I quite enjoyed the night section when i did the Ridgeway 85. But i suppose that was because i like singing in the dark to all the wild animals. I found the Thames trot 50 to be a tougher race all together.( I've no time for fish.) So i shall tell myself, what man can do, man can do. If you can run 50 miles you can run 100 miles you can run 145.
That was a good read veggieboy,i had to pull out of the thames trot sat morning,started feeling rough fri afternoon with headache and pains shooting through my body,still travelled up fri night because we had booked in the hawkwell hotel(£99).Saturday morning i woke up and feeling even worse i had to pull out.I have run 6- 24hr races 4 times managing to run past 100miles,even though they were round a athletic track it is still hard as especially through the night when it is cold and raining and you have got runners which are still running and you are walking it can be a lonely place all kind of things go through your mind like,sitting down,falling asleep,just quitting and then you just don't want to quit,and then the morning comes that last 6 hrs,hell but you get there in the end.
Hi all and well done to everyone and a big thank you to the organisers, marshalls and supporters for a remarkable event a really good job given the conditions,
For the most part of the day I had a great time even though at times I questioned my sanity for even entering it was great the support from others along the course and the guy's at the checkpoints. More then happy with my time just over 8 hours, but the light snow towards the ends was so unreal and really topped the day.
Loving the talk about 100 miler's, I know i'll do 1 one day but think i'll try to improve my performance @ this distance as I found it tough going towards the end and so find 100 miles unimaginable but definetely someday.
Rymer- It is a great event, well worth doing. It has a few hills in it but they are conquerable. Quite an easy trail to follow although you'll need to stay alert during the night section as there are many paths crisscrossing the Ridgeway and the all look the same. ( all are way marked so as long as you keep your eyes open you'll be OK.) I hope to do it again this year.
Glad you all enjoyed it. I have shin splint in my right leg so not been able to run and had to miss glocester 50k and this. I think I ramped up the miles too quick and put myself out of action. I have even thought about hanging up my running shoes as I'm fed up with the injuries thought that might just be my frame of mind at the moment.
It was the first race of this distance after having run a couple of 30 mi races before. On Saturday I was dealing with an angry ITB during the last 20 miles and was mainly walking towards the finish. It took me 10 1/2 hours and I was just freezing cold when I finally arrived. The walking bit was highly dissatisfying and overshadowed an otherwise actually very good race experience. Now, after the knee has already improved considerably, I can see much clearer how much I enjoyed most parts of the race. Running/walking through the darkness, following the tracks of runners in the snow that had passed ahead of me, and seing with every step that I was on the right way was an almost surreal experience! Thank you to everybody who made this possible : Organisers, marshalls and fellow runners!!
This was certainly not the last time you have seen me on the Thames path!
Thanks Mate, How did you find it? was it harder than doing the double we did? I've got the ridgeway200 mountain bike enduro at the end of march so thats something to aim for, at the moment I am just going to focus on my cycling although I do have Brighton Marathon still to do as I entered that ages ago, Hope I will be ready for that by then. then I will make my mind up from there if I will continue running.
My mate is trying to get me to enter the northdowns 100mile race in August. I can't even get to do a 50k lol.
Rymer, and anyone else considering it - Ridgeway 85 is a great race and a good one to test overnight running for the first time. 86 miles is a bit of a jump from 50 but the last 6 are all downhill and the checkpoints are brilliant.
Oh the Ridgeway is so tempting I did the 3 day druid last year so I know the route ish .fully recovered from Saturday now and had a nice 5 miler last night with the dogs. Hope you are all well.
Paul, it was quite different from the double, I couldn't say whether it was easier or harder really. The double was harder in terms of cardio, as the running was faster. The 50 was actually fine fitness-wise, as I was going so slow, but it was tougher mentally and also on the joints. But I have no doubts, whatsoever, that once your injuries clear up you'd manage an ultra no problems. I do my lsrs on the ridgeway, so maybe I'll pop up to watch the mtb race, sounds pretty cool.
Hi all, first 50 and finished under my 10 hour target including a half hour detour to mums for cuppa , change and pick up headlight. Blue lips when I got home but thouroughly enjoyed the thing alhough there were dodgy bits, the Wallingford detour, Moulsford when I expected the CP to be where we rejoined the river and the Purley housing estate. Fantastic fruit cake though.
I entered the TT as progression towards the TP100 next month, but an ankle injury in Oct meant no running till Jan 12, hadn't gone further than 28m and only back to 40+ mpw since mid Jan so happy to have got round relatively unscathed. Now to decide about the 100. For the 50 I had a plan B (lots of train stns on the route) and a Plan C (bag at mums) so it was as easy to turn up and have go as not. I guess I'll take the same approach for the 100, I realise it's another great leap but hey ho.
Lessons learnt; walking is not a failure, eat the lunch when provided, don't be afraid to take a rest break it can be quicker.
Gave a Swedish chap a lift back to Reading after, he'd done 70+ ultras, who said welcome to the Ultra family, there was a lot of that Saturday, and thanks to all I met along the way. Especially the helpers without whom etc but more so when it was that cold!
