The ultra Project | Week 2
Back to Building
Last week was about reigniting the spark, finding rhythm again after a spell of drift. This week, the focus shifts from ignition to construction. It’s about putting one brick on top of another, shaping something solid from the momentum that’s begun to return.
Training isn’t glamorous at this stage. It’s early alarms, quiet sessions, and the steady grind that rarely makes headlines. But this is where progress hides, in the repetition, the structure, the small choices that compound into strength. Each run, ride, and row session is less about performance and more about presence: showing up, doing the work, and trusting that the body will remember what it’s capable of.
There’s a certain satisfaction in rebuilding. It’s humbling, yes, but also grounding. You start to feel the gears mesh again, the lungs open, the legs respond, the rhythm settle. The process reminds you that fitness isn’t something you chase; it’s something you construct, piece by piece, through patience and persistence.
This week marks the beginning of that rebuild, a return to deliberate effort, to structure, to the kind of training that doesn’t just move you forward but strengthens the foundation beneath you. The engine is running again; now it’s time to build the machine.
This Week's Training
Monday
Some mornings begin with purpose. Others begin unexpectedly.
For reasons I can't quite explain, today started at 03:30. No obvious reason, no great revelation, and certainly no point worrying about it. Sometimes sleep simply decides it's had enough. Rather than staring at the ceiling and getting frustrated, I accepted it and waited for the alarm to finally confirm what I already knew: the day had begun.
At 04:00 the alarm sounded. No time to waste. Out of bed, into the shower, onto the scales (a welcome 0.4 lbs down), and then dressed for work. The strength training session planned for this morning was quickly moved to this evening's agenda. With major project deadlines looming, my mind was already racing through tasks, actions, and priorities. Rather than fight it, I decided to lean into that energy and head to work early to get a jump on the day.
The plan doesn't get any quieter from there. University study awaits this evening before heading home, with a TMA due on 23 July and progress not quite where I'd like it to be. As much as I appreciate organisation and careful planning, experience has taught me that I often do my best work when the pressure begins to build. Not panic stations just yet, but certainly a reminder that the clock is ticking.
Today feels like one of those days where discipline, rather than motivation, will carry me through. Let's see what gets done.
After lunch, the day began to unravel. Priorities shifted, then shifted back again — indecision masquerading as progress. The inbox became a firing range of curt, impatient emails, each one chipping away at focus and patience. By 16:00, I’d had enough. Tools down. Time to reclaim control.
I opened my university coursework and felt the tension ease. There’s something deeply satisfying about working on a plan that’s mine — structured, deliberate, and free from interference. Once the target section was complete, I packed up and headed home.
A few quick lunges and stretches later, I could at least tick “strength training” off the list, even if it felt more symbolic than athletic. Then came a quiet dinner, a brief flick through the TV channels, and bed. Exhausted but content. The day hadn’t gone as planned, but it had been wrestled back into order — one choice at a time.
Tuesday
Rose before the first snooze sounded — already ahead of schedule. Pulled on the running kit, weighed in (still two pounds down from yesterday), grabbed the premade lunch, and headed to work. The monkey mind was already chattering: run now or this evening?
Arrived at work and the debate hadn’t stopped, so I settled it the only way that works — I started the run. Then came the next round of internal negotiations: one lap or two, and start work a bit later? First lap done. Maybe just half of the second? That thought lasted all of ten seconds. Momentum took over. Sod it, I’m starting later.
The upside of the monkey mind was simple: my breathing was steady, and I wasn’t worrying about my leg. Just running.
Work picked up exactly where yesterday’s chaos left off — priorities changing, then changing back, as if indecision were a management strategy. Head down, crack on.
Lunchtime arrived with a bit of optimism. Nice day, so salad it was. Then I spotted the cheese. A couple of lumps won’t hurt. Pickled onion, coleslaw, plenty of greens — must be healthy. Until the calorie count landed: 1,100 calories. Shock doesn’t quite cover it.
The afternoon drifted by without incident. At 15:30 I clocked off, switched to university work, and later had a chat with my running coach. Progress is good, but consistency is the missing piece — no surprises there.
The day closed with a few miles walking with the Men Walking and Talking group. Steady pace, good conversation, and a decent end to a day that started early, wobbled in the middle, and finished on my terms.
Wednesday
Another 4am start. But today I was fired up. Downstairs, water bottle out of the fridge, Peloton plugged in, 15‑minute “East Ride” selected — and I was off.
Fuorn Pass. The Ofenpass (Pass dal Fuorn) is Switzerland’s wild alpine road through the Swiss National Park, climbing to 2,149m between Zernez in the Engadine and Val Müstair near the Italian border. Unlike the big‑name Alpine passes, Ofenpass isn’t about hairpins or brutal gradients. It’s a calm, flowing ribbon through dense mountain forest, high meadows, and one of the most untouched landscapes in the Alps. A natural link between St. Moritz and the Engadine on one side and the quiet Val Müstair on the other, a scenic gateway toward the legendary Stelvio further south.
Luckily, my ride was downhill. 😂😂
The work day that followed was horrible, full of unnecessary stress, conflicting interests, and me stuck squarely in the middle. But the hours moved quickly, and by the time I finally crashed out, I slept well.
Thursday
A rest day due to a 3:50am logon for work. A report that was needed in someone’s inbox by 9am. Mission achieved and report delivered at 8:50am. A day of study and study planning followed with at quick tutorial at 6:30pm for the final hour. I am looking forward to my run tomorrow.
