UKH

As of today (2nd Sept) there are four news articles about new endurance records being, dare I say it; Smashed!
Munro, Lakes 24h woman's, Lakes Classic Rock, Ramsey Round. And most being broken by a considerable margin (I mean a week off the munro record is almost unbelievable).

So is this a post lockdown frenzy? As in; I've been furloughed with nowt else to do but train, and then unleashed pent up cabin-fever on the mountains? Ok, it's been a while since restrictions have eased, so probably not, but it is great to see so many people at the top of their game. 

In reply to Derry:

Lots of people who would have been focusing on racing and now don't have any races to do.

In reply to DaveHK:

This.

Typically the ultra runners would be after the UTMB etc and fell runners would be racing most weeks. This has allowed the top runners to target big rounds without having to miss races.

In reply to DaveHK:

Ah yes, very good. A different challenge they can do and be completely socially distant. I've had a few races cancelled here in Dorset. Haven't thought of trying to cartwheel across the Jurassic Coast yet though (although I do have a friend swimming the length for charity atm).

In reply to Derry:

https://fastestknowntime.com/

This site has gone crazy over the summer. We've all been running, creating new ones or attempting established FKT's all summer. It's been a great way to see new areas, be motivated to run hard and a nice distraction.

In reply to Roadrunner6:

fantastic. hopefully with a username like that you've got a few of your own!

In reply to Derry:

Possibly another one:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-53999465

In reply to Derry:

https://fastestknowntime.com/athlete/iain-ridgway

Mine are largely soft, I just use it to visit new areas or local routes. There's a few big ones I want but struggling for time.

It's made it a good summer though. I've ran in areas I'd probably not have gone.

In reply to Derry:

Inkeeping with all the reasons above, clearing out a race calendar has made people focus on other things, but it's also allowed a better, more consistent approach to training over a prolonged period of time. It's this 3-6 months of quality time on feet that has allowed a massive aerobic base to be formed with the required recovery to make use of this, which can then be put to use on these big jobbies. SO often we hop from race to race without recovering properly, gradually wearing the base down with constant taper-race-recovery cycles.

I also wouldn't be surprised if road/track/XC races over winter see big leap in performances from some as aerobic bases are sharpened in these communities.

Personally, I've been working early shifts so have had from ~2/3 each day to get out on the hills - much easier to fit in 90mins at 2 than at 6/7!

Obviously how Beth Pascall has managed this whilst working as a paediatric reg is another matter, but most medics I know who are outdoorsy seem to be quite good at getting good training in - probably a case of 'I have to go now so I will' and not sitting at home thinking about it like we can sometimes do!

In reply to Nic Barber:

nothing to do with PEDs then?

In reply to Nic Barber:

I had my best year when I had a job and structure. The year later I couldn't work due to immigration issues but trained badly with the lack of structure. I was running up to 110 miles a week and was running fairly well but not as well as when I had structure.

I think people will need a while to get race fit again. We'll see I guess. It'll be next spring at least before races are back properly.

In reply to malk:

Any reason why you'd say that? Other than the usual, lazy, ignorant 'good performance=drugs' thinking?

I'll eat my running shoes and yours too if it ever turns out Findlay Wild is on PEDs. Any of the others mentioned would surprise me too.

In reply to DaveHK:

Being a total devil's advocate, covid lockdown could have been an excellent time to get on the juice. No comps no travel for testers etc. Time to let the drugs leave the system.

Someone somewhere will have tried but it will be some odd cat3 cyclist. I've never understood why third rate athletes dope and cheat.

In reply to DaveHK:  Because he thinks everyone is on PEDs.  If they go fast they must be.  

In reply to malk:

Grade 1 shitty comment. The risks associated with taking PEDs are only worth it if the rewards are big enough. A FKT isn't (yet) monetisable like a world championship / Olympic gold medal. The performances we're seeing lately look a whole lot closer to the Corinthian ideal of amateur sport in my eyes.