Race report by Mel:
RACE REPORT: BEYOND MANCHESTER 55K ULTRA
First ultra, done in 6h 10mins. And surprisingly? I felt strong.
Running 55K through the trails of Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Bury and Radcliffe was no small feat—especially in the rising heat. It was tough, I took a tumble (classic fatigue moment), but I kept moving well and finished feeling like I had more in the tank.
The real win? I was able to jump on the bike the next day and cruise through an 85K ride as active recovery. No DOMS, no breakdown—just a bit of tiredness and a lot of gratitude for my body.
This is exactly why I bang on about consistency and strength training. I didn’t wing this. I’ve built a solid foundation over time—lifting, running smart, fuelling properly, and showing up week in, week out. Not perfect, but consistent.
Your body is capable of amazing things when you treat it well.
