Training

Training for the TDS® Trail Race by Anna Wiles

Hi! I’m Anna, I’m 35 and live on the Jurassic Coast in Weymouth, Dorset. I’m a mum to a 4-year old, a self-employed hairdresser and a trail runner.

I started running in May 2018 and decided to target a park run. Like many new mums, I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognise my changed body. The 5km park run seemed like an achievable target. I’d regularly been down to watch and support the runners, and desperately wanted to be a part of it. Things quickly escalated and within 6 weeks I ran my first 10K race in just under an hour. I suppose the rest is history - I had caught the running bug like everyone else!

Life isn’t easy and I find running gives me space to listen to the voice of reason. A session where afterwards I can give myself a pat on the back and be proud of what I have achieved is what makes me happiest. Running has not only helped to give me confidence, it’s also brought new people into my life that I now wouldn’t be without.

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Pictured: Anna training at Kimmeridge Bay (image courtesy of David Miller)

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Last year, after a lot of apprehension due to COVID, I decided to go to UTMB® (Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc) with my partner David, so he could further his craft as a photographer. 

With this we both had the opportunity to run the MCC® race which the organisation kindly put on for local athletes, the media and race volunteers. Previously, I’d only ever been hiking in the Lake District, so the idea of going in the mountains filled me with excitement. I was fairly confident I was going to finish the race, which was 25-miles with 7500ft of elevation, after coming off the back of a 50km ultra that I completed a few weeks before. 

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Pictured: Anna hiking the Fairfield Horseshoe in the Lake District (image courtesy of David Miller)

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Fast forward to the MCC®. The music playing out during the race opening ceremony made my eyes fill up with tears and I was overcome with emotion. I stood there, surrounded by beautiful mountains in Switzerland feeling incredibly lucky to have been given this unique opportunity. The race went well and I did cross the line as third British female, but it wasn’t easy. It’s definitely not a race to be underestimated, but the high of arriving in Chamonix is like no other. I was desperate to return for more of the same.

We were staying with some friends in Chamonix during the week of UTMB® and they were taking part in the notoriously hard TDS® race, so naturally David and I decided to follow their progress via the media transport and see as much as we could! After witnessing the start of the TDS® in Courmayeur, Italy, with the Pirates of the Caribbean theme blasting through the speakers I couldn’t help but want a piece of this. 90 miles with 30,000ft of elevation along some of the most technical trails in the Alps is the stuff that dreams are made of. So, here I am now training for the TDS® at UTMB® this August!

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Pictured: Anna competing in the MCC® race 2021 (image courtesy of UTMB®)

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I decided I would need a running coach to help me achieve my athletic best, so cue the arrival of Jamie Stephenson, who has a reputation in Cornwall for being one of (if not the best) ultra-distance athletes in the South West. With his support and purposeful sessions, they really do bring a sense of excitement to my training.  

I've recently returned from a trip to Chamonix to further experience the mountains and train with poles at altitude. My mini training camp consisted of a track session (you must check out the Chamonix track!), a couple of days hiking and a long run along the Petit Balcon Sud (and back). I really had to dig deep at times and find that inner grit. I try so hard not to think negatively and always tell myself the quicker you get it done, the quicker it’ll be over. 

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Pictured: Anna training in the Alps and preparing for this year's TDS® race (image courtesy of David Miller)

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I’ve had some of the happiest and most content moments of my life hiking in the Lake District and it’s my favourite thing to do and place to visit. The TDS® doesn’t scare me, but also I’m aware of it’s significance and difficulty. However, what does give me confidence is knowing that I have the right kit and equipment, as I've been testing everything that I will wear and use come race day. On my feet I will wear The North Face Flight VECTIV® (pictured below) as I think they're the most comfortable and responsive trail shoes on the market. They have been specifically designed for races like the UTMB® and are comfortable and lightweight, plus they have a carbon plate built into the midsole for extra propulsion and forward momentum.

I will wear the The North Face Flight Weightless Women's T-Shirt (pictured below), because it's super-lightweight and breathable. It's also an all-white colour and will best reflect the hot sun! My other favourite product is The North Face Flight Race Day Vest 8 Backpack which is so comfortable to wear that it almost feels weightless.

Whatever happens, I'm just going to try and enjoy it as much as possible and see it as a day (or two!) out in the mountains where I’m at my happiest. 

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Pictured: Anna wearing her The North Face trail racing kit (image courtesy of David Miller)

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You can follow Anna and all of her running adventures here

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