Adidas Thunder Run

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  • ToucsToucs ✭✭✭

    Who's bringing the BBQ?image

  • Shielsy, Toucs & others. We have a team of the Forum 6: 3:30 thread so will see you down there. Gazelle, Brol, me, Scuba Trooper.



    BBQ & cake will be available too. Edible Cake not mr Cake above.



    Any other teams in from here?
  • Got it thanks Happychap image

  • I have a spare place on a mixed team of 5 for any lady interested ??



    6-7 laps all around 45-55 mins ideally but open to offers at the moment as its getting damn close and i need to replace my injured colleague !!
  • Looks like we might get lucky with the weather image

  • About bloody time as well  image

  • Is it too late to enter this? image

  • apparently the course has been in a bit of a state so hopefuly the sunshine should dry it out a bit !

  • That's what they told the horses last month image



    Engineer too late, but you might find people after runners with people dropping out.
  • I'm doing this too! I'm in a team of 8 and getting a bit apprehensive... not sure what I've let myself in for!

    Engineer, take a look at their Facebook page - they had a few people posting messages on there looking for last-minute team members, you might get lucky!

  • solo is the way to do it image   next year maybe - or hell on the humber for some mindless fun

  • You'll be fine Lauren.



    Running, food, rest, running.
  • Dammit. Missed out. Was thinking of a last minute solo adventure. image

  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭
    Wow, that was amazing! Huge thanks to Rafi and Little Sister for stepping in to fill the gap.
  • Well done guys, how did you all get on...
  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭

    We did rather well in a crap kind of way image

    We focused on enjoyment rather than out and out racing.  Toucs and Rafi were rather speedy.  The rest of us were consistent image.  Trogs was practically to the minute of her predicted time each lap and Little Sister was splendid, especially as she was nursing a sore knee.

    In true pirate style we were closer to the back end of the results rather than the front.  And unfortunately there is a very long race report coming soon.

  • image Excellent how long can a race report be for a 24 hour race through? image

  • Brilliant event.  Not particularly successful as we decided to call it a day 16hrs in after injuries to 2 of our 4 team members.  Since we were way down the leaderboard it wasn't worth the 2 remaining runners carrying on.  Keen to do it again next year with better training and hopefully a full team of 5.  Kudos to the soloists, no idea how you can do that!

  • Cake wrote (see)

    image Excellent how long can a race report be for a 24 hour race through? image

    It could be much like the race....a shortish report, just repeated lots of times...with plenty of time to get beers between each read!! image

    It was a Gooooooodd weekend though!!

    Colmeister - bad luck! It was a tough old course - very lumpy in places!

  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭

    Right, don't say I didn't warn you... image

     

  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭

    Never was a race more aptly named.  As the race progressed through it's 24 hour duration, the sound of runners tired feet slapping the ground got louder and louder.  It rendered shouts of 'coming through' unnecessary as they thundered past despite increasing fatigue.

    The race is situated in Catton Park at the very edge of Derbyshire.  The format is simple.  A 10k loop is set up and the purpose is to complete as many loops as possible in 24 hours.  The race starts at 12 noon on Saturday and continues until 12 noon Sunday.  Runners may run individually, in pairs or in teams of up to nine runners.  Team tactics vary.  But runners can run as many loops as they wish before handing over and there is no limit to the amount of laps they do.  Each team member must complete at least one lap.

    Team Run to Live were five strong.  Toucs, Trogs and I made up the original three and we recruited Rafi and Little Sister after a plea here.

  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭

    Toucs and I were in the shop until 4pm before closing early to make our way to the race venue.  Despite it being the centre of our world, there were other things going on that day.  The organisers of the Olympic Games also picked the same weekend for the opening ceremony and the cycle event (very local to the shop).  As such, the journey was horrendous forcing us to flea the M25 (after travelling three junctions in as many hours).  While we were sat on the M25 car park we consoled ourselves that Trogs had our tent and was hopefully erecting it for us.  

    We arrived almost three hours later than planned.  Happily the pirate area was full with tents but sadly deserted of people.  We dumped the van, picked up the beer and made our way to the race HQ to find our team mates and then settled down to watch the opening ceremony on the big screen set up especially.

