24 Hour Soloists

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Comments

  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭

    tricialitt - maybe get a couple of good quality flasks and have some hot soup/food in them.  

  • Yup- probably  a good plan. Needs a bit of thought...................I just need to get into the damned race first.

  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭

    Hope you get that place confirmed soon.image

  • I'm in for Endure24 next June. I have done it before as both part of a large team, and in a small team, which I did find tricky with such short breaks between laps to grab food and some sleep. Currently I was planning to stop for several hours of sleep in the middle, and then resume, but will see how I go. I'm taking part in a 6 hour run next Sunday (Resolution Run on Hayling Island) and also a 12 hour event (WSR Ox 12 hour) in early May.

  • I'm on the waiting list for Thames Towpath 100. Anyone know what are my chances?
  • So- I have a confirmed place for Glenmore 24 in September. I did a 53 mile ultra yesterday, running for 14hr 35 mins, and to think of carrying on through the night is inconceivable at the moment. I have no major damage - no blisters, toenail issues or chafing ( well, not much), but was just grinding out the last few miles, mainly due to sleepiness, and just plain tired legs. Worrying about this now!
  • SmittersSmitters ✭✭✭
    I'd say having a good 50 miler under your belt with no major issues was a huge achievement, not a worry, unless you're planning on 100 miles!

    Managing to slowly ramp my long runs up now, but wow, my feet are taking a battering - small blisters and sore joints. It was 30km on Sunday with tired legs after a quick parkrun on Saturday. Three out of four weekends will be 30km plus from now until early July and the taper my 24 hour race. That's not a lot of weekends left! To balance family life and sanity, I'm planning on a weekend max of 50-55km, split over two runs. What are other people's plans for the peak long runs?
  • tricialitttricialitt ✭✭✭
    So, no delayed trouble after last weekend, easing back into it over the next week. I did think I have a 25 miles event lined up for next weekend, but the organisers have disappeared off th eface of the internet, and I suspect I am the victim of a scam. So now the plan is- build back up to a 42 mile ultra in july, and a 40 miler in august, These will be my longest runs, plus possibly think about some back- to back weekends. This week at work was hellish, so had a 36- hour solid spell on duty, with "time on feet" from 7am thursday morinig until 2:30 am friday- all good training! ( I was doing operations, not running, but same effect on the brain).
  • SmittersSmitters ✭✭✭
    That's great news to be in good shape after a long race. A shame about the race-disappearance though. Which ultra are you doing in July?
    I managed a trail marathon at the weekend which was a bit hilly, but I've come out with minimal niggles, just a sore toe joint, so I'm studiously ignoring that and planning some more tedious running to build a bit of mental strength. I'm hoping to do some back to back runs where I do a 16km out and back, get home, have a cuppa, then head out and do the same again after 15 mins of rest, then get up the next day and do it once more again. That'd be 48km over two days on the same ground. I am a desk-sitter, so I also want to work up to long spells at out standing desk to build basic time-on-feet endurance.
    I'm also hoping there are big gains to be made by working on my glutes, core and hips, all of which suffered during the marathon, so clearly need attention.
  • I know I'm a bit late to the party but I've done 24 hour event as solo and really enjoyed it

    tips for me were, get everything ready food wise before the race and put it in boxes, I then put a table underneath a gazebo ( incase it rained ) and put some solar powered lights on my gazebo so I knew it was mine in the dark ( suprising how all the tents look the same lol ) and when I came past I had food ready to take 

    At dusk I changed into warmer clothes for the night time running - It gets cold, so make sure you have a few layers, it's better to have too many than not enough ) don't forget gloves and hats too they can help make a difference with keeping warm

    I found Heinz tomato cup a soups hit the spot ( I had these recently at my 100miler that I did ) as the flavour really helped rather than the usual cups of tea or coffee, it was also easy to make up if you've got hot water available 

    I did use a pot noodle if I wanted something else to eat and that helped too ( try and pick a flavour  you like ) 

    change socks!! I found this really  helped my feet and I felt like I had a fresh pair of feet for the run

    Take a couple of pairs of change of shoes, just incase but have bigger sized ones for later running as your feet seem to swell

    put new batteries in your head torch to make sure you don't have the faff of changing batteries and take a back up head torch incase they do go.  I used some duracell long lasting batteries and they lasted me through the night

    Don't be afraid to take things that are offered to you by other teams.  I found a sausage bap for breakfast was lovely when I was running the  next day, other runners are briliant and really supportive

    take polos or mints. a tip someone else gave me, if you feel abit of nausea coming on then suck a polo or a mint, this trick really works for me

    toothpaste and toothbrush - take a travel toothbrush and toothpaste and if you feel tired clean your teeth.  This worked for me again another tip from another runner but give it a go

    I loved the night time runner and seeing the sunrise but got tired about 6am 

    Good luck to anyone doing a 24 hour event though I want to do more of them as i find them really enjoyable
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Jo - that's brilliant advice for 24 hour running.   I've done three 24 hour track events a few years ago now, none of them very successfully.   I hate off road so all the new 24 hour events don't appeal to me.  

