GUCR 2012

Its 6 weeks now since i finished the 2011 GUCR. I am already looking forward to running it again next year if i am lucky enough to get a place.

 My training has started now as if i get in i want to be bopth physically and mentally fitter, so that i can hopefully improve my time considerably.

Hi Hippo

Just see tne results on the GUCR site. I am in and i see Pete Johnson and John Poole are in again next year. Are you in ? The training starts now i am really looking forward to it, must be something about pain! 

Hi John, yes i'm in again (no.6) - but technically a race virgin compared to compared to PJ & JP (their 9th I think)

Hi  Hippo (sorry don't know your name)

This is my 2nd and i must admit i am really looking forward to it this time around. I was on last years reserve list and had given up all hope of getting a place to the extent i stopped training in March. I then got offerred a place just prior to Easter (5 weeks before the race). I sufferred on the day and finished in 41 hours slightly longer than i had hoped for. I was still pleased to have finished considering i only did one run of 40 miles and everything was only up to Marathon distance. Hopefully now i know that i am in i will get some longer runs in for next year. Are there any events you would recommend as part of your training.

Hi, its Stuart - but Hippo's fine!

1st time I did the GUCR i did it in 40.20 and struggled badly with my feet. Managed to knock off nearly 5hrs eventually, but seem to be going the other way now - thats age for you!!

I struggle for the mileage too. my main problems though are domestic and if i run more than 2-3 times per week i get told i'm obsessive. I try though to do at least one long run a month gradually increasing the length. I live in Derby so am hoping to do some longer runs in the Peak early next year.

Hi Stuart

I struggled with feet also, badly blistered and lost all skin on soles and heels of both feet. I do manage to run 5 times a week around shift work but hopefully i can go quicker next year. I know what you mean though about the age thing, i am 52 and in the last 7 years have seen my marathon time slow from 3 hrs 02 to a more modest 3 hours 45. 

I'm not going to recce the route. I'll see enough of the canal on the day, I don't want to see any of it in advance too!

Just did the TP100 as training, a similar type of course - flat, muddy and wet. It was a long, long night though. At least on the GUCR the night will be down to about 6hrs as opposed to 12hrs.

Hi Charles,

Yes its a Centurion running event. it was well organised and most of the CP staff were either ultra runners or ultra race directors themselves and the experience showed. I imagine the SDW will be as good.

The canal is quite well marked ... just follow the water the real trick is to ensure that you are on the correct side and mark all the bridge crossings. there are usually plenty of bridges but even backtracking 100yds is immensely frustrating after 70miles or so. (there is one crossing at about 50-70m that I never remember to take!)

The other one to watch is where different arms of the canal come in/go off, like at Braunston and at GJA. it can be easy with your head down just to wander off up the wrong arm and sometimes its not easy to work out how to get where you want to be. again check out where these junctions are on the map in advance.

I would recommend trying to get hold of the GEO projects maps, which are pretty useful - though the scale gets a bit frustrating and seems to alter as you approach London. It seems that the scale reduces just so they can fit it all on. as a result it actually does take you longer between bridges than earlier on in the route and is not just tiredness that makes it seem like that.