    Well, it was wonderful.  With the crowd cheering and clapping as the splendour unfolded.  As darkness descended we were soon shivering in our chairs and made the decision to go back to the tent for a restful night.

    Unfortunately that never happened as we froze our way through the night, putting on more and more layers until dawn dawned and we could stop pretending we were asleep.  

    We spent the morning relaxing, eating breakfast and talking team tactics.  Entertainment came in the form of the people next to us who were trying to put up the tent without the faintest idea of how it went together.

  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭

    We decided that since the boys were faster they should go first.  Little Sister bid for the last spot since she was carrying a knee injury.  We figured it would take about six hours for us all to complete a lap each.  We should fit in four laps each and depending on how Little Sister felt, the guys would pick up collateral laps.

    The race started promptly at 12, we waved Toucs off and then made our way back to the camp site to rest until our turn.  Toucs finished lap 1 in an amazing 45 minutes (his slowest lap of the race was 52 minutes on a challenging course - fantastic).  He handed over to Raf and then picked up the Stella I proffered him before explaining the course was technical and lumpy and trail shoes would probably be best.

    Lap 1
    So, at 3pm I waited for Trogs (who had taken over from Rafi) who came running into the finish area spot on her predicted time, handed over the snap band 'baton' and off I trundled onto the start of the first lap. 

  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭

    The first kilometre or so was on grass and hard going.  It looped around the camp site to the North of the HQ and then turned sharp right onto trails that were muddy and steep in places.  Here there were several switchbacks and narrow patches.  A bit of a squeeze as faster runners came hurtling through.  A steep descent deposited us back into the camp in Catton Park for another loop through then onto a wooded flat section, much easier to run on.  (Phew).  

    Then came some long ups and downs around the fields to the East of the race venue.  One field (Thirty Acre) bizarrely seem to be growing portaloos.  Situated under the pylons in the field, too far away for runners to use, too numerous to be for the farmers whose land we were using.  The water station was situated just after the 5k marker on the corner of Thirty Acre.  Past that, another climb to head into the second big wooded section through 6 to 8 kilometres.  This part was very technical, full of tree roots and twists and turns.  In parts underfoot was a sticky sort of mud that felt weird.  Like a liquefied soil that becomes harder on impact when moving, but would suck in unwary feet if you stopped for just a second.  

    Once out of the woods we headed uphill until we crested onto the ridgeway.  With its gentle slope downhill, good ground underfoot and splendid views this was a popular favourite with runners.  A sharp hairpin right and continued descent until the path dropped underneath the ridgeway and followed the skirts of the Campsite to the south and back to transition.  Just after the 9k mark, a cruel right turn straight up a hill disgruntled runners lured by the view of the finish line.  It redeemed itself rewarding with a long descent to the rear of the finish allowing a fast glory finish before handing over.

  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭

    My plan was to run/walk 2:1 the whole way round.  That lasted for about 10 minutes.  I switched the alerts off and decided to run walk according to terrain and surface underfoot.  Much more satisfying and sustainable.  Anyway, delighted to see Little Sister waiting for me, I handed the baton over and went back to camp for a nutritious pot noodle and to await the next lap ;o).  Lap time 1.27.

    Lap 2
    Handover was due to take place at around 8.30pm.  Swimming was on the big screen and with about 20 minutes to go I settled in to watch for a while.  Engrossed in one of the relays I happened to look up and saw Trogs waiting for me in the handover area.  Bloody hell.

    The sun was just starting to set and as dusk settled in, I relished the cooler air.  This time around the hills didn't seem quite as formidable and I made good time on the first part of the course.  Past the water station I was much more aware of the diminishing light.  As the dark grew menacing I switched on my head torch but became immediately disoriented as we plunged our way back into the woods.  

    Looking out for runners behind me, I caught my left foot on a tree root, tripped and started the inevitable plunge to the floor.  Sometimes, recovery is possible and goodness knows I tried hard. It took three steps and about 10 metres for me to give up fighting to stay on my feet.  The extra effort and momentum serving to propel me face down an extra 3 metres along the ground before I came to a stop.  Since it was dark I figured I could lie there and rest for a few moments before getting up.  Several runners stopped to help so I shamefully got up and with no damage done carried on.  All around me were grunts and groans followed by thuds as people hit the deck.   Comedy moments galore, especially as you couldn't really see anything.  It was all a bit surreal.

