SDW50

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  • WiB - thanks for the feedback on the course - most helpful.

  • Grrr. Left it too late to buy a Downlander ticket, so it's going to be expensive on the trains tomorrow. Falmer to Eastbourne tomorrow, I've decoded.

    Snap! - sympathies.

  • Ran Falmer to Eastbourne today; nearly 25 miles by the time I reached Eastbourne Station. SDW waymarking very good, but I hope they put some good markings out for where we diverge from the actual SDW to head into Eastbourne, and the rest of that section.

    NOTE FOR ANYONE THINKING OF RUNNING THIS SECTION NEXT WEEKEND:

    March 2013 [Starting 4th March according to the notice I saw on the path today]

    "Temporary diversion just south of Housedean Farm, Falmer."

    "470m of the South Downs Way near Housedean Farm is undergoing resurfacing work in order to make the section easier to navigate by all users. The temporary closure is expected to last 10 days, however, there is an alternative route on site parallel to the Bridleway through the field immediately to the North (adjacent field)."

    - this is basically just after the start of the second half of SDW50. Luckily it appears they are making an alternative route available.

    Note also, if you exit Falmer station and go under the subway, you can then pick up a cycle path heading alongside the A27 towards Lewes, which will take you to where you pick up the SDW.

    Was anyone else out there today?

  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭
    The SDW is very well marked. I ran from amberley yesterday. Nice day out. Was out again on the downs again today but just a local loop.



    There are instructions and a video on the centurion site for the last couple miles which are very clear.
  • WIB: thanks - I'll go look for those.

  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭

    It's worth it. I watched the video once and read the instructions once and it was very simple to get to the track from the top of Jevington.

     It will ofcourse be very well marked on race day.

  • At the top of jevington they spray the ground and mark it really well on race day. Seems this was the weekend for running falmer to eastbourne. I did a night run on Friday that way doing it again this Friday as a last run for the tp100. I'll be crewing at the jevington checkpoint on race day so look forward to helping you guys out image
  • I've looked on the website again and found the notes and video - they're on the SDW100 pages and NOT on the SDW50 pages that I can find. I've also looked again at the map and realised where I went wrong on Willingdon Hill - I turned off one path too early, where there's a big fingerpost for Willingdon and an old crumbling stone marker, on what appeared to be the top of the hill but in hindsight obviously wasn't. If I'd gone on another 100 yards or so I expect I would have found the proper trig point and the path. As it was, a local dog walker directed me from the bridleway I was on (which would have led me to Butt's Brow) onto the sunken path. I also went wrong a little further down in the woods, took a narrow path off to the right where the path turned off left, so I came out onto a side branch of Linksway, but I'm sure that on the day the markings will stop that happening.

  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭

    They are from last year when there was no SDW50 so that is why they are on the SDW100 page I guess.

    You must have turned left really early to miss the trig point, as soon as you crest the hill on the track and see the finger post it is right there. If you head left a little at the trig point the top of the path you need to go down is then pretty distinct.

    I know the track you took, I ran down it pretty fast when I covered it and saw both but just took the one that looked lik it was dropping me down in the correct direction and got it right (plus I was struggling to slow down so didn't have a lot of choice). Then once you hit the road its so simple to get to the track.

    I am looking forward to a finish on the track after 100 miles image

  • On the day, I'll be running the Jevington section in the dark. How visible are the course marking by headtorch?



    I'm planning on running that section this weekend, which should help.
  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭
    They use reflective tape so is still easy to follow. That section is easy to navigate anyway. Will be fine.
  • Went back up into my usual speed group with the club today - okay so I was at the back, but not by much, and I felt like I was running properly for the first time in ages. Felt good. Still dot-and-carry-one on sharp left hand bends, but SO much better than for the last 3.5 months. Looking forward to recceing the first half of SDW this Sunday, unless I do something stupid and injure myself running my parkrun on the Saturday.

  • Thanks, WiB.



    I did Kingston to Alfriston today. I'd intended further, but the cold which just won't go away (three weeks sniffling so far) combined with the fierce wind got the better of me. So frustrating - training was going swimmingly til mid Jan then everything has happened.
  • Hi Peronel; sympathies for the cold. I haven't got one, but it was cold enough out there that my nose was running constantly!

    Ran from Worthing railway station to Falmer railway station, covering a bit more than 29 miles, with a north-easterly wind blowing in my face pretty much the whole way, and the temperature dropping. Turning south and dropping down towards Housedean Farm was a welcome relief from the wind. It also tried to snow on me, but just those tiny little stinging flecks like under-grown hail stones. Got quite cold and I ended up putting my Minimus jacket on over my Featherlight jacket and even pulling the hood up over my hat for a few miles.

    Got a few niggles so I might take today as a reast day rather than going out at lunchtime - I did a B2B last weekend and I could do another one next weekend if I don't do it today.

  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭

    What time were you out Debra? I was over that way training and wasn't snowing. It was getting a bit cold, I set out in tshirt and shorts as it was fine up there the day before. Did stick on a pair of arm warmers though as the wind wasn't helping although it was a very mild wind compared to what it can get up there.

    Race day should be fine, the wind usually is easterly or south-easterly. A race with a tail wind image

     

  • I was out from about 10 am to about 4.30 pm! (This included stopping to take pictures and check where I was and so on). The tiny snowflakes came towards the end of that time - say after 3 pm, in the section from Pycombe over Ditchling Beacon, and then particularly just before I turned south and dropped down towards Housedown Farm

    I've yet to be out on the South Downs in a wind that was NOT in my face (Beachy Head mara* and these two west-to-east recce runs). The temperature definitely dropped during the day - I passed a guy running in the other direction who commented that it was getting colder.

