TGtS Meets... Nathan Montague

We've been chatting to Ultra Runner Nathan Montague on what it's like training for GB and racing alongside some of the world's best athletes. Here's what he had to say...

You’re in the process of selection for GB, you must be over the moon! Tell us more about how it happened...

Thank you. However, at this moment I haven’t been selected for GB as yet. There is quite a rigorous selection procedure for ultra-running and the competition is loaded and fierce with some great athletes. I’m in with a good shot though and have laid my cards on the table. Regardless of the outcome, I am moving forwards both in terms of my strength, fitness, performances and experience. I’m becoming a better athlete with each race and experience I get, good or bad. I have competed for my country twice at ultra-distance and am a better athlete since gaining those international vests. Above the birth of my two beautiful little girls, my first international in Italy at the World Cup, combined with the European 100km Championships, are my personal proudest moment - a dream come true. I have also won an international team Gold at 100km as part of the England 100km Anglo-Celtic plate home international.

I am ambitious as an athlete and always strive to improve myself. I’ve had my fair share of injuries which have set me back, but I’m slowly learning to manage my body better combined with balancing my full time job and of course, most importantly, my young daughters who are the centre of everything.

This year I’ve had some positive results. Significantly the Ridgeway National Trail, Cotswold Way Course records and the UK TRA ultra distance trail running championships. These stand out and I will keep striving on to better myself. Fingers crossed next May I will be in the team for the World Trail Ultra Distance Championships. However, I have some amazing and exciting competitions planned for the next few years with ambitious but I believe realistic targets. 

How did you first get into racing?

I was always into all sports at school, and since I can remember. I was naturally competitive, which I’m sure being a twin helped. We would persistently set challenges and targets for each other – I expect we were fighting even in the womb! Football was my main passion, but with a good engine I found I was a decent cross country runner without any specific background training. My father ran and my interest stemmed from there. I gradually dropped in a bit of training alongside my football, which is when I started to get significant improvements and positive results. It wasn’t until I was 16 that I actually focused specifically on athletics and channelled all my energy into training. Although I still dabbled with the college football team.

What inspired you to take your racing further?

I was getting good results during my younger years against seasoned athletes without any specific background. In year 9 I decided to start running by myself once a week to see what would happen. After 6 months my father started to take me down to Swindon Harriers on a Thursday night and I was captured from there. I was still completely driven by my football but running satisfied me in a different way, knowing the outcome could only be driven by my own effort and determination motivated me in a different way. I always given 100% to everything I do and running seemed to embrace these traits more than anything I’d done before.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I judge races or performances purely by how I feel. A kind of intrinsic satisfaction that you only feel when you’ve put yourself on the line 100%, given everything you can to a race, and felt at ease with yourself and the outcome.

I believe feeling great, running a PB and feeling satisfied you were able to give 100% on the day outstrips a terrible, ugly better race position.

Contradictory as it may sound; nothing beats crossing the line in first place regardless of the race; the sense of inner peace and satisfaction. Unfortunately, I cannot race easily and I push myself regardless of whether I’m out on my own or battling in a pack - which can be a curse as well as strength.

Naturally my first England vest is my proudest running achievement. That feeling of being selected for, and then representing, your country is something I dreamed of but could never imagine it happening.

I remember when I was first selected and my stepfather and mother saying they could recall, many years before,  my dream of wanting to run for the country one day when we driving through the Cotswolds. The conversation is etched in their memory. I describe this story to the students I teach to spur them on. Dreams don’t have to be just that. With drive and determination, and a bit of luck, you are in charge of your own story.

I must say breaking the course record this year on the oldest National Trail, the Ridgeway, ranks very highly in terms of individual races. The race was surreal and I never imagined the record was even close to my grasp until the later stages. I went into the race off an acute injury which ruled me out of my target race for the year. But I’d trained hard and the rest must have done me good. I pushed on, winning and taking the record from an outstanding GB international Ultra runner Andrew James who has ranked highly in some of the world’s biggest ultra races.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to push to the next level?

Set goals, set targets and be motivated. We all need goals to give us focus and structure. For myself, to avoid overtraining, others it maybe to get out the door and complete their program. Don’t be hard on yourself. Whether you are seasoned athlete or a beginner, we all have moments where we don’t want to get out of our cosy pile into the cold morning or hit the roads after a long tiring day at work. But always tell yourself you will feel better afterwards. The endorphins will hit and the satisfaction you’ve ticked a box on the way to your goal will come.

