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Race to the Stones 2015
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I'm getting the usual "I haven't been training hard enough" worries. I'm not planning on going over marathon distance in training in one go (although will possibly do some back to backs) but am now fretting over whether I should do at least a 50k.
I also need to do more run/walk training. Did a marathon on Sunday that I intended to run the flats, walk the hills, but in the end, although I did do that, the hills just weren't anything like frequent enough and I ran the flats far too fast. Felt alright but my quads have suffered the last few days. I have another marathon three weeks before race day so I definitely need to pace that one right. Not sure I'll go as slow as race pace but I definitely aim to finish feeling very comfortable.
Glad i am not the only fretting over this. plan to do a split long run tomorrow to and from work which will give me 22 miles. Trying to find a marathon that i can do but daftly booked my weekends up.
This seemed such a good idea back in October! Fit and healthy then it all went tits up.
I did the Paris and London marathons as my training base. Just keeping in touch with an all-out hilly half marathon in a month's time and some slow long (20m), inc a to and back from work sometime (26m), trail runs until July. It's not enough but should make the event easier?
Two runs a day is a good idea actually. I'm so busy and with a 3 year old son and a pregnant wife, I feel really guilty disappearing off for hours for a long run, so doing a medium distance run first thing and then another later on might help. My overall fitness and speed has improved hugely this year but it's time on feet where I'm lacking.
I am lacking time spent on my feet which is my main concern which will have a knock on effect in getting a reasonable time. Doing the non stop and want under 20 hours.......
Those of you panicking could always do a marathon one day and then a 20m or another marathon the day after , back to back marathons are great practise, no need to worry at all about speed it's just a case of getting around within the time limit for each race.
I did it last year and was surprised just how much energy i had for the second one. As long as you pace yourself properly, and this is a good way to learn how to go at a sensible pace.
Thanks for the advice.
Thanks booktrunk. I think I may do a 20 miler the day before my next marathon (if time allows). Thinking behind doing it prior, rather than after, is that it's the races that I run too fast in so having done a 20 miler the day should hopefully put paid to that.
Sensible pace is definitely something I need to perfect.
Good luck
Hey guys, I'm thinking about doing 1 of the days of RTTS as training for a 100km event I have later in the year, people who have done it before - which day would you recommend? I'm leaning towards the Sunday slightly as otherwise it's the "Race halfway to the Stones"
IGIT - do the Sunday that way you'll see the stones.
And you might finish further up the field as everyone else will be knackered!
I've not done this event before but I am looking at it. It's hard not to compare it unfavourably with the Ridgeway Challenge which is over the full 86 miles in late August and which I've done four times so far. The downside of course is that you have to run 86 miles instead of 62!
This event seems more commercialised (and expensive) and its hard to find the information you want amongst the mass of marketing blurb on the website. Those neat rows of tents at half way are also a bit offputting!!
The travel logistics are certainly difficult. I try to use public transport whenever I can but it would be hard to do here.
In point-to-point races I would always recommend parking at the finish and taking transport, if provided, to the start. This involves a much earlier start to the day but worth it at the other end of the day. Nothing worse than hanging around for the transport to take you back to the start, or the stress of missing the last transport back. But parking at the finish here would involve a middle of the night departure from the finish for most people. I would probably do the 100K in about 16 hours and after a shower and something to eat and a chat would find myself having to drive home at about 0200 which isn't ideal.
Hope you all find arrangements that work for you!
I could try to help with information about the course, though.
I would also suggest having an extra layer to put on as you go into the night, and even a hat and gloves. The Downs seem to be very cold at night, in August anyway, and you're generally not moving as quickly.
You'd probably get away with road shoes if it's dry, although there are boggy bits in places. A word of warning: if it is wet any exposed chalky surfaces are very slippery, lethal to run on.
There isn't much scope for getting lost as long as you are following the signposts with white acorns on and not the ones indicating public footpaths, permissive paths, bridleways, byways open to all traffic, etc, which unfortunately all look the same after dark ...
Almost 6 weeks to go and I'm starting to gently brick it. It's the same old story of not thinking I've done enough training.
I have done about 425 miles since the beginning of March. That has included two very easy paced twenty milers, one marathon and, over the next 3-4 weeks I am planning another couple of 20 milers and another marathon, before tapering.
Overall mileage I think is OK. With time constraints, I don't think I could reasonably have done too many more, but I would like to have done more long runs of 18 miles plus. I plan to do my final 20 miler the day before my next marathon, and to run both at a very easy pace, with lots of walking. I think if I can get through those two OK, I might start to feel more confident.
Overall though, am feeling tired, a little bit sick of running and am not looking forward to tomorrows 20 miler much.
After that moaning misery fest, how's everyone else getting on?
How time is creeping a long......... CotswoldRunner, you seem to have gotten plenty of miles in and there is always that niggle of could have done more. I am thinking that now!
