In between running she works for the Scottish Daily Mail and keeps up an entertaining blog which focuses on her training, racing and juggling life.
Having recently competed in the Devil O’ The Highlands ultra race (6th August), here she takes time out of her busy schedule to keep us up to date on her latest and greatest.
1. Debbie, judging from your blog, you’re obviously a very motivated runner. Where does this running excitement spring from and have you always nurtured such enthusiasm for running?I started running nearly 10 years ago, to train for the Glasgow Women’s 10K. On my first few outings I couldn’t run for a minute and would wait until it was dark to venture out, but it quickly became a healthy obsession and I looked at ways to increase my endurance and speed. The latter is certainly not my forte and I’ve been frequently mocked for my one-pace approach to running - something that has actually stood me in good stead for ultra marathons.
I have to be self-motivated, as I train a lot by myself. With family and work commitments, I have windows of opportunity to get out running. I can’t have a lie in at the weekends or sit about waiting for the rain to stop, I just need to get out and go.
2. Is running your one and only passion or are there other outdoor sports you enjoy that we should know about?My ultra running stemmed from a love of hill walking and trekking. I’ve bagged over 100 Munros and enjoyed a few overseas adventures including the Inca Trail in Peru, the Great Wall of China Trek, Kilimanjaro, the Sapa Hill Trek in Vietnam and the High Atlas in Morocco. Having a child in 2009 knocked those adventures and long-haul flights on the head. Naming my son Cairn is the nearest I’ve been to a mountain top these days. I still go out on the hills, but I just have to do it a whole lot faster. I still enjoy walking, though now it’s mainly urban walking with a pushchair. I try to get Cairn out as much as possible as I think it’s important for him to grow up with an appreciation for outdoor pursuits. On nice days, I like to get out on my bike and Cairn likes tagging along on his child seat. It’s good cross-training for me…and he thinks it’s a motorbike! He will learn soon enough that his Mum’s not that cool.
3. Tell us more about your ultra running career. When did it start in earnest and what was the first ultra run you participated in?I had completed a few marathons when I stumbled across the website for the 43-mile Devil o’ the Highlands (which is the half the West Highland Way) in 2007. I vividly remember emailing the link to the race website to my husband, Marco, with the subject title "We’ve run marathons. How hard can this be?†How wrong could I have been? I was broken at the end, but elated and loved every minute of it. Well, the first 30 miles of it.
4. How did this first ultra go and what about it ‘clicked’ with you?After finishing the Devils, I swore blind that I would never to do the full West Highland Way. Strangely enough, the entries opened a couple of months later and I had forgotten this announcement. I prefer ultras because – ironically - you don’t need to work too hard. It’s not like the eyeballs-out and dog-eat-dog approach required for shorter distances. The races attract smaller fields, which mean they are much more personal and sociable. You’re a person, not a number. Everybody supports and encourages each other and the camaraderie is second to none. Every runner is treated and respected equally, whether you’re at the sharp end or chumming along with the sweeper.
5. Why did you choose to enter five ultra races this year?To be honest, I was just winging it. The year started with the Anglo Celtic Plate 100K in Perth, when I was lucky enough to wear my first Scotland vest. 42 laps of a 1.5 mile loop wasn’t my idea of fun – especially on tarmac - but it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up on. I’m really glad I did it, as it really pushed me out of my comfort zone to try one of the classic ultra distance races. Although it took me while to even walk properly afterwards, I did the MONTANE® Highland Fling a month later, as a build-up race for the West Highland Race.
6. Starting from the beginning of these five, you competing on the Scotland team at the Anglo-Celtic Place 100km ultra, 2nd (ladies) in the MONTANE® Highland Fling, 3rd (ladies) in the West Highland Way race, 2nd (ladies) in the Clyde Stride and finally, 2nd (ladies) in the recent Devil O’ The Highlands. How do you keep such consistency and what is your strategy when competing in ultra races?I’m the best bridesmaid in Scotland, aren’t I? I hadn’t set out to run five ultras in just over four months. I think with ultra running you have to rely on a big dollop of luck. Over the years I’ve had my fair share of injuries and fatigue, but I’ve been lucky this year. Training has gone to plan and, more importantly, my recovery from races has surprised even me. After each race I signed up for another and then went on to complete the four races required for the MONTANE® Scottish Ultra Marathon Series. It worked best to see how I felt before and after races, rather than commit to something I wasn’t fit for.
