Monday, 22 July 2019

North Downs Way 100 ultra-marathon kit list

This year will be the third time I run the Centurion Running NDW 100. It's a hearty challenge and one that you'll want to be prepared for (I know the pain of not doing so).

To help others be prepared, and to act as a check list for my own packing, here's what I'll be running with.

North Downs Way 100 kit list


What I'm wearing
  1. Brooks Caldera 2 running trainers
  2. Howies merino micro socks
  3. Howies merino run vest
  4. Howies run shorts
  5. Ultimate Direction Signature Series 3 - Scott Jurek (7 litre)
  6. Hoter wrist band
  7. Garmin Fenix 3 watch and HR strap (set to ultra-trac)
  8. Howies run cap
  9. OMM waterproof jacket
  10. Flexible travel cup x 2
  11. Rieman P20 factor 50 sun screen - amazing stuff
  12. Copious amounts of Vaseline
What I'm carrying with me
  1. Ultimate Direction 500ml soft flasks x 2
  2. Salt stick caps x 10
  3. Whistle
  4. Ikea bag clip
  5. High-5 energy gels x 3
  6. Hoter wrist band (spare - great for backpack hot spots)
  7. Howies long-sleeve merino base layer, in zip-lock bag
  8. Plaster pack (for blisters)
  9. Knee wrap
  10. Emergency blanket
  11. £50 cash and credit card
  12. Car key
  13. Nathan rear light
First bag drop
  1. LED Lenser SEO 7R head torch and spare battery
  2. Petzl Bindy head torch (spare)
  3. High-5 energy gels x 2
  4. Salt stick caps x 10
  5. Howies merino run vest (spare)
  6. Howies merino micro socks (spare)
  7. Baby-wipes x 10
  8. Flexible travel cup (spare)
  9. Vaseline
Second bag drop
  1. 6 x AAA batteries (spare)
  2. Howies merino short-sleeved vest (spare)
Finish bag (I'll be taking the coach back)
  1. Small micro-fibre towel
  2. Large micro-fibre towel
  3. Body wash
  4. Change of clothes
  5. Fleece top
  6. Baby-wipes x 10
  7. Flip flops
  8. USB battery charger and iPhone cable
  9. Large dry bag (to dump everything into)
  10. Sunglasses and case
Hope this helps someone.

Wednesday, 26 June 2019

10 reasons why I love the Midsummer Munro

It's no secret that I love the North Downs. My favourite race of the year literally has it in the title, the North Downs Way 50. And whilst I'm a convert to longer courses, I'll always have a soft-spot for the Midsummer Munro half-marathon.

I've run the Midsummer Munro 4 times and The Picnic, the now defunct marathon version (RIP), 3 times. That means I've run the route a total of 10 times; although the newer, and tougher route, was introduced two years back. All that running gives me confidence to put together this list.

10 reasons why I love the Midsummer Munro

  1. It's hilly as heck which means the route is tough, yet incredibly satisfying once done
  2. Navigation is super easy so you never have to worry about where you're going, you just have to worry about how you'll keep-going
  3. The volunteers are lovely people and give their time up to help see you around the course
  4. There's no time cut-off so you get a great mix of fast, experienced and newbie runners
  5. It's held in Summer so the weather is generally warm and brings the best out in people
  6. It's an out-and-back course, and with so many spurs it means you're constantly passing people and offering them support (or a thumbs-up if you're going up-hill)
  7. Not too many people on the course to slow you down or cause you to dodge dogs and the trails at times are quite wide anyway
  8. But plenty of people at certain points to cheer you on, which is always a pleasant feeling
  9. It's easy to get to and parking is literally 30 seconds from the start, which first takes you past toilets, two cafes and lots of seating
  10. The medal is ace as it's wooden, environmentally friendly and stands out when you look at all of your other bling

Bonus points

  • The T-shirt. Not only does it have your name on it, and the names of all the other runners, I personally find the t-shirts to be the best offered at any event
  • The carrots: A staple of every Trionium event
  • The mug: I love a good tea in a good mug. At times they also offer pint glasses too
  • The picnic: Lots of variety, mega tasty and all right at the finish line so you can cheer your running buddies in
Overall it's a grand morning out and worthy of being on anyone's running list.






