk with my youngest daughter to get her to sleep and no further mileage being recorded for the rest of the weekend. Conclusion to life throwing me a curveball or maybe a lesson to not take my eye off the ball as the lost miles earlier in the week couldn’t be recovered over the remainder of this week.

Mileage for the week as per below:

Hours training for the week as per below:

~64 miles lost this week, which doesn’t seem much with 7 weeks to go, but when you’re already doing 100 miles it’s hard to find the time to recover those lost miles. Let’s hope my Ace up my sleeve is enough to get me over the line!?!

Week 2 – 1st January 2024 – 7th January 2024

Another tough week, some ache and pains have disappeared to be replaced by others. pretty much walked every activity other than a Thursday night run and Saturday racing the Hardmoors 30. I took my time and tried not to push at all in the race until near the end. It was tough going on the coastal paths due to the heavy rain we’d had the previous weeks and resulted in a very wet and muddy affair. I managed to get around in 6 hours 44 mins and finish 25th out of 161 finishers.

Mileage for the week as per below:

Hours training for the week as per below:

The walking continues to take its toll on my body, but great result from the Race this Saturday. Total mileage to date 202 / 1,000 miles and I remain on track, albeit not quite the way I’d planned it.

Week 1 – 25th December 2023 – 31st December 2023

So like most things in life, things didn’t go to plan from the get go. I’d started to ramp up my mileage at the beginning of December for it to come to a sudden halt after a 30 mile race on the 10th December. Soon after the race my snotty nose turned into an horrendous cough and by the Tuesday I found myself at hospital shivering uncontrollably, headache, cough and tight chest and just before being seen to I threw up. I get assessed by the first nurse/doctor and after further checks/tests get sent home with Antibiotics, steroids and advised to rest.

Not going to lie after a couple of days those steroids got me feeling ultra ready again, my body felt immensely good, although my lungs/chest were another story. Just to add insult to injury while blowing my nose I managed to perforate my eardrum and as my antibiotics cycle were coming to an end I visited my local Doctor to get my ear checked out and hoped they could check my chest as I was still coughing and congested. Sputum sample provided, ear swab taken and sent for a chest x-ray and told to continue resting.

Within a few days I was back on antibiotics after sputum test came back abnormal and I await the results of the rest. So we fast forward a week and thankfully I’m feeling recovered, but obviously cautious about starting back running again. With this in mind I look to adapt my runs to more walks and split them more throughout the week, also reducing my long weekend runs/walks to reduce the stress on my body. So without further ado how’s the first week been?

more walking incorporated means more time on feet, which is a plus, but it also means I’m out walking/running for longer and have to get up earlier. This obviously reduces were I can apply my remaining time after sleep and work, which obviously firstly goes to my family and then to things like this website. I’ll breakdown how my mileage was roughly broken down across the week below and also how I fair against my original plans and others who are working towards their own One Slams.

Mileage for the week as per below:

Hours training for the week as per below:

The walking has definitely taken it’s toll on my body and have various aches, blisters etc. in area’s I wouldn’t or haven’t had for many years. 7 additional hours of time on feet is so much more than I planned and has eaten into other time, resulting in me having to get up about 45 minutes earlier most days. I’m very conscious that I need to ensure I’m fuelling well and getting enough sleep to support recovery as much as possible.

There’s currently 450 entrants into the One Slam Virtual Event, these are spread across the various targets with 22 entrants submitting mileage for the 1,000 mile target (down from 25 a few days ago). Out of these 22 entrants 3 are supported by their pooches, leaving 19 of us etching out the miles with just our our two feet. I’m confident if I can get through this next week without picking up a major injury I should be able to start ramping up the running miles and reduce the training hours and more importantly time on feet.

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What is it?

The event takes place over a 10 week/ 70 day period: 25th December 2023 – 3rd March 2024. Runners have a choice of distances that they can aim to complete within that time. The option to step up to the next level, or down if it becomes too much – is there at any time, just keep going! The event is for everybody, anywhere in the world. The targets are as follows:

50 Miles (5 miles per week)
100 Miles (10 miles per week)
200 Miles (20 miles per week/ The equivalent of the 50 Mile Grand Slam)
300 Miles (30 miles per week)
400 Miles (40 miles per week/ The equivalent of our 100 Mile Grand Slam)
500 Miles (50 miles per week)
600 Miles (60 miles per week/ The equivalent of our Double Slam)
1000 Miles (100 miles per week)

What do you get out of it?

Part of the One Slam focus is helping our Centurion runners start the year on the front foot, but not just by encouraging consistent training, but also good opportunities to learn as well. As part of your One Slam entry you will have access to fortnightly webinars from our coaching team, on subjects such as training, nutrition, kit, racing and more. As well as open time for questions after each.

Medals and a Buckle if your a bit sadistic like myself or just a highly tuned athlete (not like myself)