The British Ultra Fest 2013

Comments

  • Ian MIan M ✭✭✭

    People go round and round in circles till they die of boredom.

  • Slightly unfair. I think they change direction every few hours.

  • I just did a 24 hour track race where we changed direction every 4 hours.
  • Why on earth would you want to go around a track for hours on end let alone days...........

    i could see you travelling cross the country enjoying the views..........not a bloody track.....imageimage

  • JeremyGJeremyG ✭✭✭
    Helllen respect for that I am all for an ultra but need scenery! Six days round a track?not many takers I think!
  • to an extent I can see the attraction of this due to the mental toughness you need to have to keep going around and around for that duration.

    physical toughness is one thing, but can you cope with the mental side?? interesting

  • Ian MIan M ✭✭✭

    In light of the mental toughness aspect, I shall be organising fencefest - a 6 day watching paint dry challenge.
    Participants have to each paint a panel of my garden fence then watch as it dries.  I will be supplying quite small brushes to prolong the excitement. 

  • Ian M - throw in free camping, a swag bag, medal, tech t-shirt, get an electrolyte sponsor and you could charge a few hundred quid per entrant!

    I quite fancy a shot at the 48HR having previously done a 24HR (albeit on longer off road loops) ... I'll sign up for FenceFest as part of my recovery!

  • I love the fact that they have a tab for course and don't manage to provide a photo of the whole track.

  • Do they provide you with a written description of the courseimage

  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭

    They don't want to spoil it for everyone!

    I can see the purpose of using a track for these races in terms of having everyone in a small area, you can effectively cover infinate mileage as it is a time race not distance, everyone can be seen at all times, it is likly to be fast and support is dead simple. The overwhelming downside is that it would be more boring than a very boring thing.

  • Brilliant post Seren! I was wondering if it was undulating!

    I could have seen myself doing the 6day but around a track... for £400! Mmmmm its a price of a small all-inclusive holiday where you could run everyday as well

     

  • You do get all your meals and a bed to sleep in!
  • I have got a bone to pick with you lot!!!!!!

    I knew nothing about this event until I saw the thread, I started out enjoying the banter on here, I particularly love the posts around the course photo's and route description. This lead to  a quick visit to their site, where a little worm must have burrowed in to my brain and all of a sudden the glorious, absurd, pointlessness of it has taken hold and before I knew it had the form printed filled out and ready to post ... have opted for the short course (48HRS) over the fun run (24HRS) and the total frickin 6 day nutter release programme.

  • I wonder if you be chanting an appropriate mantra as you joggers go round and round and round and ......"All the people, so many peopleimage
  • slaneuk - mmm might manage a tamborine and chant as I strive for transendence, reckon the right shorts will have space for a joss stick or two also!

  • 6 days to go before the 6 day begins. Bring your own beds and Joss sticks. We have tents and maybe some mats but accoutrements are the individuals responsibility.

    Those people who think that 6 day races are boring are dealing with something in their minds. The reality is something else, out there.They have yet to become real ultrarunners.You have never heard from the lips of a 6 day runner about how boring it was. I guarantee you, boredom is not an issue.

    The British Ultra Fest is a £400 opportunity to extend yourself in a way you have not experienced before, an opportunity to become something other than what you are now. There's still time to sign-up...

    http://britishultrafest.com/entry/

     

  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭

    Will the water jump be used for all 6 days?

  • I can just about get my head round the 48 hour option but I'm not brave enough to attempt more than 24 hours on a track.   

    Fair play to those athletes who are going for the 6 day option.  That's what you call 

    true dedication to ultra running.  I shall take a jog over to Radley to watch the start, jog home again for dinner then than cycle/jog back and forth over the course of the 6 days.

    Ah what the heck, I might as  well join in for the last day.image

     

  • Remember and say 'hello' then, I'm doing the 6-day race image

  • Fair play to you MrsMac. I will certainly say hello at least once and maybe a few Hi's as the week progresses.  I wish I was brave enough to have a go at the 6 dayer.image

      I've just this minute got in from jogging down to the Thames  at Sandford , whilst there I decided to carry on a little further to Radley College to have a close up look at the track.  

    What a beautiful place it is as well !  The track looks brand new and smooth as glass. I visualised  myself gliding round like an ice skater.image  your all going to  love it. I did a quick circuit of the outside, had a look at the camping  area which, although right next to the track, is also nicely secluded.

     

     

  • What is the best option for a novice doing the 24 hour event?  Would it be best to go off at an even pace, say 5 miles per hour and hold it for as long as possible( with walk breaks )  or would it be better to  run at 6-7 miles an hour  for the first 10 hours, again with walk breaks.  

     My PB for a flat marathon is 3:17 and my best 50 mile time is 7:32 but that was a trail race. I think I should be able to cover 50 miles in about 9-10 hours  and still have plenty left.  

    Well we shall soon find out.image 

  • I have only run one 24hr race waccy, and that was on a 10k trail loop, what worked for me was even pacing, the difference between my slowest and fastest laps was less than 10 minutes. As the race progressed I did tough take breaks more frequenty and stopped for longer when I did. My laps were very slow though. I am going to take the same approach with the 48HR in that I am going to run just about as slowly as I can and hope to keep running for as long as I can.

    Look forward to seeing both you and and MRS Mac. 

  • The key is getting your pace right. Its better to start off too slow than too fast. Getting it right is difficult because of all the adrenaline and energy from the other runners so starting off slow will allow you to find your own pace and as Alistair says, hang in there. Some people take regular walking breaks and many people have said that that helped. A plan helps you stay focussed.

    Have a great race.

  • Thanks for that Alistair.   

     I'm going to enjoy this whatever approach I decide to take.   The track at Radley looked so inviting this afternoon. It really is a top class Athletics track. 

    Well i'll be over there throughout the week picking up as many tips as I can so no doubt I'll see you there.  

    Have a restful week ahead.

  • Cheers Abiacal.     I ran the TP100 a couple  of years ago and learned the value  of 

    regular walk breaks so I shall be sticking with that.  I agree it's all about getting the pace right early and  also not too get caught up in the "race" .   

    (My race will only be against myself  )

    One of my points of focus will be the two tower blocks near my home in Blackbird leys.  They are just out of sight behind the trees at the North/east side of the track.  Each time I go round that bend  I shall give the bbleys power salute.image 

    (  In my mind of course.  ) 

    Telling myself I'll be under their shadow again soon, but only when the race is over.

     

     

  • What an amazing race this is !  

     What must be going on in the minds of these athletes  as the leaders change places

    while slower starters begin to race up the leaderboard?  With pit stops  and rest breaks  taken at different times you never know who is suddenly about to  move up  into contention.  

      

  • image

    that's all I'm going to say as 

    running is boring

    and running 24 , 48, or six day races  against world class Ultra runners is 

    the worse experience in the world.

    My nose has suddenly  grown two feet long.(  or 24 inches.)

    I must be telling fibs.

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