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Round Rotherham 50 miler
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Started on the 8am start as opposed to the 6am or 7am for 2 reasons, firstly I’m not a morning person secondly the 8 start meant I could get a hotel Breakfast in.
My primary aim for this one was just to finish it without injury or drama. After a very crap and miserable failure at the Coventry Way there was no way I was going start fast on this one, so I let the faster runners disappear, and settled into my own pace.
If ever there was a course where having past experience at the route helps this is it. The strip maps can be very vague at points and if you wander of them and you don’t have an OS map as backup your in trouble.
Got settled with a couple of other runners, Ian and Kevin and kept with them through the first couple of checkpoints, then Ian made a break and I let him go rather than up the pace, Kevin slowed so I found myself on my own getting a stiff neck from running staring at a strip map, although motivationally the benefit of starting late was kicking in as you start to pass lots of slower runners and walkers.
Got to the 27 mile checkpoint at 4:45 feeling pretty fresh, girlfriend took a break from shopping at Meadowhalls to pop along so I stayed at the checkpoint for 5/10 mins or so.
Left the checkpoint feeling good, got complacent and wasn’t taking note of the strip map like I should have been, took the wrong woodland footpath that veered away from the course, then ran it for nearly a F@:!K:@G mile before realising my mistake , then I decided to go out onto the roads to attempt to get back towards the Firbeck checkpoint, In retrospect this was a dumb move I Should have just turned back,. The detour added a good 2 and a half miles at least and cost me at least 35 mins.
I could moan all day about the detour but It’s the nature of the race and if your cant work out where you going then you pay the price.
Finally made checkpoint 5 (34 odd miles) feeling very pissed off. So stopped for a few jaffa cakes to get some inspiration. Once I got going again there was going to be no more detours, I was back to staring at the strip map, and started reeling in lots of people Id already passed earlier in the race as I got to checkpoint 6. There was a couple of blokes at the checkpoint who where suffering cramps and popping Ibruprofins, it’s a terrible thing but nothing puts something into perspective on a race like this than other people suffering more than you – My legs where heavy but I was still feeling relatively good.
About a mile before the 45 mile checkpoint was the last time I saw any other competitors before the finish, barely stopped at this checkpoint as I just wanted to get the thing finished - problem was now it was pitch black in the off road bits and they where a few points where I just wasn’t sure If I was on track which meant doing more walking than I wanted to, a couple of lucky guesses where all that saved me from another detour - an earlier start would have saved some time in the closing stages for sure.
Finished 9:54, 39th place – the detour cost me dear in places But that don’t matter, felt good enjoyed the day and was scrubbed up and taking the girlfriend out for a meal and a few drinks later that evening. Mission accomplished.
My primary aim for this one was just to finish it without injury or drama. After a very crap and miserable failure at the Coventry Way there was no way I was going start fast on this one, so I let the faster runners disappear, and settled into my own pace.
If ever there was a course where having past experience at the route helps this is it. The strip maps can be very vague at points and if you wander of them and you don’t have an OS map as backup your in trouble.
Got settled with a couple of other runners, Ian and Kevin and kept with them through the first couple of checkpoints, then Ian made a break and I let him go rather than up the pace, Kevin slowed so I found myself on my own getting a stiff neck from running staring at a strip map, although motivationally the benefit of starting late was kicking in as you start to pass lots of slower runners and walkers.
Got to the 27 mile checkpoint at 4:45 feeling pretty fresh, girlfriend took a break from shopping at Meadowhalls to pop along so I stayed at the checkpoint for 5/10 mins or so.
Left the checkpoint feeling good, got complacent and wasn’t taking note of the strip map like I should have been, took the wrong woodland footpath that veered away from the course, then ran it for nearly a F@:!K:@G mile before realising my mistake , then I decided to go out onto the roads to attempt to get back towards the Firbeck checkpoint, In retrospect this was a dumb move I Should have just turned back,. The detour added a good 2 and a half miles at least and cost me at least 35 mins.
I could moan all day about the detour but It’s the nature of the race and if your cant work out where you going then you pay the price.
Finally made checkpoint 5 (34 odd miles) feeling very pissed off. So stopped for a few jaffa cakes to get some inspiration. Once I got going again there was going to be no more detours, I was back to staring at the strip map, and started reeling in lots of people Id already passed earlier in the race as I got to checkpoint 6. There was a couple of blokes at the checkpoint who where suffering cramps and popping Ibruprofins, it’s a terrible thing but nothing puts something into perspective on a race like this than other people suffering more than you – My legs where heavy but I was still feeling relatively good.