Friday
Woke this morning at the usual 4am, hit the snooze and went back to sleep for another 30 minutes. I hadn’t felt so relaxed in ages. When i finally got up I was not in the mood (currently) for a run. An inspection of my nights Garmin data over a mornings Reformed Black Coffee was alarming: Training Readiness 93%, Body Battery 82%, Sleep Score 93% (my highest ever) and HRV nicely balanced in the middle at 42. So why do I feel so sluggish. Maybe I will do a run later in the day?
Well, later came and went. The outside temperature was unbearable. A slight failure in my rebuild strategy.
Saturday
Training for Saturday took a different form. Up early, kayak on the car and off to Studland. Today I had a 4.5mile kayak around Poole harbour. Not energetically, but it activated a new set of muscles and exercised them.
Sunday
Well today is the day. My first 10km in along time. I arrived at the Great Field Poundbury and I was off. One lap of Poundbury, a couple of lap of Poundbury Rings and then a final lap of Poundbury. As I started off things felt different, breathing good and legs good. As I approached “fire station hill” I never stopped! I usually walk but today I had energy. This continued all the way round only stopping for a few sunrise photos. 10km complete. Not a PB time, but I managed it without issue.
The Honest Bits
A week of early starts, shifting priorities, small victories, and one hard-earned 10km reminder that progress is built less on perfection and more on simply showing up.
Consistency
If there was a theme threaded through this week, it wasn't motivation, inspiration, or even enjoyment. It was consistency.
Consistency is often misunderstood. We talk about it as if it's a perfect sequence of completed tasks, flawless execution, and unwavering commitment. In reality, consistency is far messier than that. It looks like a strength session reduced to a few lunges and stretches because the original plan wasn't possible. It looks like moving a run from morning to evening, then accepting that evening never happened. It looks like getting out on a kayak when running wasn't appealing, or opening a university assignment after a frustrating day at work rather than surrendering to the sofa.
The truth is that consistency isn't doing the same thing every day. It's continuing to show up, even when the circumstances change.
This week's 10km run wasn't built on Sunday's effort alone. It was built on every small decision that came before it. The early starts. The study sessions. The Peloton ride. The walk with Men Walking and Talking. The quiet moments where discipline won a narrow victory over comfort.
Not every day was successful. Not every plan survived contact with reality. But the direction of travel remained the same.
And that's what consistency really is.
This weeks Inspiration: Momentum
One moment stood out more than any other this week.
Tuesday morning.
Not because it was the longest run or the fastest session, but because of the internal conversation that happened before it.
Run now or later?
One lap or two?
Maybe half a second lap?
Every runner knows that voice. The negotiator. The one constantly searching for a compromise that usually involves doing less.
What struck me was how quickly those thoughts disappeared once the running actually started.
Momentum has an incredible way of silencing doubt.
When we're standing still, everything feels difficult. We analyse, overthink, calculate, and debate. Once we begin moving, many of those barriers disappear. The hardest step is often the first one.
It's a useful reminder beyond running. Whether it's work, university assignments, fitness, or tackling a difficult conversation, starting is often the biggest challenge.
Momentum cannot be thought into existence.
It has to be created.
When Success Doesn't Feel Like Success
One thing I've noticed recently is how easy it is to overlook progress simply because it doesn't arrive in the form we expected.
This week contained plenty of evidence that things are moving in the right direction.
Weight down.
A solid 10km completed.
University work progressing.
Good sleep scores.
Strong recovery metrics.
Yet there were moments where none of that seemed to matter.
Friday is a perfect example. On paper, all the indicators suggested I should feel fantastic. My Garmin was practically throwing a celebration. Yet I felt sluggish, unmotivated, and completely disconnected from what the numbers were telling me.
Sometimes we become so focused on how we think progress should feel that we fail to recognise it when it arrives.
Progress doesn't always feel exciting.
Often it feels ordinary.
Sometimes it feels tiring.
Sometimes it feels frustrating.
Sometimes it looks exactly like turning up and doing the work despite not feeling particularly brilliant.
The honest bit is this: not every good week feels like a good week.
Looking back at these seven days, I see stress, changing priorities, missed plans, and moments of doubt. But I also see resilience, adaptability, and evidence that the rebuild is working.
Maybe that's the lesson.
Progress is rarely about having the perfect week.
It's about refusing to let an imperfect week stop you moving forward.Looking Ahead - sunflower run
The next couple of weeks present a straightforward challenge.
The TMA deadline is approaching.
The running rebuild continues.
Work remains unpredictable.
None of those things are likely to become easier overnight.
The focus therefore isn't on achieving some spectacular breakthrough. It's on maintaining rhythm.
A completed study session is better than a perfect study plan.
An easy run completed is better than an ambitious run skipped.
Steady progress beats occasional brilliance every single time.
The 10km on Sunday showed that underlying fitness is still there, waiting patiently beneath the inconsistency of recent months. The challenge now is not proving I can run 10km once. The challenge is building the habits that allow me to do it repeatedly.
One session at a time.
One chapter at a time.
One day at a time.
Lesson of the Week
"An imperfect week that keeps moving forward will always beat a perfect week that never starts."
Consistency is not about executing the perfect plan. It's about continuing to move forward when the plan changes.
This week contained missed sessions, disrupted priorities, frustrating days at work, and moments when motivation was nowhere to be found. Yet the week still ended with a successful 10km run, progress on university work, improved fitness markers, and the reassuring feeling that the rebuild is working.
The lesson is simple: success rarely comes from one outstanding effort. It comes from repeatedly making the next sensible choice, especially on the days when you don't feel like it.
Small actions, repeated consistently, will always outperform occasional bursts of perfection.
The Ultra Project | Intro
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Barry Goes Ultra
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Dorchester,
Dorset. UK
Contact
barry@barrygoesultra.uk
