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Comments
I'm tempted to enter but I think I'll wait a while to see if I come to my senses.
I also fancy London to Brighton, has any one had the pleasure?
We have to fill in a form?
This is tougher than I thought . .
scratched pen across form . . envelope stuffed . . stamps licked and sticked . .
. . if I'm not careful that T Rex'll be back here tellin' me I've got to run too . .
Hi everybody! Yes, this will also be my first ultra. How do you transpose mara times to an event this length? I thought adding 20s per mile would be about right, but the resulting time (4:40:00), looking at last years results, would have brought me in about 15th - something very unlikely!
Hi T Rex . . when I first read your post I hoped to be able to respond constructively . . but I find that all I can do is echo your plea for advice . .
As a first timer like you I realise that I need to run more slowly than I would for a marathon.
I just said to myself . . suppose I got to the marathon point in 4 hrs (about 26 minutes slower than I'm hoping to do the Copenhagen Marathon in May), I'd have an hour to do the final 10k and thus finish in 5 hrs . . which would have put me in the top 25 last year . . and like you, I just think that's most unlikely.
Early on in the thread Shades mentioned that most of the first half points downhill, that the opposite applies to the second half, and that overall the race climbs 4,000' . . mostly in the second half, obviously.
I imagine that the first half of the race will be very tiring mentally, trying not to run as fast as normal, and trying to hold back mentally on all this downhill. Could take a lot of concentration.
Then the second half will be more tiring physically . . and I know that's stating the obvious but I mean because of the inclines as well as the distance.
On the other hand we may just surprise ourselves!!
Wonder if a course profile is available to frighten us any further?
So yes please you ultra runners . . any advice would be welcomed.
And as for my entry form, don't worry T Rex, I drove round to the nearest pillar box and got my daughter to get out and post it for me . . . wouldn't want to risk straining something after all!!
Rich and T Rex...whassamatter, worried that the course might be toooooo tuffy wuffy... c'mon stand up and be men!! scaredycats!!!
Email me if you want a copy and I'll send it later today.
the other factor to consider (apart from the hills) is that you usually run into a slight (or severe) headwind when climbing back up onto the moor.
T Rex . . see why I never bother talkin' about runnin'? See the reaction I get? A waste of time . . .
Trini . . . << glares >> . . :-)
Shades . . you'll be hearin' from me!! But when is a headwind slight and when does it become severe? And at what point do we start to climb back up to the moor?
The lowest part of the course is at Ashburton (13ish miles, I think) then despite what Clod Hopper says I think the climb out of Ashburton is the worst hill of the race. It's a very long climb, but sheltered. The weather usually seems to be at it's worst from about 25 miles onwards, quite exposed in places. The weather was great last year, sunny and about 15 degrees.
fellrunner - the road surface is good tarmac, no concrete, you'll just have to be careful on the more severe downhill sections, there is one hill that as we ran down last year, our ears popped! Abseiling equipment not required though.
so you'd recommend me to go easy on the nail polish then?
see Shades' long post in the middle of the previous page Trin . .
Richk, etc, etc - hang on, mate: we don't all spend our lives looking at the computer screen. Some of us go out runnin' from time to time. Please talk about running to your heart's content and I'll get back to you in a day or two.
Hmmm . . I finished 12th once . . but there were only 42 competitors . . and I was 38th in the 1997 Cornish . . so I spose I could talk about runnin' if pressed!!
T Rex - if you want last year's split times, email me.
Rich - don't forget the waterproof hair dye too - what colour will you choose for Dartmoor?
<<worried coz realised dealing wiv faster runners than first thought>>
It's my first ultra and I'm just gonna respect the course and see how I can do on the day...hopefully finish before 5.30, but if not then not too worried.
My best placings...3rd lady overall...only about 60 or so competitors tho in a 10K. Also 4th lady vet in Torbay 1/2 last year.