Anyone completed the series this year, or previous year's if there have been any?
Recommend any of the races in particular?
Any idea just how competetive it is?
And are the races going to be the same long, medium and shorts as this year?
Anyone completed the series this year, or previous year's if there have been any?
Recommend any of the races in particular?
Any idea just how competetive it is?
And are the races going to be the same long, medium and shorts as this year?
Why walk when you can run.
Britnick does the series, he will probably advise.
I can assure you it is competative at the sharp end. But plenty of scope for the mere mortals to have an enjoyable day out.
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.
I did quite a few last year and reakly enjoyed them. I've done a few this year but not enough to get full qualifying points.Originally Posted by theNoor
Very friendly and Competitive. Fellsman and Os phoenix are good. Wuthering hike is hard as it is very runnable (Just ask Brett).
I missed them this year as I decided to concentrate on longer hilly stuff for the BG training.
I'll be back next year though.
Being used to the Long lakes stuff you should have no problem competing.
Good luck
Hi theNoor,
It's a great series that, once you commit, 'encourages' you to do events you would never have done and get to see new parts of the country - see Marlborough Downs Challenge and Pumlumon Challenge here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26082075@N05/sets/
I've done the series all three years they've been running. The desire to maximise your points helps you to give of your best.
Bullock Smithy Hike and High Peak 40 are great events, the latter being fast and runnable if you're up to it on the day (I wasn't this year). Pumlumon Challenge is good if you want a 'short' run across rugged terrain. The Fellsman is probably the toughest (therefore the slowest).
It's competitive up at the front end and can be as competitive as you wish to make it wherever you happen to find yourself in the rankings.
Register next year and enjoy!
I did a few of these this year, as said Wuthering hike is hard - went off too quick and cramped!
Calderdale hike was good run in hard conditions this year, Matt Giles (Matt the Brum) blew everyone away.
Am going to do the series properly next year i think, am really keen on fellsman but prob is that old county tops is week after. If you are hard do both!
Done the series this year and last year. I've really enjoyed doing it both years. It's got me more away from fell running and more towards this longer distance stuff (which is what I think I prefer).
They're all good. One of the great things about the series is that it gets you out to races that you wouldn't normally do and to see new parts of the country. I think that three of my favourites would be:
Osmotherley Phoenix: it's just such a special area and you really feel like you are going somewhere (you're on big tracks at times which feel like they're going somewhere).
Long Mynd Hike: I like the history of the event, the way it is such a local institution (it seems to be a rite of passage for Church Stretton residents) and the way it is such a massive event (550 entries). There is more support on this event than there was. It's going to be the UK's answer to UTMB one day! The area is great: somewhere you really should go to, but might not unless there was a reason.
Downland Ultra: it's such an opportunity to get totally beasted. You have to run fast and push yourself to do something you don't want to do. The scenery is beautiful: the rolling Weald to the north and the sea to the south. I also like the way that the race start is on a railway line so you can make a real weekend of it, have a couple of pints afterwards and chill out (which won't happen in the race: it's always too hot). One for the masochists.
Plumlumon Challenge is also an excellent race and a great excuse to see a bit of mid Wales that will make you wonder why you've never been there before. In 2007, the Rhayader Mountain Trail race was in the series (as a long race) and that was equally fantastic: maybe more so. Again it was an opportunity to see an area that you would not normally go to (and it is good out there!).
At the front it's really pretty competitive: but in a nice way. One of the good things about it being a series is that if you don't have a good race against the "opposition" in one race, you always have the opportunity to have another crack at them in the next race. This motivates you to keep going and to keep entering races.
Having said that, others do the series just for the challenge of completing the series, or compete for a team, or for one of the category prizes (Vet 50, Vet 60, Female V50 etc.).
There's always time for a chat after the race (or a half hour sleep under a tree and then a groan if you've done the Downland Ultra) and maybe a pint afterwards.
The ultimate challenge is to complete all 12 races (the grand slam). This was done this year by Karen McDonald and Stuart Walker: excellent effort.
I think that the competition really brings people on. I was well impressed with how some of the runners progressed in the last two years: people who looked like they might be a bit iffy at the start of the series were posting some impressive personal UTMB times by the end of the series.
I don't have any specific info on this. I suspect that the core races will be the same as last year with a couple swapped out and a couple of new ones swapped in. This is all speculation though. I hope they manage to keep the geographic spread of the races.
[Note: I run for Team Vasque, but I've tried to answer this post in a non partisan way]
Last edited by Zlod; 07-10-2008 at 11:57 PM. Reason: typo
Zlod, excellent summary and most helpful for those of us who are on the brink of Vasquing next series around.
Morgan
Yes, thanks Zlod. 2006 (I think it was), in a burst of enthusiasm I did the Rhayader MT (in its original shorter incarnation), really enjoyed it, then got injured. 2007 I did no races but won a spot prize
. 2009 who knows...
Nice summary Zlod.
I think I may give some of these a go.
Although I really, really don't like leaving the 'comfort' of the Lake District.
That said, I did the Wuthering Hike about 5 years ago and loved it!
Why walk when you can run.
I might be tempted noor - how about getting a team together?
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