    I was thinking about having a bash at the 100 mile road event in September near Preston but I think the event has been cancelled so only a couple of 6 hour events for me this year now, then maybe I'll look for something longer next year.  I might go to Ireland as there's a good 100km in June.
  • tricialitttricialitt ✭✭✭
    Thanks Jo- that's almost the basis for an event checklist there- I've used a toothbruch on a 50 miler- those chewable ones you get in cinemas and airports are better than nothing. Pot noodles/ cup a soup are a good idea, (and coffee I suspect!). Am now trainig for 2 x 42 mile races in july then august, and after that just keep it going for the 24 hour race in september.
  • Hi Smitters, Hi All,

    I too have signed up for the Cotswold 24 Hour event in July and I am doing it solo.
    I come from a walking background so will be breaking that up with some running breaks, hopefully to get me to 100 miles within the 24 hours.
    For solo entrants, a small table can be placed near the start/finish position to house all your bits of kit.
    I'm hoping that my other half will come and support me for some of the time, at least, I can't expect her to stay up all night though.
    Not much else to add at the moment but I'll keep an eye on this thread.
    Good Luck,

    Kev
  • UPDATE - just like Smithers, I'll be doing it without support crew. I'll need to give a thought to hotels (Friday and Sunday) and getting all my bits and pieces sorted into boxes for my table.
  • SmittersSmitters ✭✭✭
    Hi Kev - where did you read the bit about the table? I scanned the website and the doc they sent my after I entered, but they;re both pretty light on detail and neither mentions a table. Cheers, Smitters.
  • Smitters - I emailed hello@100milerun.com asking a few questions and was told that as a solo runner, there will be a table for me to pop some supplies on. I'll email again in a few days and ask if I can take my own table, then at least I'll know how much space I've got!
    I agree that the info is a bit sparse.

    Kev
  • SmittersSmitters ✭✭✭
    Cheers. That's really helpful. I'll wait a bit and see if they put out some more info, or email if not.

    Managed a decent enough 23 hilly miles and 4 1/2 hours yesterday, but lots of work still to do as I can see fatigue in the hips is going to be an issue for me otherwise.
  • SmittersSmitters ✭✭✭
    Smitters said:
    Cheers. That's really helpful. I'll wait a bit and see if they put out some more info, or email if not.
    So, I'm not very good at waiting. Table confirmation was made - which is really helpful for Saturday. Sunday, I feel like I might be tempted back to the tent just for a rest!

    I asked a couple of questions:

    Question - Can crew for a solo access the campsite without a camping ticket?

    Answer - If your crew are just coming for the day then they wouldn’t need a camping ticket however if they will be staying overnight they will need a ticket each.

    Question - Am I allowed to take food/drink from anyone out of course, away from an aid station.

    Answer - Absolutely you can do that with regards to food, they can give you food etc but we do ask that you take all rubbish to the next check point where there will be a bin.


    Both of these are good to know, as my family can boil me some soup or similar early evening from my stash, or hand me stuff from the far end of the course, which is much closer to where they're staying. This means a much higher chance of a cheeky burger early evening! Yay.

    I'm really looking forward to this now - got another 23 miler on Saturday, fairly flat from Cricklade along the Thames Path to the source and then on towards the Cotswold scarp and home. Time to test some foot strategies as I keep getting blisters in odd places I've not had them before.

    Also started to do some circuits again, which I did in January and February (became a bodycoach fanboi for a few weeks!). I found that the circuits resulted in a noticeable pace lift for the same effort. This time I'd like to do more core work and try and hold good form for a bit longer before it all goes horribly wrong and I shuffle along like a 100 year old! Net result is that circuits plus tempo run equals trashed legs!



  • SmittersSmitters ✭✭✭
    An update in the form of injury. Sesamoiditis to be exact, or as exact as a diagnosis requiring three medial appointments, two courses of drugs and an x-ray can be, with solace found in a tiny L shaped bit of orthopedic felt. And NO RUNNING for a minimum of four weeks. The race is in six. I'm tapering into my taper and missing the biggest month of my training schedule, including the overnight and back to back practice. Argh. But still, I'm coping in three ways.

    1) The whole point of laps was to take the A-B stress out of the equation. I don't have to run an ultra, or even a 10k to get a t-shirt. My final distance depends entirely on how well the training has gone over nine months. Or seven and a half, as it turns out. And my last few long runs were good, albeit not over a marathon distance.

    2) I can cycle and as long as I don't bend the toe much, do circuits, so I'm focusing on turbo training, leg strength, mobility and core. I have lots of free time now I don't run!

    3) Reading about racing and ultras. Which brings me to the real reason for posting this - the letter Joe Uhan wrote to this year's Western States runners, which applies in so many ways to so many races. 

    http://www.irunfar.com/2017/06/dear-western-states-runner.html
  • I'm in for the Cotswold 24 solo. So far, I've done Hope 24 (90 miles) & two attempts (one finish) of the GUCR.

