Thames Path 100 by Centurion Running, 8/9th May 2021
The race was a rolling start from Richmond, West London on the bank of the River Thames. The race then follows the Thames Path all the way to the finish at Oxford University, just over 100 miles later.
I started just after 0830, a bit later than planned as I left running shoes at home!
The forecast was for heavy rain for most of the day and although it was heavy rain from the start
it did ease after a few hours.
The course to start with is on nice paths following the Thames is makes for pleasant running. I took it easy but made it to 30 miles to Windsor in good time. At this point, I started feeling nauseous and the lack of food I could consume did start having a negative effect on my race.
I continued on and got to Henley at 51 miles at just over 12 hours which was ok but behind the planned schedule. I picked up a change of clothes and ate what I could and continued on feeling a bit better. I met my pacer just before the Reading aid station at 58 miles and things weren’t great but pretty good.
We then continued into the night but this is when pain in my feet started. Some nausea and foot
pain slowed us down but we kept on moving on. Before long we were calculating cut off times for the upcoming aid stations and being timed out was a possibility.
We hit 90 miles and I knew that I had to run through the pain in order to finish the race. The trails became muddier and muddier and my road shoes were let’s say far from ideal!
Tears of relief hit me when I was a mile from home and I claimed my buckle in a painful 27 hours 28 minutes, a good four hours slower than I had planned but any finish is a good finish. The race had 272 starters and 188 finishers It was hard and painful and I would do it again tomorrow
(if I could walk)
I started just after 0830, a bit later than planned as I left running shoes at home!
The forecast was for heavy rain for most of the day and although it was heavy rain from the start
it did ease after a few hours.
The course to start with is on nice paths following the Thames is makes for pleasant running. I took it easy but made it to 30 miles to Windsor in good time. At this point, I started feeling nauseous and the lack of food I could consume did start having a negative effect on my race.
I continued on and got to Henley at 51 miles at just over 12 hours which was ok but behind the planned schedule. I picked up a change of clothes and ate what I could and continued on feeling a bit better. I met my pacer just before the Reading aid station at 58 miles and things weren’t great but pretty good.
We then continued into the night but this is when pain in my feet started. Some nausea and foot
pain slowed us down but we kept on moving on. Before long we were calculating cut off times for the upcoming aid stations and being timed out was a possibility.
We hit 90 miles and I knew that I had to run through the pain in order to finish the race. The trails became muddier and muddier and my road shoes were let’s say far from ideal!
Tears of relief hit me when I was a mile from home and I claimed my buckle in a painful 27 hours 28 minutes, a good four hours slower than I had planned but any finish is a good finish. The race had 272 starters and 188 finishers It was hard and painful and I would do it again tomorrow
(if I could walk)