spartahlon - General running

Old Git

29/08/2002 at 08:35

Has anyone any info., experiences, advise for a hopeful spartathlete ?

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

29/08/2002 at 09:26

For a what?

Will

Dark Helmet

29/08/2002 at 09:28

Have to agree with Will! A what?

Glenn

29/08/2002 at 11:16

Well, a bit of research tells me a spartathlon is a 246km run from Athens to Sparta. In terms of advice, where are we starting from? What is your current training regime Kevin?

Nessie

29/08/2002 at 11:26

"advise for a hopeful spartathlete"

"research tells me a spartathlon is a 246km run from Athens to Sparta"

My advice - see a doctor - you are obviously mad!

(But if you are seriously considering it, good luck!)

Dangly Spice

29/08/2002 at 14:43

I've heard of it! Read about it somewhere ages ago. I think the RRC covered it a year or so back when some of their ultra runners did it. About 176 miles isn't it? The RRC should be able to offer a training schedule, but you might have to buy a book or join the club to access the info. (Membership £12.50 a year, or £15 for 2 people at same address)
Yes i am a member!!

Pizza Man:-)

29/08/2002 at 22:20

I used to live in Greece just off the coast of the Peloponese & one of the competitors in this event used to aclimatise himself to the conditions of the run on the island where I lived. In fact I was lucky enough to have done a couple of training runs with him.
Any way as mentioned above it is 246 km run from Athens to Sparta over mountain roads & passes retaracing the steps of that man again .....Phiedipedies(something like that). It's held at the end of October or the begining of Nov. I'll dig around tomorrow & find a phone no or web adress.
Good luck ........ you'll need it.
PM

Fire putter outer

29/08/2002 at 22:24

total bonkers man

Redhead

30/08/2002 at 15:31

Is this race run over a number of days in manageable chunks?

Glenn

30/08/2002 at 15:38

Redhead
Not as far as I could tell. If I managed to translate the German website reasonably well the qualifying criterion was that you had completed at least 180km in 24 hours in a previous event. I think I might have to give this a miss this year...

Glenn

30/08/2002 at 15:40

Also, where has Kevin got to? Was he just winding us up?

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

30/08/2002 at 15:40

A good site for people who want to run silly distances is:

http://www.ultramarathonworld.com/uw_training.htm

On one of the pages there is an iteresting quote:

When I started 10k seemed impossible
At 10k a half marathon seemed impossible
At 13.1mile a marathon seemed impossible
At 26.2mile - 50 mile seemed impossible
At 50 mile – 100 mile seemed impossible
Now at 100 mile 50 seems a nice training run

Personally, I think that some people are even madder than me

Will

Redhead

30/08/2002 at 16:50

WW that quote is quite true isn't it? I started running at the end of Jan to do a 5k. Never EVER thought I'd run it. Then I ran a 10k (x3) heading for 1st 10 miler next week, training for my 1st 1/2m at the end of Sept. Is this the slippery slope?..........

Old Git

09/09/2002 at 08:38

Thanks for your input, sorry I've been on holiday so haven't had a chance to reply.

Glenn,
Currently I'm doing mostly off-road events: LDWA challenge walks/runs (30->60 miles),Mountain Marathons etc, I did a Bob Graham in July (72 miles, 28000ft ascent), and am down for the London to Brighton in Oct.

Pizza Man,
The weather conditions are my main concern.
How hot is it in Sept. in Greece ?

Dustin

09/09/2002 at 11:15

If you're mad enough to run that far does the weather really matter ?

Seriously , good luck though.

Pizza Man:-)

09/09/2002 at 11:49

Can still be hot, but a lot cooler than the summer. You'll just have to wait & see. I believe when you're up around Nemea in the mountains past Corinth it will be night so a bit cooler. Do they still have the cut off time limit at Corinth?
Did you find the entry details?
It was advertised in an issue of RW last spring/summer sorry but for some reason I've torn the page out (must have had an entry form on the reverse). If you want to know which month it was & find someone who's got it, let me know & I'll have alook.
Good luck,
PM

Brunswick

09/09/2002 at 15:56

I think I should be worried. My first reaction to reading about this event was "That sounds like fun!"

(But you have to admit that the challenge does have a certain attraction!)

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