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Ridgeway 85 - 2012
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Mike - suggest at the very least you run the whole Ridgeway to Overton Down instead of coming off it two miles early. You could make up your miles and come into Avebury from a direction people least expect.
Hello, Matt.
Just how technical/hilly is the Ridgeway compared to North Downs way or Cotswolds Way?
Wouldnt mind running soome of it at soome point, just the logistics of travel that puts me off.
Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
Not that hilly, just over 2000mts climb for the whole route, but there are some bits where it is easy to go wrong. If you live near and have run it it is easy to forget what it is like for someone who has not run it before so if possible I would recce it just to be certain. The worst part of it is the uneven nature of some of the tracks, I found myself walking very slowly and picking my way at points recently and that was in daylight. It really was treacherous. Some real ankle turning terrain!
Doing NDW on Saturday so I'll let folks know what the comparison is.
Really looking forward to it and then this one will be "only" 85
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T Rex, lIving on the NDW I can tell you that the first part of the Ridgeway untill you go down Grims ditch is very similar in profile. After the next flat bit the rest is rolling. Overall just over 2000mts of ascent. NDW undulates in the same fashion after Otford, a lot of road though which really spoils it
I would say as courses the RW is less hilly and easier to navigate. I know the NDW will be signed but if the same people who put them up as last year have not learned how to use cable ties then they may well move again. There was a lot of accusation last year of people(locals-which being a 'local' I found quite offensive) moving signs but to be honest the ones I took down were not put up properly!!
The only answer is to use the official waymarks and do as triathletes are told in their rules
"it is the responsibility of the competitor to know the course"
Besides there is no better training for a race than training on the actual route, it should be a priority for anyone who has entered anyway.
Edited to add-took down after the race when I broke down Titsy aid station not for fun during the day
I agree with Andrew. I just came back from running the NDW and lots of the wooded areas reminded me of the section from Ivinghoe Beacon to Princes Risborough.
So, less than two weeks. Everybody psyched?!
Well, NDW 100 was far more strenuous than I was expecting. Felt a lot more than 10 000' ascent and more than R85 (which is quoted as having about that amount). Course also more twisty and turny and far greater likelihood of navigation errors - I was pleased on many occasions at night to see the race waymarks (bits of red-and-white tape). Ridgeway is much more linear and much less chance of nav errors.
My target was 26 hours but in the end I struggled to make the cut off and was last but one to finish in 29:44.
Got four nasty blisters which need to heal up quickly, and I'm sure these swollen ankles and feet will go down in another day or two. Otherwise fine.
i live in Oxfordshire and ran Princes Ris-Watlington section of Ridgeway the other week, i did NDW50 on saturday and agree the trail/wooded parts are very similar but not as hilly. ridgeway is perhaps more over grown in places
.am doing the Wantage to Avebury section soon.
would like to do Ridgeway 85 next year so will be reading your reports very carefully guys
And presuming it stays on the same weekend it would be a full four weeks after Lakeland 50 - sounds good! Actually, having enjoyed NDW50 I find myself wondering about -this- year, but I think I would be more sensible to consolidate and do a few more at the 50-odd mark first...
my thoughts exactly Debs
Hi,
Me and my pal are coming down from Lancashire to run this years race but are having a nightmare with the logistics as we have no support team! The latest plan is looking like driving 2 cars down leaving one with a tent at the finish then driving back over to the start following the race to pick up the other car and get back up North... not ideal but the best we can do at the mo!
Can anyone offer any assistance/advice, that could help us next weekend?
Thanks in advance,
Rich
Tick tock tick toc... not long now!
and how underprepared am I?! travel plans finally sorted after my friend pulled out through injury. now managed to secure lifts to and from the start and finish. Have just printed off a small crib sheet of the checkpoints, closing times and brief pacing details etc. That is one thing I wished I had done before the thames 100 in March. There were a few occasions overnight that we didnt know the closing times of the checkpoints and ended up putting on a bit of a sprint to get there only to find that we hadnt needed to. At last the wether is dry this week so all of the muddy firlds that we are going to be crossing should be nice and firm under foot.
Rich, hope you have managaed to sort your travel plans out.. the one thing about these events is that they can often be a logistical nightmare!!!
Yes It's either gonna be 2 cars, one at either end or a train from Swindon back to Tring after the race... gonna be a ball ache but still looking forward to it!
Best of luck for the race!
All set and raring to go!
Maybe it is just me.... but I am like a kid waiting for Xmas a few days before an event like this.
What are people running with?
Bottle belt/back pack/something even lighter?
I ran with an inov8 backpack last year, but this year I am planning to travel much lighter with a 4 L bottle belt. Wondering if folks had any feedback on running without a backpack?
I am told you can fast walk the entire course if you start at 10.
Me and a buddy took it super steady last year. Ran/walked to the half way stop at Goring then we walked the rest of the course. Didn't run at all.
We got around in just under 26 hours, I think the cut off is 28 hours. Plan to run more this year but its comforting to know you won't be stressing about cut offs!
Looks like the weather is going to be cooler and possibly showery, that will be better than the heatwave of last weekend.
I am using my double bottle belt holder, I have found that the amount of back covered by a rucksack makes a big difference to my cooling and I get very hot. No time strategy but to get as far as I can and see how my achilles holds up, been up to 40miles in training so half way would be a bonus and the furthest I have been able to run with it for three years and show I am making headway with it
I found this was very useful in giving an elevation profile
http://www.rda-abingdon.org.uk/docs/7%20DAY%20ROUTE.pdf
Just bear in mind its in reverse.
Am rather relieved that my last minute urge to enter on Tuesday was thwarted by cut off date being last Sunday. Good wishes to all and perhaps next year....
Well good luck all and sundry, hopefully it will be less humid tomorrow, the rain that's forcast should clear the air a bit.
Good luck all - see you tomorrow!
How did everybody get on? I can't walk, but I made it to the end
Yes going up and down stairs hurts a bit
Loved it, did it in 24 having left at 10am (but not sub-24 so got the finisher medal ... 
). Really great race, organisation, checkpoints, everything - apart from the weather 
Didn't like the veerrrry heavy showers and then a veerrry long shower until 9pm much, but other than that, a really great event 
I must have run with Mr F for a while on Saturday, at least didn't talk to anyone else who broke their ankle at 40 miles in 2009 anyway, how did you get on Mr F? And Andrew Smith - I think we chatted too before the half way checkpoint, although a few people were suffering with hamstrong probs - how did you go?