Race to the stones 2016

Boinging the old thread from last year onto this for RTTS 2016 ! Training should be under way hopefully for most by now - looking forward to good RTTS chats & info & experiences shared from last year image
«13

Comments

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    Minniemonster , I think you are sensible in wanting your car at the end . Logistically it can be tricky but I heard lots more complicated stories last year of having cars in place here there n everywhere etc !! image

    It's a lovely route , not sure about anywhere at the end for camping but the cars are pretty close to the finish to crawl into !!
  • Thanks that's good to know! Am slightly worried that I'll be defeated by heat as it's in July but will just have to slow down if it's a scorcher.  Oh and head torches have never been my thing either. Hang on why am I doing this? image

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    Last year wasn't too bad heat wise & although sunny it can get quite windy & open in sections .

    Head torch you won't need for long if finishing before 11pm image
  • I emailed the organisers and they said there are tents at the finish the runners can use - I'm planning to crash in a heap there until I can get a taxi back to Swindon.
  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    There's your answer MinnieMonster ! image
  • image Thanks. Are you all aiming for a particular time or seeing how it goes on the day?

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    I'm going to try to finish before dark ????

    You ?
  • I'd be interested in the answer to that too. I have no idea how long I'll take, I've never done 100k before. I've done 88 on road in just over 11 hours, so I'm guessing another 3 or 4 for the extra distance, the fact it's off road, and I'll be finishing in the dark?

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    I ended up with the last 5-6 miles in fading light , the last bit to Avebury after Barbury Castle is nice as pretty much downhill but it's on some rutted tracks which once the light goes it's difficult to keep speed up for fear of twisted ankles ..

    Then last bit you can actually see the lights of the finish gantry in the distance , but alas you have to do a stretch of road , round the stones then back up same road (!) onto some fields & 2 sides before the finish straight .. So yep try to finish in some daylight if you can
  • I have no idea how long it's going to take - I have a horrible feeling that it might be something like 16 hours as I'm not sure I'll cover more than 4 miles on that terrain and with stops, and trying to take it at a speed that I enjoy it. Having said that I will be motivated at trying to get in before dark - wish it started earlier!

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    Yes it could do with an hour earlier start !
  • I finished in the dark last year.   As long as you have a good head torch then you'll be fine.  There were snap lights at certain points so made it a bit easier in know which direction to head.

     

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    Cheshire Cat , yes they had the glow sticks out well before dark , really good organisation . Loved the glow sticks on the last run down to the finish ! Nice image
  • Hi guys,

    First of all... Hello everyone - I have just signed up for RTTS and I'm looking forward to nuggets of info in this thread in the next few months!

    Shot in the dark here because I know it's not a simple equation... Half mara: 1:27, mara: 3:17, Ironman: 11:50, and I did CTS Devon mara (29 miles) in 5:30 this year....

    The aim for me is to finish around midnight (16hrs I think) so that I can cross the line as I turn 30 (on the 17th!). 

    This is likely to be relatively doable right??? I am training 10-12hrs per week at the moment for Ironman Weymouth and I wanted to just stick this in as something additional to aim for in the summer.

    Anyway - I was pretty confident when I entered, but I'm now having the inevitable doubts which I'm sure you've all had before!

    Cheers,
    James

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    Yes image

    probably end up doing it in around 14 or less but yeah with those speeds you should be ok. Just get the endurance up there.  Including days walking image 

  • Hi booktrunk,

    Thanks - yes, that seems to be a piece of advice I've seen a lot online. I might try to do a day of 4-5hrs walking the day after my weekend long run a couple of weekends. It'll just mean switching my IM training around a bit because normally Saturday is long ride, then Sunday long run. 

    Anyways - thanks for the confidence boost!

    James

  • I'm wondering whether I should buy some sort of ultra vest/backpack...logic tells me no as the aid stations are so close that I shouldn't need to carry more than I can already carry in my two bottle belt, but then I will also want phone, head torch, more substantial food than normal, and probably some other things I haven't thought of yet. I'm just feeling a bit cheap as at the moment I have no further ultra plans. But I also know that running without the right kit is more trouble than it's worth! So should I just bite the bullet and buy something, sooner rather than later so I can train with it? I think the answer is yes but just wanting a sanity checkimage

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    Decathlon do cheap vests, and if you like waist bags, I have an OMM 6l waist bag that you can probably get everything into image might be worth looking at other do 4 and 8l waist (bum) bags.

     

  • Thanks Booktrunk. I'm going to have a look and see what's out there. If I get a bigger pack I think I like the idea of two bottles in the front rather than bladder in the back, I probably need to try some on. Going out tomorrow with my current set up of waist bottles and a "buddy pouch" magnetic thing I got for my phone which seems quite good on the short run I tried it on. But yeah I can see I need more storage.

  • The Decathlon,  'Kalenji'  branded hydration packs are like £14.99 and brilliant. 

  • I got a Vango Swift 10 today only £23 and not what I was intending to buy, but having tried it on it seemed good enough to at least try and cheap enough that it's not a complete disaster if it doesn't work. I'll be trying it tomorrow.

    Booktrunk - when doing searches on it I noticed you actually bought one a few years ago - how was it?

    Hope everyone's training is going well - only 3 months to go!!

  • My wife and I are planning to walk run the distance - how crazy or cramped is it in the first few kilometres - anyone know?

  • It is busy for the first 10km really as you make your way up in to the hills. Not so bad that you can't make your way through the 'crowds' if you want to. There was/is one bottleneck where you go through a narrow gap in the woods and then through a kissing gate.  There are a couple of other pinch points where you can only really run two abreast, but otherwise you should be able to find and keep your own pace.

    I ran it last year with my wife. It's easily the best event I have ever done for a whole host of reasons. I am sure you will love it.

  • BTW, hello everyone. It's been a long time since I've been on the RW Forum (10 years) but I thought I would return in the build up to RTTS 16.

  • I haven't got a clue how long this will take me, I refuse to even think about that, I'm just going to take it as it comes on the day. I have bought a Nathan backpack, the cheapest one I think it was, it has two bottles on the front and a very small amount of space on the back but it'll allow me to have some snacks, a long sleeve top and a head torch in there, I don't think we'll need much else.

    Does the race start at 8am again like last year? Just as a heads up, the traffic was horrendous last time as it's a small road and obviously single file into the field so leave plenty of time, far more than you'd expect to need.

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    Hello run Paul run image

    It was a good event I agree . The bottle necks were after that short straight part and onto the woods but nothing too bad
  • TickTockTickTock ✭✭✭

    Hello all - now I have got London marathon out of way it is time to focus on 100k non-stop RTTS. Last year I dipped my toe in the murky waters of ultras and ran 50 miles in about 7:20 but expect RTTS will be hillier and warmer so pace will be slower.

    Any ideas on what sort of food/drink will be at the aid stations?

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    There was a mix of cereal bars , coke , water , crisps , I think there were dried fruits on some but the website tells you what's on each roughly
  • CheshercatCheshercat ✭✭✭

    The latter stages of the race hot soup was being offered which was a welcome change.    

  • Really want to do this event but havent got the money till the end of the month. I'm guessing this event sells out by then?

    Bloody knew i should have booked this earlier but children are expensive

Sign In or Register to comment.