Jurassic Coast Challenge March 2013

Has anyone entered this yet? Did anyone do last year or a previous year? I'm looking to enter but I'll be walking it. I assume it's plenty of ups and downs. More importantly, what's the social side likeimage;)
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Comments

  • I'd love to enter as an intermediate run/walker but the price is a lot (i know you get a lot for it but not sure i can spare £150!)
    There will be lots of ups and downs, given what the dorset coast path is like. No idea on the social side, depends if you have any energy left to socialise!image

  • I'll find the energy.... I'm debating whether to do the full three days or just two. Depends on how much I can save up. Also need to factor in the train fare down from North Devon
  • You've got to do the three surely! image
    did you watch the little video on the website, it just makes me want to sign up!

  • Haven't yet but will do in a minute. The missus has banned me from running marathons due to hip and knee issues but she didn't say anything about WALKING one.....
  • STEVE TAYLOR 27 wrote (see)
    Haven't yet but will do in a minute. The missus has banned me from running marathons due to hip and knee issues but she didn't say anything about WALKING one.....

    But this isn't a marathon. It's a 'challenge'.  It says so in the race title.

  • good point Wales, do you think he'll get away with it? image mind you it also says in the description '3 marathons in 3 days', but i guess thats not 'a' marathon image

  • I'll get away with it if I can save up I reckon. Hopefully it won't be full before I get there. I have a HM on 24th Feb, another on 3rd March, so I need to get fitter for those already.....
  • Also just noticed that the accommodation is minimum ??30 a night on top of the ??155 entry. Brilliant challenge but getting pricier
  • I'm giving it serious thought - you don't have to enter until just a week before (although I'll probably have decided a few weeks before that). The weather could still be a bit iffy in March, which'll add to the challenge.

    It seems like quite a decent event. A friend did their Pembrokeshire coastal challenge in 2011 and thought it good. It seems to me they've priced it aiming at long-distance triathletes, where, to be honest, £155 + accomodation costs for 3 days racing/training seems like good v. value!

  • I'm in! How is everybody's training going? Looking forward to it as we (my husband and I) have never done this sort of event before.. What sort of mileage are you putting in for back to back runs?  Im feeling like I haven't put in enough hill work - feeling slightly nervous about that! I see that a section of the path is closed due to a landslide - hope it's sorted without too much detouring!! image

  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    Check out the route of this event very carefully.  There are an awful lot of diversions of the official SWCP throughout Dorset because of the recent months' heavy rain causing landslips.  You could be covering quite a few more miles and 00s of feet of ascent than you anticipated!

     

    There's a section on Portland where I don't think they've even worked out where the diversion's going to go yet.

     

    I think the National Trail website has all the info, if not try the SWCP Association website.

  • I have entered with a friend but we are just doing one of the days (i know, wimp or what. but it is day three, the hardest!)
    there are a lot of diversions, but most of them dont seem to be too bad or too far
    However, this looks to be the worst one
    http://www.southwestcoastpath.com/faq/route-changes/kimmeridge-chapmans-pool/

    I had to do that one the other week in training, I was going to run Worth Matravers to Lulworth, but i didnt realise the path was shut until i got to chapmans pool, so took the route inland, however i ended up picking up one of the range walks and finished in Tyneham instead. Its not any more ascent really, but it is a long trek inland, and i did inform Votwo on facebook. Perhaps they are waiting to see if other shorter diversions get put in place before they announce any route changes?

  • Regarding accommodation - when I did this in 2010 I booked directly with Chesil caravan park - I got a Monday to Monday booking in one of their self-catering chalets, very cheap, and very basic, but did the job. Travelling down from Scotland I did not want to just come to Dorset for the weekend, would have been too tiring, so this gave me a few days to recover from the drive and recce the coast before the race. They also do shorter bookings for those just looking for a couple of days.

    Also, lots of folks on the accommodation / meal deal with votwo complained there was not enough food for the evening meal - its a good idea to take some extra supplies with you if you can - the camp site had a fast food type outlet, burgers etc, so lots of people were 'topping up' with this, but it had limited opening hours cos it was out of season. I think the organisers were thrown slightly as it was the first time they had catered for that many entries.

    Hope this is helpful - generally votwo were great and you will not meet a nicer more helpful bunch of guys, they really want to have as many folks finish the 3 days as possible image.

  • I just checked out the Trails website (thanks Max's mum)  - that is a fairly hefty diversion around kimmeridge! 

    Tigerspaw - we have booked a self catering at Chesil caravan park, I guess this will give us a little more control over food - I plan to cook some "easy heat" options just in case..

    Re training - I had a go at a B2B2B over the weekend gone, but am thinking that we need to put in a bit more mileage.. any thoughts about this folks? 20/20/18 or 22/18/15??   Also, we train with the hills available around us but still only ascending about 530meters/approx 1500feet?? We plan to walk the hills and just run the bits inbetween so does this seem enough? More hill sessions? 

  • I'm planning on walking the hills and running the rest, so i think thats fine. although there are some nasty hills on the day three section! You could keep going up and down the same hill as its the accumulative ascent that will kill youimage
    i'm having trouble putting in distance runs, so hope to rectify that this weekend!

