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Thames Trot 50 Training
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I'm the same. I've done enough to get to the start line... Then i'll see on the day what i can do about getting to the finish line
E-mail update just come through saying that the route is likely to be significantly altered and road shoes will be more appropriate. Details to be confirmed tomorrow morning.
Gaaah. So now the "not enough" training I have done is on the wrong surface in the wrong shoes. What next?
The bike section.
I wouldn't have chosen a road 50-miler. However, if it's dangerously flooded, it's dangerously flooded.
My ankle won't like the road camber, but I bet it would have liked sliding in the mud even less - although by the time we'd waded through the floods it might have been numb so I wouldn't have felt it...
No, it's not the race we were expecting, but honestly, the pace on the original route would have been very slow - and I wasn't really looking forward to running for 10 hours or whatever with sodden and frozen feet.
Really hope the new route is well mapped/signed, since my careful recce of Streatley to Henley is now useless! I chose this run partly BECAUSE it was on a properly way-marked route and I didn't want to have to do much navigation...
The Achilles Heel is my achilles heel and it also does not like roads. Oh well. One foot in front of the other.
obviously I would rather do it on road than have it cancel but my road shoes are not as comfy as my off roaders and make my feet sore after 4-5 hours and 50 miles of hard road is a race I would normally avoid, my knees are aching at the thought!!!!
My road shoes are shot to pieces and I wasn't planning to change into them at all in the race. Its going to kill my knees! All that aside I'd much rather do it on the road than have it cancelled.
I must say I was also looking forward to a scenic run. It will be less so on the roads but as everyone else agrees, at least it's not cancelled, all my training really would be wasted.
Ah ha! Oh well. Gonna be hard on the feet, but I've done most of my mileage on the roads.
River levels on the Isis look to be levelling out: Isis Level
Before I read that email I managed to get out straight after work for a jog down to the bypass bridge over the river. Excuse the crappy phone pic, in low light: This is the view looking north towards Iffley Lock
50 miles mostly road and with cars too so hi viz gear needed ?
Just had the route in an email. I have mapped it into a gpx or crs file if anyone is intrested. pm me as not sure how to upload a file here.
Looking at the route it's not too bad. I will miss the long endless muddy field around long wittenham.
Just hope he can make it the full 48-50 miles.
Still looking forward to it, though unsure how my body is going to cope with 50 miles on the road.
No e-mail for me yet.
Hmm.. crappy route on a few too many roads for my liking but I'm over the moon that it's not been cancelled. This is probably my one and only chance at an ultra for a long time.
Bring it on now I say!!
I know, the route could be better, I suppose they were worried about too much navigation and losing people.
Andrew could you please send me the route as a gpx file? Much appreciated! Email is barn_whit@hotmail.com
Sent,
NOT happy. I don't think I've got a cat in hell's chance of following the route description as written. I don't know this area at all and most of the instructions so far read to me like gobbledygook. Sections like "At Radley go around Whites Lane and turn right to Abingdon and then left to the road skirting the Abingdon housing and then into Abingdon to pick up the A415" - what does that even mean??? How do I find Whites Lane when I reach Radley? (how do I know when I've reached Radley? Is there a sign saying so?" Is Whites Lane well signposted?) what does "go around" the lane mean? and how do I know WHEN to turn right to Abingtom and how do I know when to turn left to "skirt the Abington housing"???
And they've lost more than FIVE MILES so far. I want to run "5 x 50 miles" this year, "1 x 44.5 miles plus 4 x 50 miles" really doesn't have the same appeal, at all.
Hi Andrew, it would be great if you could send me the gpx file too! julian.jelfs @ gmail . com
Thanks.
And Debra your suggestion is...?
I'm sure they're doing all they can under what must be difficult and constantly changing conditions.
I'm nervous about navigation, too, but have just decided to treat this like an adventure!
I'm doing my best to plug it into google maps at the moment. A bit of guesswork, but when I have finished I'll publish it and then at least you should be able to check where you are on your phone. May not be exact, but will certainly hit the check points. It will be an adventure.
Oranj: As I've indicated in previous posts (see yesterday @16.41 on page 14), I fully understand and appreciate that they're working in difficult conditions and that the route has to be changed.I sympathise and don't have a problem with that, per se.
But I chose this as an off-road, well-waymarked 50-mile race, to start off my planned "5 x 50 in 2013". Therefore (a) substantially reducing the length of the route is a problem to me; and (b) I'd definitely like signage (arrows, either sprayed on the roads or "run route" type arrows" to help with navigation. I don't think either of those concerns are unreasonable.
I'm similar to Debra 50 miles off road was what I wanted.
On road and shorter. Can't say I'm very inspired.
My road shoes are also very worn down. Plus more impact on legs. Really thinking of giving it a miss.
I know it's road, but the views and scenery are nearly the same. It'll still be a good day out.