Arrrr FFS I don't need people on here trying to get me to enter races. It's bad enough in 'real' life, I've a few friends that seem to have been low level campaigning for years now.
I was out on the Cateran a few weeks back looking for a winter project, trainers proved a bad choice. Waders would have been better.
To be honest, it's the prescribed nature of 'events' that disagrees with me. Although I think perhaps what bothers me is never been out for a [i]really[/i] long one. Plenty of 30-50 milers, but nothing more.
I think I'm more in tune with Mr Fleetwoods days out.
http://longdistancechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/p/scotland.html
Associated races like the Great Glen Way, Devil of the Highlands, Highland Fling, Cateran Ultra and several others are all journeys through the lands. Most folk take part to challenge themself to finish; very few are racing for places. Well worth considering.
That's true for most people for most LD events, though - at most they might be trying to beat last year's time, but not racing for places.
one thing i dont understand (might be the tight arsed yorkshireman in me).
why pay loads of cash to do one of these endurance events? why not just do it yourself.
you want to do a 24hr mtb ride, go to dalby/gt/dales/lakes and ride for 24hrs
run for 24hrs round you local town/trails/nature reserve.
far more of a challenge than a marshalled safe option.
toblerone ton?
I think it's something along the lines of why pay a fortune to see a band rather than listen to a recording in your living room?
Not too sure what the exact reason is, but it's something to do with having a collective experience.
I've done a few endurance / events, the trick with them (for me anyway) is what has been mentioned already - variety and not being dull. I have done one running event which averaged about 30miles a day for 6 days, could not have done that just running around a track but this was across different terrain, different locations each day. Similarly have done the leadville 100 a couple of times which is amazing.
I think it's something along the lines of why pay a fortune to see a band rather than listen to a recording in your living room?
Not too sure what the exact reason is, but it's something to do with having a collective experience.
Thing is, we are all different.
I fricking hate races, masses of people all crowding up the hills. The last Ultra i did was a shorty in Jedburgh(36 miles i think)and I'll be quite honest. The worst bit about it was the 'other people
I've done a bit of expedition racing, 2 world champs and 8 I think races in nz,oz, tas and usa. Loved it and still do but child takes spare time now. Will start again sometime in the future but no team over here which to me was having an adventure with your mates. Have seen lots of epic places, at night.
A lad I ride with does long events, he's just mental.. he's done the MDS,the Tour du Mont Blanc (200 mile road event) and this year did the Fred Whitton and then the following weekend rode from the Severn Bridge to the Menai Bridge and back non-stop.
Sodding mental, but very matter of fact about the whole thing though
I'm not sure why some people are so keen to rubbish multilap MTB races. As much as the physical challenge there's the mental challenge of getting to know the course and being as quick as you can through the technical sections and making the right line choices to minimise energy expenditure.
Depends what you want from the experience.
If it works for you, go for it. If not, do something else.
Could'nt be dealing with laps myself, so I wont. It's not meant to rubbish the experience. Folk just enjoy different stuff.
A one lap, 1300km endurance event through glorious scenery with no corporate branding or lifestyle marketing.
Entry fee: £10.00 ( £11.50 when paying via PayPal. )
kcr.......that's more like it.
a proper test of yourself, rather than loads of marshalled laps and feed stations.
far more of a challange.
See Bob Brown's description of the deca-ironman there... Does anyone else feel like maybe what he needed most was some sort of mental health professional? Considering the drug overdose, and that. He talks about self-discipline but it sounds more like loss of control and selfharm. It's a massive physical achievement but... There's a line there I think.
Northwind - The same could be said of lots of these. I dabbled in Adventure racing and was around for the Wilderness ARC in Scotland in 2007 (but not competing). Some people were risking long term damage in their drive to finish. I remember a lady with a twisted / wrenched ankle & knee literally hobbling for mile after mile. Part of me was impressed with the ability to just keep going; part of me was thinking "you idiot"
Northwind - The same could be said of lots of these.
I used to work for a company which sold a lot of equipment to adventure racing teams and also had its own adventure racing teams and I'd definitely echo the sentiment that there are some cracked individuals involved. Plenty of normal folk, plenty of very driven or very competitive people but a definite few who were in it for the sackcloth and ashes.
