North Downs Way Entry Update: 100 mile 32% Full, 50 mile 25% Full, Marathon 45% Full. 108 days to race day!
Thames Path 100 Entry Update: 100 mile 20% full with over 10 months to race day. 160 places remaining.
Jerry A runners blog-updated daily
NDW 100 was my next preferred BIG race for this year, but I am at a christening on the Sunday afternoon
so the 100 is no longer a possibility. So the 50miler is the next best option, but may be a good chance for me
to test myself at a quicker pace over a shorter (albeit still long) distance. Or, there is the SDW 100 in July, but
that is not too far away and might be pushing my luck with Mrs Immune, and also my body a bit far too soon after
VLM x 4. But never say never.
Thamespath 100 - Not looked at this, pretty similar to GUCR I suppose, along a river/canal for a very long way.
I already have the Classic Qtr 44miler booked for June, work colleague is doing it as his first official Ultra, so I
thought I would join him, just hope it is not as hot a last year.
PB's
1mile: 5:36 - 20/06/2012 - Arethusa Mile (Bushy Park)
5K: 18:55 - 24/07/11 - Bushy Park
10K: 39:15 - 19/03/11 - 2nd 10k of below race
Half Mara: 1:26.50 - 19/03/11 - Dorney Lake 1:26.50)
Mara: 3:12.50 - 04/062012 - Kent Roadrunner
50k (Trail): 4:34.37 - 12/08/2012 - Salisbury 54321
50miles (Trail): 7:27.43 - 04/02/2012 - Thames Trot 50
100miles (Trail): 22:14.10 - 03/03/2012 - Thamespath 100 (102miles)
I have looked at TP 100...just looked mind you, it will have a mixture of terrain from rugged grass paths, concreted paths, woodland trails and at one point loads of stairs!!!!
I am not too interested in doing runs during the Summer months as I am not very good with the heat. I also have no real plans for post May apart from Hell on the Humber but may....just may enter the Tooting 24 hour track ultra
Cider IS carb loading
I think I'll save the long ones for next year and focus on something a bit shorter for this year.
Would love to do NDW races but I have been told by Mrs S that we have wedding evening reception to go to on Sat evening but I wouldn't rule it out yet for the 50 because we would have to drive 2 hours away and its not that close a friend (sister of friend).
Can't do Ridgeway either as I have another wedding!!! Typical as these two races were on the list.
Got a 10 miler in 3 weeks (Great Baddow) and Southend Half marathon in June to keep some variety in there.
TP100 will be my first attempt at the distance next year so a few build up races to it will be needed (C2C and Thames Trot) nearer the time.
As for this year I was looking at Croydon ultra as I have a weekend completely to myself (family going away for 2 nights) but I have no car so might not be able to. Caesars 50 in October a real possibility. Fairlands Valley 50k in July looks like fun and good value for money. Norfolk Coast 100km has also popped up but I would need to weigh this up with Caesars.
Anyone fancy Surrey Tops in September?
Jerry, Gatliff has to be done again.
I am Croydon born and bred and was looking at the Croydon Ultra but I do not have a lot of faith in the guy organising it (yet), yes indeed he has done some reasonably good ultras himself but he has no experience of organising them from what I can see, his trade is a personal trainer. The route he has in mind is not exactly inspiring either so am in two minds as to entering it as it has to go via some very major roads. Very much like Rory Coleman's attempts I may leave it until next year once he has got the experience of organising under his belt.
Mrs S and I have had a chat about my ventures and wants me to drop down the mileage sticking with 50-100km distances but nothing over 162 km and I am tending to agree
To be brutally frank with you Richard you should get some more experience of 50km runs but to jump at Caesars 50 mile now is maybe a little too bigger jump for you at the moment, it is a brutal challenge. Don't give me all the macho stuff about under-estimating you, I certainly won't want to do that but it is a B-A-S-T-A-R-D and should not be entered lightly and certainly not raced if you have little experience of ultrarunning with 2 50kms and a 70 miler under your belt puts you.
