Ultra Discussion Thread

Dubs1990

I'm considering giving myself a year to train for the kerry way ultra , can somebody tell me how much navigation I would need , also am I been unrealistic with attempting this as my first ultra ? I like a challenge but not something that I could be out of my depth on , I will be coming from road running (marathons).

Tganks

sutrra

Dubs1990 wrote: »

I'm considering giving myself a year to train for the kerry way ultra , can somebody tell me how much navigation I would need , also am I been unrealistic with attempting this as my first ultra ? I like a challenge but not something that I could be out of my depth on , I will be coming from road running (marathons).

Tganks

Ultralite or 200k? Race record is 23 hours, cut off is 40 hours( sleep deprivation and mental side of this is biggest problem)...for the 200k, ultralite is manageable with marathon training ( just that uphill from Kenmare to Killarney will be tricky... 4k of just going uphill)

Djoucer

Full Kerry ultra is very do-able with a year of training.

You’ll have lots of prep races available to you with a few IMRA ultras in the months leading up.

It’s fully marked but people do take wrong turns.

Dubs1990

sutrra wrote: »

Ultralite or 200k? Race record is 23 hours, cut off is 40 hours( sleep deprivation and mental side of this is biggest problem)...for the 200k, ultralite is manageable with marathon training ( just that uphill from Kenmare to Killarney will be tricky... 4k of just going uphill)

Was thinking the 200k , but the ultralite might be the way to go for the first time . Just out of interest how do people manage sleep deprivation? Also do people use gps watches?

sutrra

Dubs1990 wrote: »

Was thinking the 200k , but the ultralite might be the way to go for the first time . Just out of interest how do people manage sleep deprivation? Also do people use gps watches?

What Djucer says maybe will be enough a year to prepare for the race did this year the ultralite myself, and thinking to do the 200k next year. My longest race was a 50 miler so didnt have battled with the deprivation, will do 2 100k next year in April and June, then see where is the mind and body until september. I like to follow some progression in dostance, but not everybody is the same

Dubs1990

sutrra wrote: »

What Djucer says maybe will be enough a year to prepare for the race did this year the ultralite myself, and thinking to do the 200k next year. My longest race was a 50 miler so didnt have battled with the deprivation, will do 2 100k next year in April and June, then see where is the mind and body until september. I like to follow some progression in dostance, but not everybody is the same

My whole thing is book it now or when entry opens , and it means I have no excuse not to train for it ! Was the ultralite handy enough or still a challenge in itself? Just don't want to be getting lost somewhere in the kerry mountains either by taking a wrong turn !

Enduro

Dubs1990 wrote: »

My whole thing is book it now or when entry opens , and it means I have no excuse not to train for it ! Was the ultralite handy enough or still a challenge in itself? Just don't want to be getting lost somewhere in the kerry mountains either by taking a wrong turn !

My advice is always do what you want to do. There's no "right way" to build up to a 200km trail run, so likewise there is no wrong way. Having said that the ultralight would be less challenging to aim for. But that could be a disadvantage when it comes to motivation.

I've seen eejits take on 5 day multi-sport expedition adventure races as their first beyond marathon effort and live to tell the tail despite a complete lack of skills when they signed up nine months beforehand (I was that eejit). So its definitely do-able if you're willing to commit to it.

On the getting lost front... you have plenty of time to learn to navigate, do training on the course so you're doing recces, and buy and carry a decent GPS device (proper handheld, not a watch). All that will help enormously. Also don't be afraid of getting lost and taking wrong turns. We all do that at some point. The trick is to correct yourself calmly and efficiently.

There are ways to factor out sleep deprivation to a large degree. Getting some sleep during the race is the most obvious one. That's not a joke.

Dubs1990

Enduro wrote: »

My advice is always do what you want to do. There's no "right way" to build up to a 200km trail run, so likewise there is no wrong way. Having said that the ultralight would be less challenging to aim for. But that could be a disadvantage when it comes to motivation.

I've seen eejits take on 5 day multi-sport expedition adventure races as their first beyond marathon effort and live to tell the tail despite a complete lack of skills when they signed up nine months beforehand (I was that eejit). So its definitely do-able if you're willing to commit to it.

On the getting lost front... you have plenty of time to learn to navigate, do training on the course so you're doing recces, and buy and carry a decent GPS device (proper handheld, not a watch). All that will help enormously. Also don't be afraid of getting lost and taking wrong turns. We all do that at some point. The trick is to correct yourself calmly and efficiently.

There are ways to factor out sleep deprivation to a large degree. Getting some sleep during the race is the most obvious one. That's not a joke.

