UKC

Some thoughts of the far wiser than me who inhabit this particular forum would be much appreciated....

So just over a week ago and unexpectedly having been 58th on the waiting list I got the invite to enter the RAT in Cornwall, 32 mile ultra in just over 2 weeks time. Great, really looking forward to it!

Then a week ago felt my calf tear and could hardly walk leave alone run. Now a week on walking fine but still a bit sore.

As I understand it I can defer my entry to next year if I do so in the next 48 hrs. Would be gutted but don't really want a DNF.

So can I still recover? What do you think. Any advice much appreciated!!

In reply to Wainers44:
Can't really help, but I just dropped out of the RAT 11 miler today after a sprain last week. I was kidding myself if I thought it was gonna get better in time.

I live close to the route and know it pretty well. The last 4 miles is pretty much the hardest terrain en route, if that means anything; although I bet pretty much. Anything would feel hard after 30 odd miles.

Best of luck whatever you do.

In reply to Wainers44:

If it was an actual tear, not a strain, I dont think you a chance. Sorry..

If its a very small tear then possibly.. But generally its 3-4 weeks minimum for an actual tear, normally longer.

In reply to Tom Last:

Cheers for the reply, sorry to hear you had to bale out. Think I may be heading the same way

Route looks really nice and I do enjoy running the coast path, but it may have to be another time!

In reply to Roadrunner5:

Thanks for that. It's still painful and stretching seems to make no difference even though I rested it for nearly a week.

Have to decide one way or another tomorrow, but I think you have confirmed what the leg is telling me.....it's not going to be ready in time!!

Thanks again.

In reply to Wainers44:
After all the very useful advice I will find out on Saturday if my calf muscle was strained or torn!

Black Rat 32.5 mile on trails here I come, absolutely not ready or not.

First ultra, in fact never done a marathon, road or otherwise. However I have run around this distance a couple of times over worse terrain (non pathed bits of Dartmoor).

I don't want to be told how hard it is going to be as I can work that out, but any ultra newbie advice would be nice!!

In reply to Wainers44:
Ok so my calf muscle didn't make the trip! Popped after 5 miles and was pretty sore for the last 27 miles I suppose. However I still finished, first ultra, or marathon come to that. 126th out of 171 isn't last so I am pretty chuffed with that to be honest.

What a fantastic event, great organisation (Mud Crew), wonderful campsite and a really nice vibe from the other entrants, in fact from everyone concerned.

It got a bit warm in the sun yesterday, but I can't think of a better way to spend an August Saturday than eating a fruit pastelles ice lolly while running the south Cornwall Coast Path!

Calf is rather black now, but hey, it was worth it

In reply to Wainers44:

Well done. It's a hard course.

In reply to Wainers44:
Hi Wainers.

Well done, good effort for cracking on. I was out taking pics (mostly at the top of the last set of hideous steps about a mile before the finish) until about 2.30pm - but weren't that many black rat runners through by then. I can have a look though if you think you may have been, what number were you?

Tom

In reply to Tom Last:

I was 697, from which you can work out that I got in at the last minute from the waiting list! Ah well no time to worry about training, even with a knackered calf!

Would have thought you were gone by the time I got there. I was still running down the hundreds of steps by then, but the running up was a distant memory....!!!

In reply to mbh:


And a beautiful one. Apart from a work visit to Pentewan years ago I have never really explored this bit of Cornwall. The beaches and paths are stunning, sea made for kayaks being so calm.

In reply to Wainers44:

Ha, got in by the skin of your teeth - I wondered how big the field was overall. I'll have a look anyway when I go through them later.

Good effort, glad you enjoyed this neck of the woods

In reply to Tom Last:

Cheers Tom, it was a great weekend. I have run stuff up to 30ish miles alone but this was the first race I have entered since I was 18, and I qualified for the MV50 class as of 3 weeks ago!!

My lack of race hardening showed early, when I didn't have anything to pin my race number to my shirt....doh...didn't think of that

In reply to Wainers44:


They are good those lollies. Got some by accident in my shopping and loved them, especially after a long hot run!

Anyway, well done for getting it done, despite injury. I would have found it hard mentally if I wasn't 100%, so congrats and hats off to you!

In reply to Wainers44:

You're right it is. We live in Bodmin but hadn't explored the area until I did the RAT two years ago, also as an MV50, and we've since walked and cycled it and stayed at Portscatho a couple of times. It's a very peaceful area.

First time, I got in just under 6 hours, but last year I DNF'd at 20 miles and this year I seem to be finding my distance limit at around 12 miles, following some breaks.

I know lots of the marshalls, and thought the organisation and atmosphere were great, and compared to the CQ, the feed stations are a feast.

See you on it next year!

In reply to Wainers44:

I was the sweep, wasn't it blinking hot!

Glad you enjoyed it, the MudCrew events are always something else, a lot of years of combined experience mean that they're put on my some of the most experienced ultra runners around

In reply to Wonrek:


Well done to you too then, as it was boiling at times especially in the sheltered coves out of the breeze. I still can't quite get over just how well done and friendly it all was. I was made to feel genuinely welcome even as a newbie taking part on my own. If this is Mud Crews standard, then their standards are pretty booming high!!

In reply to Wainers44:

Come and have a go at the Arc.....

http://mudcrew.co.uk/event/arc-attrition/

In reply to Wonrek:




Hmmm, 100 miles in 36 hours in February? Just checked, but I am washing my hair that night otherwise.....

In reply to Wainers44:

Hi Wainers.

I checked, but I'm afraid I didn't get any pics of you, though I guess there were probably some race photographers knocking about somewhere. Anyway, sorry about that - hopefully I'll be out there running myself next year

Cheers,
Tom