    Out onto the ridgeway, the moon was beautiful and shed a little more light.  Picking up the pace again I was happy to clock 1.29 and hand the baton over to Little Sister once more.

    This time it was back to camp site to try and get some sleep.  It was hampered by a live band playing in the next field.  They were knocking out the hits with aplomb.  In another time and place they'd be really rather good but for now, I had to content myself with mutterings of 'shut up' and spent most of the next day regretting their earworm gift of 'Tiger Feet'.  Finally drifting off at 1am and woke with a start at 2.45am.  Figuring Trogs was due in around 3.20am I immediately got up and felt around for the fresh running clothes next to me on the tent floor.  I picked up a pair of pants and was unable to tell if they were the clean or worn ones.  Applying a quick smell test I noticed the thick waist band and realised I was now smelling Toucs pants.

    Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwweugh!

  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭

    Lap 3
    That was enough to get out of the sleeping compartment and get dressed in the 'front room' despite the cold.  I made my way to the handover area, rocking from side to side to try and keep warm.  Because of the dark, runners were finding it difficult to spot team mates.  Many shouted out names while approaching the handover area.  It worked well until one chap charged in waving his snap band screaming 'John, John' at the top of his voice.  Reunited with his team mate, John got a rousing send off as he left transition with the whole crowd screaming 'GO JOHN..!'

    I very happy to see Trogs rock up right on time with much less screaming.  image

    This time it took a while to get the legs moving, obviously stiff from the rest and increasing fatigue.  I was desperate to go to the loo so stopped at a portaloo on the far side of the camp site.  Once back on course, head torches were still flashing around and people passed running at a tremendous pace as I tiptoed my way round, careful to avoid a repeat the fall of the previous lap.

    Past the water station this time the dark turned into the gloom of impending day break.  I felt confident enough to run quite a lot of the second half of the loop.  My left hamstring and quad were hurting quite badly so I adapted my gait, taking inspiration from the hunchback of notre dame to lurch my way round the woods and back onto the ridgeway for the third time.  The sun was just seeping over the horizon, greyness turning into real light, enough to turn the head torch off and enjoy the descent back to the handover. Lap time 1.42.

  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭

    Lap 4
    A quick sleep, followed by a breakfast of porridge and a nice sit down before the final lap.  By this time, Little Sister had declared (before her knee went kaput) so we agreed my lap would be the last one for the team.  The temperature had started to climb, so I added a layer of P20 to the sweat and grime and then made my way to the handover area for the final time.  Trogs was expected at 9.45am.  

    This time running out of the changeover area was a shuffle at best and a painful one at that.  My hamstring was really really painful by this point so I settled into a fast walk, ticking off the kilometre markers as I passed.  It was a really enjoyable lap.  The sun was shining and people were still whizzing past although I managed to catch a few who were walking slowly but determinedly.  Happy in the knowledge it would all be over soon.

    The lap went really fast as I reflected on the whole experience.  It had been an amazing event.  Participants were really encouraging and focused, regardless of ability and many of the marshals remained encouraging and cheerful despite having to stay up all through the night.

    As I looked at my splits I realised that I was keeping pace with my previous lap despite running much of that and walking pretty much all of this.  Encouraged I set myself a goal of finishing before 11.30am and kept pace through the woods and along the ridgeway.  

    Coming into the finish was fabulous as teams started to gather to cheer home their final legs.  I heard shouts of 'Happychap' and looked up to see the rest of my team waving and cheering.  Happily (and with relief) I crossed the finish line for the last time in a time of 1.39.  

    Altogether we completed 19 laps in the 24 hours, each of us completing 40k apart from Little Sister who retired at 30k.  A great experience. 

  • Great race report, HappyChap ... reading it again brought back happy memories of the weekend.

    And I'm amazed by your detailed recall of the route - for me it was a blur of 'Running across a field/running up a hill/running back and forth through a treacherous forest/running down a hill - rinse, repeat'.

    Being woken up at 3.30am by a team mate so that I could get ready for my 3rd lap, I said 'Never again!' but now I can't wait to do it all again next year.

  • Knew you'd be back shielsey !
  • Sorry for hi jacking this thread but such a great report Happychap, I'm still overwhelmed by the whole weekend, defo back next year. Does anyone know when the results will be available?
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