Yep agree. We can take sabbaticals at work , so I already plan to take at least 6 weeks off so I could go out and get heat ready . Saying that by the time I get in , I may already be retired and have more time on my hands 
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Essex 100k done, took a bit longer than I expected, legs didnāt want to cooperate after about 60k so walked much of the rest.
Race was small and friendly and well organised.
Trail had a bit too much tarmac for my liking and was well a bit boring in places, though I think the seconds half was more scenic than the first.
Detailed instructions and a GPX file were provided, and just as well as the Essex Way trail marking were few and far between, missing many major turns and some markers were well hidden.
Not sure Iām back in 100mile shape yet, but i have until October to get there.
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Nice one Doug. 
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Well done Doug .
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Well done Doug.
What are you planning in October?
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So it looks like I may be doing a backyard style ultra in March now. My race director mate, myself and a couple of others (the inner circle as weāre known haha) have been planning and tweaking a version of this event, well for a few years itās been in our heads in various guises. Now heās got permission nailed for the HQ at a perfect venue. Itās a big Scouts Hall with a giant field outside it.
Same concept as the backyard i.e. laps heading off on the hour. 2 differences on ours is that thereāll be an absolute 36 hour cutoff (which nobody is going to make any way) and our loops have 250m elevation per 5.3km. And they include some decent technical terrain!
It includes a section of steep steps that weāre all super familiar with as itās on our patch of coast path and they are nasty! Theyāre nasty when fresh. Iāve done them 85 miles into a 100 miler and they were even worse. This is gonna be brutal!
4 loops will be a half marathon distance but with 1,000m height gain, 8 loops in 8 hours for a marathon.
30 loops in 30 hours for 100 miles and anyone who manages finish the whole 36 hours will get a classy Everesting badge next to their name!
In March.
I canāt wait.
Link to the route if anyone is interested
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Nice!
You should call yourselves Inna Circle Events, cos thatās how youāll be running.
The 250m of elevation is a cruel twist.
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Iām in for the October version of Ultra Scotland 100 (deferred from last year and I definitely wasnāt ready for it in May)
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So will this be a proper event or just a mates type thing? (asking for a friend 
)
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Open, but small event first year, so may not be fully slick yet as we look to tweak and grow the next year.
Weāre gonna do a little test with a bunch of mates in the autumn, just for 6 hours or so.
Iāve run it twice now as two consecutive loops. Reps between 33 and 37 mins, nice and steady. I think you could just about power walk the whole thing in about 55mins. Might test that out at some point.
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Back in the 'hood 
I think @Clive is in for the 50 & Iād considered doing the 50 as well, but I think Iāvedecided to give myself a few months off the grind of long stuff & hopefully come back refreshed & hungry for '22.
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Registering interest. 
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Looks like a tough one Doug - still got a few months of training yet
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Yes, I grew up around there and have a long term goal of doing the full Southern Upland Way
I decided I needed another warm up race before October to keep me focused so just entered the Shropshire Way 80K in August, should get me some 2500m vert to bed the quads in.
Now Iāve seen the results from Sundayās Essex jaunt I feel a little happier, there were only 19 starters, and I was 6th of 10 finishers.
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Introducing son to the world of ultra next Saturday. He is now 26. He is a far better runner than me.
I loved helping training for cross country at junior school and loved seeing his progression from running for his class, to running for school to running for Salford
Used to beat him at 5k - he came back from 3 months travelling and ran 19min
Used to beat him at 10km - aged 14 he beat me over that distance
He beat my HM best with a 1;30 on his first attempt
He ran his first marathon in lockdown in January on his own self supported in 3;19
I know he would probably beat me over 100km next weekend but it will be my proudest day on the trails (over MdS/UTMB/TDS) to finish next Saturday with him at Avebury.
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Thatās proper ace @tunster and fingers crossed you get a perfect day together.
That would be my ultimate dream if one of my kids got into sport when theyāre older.
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Awesome day ahead for you both Phillip. Remember, when you get to the stones, you havenāt finished.
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And if you get to the finish without going round the stones you turned right when you should have gone straight on 
(I went back, did the stones then finished, though I was tempted just to be done with it and tell them to DQ meā¦ I was not having a good day)
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Did the fell race today, had somewhat forgotten what a real fell race on the Lakeland fells was like. Forget Helvellyn, thatās easy in comparison.
This was a lot of open fell and visibility dropped to about 40m at any height, so you couldnāt easily follow the long train.
A group of about 20 got a bit off track but luckily I stayed with 2 and we managed to pick it up again, think the others got a fair bit more climbing
Probably cost at least 20 minutes 
Enjoyed racing though despite trying to take it steady, but a mass start felt good, albeit only about 250.
Quite sore in the stomach now and Iām expecting a decent helping of DOMS on Monday
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Well done Jeff.
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