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Thames Path 100
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Thanks Tiago, just wing it I guess!
Walking will be a large part of my day I think so your spot on! I shall just get my butt out if the door and practice marching 
I know this one is going to hurt....a lot! I shall be waaay at the back with the "under trained" crew
B2B - one thing that worked for me at the start, when I did it, was to force myself to walk at every bridge until I got myself into a good run/walk rhythm. Felt a bit silly at Kingston when I started walking and everyone around continued to run, but stopped me from racing off like a loon.
Thanks Dougie im going to try really hard to do something like that or I know im going to be looking at my watch after 6 miles thinking "crap, really should be walking at some point!" like I did on the TT50
'Run with the mayor' as they say on the brilliant Trail Runner Nation podcast.
Tiago How is the river? Is it still badly flooded?
It's improving markedly, very boggy, but not actually several feet under water. I can only speak for the Wallingford to Oxford area.
Any one major tip for the Grand Slam?
It has seemed a bit awkward to talk about recreational runs on the towpath when so many people living next to it have ongoing misery. But life has to continue as normal at some point, including our event. I can only hope flooded residents can get back to normal as soon as possible.
I expect over the first half a lot of the path has become damaged, including signage/footbridges, etc. Perhaps locals could keep the rest of us updated?
My training is a bit poor, but I have two marathons and a 39-miler before this as warm-up events which hopefully will be enough.
I always try to set out slowly in long events but it's very hard doing this when everyone else seems to go off quickly. It's not a good feeling being left behind so early on.
I've often found the runners even further behind than me, or those I do manage to overtake, tend to drop out so although my race position is gradually getting better I'm always struggling somewhere near the back of the field!
I've had to buy some road shoes, as the path has been flooded and inaccessible for so long. It has added a few extra miles to my run commute though, so I guess that will aid the training. My legs feel much more sore due to all the tarmac though, it really isn't natural.
I was wondering about how recovered the banks would be come May or even if the flood route was still viable but a lot can happen in 10 weeks. I'd like to think those who've been through misery are well on the way back to normality.
I think walking sounds key - I've been injured but have just done an easy half which went ok so less running and more time on feet is key I think.
Shoes.... that recurring question. Despite my error last year, my gut feel is that I will be wearing road shoes in May anyway. Obviously that would need to be reconsidered if we had a lot of rain just before, but May really ought to be the perfect time.. ?
Once again I shall be using my trusty Luna and injinji combo
if it aint broke and all that....
Tiago I would say treat all four races as one extended multi stage race. So don't go balls out in any one race, remember you have to recover for the next. Make sure you have full and proper recovery between the races, if you don't the next will be so much harder than it need be.
I ran the SDW with a friend and we were both running the NDW but I had rested he did not. He DNFed with nothing in the tank.
As for the shoe thing, I am usually a Hoka disciple but due to an ongoing issue I am having a break from them so it will either be my roadies or NB Leadvilles that I am yet to buy yet.
Cheers Dill, when you say proper recovery between races, do you think the fact that my first child is due in June might affect that? I'm definitely going to approach them as you suggest. I aim to go into the first one just fit enough, but not peaked, and then treat each one as a training run for the next.
I change my mind about shoes constantly, but I wear trail shoes whenever possible.
No the baby won't affect anything apart from a bit of sleep depravation.
Seriously though what will affect you is if you don't rest from running long distance your body will not be good to go again six weeks later. Probably only running half your peak weekly mileage in that period.
Is the first half quite a high proportion of tarmac/hard surfaces compared to the second half? I was thinking road shoes and change to trail after half way point.
La sportiva ultra raptor is the shoe for me, sportiva are the only shoes I've worn and not got blisters racing. There not to aggressive on the tread so I do alright on road and trail races. Having said that I've only run upto 65 miles, so might think differently after doing 100.
Tiago - ref babies - I PB'd every distance I raced from 5k to marathon within months of my first being born...I reckon I just got used to being knackered the whole time
Cheers guys, nice posts.
That's great advice, Dill, thanks buddy. I was just thinking, you must have learned so much about yourself in terms of that distance. Last year must've been invaluable.
T Rex - the first 30 miles or so is almost entirely road / hard surface. After that it still ought to be hard packed dirt in May, with quite a few concrete / tarmac towpath sections anywhere near a town. I'll probably put an emergency pair in the drop bag too, but only use them if I need to.
About drop bags. I'm new to distances over 50 miles. Would anyone recommend having a drop bag around the point it gets dark (bit of a guess), so I can put dry warm clothing on and not have to carry it?
Torq i usually use a crew but i always have a night kit. So as the night comes in and the temp drops i change. You will be amazed how cold you will feel in the night even if its mild. The more worn out you are the colder you feel.
Also mentally it sets you up for the next phase of your race.
Thanks Dill. I think planning those sort of things is going to be as important as any training I may do, as to whether I complete this run!
The mental aspect is so important, especially as this will be my first run into the night and beyond.
A little tip I use regarding the mental side is to never doubt in your own mind whether you will finish or not. You have paid your money, done your training and you will finish.
If you set it in your head that the only reason not to finish would be injury it makes things easier come race day. In the middle of the night when your having a rough patch, feeling tired and ready to quit you can remove those thoughts from your mind easily because they are not options available to you.
Positive thinking is massive, if you go in thinking there is a chance you may not finish its too easy to use that excuse later on and end up pulling out. Tiredness really isn't a reason to DNF.
Torq - re drop bags, yes, but bear in mind that the required kit list has to be carried at all times. You will understand why if you take longer to reach the drop bag than you planned and they could DQ you at any point - so the drop bag is for extra / spare stuff rather than essentials. Must admit I'm hoping they relax the required kit a bit now its in May - I don't have a summer weight waterproof...
Practiced my DNF logic by avoiding a DNS at SPW due to man flu. Its all about getting used to running while you feel like shit anyway, so maybe running with a bug carries bonus training miles. After about the first hour, I did actually start feeling a bit better. You do get a few funny looks in the office when you were too ill to work on Friday though....
Dill, I think you're so right. A positive attitude will get me a lot further than I think. It's worked before, when every muscle was screaming at me to stop!
Kevin, I've been also reading that the size of drop bag looks rather small. So, as you state, it's extra rather than essential. I too am looking for a waterproof and saw a natty (cheap with sealed seams)) little number at Decathlon under their hiking section. Wondering whether it will pass inspection?
I know it's kinda cool to get the mandatory kit ticked off and To make it weigh as little as possible, but the dorky side of me feels compelled to say the list is there for a reason, and it's worth packing stuff that really works, as hours on end wet and chilled to the bone is potentially worse than a few extra pounds in weight. Okay, sorry, dorky bit done.
Just ask Ben Davies about being underprepared. I ran the first TP with him and he was as near hypothermic as I have seen anyone ever.
Got my Harveys map today. I'll be checking out the Wallingford/Abingdon section tomorrow. I hope it's not as foggy as my last two early mornings.
How's everybody else's training going?