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Race to the Stones
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Finally had a brief email promising a refund today!
Have entered this and am now terrified after all of your comments! Re the comments about the 2 day option, it may seem soft to you hardened ultra runners, but this will be the first time I will have attempted anything like this - have done a couple of marathons and have followed the training plan to a tee, but for me its a confidence thing - hopefully I'll do this and then have the balls to do a 100km all in one go!
I think the two day option can be just as hard as you can run both where as a lot of the 100k will be walking. If you are doing the 2 day and have sorted out your own transport arrangements you will be fine. I have to admit I could have got around some of the issues but after paying £120 that's not what I expected to do I expected a premium event for the premium price.
I hope you have a good time and it all works out well but sadly after looking forward to the event for months I wasn't prepared to take the gamble.
I wasn't saying the 2 day option was easier, getting up and going can be hard, especially after a night sleeping on the ground. However, given that the organisation seems so chaotic they would be better just organising a single event, rather than a 2 in one. Also there are other events that are multi day ultras, as mentioned before Druids where you have a 1, 2 or 3 day option, or Pilgrims which is 2 days and total distance covered is just over 100K, but as yet relatively few walk/run 100Ks that are not mainly charity orientated.
Regarding the Stour Valley Path 100km ultra run - given that we received messages from a number of people interested in participating, but who were worried about the time limit, we are pleased to announce that we have decided to open up the option for a limited number of runners to start the race early on the morning of the 14th Sept (07:15am). These runners will have a time limit of 15 hours to complete the course.
Matthew - good to see you responding to the community...
I won't be ready for this race this year, but if you do the same next year then I will definitely aim for that as a first 100km!
Thanks LNandB. Yes, feedback from the community is very important to ensure we can hold a successful and enjoyable event for everyone, so thank you (and others) for your input. We will certainly do the same again next year if the race proves popular and the timings work out well for the runners, volunteers and supporters. It's looking good so far though, with plenty of interest in the event!
Matthew: thank you. This puts your event firmly on my to do list for next year.
That's great to know Peronel! Best of luck with all your training / races in the interim.
The RTTS organisers suggest that catching a train to Princes Risborough and then a pre-booked taxi from there to the start in Chinnor is the way to go for those without a car. I've just checked and the first train of the day into Princes Risborough on 13/07/13 is at 8:23, which would mean you would miss the start of the race. Great!
I am now looking at getting to Oxford on the Friday evening, then getting a hotel (can't find any cheap hotels in Oxford.) The next morning I will then get a cab for the 23 mile journey to Chinnor. What an expensive pain in the ar*e.
Where are you travelling from? There are earlier trains from London.
At least they have listened to the complaints and totally revised their plans (better late than never!) its just a shame as I'd already cancelled. I'm gobsmacked that such a high profile event had such poor planning and required a barrage of complaints to get the travel and finish facilities required for such an event in place.
Bear B.Hind, Thanks for that - I don't know where I got the 8:23 time from. As it happens, I live near Swindon, which at least means I have a fighting chance of getting someone to pick me up at the end. I could use the shuttle to the start, although finding a reliable means of getting to Avebury at that time in the morning would be a challenge (and also expensive). I'm always nervous at the start of these things and I think I'd feel most comfortable (but skint) if I only have to rely on a (normally reliable) black cab from Oxford on the morning of the event.
I did the London2Brighton Challenge 100K in May and that was very accessible. Camped at the official site in London the night before, got driven by the organisers to the start. At the end, the facilities were fantastic - lovely hot meal indoors if that's what you wanted and regular drop-offs at the train station as and when people finished. The Avebury finish line all sounds a bit bleak by comparison, especially if it rains.
Having flounced out of the event I have now crept back in
. I think the organisers were a bit disconcerted thinking I'll be hypercritical, but it was lack of viable transport options at the end that really annoyed me. Now that's been sorted I didn't want to wait until next year for various reasons.
I too did an L2B over the end of May Bank Holiday. Great organisation and really handy as I live near Waterloo so it was a short train journey to start. I think from memory the Ridgeway is overall more undulating, but hardly any stiles and no tricky little plank bridges to negotiate.
Looks like its gonna be a hot one peeps!!
Hi all, I am doing the 2 day option and going on my own by public transport. The return journey is pretty much sorted now they have a shuttle to Swindon but I have a problem on Saturday morning. I've booked a hotel in Aston Rowant 3 miles away from the start (the nearest I could find) but the taxi numbers provided by Threshold were useless - one does airports only, one does not work in the area and the other didn't want to do an early morning start! What I think they have forgotten is that this is not London and mini-cab 'companies' are just one man bands. So, is anyone staying locally who can help with a lift or cab share to the start on Saturday morning? I will contribute to petrol/cab fare, obviously. I've tried a number provided by the hotel and no luck with that either.
Sacha,
Yes, we could pick you up from hotel (Lambert Arms?). I have sent you a message.
James
Is anybody planning to walk this - and if so at what pace??? I have hurt my knee so can only power walk at the moment and having paid so much to enter want to at least give it a go.
I will be walking, hope to maintain an average of 3mph or so - much slower than the average power walker - and finish in under 23 hours.
Thanks Bear B.Hind. Might well see you although I signed up for 2 days but wish I'd just signed up for 1 now. Thought the coach to the start of day 2 a bit strange! I also did the L2B at end of May. Really enjoyed it - so well organised.
Stay well hydrated and take on board plenty of electrolytes through the day everyone, it's going to be a hot one! If any of you are aiming for a Spartathlon qualification, but find that the heat affects your time, please take a look at the SVP100 (www.svp100.co.uk) in September. It should be cooler by that point and the course is very flat / fast.
Best of luck for tomorrow! Make sure to slap on plenty of P20 or a decent high factor suncream, and remember to enjoy!
Well - that was quite brutal - The Ridgeway is quite unforgiving under conditions of excessive heat ot wet. Glad I opted for the non stop option. The night section was quite pleasant - cool and the path visible. Finished in just under 22 hours
.
Well done for completing the route. It was certainly tough going out there in the heat! I'm not sure how many people completed it from the 800 registered, as there are currently problems on their race timing page.
How were the logistics in the end Bear B.Hind, given the issues you were facing leading up to the race? Did everything run smoothly in the end?
Yes. A bit of a hitch at start when cab did not arrive, but fortunately there was a spare place in another one. At the finish there were showers - not very hot, but never mind - a lovely pastie, a cool barn to sit in, medical assistance and best of all the shuttle van did an unscheduled early run to Swindon so I caught the 9.10a.m. to London.
I did it! I did it! I did it! So proud. That's my 100km virginity gone ...