Thank you for all the information, it really is a point of just bitting the bullet and doing it , I will look up some navigation courses I can do over the winter , also I am Dublin based so plan on doing a few longer events with imra next year also.

OOnegative

Best of luck to our resident basket case Ultraman100 who takes on the challenge of Sparta from 5am tomorrow morning.

https://www.spartathlon.gr/en/live-data-en.html

Edit: Bib No 36

OOnegative

Anto through checkpoint 18, leader through 23 if i’m reading tracking correctly.

Jakey Rolling

Through CP22, 80km

Alastair (234) 51st, 8h20mins, 66mins off the lead!
Anto (36), Rolando (161) @ 46min
Thomas K (163) @ 51min
Sam (93) @ 65min
Rex (148) @ CP18

OOnegative

Anto, Rex and Rolando through CP28, one hundred odd places ahead of the God of Running, Dean Karnazes.

OOnegative

Alastair is placing 36th overall currently, Anto, Rex and Rolando have 120km done(126km left).

TFBubendorfer

It's utterly bucketing it down there, just as they are about to cross the mountain.
Good luck everyone!

TFBubendorfer

Alastair is just about to reach the mountain top, apparently in 16th place :eek:

OOnegative

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Alastair is just about to reach the mountain top, apparently in 16th place :eek:

That’s unreal running!!

Enduro

Super running by Alastair. He sounded like he was going to be happy have Irish weather. Its certainly suiting him at the moment. I see him at 11th at the moment at checkpoint 52. All going very well indeed. He's ahead of Jon Olsen (A world class American 24 hour runner, former world champion) too, which is impressive.

Nathan Flear, who was 3rd at the Belfast 24 hour this year is running in 9th, about 25 minutes ahead of Alastair.

Good to see Joao Oliveria flinging along in 2nd. A very nice chap indeed. Had a good battle with him there 2 years ago.

OOnegative

Alastair just finished in 10th position!!!

TFBubendorfer

New Irish Spartathlon record!

OOnegative

Anto, Rex and Rolando about 215k in, weather is atrocious apparently.

OOnegative

Under 10k left, bring it home lads!!!!

OOnegative

All home and finished. Anto 34hrs and 45mins ish to get it done. Can’t comprehend the mental toughness required to do that. Enjoy the celebrations lads!!!

Murph_D

Much respect. Congrats all.

ArtieFufkin

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

New Irish Spartathlon record!

I think I might have to finally write my first ever race report- coming soon. What a race, there's nothing like it. It's really three races in one. The first to 80k Corinth is an easy warm up. The second to the top of the mountain is a bit more of a test but looking at the times I think I was one of the fastest on the ascent. The last 80k is just about trying to keep the legs moving, I found the final marathon really tough and went from 8th down to 10th but was fortunate to keep moving albeit a lot slower.

I'm not sure if we can count this as an Irish record as officially I'm on the UK team. Either way I'm very happy with the result. I'll be back next year for sure.

robinph

So I like nice flat courses, roads, regular water stations, knowing medical support is nearby and nice weather.

So this weekend I'm going to do twice as far as I've ever done before, with a couple of small undulations to get over and mud, and apparently a couple of yellow weather warnings for wind and rain as I attempt to do the Lakes In A Day 50 miler. There is absolutely no way I would have even contemplated entering this, but I was offered a free place by the organiser as part of a team of 19 type 1 diabetics who are going to be taking part. Simple things like not getting lost and keeping warm is the same as for everyone else, the trickiest bit for us is going to be balancing the exercise/ insulin/ food and ensuring that our blood levels don't drop which at the top of one of the mountains could mean falling off it.

https://www.facebook.com/openadventure/posts/10160928861480503

I'm number 349, which means that I now know people are watching, which means I can't hide. Kick off is at 8am on Saturday:
https://live.opentracking.co.uk/lakesday18/

I hope to be able to finish whilst it is still Saturday.

jimcricket

Best of luck lad. If you can do it this weekend the sky is the limit. Enjoy

Enduro

robinph wrote: »

So I like nice flat courses, roads, regular water stations, knowing medical support is nearby and nice weather.

So this weekend I'm going to do twice as far as I've ever done before, with a couple of small undulations to get over and mud, and apparently a couple of yellow weather warnings for wind and rain as I attempt to do the Lakes In A Day 50 miler. There is absolutely no way I would have even contemplated entering this, but I was offered a free place by the organiser as part of a team of 19 type 1 diabetics who are going to be taking part. Simple things like not getting lost and keeping warm is the same as for everyone else, the trickiest bit for us is going to be balancing the exercise/ insulin/ food and ensuring that our blood levels don't drop which at the top of one of the mountains could mean falling off it.

https://www.facebook.com/openadventure/posts/10160928861480503

I'm number 349, which means that I now know people are watching, which means I can't hide. Kick off is at 8am on Saturday:
https://live.opentracking.co.uk/lakesday18/

I hope to be able to finish whilst it is still Saturday.

