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Ridgeway Challenge 85
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Jerry,
Thanks for your kind words about me!
Neolithic marathon next weekend and who is up for the 40 mile LDWAthe following saturday
http://www.ldwa.org.uk/challenge_events/show_event.php?event_id=6110
Can anyone with previous experience help with the logistics of this event. It's currently the only thing putting me off entering. It seems I can get a train to Tring on the morning (will have to check times) and transport will be available to get to the start. However, I'm not sure how to get home (nr Reading) from Avebury. It seems quite a distance to the nearest station (Pewsey?). Is it necessary to get a taxi to the station or are there other alternatives? I would like to leave my car somewhere near the finish, but then it wouldn't be possible to get to the start. What do others generally do?
Normally do circular routes which are much easier!
Thanks in advance.
Dino I - in order to encourage more solo entrants (without any support teams) the ROs provide transport from Tring railway station to the registration point (it's then half a mile uphill jog to the start). You tell them your train arrival time and they meet you off it.
AND then on Sunday they are prepared to take runners from Avebury to Swindon railway station (but not to meet certain trains - the van goes when it's full, I think). This should suit you travelling back to Reading.
You have to trust the organisers but both transfers worked well for me last year. If you're on your own a car option isn't viable.
Thanks for the feedback. I have also spoken to the organiser and decided to enter. Cheque is en route.
Mr Immune - good to run with you briefly at the Neolithic. UltraBobban, was that you too? Anyway, tried to catch you at the finish but had to dash to my car to get changed and scoff down my pork roll (not a euphemism). Thought it was a good course and managed to run every hill apart from one - forefoot running is a revelation.
Anyway, you mentioned the Ridgeway to me then - I have entry forms filled in and waiting to go once I've found the cheque book. Mrs E has given tentative permission – 'If you really want to…' – so it's time to knuckle down to some seriously long runs again. Let me know what training Ultras you have in mind.
BTW - did you know that the L2B is 2 qualifying pts for UTMB? That means, with the Ridgeway, we'd have enough to qualify for 2011 UTMB event? (need 5pts from two qualifying events in 2009 or 2010).
Robbie - I think all 5 points have to be gained in the same year, hence why i am doing another 2point qualifier in June to get 2 points, and hopefully complete the Ridgeway and get 3 for a total of 5 in 2010.
Good to see you at Neolithic, yes that was UltraBobban. We trundled the first half in 2.02 and could see you forging on up the hills in the distance, we decided to pick it up on the 2nd half and ran 1.55. Will be doing Saab Soloman South Downs Mara on 12th June, as you say we should discus other events as well.
Points can be gained in 2009 or 2010:
http://www.ultratrailmb.com/page.php?page=inscriptions2011
I'm using the Ridgeway and Caesar's Camp for UTMB 2011 qualifying points.
Cheers Dino I
Wording from the site is: To enrol for the UTMB® 2011, you need to have acquired a minimum of 5 points by having completed , in 2009 or in 2010 exclusively (*), races included in this list. The 5 points have to be acquired with 2 races maximum.
So as i thought all 5 points have to be gained in the same year (2009 or 2010)
I believe Caesar's is a bit of a toughy, although if we all hopefully get round Ridgeway, 50miles probably wont seem that big a deal.
Mr F, Helly D, Jerry, T Rex, Mr Immune, Supergirl & Ultrabobban ..... Hi, long time no speak !
WNN, Dino and Robby .. Hi
I have been off the ultra scene since the C2C, but have done 6 marathons since then and have the Boddington in 2 weeks. Also done a few 10 milers just to get a bit of speed back into my running. Neolithic was a nightmare this year, had my glasses blown off on the first hill! I managed in in 4:02 so I must have been just behind you guys. Since concentrating on mara's this year, have been able to bring my average to sub 4hrs so need to concentrate on the endurance bit now. Hopefully will do the downland challenge this year (booked last year but bottled out), plus the salisbury 54321 31m. Would be up for a reckie on the ridgeway if anyone is planning one??/
Put my cheque in post for this yesterday so see you all there ... (I have a wedding on the Friday (not mine!) so Ms B doesn't know yet !
Hi David
Seems like we are doing the same events again (Neolithic last month), good to see you are also pushing the distance that bit further this year assuming like me that L2B last year is still your longest event. I will be doing South Downs Mara this weekend with Ultrabobban, and then on 24th June the Classic Quarter 44miler at Lands End, which will be last big run before Ridgeway. Just starting to push past 60+ miles a week now (63 last week), on a scary upward spiral until August, going through trainers like no tomorrow (sweatshop please sponsor me or give me a big discount on trainers).
