Any 50+ mile running routes near London

[Deleted User]

I'm running the Marathon des Sables this year and having missed the Thames Meander with a twisted ankle, would love to run 50 miles just for the confidence it'd give me for the long (50 mile) day in the MdS.

I just don't know of anywhere I could run that far safely, without necessarily running on road, and was hoping that somehere could give me some route recommendations (ideally point to point) that are easily accessible from London.

If anybody wanted to accompany me, they'd be more than welcome, but I'm not fast (4:44 in FLM 2003)

I'd appreciate any help I could get....

candy ollier

i run round rutland water on saturdays... its 22.5 or 16.5 if you take a short cut

3 times 16.5 is 49.5 i finks

happy to do it with you.... we can have a special needs station (ie my car) each lap, and we can easily carry provisions for each loop

candy ollier

oh and the short route is mostly off road

candy ollier

oh and as for 'near london' it would take about an hour and ten mins to get there from kings cross, if you count that as near

[Deleted User]

that's as good as I could have expected CO, unless anyone comes up with a coastal ultra (advantage of the sand!), I'd be very happy to take you up on the offer.

Are you sure I wouldn't be too slow for you?, I have no idea what I'd finish it in, esp given the conditioning lost in the time my ankle was buggered my ankle and various illnesses either side of it, though I would be glad of the company...

Thanks so much for your help, am so very grateful...

candy ollier

what sort of pace were you thinking? your flm pace was about 10:00 or 11:00 wasn't it? i could live with that for 50 miles as some sort of ultra-LSD session

[Deleted User]

4:44 is 11 min miling but I'm not too sure that would be maintained over 50 miles in my current state. I'd hope to be able to do it in under 14 hours but then I could be (massively) overestimating it (not having any real reference for this distance), I wouldn't want you to be let down if my pace is too slow and make it a bit of a pointless exercise for you in trying to run together.

Just off to a meeting so will check back here in a couple of hours...

candy ollier

you might be surprised.... on no training (well nothing specific) i did a 24 hour track race last year and taking the pace very, very easy i did 100 miles in 23 hours

the first 80 miles were an absolute doddle (although the last 20 were quite unpleasant)

i'd be happy enough to see how it went anyway.... i could always take my mountain bike and do a run/bike/run brick or some such

[Deleted User]

Am awfully busy at work today as I have a bid that has to go out before I leave for Pakistan tomorrow night but if you email me your phone number, perhaps I can give you a ring tonight and we can discuss the nuts and bolts?

talk soon?
Saqib aka Mr Sandman!

candy ollier

e-mailed!