Yep. I’m marshalling a river crossing for a trail race under that lot currently.
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not much different in Vichy - peeing down for the Euro Para and AG standard champs.
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My mate was a DNF after the swim and had been giving a few updates now he’s back in the land of the living - he says a few drops but has stayed dry somehow.
Meanwhile at Corby Half Marathon this morning it was hard rain throughout and torrential in parts. The wettest I’ve been since Zofingen a fortnight ago - I think I’m a weather jinx so good job I didn’t go to Tenby to support
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Maybe not the right thread but a friend from the running club is at Tenby today, she’s one tough cookie normally and would probably be fighting for at least top 10 in her A\G and maybe top 5.
But… she’s spent most of the last year+ on chemo and other hideous treatments for breast cancer, she was only 44 when diagnosed so is really just trying to avoid cutoffs. She deferred last year so couldn’t this year and is from just up the coast so didn’t want to miss her home race even if she gets the hook.
She still can’t walk properly due to weakness in her leg and was expecting to have to push the bike on a couple of climbs. think her longest run is something like 10K
But she’s just gone through 107K on the bike so keep your fingers crossed she makes it onto the run, getting round will be some achievement.
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My half went better than expected this morning, as above it was definitely not the conditions for me but the wind was across us for a lot, but there’s a horrible long section of boring road road you do twice which is pretty soul destroying 
Anyway, I got going but immediately there was a lot of people dropping me, wasn’t sure if they’d just paced it wrong but it was a North East champs race and a qualifier for something like the British Masters.
I was a little bit nervous with the first couple of K’s being quick but managed to get them back to about 4:17k pace and decided to hold it there for a while. There’s a little drag of a climb but there was hardly any shelter as the field was pretty strung out where I was after about 3K.
Got to 10K in 43:0x and was pretty pleased so tried to hold on for the next uphill bit into the wind. Kept ticking through at went through 14K in just over 60 minutes.
Was back on the boring bit but reeled in an odd person and got the odd one going past, finally made it to the south turn and about 3K to go. Was feeling it a bit by then and should have had my gel.
When I got to 2K from home I was pretty sure I’d be around 92 minutes and tried to keep going, then saw the 1K to go flag from the 10K race and had about 4:25 to get back. With about a 100 to go I thought I could probably sneak just under 92 with a big push, this was a bit regrettable but the chip time was 1:31:52 
So, pleased with that, wore the Next% which definitely got me a minute or two despite the conditions which possibly cost a minute at least. Felt generally comfortable and metronomic most of the way and I wasn’t totally crippled afterwards either.
Hopefully moving int the right direction, couple more weeks before easing down for the 70.3 and a 97 minute run might be possible if I can adapt to the heat the week before.
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Congrats Jeff 
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Good work in the conditions @jeffb
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Fantastic effort Jeff, that last bit would have hurt!
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Nice one @jeffb, looking forward to seeing what you do in the 70.3 now 
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2nd in the 45-49 AG at the Scottish Du champs and was down by 2 mins in the bike
. A TTer who can run a rapid 5km means I’m glad I age up at the end of the year
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Hmm … looking at my diary this week and this is going to be a challenge. On top of that it took me ages to get out of bed this morning as i was pretty tired (actually slept pretty crap all last week).
I’m now trying to figure out what the best thing to do is. Guess it’s my own fault for being in this position! 
Do i really force things or will it be counter productive? I’m in work twice for quite long days, Little One’s bday on Wed, Big One’s SLSC end of season awards Fri night, LO’s birthday day out/party on Sat. That’s not leaving much space at all.
I’m juggling the pros and cons between the old ‘you can’t gain any more fitness this close to the event’ vs. the fact that i’m coming from such a low base (compared to a ‘normal’ race build) that i probably am making fitness gains right now. Or is it just in my head?!
Will i benefit from a 3/4 hr run somewhere this week?! Or will it just fatigue me?
