The Unscripted Nomad

Week 21 Ultra X Wales Update

A week that looked like it was lining up perfectly… until it didn’t.

Week 21 started strong, the kind of momentum you want this close to race day, sessions ticking off cleanly, legs feeling decent, confidence building. And then the glute decided it had other plans.

What began as a small ni**le turned into a full derailment, ending with the biggest long run of the entire training block being missed. That one stings.

The planned peak long run is gone, and the longest effort in the bank remains the 31K from a few weeks back. Not ideal, not what was scripted, but it is what it is. Ultra training isn’t linear, and sometimes the body forces a rewrite.

With only three weeks left, the focus shifts to what can be done, 6 time‑on‑feet walking sessions, 3 strength sessions and
11 runs left to do.

The mission now is simple, protect the glute, stay consistent, and arrive on the start line ready to fight and all because 'I Want It'.

This week wasn’t the one I wanted, but it’s part of the story and the story isn’t finished yet.

If you’re following the journey, thanks for sticking with me. Onwards.

Week 21 Ultra X Wales Update A week that looked like it was lining up perfectly… until it didn’t...

Week 18 Ultra X Wales Update
Hotel Life, Athens Hills, and a 5-hour 48-minutes Treadmill Epic

Week 18 was one of those weeks where everything should have made training harder, travelling again, living out of a hotel, routines thrown out the window, but somehow it still turned into a seriously successful block.

Athens ended up being the unexpected hero. I found an incredible park tucked away in the city, giving me proper hills, urban trail vibes, and enough elevation to keep the legs honest. It felt like discovering a training cheat code in the middle of a busy week.

And then came the big one...

I wrapped the week with a 5-hour 48-minute race simulation on the treadmill, covering 31K. Mind‑numbing, brutal, and exactly the kind of session that builds more than fitness. This was mental resilience training at its purest, staying locked in, staying patient, and proving that I can grind when everything in me wants to step off.

Building not just distance, but the mental armour needed for Ultra X Wales, week 18 wasn’t glamorous, but it was gritty, disciplined, and exactly what this stage of training demands.

Week 18 Ultra X Wales Update Week 18 Ultra X Wales Update Hotel Life, Athens Hills, and a 5-hou...

Week 16 Ultra X Wales Update
UAE Heat, Pre‑Sunrise Grit, and Fighting Off Self‑Doubt

Week 16 is done and this one hit differently.

The UAE climate has officially flipped into that brutal summer mode where the evenings feel like stepping into a steam room. Heat, humidity, zero airflow. Running after work just isn’t an option anymore, so it’s back to those pre‑sunrise alarms, chasing whatever cool air the desert gives before the sun takes over. It’s a mental shift as much as a physical one.

And somewhere in the middle of all that, the self‑doubt crept in!

I found myself wondering if I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. Ultra X Wales is a serious challenge, and when I look at my running background of two road half marathons and two trail half marathons, it’s easy to question whether I’m out of my depth.

Whether I’m trying to level up too fast.
Whether I’m actually built for this.

But that’s the thing about ultra training: the doubts show up, and you keep going anyway.

This week reminded me that progress isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s just showing up at 0445, lacing up in the dark, and trusting that every small effort is stacking toward something bigger.

In this video I talk about how the UAE heat has forced a full shift back to pre‑sunrise running, what Week 16 looked like inside that new routine. The self‑doubt that hit hard this week, and how I’m dealing with it. Why I’m still committed to the long game with 8 weeks left before Ultra X Wales.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re capable of the thing you’re chasing, this one will resonate.

www.youtube.com