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Thread: Excalibur Off-Road Marathon

  1. #61
    Master (notsomuchofa)Fellrunner's Avatar
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    Re: Excalibur Off-Road Maratho

    Top banana Kathy, thanks for that.

    9:30 start for me. Get a lie-in that way .
    I've just decided I don't trust you anymore.

  2. #62
    Member Kathyf's Avatar
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    Re: Excalibur Off-Road Maratho

    i'm thinking of trying for group 7
    did most of the bottom loop and fenlli on sunday afternoon - it was glorious but blummin warm:w00t:

    not long now

  3. #63
    Senior Member Usually at the back's Avatar
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    Re: Excalibur Off-Road Maratho

    Hoping for cooler weather by Saturday, bit of a jog up Fenlli tonight, just the right temperature, but it was after 6, so not much sun left

  4. #64
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    Re: Excalibur Off-Road Maratho

    Yes, I think maybe group 7. It'll be cooler Saturday. Perhaps too cool. Personally I'd like it the hotter the better.

  5. #65
    Member Kathyf's Avatar
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    Re: Excalibur Off-Road Maratho

    Some last minute thoughts........................a bit of route advice for Fenlli - when we've headed up Fenlli in an anticlockwise direction do you think it matters if we go up the steps halfway, and turn right around the path to the back of Fenlli then up the 'Ponderosa' race route to the summit or should we go up the whole flight of steps in one go? Not clear from my map.
    Also I'm unsure on descent if we go over the wonky stile or keep to the left of the steep fenceline??

    Any advice gratefully received ta
    Kathy

  6. #66
    Master (notsomuchofa)Fellrunner's Avatar
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    Re: Excalibur Off-Road Maratho

    I can't say for certain Kathy, but I imagine it would behove ;-) the RO to make sure we stick to steps & proper paths......although wherever possible I avoid steps as they never seem to suit my stride length. Cheers for reminding me about that wonky stile, after 24ish miles that could be quite a challenge.
    I've just decided I don't trust you anymore.

  7. #67
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    Re: Excalibur Off-Road Maratho

    I have no idea about the correct route on Fenli, Kathy. We have debated it throughout our recces. In recces we've gone all the way on the steps and kept very left of the fence (Ie not straight down but a bit further to the left which is slightly further but more runnable). I wouldn't use the 'Ponderosa' route at all though. It might add considerable miles. Now the 'Druid' race route ...... that's another matter.:thumbup:

  8. #68
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    Re: Excalibur Off-Road Maratho

    we have ran round anti clockwise and up the steps (not the Druid route), still some debate about the way down though

  9. #69
    Member Kathyf's Avatar
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    Re: Excalibur Off-Road Maratho

    Quote Originally Posted by Nigel View Post
    I wouldn't use the 'Ponderosa' route at all though. It might add considerable miles. Now the 'Druid' race route ...... that's another matter.:thumbup:
    ha ha you're quite right Nigel - well spotted - i'd be well off course on the Ponderosa!!

    Cheers everyone - glad to see we're all in the dark............................... on second thoughts i'll rephrase that, if we're getting benighted then we're beyond slow!! glad to see we're all as hazy as each other

  10. #70
    Master (notsomuchofa)Fellrunner's Avatar
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    Re: Excalibur Off-Road Maratho

    A copy of a quick report I made for our club forum;

    "Good event, a few things were a bit unconventional, but overall I really enjoyed today.

    It was great to see so many club members, we seemed to have more runners than most, a real presence .

    Upon arrival at the Start/Finish carpark we were being asked to drive up to the top carpark which seemed a bit harsh as people were having to park up, walk down to register, perhaps walk back up to get ready, back down to start & back up when finished :? . Registration was smooth enough, but the numbers were made of paper which wasn't ideal & I must have littered the hills as mine became lost during the race ops: . At each CP we had to rubber stamp another piece of paper. I was concerned that this might cause hold-ups, but apart from one minor exception :roll: it worked out OK.

    My main concerns about the race were;

    Waterproof kit did not seem to be compulsory. In an event of this length, over this terrain, I feel that checks should have been made. The weather was fine for running today, cool & predominanly calm, but as soon as you stopped running..............just saying.

    People should have been made more aware that they would be reliant on their own nav skills. It's no use just following walkers, I called several people back & know of 2 or 3 locals who went walkabout.

    By far my biggest irritation was the amount of bottles from the aid stations that were left littering the hills . I got through a bit quicker than most & saw far too many casually lying on the paths. God knows what amount of gel wrappers, bottles & crap people were left on the hills at theend of the race .If they can't sort this out there is no way the event can be allowed to continue. I'll be emailing the organiser suggesting that they put a marshall 100 or so metres from the stations next to a bin telling competitors to drink or bin the bottles. I'm still fuming about this :evil: .

    Despite this I really enjoyed the race. The walkers setting off early & runners being set off with times graded on their expected times worked well & there was plenty of encouragement & banter throughout the race & although a bit misty at times we could still appreciate some great views.

    My nutrition/hydration plan worked out well. I left a bidon with sports drink & 6 gels shared between 2 flasks to be picked up in Cilcain & just needed water from the stations during the race. I've no idea what else was available at these stations. On my long training runs, my ave heart rate has maxxed at 140. I felt that I could aim for an average of 150, perhaps finish around 4hrs30 & still not ruin my Celtman training completely. I stuck rigidly to my plan until CP1 at 1.7 miles & was averaging 149 8) . At this point I had a conversation with a triathlete from another local tri club who wasn't quite ready to punch his card, but was willing to hang on to the punch until he was. I didn't think this was fair & may have articulated my feelings on the matter. I can't remember much of his reply, but I do remember the words "knob" & "triathlete" being mentioned. I'm sure more was said, but these were the words that hurt me most :lol: :lol: . Thereafter it was game on & for the rest of the run I averaged 160 :roll: :roll: . This meant I had completely bolloxed my sensible, canny approach & finished in a little under 3hrs45 ops: :| .........but did exact my revenge, by some margin :wink: . It's difficult to say how I was positioned in the race overall due to the wave starts, but Rob Grantham of Ellesmere Port - who only decided to race a few days before as he needed "a 20miler for my London training" - bettered me by close to 15 mins :shock: which was pretty awesome."
    Last edited by (notsomuchofa)Fellrunner; 31-03-2012 at 09:14 PM. Reason: just my spelling & repetition
    I've just decided I don't trust you anymore.

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