Ultra races have a habit of sneaking up on us and preparing for a Spartan Ultra with 50kms (or more like 54kms…) and 70 + obstacles are no joke. With the Spartan Ultra in Wales now only 5 months away, if you’re hoping to take part it’s time to start focusing on your training plan! Last year we had 8 athletes who toed the start line for the Spartan Ultra in Scotland and we had 8 athletes finish strong, with 2 top 5 elite finishes.

So as we start preparing for the 2022 race season, we thought we’d share the training journey of one of our Ultra athletes, Lisa. Lisa reached out to us last year looking for some 1:1 coaching to prepare for the Spartan Ultra in Scotland. When we realised we only had 8 weeks till the race we knew it would be a big challenge but we promised Lisa we’d do everything we could to get her prepared and feeling strong. Read on to find out more about Lisa’s experience.

What made you want to take on the Spartan Ultra in Scotland?
I booked it after running the Scotland Ultra in 2019. I don’t really know why I booked it again…it was a brutal race! Even though there are moments you hate it’s worth the sense of achievement when you cross the finish line. I wanted that feeling again. It’s also something to aim for with your training. Knowing that you’ve got a 10+ hour race…you need to put in the work.

Who do you think should complete a Spartan Ultra?
It’s for anyone! For Open, as long as you can cover the distance in the cut-off time and give the obstacles a good go, you’ll be golden. If it’s something you think you’ll struggle with, do it as part of a team. The morale boost will get you through it.

How long did you have to prepare for the race?
I reached out to Team Grit 8 weeks before the Ultra. Oops! Not ideal especially as I hadn’t run an obstacle race in a year and a half, the kilos had piled on during lockdown and my running wasn’t great! We did what we could in the 8 weeks but I could have done with triple the amount of time.

How did Team Grit help you prepare?
The structured plan and accountability worked wonders. I struggle with motivation so knowing I had the plan to follow and that coach Sean was keeping an eye on me made me do the training! My running improved massively in the 8 weeks. From struggling to run a 10km comfortably to doing a half marathon trail run was a big boost for me.

What did you like about the 1:1 coaching?
The TrueCoach app that Team Grit use to share your workouts was really useful for me. I could plan my week around my workouts. Again, the accountability aspect was a game-changer. Being able to reach out to coach Sean whenever I needed really helped too.

How did your race go?
LOVED IT! It was easier than the 2019 Ultra as the terrain was good and they didn’t make the special Ultra obstacles as brutal. Don’t get me wrong, it was still really hard. I was just happy I could still complete some of the tougher obstacles on the second lap. Running alongside fellow Team Grit member, Tom, and my two other friends, Trev and Dan, really helped keep each other going. Having a few laughs along the way makes a difference!

Who would you recommend coaching to?
Anyone who needs a push to get going, anyone who wants to keep training consistently throughout the year and anyone who wants to get on that podium! I would have really struggled with the Ultra if I didn’t reach out to Team Grit.

Interested In Coaching?
With only 5 months till race day, now is the perfect time to set yourself up a training plan to head into race day feeling confident to take on the challenge. Our 1:1 coaching plans are fully bespoke to you and your needs.

What does the process look like?
First, we will complete a 1:1 commitment-free coaching call with you to decide if we are the right fit for you and talk through your fitness level, equipment/gym set-up, expectations for race day and your training requirements.

Once this is all agreed we’ll set you up on TrueCoach and this is how you will get your programming each week. You will have full access to Coach Sean to check in, make adjustments to your training and keep yourself accountable. You will also have the option of fortnightly progress checks and monthly zoom check-ins, should you want them. There are many other perks to our 1:1 coaching which you can find here.

Reach out by emailing us at teamgritocr@gmail.com or drop us a message on Instagram and take on a challenge that you’ll never forget!