As I mentioned with the Croydon run, this is Norfolk's second year and the small issues it had with its maps and CP's will have been ironed out now and I reckon maybe a better option for you but before you do it get another 42 and 50km under your belt.
As I have said, I am not here to belittle or undermine you at all but Caesars is not a challenge to be taken lightly, this comes from a man who with little experience tried to take it on, ignoring his training partner, 3 weeks after running London to Brighton and wrenched a hamstring.
Please take this as friendly advice, I want you to do these runs but ask you to work up to them using smaller steps
It's a fair point Jerry and one I agree with. No challenge/race should ever be underestimated especially events held on such harsh terrain such as Caesars.
I won't decide on anything definitive unless I am confident in both preparing both physcially and pyschologically for the race. The main thing as you stated is to focus on getting out there and going long. After all that's the reason I do this
Would be good if we could all get to an event if possible over the next 6 months. Thoughts guys?
Hi Richard,I am being a little tentative about events at the moment as I am very mindful of my possible Olympic duties on the Anti-Doping team having received an email informing me that I will probably be required to attend some Test events in the coming months.
June will be totally out for events while I recover from GUCR and that will not allow me enough time to feel strong enough physically to take on much in July which is a god send as I hate Summer runs as I am good in the heat.
My focus after that is Hell on the Humber and then Tooting (yet to decide)
Depending on how I feel I may just do some more local LDWA events which allows me to enter on the day.
I'm going to be doing Fairlands Valley. I did the marathon last year and despite Stevenage being a turd on the landscape, the undulating farmland and fantastic bread and butter pudding cake makes it worth going up to do the 50k. It is an LDWA style mapread but I like that sort of jazz. It's well organised and apart from the Liz Hurley chocolate bars (another time) it was a good run. Then I am off to the Downland Ultra on the SDW on 24th July. For me it is about building the distance back up again after the leg break but am happily up to 50 miles this week and have done my first bit of sub-7s speedwork in my new inov8 255 no cushioning road shoes.
I have Gatliff and Founders in the diary for the end of the year and will start to build for the NDW and SDW double next summer. This will undoubtedly invove the C2C and TP runs in Jan/Feb. Apart from that, I want to get 6-7 marathons under my belt to sharpen up the mind and explore the countryside and perhaps catch up with John Mackenzie who is now on 94 marathons after sunday.
Jezza, there may be a cheeky attempt at Orpington next weekend but I know it is a shit course on the A21 but it is a training marathon that fits in with my schedule. Up for a taper on home turf at my pace which is not quite your pace yet?
Hey Rob
I was looking at Fairlands Valley and / or Downlands to get some solid long runs under the belt. Might have to be done. Got my new Brooks Green Silence today to be used for some faster stuff upcoming so will be taking them out for a ride tomorrow.
Good to see the mileage coming back up I am on track myself for high 40's this week. Just want to get our for a long long trail run now. Been too long.
Rob
We are doing one more ~27 training run on Sunday this week in the local area and the marafun will be a very , very , very slow run. I have promised a lady (via Twitter ) that I am happy to pace for her to a 4:30 hour marathon which she wants. I will be wearing my Orpington RR shirt as there will be about 5 of us running as a pack, just for sheer fun of running as a pack as we are all marathon trained and haven't run together for a long time. I will probably be wearing my full GUCR kit just to tidy up the last bits and pieces. So you will be probably be too fast.
I love your style Rob, "Run a marathon as a training run for your marathon"
Blimming hell Rob, you are on a mission. I need to do some Mara's and fast to try and keep my slender lead going.
Orpington sounds like fun, pity I can't join you as Mrs Immune has an event to attend, so inconsiderate (hahaha).
Hey Mr Immune
<guilty> I still have your kit to send</guilty>
I promise you I will parcel it up this weekens and send it through to you