Preparing for a marathon is a tough enough task, and ultras – anything over the traditional 26.2-mile distance – can be another step up; but a 268-mile race is something else.
Paris already holds the women’s records for the UK’s three premier 24-hour mountain running challenges – the Bob Graham Round in England’s Lake District, Scotland’s Ramsay Round and the Paddy Buckley Round in Wales.
In 2016, she won the Extreme Skyrunning World Series and after returning to competitive running last year won the British Fell Running title.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast on Thursday, Paris revealed the secret to her success.
“We’re kind of an outdoorsy family, so things like lots of long hikes with the baby and the rucksack are a good way of weight training,” she said.
“I did lots of long runs, often mainly in the dark actually, getting up at 4am and training in the dark, carrying my full pack.
“I did long days over Christmas and new year training in the hills, so it was mainly in winter conditions – so that’s kind of important.
“A lot of the running has taken place really early in the morning so that’s kind of the way I squeeze it in and still balance it with spending time with my daughter.”
