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South Downs Way 100
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Gee Bee 2- DON'T get me started on the lunarglides!!!!
I tried to put them on, then realised they had sent size 6 instead of 7
So I had a big sulk and put my old ones on and did a faster run as I was in a bad mood.
They are my favourite colour and everything! I did get a bargain purple toaster today so my shopping experiences haven't all been disastrous, but the toaster isn't very useful in the running department.
Finally got a recce run done today. Amberley to Southease very convenient for the train stations. Not sure how far it was as I managed to turn my garmin off for about an hour but I reckon it was about 36 mile in just over 6 hours maybe 6 1/2.
It absolutely lashed down for the first 3 hours and was freezing i had my coat and gloves on for the whole trip. The rain really made the trail slippy in places and my Brooks trail blades struggled on some of the steeper climbs but were generally ok. They are deffo my race day shoe. Most of the trail as flints poking through which gives good purchase even on the muddy bits. I'm sure conditions underfoot couldn't get much worse so it was a bonus to experience them. As previously mentioned on this thread the high ground is very exposed and the wind is biting cold. Only the foolhardy will do this event without waterproof kit available. Wish i'd taken my thermal hat today.
The route was fantastic the views are to die for. Shame we will be running most of this bit at night. Could turn out being a head f**k in the dark hours. If the weathers crap and visability low there is not going to be much to stimulate the mind and help forget the pain.
There is very little flat running and you are constantly going up or coming down. Hills, mud and wind = a real energy sapping run. Only took 3 gels with me today which was silly had a couple of bad spells with zero energy but managed to hold it together. Just.
Had my Harvey map in hand all day and only used it a few times for direction. Kept finding myself looking how steep the next ascent would be
. The trail is fairly well marked but I did find myself stopping several times looking around trying to work out the route but it is fairly simple. One particlar bit was coming up to devils dyke i just assumed the path went up to the pub as everyone was going that way but that is totally wrong and the path actually goes off way to the right across an open piece of land. There is also a part about 3 miles before southease where the obvious path hairpins down the hill when infact you need to go straight ahead on a pretty undefined path. I'm sure these and other minor issues will be clearly marked come race day.
Anyway very enjoyable day and no injuries so thats a bonus. If i've repeated anything lirish has already said because he has already run this bit sorry but thought i'd share my experience
.
Absolutely right about the exposed trail and a good thing you experienced it after a wet week, that's I imagine the worst it'll be on race day.
All being well I'll get se treatment on my hips on the next few days and see how I'm fixed then, if I decide to keep going I'm planning on doing an Amberley to finish overnight run before the beginning of June if anyone is interested?
After this race, I will be interested to hear opinions on whether the SDW100 or the NDW100 is harder!
Hello Lingster - I was out on 3 Forts today and was very glad of my Walsh PBs; I won't be wearing them for the SDW as 27 miles in them is quite enough!
I'm willing to bet that come the end of June the trails will be like concrete, the sun will be blazing and we'll all be wishing for a cooling light drizzle.
Cheers - Raymond
Ha ha ha, isn't the end of June the usual UK monsoon season, i.e. Wimbledon fortnight?
However that is just a personal thing and by no means should be taken as the wise thing to do.
Do you have any universities or medical schools near where you live? Generally they're on the lookout for guinea pigs for their third year Physio or sports massage students and can be a very cheap way of getting treatment, if not I'd strongly suggest shelling out for a sports massage, a few quid now could make all the difference
Hi, i just found this forum. I got to the end of the fling without major mishap so this is now on my mind more and more. I may get chance for 1 or 2 recce runs having never seen any of the route. Any suggestions on the bits that are most worthwhile to recce (eg, where the route is most difficult to follow),
thanks
Good point Lirish, which reminds me i need to get a brighter head-torch. Hi cragchick - well done on your fling run. was such fantastic weather this year. i was one of the people with cuts last year (on the flat bit through the ex-forest), although nothing like some of the big falls that i saw later.
i agree about the rubble, not very comfortable - last year i went over on a bit of sticking up root, entirely my own fault
Lingster- You are not alone!
Until about 6 weeks ago I had a shared goal of a 40 mile ultra so I had others to spur me on with training. Since then I have only managed long runs of about 20 miles max and by comparison, feel like I am doing 'nothing' which in turn demotivates me even more.
Perhaps if you can persuade yourself to just go out for half an hour then you might feel like carrying on for longer? I find doing 'exploring' runs helps rather than just taking the same old training routes. It does help that I live on the edge of the Peak District so I have a great playground! Also if I break down the runs then that helps. For example, I am taking the dog for a run in a mo, then meeting a friend to do about 10 miles, then I will take the dog out again and later I have to run to work. It all adds up!
Another thing that might sound a bit daft is if I can't be bothered to do a long run I at least do something 'race specific'. For example, I have taken to walking up a mile long hill near my home which has 350ft of ascent and then run back down. And repeat til bored! As it is on tarmac I am hoping this will toughen up my quads on the steeper downhill bits, yet it is a fairly easy session in that I am not running up the hill.
I sometimes find that logging my miles on 'fetch' helps, specially if you have a target person to try to keep up with. I was 'stalking' one of my running friends (clairster) for some time, although she is now so far ahead I have given up!
Anyway, if I spent less time messing about on the computer.............