Today is the long run for me, just run 10 miles to work and 16 on the way home. This works better for me than cranking in a really long milage and getting slower as i go along.
I too will be glad when this is over as i am tired of forgetting items of clothing when iI've showered at work.........today is one of those days!
I've still got my non-stop place for sale if anyone is interested. Will sell for £100.
Hmmm, may have picked up a bit of an injury on Saturday's long run. My right achilles felt sore for most of it, and towards the end I had two very sharp twinges from it when foot landed. Did a very gentle recovery run this morning and it felt fine for most of it, but was sore again on uphills and I didn't feel I could push off properly on it. I have had a bit of pain in exactly the same spot before, usually during and after long runs, which has gradually faded away with no issue. This feels a bit more significant though.
Don't have another run planned until Tuesday evening now so hopefully, that little period of rest will help. Fingers crossed it's nothing long term. Just been reading about achilles tendonitis and rupture. Hope it's not the latter and maybe just a mild form of the former.
Chesher, I intended to break up a long run last weekend. I did eight in the morning and thought I'd do ten again in the evening, but after a day of plasterboarding a ceiling and a few sleepless nights thanks to a 3 year old with a cough, I was like a zombie and had to just take myself off to bed. On the plus side, I am very used to feeling knackered so I'll hopefully be able to handle going long into the night on race day.
I am very much looking forward to tapering now!
Go steady with the achilles, CR. I've had the injury you describe (AT). If it was ruptured you would know about it - you probably wouldn't be able to walk on it. Ice it regularly (submerge in a bucket of iced water the best). Avoid resting it too much though. Keep moving around and gently stretching it. You might have to stop running for a bit, or go out very gently indeed on level surfaces with no downhills.
For racing you could try a different shoe or cutting the v-notch lower on your current shoe with a knife. This takes some of the pressure off the tendon. (I've done it to all my shoes as a precaution.)
Thanks T Rex. I have been moving about on it plenty, and have been stretching. Actually feels a bit better today. Haven't really iced it yet, although I did put some anti-inflammatory gel on it last night. I was massaging and stretching it last night and I think the main area is actually where my calf joins the achilles as this it where it seems most tender. Was thinking I may well have to postpone the hill session I had planned for Tuesday!
The uphills would be quite good for it but definitely not the downhills - you'd have to find a different way back somehow.
I think i have realised i will be doing a fair bit of walking during the race. Got the long run in on Friday gonig home but it just seemed really slow but not helped by a gale blowing off the sea! I need another long run this week.
Are you planning to run/walk it all chesher? That's the way I intend to do it, along with spending a few minutes in each aid station resting. I plan to do that right from the start.
My mindset is changing on this race. Having done nothing over a marathon, I always saw races as "running" races. This isn't a running race though. It's about me getting from start to finish as quickly and efficiently as I can. That will involve some running, but also plenty of walking, eating, drinking and resting. So, rather than it all being about running, interrupted briefly by everything else, all of those activities will be as important as the other.
Yep, run / walk but i know i'll head off and run a good chunk at the beginning and then suffer later on! Must stick my plan all the way. Never run this far before so i have no idea how i will do, training is ok so just going to have a stab at it.
On a plus note it does mean i can eat a lot on the way round. Would like to aim for 20 hours but then sitting here it seems very easy, out there in the race i am sure to be thinking differently.
Are walking poles allowed?
Starting at the right pace is always difficult. I've gone off too fast way too many times to mention. I just know that in no race is it more important to start slow than this one. Completion is everything and, while I don't want it to be bringing up the rear, position and time is irrelevant.
My plan is to break the race down into 10k chunks and try to run an average time for each one. This isn't because I want to finish within a certain time, but just so that I have a pace to aim at. Doing a 10k chunk too fast will be considered more of a fail than too slow. I can reassess as I go along and alter that time if necessary.
All the eating will be fun. Maybe we should just think of it as a massive buffet, but with 10k between each table!
No idea on poles. Not something I've ever really considered but I'd always assumed they would be more useful in very hilly races.
You won't need poles. I think you will find them more of a hindrance.
The secret about food is little and often, right from the beginning. But don't have a mixture of everything at each station. Keep it plain and vary between stations and then you're more likely to keep it down or not feel nauseous.
Hot food at half way is vital if provided, and I think it is. Don't pass that up. Take hot drinks if they're provided as well - I find black tea very restorative. You can get fed up with just cold food and drinks.
I'm sure you'll have a great time with this. One of my favourite trails.
Well it will be an adventure if nothing else. Never run / walked this far before but i just want my 2 point! That will be the only thing to get me all the way.
Good call! i am always amazed just how much time can be wasted at pit stops.
Another good idea is to carry a few small bags - black dog bags are ideal
. Put what you want in there from the aid station instead of hovering around the table eating - and as booktrunk says, you can then get going.