I'm not running and I'm not doing very well as a result.

Let's not pretend it's entirely unexpected. I spent about 50 miles of Badwater smashing back paracetamol because my knee was hurting, so it's no major surprise that there's a bit of recovery needed.

Ben and Fletch recap after the summer hiatus, reflecting on how to deal with a pause in training. We won't mention the injury word. We talk about rebuilding and refocusing after a bit of time off How to frame that and approach recovery in a sensible fashion. Could my missing toenail tell us more than we think?

One of the most common questions I get about Badwater is - what did you eat? The short answer is very little. Very little food, at least. The vast majority of my calories came from drinks and some gels. But let's break it down properly, and there is quite a bit of detail.

Heading into the race my main concern wasn't fuel, it was hydration - or more precisely, it was sodium.

We are just over a week on from when I crossed the finish line in Death Valley. Badwater 135 had been a goal for a long time and now the first iteration of that is complete. I say first, because I feel I have more to give to that race. In a few years, when I believe I am ready,

I'm back at my desk, I'm not sure I am ready to write about the Badwater 135 experience yet, but I'm going to try.

The belt buckle that I received for crossing the finish line sits next to me - it's symbolic of the struggle to complete the race.

Ben has completed Badwater 135, an epic challenge and adventure across Death Valley. During this episode Ben & Fletch talk about the challenge, the race as a whole and the experience. There will be more on this topic, for now the uncut review of the race. And the big question - whatever next.

Ben and Fletch talk though the final preparations with just one week to go until Badwater 135. Heat training and listener questions. We talk tapering for events, mistakes people make and how this race is a little different. Both of us are excited or is it nerves, we discuss.

Fletch and Ben talk through the training block and overall plan as we look to sharpen everything up in the last few weeks before Badwater 135. They discuss the preparation and plans that are being put in place now so that come race day the focus can be on one thing - relentless forward progress.

I joined Fletch on the OneTrack "On the Run" podcast for a deep dive into hydration science with Professor Robert Kenefick - one of the world's leading researchers on fluid balance in extreme heat.

In this weeks call Ben and Fletch chat through the weekend's training - an 80km run and dress rehearsal for the crew. Not only a great time to get everyone together, but a really insightful training session.

In this episode, Ben and Fletch discuss what 10 days in the heat chamber looks like. We talk about how quickly the improvements come and start to dial into the specifics of Badwater 135.

It’s no surprise that heat acclimation is required for Badwater. It’s probably the most frequent question I get asked in fact. So what does heat training look like? How do you do it in the UK?

On the 23rd of May I toed the line on my first backyard ultra - I wrote before about the plan, just 10 laps. This race wasn’t really for me, it was for Basil. He’s been wanting to do an “official” race for ages, but at 13yrs old its hard to find something of any distance that he can enter. Most races fall under UK Athletics where strict age limits apply - so you can’t enter when you are fit and 13 but you can be obese and 30?

In this episode, Ben and Fletch discuss this weekend’s upcoming Backyard Ultra (what even is that?) and we begin the rather large topic of sweat. A bit of an internet glitch led to a rather abrupt end - apologies.

This weekend I’m taking part in my first backyard ultra - for those that don’t know, it’s not me just running around my garden. It’s a race format where you have to “run or walk a precise loop of 4.167 miles (6.706 km) every hour, on the hour”. It’s not as random as it sounds, 24 yards in 24 hours equals exactly 100 miles - well I suppose it’s still quite random.

Well, I must say it’s quite nice to be sitting down - it’s been a solid week of training and I’m looking forward to a rest day.

Sunday night checking in with Fletch “Evening, all uploaded. Big week this week." - he wasn’t joking.

In this episode, Ben and Fletch discuss marathon training, fuelling strategies, recovery, and the impact of thyroid health on performance. They share insights from recent races, training adjustments, and scientific principles behind endurance performance.

It's been a bit strange. The normal tempo of training has been disrupted. Some good reasons and some bad - the high was a PB at the Stratford Marathon, the lows were injury niggles and the related mental challenge. Let's dive in, I'll try to provide some context and insight. We'll tackle the easier parts first.

In this episode, Ben and Fletch discuss what to do when you can’t set a training plan. The weeks when there are so many variables that it’s impossible to stick to a plan - like when you break down on a journey to France and slip on some ice.

This week had a very literal kick up the backside. I slipped on the ice on day one and landed square on my lower back and butt. That set the tone: the glutes were working overtime from the start. Add in lots of skinning uphill on skis, running the alpine roads and then skiing with the kids in the afternoons, and it turned into a big, slightly chaotic training block.