Tuesday, 18 June 2019

North Downs Way National Trail on Google Maps


Looking for the North Downs Way on Google Maps?

Car parks, water, cafes and toilets

I'm adding layers for car parks, water stops, cafes and toilets. It'll take a while, but add it to your Google account and the updates will come through automatically.

Use the left navigation to add or remove the additional points.


Hope this helps someone.

Tuesday, 4 June 2019

Six week 50 mile ultra-marathon training plan

I've ran the North Downs Way 50 ultra-marathon, by Centurion Running, five times now. I love it. It's my favourite race of the year. Generally, I'm a 10-hour 50 mile runner. Fast at times, but generally slow, thirsty and one whom enjoys a bitch about the weather, fields, hills, etc.

This year however, I was injured in March and I was worried that I wouldn't be in a good place to get my usual 10-hour pace in.

So I did something I very rarely do. I created a training plan. And by the powers of the sun-baked-trails of the North Downs, it worked a charm. I hit a PB and almost very nearly came in sub-9 hours.

My six week North Downs Way 50 ultra-marathon training plan

I need a vest that says I heart NDW :)
This plan started from running 5 KMs up to running a single 50k training run. The week before had started from 1KM to 5.

The aim was to get me to a point where I had a good base of fitness to complete the NDW50 in under 10 hours and prepare myself for the NDW100 in August.

The plan helped me achieve both and I'll certainly look to continue the plan for the rest of the year.
Week
M
T
W
T
F
Total
Type
1
5
6-R
7
8-R
9-R
37
Road
2
9
6-R
13
6-R
11-C
45
Road/Trail
3
13-C
6-F
21
6-R
10-H/C
56
Trail
4
10-H
6-R
26
6-R
10-H
58
Trail
5
10-H/C
6F
10-H
6-F
>32
64+
Trail
6
6-R
6-F
13-H
6-F
-
31
Trail
Race week
6-F
-
6-R
-
-
92
Trail

Key:
  • R = Recovery
  • C = Cycle option as an alternative
  • H = Hills
  • F = Fast
  • Note: All distances in KM

Why did I choose these distances?

Well, it started by simply adding an extra 1km every time I ran. From there, I increased some runs and decreased others, but kept the overall distance for the week the same. I then factored in other runs and events that I was expecting and gave myself some recovery time. I also allowed myself to never do any particularly long runs to help balance work / life / running.

There was no particular science to it, but there was some kind of method.

Important: Here's what I agreed with myself before I kicked this off

Getting your head space right before you enter into anything that's going to take commitment and sacrifice is always recommended. It's a chance to accept and review the person you are, the likely hood of disruptions, that you'll have good and bad days, and all the rest of life's ups and downs. And to then not let them ruin, guilt or cajole you into feeling like you had to stick to a rigid structure that's not right for you. 

Here's what I agreed with myself
  • I'll aim to run 5 times a week
  • I'll not run if I'm injured or unwell (and not have to make up the lost runs either)
  • I'll not beat myself up if I miss a run, but gave myself 2 spare days in the week to get it in
  • I'll stick to the distance (not under and not over)
  • I'll tick a run off when I got home so I could track progress (Pavlov's Dog)
  • I'll vary the effort over the week
  • I'll give myself an opt-out (cycling) if I just can't face running the longer days
I'm glad I did have that internal talk and agreement and I heartily recommend you have one too. It certainly made it easier when the baby was having a bad day and it was all hands on deck. I didn't feel any guilt on myself for 'failing' to go for the run. It also felt pretty good to be able to offer my wife the option for me to not run on a day as well, and then not have to compete between family life and my running choices.

Proof is in the pudding

My NDW50 ultra times over the last 5 years, including overall ranking (gender and age neutral).

2017 I also ran the NDW 100 and weighed only 82kg at the NDW 50 (85 - 90kg is normal). 2019 I weighed 85kg for the 50.

Year Overall time Overall rankTime to Box HillTime to Reigate Hill
2015 10:06:45 8303:50:5505:36:14
2016 09:49:38 6804:07:4405:44:41
2017 09:30:05 5803:49:5805:26:57
2018 09:34:26 5004:05:5805:43:07
2019 09:03:18 4903:49:1405:21:08

Garmin data for the nerds with lots of data. Or Strava if you prefer.

