I've done a couple, plus a few 72s.

My suggestion is just to go do it, and don't have expectations or goals except to do your best and have fun.

Fixed time races are very social by their nature, and deceptively difficult. Few are able to do well their first time out. But what people do is chat with experienced fix-time racers and gain experience, so that by the second time you have a much better clue of what you're capable of.

If you have fun and don't expect much, you'll come away with a positive experience.

Purdey, with out going through your past races my advice is more generic.

I have seen people achieve the most miles by staying on the course for the most amount of time.  As simple as that sounds in reality it does become difficult.  Even slow miles in the middle of the night add up to another 15-20 miles to your total.  Do that 2 nights in a row and that could be another 30+ miles (or 50K +) added to your total.

In addition I have seen more success listening to your body versus trying to stick to a plan.  If you are hyped up and ready to run then trying to lay down because you think you should will not work.  In the same category maybe weather will make you come off the course at a time you were not expecting (rest during the hot summer day, or sit in shelter for an hour to miss the worst of a storm).

Having ideas of what you want to accomplish in terms of strategy and mileage are both good but being able to change on the fly may bring you the most success.

Come on over to the States and join Steve and I in May at 3 Days at the Fair.  Several others on the board have come out and can speak to their own experiences.

On On

Rick

Lace up, over in the Trailer trash group has won the 48 hour race at Across the Years the last two years.

Here's a link to his report (which links to his blog)

He participates pretty regularly over there.