Lakeland 50/100

I'm doing the 50 with a clubmate, it's our first attempt at something of this magnitude, but I have done some shorter ultras previously as well as completing several ironman distance triathlons.

What's your training been upto now?

What do you intend to do for the next 8 - 9 weeks before the event?

I've already done the 3 Forts Marathon this year. The weather made this one tough event, but thoroughly enjoyed it. I guess July in The Lakes could be like a grim spring day in The Sussex Downs!

We're also doing the Dartmoor Discovery in a few weeks time. This will be my second outing, it's a hard but fun event.

SP - I am doing both Dartmoor and Lakeland 100. There are a few guys on the "SNOD Ultra....." thread in this section ding either Lakeland 50 or 100 as well. If you don't get many people in here may be worth popping your head in to that thread.

I am in the Lakeland 100 this year for my sins. 

Second time around on the 50 for me this year - had an absolute ball last year


(and first time at the Darmoor in two weeks   )

Next year the 50 I hope

Ben I didn't know you were down to do Lakeland... will look out for you at registration on Friday. I will have seen you at TP100 as I was at 2 aid stations... I was wearing the trailblaze hoody at the first one at mile 38 and then at little whittingham was wearing about 5 layers includign my club jacket and a buff!

I will definitely try to search you out. 

Any advice will of course be welcome!

Rich - A bit different to The Spine but it really is a cracking race.

Ben - Have you had a chance to recce the course at all? The route uses paths the whole time so navigation isn't too bad, plenty of climbing/descending, some rocky sections that are hard on the feet (especially in the 2nd half) and 14 great checkpoints Its awesome!

Frodo - Are you ready for Dartmoor? I am hoping my 6 weeks of injury hasn't put paid to my sub 4 hour effort, have got in 4 - 5 weeks of good training including a weekend of 50 miles in the Lakes. I could adjust my goal for it but I think I will accept a huge blow up if it happens!

I'll be doing Lakeland 50 - did it for the first time last year and loved it, despite it being a bit warm!

You mean there was cold weather over the penines in mid winter?!

One aspect of this race that will pose a problem for me in terms of diet, is the start time!

Every other event that I have ever been in (excluding 10ks & such), has started early in the morning.  This has made it a fairly straightforward matter to carb load the day before, then eat a light breakfast ion the morning. 

Not sure quite how to approach this one. 

a bit warm............for the first time ever I couldn't eat or drink for hours because it was so warm.........didn't feel normal until 3 am in the morning........

I have done this the last 2 years and loved it but unfortunately it clashes with the olympics this year so will miss it.

I just settled on eating as normal Ben. I didn't eat anything that I wouldn't eat on a normal day. I imagine you do some training in the evenings? What would you eat then? That would be a good start. Then you can get into whatever you use as race nutrition from the first checkpoint onwards. I actually found it a good time to start... I preferred it to the early morning

seren - are you in Team GB??  Awesome.

I'm in the 50.  My first ever northern, gnarly event.  Hope it lives up to expectations.

Ben - just eat and eat, and stop eating about 2 hours before the start.  Then keep eating during the event and you will be fine. Didn't think I'd try the 100 at this stage.  Not sure about this going through two nights business (which I would need to do because I'm slo-oo-ow).

WiB - well you've got course record of 3:36 to go for, but perhaps not this year!  3:57 won it last year.

Haha... TRex I would love to be in a position to have a crack at somewhere near the course record there but I really don't want to commit to the road training required, plus that is a seriously fast time for that course and I wouldn't put myself in the same league as the guys who run it at that speed! I love trail running too much. In fact preparing for this years one I have only run on the road maybe 3 or 4 times and 2 of them were recovery runs! Due to injury I can't remember the last time I hit the track and my speed work is even done on trail now

HH - I heard you were up for this....

Our main aim is to finish, but would reckon on somewhere around 14-16 hours. With this in mind we did a reccie of the last 15 miles (Ambleside to Coniston) over the Easter weekend, two days running. My guestimate is at some point we will be running at night during this part, though the descent into Coniston looks like it might be a bit tricky at dark, crap weather thrown in and legs that are struggling to keep me upright!

Been mixing training with some trail running and road.

Not sure about my preference for weather. 55 - 60degC, a light shower later in the day with a touch of sunshine just before dusk to help warm us up a bit and dry out. Oh yes, little or no wind!

Am I asking for too much?