Thames Path 100

Glad to hear everyone recovering well.

I have a very busy few months ahead. Just hope i can avoid injury this year!

April = London mara

May = Ultra Breacon 40

June = SDW100

August = NDW100

November = Winter 100 ( Not entered yet but considering for the slam)

Hopefully a muddy 15 miler tomorrow morning.

Thanks Ben. Definitely plan to cross that finish line!

Mr F, have signed up for grimsthorpe and it definitely said 100 miles.  I know what you mean though as other info has said 105. Will find out for sure on the day. It all adds to the excitement! Take care all x

I will be back next year for unfinished business

 Groin strain took me out at 38 miles

Have got Caesars Camp 100 (or as much of it as I can get done in 28 hrs) and Winter 100 left to do this year, with maybe an IM in midsummer beforehand

Hillheader

I am pretty much the sacrificial virgin at the Viking Way Ultra, but if I don't give it a try I will never know.  One thing that I did notice about the TP100, is that some runners who are dynamite on the hills, were surprised by how slow their pace was. 

Waccyracer

Of course you are going to do another 100.  Once you have been there, you will always be drawn back. 

Dill

I would love to do the slam, but I have been only been running for two and a half years, so I still have "kid in sweet shop syndrome".  However much I enjoy a race, there is still one that I have not done at the same time next year, that tempts me away. 

I know what you mean Ben but i have a feeling the centurion races will be future classics and i would love to be one of the few to complete them all in the first year.

You have a point there. 

I would be shocked if a couple of the centurion races didn't become future classics.

That's funny - I was looking at that one last night james!

I am booking up for around the island at the end of June (Isle Of Wight) whih I should be able to do if I just tick over with training on the back of TP100. There's loads I like the look of, but a lot are so far away from me. Maybe next year JCC .  Ring O Fire sounds good - but scary!! The event itself is really cheap compared to other multi days, but it would prob cost me a lot to get there and across to the island. Hmm - something to think about! James, what's it like in terms of navigation? I'm terrible!

Mimi - I will be sure to read that report .

I did a report for the TP100 on the Scottish Runners thread in General the other week, its about page 1344 I think, or go to the current page and backtrack a few, sorry I'm rubbish at links!!! A report from me from the back of the pack !

TRex - I read your blog for the Fling last year - that was some epic journey......and you had us all scared with that weird light in the night on the old route of General Wades Rd over Rannoch Moor !! I have had some weird shit happen to me in the middle of the night in the remote parts of Scotland so can well believe how bizarre things can get sometimes!

Planning my Ireland trip now, current drive time is apparently 40mph so I dont expect to arrive in Connemara particularly fast !!

In the meantime I got my maps for the Lakeland 50 in July - that looks like some epic race - I reckon the Lakeland 100 must rate up there with the UTMB in terms of difficulty???? What do people think?

Tigerspaw - .  I've decided the "light" was in fact the reflective orange round marker they put on bridges as you approach them.  It's just that in my semi-hallucinating state it seemed to move around and even come towards me!

What are you doing in Connemara again, sorry?  I'll be doing the ultra for the 8th consecutive time.  It's a cracking event.  There is a thread started for it but it hasn't got going very well. 

I'm also on the waiting list for L50 - didn't get entered early enough.

James

I think that your race merits/needs a devoted thread. 

A lot of people get drawn into a race by following a thread about it, the TP100 being a case in point!

I said i wouldnt do it, but with a few weeks gone by, i ,m seriously considering Mike Inksters 24 hr Challenge in May, its a lapped course which i have run several times in races like the moonlight challenge etc and i swore i would never do a lapped event again. But if the TP100 training stays in my legs it would be an oppurtunity to have another crack at 100 in 24 hours. Its only 10 mins from home but 16 plus laps makes my brain hurt just thinking about it.

Also havent broached the subject with Mrs Ashmore yet !!!!!!

Good idea Ben. I was certainly a devoted follower of this thread on the lead up to the TP100. I've also been keenly reading all of the post race analysis and stories following the event.

I managed to finish the race just before they called the event off. I was one of those runners finishing in the snow, wrapped in my survival blanket, with mild hypothermia. After running through the Sahara desert with 'James Bingham 5' in temperatures over 50 degrees, I thought there could not possibly be anything more uncomfortable. To be honest, I thought the last 10 miles of the TP100 was far harder! My clothing was completely soaked through, the wind was biting, the temperature was plummeting, the path made it impossible to run, and I was completely dehydrated after having been unable to stomach food / drink for the last couple of hours. Happy to have survived and it was certainly a memorable event! Give me a nice sand storm any day of the week!

Hopefully the Welsh weather will be more tame on the Ring O' Fire ultra, unless  'James Bingham 5' is organising a hurricane to make it more of a challenge for any hardened TP100 finishers.

Mark, I did the 24 hr challenge last year. That was my very first attempt at an ultra distance. Great way of finding out what you're capable of, without the pressure of cut-offs etc.

I am really tempted by the Ring o Fire - but am wondering if I may be out of my depth with that one. Having said that, I thought that about TP100!  I'd need to get some serious hill training in quick smart!! OOh what do I do, what do I do??

Going to enter again next year I think. Perfect timing as build up to other events and most enjoyable event in own right. If anyone sees that entries are open, please post and we can all rush in!

Hope that everyone's other events for this year are going well or training for upcoming events back on track

Yeah I would like to do this again too - I have that last 9miles to complete, unfinished business  .

Hillheader - I think we get a 'heads up' email a month before entry opens, as we are previous entrants .

Completed Highland Fling last weekend and felt comfortable all the way round, had a total blast chatting to folk and generally enjoying myself not worrying about the time, then came down with a bloody cold a few days later, gone to the lungs!!! Feeling better and hopefully will clear up in time for Dukeries in 3wks time.