is this run in conjunction with the 'Raid in France' AR expedition race (which is starting soon...) or an entirely different beast?
I know Shelf (Stu Walker) from DP/Pudsey Pacers is doing the AR raid.
is this run in conjunction with the 'Raid in France' AR expedition race (which is starting soon...) or an entirely different beast?
I know Shelf (Stu Walker) from DP/Pudsey Pacers is doing the AR raid.
Quick flick through and found these
Tim Laney in 63rd
Nicky in 187( she'll start slow and catch them all at the end, she doesn't warm up until after the first 50 miles....!)
Olly 189
Mark Rawlinson 474 (Just seen the name)
Sandy Mackenzie 525 "
Jeff Campbell 646
David Whitehead 647
Not sure, I know the accelerate team are also out at the RiF so maybe.. I'll try and find out.Originally Posted by ba-ba
aye, Stu is in the Accelerate team.
Matt Neale 663 and Andy Elwood 511 in as well.
Will Harris and Noel Hogan, both from Shropshire, passed through CP3 close together as well at 15:04.
pedictably Nicky won the ladies race)
The last time I looked the website was down but from other sources I've been told she was 36th overall in 29.45
well done Nicky yet again....:thumbup:
Pinched this off Racekits FB page but it deserves a wider audience
Nickys Report......
ANYONE who's followed Nicky Spinks' ultra-running antics over the past couple of... years will know that she's not one to exaggerate. Usually the most we can coax out of her after yet another Lakeland classics win, or record-breaking Peaks round, is "yeah, my legs are a bit tired, but not too bad..."
So when she told us last weekend's win in the 160km Grand Raid Pyrenees was "really tough - the hardest race I've ever won", we knew she'd probably been through a few "character-building" moments.
Not only was the weather particularly grim (the race start was postponed by several hours), but freezing conditions meant that - like in the UTMB - many runners dropped out. Here's Nicky's report;
As you might have gathered from my comment at the end of the race ("the hardest race I've ever won") I found this year's Grand Raid Pyrenees very tough indeed. I was determined to defend my title from last year, and planning and training had gone well. But right from the start, going up the first climb, it was hot and I was already finding it hard - although admittedly this isn't unusual for me so I just 'dug in' and kept going. I knew my brother Charlie (Nicky's race support) would have my Raidlight poles at the Artigues checkpooint, but I wish I'd had them from the start. After the first climb I was 2nd-placed woman, but then easily caught the leader. However I then realised my legs just felt empty, so ended up giving myself a 'good talking to' in a bid to keep things moving.
I still haven't pinpointed why I felt so weak, but in the two weeks leading up to the race Steve and I had been very busy on the farm, and even on the Monday before flying on the Tuesday I was up until midnight stacking bales of straw. Of couse, I've felt tired like this before, but along with a tight hamstring I seriously considered pulling out. I bargained with myself that I couldn't drop out while I was 1st woman; but if I dropped to 4th and felt as bad then I would have a rethink - that was the deal.
So, my plan was to eat as much as possible and hope it gave me some energy. This worked quite well although I was breathing really hard on the steep ascents which is not like me. I collected my Raidlight poles at Artigues and used them a lot right up to the finish. For 24 hours I just went from checkpoint to checkpoint - thankfully some of them were "Checkpoint Charlie" where seeing my brother gave me a big boost (I was initially worried that he wouldn't be allowed to support me and was therefore ready to be self-sufficient, but there was no problem).
I was holding my own until Esquiere Ser (last year Luz), and although I had had trouble keeping a rice pudding down at Turon de Bene, I was still ok with fruit salads. Unfortunately that didn't last, and soon afterwards everything re-appeared, meaning I didn't eat anything else for that leg. By now it was 5am and I was weaving around on the path looking at patches of ground wanting to sleep, but I knew that I had to get through to Tournaboup checkpoint and get some food or I wouldn't finish. Thankfully Charlie had a mousse ready and (with a couple of re-swallows!) I kept the whole lot down - and after a few minutes even managed a couple of spoons of beans. I took a black coffee with me and set off with Charlie walking alongside giving me words of encouragement. By now I knew the 2nd-placed woman runner was catching me (only 30 minutes back), and I started plotting how to pull this one out of the bag. I knew my strength had to be in the climb and so, with a long, long ascent from the checkpoint, I got stuck in and hacked my way up it - determined to stay in front. I thought about all the people watching and supporting me from home - Steve working on the farm, Amanda and Andy at Racekit, Charlie driving round supporting me (sleeping in his cold car - on his summer holiday!), and Carol - Charlie's 8-months pregnant wife letting her hubby trail round the hills with his sister. I knew I had to do as much as I could for all of them.
Soon I was catching people and I knew that was a good sign. My legs were so painful on the descents - I tried to put my poles away as the French do but kept getting them out again as they helped absorb some impact. By now, I had 4 gels left and used them all. Running back though Merlans (the first checkpoint on the way out) I smiled as I was clocked through, knowing that Charlie would be glued to his computer screen at race HQ, just waiting for that moment.
Now it was just a case of getting down to the finish. It was so painful but somehow I managed to keep going. At least we did the very steep bit first - the 4 guys with me looked so fluid and, bless them, they waited a couple of times but I was so slow. It was agony, but I had no choice but to go on . At long last I hit the town of Vignec and there, looking very worried, was my brother Charlie. The smile that broke out on his face made all the pain worthwhile. He told me the 2nd-placed woman was 30 mins behind me at Merlans, so we pushed on through until reaching the outskirts of town, and then I slowed down to savour the moment. With cowbells ringing and lots of cheering, I ran down to the finish - even though I say so myself, it was a very deserved win, and I can only admire what the human body can cope with.
Like I said at the start, it was the hardest race I've ever won.See More
By: RaceKit.co.uk
Hi folks
Has anyone done this - http://www.grandraidpyrenees.com/ I've been thinking about it for a little while and I'm 99% certain that I'm going to enter the 80km version next year, Anyone else considering it?
Would be great to catch up with some forumites!
Been for the last 3 years and will be off again in 2014. Its a tough one, only finished the 100 1 time in the last 3 attempts.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote