Trail & Ultra Running Thread

Tracker seems to be working now

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My dots are finally working again now :grin:
@tunster, all this hot weather must be good for your Namibia training!! I can imagine everyone hiding on Monday and you doing a long run!!
@FatPom at least The Plague might feel nice and cool in comparison!! It’s going to be great :+1:

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I know I should have worked this out by now but let’s just say, I haven’t and move on.:wink:

I’m on a bit of a dilemma about whether to take poles or not.I have them with me and I have my 5 and 12tr vest. The trail is very narrow is parts but has mega steep and a ton of them.

I’m wondering about the weight, faff vs not having them, especially with my quad.

I thought a test pack would see me taking the 5ktr vest without poles but with mandatory kit and extra fluid required, reckon I’ll be taking the heavier 12km anyway.

Gonna be quite a few people on the trail with different distances and the back and forth of the Bring out Your Dead.

Decisions decisions

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If you take them and dont need them is it going to really make that much difference, I know you want to carry as little as possible but if you are having quad issues they could come in really handy

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This is my thinking. I’m trying to strike a balance with nutrition and carry enough but not too much, fill a zip lock at aid stations and move.

But how much is enough? This is where recces are invaluable. Pity I haven’t done any :crossed_fingers:

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The weight of a couple of poles will be really minor in the grand scheme of things. However having somewhere decent to stash them will be significant for two reasons. 1 - will they flap and bounce about and annoy you. 2 - are they secure but hard to access, in which case in your fatigued state you end up carrying them but never getting close to using them due to the perceived faff.

Ive been struggling in the past with x or y, and I’ve had the answer in my pack. Whether it was some dried pineapple or whatever. But because I had to stop and take the pack off, then find it. I never bothered. Yet it would’ve cost me seconds, and gained me (potentially) minutes. Silly things like that happen on the long stuff, as I’m sure you well know!

I used them on the Arc and they saved me. Many people are firmly against them on that type of terrain. You need to know how comfy you are with them. There’s very little rhythm on the sawtooth coast path. So they’re not always super helpful unless you have confidence in using them and know when and where to use them.

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Whichever decision you make you will, at some stage, be cursing what you decided and wish you had elected for the other option :joy:

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Cheers mate. I’ve never been able to get on with the elastic loops on the back or front. So I use the Salomon quiver which works well but can add heat and bulk to your system.

I’m pretty good at extracting and stowing them generally but that’s on wide trails where it’s easier to do two things at once!

Unfortunately no drop bags at this race

Forgot to add, my poles need gauntlets, do you have to run with those on

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One of my favourite ultra films

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I think the start is on Mud Crew TV. Steve Cousins is live-streaming, my mate said I’ve already been on🤣

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Yep at 17mins :+1: Have a smashing time FP.

Take the poles. I wouldnt do an ultra without them and really not a big deal to carry. After you’ve done 50k you will be wanting those poles

Shits getting real

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Poles in I see - good man

Good luck - looking forward to seeing your progress

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Very sad to say I had to drop at Carhays😫 hamstring and quad just got tighter and I made Gorman Hd with only 6mins spare and it was just an exercise in pain and misery.

I could barely lift my left foot. Oh well,rolled the dice. Quite te a dewdrops, some humidity. But a fair amount of fallers

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Really sorry to hear that FP. Well done for giving it a go, hope you could enjoy some of it.