Perennial Odyssey

The Preparation

My preparation started on May 18th 2026, T-19 weeks from Spartathlon Race Week. It consisted of three main elements:

• Training
• Nutrition
• Recovery

Training

I have been self-coached for several years now and there are many reasons for this:

1. Redundant Data Analysis: I am self-driven and highly data-driven. I utilize technology and advanced platforms to track metrics. Coaches rely on the exact same software, therefore I cannot justify paying someone to interpret graphs I already understand.
2. Rigid Plans vs. Body Tuning: I am deeply in tune with my body. Coaches naturally build structure. However, an athlete who is perfectly in tune knows exactly when a minor niggle requires a rest day or when a run feels effortlessly aerobic despite a high heart rate. A coach only sees the data uploaded to the screen (miles, vertical gain, pace, heart rate). They cannot feel the specific quality of your fatigue or a slight twinge in your calf. A prescriptive coaching plan can introduce cognitive dissonance—forcing you to choose between your body’s clear signals and the coach’s schedule.
3. Loss of Empirical Tinkering: For data-enthusiasts, half the joy of ultrarunning is treating oneself as a “science project”. Designing your own periodization, testing fueling strategies based on metabolic data, and analyzing your own regression lines is highly rewarding. A coach strips away that intellectual autonomy.
4. The “One-Size-Fits-Most” Trap: Even good coaches operate on overarching training philosophies and frameworks. But highly analytical, self-driven runners have unique biomechanical or metabolic quirks. When a coach applies their standard load-progression algorithms to you, it can easily overtax your specific weak points, bypassing the custom auto-regulation you would naturally do on your own. In the past, this has always lead to injuries. The moment I decided to become self-coached I also became injury-free.
5. Diminishing Financial Returns: Ultra coaching is expensive. For a runner who already possesses the drive and analytical tools, that capital is better invested directly into things a coach cannot provide: high-end gear, race entry fees, travel, nutrition, etc.

Clearly, I feel very strongly about the coaching subject! Moving on to the training part of the preparation, I dedicated 19 weeks of my life preparing for Spartathlon. I spent the entire summer in Arizona in complete isolation from the world around me, working (from home) and training.