Hope this helps someone.

Monday, 13 May 2019

North Downs Way 50 ultra-marathon kit list

I absolutely love the Centurion Running North Downs Way 50. Favourite race of the year. This year will be my fifth outing and undoubtedly not my last either.

Here's the kit that I'm bringing with me this year, and a little bit about what I brought on my first year that served to only weigh me down and get in the way.

Will add some finished photos once I'm done.

NDW 50 kit list
Pack small and light for the best day out
This is the pack I used for the TP100 sweep

  • Shorts (Howies)
  • Sorana / Merino mix vest (Howies)
  • Short merino socks (Howies)
  • Feather-light baseball cap (Nike)
  • Caldera trail trainers (Brooks)
  • Race pack (Ultimate Direction)
  • 2 x 500 ml soft flasks, half filled at the start (Ultimate Direction) - mandatory kit
  • 2 x sweatbands (one for sweat, and one for putting over race pack sore spots - when the water bottles or other things start to dig in)
  • Fenix 3 watch and HR strap (Garmin)
  • Salt tabs - I have one every 45 minutes if it's warm / hot
  • 2 x energy gels (High 5) as a back-up energy source
  • Head torch (LED Lenser) - mandatory kit
  • Whistle - mandatory kit
  • Emergency blanket - mandatory kit
  • £40 cash and credit card - in case I drop early and want to leave
  • Few tabs of paracetamol and ibuprofen - to be taken only if things have gone wrong
  • Few zip lock type plastic bags, and an Ikea bag clip - one used as a food doggy bag (with clip) to grab-and-go at aid stations, and the other used as a litter bag (bring several and drop them at aid stations as needed)
  • Super light weight waterproof jacket (OMM Halo)
  • Phone waterproof case
  • Phone - mandatory kit with race numbers
  • Small bottle of sun-cream - I use P20 before I leave, but I have little hair, I might wash off the P20 at an aid station, or most importantly I might see someone else struggle with sun-burn
  • Small juice bottle (Robinsons) - great for squirting into the 15th bottle of water you've had that day to really improve your mood
  • Car key

NDW 50 drop bag for the finish

  • Jogging bottoms
  • Fleece top
  • Sun cream
  • Sunglasses
  • Comfy socks
  • Wet wipes (to wipe the salt off your face)
  • Small micro-fibre towel
  • USB charger and Phone cable

Things you likely won't need on the run

  • Vaseline or similar - apply plenty before you leave if that's your thing (it's mine), but should last all day
  • Headphones - don't run in a bubble
  • Spare head-torch batteries - you'll be in before dark
  • Sunglasses - my eyes are very sensitive to bright light, but on the North Downs you're rarely ever running into the sun. A good cap should suffice
  • Map - the route is brilliantly marked and mostly obvious (ProTip: if you can't see other runners for a while, stop and re-trace your steps until you do)
  • Blister plasters - maybe bring one or two, but you likely won't need more than that
  • If it's warm, extra layers (other Centurion Running events require a long sleeve back-up layer)
Hope the above helps someone!

Tuesday, 30 April 2019

Devon AONB marathon review - hilly with stunning views

If the Summer Picnic (last one was in 2018) is the toughest marathon in England, then the Devon AONB marathon is perhaps the most beautiful.

Nestled closely between the sea, cliffs and beaches of West Devon, and starting in stunning Woolacoombe, the marathon is worthy of anyones bucket list.

Getting started

With barely a cloud in sight and the hot sun on my shoulders, I set off at 10:00 after a very quick and hassle free registration.

We headed out towards Croyde through the car park at Woolacoombe, up a slight hill and along the dunes behind the beach. I was expecting to have to jostle for position and feared that I'd be stuck in running traffic. But alas, I had no traffic issues save for a few seconds waiting near low bushes or stairs. Everyone was keen as beans at this point and the front runners were putting on a solid pace. There were lots of smiles and waves from walkers as we flew on by.

The run to Croyde is an easy one. A gentle hill to keep you interested and a few gradual declines, but mostly harmless. The hard part is not stopping to take in the views over Woolacoombe beach and the near Caribbean blue seas.


Once you've rounded the head, it's then a relatively simple run down into Croyde. There's plenty of rocks to keep you focused and plenty of people wishing you well too.