Best of luck Robin. James is a great RD (and thoroughly nice human being as well!), so you'll be well taken care of. The course looks superb as well. I reckon the LD is one of the most beautiful places in the world I've been to. Hopefully you get to enjoy it.

I was actually half planning on getting to this race as well, but timings just didn't work.

With the weather warnings make sure not to skimp on the gear front. A proper mountaineering style rain jacket could be the difference between finishing and DNFing. Better to be looking at it than looking for it when you're 800 meters up in the mountains with the nearest shelter an hours run away.

Good luck and enjoy!

ArtieFufkin

My first ever race report is up. Sorry it's a bit long but so is Spartathlon!

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=108330169&postcount=271

Enduro

robinph wrote: »

So I like nice flat courses, roads, regular water stations, knowing medical support is nearby and nice weather.

So this weekend I'm going to do twice as far as I've ever done before, with a couple of small undulations to get over and mud, and apparently a couple of yellow weather warnings for wind and rain as I attempt to do the Lakes In A Day 50 miler. There is absolutely no way I would have even contemplated entering this, but I was offered a free place by the organiser as part of a team of 19 type 1 diabetics who are going to be taking part. Simple things like not getting lost and keeping warm is the same as for everyone else, the trickiest bit for us is going to be balancing the exercise/ insulin/ food and ensuring that our blood levels don't drop which at the top of one of the mountains could mean falling off it.

https://www.facebook.com/openadventure/posts/10160928861480503

I'm number 349, which means that I now know people are watching, which means I can't hide. Kick off is at 8am on Saturday:
https://live.opentracking.co.uk/lakesday18/

I hope to be able to finish whilst it is still Saturday.

Well by all accounts the weather has been horrendous. But Robin is still out on the course digging away towards the finish (Nearly there now!). Looks like a fairly brutally testing start to an ultrarunning career! Well done that man, and enjoy the finish later tonight!

robinph

That was a brutal day out in the fells.

Wading through fast flowing rivers up to your waist, scrambling up and down multiple summits, sliding down rock faces, wading through bogs, getting blown back up the hill when you are trying to "run" down it, piercing rain shredding your face, very low visibility making it very difficult to spot the trails or the next person just a few meters in front of you. Would have been impossible to navigate that with a map and a compass so they stayed stashed away for the duration.

Lots of people dropped out at Ambleside, which is the notional half way point, but in reality is 30 miles in and most of the climbing done. Got some dry socks on at that point and a feed of pasta. The food stations were excellent, more than you could possible ever need to eat and for me and the other type 1 diabetics there was other people there to support us and were diabetic themselves, I didn't actually need to make use of them (but got them to fill my water bottles up and make me a coffee) but knowing that there was someone there who knew what issues I might be having with diabetes was a great comfort. Another one of the diabetics, who had run the event before, actually dropped out at Ambleside as they were vomiting on the way up the earlier peaks, and their multiple bits of technology for tracking blood glucose had failed and they couldn't eat. But without the tech working it was impossible to know so in that kind of situation knowing that there is a person at the feed station to give you a sanity check in your decision making was very useful.

After Ambleside it was the "flat" final 20 miles, and the nice dry socks. The socks last all of 200m as before I knew it I was along a cycle path which was flooded up to over my waist. After that drenching though there was actually some good running to be had for several miles. Until the path went down to the edge of Windemere and then dissapeared beneath the surface. In total there was probably a couple of miles of wading through the edge of the lake with it up well over knee level and feeling for the path beneath. When the little bridges over the small streams that fed into the lake were also under water you got an idea as to how high it had risen.

My Garmin finally gave up its battery after 15 hours just before I got to the last feed station. The route for the sections from Ambelside to the finish were marked relatively well with arrows, but you could be going for a good mile between seeing the next arrow so you start to question yourself and telling if you are on the actual path through a field whilst watching for the shining eyes of sheep and cows looking back at you in the darkness was tricky. There was a few minor points of getting a bit lost and going round in circles but getting a sight of another head torch in the distance usually sorted those issues out.

Finally managed to make it into the finish after 18 hours an 9 minutes.

It's a fantastic event and really well organised and meant to be the toughest 50miler in the UK. Delighted to have finished, delighted to have been able to do something like that as part of a team of type 1 diabetics.

But scrambling over hills in a race isn't for me, I prefer my races to be runable. It might get me now tempted to run some longer stuff again, but it won't be going over hills/ mountains.