Thanks for the vote of confidence Thomas Sounded like a good one. Yeah I am looking forward to the bike enduro as it gives me something to focus on. as for the leg, I'm off the ibuprofen now and have no pain or disscomfort. I will give it one more week then try a little slow run and see how it goes.
Comments
But i suppose that was because i like singing in the dark to all the wild animals. I found the Thames trot 50 to be a tougher race all
together.( I've no time for fish.)
So i shall tell myself, what man can do, man can do.
If you can run 50 miles you can run 100 miles you can run 145.
That was a good read veggieboy,i had to pull out of the thames trot sat morning,started feeling rough fri afternoon with headache and pains shooting through my body,still travelled up fri night because we had booked in the hawkwell hotel(£99).Saturday morning i woke up and feeling even worse i had to pull out.I have run 6- 24hr races 4 times managing to run past 100miles,even though they were round a athletic track it is still hard as especially through the night when it is cold and raining and you have got runners which are still running and you are walking it can be a lonely place all kind of things go through your mind like,sitting down,falling asleep,just quitting and then you just don't want to quit,and then the morning comes that last 6 hrs,hell but you get there in the end.
Hi all and well done to everyone and a big thank you to the organisers, marshalls and supporters for a remarkable event a really good job given the conditions,
For the most part of the day I had a great time even though at times I questioned my sanity for even entering it was great the support from others along the course and the guy's at the checkpoints. More then happy with my time just over 8 hours, but the light snow towards the ends was so unreal and really topped the day.
Loving the talk about 100 miler's, I know i'll do 1 one day but think i'll try to improve my performance @ this distance as I found it tough going towards the end and so find 100 miles unimaginable but definetely someday.
Once again well done to all and speedy recovery!
Hi Waccyracer and anyone else who might have done the Ridgeway 85.
What is it like, as i am contemplating doing it as the next stage up from the 50 on route to one day doing a 100
It has a few hills in it but they are conquerable. Quite an easy trail to follow although you'll need to stay alert during the night
section as there are many paths crisscrossing the Ridgeway and the all look the same. ( all are way marked so as long as you keep your eyes open you'll be OK.)
I hope to do it again this year.
Photos are here - http://richersea.co.uk/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=10190
Race report here - http://gobeyondultra.co.uk/go_beyond/race_reports_2012
Glad you all enjoyed it. I have shin splint in my right leg so not been able to run and had to miss glocester 50k and this. I think I ramped up the miles too quick and put myself out of action. I have even thought about hanging up my running shoes as I'm fed up with the injuries thought that might just be my frame of mind at the moment.
Again well done to all.
Paul.
It was the first race of this distance after having run a couple of 30 mi races before. On Saturday I was dealing with an angry ITB during the last 20 miles and was mainly walking towards the finish. It took me 10 1/2 hours and I was just freezing cold when I finally arrived. The walking bit was highly dissatisfying and overshadowed an otherwise actually very good race experience. Now, after the knee has already improved considerably, I can see much clearer how much I enjoyed most parts of the race. Running/walking through the darkness, following the tracks of runners in the snow that had passed ahead of me, and seing with every step that I was on the right way was an almost surreal experience! Thank you to everybody who made this possible : Organisers, marshalls and fellow runners!!
This was certainly not the last time you have seen me on the Thames path!
MoniK
Thanks Mate, How did you find it? was it harder than doing the double we did? I've got the ridgeway200 mountain bike enduro at the end of march so thats something to aim for, at the moment I am just going to focus on my cycling although I do have Brighton Marathon still to do as I entered that ages ago, Hope I will be ready for that by then. then I will make my mind up from there if I will continue running.
My mate is trying to get me to enter the northdowns 100mile race in August. I can't even get to do a 50k lol.
L2B is 56 miles
But navigation is notorious and most people do about 58
I did almost 60 miles the first time i did it.
Hi all, first 50 and finished under my 10 hour target including a half hour detour to mums for cuppa , change and pick up headlight. Blue lips when I got home but thouroughly enjoyed the thing alhough there were dodgy bits, the Wallingford detour, Moulsford when I expected the CP to be where we rejoined the river and the Purley housing estate. Fantastic fruit cake though.
I entered the TT as progression towards the TP100 next month, but an ankle injury in Oct meant no running till Jan 12, hadn't gone further than 28m and only back to 40+ mpw since mid Jan so happy to have got round relatively unscathed. Now to decide about the 100. For the 50 I had a plan B (lots of train stns on the route) and a Plan C (bag at mums) so it was as easy to turn up and have go as not. I guess I'll take the same approach for the 100, I realise it's another great leap but hey ho.
Lessons learnt; walking is not a failure, eat the lunch when provided, don't be afraid to take a rest break it can be quicker.
Gave a Swedish chap a lift back to Reading after, he'd done 70+ ultras, who said welcome to the Ultra family, there was a lot of that Saturday, and thanks to all I met along the way. Especially the helpers without whom etc but more so when it was that cold!
Thanks for the vote of confidence Thomas Sounded like a good one. Yeah I am looking forward to the bike enduro as it gives me something to focus on. as for the leg, I'm off the ibuprofen now and have no pain or disscomfort. I will give it one more week then try a little slow run and see how it goes.
All the best mate.