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Coventry Way Ultra
Has anyone done this before?
40 mile ultra, generally on footpaths, around the outside of Coventry at a radius of about 5 or 6 miles from the City Centre, so generally through fields, woods, etc.
A guy in my club (who won it a couple of years ago), described it a "flat as a pancake" and he is a road runner so it must be pretty flat! Though I think there's in the region of 150 stiles throughout the course.
I've never done this sort of distance on the flat, so am slightly apprehensive about being able to keep the pace up, particularly as this race is only 8 days after the Lakes Mountain 42!
But i'm tentatively hoping to get 6hrs-something, which would put me near the front.
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Having been sent to Coventry many times there is no way I would go voluntarily!
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Looking forward to this on sunday. Still daunted by the thought of 40 mostly flat miles, but at least it's nearly all off road.
Had emails from the organiser with dire warnings of muddy and wet ground, and a couple of diversions as we have to cross the swollen River Avon a couple of times. Quite pleased about this news as it should play into my hands as a grizzled fell runner, and hopefully slow some of the road guys down a bit!
Secretly hoping for a good placing.
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A mixed bag today. I was running well, albeit being very tough to run that distance on the flat. Unfortunately after 31 miles I decided to call it a day, knee was still sore from last weekend, and if I'm going to sacrifice my body for a race, it will be in a few weeks at the UTS100 and not today.
Think I was in 2nd at the time, which is a shame, and I could have probably limped the last 8 or 9 miles home in a time which would have been good enough for a podium place last year (although I suspect only top 5 or 10 today). But live to fight another day.
Always a bitter pill to swallow, to drop out of any race.
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I always think it is sensible to drop out rather than allowing soreness to develop into a really bad injury. I've done it a couple of times. And at least on the Coventry Way you hadn't wasted a lot of time and money on travelling to the venue!
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Exactly, in fact I rather conveniently dropped out within about 3/4 of a mile of my house! Although did have to then drive 20 mins to the finish to report my whereabouts...
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Back on this again on sunday. This year i'll be spurred on by some club rivalry... there were originally 4 of us on the start list, but time and training has whittled this down to 2.
Hoping that the experience of last year has given me a better appreciation of the correct pace needed to compete. Last year's race was hampered by injury, but i also certainly went off too fast anyway.
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Got round today in 6hrs54... not seen results yet as it was a time-trial type race with various starts... I expect top ten but not much more.
Went swimmingly until about 28 miles when I had a bad spell which lasted until 33 miles. I did pick up after that, but couldn't push the pace. Had I done miles 31-40 in the same speed as 22-31 I'd have been looking at around 6:15 and a possible win.... which does show the scale of my wobble.
Great to get an ultra finish under my belt again. May well use this as a semi-regular training run. Although I did feel the lack of hills (perhaps only 1000ft climb), just a constant pounding of the calves. Although for a flat course it was interesting enough.