It's at this point, that I have to mention the amazing, and numerous, volunteers. I can't say that all were runners, but I can say that everyone was enthusiastic, encouraging and very willing to help. Every few miles, and sometimes even less, there was a drink station and some cheers.

And I don't believe all of the drink stations were formal stations either. I think some were impromptu pop-ups from locals giving their support to the sweaty hapless racers. It was easily the most welcoming and kind marathon I've ever run.

It's also worth pointing out that in Croyde I was given cider to drink at a water station. I laughed at first thinking 'tis a joke', but no, it really was cider! (there was water there too amongst other drinks).

The second half of the first half

Once past Croyde, things started to get harder. There was more traffic, the ups and downs were more challenging and so too were the twists and turns. Having said that, it was also a lot of fun.

What I hadn't expected was the race to go so far south as it did. In my own runs around Woolacombe, to get a half marathon in, I pretty much just needed to run to Croyde and back, that's it, but the route took us much further past my regular half-way point.

As I write this, nearly a year after the event (and looking forward to the 2019 event), I forget the middle bit after Croyde. I believe it calms down when heading back to Woolacoombe, and in fact, we pretty much run the same few flat miles as the first out-section. So harmless really.

If you're running the half marathon route, when you get to the point that you've already run on the first section, now is the time to start thinking about preparing yourself for the final push to get your time down, or to take in the sights and get a few snaps - the finish is only a few miles away.

The second half

Once into Woolacoombe you run near-enough past the finish line and then out into the harder second half. I love the second half. It's a beast of vert, stairs and twisties. If I could run the route every day I would.

You've likely been out in the sun for at least a few hours, including any registration time too, so do take the time to get some sun lotion on, or make sure you have a cap and a t-shirt. You won't be coming back to any support crew, your car or shops until the finish line.

You have about a mile or less of road before you hit the trails again and they'll be just as fast and bumpy as the first half, with the exception that the further you go around the coast the larger the ups and downs will become. It's also worth taking care when you come to the many sets of stairs, they're killers to run up, but whilst they are well maintained, they aren't even in the slightest and you might trip. Take it easy, it's a long way back to medical support.

My favourite part of the whole race is the sharp descent into a bridge over a small estuary, and then the sharp rise back up the other side. It's wonderfully peaceful, but the running is hard and fast (if you can keep your breath in the heat).

You won't get bored for the views or the trails, but once you've reached the half way point of the second half, the route starts to get a little more boring. Not necessarily much easier, but you do spend a significant portion of time on straight roads.

The final half (quarter?)

I was exhausted at this point. The sun was getting to me and I'd used up my energy gels. Water stations were still plentiful, but I was craving gels and salts and they weren't on offer. Credit to the volunteers because their enthusiasm (and beer!?) kept me going.

The start and finish
I also need to give a shout out to the chap on the bike. I was running close to the person he was supporting and it was nice to have a friendly face meet me every now and then. He would move on with his faster partner towards the end, but I found them at the finish line and wished them all the best. Look forward to seeing them on the course again.

With so much road, and no visible sign of progress on far it is to Woolacoombe, you do start to feel alone and a bit bored. So do prepare for this and keep your chin up.

The trail run down into Woolacoombe is a lot of fun, and damn hard on the quads. You can hear the finish line, you'll be seeing more and more people on the route and then bang, it's into the final straight and over the line for medals and scones.

Overall, one of the best marathons I've run. Great people, amazing route and a hearty challenge.

Friday, 29 March 2019

BMW R1200 RS replacing main beam H7 bulb

If you have a BMW R1200 RS, and your main bulb goes, then you need to replace it with a H7 55w 12v bulb.

I use the Philips X-tremeVision moto. Available from Amazon and had for around £15 - 17.

Replacing it is super easy and takes less than 10 minutes. There's not much space to play with, so take it one step at a time.

