Race to the Stones 2015

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  • Just done mine booktrunk. Have to say, I'm planning on going considerably slower than the time it predicted! Plus 2 hrs is about right.

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    image I was going to write what you said about the think your going slow... then go slower image it really is a case of saving all you can for later. 

    Heart rate might be one way of doing it. i'm doing a combination of speed / heart rate for my 50 in a weeks time, if HR is to high, or time is to fast compared to my plan, then I will have to slow myself down. No matter how good I am feeling.  Until the last 10 miles then if i'm still feeling good then can relax and go for it.

  • Thanks booktrunk & CotswoldRunner,

    I did my 28 in 4 hr 56 min, but I was bored all by myself so I definitely went fast than I will on the day.  My husband is doing the first 50K with me so I'll have someone to chat to, although he really doesn't chat so hopefully I'll be running by chatty people. Today my 15 took me 2 hr 40 min.

    Thanks again for feeback!

     

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    Hummm This was harder to find than I expected.  Here are last years results.  The only reason I was hunting these down is that it will give you an idea of the split time for half way, or rather 48km where they had the halfway place last year.  You can see how much the average drop off is in the competitors compared to their overall time. 

    I think you will want to try to keep the pace as steady as possible for the first half? so plan a half way time and then that gives you an approximate time for your first quarter, as you will want to be reasonably even for the first half of the race. 

    There were quite a few who went under 6:30 comfortably for the first 48km and finished in over 16h so that was 10 hours for the last 52km image as you can see there can be a big drop off, so don't wear yourself out to quickly otherwise the second half literally becomes a slow grumpy march.

    If for example you were aiming for around 15 hours then I reckon 13 minute plus miles will get you to half way in a few minutes under 7 hours, and hopefully you won't be to tired at that so can only drop another hour or so and come in around 15ish ? I don't know what your plans where, if that's way to slow, or fast or around about what you were thinking?

     

  • 14 - 15 hrs is about right for me I think booktrunk. I've done some practice at 12 minute miles (couldn't face going any slower than that!) so 13-14 minute miles would be a very easy pace that I could hopefully sustain for most of it.

  • Booktrunk I'm really surprised by the slow second half for those runners. Thinking maybe some of them ran off way to fast in the beginning miles and also I've read in race to the stones facebook entries that lots of runners had only ever run a half marathon. This could account for some of the major positive splits. I was planning to not go faster than 11-11:30 mm for at least 50 miles. After reading your post now I'm thinking maybe 11:30-12 mm!!! I know there will be some very slow hill walking and also other reasons where there will be a very slow mile time, then that will naturally make my time slower. I really just want to finish before it gets dark!
  • The slower second halfs did surprise me. If you take into account that first section is 48 and second 52km, that actually makes slightly more of a difference than you'd think, but many people still have markedly slower second half times.

    Looking at the 14h30 finish times, which is roughly what I'm aiming at, there's a couple of people who have done about 5h30 first 48, followed by 9h final 52! That sounds horrendous to me. One guy though, looks like he paced it to perfection, with a 7h first 48 and a 7h30 52k. Searched for him on Strava to see if I could find some of his other times and PB's but couldn't find him.

    Probably going down a bit of a rabbit hole comparing other people's times too much, but it does ram home the point yet again that a slow start is very, very important.

  • Well I'm aiming for 16 hours. I tend to do 4 hours marathons. I did the first 50k (only) last year in 6 hr 45 mins. and hadn't really trained for it properly. This year I'm planning to do the first 50k in 7hrs 30 mins. I'm going really gently as I've not gone further that that before. The goal for me has to be get to the end!

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    Sounds good Al. Taking it nice n sensible, it's all about getting across the line without destroying yourself. 

  • Alastair why are you doing the first half slower this year? Have you trained even less than last year or you just know 7 hr 30 will be better?
  • Hi Kristin. No my training has been better however I've never run 100k so I don't know what to expect. Therefore I'm going to take it easy. The goal is to finish the same day I started!

  • Just bumped into someone who ran RTTS last year.  He finished in 14 hours and said when he runs it next year he would definitely have a shorter half way stop, they stopped for 40 minutes.  Also he said be prepared for a lot of climbing.  Regarding food he said bring some savoury items because most of the food provided at the stops are sweet. 

    Can you tell I'm getting very nervous!

     

  • Depends what you're used to on the elevation Kristin. There's only 2300 ft of gain over the 62 miles, which, compared to the trails round here, is pancake flat. I did more than that in my 15 miler yesterday, for instance. If you only ever run on very flat ground, it might seem a lot I suppose, but it's pushing it to say there'll be a lot of climbing I think.

