Now my racing season is over, I’ve had time to look back and reflect. To look at the positives and the negatives and the lessons I’ve learned. I arrived at the start line of my first race of the 2025 season, the Chester 100 Mile Ultra fresh and with ambitions high after a solid block of winter training under the belt, well rested and eyes set on the season’s goals. Not knowing I’d have to adapt and change my goals whilst running through injury.

My first goal was smashed. A sub-23-hour finish at my first race of the season, the Chester 100 mile ultra on 5^th April 2025. Achieving this was a course PB for me. My first race ever, where everything went to plan, pacing, nutrition and hydration. I completed the race in 22 hours and 36 minutes.

Post race recovery went to plan, and I went into the Manchester Marathon 3 weeks later with a target of getting a PB at the marathon distance. Which I did. Finishing the race in 3 hours 40 minutes.

It’s All Downhill From Here

Ultra Trail Snowdonia 100 km (UTMB) came next. “Beautiful beyond belief, savage beyond reason.” I lined up on the start line in Llanberis, something not quite right in my foot, but this was my “A” race for 2025. The goal. To finish and get the UTMB racing stones to enter the ballot for the UTMB CCC in 2026.

This is the race I had a shift in mindset. “I’m racing fit” to “I’m racing resilient.” The injury didn’t cost me this race and my goal. However, heat exhaustion did. Resulting in my first DNF (Did Not Finish).

Plantar Fasciitis in my right foot was the injury. A result of a tight calf? Or tight Achillies? I don’t know. But I literally tried everything to recover and prepare for my biggest goal of the season. Completing the 100-mile GB Ultras Grand Slam.

Consistency Becomes the Goal

Normally I’d chase big volume, long runs, hills. For the remainder of the season, I had to pivot and adapt. A run that didn’t flare the injury was a win. A week of training where I didn’t regress was progress. Crossing each finish line while still upright and walking unaided was a victory.

Every race became less about finish time and more about staying in motion despite discomfort. I swapped “go hard” for “go smart”. I leaned into mobility, strength training, rest and recovery.

Finishing a 100-mile race used to be about giving the best performance I could. This year, it was now about not giving up.

What the Injury Taught Me

Injury humbles you. It compels you to rest, to focus on recovery, to widen your definition of success. I stopped taking pain-free runs for granted. I understood my body wasn’t broken, it was in repair mode. I learned patience in ways hard speed sessions never taught me.

I realised ultra running isn’t just about run until you can’t, it’s about showing up and being consistent. And when I found that stride again, maybe mid race for a moment when the pain eased, when the run felt light, I appreciated it like never before.

Lessons Learned

Here are the take-aways from this season’s battle with injury:

Listen early. That first feelings of it came post Chester 100. Did I have enough time to fully recover in 3 weeks before going for a Marathon PB at Manchester? Probably not. Don’t underestimate the recovery time needed for a 100 miler.

Redefine goals if you must. At UTS and Ultra Scotland 100 I swapped finish times for “just finish”. Anything can happen in an ultramarathon. Being able to adapt and change goals is a good mental strategy to have.

Build Support to Recover Properly. Regular Physio, daily mobility work, prioritise sleep. These all became as critical as my long run.

Embrace Adaptation. My training changed. Race goals changed. My Season goals changed. They had to.

Celebrate Consistency. A week with no regression is better than one big session that sets you back.

Mindset Matters. Racing while injured felt like I was losing ground. But really, I was learning. I was growing.

Finish lines become meaningful in new ways. When the start line is already an uphill battle, the finish means something deeper. Completing Yr Wyddfa 100 to complete the 100 Grand Slam for 2025 was winning a battle I’ve never experienced to date.

Final Thoughts

This season didn’t go the way I originally planned. I didn’t get the UTMB stones I needed for the CCC. I didn’t challenge the leaders at the Manchester Backyard Ultra.

But maybe I’m okay with that. Instead of a season of dominance, it became a season of determination. Every finish I achieved at Chester, Scotland, Brecon Beacons and Yr Wyddfa stands not just for the distance I covered or the elevation I gained, but for grit earned.

If you’re reading this and dealing with your own injury. You’re not alone. You’re still a runner. You’re still in the fight. Keep showing up. Keep adapting. Keep believing.

My injury? I still have it. I have an MRI booked in for early November to check the extent of the damage. After which we’ll be looking at Shock Wave Therapy and Physio sessions. Surgery has been talked about, but that will be avoided if possible. And fingers crossed I’ll be back on the trails soon enough to prepare for the challenges 2026 will bring.