Highland Fling - Ultra / Adventure racing

Fellrunner

24/04/2007 at 21:26

Any other Flingers on here ?

Fellrunner

26/04/2007 at 19:00

A big no then should be a quality field then :-)

Fellrunner

29/04/2007 at 13:33

Yep a great Day and a quality field the 53 mile race was won by Jez Bragg in 7-26- 15 just 6 days after placing 3rd at Lochaber Marathon.

jim noone

29/04/2007 at 16:06

fellrunner - I saw that Jez Bragg came 3rd at Lochaber. That was a little warm up for him I suppose! It's not my idea of a taper, boy do I have a lot to learn. Yesterday I managed 35 miles in just a couple of minutes short of 7 hours.

So,how was it for you then, hours & minutes & conditions?

Fellrunner

29/04/2007 at 18:08

HI Jim my run went to plan i wanted 13 hrs and finished in 12 -47 it was hot and dry underfoot lomondside was it normal self with roots and rocks endeavoring to take you out, but at least there was shade from the sun along the loch shores.

The fling was a recce for me for the 95mile WHW race in june, and after yesterday i am confident that my Sub 24hr target time for the WHW is on, that would be just 9hrs slower than Jez Bragg`s record 15hrs for the race last year, like you say a marathon is just a warm up for him, although i am a long way short of Jezz`s league (and twice his age) i did not fell that Lochaber marathon marred my effort on the fling, and i finished confident that i had another 40 miles in me.

Well done on your 35 miles i guess it was hot for you as well

jim noone

29/04/2007 at 22:40

Wow fellrunner, that is encouraging for you then, going on to do WHW this year. I'm in awe.
I was at Lochaber last year & in love with the scenery on the road. Coming from just outside the Peak District I feel I can appreciate the scenery. However, the Highlands are something else!

Sometimes the numbers are mind boggling for a novice like me, but I do love your comment: "and I finished confident that I had another 40 miles in me". My longest run to date was 35 miles. I'm trying to figure out if I have another 20 left on top of that. Like you say though, keep to the pace & you'll do fine. I'd really be interested in hearing how you get on afterwards.

BTW - you might remember contributing to a post I made a while ago about my son's car insurance claim. Thanks for that. We've not heard any more since then.

Fellrunner

30/04/2007 at 21:05

thanks Jim i will let you know how it goe1s on the WHW race, again well done on the 35 miles, and as long as you beleive in yourself you have a lot more in you than another 20 miles,

Good Luck

jim noone

30/04/2007 at 22:53

Cheers to you fellrunner. I'm getting to realise that self belief & a strong mind have a major part to play in this ultra lark. Does the 'nutter brain syndrome' mean that brain power / reasoning is replaced by mental strength (lol)?

While out for my Tempo run tonight it occurred to me you might be able to help with a question I have about Heart Rates & ultra distance. Do you go by personal 'feel' (if you'll pardon the phrase) or do you get HR info? I have been trying to guesstimate what %age of Max I would keep to. Broadly speaking I'm thinking of trying to stay between 70 - 75% of my Max for as long as I can manage. I did wonder if that was conservative though.
Any comments?

T Rex

15/02/2008 at 00:35

Doesn't seem to be a thread for this year's event so shall we carry on with this one? Shouldn't really clutter up the forum with too many Fling threads.

Looking forward to it.

Is there baggage transport from the start to the finish?

Scream

15/02/2008 at 21:40

Don't think so Trex. You're supposed to have a support crew to carry your stuff.

Been training for thie for a few months now. First big ultra - I hope to do the WHW next year if I can get around this in decent enough shape..

T Rex

16/02/2008 at 00:18

Hmm. No indication in race info that you have to have support crew for this event, only Devil o' the Highlands and full WHW. Can someone confirm this. fellrunner? Otherwise I shall be pulling out.

Scream

16/02/2008 at 18:43

Sorry for duff info TRex. I've just discovered that you don't need back-up and they are having drop off bags. See here:

http://www.highlandflingrace.org/

How's your training coming along?

T Rex

16/02/2008 at 23:09

A bit erratic, Scream. Trying to make sure the long runs are not missed though. Done one 25-miler in local hills recently and had a PB for a road 50K at end of Jan.

Going out for possibly my toughest ever training run on Monday - about 32 miles over some very hilly country. Enough time for perhaps a couple more of these in March, and doing a road 39-miler at beginning of April. Hope that's enough to get by. (Shorter stuff in between of course, although I'm a low mileage runner.)

T Rex

16/02/2008 at 23:10

Sorry, not being polite. And what are you up to?

Scream

19/02/2008 at 19:00

First 50 so not quite doing the number of long runs you've listed. Done a few 20s with 10-12s the next day and planning two 30-35 milers, one later this month and one in April. Training going reasonably well at the moment.

I'm looking forward to the lights nights when I can get some trail/hill sessions in during the weeks.

Fellrunner

20/02/2008 at 18:15

Keep your eye on the fling website folks it appears there will be a return bus from Tyndrum and they will be taking names soon.

Happy training

Scream

20/02/2008 at 22:07

Cheers fellrunner. I'm taking a support crew however - am I the only one? - as mentioned, it's my first long ultra so I don't want to get anything wrong. I also plan to run the full WHW race next year and want to familiarise my support crew with the route.

T Rex

21/02/2008 at 01:28

Ah, fellrunner, you're here already!

What's with this cottage for finishers? Going to be a little cosy with 119 runners already entered. No showers specifically mentioned.

Scream - a bit of military precision with your plans, by the looks of it.

Fellrunner

21/02/2008 at 10:01

Scream no support crew for me i find them to be an additional pressure especially if they are not where you expect them and when, but good luck.

Trex i don`t know about showers however it may be woprth asking Ellen the question via the Forum on the FLING website, last year after the finish i grabed my change of clothes and went back to the final river crossing and had a good sluice down in there far more sanitary than a heavily used shower (just dont use soap in the river though pollution you understand) .

Loon Dod

21/02/2008 at 13:53

I have 1 suport driver who will drive my van as practice for WHW race.

Will get a wash at Fort William sat night before hiting the pub and geting some food down me so ready for Lochaber Marathon on the Sunday. You still on for the double also Fellrunner.

BTW FR shame you cant make that 64 miler so far only 5 entries.