24 hour race in belfast

Is there anything extra I should consider , over and above marathon preparation or on the day stuff, that I might not have considered? I have trawled pretty much through ultra sites for the last few days when I should have been running , so I think i have a fair idea of the format etc.

Is there anything you wish you had known or what did you learn after doing your first?

Sounding positive FF - love it. The thing i'm constantly learning in these distance events is to keep on top of hydration/food intake. Not giving them your full attention can really make you run out of gas later on. Try to eat, even if you don't really want to - it's hard, that's why it's important to find food you lurve;)

Also take care of your feet. I used to get blisters and now I individually tape each toe with micropore tape and it works wonders. That coupled with toe socks = happy feet. Also tape any other sore spots that you get say, after a marathon - the back of my heels is another place that I need to tape.

A couple of changes of shoes/socks help too - putting on different shoes/socks after spending hours and hours in the same pair feels pretty good. I think I'm gonna rotate between 2 pairs and change them every 6hrs or so.

You will be fine. Don't stress out too much over it. Just have fun and do as best as you can

A bit of fun....

 http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/general/rws-race-time-predictor/1681.html

According to this, with a 10km time of 1 hour, 200km can be done within 24 hours... excellent!

 lol

lol Jonathan - I think I'll run a mile real real hard today and then use that as my ballpark guess

If I can churn out one 5:30 min/mile - I can cover 190 miles in 24hrs - awesome!!

Shockingly, that would only beat the world record by 2 miles - unreal!!!

Graeme Colhoun wrote (see)

....... Try to eat, even if you don't really want to - it's hard, that's why it's important to find food you lurve;) 

Havent yet found a food I dont  like .But I reckon the ballast will be a good source of endurance fuel.

Jonathon , I see you are mentioned in the bulletin , as I am . How embarrassing.LOL
Best of luck with your fundraising.

So ....who is taking the campervan .

Should we be making a list of guesstimates/  of how far or how long we can stay upright unassisted and with a pulse? I love lists

Cant wait .

what kind of rush of blood to the head did I get !!
Just finished a marathon today and am trashed after it. Was much tougher than I am used to . HOpe I havent screwed up my chances of going over the 50k in TWO weeks, . Road was poorly marked and winners ended up going 30 miles!!!They still came in in 3.02 Awesome.

I tell myself that I wil be running slower on the day and no shame in walking from early on. I am going for 50 miles and depending on how I feel might try to keep walking to 100k. Doubt I will get any further than that. Have deicded that this will be my main event for the year. I will give it everything and not bother doing the stuff I have lined up for later in the next few months.Cos I need to be able to come back and stay the distance with you guys next year.

Robin, must be hot in london is it? HOpe you had a nice run.

Ahh yes FF, but you can't sit down for 5 mins and have a bacon buttie in a marathon.  You can in a 24hr race!  Don't forget, you're not racing the clock, everyone finishes with the same time!

With nutrition I found that when I couldn't eat I'd take on board lots of energy drink and when I could eat, I'd eat small amounts (to avoid the boated feeling - even though it got me eventually).

The only thing that I'm going to do differently in November at my next 24hr run is to take bicarbonate of soda to shift any build up of gas quicker than last time.  Other than that I was pretty chuffed with the way things went.

gas???..is that from all the sugary dfoods?

I am fine today apart from a niggle in the right calf.didnt run today in case. Will ultra sound it tomorrow and be kind ot it , Dont want to take any chances at this point.

Could have been, not sure where it came from as I laid off the beer for 24hrs!!

Felt like a fist sized ball under my sternum but went as soon as I spewed following a nice mix of bicarb of soda and sports drink........yum

You'll be fine FF, a 24hr race is far more sedate than a marathon.

Could we enlist a fish and chip van to visit the track ....or an icecream van for pokes as we say in Belfast

Big Girl

how about a fish and chip van AND an ice cream van

don't think I'd be doing any running if both of 'em were there;)

Well the icecream van seems to be sorted ....and the porridge van

Big girl are you signed up too? Please tell me I am not the only female so far.

Actually YOU might be the sole female. Calf muscle is quite swollen and very sore today. Bah. Not going to run a step for two weeks and see if I can get it to hurry up and heal.

Is anyone else trying to figure out a pace plan? or am I just being silly!

Realistically, I know it's goin to change as soon as we start moving, but I'm afraid of going off too fast or going to slow and not taking advantage of speedy legs! Has anyone seen any tips on starting pace relative to "comfortable" running pace?4

Jonathan i have been trying to work out a plan for the last couple of weeks but have give up just going to run how i feel on the day.Going to fast or going to long without a break in the first few hours will be hard for me not to do but i know its a must.

I have a touch of manflu today but glad it has come this week and not next

Calf muscle still in strife. I will be devastated at this point if I dont get to run as planned. wish I could swop it for manflu

 I am a lot slower than you guys, but I was thinking of doing ...run 4 laps/ walk one and see how long I can do that , gradually increasing the walk and reducing the running and having a rest and then going at it again the same way.

That is , if i even get to run . Am starting to panic now. I know I see lots of injured people all the time but its my first time with an injury , and I am still limping when I walk FFS. Is there hope for me?

Will try. Will do all I can. Might even call up Fr Ted and have a quick pray

I have decided that this will be my event for the year so I will give it my best shot and give myself proper reovery afterwards. So I think I will have a go , even if it costs me in weeks afterwards.

as been said dont have any real plan but to take it steady from start.Been in london on holiday so have trained for the walking bit.More tired with this than running.Got out in early morning for runs round some of the big parks was great,even swam in serpentine lake at 7 am, can you believe it got too busy!

Now cant wait for the race to come .Just noticed that there is an ultra 39 miles added to the causewaycoastmarathon in october if anybody still standing

Sorry to hijak your thread a bit. I've been reading through it and its fascinating, I'm picking up lots of tips! I'm attempting my first 24hr race in September (Perth Ultra Fest). I've done one ultra before (Highland Fling) and several marathon distance training runs. Relatively speaking its a last minute decision for me to try this and I figure if I can get to at least 100K it will be a good learning experience for future ultras.

 I'm having a mild panic about the fact that I will be doing this on my own with no support crew etc. All I'll have is a tent, some changes of clothes and shoes, and food/drink. Do you guys all have people who are helping you and have any of you ran without support. I'm expecting it to be a bit lonely but any additional things I should be paying particular attention to if I'm running on my own?

 Good luck to you all!