Supplement your training with core work or muscular endurance exercises such as body weight circuits. These will not only improve your form and economy when you are fatigued but help prevent injury. Add fartlek, intervals or tempo sessions to your training to increase your range of paces. We need gears like a car. To run faster for longer we need to be able to make that pace feel easier by being able to run quicker at shorter distances. But this also needs to be specific. If I was running a mountain race I’d supplement my training with specific technical hill sessions including technical downhill’s (which can be hairy!). If I was running a shorter ultra of 50km I would incorporate fartlek and intervals into my plan. Additionally, tempos of sustained effort at quicker than race pace will benefit you regardless of the distance, and training on the terrain and time of day you are wishing to race tunes your body into what it’s letting itself in for.

Lastly, don’t avoid your fears. I hated hills when I was young.  I was plain scared of them in races, dreading the next climb. At the brim of a peak gasping for air, legs filling with lactic, feeling like you were treading treacle. I love them now. I excel at hills. Through the years rather than avoid them I embraced them. I deliberately choose the toughest routes. I make the climb a personal battle between me and the hill or mountain and drive forwards. If something is a weakness, challenge it head on and turn it into a strength. And don’t forget rehab. Stretch, rest and eat well. I am still learning and getting better each year at listening to my body learning from all the people around me whether they are experienced or novice.

What’s been the toughest race of your career so far?

I was racing a trail marathon two years ago and to be honest had been struggling in training for a few weeks leading up to the race. I felt awful from the start - but I didn’t fear this as often in longer races you can feel slightly sluggish in the early miles. After warming up, at half way when I had gathered some momentum I felt a sharp pain around my ankle. I ploughed on for another mile trying best to ignore it until I came to a steep decline where the pain spread to the top of my foot and I could barely walk let alone run. Dropping out of a race was something I’d never had to confront in my whole career. Of course I’d had those feelings in many races before, when the going’s got tough but that’s when you were battling with your mind. Unfortunately, I had no alternative but to stop. A resultant double fracture in my foot and the beginning of 9 months out of the sport I love. Luckily for me I returned to the race a year later and laid the ghost to rest. But over those 9months, I had to battle with many demons and self-doubts. However, I believe this has made me a stronger and of course wiser athlete.

What are your goals for 2015?

My main goals for 2015 centre around the World Ultra Distance Trail Running Championships (if selected of course) and the Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc (UTMB). 100+ miles of mountain running across 3 countries against the best Ultra runners in the world. In between I have dates with the London marathon and the Lakeland 50 amongst other preparatory races and trips to Snowdonia and the Lake District to specifically prepare for the UTMB.

What are your top tips for people that have just taken up running?

Start slowly, be patient and set yourself mini goals. Start off with walking and jogging, say 1min running/ 1 minute walking or 30secs/30secs for 30 minutes total and run very steady at a comfortable pace. Over the coming weeks slowly increase the running time until after a 6-8 week period you have reached 30minutes running comfortably. 

I think sustainability in running is about making small steps that build confidence and make you want to get out the door not dread it. In the early stages it’s important you don’t leave everything out on the road. Finish your session knowing you could have managed a little bit more, if you haven’t you’ve gone too hard too early. This is the type of build-up I use after an injury lay off, supplemented with lots of cycling, swimming or aqua jogging. This helps prevent injury, burnout and confidence. It also builds fitness progressively, steadily and obviously helps confidence. You may feel like running for 30 minutes continuously after four weeks but be patient. If you need a bit more run, then do the running segments a little faster but still controlled.

Additionally, find a running partner. Someone who you trust and won’t smash your confidence but will help drag you out the door. This could be a friend, or even your dog. Better still your child on their bike or scooter!

Time is an issue especially for families. Lunchtimes at work, to and from work, when the children are eating lunch, getting up an hour earlier or jumping out of the car a few miles from home after a day trip are all ways of utilising time to squeeze in a run. Search for solutions and you will find them.

You must have to train hard and eat well; do you have any guilty pleasures?

Simple, Cappuccino’s and Chocolate. Rather boring I know, but give me a frothy Costa or Starbucks, and a Yorkie and you’ll have new BFF! I also love a homemade fruitcake. Nothing like a big race in the bag, large sugary Cappuccino and a slab of homemade fruitcake!

When you aren’t racing, how do you like to spend your time?

With my two little girls Esme and Anais. My time away from work, training and racing is centred on quality time with the girls. I balance my training and racing around them as my family are my number one priority. It could be cosied up watching children’s movies on the sofa, helping them with their homework or baking cakes and biscuits. My downtime is spent with my family. My two girls love being outside just as much as me whether they’re climbing trees, riding bikes or chasing round the woods or park. They are active little people and certainly ensure my energy levels are in need of a top up come bedtime!