About a mile before the 45 mile checkpoint was the last time I saw any other competitors before the finish, barely stopped at this checkpoint as I just wanted to get the thing finished - problem was now it was pitch black in the off road bits and they where a few points where I just wasn’t sure If I was on track which meant doing more walking than I wanted to, a couple of lucky guesses where all that saved me from another detour - an earlier start would have saved some time in the closing stages for sure.
Finished 9:54, 39th place – the detour cost me dear in places But that don’t matter, felt good enjoyed the day and was scrubbed up and taking the girlfriend out for a meal and a few drinks later that evening. Mission accomplished.
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Comments
I've had trouble following those strip maps before. Not fun.
How about watching those guys with cramp, I hope you offered them some sympathetic advice?
back on form then jason ?
.....Becuase we all know how much fun style and gate crossings are when you got cramps ;-)
I said something along the lines of if you slow trot/walk to the next check point they may well ease off (which in reality aint usually true, but it was the only positive thing I could think of)
I wonder if they finished - 12 miles odd is a long way to go with even mild cramps.
Yeh I feel fit and on form again ed. I had a good outing at the cornish Marathon a couple of weeks ealier to (11th) so I have got the confidence and almost all the fitness back that got trashed in the mid part of the year.
Next big one is the Meander again in Feb.
Weather was top notch for it as well
we're looking a little low on numbers now.
I didnt want to put my name forward or get to involved in the thread unless I can 100% commit, and at the moment I have no more available time off work until April 05....and like most races they are at the other side of the world from me so I need to get time off for travel.
...then theres the fear of twisting something and injuring myself in the dark just a few weeks before the MDS.
I'll have a think.
I thought with a year to go I could slowly work round the course when doing long runs for a marathon in the spring, what's the scenary like, thre are some nice bits near Rotherham and some dead rough bits and I get enough of the neds making sarcy comments on the run to work.
Roger
The end 5 miles in darkness are particularly dire. Heckled by two groups of Kids who I didnt have the energy or inclination to deal with. Although the second lot where mildy helpfull (after shouts of "run faster you F@:K@#G queer" as I approached them) they pointed out the footpath entrance and told me how far behind the next runner I was.
Mind you, you have to study the strip maps so Hard you dont end up seeing most of the scenery anyway.
It would be hugely advantagous to know the route - I reckon now that I have done the route if I went back I could knock off an hour easy just from saving time taking wrong turns and pausing to work out if your looking at the right gap in hedge/gate etc....
I printed out the strip maps before hand cut them into their sections glued them back to back then laminated them (in case it rained) I then Just pulled them out of my rucksack one by one as they where needed.
I also penned the route onto an OS (or my interpretation of the route) which like you say is awkward. Then took a photocopy and took that - problem was, where I ran off track was also where my photocopy of the route didnt extend to (aaaaaargh!) hence my 2 and a half mile plus detour before the Firbeck check point.
Although dont let this put you off its one of the best organised most friendly races I have ever done - amazing value for money - as much food and drink as you can stomach, meals at the the end, wearable T-shirt, race patch, certificate, electronic timing, split times handed to you as you finish all for £11.
couple of lads on london to brighton, saw them in the distance and thought 'please dont give me any hassle i cant face it!' as i approached they stopped & moved out of the way.... and kindly offered me a cigarette as i passed !
Roger
I have heard of people on long ultras esp when hot having a larger shoe to change into as the foot gets swollen.
Roger
on london to brighton i considered it as my toes were being bashed to peices on each downhill, but i never did in the end.
Roger
Thanks for advice re shoes
Are the results up anywhere - there is a local guy im my partner's club that often runs these events - Andy Brooks.
if it's not, go ahead and use it, i can supply a waypoint file for the coventry way to anyone who wants it!
very detailed Full results woth split times, position gained /lost at checkpoints:
http://www.hmarston.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rhac/trail/2004/indi_split.htm
If you look at my spilt times its dead easy to spot the checkpoint where I took the detour. I plunged from 22 position write down to 40th...18 lost places...ouch
...then the rest of the checckpoints go back to a fairly constant speed and maintaining of position - with the final stage slowing again - some of that down to fatigue but some of it down to it being damm hard to pick your way through the off road bits in the dark.
Personally I enjoy the navigation part it adds an extra dimension(providing your going the right way!). But Roger if you can reccy the route beforehand you really could save a load of time I reckon if Id known the route I could have knocked an hour of my time without to much bother.