    This will be first time I've been unsupported. Need to know can I pick up my supplies when I go past or do I need to come off course, fetch supplies & return to start?

    Do they do hot drinks? Hot food? Do we need to go and buy them?

    Hope 24 was good as I had someone supporting me & I was camped a few metres up from the start & could just lift the rope when I went past. Are we able to do that?

  • SmittersSmitters ✭✭✭
    Bob, possibly a bi late, but solos get a table at the start finish, but to restock that, you've got to go to your tent. Don't know how far that'll be. We have to leave our baton at the start finish, so leaving the course unannounced probably doesn't work. I'm sure it'll all work out though. There is apparently a 24 hour food/drink provision, though I'm not relying on it. Cirencester to the east has a big Waitrose and a big Tesco, Stroud to the west a big Sainsbury, Tesco, Waitrose and Tetbury to the south a big Tesco, for last minute things. See you there. I'll have a bright green waterproof on and a sign on my arse asking you to support the idiot (Danny). Come say hi, though with a 90 miler done, I doubt I'll stick with you for long!
  • How's everyone getting on?

    Can't say I had a perfect race, but since I tapered from May/June (!) I wasn't expecting record breaking distances. All the same, I had a ball. The Cotswold 24 is to be applauded - it was a really nice event. Everyone was really friendly, as I had a sign on my arse with my name on it and encouraging abuse. Despite my legs deciding running just wasn't for them very early (halfway round the second lap! I stuck it out for ten laps and 90km of walking/jogging/procrastinating.

    Good things:

    Very organised when passing through - probably limited my stops to 90 secs per lap total when not leaving the course.

    Felt pretty sharp and determined for nine of the ten laps. Lap seven was a low point.

    Bad things:

    My poor undertrained feet were a mess pretty quickly.

    My "quick" sleep after lap seven turned swiftly into a long stop, meaning I missed the through-the-night atmosphere. I need to be stronger with myself, or get a crew who will hide my sleeping bag.

    I'm just getting back to regular running and thinking about 2018 plans, having given myself plenty of recovery and lots more family time before going training again.
  • Hi all,
    Glad i found this forum. I am looking at doing my first 24 hour in 2018 so really pleased to read all these tips. I wanted to do a 100 mile early next year but recently i did my first 12 hour endurance and i loved  the format so want to try a 24 hour in which i will no doubt  hit 100 miles anyway.
    I missed out on tickets to the endure 24 but have my name on the waiting  list.  I was considering the hope24?
    Looking forward to a great 2018 but wish there was another 12 hour this year i could do locally. Its getting a bit late now.
    Best of luck everyone

    C
  • Cotswold 24 entries opened today... dare I? Dare I enter my OH?
  • Hi- I am in for a 24 hr race in Sept- Glenmore 24, which I did last year too. I managed not to sleep, despite the temptation being huge. Most of those who stopped for a "quick" nap struggled to get going again- just keep walking, drink coffee, and wait for the sun to come up! Looking forwards to it, but I have a few other races first.
  • I've just signed up for the Cotswold 24 Hour race in August. Complete novice and newbie, my first training run on Monday was extremely short and almost killed me........still.....I'm fully aware about how stupid I am.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    24 HourFD - well done for signing up, remember if you're going to run a 24 hour there will be a fair bit of walking during the race, so slow down and walk a bit when you need to and your aerobic performance will improve.


    My 24 hour event  Listowel Endurance Festival have announced their date, 21-23 September, so as long as the start time is going to change this year (last year was 6pm), hoping this year it will be noon then I will be signing up for the 24 hour.  If the start time is 6pm it will have to be the 12 hour for me.
  • Hey Shades, I'm going to plan, as far as you can plan these things, meticulously. I just plan to keep moving at 5mph for 20 hours..........what could go wrong? Ha ha.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Hey Shades, I'm going to plan, as far as you can plan these things, meticulously. I just plan to keep moving at 5mph for 20 hours..........what could go wrong? Ha ha.

    I know, on a spreadsheet it doesn't look so hard does it?   Actually what can be hard is keeping the pace down in the early stages.
  • SmittersSmitters ✭✭✭
    Hey Shades, I'm going to plan, as far as you can plan these things, meticulously. I just plan to keep moving at 5mph for 20 hours..........what could go wrong? Ha ha.
    Spot on. Do 10 hours, have a kip, up for another 10 - 100 miles. Bob's a close relative. No reason why you can't do this, not that I've ever managed 100 miles - so what do I know? But joshing aside, Cots24 is a cracking event and good fun. The lap is challenging at times, as it doubles back a bit and you can see spots you'll take 30 minutes to get to just over the way! Most people will end up walking a fair bit, so get this going in training and deploy it early in the race to make sure you're still running a bit on the Sunday. I saw loads of people run to 11pm then drop, utterly destroyed and unable to face another 13-14 hours. Ironically, walking loads (and a big sleep) and I felt like it was a lovely day out. My OH even walked 3/4 of an early morning lap with me, which was lovely.

    No 24 hours for me this year - just doesn't quite fit, but a mate's in, so I'll be along to support.
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