Taper to Kent 50 mile challenge begins...

So with just over a week remaining before I embark on my first 50 miler I'm winding down the long runs as the taper begins. To be honest since my first ultra back in mid May (which was just 3 weeks after the London Marathon) I don't feel like I done all that much training for this epic encounter. This is partly due to the recovery time following the 33 miler. However its more the fact that I just don't feel like I've trained so hard for this. Is this good or bad?? I don't exactly know... The true test will of course come on race day. But perhaps my recent training, scheduled by my coach The Mad Dog is such that it hasn't felt like I've been killing myself on every run, however it hopefully is still having the desired effect... i.e. that I can run further for longer with less effort!! The Mad Dog's philosophy is that you don't have to train hard, just clever...

Anyway... all that remains to decide is my race pace strategy for the 50. Do I repeat the strategy that worked so well in the Marlborough Challenge... e.g. run for 9 minutes, walk for 1 and repeat. Or do I run the whole distance at a considered pace (perhaps 11 minute miling). Well I have a week to decide so will sleep on this one.

One other thing that will make this race special is that my dad is also running. Because the race course is a 6.55m circular lap which you go round 8 times to make up the 52.4mile total distance there is the opportunity for runners to choose the distance they intend to run. My dad is running the marathon - 4 laps, and hoping to go under 4 hrs for the very first time. I really hope he does it too, as he thoroughly deserves it after missing out on this milestone at previous attempts.