Hopefully see you at an event soon, if not, then at the start of this at the end of August. Keep well.
Hi David
Good to hear from you, great news about this run. I have been training hard this year and have run at Crawley 12 hour Ultra, of to the Tanners in July and then the 50 mile Challenge later. The latter 2 are build ups to the Ridgeway
And I am approaching this with my usual thoroughness by having nothing concrete planned
Have a couple of marathons (Salisbury, Fairlands, now Tanners) in mind but nothing further , I tend to equate not drinking for a few days with training.
I also did SDM today which reminded me how I'm not too keen on hot weather.
David, that does sound like a bit of a risky strategy considering it's on a Bank Holiday weekend.
"...I tend to equate not drinking for a few days with training..."
That is just freakishly weird Helen, just weird as drinking is a major part of mine
Against my better judgement and much to my other halfs amusement, I've entered this on the back of having done the LAMM a couple of times. I have restarted my training but that's about it. Don't have logistics sorted out (beyond getting to the start point), haven't coerced anyone into being a support team (is it advisable to have one?) and no idea how I'm going to get home.
Looking foward to it though.
Talking of transport, when are we supposed to contact the organisers to indicate we want lifts to and from stations?
Mountain marathons squalid? Tell me more..
Has anyone got any checkpoint data from last year?
Good to see that everyone is still fighting fit and still getting the miles in. I did 2 silly things in the last week. A 5 mile race the morning after the SDM and an XC half on sunday. Going fast is not a great idea with all of the long slow miles we are building up. I am close to injury and I got out of breath!!!
Downland Ultra is next on my radar as I am already in. Only £8 in advance!! Bargain....That's only 27p a mile. Tanners on 4th july may also be an option and there are a couple of others on the radar now..
Careful Rob, I suffered a tumble last night and got off lightly with some light bruising but it is frustrating when it is so close to target races.
I am still tempted with Tanners but will only enter if you do as LDWA are more fun with company, I have the entry form so may send it off soon or enter on the day
Hi Jerry, Bobban
Jerry - Good to here you are back out running, i think / hope the enforced lay off will have actually done you some good. I know you have a big event planned before this, look forward to reading race report once you have done the event. Also fairly interested in your other event later in the year via Likeys.
Bobban - Fast stuff at the moment is anything quicker than 9min miles unless we are running the last couple of miles of a tough trail mara in which case its low 7's (haha). I am looking forward to seeing/getting the t-shirts you have had done for this run. Good luck at Downland, pretty sure you can beat last years time comfortably, it will feel relatively flat compared to SDM.
Not sure what events we will all be doing pre this so that we can have a natter, but Bobban did mention meeting up for a bit of a planning meeting so am up for that if we can discuss dates/venues. I am off to Lands End for the Classic Qtr on Saturday, 44miles in what looks like being scorchio weather is going to be pretty tough, but feeling pretty fit, only doing 18miles this week before sat to make a nice round 100k for the week (subject to getting to finish line of course). Probably catch up with you over on the RA site.
I am entering tanners on the day Jezza. Want me to whizz round to yours and be your chariot to leatherhead and back? There'll be a couple of ciders in the boot for afters.
I am pretty likely to do caesars camp 50 so that I can get my 2 further utmb points as Immune is gonna need all the support he can get for next year!!!
Hi All, I hope this hot weather is not causing too many problems...
Just booked the Downland 30 for July and the Salisbury 54321 50k for August - these should be my only two events (other than the Marlborough 10m on Sunday) before the big day. Training has been hovering around 50 mile weeks but the next 10 weeks see this go up to 100 which should do the job. My plan is to run at least 10 miles a day with some decent back to backs of 35-45 miles - does this sound about right?
Anyone else down for the Downland or Salisbury runs?
Gosh Dave you put me to shame!!!! Funnily I was looking at the C2C photos yesterday and saw you in full flight
I have been running at 55-60 miles per week for a five week block and then went down with a chest and head cold last week but back in full training mode now. I am going to peak just shy of a 80 mile week with some cycle down weeks. My back to backs will be of a similar distance, I like the 20/15 and have done a 18/21 bu, boy are they hard in this heat.
I'll still be slow on the day