Thames Path 100

I know what you mean UW the hills are playful to say the least. I did struggle today and was about 15 min slower than i should have been.

Not really rested since mid Jan so will be a bit careful in the coming weeks. Perhaps short B2B's next weekend then the following weekend off.

I haven't run yet since the last race.

Going to give it a fortnight off.  No beef dripping.

I've got Reading half planned the week before this race. Very tempted to go for a new pb but in no way do I want to jeopardise something I've been training for since June last year. Was planning a short recovery run on the Sunday after Reading. Bagged my last LSRs of 32 and 21 this weekend so bring on the taper.

Well done Jeremy Glad your pleased with your fitness. I'm sure i'll pull it out the bag on race day. Not sure i'll get a PB though.

Thats good mileage Monkey you've got no problems there. I'm still tryin to keep it in my mind that this race is a training run for the GUCR so the finish is important but i must come out the other side fit.

SirVelo if your post made any sense i would probably have a better response but if you haven't run since last years TP100 and your running this year i would be really interested to know how you get on.

Best of luck with the GUCR Dill! Looks like a lot of fun.

Well done Boots! Thats an awesome result. Is the TP your first 100? It is for me.

Very excited and nervous about the race now, people have given up listening to me when I start talking about running, but its all I can think about! I'm hoping to run the TP 100 in road shoes all the way. I think what I might lose in grip wont be be worth sacrificing the cusioning and weight of my road shoes. I picked them up the day before the TT 50 this year and ran the whole race wearing them without any problems.

It's my second 100 Monkeybrain, but i had to drop at 93 on the first one, so this is the finish at all costs race for me! Thats exactly my thoughts on footware too, i'm gonna wear road shoes for the whole thing, cushioning and comfort is top priority for me.

Looking forward to the Grizzly again, esp as i'm not hammering it, just a nice coastal stroll up some hills

Hi everyone, just checking in too. Great thread, thanks for all the tips and encouraging comments. This is my first 100, in fact first over 56, so I'm very nervous but Gav@Godalming and others have gone a long way to put my mind at rest on stuff like not having run more than 30-odd in training. I've also got a bit of tendinitis in an ankle now but again good to hear others have managed through this. If it's mostly in the head, this thread is going to be more useful than hours out there on the roads in the run up. It looks as if more of the course is actually Thames Path this year which should make getting lost harder, a real issue for me. Is this right? Good luck with the taper and hopefully see you all in Richmond.

I can't comment on what training is required to finish in the top 10% of the field because I am a plodder but I can say from experience that for those who just want to get around inside the cut off so long as you have done plenty of 20 mile runs then you will be fit enough to finish inside the cut off.

The DNF won't come from lack of training and fitness it will come through lack of confidence and giving in to your mind telling you you can't do this.

Cheesy but the first 50 miles are ran with your legs and the next 50 with your heart and mind. Stacks of miles in training will help you keep your mental resolve and not quit so is useful in that regard but if you are also confident that lots of shorter 20 mile runs is enough training then you can achieve the same without spending your entire weekend beating yourself into submission with epic back to backs and getting injured (I have been there and done that!)

Mev - I have tendinitis in my ankles and have had it for months. I just train through it now and it is finally starting to get better. Stopping running for me didn't help (I took 4 weeks off at one point) I am adamant this won't cause me to DNF.

Looking forwards to this one now and having the usual last minute kit spending spree!

Testing most of it out this weekend.

Mev, I did the Thames Trot and for me this was 45 miles, with a bit of getting lost. The most I've done in any training runs is 32 miles, I've always heard that any more than 30ish takes too long to recover from and is counter productive. Not sure what anyone else thinks on that. I've focussed on the long back to backs with tired crumbly legs. I feel pretty good at the moment. I've not done 100 miles before but feel up for the challenge, plus I quite like the thought of achieving something I've not done before and that people think I'm crazy for doing.

Hi all,  back in the thread after my DNF last year.  I got to Goring and Streatly but couldn't go on.  At the time, pulling out was bloody horrible, but with hindsight I can see that it was largely a mental battle - I was looking for any reason to quit and when I found it I took it with both hands.  It took a while to admit that to myself but I'm hoping that knowing this will help me improve my psychology this year.  I'm hoping that increased exerience will see me through as all the data shows that this year I have done fewer miles and done them slower.  Slighlty nervous now.

Hi Ewan i've just bought the ronhill tempest jacket its got really good reviews. Have to say first impression are very good only had it a short while but would reccommend.

I agree with you Gav i did the sdw100 last year and my longest run in training for that was 28 miles and i got around in one peice. It definatley is in the head after 50 miles the hardest part is the early hours of the morning I buddied up with someone from mile 70 and we ran/walked the last 30 miles together really helped.

I have one last night run planned this week then Taper look foward to seeing you all at Richmond

I am not yet  an expect in the field of ultra running but one thing I have learned is the importance of being confident and comfortable  with the gear you are using.  That means

you have to try out and test every item that you'll need on the day/night.

Shoes, socks, headtorch, jacket( 100% waterproof )  gels ...

Having said that

I have just got in from running  from  Wallingford back to Oxford , most of it in the dark. My torch was OK but my nephews was crap. I had  a  skinz suit on

with a couple of thin layers over it and never needed to put on my  Jacket.( I would have if i'd stayed out longer ) 

Between Abingdon and Radley it was a bit sticky under foot but compared to last year  it was 100 times better.

  I feel confident i'll have no problems from 30 miles out.  All I need to do is conquer the first 70.     

I've got a big grin on my face thinking about it. 

I bought a Montane Velo H20 jacket and am trialing it tomorrow morning (I'm assuming it'll still be raining as it's forcast all weekend. Hope this doesn't set the TP back on the flooding front).

Nervous but confident. Bring it on now i say....

This weekend I am testing out my new icebreaker long sleeve top and my new Salomon bag

My wallet is hurting!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=87270

http://www.snowandrock.com/pws/UniqueProductKey.ice?ProductID=ICE0006NK

Gav@Godalming, thanks again - I have been running through the tendinitis for two weeks and it isn't getting worse, if anything a little better. It is great to hear others finding this too. Elf and safety type advice these days is an almost automatic "rest for a month". Clearly a fine town Godalming, my very understanding wife is from there also.

Thanks also to Monkeybrain - that's pretty much exactly what I've done: one 32 and I have stuck to my schedule pretty well and done most of the back-to-backs, v good to know it's a sensiible schedule (I found it on a free US website, I had no idea if it was ok or not).

On jackets - I came to running from cycling: for keeping dry and warm it's all about layers and for me gillets. I always run with a thin, wind and waterproof cycle gillet and use armwarmers under a jersey or with t-shirts. The gillet keeps your core dry and warm, the armwarmers keep your wrists warm and both pack down very small. Covering and uncovering your wrists is a surprisingly efficient way to regulate temperature on the move and the sleeves slip off and into a back pocket (zipped, gillet) without stopping. I'm a big fan of Buffs, very versatile. On the wrists they also act as warmers or if it's very hot put ice inside buff on wrist and run, cools you down immediately. I guess the last bit won't be relevant for us in 15 days time.