I’m flip flopping in mentality as well. One minute i’m convinced i’ll be ok. I’m not sure if that’s confidence, naivety or arrogance. Probably a bit of all 3. I know i’ll make it to 100-120km, even if it’s not pretty. Then i can just walk the last section as i’d likely be plenty in front of the cut offs (as long as nothing goes proper wrong).
Then i’m more like “well if i just make it to 100km that’ll be a decent day out - there’s no pressure at all.” The problem with this way of thinking is i’m worried i’m giving weakness a voice and a way out. Because it doesn’t matter; why just push through!?
I guess it’s made worse by it being such a silly race. But there’s also comfort in that too; as i can ‘hide’ behind that fact, i have no expectations and i can just ‘go do’. Whatever happens will happen.
I know i have the dragon in the cage inside me ready to go when it gets tough. But i guess i’m questioning the wisdom of letting him out. But then i’ve never been very wise. And i love doing stupid shit.
ETA - sorry bit of a ramble.
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Tapering now surely
Nothing longer than 2 hrs for me until the event
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I have nothing to taper from. That’s the problem!
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I’m a bit similar, build up has been woeful, again! But I’m in the @tunster camp, I might do a few 10s and a 20km on Friday or something, maybe a vert session but nothing taxing and that’s for the 110km, let alone the 110 mile.
I’m more inclined to spend time getting my nutrition plan dialled in my head and then actually do it 
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I went one better …
I bought some new socks! 
Realised a lot of my fave socks have more holes than material; which is probably sub optimal for that distance race.
Jumped on to get some new Injinji’s and they had some with my fave animal on them (if you have kids you know how many times in a month you get asked what’s your fave animal/bird/colour/film etc).
Now i’m feeling happy and motivated!
I do need to start thinking about fuel though. I bought a bunch of those Supernatural pouches a few weeks ago - 1 of each flavour. That’s a decent start. I think i’m a bit fed up of Maurten at the mo. So will get some form of powder to pop in my drinks; but i’m going to go back to more real food this time. I got in a bit of a pickle with fuelling in Brecon at my last 100 (2019!!) and i think it’s because i was getting sick of the drinks and slowly, over the course of 10 hours or so, ended up under fuelling.
I’m not gonna be moving fast this time and i have a pretty iron stomach. So back to basics, supplemented well with easy to access/quick cal stuff for immediate pick-ups.
What are you guys’ plans for your nutrition strategy. Doesn’t look like it’ll be warm, so that makes hydration much easier to nail.
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Must be worth at least a minute per KM 
All you need now is the tailwind 
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Tbh hadn’t even thought about it yet - probably some tailwind and then pit stop buffet - is the catering good?
Are you doing the 100mile or 110km?
Catering is fine - but it’s much lower key compared to the big stuff you will have done (UTMB, Centurion etc). Functional rather than outlandish.
On the 100km you’ll only need a really good pitstop at Combe Martin at half way.
I’m doing the big one 
So you’ll probs come charging past at some point later in the race! If i was on the 100km i would go with much more synthetic foods - i have discovered my limit for that strategy to be about 12-13 hours.
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My nutrition plan starts with a late afternoon meal at the Hairy Dog pub in Minehead 
A drink on the coach and usually Justin has some rolls or pasties at Barnstable.
From then it will be a mix of Precision chews, home made flapjacks and the odd Precision gel.
Maybe some pasta at Wool but it’s usually dregs when I come through. They have other stuff.
Fill up a spare 3rd bottle at Wool. I have one bottle with electrolytes and one straight water. So I carry tabs.
CM checkpoint is where the substantial stuff is, soup, beans on toast, whatever they have, nothing is too much trouble there.
CM is the proper ‘reset’ stop really.
Replenish from the drop bag and make it to Lynton and Porlock stations where they will make you a sandwich and have other good stuff.
It’s a while since I’ve been on that part of the race, so things may have changed.
It’s not UTMB level but it’s more than biscuits, crisps and water.
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