HOW$TO$APPROACH$T184$$

THE$TORTOISE$APPROACH$OR $$FINISHING$T184$IN$76H$46MIN

NINA$SMITH

With%Rich%Cranswick%and%James%Penson%at%mile%circa%183.9%

HOW$TO$APPROACH$T184?

•  5"Ps"–"planning"and"prep"will"get"you"to"the"end"in"this"race""

•  Very"hard"to"‘blag’"unless"you"are"super(wom)an"•  I%will%cover%my%approach%in%terms%of:%

! Strategy%! Training%! Kit%! Some%general%Eps/hints%

CONSIDER$YOUR$OWN$STRENGTHS…

•  Knew%I%was%very%slow%(PB%of%26h%for%100miles)%

but%physically%hardy%%

•  Sunny%disposiEon%–%takes%a%lot%to%get%me%down%–%

a%healthy%dose%of%stubbornness%helps!%

•  I%will%talk%anyone%that%runs%with%me%to%death%

%

If#I#can#finish#this#race,#so#can#everyone#else!#

TRAINING

•  I%ran%several%100%milers%in%the%12%months%up%to%the%race%

and%in%mid%2014%switched%to%training/racing%with%a%

10R12kg%pack%(weight%slowly%built%up)%

•  I%swapped%and%changed%kit%as%needed%for%the%right%fit%•  I%recced%as%much%of%the%route%as%I%could%%–%do%not%

underesEmate%London/Upper%Thames,%which%are%

exceedingly%tricky%

•  Trial#your#‘sleeping#arrangements’#preferably#when#you#are#extremely#sleep#deprived#and#in#the#dark#

•  If#you#are#not#a#confident#map#reader,#now#is#the#@me#to#learn!#

STRATEGY$TO$SUIT

•  Slow%even%pace,%run/walk,%towards%end%only%run%bits%that%were%easy%underfoot%

•  Concentrated%on%next%CP%and%Cut%off%and%paced%accordingly%•  Stuck%to%my%own%plan%–%I%ran%the%early%part%of%the%race%with%

Jamie%Woods,%who%was%a%much%faster%runner%and%I%decided%

aYer%CP1%that%I%could%not%keep%the%pace%

•  Planned%days%to%work%for%me%–%used%difficult%early%morning%

for%sleep%as%I%knew%this%would%be%hardest%Eme%–%also%gave%

me%a%target%

•  Early#on#in#the#race#(par@cularly#London)#do#not#panic#over#pace##

%

STRATEGY$CONTINUED

•  Sleep%schedule%worked%apart%from%last%night%–%could%not%

make%checkpoint%at%155%and%used%Shifford%Lock%at%147%–%this%

got%me%within%15%min%of%cut%off%but%I%had%had%slept%by%this%

point%and%could%just%breeze%%

•  I%ate%my%hot%meals%just%prior%to%sleeping%

•  Wet/Dry%rouEne%proved%vital%in%2014%–%be`er%to%plan%for%

bad%weather%and%have%a%pleasant%surprise%

•  Be#prepared#to#improvise#–#I#used#the#neGng#on#my#pack#for#

drying#wet#layers#

NINA’S$T184$IN$2014

CP" Miles" Time"taken"

How"close"to"cut"off"

1% 26% 6h% R2h%

2% 52% 9.5h% R2.5h%

3% 80% 12h% Rest:%2h%@%60%(Windsor)%R%planned% R1.5h%

4% 100% 8h% R1.5h%

5% 130% 16h% Rest:%3h%@%100%(Streatley)%R%planned% R30m%

6% 155% 13h% Rest:%2h%@%147%(Shifford%Lock)%–%could%not%

make%CP%

R15m%

7% 168% 6h% R1.5h%

Fin% 184% 6h% R3h%

YOU$VS$YOUR$HEAD

•  Everyone#has#their#own#strategy#for#

coping#with#misery#–#have#some#'tools'#

ready:#

•  Cat#naps/caffeine/cheering/daydream#

•  Beware#CP#at#Streatley#(100#miles)!#

•  Accept#that#there#will#be#'lows'#during#the#

race#–#they#will#pass!#

•  Remember#that#if#in#the#middle#of#the#

night,#in#a#random#field#miles#from#

civilisa@on##you#are#having#a#low#moment#

–#nobody#will#hear#you#swear#and/or#

cry…,#and#everything#looks#brighter#in#the#

morning.#

WHAT$KIT$WORKED$FOR$ME?

