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Thames Trot ultra 50 2014
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Trail shoes for me. I think it's going to be quite roady, but if it's like last year there will be plenty of sloppy stuff too. Maybe the best advice is just to go with whatever you feel most comfortable running in, as you're going to have to make compromises somewhere.
Brooks Cascadia for me. Too much road for full on trail shoes, not enough road for road shoes. As Tiago said there was loads of sloppy mud last year and this year will be worse especially after tonight's storm.
A word of warning if anyone is going to navigate using the diversion notes on the day. A lot of people struggled with this last year and were getting lost all over the place. Far easier to print the route map then plot the new route using the "map my run" link in the last email. Might take half hour to do but well worth it, worked for me last year. That's my idiots guide to naving anyway, I do own a Suunto just never bothered to work out how to navigate with it.
Just about to set off to my luxury hotel for tomorrows race. Didcot premier inn. See you all there.
iam already
1 more sleep and then Oxford here we come, ok Iffley here we come!!
See you all in the morning.
Hope you all had a good day, a mixed bag of weather and terrain - impossible to have perfect clothing/shoes - I was glad of trail shoes, though wondering for the first 12 miles
kudos to Go Beyond for keeping the race on in the face of adversity, not sure I'll enter next year though, unfortunately I feel the TP I a becoming an unviable option and there is other stuff around, e.g Peddars Way / Pilgrims.
Still a good day out
Definitely could have done with a pair of waders. Think my final count of 'above ankle' water hazards got to 13, not including the 'above knee' wade along that flooded road at about 19 miles.
Still, got round in well under 8 hours despite the conditions, and the reception at the CPs and the finish was great.
Well done the GB for getting the event on given the state of the Thames.
Well done to all who took part, and congratulations to all those who finished. I have not seen the conditions, but it sounds like they were pretty horrendous.
I can see this event getting moved forward a few months, at this rate!
Was good it went ahead. Bit slower than I planned but went over on my arse a few times, just bruises thankfully. That cold water gave me really bad pains in my feet which I didn't expect. finished under 8 hours and in daylight so reasonably happy.
I think that is TP done for me, only ever run some once in decent conditions. Plenty of other challenges out there!
that water was cold, thought ice baths were to be had post run. Managed to get lost after CP5 which added over 30 mins and couple of miles to my journey. Managed somehow to navigate the rest.
I'm quite up for slogging through mud but the ice baths were not pleasant - thankfully there was enough sunshine to warm up between dips.
Dill, that was a good shout to put the route on a map ahead, I'm also indebted to the many members of Reading Joggers for showing me round so that I didn't have to rely on the map too much!
I was having serious second thoughts about TP100 but at least there's time for it to dry out while I come round to the idea...
Well done everyone! Sounds like there were even more water areas to slog through than last year - sympathies for that "frozen feet" feeling.
Part of the charm of this event has always been the time of year it takes place, and the fact that the weather is a wild card. It has taken place in snow, in rain, and on clear frosty days, but flooding has not been a significant issue before the last two years. Now the course has had to be re routed twice due to flooding, and it seems to have caused a high dropout rate this year. It is a shame, but the Go Beyond might have to consider moving it into spring. As James Elson says “the Thames is a temperamental mistress”.
With 234 finishers I don't think there were too many dropouts. There was a new route with last minute diversions, tough conditions but I certainly didn't hear anyone complaining or criticising the organisers. The fact they went ahead and still made it a great day is a credit to them. As you say Ben you have to expect it this time of year. I'm only done with TP for now as there are list of other races I want to do.
I thought organisers and all the checkpoint people did brilliantly to give us a run. It was my first "50" and with my course error I was only 1.5 mile off. I really appreciated the run going ahead as all my training was put to the test. Only thing that didn't goto plan was I found I couldn't eat the second half of my sandwich very easily. I found mini pork pie at cp3 was bang on and cp4 gave me a couple of electrolyte tabs as I needed them for later stages.
Well done everyone and thanks for the organisers and CP people for making a hard day great!
Great race except i have learnt I cant tolerate shin/knee deep cold water at all with out breaking down and wanting to cry! The first section I bailed halfway through over the barbed wire fence and walked down to the end of it! Great day out and i will be back next year! Met some great people on the course too. Numbers 188/190 (I think) that gave me a couple of ibuprofen when it all looked bad before CP3 and to Peter (who I ran to CP1 with and I think may have dnf'ed
) and then to the reading joggers lads Alex, Maurice, Dave, Mike and Paul, was great running with you all.
Roll on winter 100, eager to take a crack at that now
Mmmm..TP100 next year maybe
well done everyone! Hows the legs and feet today? Well my "flippers" made it in one piece! Knee is a little grumpy today and I have tight toes but I think sandals was the perfect footwear choice
Who`s in for TP100 in May?
Wow, that was harder than I imagined/expected.
This was my first ultra and what an introduction!
Given the conditions, I'm pleased the organisers managed to still serve up an event for us.
My only main criticism would be that race I ran was not the race I signed up for. I'm not sure whether this is due in part to all the flooding and the route having to be diverted, or whether this is what the Thames Path is generally like this time of year? If it's that latter, it would have been nice if the race info page highlighted this to forewarn people what they could expect. If it's the former, I'll make sure I do more research in future.
The only real problem I encountered was a lack of signage on part of the diversion through a business park area (where we ended up heading towards a nature reserve?). Thankfully there was a security guard type person there who told me where to go, but I think that was more fortunate timing as he was about to get in to a car and presumably drive off!!
That aside, it was nice to compete in an event where everyone was chatty and were helpful when needed.
The helpers, marshalls and supporters all did a great job in testing conditions!
Anyone know where we can get the pictures from?
Well done to you all. It sounds like it was hard! I have deferred to 2015 and it will be my first 26.2 mile race. Absolutely bricking it after reading this last years race reports and the few that have come in from this year so far.
http://photos.wavephotography.co.uk/thamestrot_cp1 apparently a free finisher photo that we should get an email link to fairly soon
Thanks Jeremy!
Big Respect to all that started it, let alone finished it. The conditions were less than ideal, but you all battled on! Big shout out to the guy who fell across the line and into my arms!!
It was an experience.
Thanks Jeremy for positing the link, It should have gone out to all competitors. Also sorry about the watermark changing and becoming less transparent, I have just found 4 photos on Facebook that have been pinched already
You will get a link to download your free finisher photo very soon, but the others are priced at (i think) a fair £6.
Hope I caught your good side
Tom - I still didn't get an email yet for the free one
Hi Tom the Photographer,
Are the emails with the pics being sent out soon, do you know? Would love to see the finish pics!