Thames Path 100

I decided last month that I have to revisit this one. Initially I thought no done this one time to move on, but something keeps troubling me - I sort of now know this course having finished it and secondly I want to have a good stab at breaking the 24 hour barrier.

Was way out of my depth the first time around, Hillheader I really had to let you go post Reading I just couldn't keep up, but now with a bit of muscle memory in the bank and a change of waterproofs and GTx trail shoes in the drop bags this race just could be the one!!

I might also toy with the idea of the South/North Downs as well for next year !!

Goodluck all

louismaxy

Of course you are going to do one of the Downs 100s. 

After you do TP100 a second time, do you imagine that you are going to just stop there?

Might see how my coastal ultras go this year (Isle of Wight & Dorset Doddle) before I think about North/South Downs

TP was great though...maybe I'll see you all back there again too!! LM...trying for sub 24 eh? Got me thinking!

Ben I can't wait since finishing the TP100 i have entered The Cardiff Ultra next week and have entered the Thames Trott next February as a warm up for TP next year. One of the Downs 100 would be the icing on the cake !!

PP I think with better planning on my part and now I have that muscle memory from last March I believe sub 24 hrs is possible, the last 9 miles from Abingdon was horrible as you know. Just which I had packed my gortex trail shoes, big mistake. Traction resembled more a side ways movement sliding around that MB track next to the Thames under two inches of water................d'oh

Good luck with Cardiff LM, I think Vicki Luffram from this thread is also doing that one.

I definitely learned some hard lessons about kit requirements in TP100. 

I would definitely have a goretex jacket in my pack if I did this event again. 

I don't think I would use goretex shoes, because the water gets in over the top, and then they just make matters worse. 

Above all, it was people who took care of their core body area who were least effected by the weather conditions. 

I would say that the conditions underfoot in the last 20 miles, definitely harmed the finishing times of many competitors, so we might well be able to do better next time round. 

Conditions could have been better - but also could have been worse. The Saturday was excellent remember. Perhaps the main problem was the contrast.

Most ultras I've done insist on full body cover (waterproof jacket AND trousers) to be carried at all times. Seems an appropriate rule considering it is early March.

Anyone got a way of turning the map on the website into a garmin course? I tried it last year but it kept blowing my garmin up (maybe too big a file).  Wondered if anyone has a clever way to chop course into bits & upload each.

And yes, I KNOW it follows the Thames.  So how come there were three of us wandering around Reading town centre around closing time last year then? Hmm???

(Answer: missing  a bridge crossing due to removed sign. Grr.)

Mr F, would love to have a look at the GPS data from last year. Doing the TP 100 in March for the first time, very excited and have been training like a wolf! Let me know what you need to email it over.

Cheers Mr f! Sad to hear they cancelled the race at the end, are you doing it again this time?

My email address is barn_whit@hotmail.com. Much appreciated!

You should have the two files with you now monkey.... oh and another thing, the GPS signal was crap at the start, possibly due to the cloud cover and 199 other people searching for a signal too! I didnt start my watch until we hit mile one...

Thats awesome cheers Mr F! Will have a proper look later on tonight.

mr f - if you could send I would much appreciate.  am at marc DOT thatcher AT gmail DOT com

merci

Marc & Lingster, you should now both have mail.....

Mr F, You have mail