Racing a Train

I'm off to Race a Train this Saturday and wondered who's going to join me.

Dene

Comments

  • I hope it's a Thameslink one, for your sake. You'll win easily.
  • i'm in.. distinctly lacking any decent training of late.. managed to put some faster bursts in on my mid distance run on monday.

    with my half marathon PB it was always gonna be close (assuming a flat course!) + lack of training + heat its gonna be even closer.. but probably on the other side of close.

    there's a thread ot 2 under events on this.

    personally i was planning to dump a load of leaves on the line.. but maybe they'll buckle anyway :)
  • Choo choo...
    I will be there along witha bunch of us from Stourbridge RC. Haven't done this before but have been told the train takes about 1:45 and its hilly. Also the paths are mainly singlrtracks so you need to set off quick if you don't want to get stuck behind anybody. I think about 30 runners beat the train last year.
  • currently undecided whether to wear my blue spotty club top.. or something more restrained :)
  • I will be there hurrah! Can't think when I last run above ten miles, so ho-hum, could be a leisurely one for me. Anybody camping or are you all posh.
  • ED I am taking wet suit for a bit of sea swimming if you're up for it, got no children with me so will also be on the lash.
  • I'm stopping in the (very poshly named camp site) Pall Mall.

    Does anyone know where you register on tne Staurday as the forms got nothing on.

    And

    How long does it take to get up to the start.

    Deneo
  • JjJj ✭✭✭
    Can I use my car?
  • Deneco- you will need to pop into Tywyn to register it's in a big marquee near the steam train station, go up the road past the Co-op, cross over the railway bridge on the right and it's just down there. The start is on the railway bridge.
    I am on a campsite named Ynysmaengwen or something like that, it's a mile or so outside of Tywyn
  • Sorry to harp on, but does the race start in Tywyn or at the other end of the line.

    The forms you get and the website tells you nothing.

    Regards

    Dene
  • i'm up camping near dolgellau as we're hanging about till monday. Will have wife & friends plus kid (friends kid not mine!) in tow.

    quite fancy a go in the sea, as i never tried since i learnt to swim proper, and i didnt manage to do it when i went south last week.

    where you intend to do it... what abotu tides and currents....scary

    looking at:
    http://www.goodbeachguide.co.uk/
    but dont recognise the names :P

    will pack wetsuit in case.
  • Whats all this talk about wetsuits!? Just strip off and jump in, it was lovely and warm last week.
    As for campsites, I thought there was a site just for the event. Haven't booked anywhere, I'm I going to have problems finding somewhere to pitch?
  • Where is it in relation to Snowdonia? In Llanberis this weekend.
  • Laura L

    Its close to Barmouth, about 50/60 miles from Llanberis as the crow flies, I think it would be a mare to get to though, having just returned from North Wales.


    Dene
  • Anyone who does this - read Looniness of the Long Distance Runner.
    Thought the book was a bit patchy, sometimes funny and sometimes a bit full of itself, but the chapter on Race The Train is hysterical.
    Read it after you've done it - might put you off otherwise !
  • too late.. i just got to that chapter this lunchtime!

    very funny book tho so far :)
  • Deneco, the 10k starts from out on the route near one of the stations, so you would get on a steam train to the start. That race is earlier than the main race.
    The main race starts in Tywyn from the railway bridge and runs out to the end of the line and back on the other side of the tracks, turning point in at least 1:45 will give you a chance of beating the train. The finish is on the field ion front of the marquee, there are bouncy castles and such like for children.

    The beach is about 5-10 minute walk from the finish- so if it's hot a dip in the sea might be in order.

    Tywyn beach is fine for swimming the currents in the Dyfed estuary make Ynyslas unsuitable for swimming, and probably some of the places on the Tywyn side of the estuary, but Tywyn is fine.
  • Hi all!
    Strawballs here, I've been contacted by Nicko Lisle who has asked if I can get hold of the telephone number of Mike Millichip for him as he's 'off line' for the time being, I was stuffing my face in Harry Ramsdens when I took the call and sadly can not get Nickos number on my phone either.
    The problem Nicko has, is that he's setting off to Race The Train tomorrow and needs to contact Mr Millichip in order to leave a car with him or something like that.
    Monique! I'm sure you must have Nicks (the barmy ram) telephone number and I'm optimistic that from you guys/gurls we can get the info to sort poor Nicko out.
    OK!
    Nick Lisle needs Mr Millichips telephone number and I need Nick Lisles number.
    If there is anyone out there that has both you can save me a lot of fretting.
    Many thanks and best of luck to any of you mad enough to Race The Train.

    Strawballs.
  • excellent strawballs, the makings of another classic event report here. Why do you always get involved in these complicated things?

    Good luck all, I won't be trying to get there as it's too far and I'm having a crack at Welsh 3000s, or as many as I can get a day pass for.
  • good luck all

    i expect to be the only one wearing a blue spotty coventry triathletes top

    so say hi

    (unless i bottle out for something more subtle)
  • Sorry, I didn't see your message till just now Alan, hope Nicko got sorted- never bumped into him at the Race but then there's a lot of folks there.

    Well did a pretty rubbish time , but only to be expected as I haven't run that far since London, chose to break in my new Walshes as well- what's life without a risk? So had sore feet but a dip in the sea afterwards sorted them out.
    Time- 1:58:42
    I was 16th and amazingly got 3rd v35, won a brilliant head torch- which was very useful for seeing my food at the barbecue at the camp site afterwards.
    Swam again this morning then headed back.
    I hope everyone else had a suitably good time.
  • What a race and what a time to run 14miles cross country, mad dogs and english man.

    An excellent weekend and what an amazing part of the country.

    Managed to do the lot in 2:05, 15mins over my half marathon, but its not really a course for PB's

    Dene

  • well beleive it or not.. i lost my spots.. just found them in a bag with my racing flats.

    anyway.. AYE CARUMBA

    kept the train behind me up to 10miles.
    was in fear for my life for most of the return leg. Really struggled with the slow climb in the last few miles. 2:08 or so.

    sadly my spectators rated being able to view me risking life and limb quite highly so i guess we'll be back next year.

    so basically i have to run a PB first 10k & survive on marathon pace for the remainder...?
  • This was my first ever race and it was fantastic.

    My legs still hurt and feel like they will for another week. I could feel my lungs pushing my ribcage like a baloon ready to burst and my heart was pumping just as fast as the wheels on the train I was trying to race. In the end my efforts were futile and the 'hills' err, mountains methinks, got the better of me.

    After this everything will be like a stroll in the park. Until I do it next year...and the year after, and the year after that etc etc...I'm hooked.
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