    Good tip re the savoury food. I'm always sick to death of sweet stuff by the end of a marathon. It would make more sense for there to be a bigger selection of savoury on the tables I reckon, because everyone carries gels and bars and sweet stuff anyway. Will have to think about some good high calorie savoury food to take.

  • Well, I trotted round my trail marathon nice and slowly. Was a two lap course and I had a bit of a wobble at halfway when I thought I'd have to drop, because my achilles flaired up again from around mile 5, and was really painful from about 10-13. I had decided I was ddefinitely going to drop but just before I did, it felt a touch better, so I just decided to give it another mile or so to see. It gradually got better and better and I didn't get as much as a twinge from it from about 16 onwards. Very strange, but it meant I did a ten minute negative split, which has never happened before! Other than the achilles, I felt strong all the way round, which is a good sign, after having done 15 miles yesterday as well.

    Now I can taper and give this damn achilles a proper chance to recover. No idea what's going on with it as it feels fine now, just an eight mile or so period where it was agony going down the hills or running on uneven stuff.  As soon as I walked though, it was fine.

  • Hi all

    I still have a non-stop ticket up for grabs if anyone knows anyone who is interested. Just done a 100k ultra so feeling like giving myself a longer break... pathetic, I know. Any offers?

  • Good luck selling your place Jonathan. Which 100k did you do and how did it go?

  • JonathanF I don't plan on lacing us any time soon after RTTS. Well done!

  • It was the London 2 Brighton challenge a couple of weeks ago. Everything went well until the 56k mark and then various wheels began to come off my waggon... just had to slow right down, buddy up and soldier on. Did it in 14.30 in the end and got to Brighton in time for beers and a late dinner.

  • CheshercatCheshercat ✭✭✭

    Out of interest, has anyone had anymore info from the race organisers?  They have gone very quiet.

     

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    They seem to have things on their facebook page... well up to last week https://www.facebook.com/RaceToTheStones

  • Hi Cheshercat: neither myself or my work colleague have heard anything either. So don't worry. I seem to,remember last year you pick up your number and bits upat the event, so as long as you've got a confirmation E- mail and ID I think you'll be good to go.

  • CheshercatCheshercat ✭✭✭

    Al - I thought just the registration paperwork would have sufficed, ID is needed as well?

     

     

  • Still got that entry ticket. Go on... you know you want to!

  • Last long run done. 31 miles in 6 hours. Easily my best. Now time for a steep taper. BTW the Ridgeway today was bone dry even with a bit of rain on it last night and this morning. So as long as it doesn't dump down, road shoes will be fine. The area around Uffington is quite rutted. 

    Hope everyone's fit and well.

  • I'm leaning towards my road shoes now. My trail shoes are the most comfortable type of footwear I've ever worn (New Balance 101) but they don't make them any more and the current pair are nearing the end of their life with a couple of splits that let in a bit of dust and grit. I've been babying them along and not wearing them too much but I don't know if they're going to make it.

    All getting very real now. I've been very confident of finishing throughout my training, which has gone well, but as the day approaches, the challenge of covering 62 miles, having never gone over marathon distance before, is starting to feel a little daunting! My main hope now is that it isn't too hot on the day, although if it is, it is, and I'll just have to deal with it.

  • I just read the info guide and I can safely say that I'm bricking it! I hope it's good weather, I will take hot over raining at this point because I don't have the footwear for a wet trail! Or the fitness. Or the experience. Why I thought that my first trail race should be two x 31 miles is beyond me. imageimage

  • Hi all

    Well, it's taken me a while to find this site.  I ran it last year (2 day option) and did it as my first ultra.  I had the time of my life; the support at the CPs is phenomenal, as is the selection of goodies (I recall beef and horseradish sandwiches at 10.30 on Sat!).

    This year I'm going for the non-stop option; I did the Green Man (45 miles) in March, and so this is the next challenge in the "step up."  Like everyone, I'm nervous about what I have signed up for, and always feel like not enough training's been done.  It's going to be fun overall though, be sure of that - even if through very gritted teeth at times.

    Me and my running partners have a vague idea that we'd maybe like to finish around midnight, but we shall see how it all pans out on the day.

    CotswoldRunner, you're local to me I reckon - chances are you have been training on the Cotswold Way have you?  That's what I've been doing for sure!

    Sere you all in less than two weeks now; let's hope it cools off a tad.

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