Fundamental steps to replace the R1200 RS main beam bulb

  • Order a good bulb - I use Philips X-tremeVision moto
  • Put the bike on the main stand, or side stand and line the wheel facing towards the side where you want to replace the bulb
  • Unscrew the protector cap (circular) from behind the bulb
  • Pull out the 12v plug from the bulb - the main bulb / plug is above the secondary bulb (it's much harder if you pull the secure clips before the plug!)
  • With a pair of nose pliers, push the secure clip towards the bulb, then back and then out
  • Repeat for each side of the bulb
  • Pull the bulb out and keep it to one side
  • Put the new one in, check around the front to make sure it's aligned well (compare with the other bulb on the other side)
    • The stuck out bit of the bulb should face up
  • With nose pliers, take one of the secure clips and push inwards and then into the bulb
  • Repeat the other side
  • Plug in the 12v plug
  • Check the bulb looks as expected (alignment, flush etc) like the other bulb
  • Turn the bike on and check whether the bulb comes on as expected - put on full beams to prove it
  • If not working, turn the bike off, check all connections, take out and repeat steps above (could be the bulb is duff)
  • If working, put on the secure cap (needs to twist some way)
  • Dispose of the old bulb appropriately

Recommended: Replacing both bulbs at the same time

If you're replacing one bulb with a newer one, and considerably different, like the X-tremeVision moto edition, then you may wish to replace both at the same time. You'll find the colour of light will be different and could be distracting. And if you do decide to replace both, replace one, test, and then replace the other. Don't replace both before testing!

Hope this helps someone. Happy to answer questions and post photos.

Here are a few photos of the original bulb (2016 RS)





Wednesday, 16 January 2019

Chris King Lefty SuperMax wheel set review

I put my hand up. I don't really need Chris King hubs. DT Swiss would do. In fact, the Cannondale Lefty SuperMax hub itself is pretty good, but neither have the bling or lust factor of Chris King.

However, the Chris King Lefty SuperMax hub is a work of machined art. It's stunning to look at and when I stick my finger in the hub shell, the bearing movement is sublime. It's so precise that at first I thought that there were no bearings because you can't see the join between the hub and bearing shell. It really is bike art.

I've since sold this wheelset with the Cannondale Trigger that they were attached too. No discredit to the wheels, or the bike, but I fancied a change. I do miss the wheels for sure!

The wheel set

  • Chris King 32 hole Silver hubs
  • Lefty SuperMax front
  • 142 x 12 rear
  • Sapim spokes
  • Black alloy nipples
  • Stans EX Flow ZTR black rims
  • Stans 25 mm rim tape
  • Stans valve

What will the wheels be used for?

Generally I only ride light trails on a regular basis. My primary trail is Swinley Forest, Bracknell. There's nothing really technical in there and a lot of the routes flow and pop, but there's no significant jumps or drops that would harm the Crest rims I used before, let alone the Flows on the new wheel set.

The real reason I made the upgrade from Crest to Flow was for future-proofing and for Alpine fun. Crest rims aren't cheap and re-building a wheel is worth the expense when you have a decent rim, but for the sake of 100 grams between the weight of the Crest and Flow, I may as we well accept the extra weight for the peace-of-mind they bring.

Who built them?

I have another set of Chris King wheels, single speeds, on Crest rims, that were built by Clee Cycles, UK. They've stood up very well and the price was fantastic. I had no hesitations about buying a new set from them and am already eyeing up a Chris King R45 disc wheelset that I'd ask them to build for me as well.

I had to wait a few weeks for the parts to arrive. I doubt many bike shops keep the Lefty hub in stock, so that was expected and absolutely fine.


How much were they?

Including hubs, rims, rim tape, spokes, building , no-tubes valves and delivery (in two solid wheel boxes), the total price was £740.

How much do they weigh?

I honestly don't know. If I had a decent set of scales, I would have weighed them, but I'm not a weight weenie, so don't. I didn't even compare them to the old wheelset (Lefty hub and XT rear on Crest rims), but the new wheels certainly don't feel heavy for such a robust set of wheels.

Fitting the Chris King Lefty SuperMax hub to the fork

At first I sunk my shoulders and cursed my name that I should have checked to see whether I needed a tool to fit the hub to the Lefty. You see, the instructions made mention of a spline tool that held the bearing in place while you can do and undo the hub bolt. Turns out, that's only if you have the wheel off of the fork in the first place.

