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Ridgeway 85 - 2012
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But then, I might also be thinking ahead to 2014 UTMB by then, and looking to pick up more qualifying points, which I doubt LDWA events contribute to.
No, they don't. It could make a good first 100 for you, though. Certainly plenty of support around the course. You would need to be in the LDWA and enter in the first few days entries open to have any chance of getting in.
I'm impressed with what I've read about the Centurionevents 100s and will be aiming to do some of them over the next couple of years. They have UTMB points.
Quick question about route folks -- on the final stage, does the race follow the 'official' route right down to Overton Hill on the A4, and then back up the road to Avebury, or bear off at roughly SU125708 onto 'Herepath' or 'Green Street', which leads straight into Avebury?
Confused.....
Herepath at that exact GR. It seems a pity not to do the full Ridgeway but it's not possible to have an HQ at Overton Hill, nor do they want tired runners staggering along the A4 and back to Avebury on the roads.
The point where you leave the Ridgeway seems never to arrive but you will find a dirty great arrow on a sign and perhaps even a marshal where you have to turn off, so keep going until you see it. It's then steeply downhill and straight into Avebury with the finish in the road just before the church.
Apart from that the race follows the LDP exactly.
Drove around part of the ridge and went to Avebury a few days ago; the route certainly makes sense the way you describe. First time I'd really looked at the Ridgeway - it's immense! Looking forward to August...
J
This is getting close now, who's in?
Close?
Ten weeks is close, soon be time to taper
I understand it's 85 miles on the Ridgeway (hence Ridgeway 85)... and then 2 miles more to get to the finish
. Does that sound right?
Yes, I'm in. Will be my 4th. Haven't even thought about starting training for this yet. Got a 50-miler that I haven't started training for yet, either, first.
Fido2Dogs - we leave the Ridgeway about 2 miles before the end of it, at roughly its 85-mile point and then it's about 1.5 miles direct run-in to the finish at Avebury. So that last leg is longer than in the race blurb.
Measured it on two different mapping mediums, both make it 138kms and aprox 2000mts ascent, which is not a lot really
Have recced part of the first half, looks like the section from Wendover to Chinnor is the hilliest so far.
I'm in. Have had my eyes on this one for a while but was only good for a marathon first time I knew about it and an injury kept me out last year. Will be my first ultra 'race' but I've covered 43m in training and things are going well.
I'll settle for 86 miles, AndrewS. And no, there are no long hills at all but a few short, sharp rises especially in the first half. For those who haven't done this before you're in for a real treat. Can't fault the event.
If you're about 20 hours or slower it'll be dark before you get to Goring so you might want to carry an extra layer and certainly a headtorch from the start.
From about mile 73 it can be a bit demoralising because you keep going further and further south when you feel you should be going west and to the finish ...
Smeathe's Ridge I suppose is quite a hill, thinking about it (miles 79-80).
Is that the one up from Ogbourne St George?
Yes - big grassy slope. And eventually, at the top of it, CP9. Easily runnable for people at the sharp end. I'm at the blunt end.
I certainly didn't manage to run up Smeathe's ridge when i did the Ridgeway, but teh jaffa cakes at the top were good, top event
Whats the date for this one?
Aug 25-26. Get in quick if you want to get the early bird entry.
Jaffa cakes!
At the CPs you're asked what you want in your sandwiches.
This may be a silly question, but where does the race actually start? On the Beacon or at the car park where registration is?
Kylie?
AndrewS - on the summit. Allow about 10 minutes to stroll up. If you're unsupported and arriving at Tring railway station ROs will pick you up if you give prior notice what time. Best to be on a train arriving by 1030 latest to avoid stress.
hairier h - not on offer as far as I remember
Cheers TR.
Hoping to be doing another recce tomorrow, going to park West of Streatly follow the RW back to Watlington, refuel in the co-op and then back along the route. I have found going back up the route helps with not getting lost although the second half looks a bit more straightforward so I might just do that going West as one run. Looks like some showers are forecast so hopefully it won't be too hot
Oh no don't say that! I live on the Western side and have recced upto Streatley, I was going to do the first half off-the-cuff.
There are no race waymarks except a dirty great arrow about mile 85 where you leave the Ridgeway and descend to the finish. Otherwise you're following the posts with white acorns, which are quite clear in the daylight. Would have a map to hand, though.
Don't know how others have found it but it is up on the Wessex Downs through CPs 6 and 7 that I have found routefinding the trickiest, at night. There is a bewildering array of signposts with different coloured markings (although you can't see the colours in the dark) for the national trail, public footpaths, bridleways, byways open to all traffic, permitted routes, and goodness knows what else, all pointing in different directions. And sometimes you come to a junction and can't even see a signpost. I'm pretty reliant on my compass until CP8 by which time for me it is starting to get light.
When I first did this event I took a 10-minute detour about 0430 to visit Wayland's Smithy, a bronze age tomb. It's got great slabs of rock, like broken teeth, guarding the entrance and they unexpectedly loomed up at me reflecting back in the ghostly white LED glare of my headtorch and with all whisps of mist drifting round them. It seemed unnaturally cold as well.