Not quite, no. It’s only a few miles from the Devon Cornwall border though - about 7.5km as the crow flies (i just measured it on google maps).
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OK i think i’ve been ignoring the details of this race for too long now. So time to go into (over) planning mode.
Now i’m really setting my mind to the task, i’ve remembered how bloody hard these events are. I found my old, and very detailed race report from the Arc back in 2018 or so. I’m glad i take the time to write these things now, as they’re super helpful. The worrying thing was how i described how blimmin hard it was and that i felt i was under trained! 
And for that one i did a 4 month training programme!
I just looked back and over the past 15 weeks i have managed to average a chunky 40kms per week of running. With one run of 70km back in July. I did at least average over 900m elevation per 40km week. So at least there have been a few hills.
Now i’m trying to profile out the course and work out typical times to each aid station so i can work out hydration strategy and fueling strategy. Not being hot makes things easier, as we won’t need to carry a ton of water - that nearly undid my July run as it was baking hot and i’m a free and easy sweater!
I think i’ve got an idea of how it may go down now. I found the strava link of a lady from last year who did a similar time to what i’m hoping for. So i’ve used that as a guide. She looked pretty well trained, so i think i’ll probs be faster in the first half and slower in the second.
Getting quite nervous and excited now! Tomorrow is going to drag!
Going to get a lift to the start with a mate who’s working the event. Then another friend is going to drive me home afterwards. So that takes away the worry (and temptations) i had about driving when still not in appropriate shape.
Food and water are heavy though. I can’t remember what sort of cals/hr i have used in prior events. So i’ve just got a ton of options and i’ll put loads of stuff in my drop bag.
I’ve got 12 x pouches of Supernatural food stuff. Then a mix of high cal/protien bars and chews as well as a few different types of gel, chocolate bars and pepperamis. Then i’ll just supplement with whatever i can stomach/feel like at the aid stations. I don’t want to spend very long stopping, but i don’t quite want to be as ‘synthetic calorie’ as i did for the Brecon one where i ended up in a bit of a pickle. So hoping to grab some proper food and eat on the go if possible.
Headtorches and batteries are all charged. Powerbank is charged. Poles collected. Route downloaded onto watch. Route downlaoded and saved for offline use (and double checked this time) on phone. Just need to get my kit ready - though i think i know what I want to wear and what i want to take with me.
Excited!!!
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This all does sound very exciting. Is there any tracking for the three of you?
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Good man. I’m nowhere near ready, both packing wise and training but started to see the end of the week coming now.
I’ve charged all my batteries, will take 2 for the main torch on me, plus the spare torch and put a third battery in my drop bag. I will swap batteries at Lee probably.
I’ve got all my mandatory kit ready, not got past that yet. All sorted for Precision gels, chews and salt tabs. I have a few Cliff bars but they aren’t my favourite. I’m heading to Mum’s tomorrow night, so she will cook some ‘race muffins’ which I like.
Funny you should mention Peperami, I don’t like them but I have used cooked cold sausages before, so I might take them.
Will put some wraps and other treats in the drop bag. It’s so hard to know what you’ll feel like after going all night (and day for you!).
I’m a bit of a bigger for carrying loads of food and eating a lot less of it than I should. I do take some stuff from the aid stations though.
Timing wise, with 8.30 start, I’d like to hot Wooly by 12.50 and get to CM in enough time to have some soup or beans on toast, change socks/shirt etc.
I’ll just bloody wing the rest! 
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I thought I read there would be live tracking @Sparky but I can’t see a link in any of the info.
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There will be, yes. The tracking company haven’t finished setting the link and racers up yet. Expected by tomorrow. Will post up here when it comes through.
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Yeah i’ve definitely got a habit of this. Carried a bag of dried mango around 2 x 100 mile races in 2017 Still didn’t get eaten. I need to remember, when packing, that any little barrier becomes a big barrier when you’re deep into a big race. By that I mean simply having to stop, take the pack off and rummage at the bottom for something probably means it’s not going to get eaten.
So i have to be smart about where stuff is. But also be smart in taking my pack off and sorting these things out early.
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When I did UTMB I actually watched a couple of videos on YouTube about packing as I wasn’t sure I’d get everything in. I don’t have the really lightweight small kit for a lot of it.
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I’m meant ‘bugger’ not ‘bigger’. If I ate the food I carry, I’d be even bigger 
Yes, that rummaging sucks. I have a system now where I know where things are. Chews are in a plastic zip lock bag on the left and other food like the sausages or muffins outside of the bag. On the right, I have gels, both the screw top and individual ones and maybe a spare bar or two. As the left hand pocket get’s emptied, I transfer anything over but gels always stay on the right.
Proper spare food goes in the back of the vest but I rarely carry it unless mandatory, maybe a bar and a gel but certainly no more.
I carry my salt tabs and electrolyte tabs in two separate small bags on my right shoulder, in that little pouch pocket on the Salomon vest.
Bottles, I always use the same system. Straight water on the right and electrolyte drink on the left. That never changes. If I wear my tights, I have some extra side pockets that are handy but I don’t rely on them.
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Finishing work tonight (or so I thought - - now got two meetings in the morning ffs) so need to pack tonight
Driving down tomorrow
Got some tailwinds and will mainly be relying on the checkpoints for grub - bag not big enough to carry loads
By the sounds of it I am a bit lackadaisical compared to you two
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Maybe on the packing, definitely not on the running
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Just looked at the average finishing times for the 110km
Not a big field at all
Have just revised my eta up by some distance 
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Field is even smaller this year. It seems that the 110 miler has absorbed quite a bit from the 110k.
I think there’s less than 20 for 100k and just over 30 on 100m. But then the 55km has much higher numbers, as you’d expect.
But it’s still a small race.
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I think I will just have to adopt the policy of chase those doing the 110 mile and try not to get caught by the 55km race (at which I expect to fail on at least the latter)
Looks like the forecast has improved somewhat - no rain now forecast which has cheered me up considerably (still time to change I suppose)
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There is another option @tunster, stick with me until CM. It will add few hours to your time but I do know where I’m going
20 in the 110k is very small!
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I have been tracing the route on Googlemaps today
Some easy to miss little turns throughout the route
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That’s what I kept saying. It looks fairly straightforward but it isn’t. An easy one to miss is the little gate which takes you across a very small field and onto a road that leads up to the main road at Saunton, which you cross and start the first climb.
The trail naturally goes around to the left but the gate is straight on. You end up in some kind of modern cabin park otherwise. I know from experience
another one is about 8km in, GB will know what it’s called but there is a roundabout and a pub or a shop in front of you. You need to go left and keep the pub on your right, over a tiny bridge and then hard left over some concrete steps and back onto the trail. That one is very easy to miss.
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Good luck all of you 
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No idea. I was head down and bombing it last time!
Covered the first half mara in 1.46 
like that wasn’t a stupid idea!
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Absolute ledge 
.
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