So to fit the wheel, follow these few instructions
  • Inset the Cannondale bolt into the hub shell
  • Place the Chris King hub bolt over the top
  • Using a 10 mm allen key, tighten the bolt counter-clockwise / left
    • Here's where it was handy to start the thread off of the bike and hold the rear bearing to  help provide some resistance for the hub bolt to screw into
  • Place the hub over the Lefty axle (obviously remove the disc brake)
  • Screw in the Cannondale hub bolt with a 5 mm allen key til tight
  • Then, again counter-clockwise, screw in the Chris King hub bolt 'til it's flush with the hub
  • You may find that the precise fit of the Chris King hub bolt forces the Cannondale hub bolt to come loose, that's fine. Just re-do up the Cannondale bolt and go back to the Chris King
  • Voila, you should now have a perfectly flush Chris King hub bolt, Cannondale hub bolt and a Chris King Lefty SuperMax hub

Maintenance

I've had the wheelset a good 6 months and have put in around 500 miles of riding. I've not yet had to adjust them beyond a slight bearing adjustment 6 weeks into ownership (as expected). They've been smooth since day 1 and I've not had any odd noises, grinding or anything untoward at all.

Thoroughly recommended!

Thursday, 3 January 2019

10 reasons why I love the Centurion North Downs Way 50

I love this race. Best race of the year. And if I can, I think I'll be like good ol' Ken Fancett and run it every year.

It's the weather, the people and the route that make it (isn't that everything Sean!?). The sun is out, it's an opportunity to get a tan, just to feel human even, and know that the grey of Winter and early Spring is finally gone.

10 reasons why I love the North Downs Way 50


Always smiling out on route
The stepping stones before the stairs
Photo credit: Centurion Running website.
  1. Everyone is as happy as you are that the sun is out and you feel like Summer has arrived and will last forever
  2. The ground is hard and that means fast running with minimal effort
  3. You'll get a tan if you show your skin
  4. You don't need to carry that much kit or wear that much either
  5. There's plenty of water at the stops to get some over your head, and the refreshing water stop at the church is a dream come true
  6. You'll get in before dark where you can have as many sausages as your face desires and watch other runners come in
  7. The route is full of hills, twists, turns and stunning views
  8. And it's extraordinarily easy to follow as well
  9. Plenty of other runners to get to know and millions of Duke of Edinburgh teens to nod at
  10. Volunteers are ace and want you only to succeed

2019 is full (it fills early), but the North Downs Way 100 still has some spaces and happens to be another favourite race (at least up until the last 15 miles).

North Downs Way 50 route

Wednesday, 2 January 2019

Thoughts and tips on volunteering at an event - North Downs Way 100 2018

Helping others achieve their goal, however slight your effort or their recognition, is incredibly satisfying and answers a very human need to be part of something greater than yourself.

For me, that special feeling of being connected to a social group is what makes the decision to give time, diesel and a nights rough sleep to volunteer at the North Downs Way 100.

Here are my top tips for volunteering


  1. Lose the ego - it's not about you or your experiences, it's about theirs
  2. The customer is always right - even if someone gets angry, you signed up to help them, so get on with the job and chin-up
  3. Prepare yourself for the day - don't be the volunteer who needs another volunteer to support them because you left your jacket, trainers, sun lotion or car keys somewhere else
  4. Don't be a dick - the rule to rule them all. Be present, competent, keen and useful (or funny), but don't let yourself be bossy, rude, stubborn or selfish
  5. Know the route around you (before and after) - you'll get a ton of questions, like 'when's the next check-point', and 'are the hills done?', or my favourite 'where can I pee in privacy?'
  6. Stay committed - expect to be at the check-point for longer than you signed-up for, and don't leave early
If you can do all of that, then I think you'll be rewarded with a great day out. You'll have given more than you could ever imagine, affected the event for hundreds of people and you will live on in the memories of those people you helped when they needed you the most. - for the 100, there's a lot of thinking time to be had and a kind gesture, eagerness or immediate support will stick with them through the miles.

Further thought

It also helps that I've been where they are. I've run the NDW100 twice. I've felt the trepidation of the unknown and the harsh conditions. I've gone white in moments of panic as to whether I've forgotten something. I've had tears of frustration, relief and of happiness as I've ran, walked and trudged my way around the stunning route. I've been there. I've felt what they will be feeling and it only makes my connection to them and their goals all the more real and worthy.

If you've not yet volunteered for an event, then I thoroughly encourage you think about doing so; especially with the Centurion Volunteer Army.

Running events for 2019