  • Cate - thats a good idea re.preparing food in advance. One of the difficulties with a multi-day like this, where you will potentially be out for hours and hours (unless you are one of the few speedy racing snakes at the front), is getting enough 'real' food down your neck. I was getting up early, having a cooked breakfast, then 30mins before start having more toast, etc, OH would have dinner cooked already by the time I finished so I would trough that almost immediately I got in, then snack all night.

    Day 3 will truly test your desire to finish. I wouldnt worry too much about accumulating big mileages at this point, it is probably more important to be fit and well rested before the event, although if you know you can recover quickly there would be no harm doing say 15, 21, 10. Having the desire to get out of bed and run again the next day is the key. It is useful if you can go out with fully loaded pack and walk, or yomp, up some big hills then practice descending. I walked quite a few of the descents on day 3, mostly large sets of steps with big drops, which my knackered knee found hard to cope with.

  • Tigerspaw wrote (see)

    I walked quite a few of the descents on day 3, mostly large sets of steps with big drops,

    Ah, the lovely steps on St Aldhams head!

  • Just had a catch up with a friend who has also entered but is having achilles issues so is planning on walking now image but happy for her that she is still going to have a go..  We were chatting about run vs walk.. and I am curious about how you all cope with switching with walk/run strategy.. I find it really hard to get legs moving after a stretch of walking..  I obviously love/need the walk rest but find it can make getting moving again really Really tough..

    MM - good idea re hill repeats.. I think that and a few shoter focussed sprint session are in order..

    MM/Tigerspaw: the steps sound awful and lately I have found my right knee very twingy!! Thinking about getting a compression/support band as a just in case.. I did a 20/14/11 last week so having a light week so thinking next week we might do 20/20 or  another b2b2b then another light week.. We are heading to the peaks 2 weeks before for a long weekend so were planning on using it for some serious up and down hill walking! 

    I am really dubious/nervous about Day 3, but just plan on taking it as it comes.. I want to do the best effort I can, but I know that it won't be pretty and it is not an event for going too hard/fast.. I really will be happy to finish, without injuries... and not too many tears! (I can get a little over emotional about mud and silly things when I am tired!!)image

  • David Falconer 3 wrote (see)
    AussieCate wrote (see)

     (I can get a little over emotional about mud and silly things when I am tired!!)

    Youre an Australian ......... suck it up ...... thought we bred em tough in Aussie land????

    Bahahaha! I thought this was a safe place to shareimage No Judging!!!  ... Besides Ive been out of the country for awhile ..

  • This event is enough to make grown men cry.

    Actually I did see grown men cry - one on the first day when he tried to jump a stile, slipped in the mud and almost castrated himself image, the second about 16miles into day 2 being comforted by the emergency doctor, twisted knee and told he could not continue.

    MM and AC - walking poles are allowed on the event if you are concerned about your knees. I ran without on day 1 and 2, because I thought it would be a hinderance, but then took one out on day 3, very useful on the descents and for forging your way through the mud. Lots of folks used them on this, although its not something I would usually bother with, if its allowed in the rules, then its worth giving yourself the option.

  • Tigerspaw - OUCH.. though have to say jumping stiles is never a good idea..   good idea re poles - I have some and was thinking of taking them for exactly as you've described.. though wondered if I would use them.. prob good to have an option - particularly if my knee isn't coping with descents..

  • I only use walking poles on mountains usually and then only if i have to, i find they just get in the way. but i could stick one in the pack.

  • Lovely running day today folks - decided to take your advice Tigerspaw and MM and go takle some hill repeats.. I found a lovely "mound" near me that climbs 72meters per km.. starting at a lovely 17% then mellowing out to around 5%.. I worked out that to cover about 3000feet I need to run it just under 10 times.. made 5 and gave up, but saving myself for my last long run set this weekend B2B 20miles..  I really noticed the pounding in my quads descending!!  As you said MM, its the accumulation of climbing and descending that gets you!  Couldn't help but love being out on a day like today tho.. What beautiful weather we are having.. and what a difference it can make to your running!!  

    Hope all is going well JCCers! image

  • did a nice long run at the weekend, 16.5 miles, but sadly not over hills, on a flattish trailway, just wanted to go for some distance. back on the hills the next couple of weeks though. maybe this one!

    http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/41/47/414792_e571581d.jpg

     

  • OMG MM - that is beautiful... and a little terrifying! I am in envy of your beautiful "local".. I can't really complain though - we have some lovely woods to run in..  This is the best hill I could find nearby.. you don't really get the perspective but just imagine that it rolls down to the village in the distance..  We have had a change of plan this weekend.. B2B will be up and down this hill (prob) x 10.. makes a 20km run with over 3000 ft climb! We decided we could squeeze a 20 mile in March and so getting some climbing in our legs would be better for now!

    /members/images/585599/Gallery/watlingtonhill.jpg

     

  • Dont be too terrified, thats one of the hills you'll be going up on day three! image
    Looking down Arish Mell, and up Flowers Barrow

    Your hill looks big enough given the view i can see!
    I'm worried i wont be ready. . .

  • because some of us are getting on a bit? image

     

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