    I'm still slower than I was before my ankle injury, unfortunately, but yesterday I think the cold got to me and slowed me even further (and of course the slower i got, the colder I got, and I'm pretty sure that the locking of the tendon behind my knee was due to the cold (it started locking up every time I stopped for any reason, but would loosen up once I got going again) - that really slowed me down on some pleasant downhill sections where otherwise I could have got going properly). Should have put the extra jacket on much sooner, and I could have done with another/thicker layer on my legs - Skins plus Montane Featherlight trousers were not sufficient, which I really hadn't expected.

    *Yes, I know Beach Head mara is a circular route. Somehow the wind was in our faces practically the whole time.

  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭

    Ah ok, I was up there early morning, was home by 10:30! image

    You have been unlucky then as 9 times out of 10 the wind is a tail wind heading over towards Eastbourne.

    I think often it is a mental thing too. A cross wind soon becomes a headwind in your mind if you are having a tough day, may explain how a circular route felt like a constant headwind!

     

  • Yes, I'm really hoping for that tail-wind - would make a huge difference. And if my foot/ankle is 100% by then, that would also make a big difference!

    I agree about the mental aspect re. crosswinds to some extent, although we were quite enjoying Beachy Head despite the wind being against us, yet it remained against us all the way as we curved around Windover Hill! It was worst on the last stretch, that day - there was a section where I frankly sheltered behind a larger runner in order to make any headway.

    Also, I really noticed, these last two weeks, that SDW is a very different path from NDW - much more so than I had expected.

  • Ahhh - I was up too late. Didn't start til 10-ish and, as you say, it was getting colder fast. I was underdressed for it (I foolishly hadn't put any long-sleeves tops in the bag to bring down to Sussex) and my head got the better of me.



    Frustrating as I've been out in worse, feeling worse, without giving up. It really is all in your head.
  • Debra, I'm also crossing fingers for a tail-wind, but am mostly hoping it doesn't rain, as 50 miles in heavy rain could be foul. (My second hope is for decent cake at the checkpoints - after XNRG events I'm spoilt!)
  • Cold rain is nasty (warm and raining is totally different - I had the one for Greater Manchester Marathon last year and the other for Croydon Ultra 30 miles), and wet chalk is horribly slippery, so I'd prefer dry weather as well.

    My experience of food at Centurion events - NDW50 last year - is great: good variety, much better than was on offer at Thames Trot (where the cake was very nice, but that was really all there was). And they made sure there were meat-free cheese sandwiches/wraps for vegetarians!

  • I'm crewing the last aid station at jevington so let me know if there's anything you want at that checkpoint and we will try to provide.May even bake some cakes well the wife might image
  • Fab! I am vegetarian, and I ended up carrying cheese sandwiches on the vanguard way last autumn, for just that reason. I can cope with sweet for about twenty miles, then my stomach demands real food.



    Agree with you on the different types of rain. Once you're out, warm rain's nice. Always seems to take such an effort of will to get out into it. though!
  • Fab! I am vegetarian, and I ended up carrying cheese sandwiches on the vanguard way last autumn, for just that reason. I can cope with sweet for about twenty miles, then my stomach demands real food.



    Agree with you on the different types of rain. Once you're out, warm rain's nice. Always seems to take such an effort of will to get out into it though!
  • Lingster, thank you! I suspect at that point all I'll want is someone to tell me to buck up and that it's nearly over!
  • Lingster: thanks for the offer - I'll have a think. Maybe have some green-ear M&S Percy Pigs? They're suitable for vegetarians and instantly recognisable (I used to love jelly babies as a child but they have gelatine in and I can't eat them). Seriously, knowing there will be food suitable for vegetarians (e.g. cheese wraps, cake, crisps) and I don't have to carry all my own is SO nice.

  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭

    Have they not found a cure for vegetarians yet? image

  • Not quite, but after spending six weeks in Spain (I walked the Camino last year) I'm a lot less fussy about the amount of meat I'm happy to eat around!



    Serious question: what's the ability range at these things? I'm the Eddie the Eagle Edwards of the running world and am hoping to limp round at a steady 4 miles an hour, just beating the cutoffs. Given three years ago I couldn't walk quarter of a mile without having to have a sit-down that is in itself a huge achievement for me, slow as I'm sure it sounds to most here!



    Am I going to have the glorious rear of the field to myself, or can I expect company from other stragglers?
  • Might I ask some advice? I'm now finishing up week 4 of the cold which will not die. For the past few weeks I've been in and out of playgroups peering in the mouths of three yeal olds (it's a funny way to earn a living) and every time I start to get better I'm breathed on by another snot-monster.



    It's had the obvious impact on training (longest run since the end of Jan has been six miles, although I ran/walked 12 on the course a week ago) which is doubly frustrating since, until the start of Feb, I'd had my most consistent run of training ever.



    I've eaten/breathed/dreamed this race since I first heard about it. Rearranged my work day so I could sit by the computer and wait for entries to open. And now I'm so far from the level of fitness I wanted.



    So... go for it, slowly, and hope to beat the cut-offs? Or jack it in?



    (And how do I shake this bloody cold?)
  • Peronel. sympathies. No good ideas about the cold - eat lots of fresh fruit and veg, try zinc supplements???

    Many sympathies for the reduced training. I went into Thames Trot undertrained (and still injured) and was horribly slow, although I did finish. Although I've put in the long runs for SDW50 my fitness and speed are not what they were supposed to be by this time, and I'm going to have to revise my goals.

    Since you're saying this is your main race, I'd say go for it - that's what I'd feel if it was Lakeland 50 (which is my big goal). Even if you don't beat the cut-offs (a) you'll have tried; (b) you can continue and finish if not officially - it really is well waymarked. And hey, you might find you've lost less fitness than you think you have (someone was saying you lose endurance less quickly than you lose speed).

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