There are without a doubt hundreds of good websites, YouTube channels and podcasts already out there. I will do separate posts introducing a selection of the best at a later point. The reason I think I may still be able to add something unique is that the starting point of my running journey is a little different to that of many of the seasoned runners who produce excellent YouTube content and more recent also. The latter point is probably the more relevant point here.
Ali Abdaal has an excellent YouTube channel about creating online content and it was one of his videos that convinced me to start this blog now. He mentions that with regards to his blog his greatest regret is not having started earlier. One does not need to be an expert in order to share your process and document your work.
There is in fact a "curse of knowledge, that once you have become so good at something, you forget what it was like being a beginner and thus teaching actually becomes harder. In this spirit this blog aims to embrace being a beginner and document the journey while it is still fresh. I say fresh, as it is January 2023 as I write this, and I started running in December 2020 so a full two years ago now. But while I completed three multi-stage races of approximately 250km each (Racing the Planet Georgia in August 2021, Marathon des Sables in April 2022 and Beyond the Ultimate For Rangers in September 2022), in all of these races I hiked the vast majority of the distance.
My true running (as opposed to fast packing / hiking) experience only started a couple of months ago and I am still going through the learning curve of finding out how to ramp up weekly mileage without suffering from overtraining.
I hope this blog will be particularly interesting for those coming to running with no prior experience. I'm 46 and started running casually on and off a few years ago and running in earnest only a couple of months ago. It should also be useful for those that have struggled with injuries from running, that have struggled to ramp up their weekly mileage. Because this is what had kept me back on previous attempts to take up running over the years. Finally, if you've had the dream to complete one of the iconic multi-stage races such as the Marathon des Sables, but never knew where to start, I will outline a plan showing how you can do it without really ever needing to run in training (but you will have to walk an awful lot with a weighted rucksack).
Most of all, I enjoy jotting down my thoughts and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.
That's all for now. Looking forward to your feedback.
Patrick