From CurraNZ sceptic to believer: '150km weeks would never have been possible before'

Here, British ultra-marathoner Mark (pictured right, being tested for a CurraNZ study) charts the real-world path from triathlon dabbler to 100-mile finisher - all while wrestling with classic doubts about endurance supplements.

Mark writes: 

"I didn’t start as a 100-mile runner. I started curious and a bit stubborn, with a background in triathlon and a long list of recovery tricks that rarely moved the dial.

Beetroot juice helped. Most other supplements didn’t - until CurraNZ. I’ll be honest, I was sceptical. Then I happened to meet the wonderful company founder Fleur at a Running Festival, committed to a proper trial, and the change in recovery was obvious. 

Not a 1 per cent tweak, but the kind of shift that lets you safely stack training, week after week.

Below is the path I actually walked, from first steps to 100s, including what surprised me and what I’d pass on to anyone new to ultras.

The journey, stage by stage

Year 1 - Curious newcomer

• Built patiently: a handful of 50k races, lots of learning.

• Focus: time on feet, steady nutrition practice, no heroics.

• CurraNZ status: sceptic. Tried it, expected little.

Year 2 - First big stretch

• First 54-mile ultra, then a couple more 50 milers.

• Began to feel what consistent training really means.

• CurraNZ status: intrigued. Recovery windows between hard sessions felt shorter than before.

Year 3 - Cracking the 100-mile code

• Completed my first 100 on a looped course. Simpler logistics, fewer variables.

• Finished second overall, behind a brilliant woman who won. Low-key race, big personal milestone.

• CurraNZ status: converting. Back-to-back run days plus strength work were suddenly sustainable.

Year 4 -Reality checks and resilience

• The truth of ultras: some hundreds were successful, one ended at 83 miles with swollen legs.

• Learnt that no-one lines up guaranteed to finish - and that’s the beauty.

• CurraNZ status: Believer. I was involved in placebo-style tests, including lab-based trials, and the difference in bounce-back was clear enough to bet training on.

Most recent marker - Endure 24

• Muddy, slippery conditions, and I was sick - not my best day by any means.

• Even so, I covered 110 miles in 23:46 and finished fifth overall at age 50, at the biggest lap race in the country. An incredible result considering the circumstances, and proof of what consistent recovery can unlock.

Why I changed my mind about CurraNZ

I had “tried everything” before. CurraNZ felt different for one simple reason: I could do more work and show up fresher the next day. That is the whole game in endurance sport. More available sessions, better quality, fewer write-offs. Over months, that becomes fitness you can rely on.

Four years ago, I would never have believed I could run every day, let alone sometimes twice a day. Now I can. On big weeks I reach around 150 kilometres and still recover. That would not have been achievable for me without CurraNZ - full stop.

I still keep the rest of my recovery simple - sleep, food, gentle movement - but the supplement that meaningfully moved the needle for me was CurraNZ, and that belief was verified by placebo-style, lab-based testing I took part in.

The 5 lessons I wish I’d known on day one

1. Run your own race.
   If you chase someone else’s pace in a 100, you’ll pay for it later. Set an honest effort and defend it.

2. Treat nutrition like a discipline.
   Ultras are often “an eating competition with some running.” Start early, fuel steadily, practise on long runs and back-to-backs, and have a plan for nausea.

3. Make the course work for you.
   My first 100 was a looped course - fewer decisions, simpler crewing, less to carry. Simplicity beats novelty when you are learning.

4. Have the mind on purpose.
   Waves will come. I keep two phrases ready: “I am grateful to be here,” and “It’s a privilege to be in discomfort.” Discomfort is a feeling, not a verdict. Meet it without drama and keep moving.

5. Prioritise recovery like a key session.
   Sleep, food, gentle mobility, and the tools that actually help you bounce back. For me, that includes CurraNZ around key blocks and multi-day training.
   

Expectations when moving up in distance

• Step up gradually. 50k → 50 miles → 100k → 100. Let your tissues, gut, and brain adapt.

• Back-to-backs beat hero days. Two sensible days teach more than one smash-fest.

• Rehearse everything. Shoes, socks, pack, bottles, head torch, fuelling.

• Plan for trouble. Cooling, warming, stomach reset, shoe change, blister kit, wet-weather options. Expect a bad patch and plan your way through it.

• Make peace with uncertainty. The unknown is scary, but training yourself to live in the unknown won’t just help you race better, it will help you step outside your comfort zone in life. 

Final thoughts

If you are new to ultras, remember this: consistency is the superpower. Choose simple plans you can repeat. Fuel like it matters. Respect recovery. Train your mind to be present, and to welcome the unknown. And if you are looking for something that genuinely supports higher training volumes, CurraNZ has been that difference for me - verified in placebo-style, lab-based testing and proven on the trail when it counted.

Beyond the miles: About Mark Darcy

Mark is a business growth consultant who runs New Forest Wellbeing CIC. He says, "This initiative is not for money, not for praise, but for the community. Our events are priced as low as possible, and all small proceeds go straight back into supporting people - we do not take a wage. It is about people and making a difference."