23/07/2026
I didn’t expect to spend 50.5 kilometres running alone.
Eiger wasn’t just my best result of the year so far—it felt like my most complete race.
I knew the field would be strong, so I expected a battle from the start. Instead, after the first 500 metres I looked around and realised... I was alone out front.
I didn’t think it would last for long, but I decided to run my own race.
The plan then became simple: don’t panic, trust the training, run hard.
The first climb felt controlled and relaxed, perhaps helped a little by the rain (still a Brit at heart 🇬🇧 ). For the first time in a race I used poles, and they made a huge difference on the long climb to the Faulhorn.
Then came one of the most satisfying parts of the day: the descent. It’s something Lewis and I have been working on a lot—looking ahead, staying relaxed and moving efficiently—and for the first time in a race it felt like it clicked.
There was one unexpected interruption: waiting at a railway crossing for 90 seconds while two trains passed. Not ideal... but to my relief no one appeared behind me.
From there I wanted to go full gas to the finish.
Crossing the line in 4:45:07 and finding out I’d broken Petter Engdahl’s course record by over three minutes wasn’t something I’d expected, but it was incredibly satisfying and reflection that my training is taking me in a good direction.
Days like this are a reminder that improvement often isn’t about one big breakthrough—it’s lots of small pieces gradually coming together.
Thanks as always to Brooks Running UK & Ireland Brooks Trail Runners and Lewis Moses for helping to make it happen.
Onto the next training block as I prepare for CCC!
