Fascinating stuff…i need to do one…
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Yep me too; definitely on the bucket list. Congratulations @Matthew_Spooner , now get back to training for that sub 9 
This is all part of sub 9 training. Just going a little off script
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Well done Matt.
They seem to be increasingly popular, probably the laps part helps as you can easily drop out without being stuck in the middle of nowhere.
I noticed a couple of my friends did one at the weekend, one was on the NY moors, the other was just outside Newcastle so they’re popping up across the UK.
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I like the idea of the ever decreasing time for the distance, say a 2 mile loop starting at total 24 minutes and it drops by a minute every loop.
Going to try a DIY version in June all being well
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What if you can’t do the first lap? (Asking for a friend 
)
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Well done Matt , great result.
Great work - was amazed to see your run/bike on Strava the day after the event - quick recovery!
4mins per km on such tough terrain for the last lap was amazing
Oh Crap!! I’ve just entered Comrades. Need to do/find a qualifying race
Edit: It will be my first ever ultra
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This year? That’s brave. I’m not entirely sure this year will be the same atmosphere as it normally is.
Lots of talk in SA about whether it’s got the funds and the right management to keep it afloat. Let’s hope it does. I’ll be sad if a foreign owned group buys it and prices out the locals - the current local entry fee is already pricing out many.
One day in the future I will commit to it but I think it’s a fair way off just yet.
Yep. The thing is we are running out of years (both 60 this year) and have other plans for future years. I have just checked my credit card and it is £249 which is a lot.
I do hope that the atmosphere is still the same. Amoungst other reasons it is one of the main factors in doing it. I guess time will tell. First things first. 1. I need to start running more than 10K 2. I need to loose at least 5kg!!!
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Nice, how long have you got to qualify?
Yeah the overseas entry is considerably more in order to subsidise the local entry. The local entry has sadly doubled in price this year. It’s still only about £60 but you can imagine that is quite a hefty amount for most. Especially after last years riots and last weeks floods on top of Covid. It’s been a tough year for KZN.
Anyway. Here’s a training plan for the Durban based Regent Harriers. These are the formal Sunday runs which are supplemented by 3-4 midweek runs of 10-15km with a combination of flat and hilly.
Loved it the year I did it in 2016 - which was also a down year Enjoy the training and the day .
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I’m not sure. I have just entered the Goring Gap Ultra which is May 15th. Its 50K and you need to go under 5:50 for qualification. Probably doing a trail run is not the best idea but it’s not really hilly. I’m not trying to think about it too much as every time I do I get really nervous
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Yep, my wife got her back to back medal that year. I intend to do the race once and once only
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Wow, thank you so much. You don’t know how much out of my comfort zone I am in! There may be a few questions over the coming months
When I did the Goodwood Marathon in Dec 2020, I ran the last few laps with a guy that was qualifying for Comrades. He was a fair bit younger than me and needed to go under 3.40, which he did because he finished about 10secs ahead of me and I went 3.38.
I’m not sure if he needed to do multiple marathons under that but he was very happy he’d got in. I felt like it was a pretty soft goal (had to be if I could make it 
)
How does you road marathon prowess stack up against your trail?
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I have never done a trail race 
so no idea. So May 15th will be an education for many reasons
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Usually the tip for an ultra is ‘just keep moving and eat’ but 50km is pretty short, so maybe ‘run like crazy’?
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