I’m not a very analytical person, so my race strategies are pretty minimal. I basically start with an effort level that’s comfortable for me and work my way through the field later on. It took me a few attempts to have the confidence to do this, but now I know the races shouldn’t start until after the halfway point. I can only control what I do, not what’s happening round about me. When it gets a bit heated, this is something I continually remind myself of.
7. With not much time between each of these races, how did you prepare physically and psychologically? What were your high and low points during the races?I’m not one for treating a race as a training run. A race is a race. Although racing sensibly – or should I say, pacing sensibly – has helped me get back into training quite quickly. Although with the quick succession of races this year, it’s been race-recover-taper-repeat - with about a 20 minute window for training! I incorporate structured speed-work sessions into my training plan, rather than just plodding out miles which can often leave me feeling flat. And my long slow runs are just that: long and slow. I think it’s more important to finish a long run saying you enjoyed it, rather than punching out fast mile splits. I’m also working on my swimming, which I think aids recovery. I try to go twice a week, mainly to justify my overinflated gym fees! And I have regular massages, not just when needs must.
I firmly believe that the mental preparation for races is as important as the physical and this is something I’ve been working on this year. Having a little more self-belief, less negativity and visualising my goals has really helped. Of course, this means I’ve had no low points. OK, that’s a fib. It’s my fuelling that always lets me down. Eating on the run is something I’ve always struggled with. Last year, I ran the 53-mile Highland Fling on five jelly babies. Maybe I need some mental preparation and positive self-talk to eat on the go?
8. Which of the five races was a highlight for you and why?The West Highland Way Race (95 miles from Milngavie to Fort William) was the most important for me. It was my third attempt and this year I was aiming to break 20 hours. In the 24 years this race has been running, there have only been four girls to do this. Now there are five! I finished third in 19:39. Behind two previous race winners, so I couldn’t grumble. The top three girls finished within half an hours of each other, with 4th place nearly four hours later. The other two West Highland Way races – The MONTANE® Highland Fling and the Devil o’ the Highlands – were much more competitive. The Fling was this year’s UK Ultra Championships and in the Devils the top ten girls finished in under 7:30 hours. I was really pleased to come second in both. And I set a new ladies record for The Triple Crown, which is an unofficial award for completing the three WHW races. All in all, it’s been a good year.
9. What are your running plans for next year? Can we tempt you with the MONTANE® Lakeland 100 or 50 in 2011?Can you turn down the temperature? This year’s race looked at bit hot and sunny for my Celtic complexion. Mind you, so was MONTANE® Highland Fling, so maybe you’re a jinx! Joking aside, it’s on my list. I haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet. I keep harping on about not rehashing the same races, but I always get sucked in. Once I get over the never-again-feeling, I start thinking about improving my time. With off-road running, the only way to gauge this is to do the same race again. Only the classic distances – 100K, 100 miles, 24-hours etc – are measurable. There are so many races I want to do. UTMB, Comrades and the Himalayan 100 mile stage race are also on my wish-list. Right now, I’m just concentrating on the 24-hour race at the Commonwealth Mountain and Ultra Championship in September 2011. Then I’m putting my feet up… and no doubt start thinking of ways to improve my 24-hour race time.
10. Finally, do you have anyone that inspires you or that deserves a mention due to their support?I admire people who think big and believe in their dreams. I’m in awe of the superstars, but I have huge respect for anyone who’s just willing to give it a go. I’m inspired by those closest to me. Or those that put up with me. They’re the people who drive me to be the best I can be. Being married to an ultra runner means we have to divvy up childcare and training times. In a way, it’s easier as we both appreciate the importance of it. At the start of the year, we had his and hers training plans on the fridge! My schedule was red-penned quite a bit to accommodate my race changes (or demands, as Marco would say). My Mum has always been amazingly supportive and even more so now that I’m a Mum. Ultra running is like a small close-knit community, with so many people giving up days – not just hours – of their time to help the crazy dreamers. I will always be eternally grateful to those who have been unlucky enough to be in my back-up crew. They patch me up, laugh at my diva moments, swear back at me and don’t get freaked out at the thought of changing my socks. In this sport, everyone’s a hero.
Find out more about Debbie on her blog.
