wannabe ultra runner?

You don't even have to do a course. 

Learn how to take a compass bearing. 

Learn the difference between magnetic and true north (probably overkill for this). 

Then go out to an area you know the layout of, with a map,  and practice taking bearings. 

A newbie question- my race has put out the course on a Garmin - compatible format, as well as planning to give us maps at the start. Is it OK to use Garmin for directions?- I can put it on as a "course" and just follow the arrows- is this considered unethical?

I am a little unsure of the battery life for my Garmin - but hopefully it will hold out for a 33miler.

Did my last LSR before the marathon today- 15 miles, marathon taper underway, then I'm going to need to recover from that before any more trainig, by which time I'm tapering for the Ultra!- how long do I taper for a 33miler, if I've not been training before- just running a marathon?- I know the marathon will be a good training run for the 33miles, as long as I don't damage myself, but it's taken me a month to get back to "normal" running  after marathons in the past, and I have .......guess what, a month between the 2!

This could be very interesting!

im only going on what ive read tricia..(im such a nerdy swot lol)taperfor the ultra is roughly same as for marathon, but as you only have month in between the two id maybe have 10-12 days off after the mara and then do a 18-20 mile on the weekend in between and then do the ultra?....i think thats how id do it depending on how i feltbut like i say i could be talking total tosh as ive never done it! lol....i think im going to be learning by my errors.......

spen are you near northants? i may be following you then if my map reading isnt up to much...but i plan on having a Garmin by then with GPS!

tricialitt

I would normally allow a taper of two weeks for a 30 miler or a 50 in exactly the same way as for a marathon.  I would allow a slightly longer taper for a 100 miler.  I often slingshot one event off another, and  I don't think that a three or four week layoff does you any harm.  An enforced layoff  is often a blessing in disguise. 

I have just completed the High peak 40 a month after I finished the NDW 100.  I did no training runs between the two events that were longer than 8 miles.  Earlier this year I ran the London Ultra, two weeks after I finished the Thames Trot.  I did not run at all between the two events. 

In your case I would suggest that you take it easy between the two events.  Perhaps try a 6 m ile run 1 week to ten days after the marathon, depending on how you feel.  If you do a long run between the two races, then do it at the two week mark, and make it no more than 15 miles. 

spen71 wrote (see)

I live in Birmingham Lou so thinking next year maybe the Northants one then JW.

oh yes you said you were near the start of JW didnt you, sorry....thats my plan too, maybe northants, then JW, then Abingdon marathon....im scaring myself now

Hahaa   Ive entered the London Ballot, want to do it so can tick off the list off to do.  If that does not come about I will have to see what to do different.,

Hurray! Can I join the Northants crew too???  Looks like its a popular choice for 1st Ultras. Im toying with the idea of Lakeland 50 in the summer too..... May as well dive right in!!!

Anyone doing the Rosedale Rumble? It will be my first race with a required kit-list.... Trying to figure out how not to spend a fortune. I'll only be doing the 13 mile course

hi karen, would northants be your first ultra? alpologies if you have already said yay or nay before , i cant keep up sometimes!....northants crew is a good name for us...lol..

so we have :NORTHANTS CREW SIGN UP LIST 2012:

spen71

loula

so we have :NORTHANTS CREW SIGN UP LIST 2012:

spen71

loula

karen

The Northants ultra was my first, and since there seems to be a lot of interest in it, I will make a couple of observations. 

It is a very picturesque event and beginner friendly.  The start and finish line is in the grounds of Lamport Hall, and the route takes you round a circuit of rural Northants.  You soon see why it is called "The rose of the Shires".  The course is mainly tails, bridal ways and fields, but with some country lanes.  The time limit is generous, so you can work at a slow pace and its not the end of the world if you take a detour. 

This event has some big hills and requires some navigation, which I consider to be a good thing in a first ultra.  It will force you to develop the tactics and skills that you will need for longer events, such as matching run walk strategy to terrain, map reading, and managing your food/liquid requirements on the go.  If you picked a flat 30 mile event, then you would have to go through that learning curve at a later time in a longer event.