Posted In: Our people by
Jenn Ferrier,
August 26, 2022
We promised it and here it is – an awe-inspiring Q&A with our very own Caroline.
Who, yes you read right is representing Team GB at the World Championship – a mind blowing achievement. We caught up with her before she headed off to compete and were well impressed!
Less of us, more of the force that is Caroline here:
Can you share the background to your running career?
I ran cross country and the 1500m and relay at schools, but I never really took it very seriously. I then hadn’t ran between leaving school until I was 22. I ran the Great North run in 2005 and then my first marathon (London) in 2007. I then did a lot of 10ks, half and full marathons, with fairly decent results.
The big shift came when I decided to run Marathon des Sables in 2018. This was off the back of a big change in personal circumstances. This is when I fell in love with trail and ultra running and really started to take it a bit more seriously.
What are your successes to date?
My key successes are breaking the course record on the ‘Grand Tour of Skiddaw’ in 2021. 3rd at the British 100km Road Champs in 2022. 1st female and 3rd overall at the VUM Iceland multistage in 2021.
When did you realise you were really good?
Although I’ve had good results and a lot of wins since shifting to ultra running, it was probably only last year that I thought I was doing ok! I was 1st female at a difficult multi-stage in Iceland and then went on to run a 2.48 marathon not long after even though it was a last minute race entry and I hadn’t had time to shift to marathon specific training. Also, being chosen to represent England and Great Britain!
What’s the ambition?
Not really sure where to go from representing GB! I’m interested in trying out for the GB 24 hour team, but since doing a lot of road running this year, I am quite keen to get back to trail running and there are a lot of trail runs I would like to do.
Where does the motivation come from?
I’m just a pretty motivated person in general. I don’t sit still and I always have to be doing something productive. With running, you can see tangible results, against yourself and others, which I like. You can see the results of all the hard work you put in.
How do you balance work, family life and training?
I’m just really flexible about when I do things within the day. That might mean working early mornings or evenings so I can ensure I have time to get my runs in while the kids are at school or using the treadmill more in the school holidays, running with the kids on their bikes alongside etc. It can be hard work due to the volume of training I do, but I manage to fit everything in!
What do you think about when you’re running?
When I’m training, I listen to podcasts, sometimes music or nothing at all. I just let my mind wander; I usually think about my next race.
When I’m racing, I don’t listen to anything. I think about my pace, times, maths, check points, nutrition. I’m mostly doing a lot of maths, distances, times etc
What does your training and diet look like?
I have a coach that plans all my training for me. I run 6 days a week. In the run up to a big race, such as the World Champs, 3 or 4 of those days are double days, where I run in the morning and evening. It’s a mixture of different training sessions, long runs, speed work, hill reps etc, dependent on what I’m training for. I also do S&C (strength & conditioning), usually 3 times a week, but when it comes to the school holidays, that is usually the thing that I have to drop because I just can’t fit it in.
Diet is lots of fruit, vegetables and protein. Generally trying to avoid processed food. I eat a lot throughout the day.
Favourite race/place to run?
There are so many amazing races I have a rule generally not to run the same race twice! My absolute favourite place to run is Costa Rica though. I did a race there that I loved so much, when I was invited back to run another race in Costa Rica just 6 weeks later, I jumped at the chance. Running through the jungle with the wildlife and along the beaches – it is just the most amazing place. Due to being a trail runner, you really get off the beaten track and find the most amazing places.
Tell us more about upcoming world champs?
27-Aug-22 in Berlin
Great Britain has a team of 8 runners, 4 male and 4 female. There will be 251 athletes representing 42 countries.
I qualified to represent GB at the British championships back in April.
You can find out a bit more about the World Champs HERE.
What is your goal for the race?
I would like to improve on my 100k time from the British Champs, although given the expected temperatures, I need to be realistic this may not happen.
I would like to go top 10.
As well as being individual runners, so long as a country has sent at least 3 runners, the times of the top 3 from each country are combined for the team prizes. I think the GB Women’s Team have a fairly good shot at the podium for the team prizes.
Wow, trying to summarise those achievements is a bloody tough task, so we will end by saying:
Good Luck from all at Team Boutique!
**Update**
Caroline went and absolutely bossed it coming the 15th lady out of a field of over 300 athletes, and also a personal best. Massive well done from Team B x
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