•  Raidlight%EvoluEon%20l%short%backed%(opEonal%

4l%front%pouch)%–%I%used%tape%on%hotspots%

•  Tried%various%other%bags%that%chafed%lower%

bag%

•  Used%2%x%750ml%bo`les%on%front%plus%500ml%

back%up%for%longer%secEons%%

•  Used%trail%shoes%that%had%been%trialled%over%

100%miles%

•  Gaiters:%Handy%in%the%morning%dew%–%I%used%

the%Inov8%version.%

•  Absolute#key#–#your#kit#has#to#be#a#good#fit.#

Don’t#be#afraid#to#ditch#kit#early#on#and#try#

something#else.#

KIT$CONTINUED •  I%carried%a%2S%sleeping%bag%and%bivy,%plus%a%£1%emergency%

shelter%and%a%cheap%cut%down%mat.%

•  Use%best%rain%jacket%you%can%get%your%hands%on%•  Carried%2%x%spare%socks,%and%extra%layers%that%dried%quickly%•  Used%a%portable%‘pebble’%phone%charger%•  No%GPS%used%–%relied%on%a%cheap%manual%watch%

•  Headtorch%–%I%used%a%LEDLenser%5,%a%good%torch%will%make%the%

night%runs%easier%

•  If#you#are#short,#consider#kid#sizesW#lighter/cheaper#•  #Sleeping#bag#–#trial#yours#before,#make#sure#you#will#be#warm#

enough.#

NUTRITION

•  Only%carried%min%8000%calories%–%%

%%%%conscious%decision%

•  Used%‘wet’%camping%meals%and%carried%

%%%%%selfRheaEng%soluEon%–%no%stove%used%

•  IniEal%heavier%weight%of%meals%vs%carrying%a%stove%

•  Beside%hot%meals%(5)%I%used:%Nature%Harvest%%and%Cliff%bars,%nuts%

and%Haribo,%plus%%SIS%powder%for%electrolytes.%

•  All%food%I%had%used%extensively%prior%to%race%–%nothing%new.%

•  Consider#a#'caffeine'#op@on#for#those#moments#when#your#eyes#

close#whilst#running…#

WHAT$WORKED?

•  Training%–%I%felt%prepared%and%mentally%in%the%right%

place%

•  Strategically%I%felt%in%control%and%I%had%a%fun%race%•  Kit%–%no%surprises%•  NutriEon%worked%well%(I%had%2%bars%leY%at%the%end)%and%I%would%always%use%the%noRstove%opEon%again%

•  Only%got%lost%once%(@%Benson%Lock%diversion%–%

reopened%now)%

WHAT$DIDN’T$WORK?

•  Walking%poles:%Didn’t%train%with%them%and%carried%them%

for%the%race%with%li`le%use%(apart%from%accidentally%himng%

Jamie%Woods%–%sorry%again!)%

•  First%Aid%kit%–%I%ran%out%of%supplies%for%my%feet%and%used%

loo%roll%–%would%carry%more%%

•  Sleeping%bag%was%not%warm%enough%on%2nd%night%and%had%

to%use%the%emergency%shelter%I%carried%

RANDOM$TIPS/HINTS

•  Kit%does%not%have%to%cost%a%fortune%but%buy%wisely%–%my%most%

expensive%kit%item%was%my%rainjacket%

•  Vaseline/baby%wipes/rocktape%etc%are%versaEle%items%%

•  Map%is%your%friend%–%mark%your%waterstops/toilets%

•  Worship%your%feet%and%any%areas%prone%to%chaving%–%treat%

hotspots%early%on%even%if%it%means%stopping%–%you%will%be%glad%

later%on%

•  Worth%waterproofing%everything!!!!%

#

Any%quesEons?%