Ultra Peaks 40

Has anyone else raced this before or signed up for this year?.

I entered back in November as my main challenge for the year. Not sure how it'll go as I've never done an Ultra before. I'll be happy just to finish.

Comments

  • Do you mean the Ultra Race Peaks?
  • Yeah thats the one, in August. Think there is another with a similar name in September.

    Its part of the Ultra Race series.

    Sorry, I've got in the habit of calling it the Ultra Peaks 40 now.

  • SDRR Gaz - Did it last year as my first Ultra, very well organised, clearly marked course, pretty good scenery and terrain, nice evenly spaced check points, great race top and medal. Very good choice for a first Ultra in my opinion. Not entered this year yet myself as have lots of races on the calendar already but may well enter nearer the time.
  • Thanks Alistair.

    How did you get on with training for it? I've written up a schedule and daren't show the wife.

    Did you find it much tougher than a marathon?

    I'm looking forward to it, just hoping I get enough training in.

  • I also did this last year - nice course, quite a lot on road towards end otherwise hard packed trail/cycle path, undulating without being particularly hilly, CPs every 10 miles - definitely good choice for 1st ultra image
  • SDRR Gaz - I had some injury issues which kept my training quite 'light' I pretty much followed a marathon programme at around 40 - 50 miles per week spread over 5 runs until 6 weeks out where I put in 2 or 3 60 - 70 mile weeks the difference being longer 'back to back' weekend runs, the longest of these being 20 miles run on road Sat 30 miles run / walk trail on Sun.

    I didn't find it harder than a marathon my pace however was very modest indeed finishing in 8:08. I wanted to get round and feel that I had conquered the distance not the other way round and finish time was within reason an irrelevance. Now I have done a couple finish time is starting to become a little more important although I doubt I will be troubling MR Rich1 who is a bit of a racing snake, anytime soon.

    There are loads of different programmes you can follow, my advice for what it is worth is think really hard about the time you have available and can commit and still maintain a reasonably harmonious work / life / wife / family balance and build a programme around that.

    If you do some speed and hill work, some work for strength (particularly core) and run consistently several days a week the actual MPW figure is not as crucial as you might think (well in my humble opinion anyway.

  • Thnks for the compliment, Alistair!!

    Miles in legs is the key thing - it was my first ultra and my legs started really hurting around 23 miles esp hip flexors - have worked a lot on strength/hip abduction/adduction since. I like back to backs too - tend to do longer run on Saturday, both at similar pace for me. I certainly did no more than 60 miles/wk up to this race last year - tend to do a bit more, time allowing, these days.

    I rarely do more than 23-25 miles in a single training run, unless I take a day off work and "go exploring" - family commitments etc just don't allow it.

    In this particular race - be aware of signage - i turned the 40 miles into 45 miles!!!

  • Rich1 - Yes the signage at the end to take you from the undulating road section into Derby was easily missed, I was saved from a similar detour only by MR Phil Gatsky and his trusty Garmin GPS which he had the route on, we only added a mile or so to our run before noticing we were off course.

    I'll see you at Dukeries I think Rich1 where it will be embarrassing indeed if I get lost as it is pretty much my home turf.

    SDDR Gaz - If the weather is warm as it was last year remember some change as you pass a little ice cream hut on one part of the trail; never before or indeed since has a mint choc ice tasted so good.
  • I'm going to try and recce Dukeries - I have a good track record of wrong turns imageimage
  • Rich1 - Give me a shout if you are doing a recce and if you don't mind and I am free I will join you. I have run about 29 miles of the route so far, which is the large and small loops and the small out and back section, I have not yet done the start / finish out and back. I am running an 18.5 mile section (the larger loop) again this afternoon. I think following the route will be pretty straight forward although there are a few 'forks' in trails that if not properly marked could cause a moment or two's thought.
  •  Rich1 - that goes for me to,if ALISTAIR cant make a run I'm sure i can . As for the ULTRA RACE PEAKS ,i don't know weather to enter this,or THE HELL ON THE HUMBER.as both are on the 19 August
  • I've entered this as my first Ultra, figured it looks a good intro to Ultra running and a decent course. 

    Planning on running with a Camelbak, is it easy to refill at the stops or do they give out water bottles?

  • welcomebrand - no problem re-filing at CP's there were big containers with taps with water and electrolytes, only note of caution, personal experience here, if it is hot as it was last year take to make sure you have put the right amount in your bladder, I mis-judged at one checkpoint and ran out many miles before the next CP - I was saved by a little pub en-route and very much enjoyed the ice cold water donated by them!

  • A BoltonA Bolton ✭✭✭

    I would say this is a good first time ultra. Well organised (the team that put this and their other races together really think about what runners need on such events).

    I agree, you need to be a little careful with the route markers. They are generally pretty good, but i would say it's worth investing in the relevant OS maps and study the route beforehand so you have a general idea where you are going. If I remember right there is a left turn up through some fields after the first 10m pit stop which could be missed and there is a right turn in front of a church about 3 miles from the end (ish...).

    I would be doing this again if I wasn't going on holiday. Be ready for some stiff climbing in the first few miles (most of the way to the first check point at 10m) and it is undulating through to about 35m after you get past the Tissington Trail into Ashbourne. Be prepared to switch off on the Tissington Trail - it's a bit boring along there.

    Another good one if this gets you in to Ultras is the Urban 50K that goes in to Nottingham. It's another ultra race event. The route is excellent (and it's not quite as far!)

  • I'm down to run this and very much looking forward to it.

    I raced White Peak Marathon in May so know part of the trail / course.

    I intend to wear road shoes.  Is this wise should conditions be wet in the previous few days or should I then consider trail shoes?  I've not ran the course in anything other than very dry conditions.

  • I think I'm out of this event.

    A problem achilles and groin are killing me so I'm going to have to take the sensible but irritating decision to pull out and hopefully re-enter next year.

Sign In or Register to comment.