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AIBU?

AIBU to think I can walk 100km?!

55 replies

NE14T · 14/01/2017 17:25

I've signed up to the Oxfam 100km trailwalk in the midst of a mad 13 hour night shift at work!

I'm of very average fitness. I walk a lot and swim once a week but that's about it really. Walk isn't till end of July. I can do this can't I?! Very mixed reviews online, some say most people are able to do this with good training and others report grown men crying and army members dropping out.

I've bought myself a couple of pairs of decent trail running shoes and have researched equipment I might need but I mostly just need a bit of a 'you can do it!' boost as most of the people I've told are quite negative and wtf about it....

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TrinityForce · 14/01/2017 17:26

how are we supposed to know?

good luck!

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naichick · 14/01/2017 17:29

I did it!! You need to have a great team with you and make sure you can encourage each other alot. Do lots of training. Get good shoes and snacks. I loved it, it took 25hrs and was extremely tough but its one of my proudest moments. Good luck!

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eurochick · 14/01/2017 17:29

It's a long way! I have done a couple of 10k walks. I was fairly fit when I did them but could feel it in my joints towards the end.

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HappySeven · 14/01/2017 17:34

I reckon if you're already average fitness you'll be fine. Google a training plan so that you build up slowly and avoid injury. It'll be tough and you'll have to put quite a lot of hours in but there's no reason why not with 6 months to build up to it.

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MidMay · 14/01/2017 17:34

Well done for signing up.

A friend did this who was quite unfit beforehand. She trained over several months, increasing walks from 10km up to a couple of 60-70km walks nearer the actual event. She did struggle with her feet hugely towards the end of the 100km but they healed soon enough and was left massively proud of her achievements. Go for it!

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missmapp · 14/01/2017 17:36

Of course you can if you train well and are injury free. Fitting the training in may be hard. When I was training for my first marathon last year fitting in all the runs was hard with full-time work and the dcs, especially when the runs got longer. However the race itself was okay and I think that was because I had managed to stick to the training plan.
Good luck. You can do it !!!

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CMOTDibbler · 14/01/2017 17:37

If you download a training plan, get some really good socks (for running a marathon I bought 1000 mile Fusion socks which were brilliant and I never had a blister in all the training), and stick to the training, I'm sure you can do it.

Theres loads of advice on Ultra running sites about looking after your feet (and over that distance, you can get chafing in all sorts of other places too - tip, BodyGlide is your friend), nutrition (basically, eat whatever you like and keep eating) and drinking. Make sure your shoes are a size too big as your feet will swell.

And be positive! Imagine how it will be to cross that line and hold onto that image

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DonttouchthatLarry · 14/01/2017 17:45

Train properly and you'll be fine Smile. My husband runs ultra marathons, he did 80km over the 3 highest peaks in the Lake District - yes it was hard but with training your body will adjust. Don't try to just do it without building up the distance beforehand or your legs will never forgive you.

We did the Yorkshire 3 Peaks which is only about 40km but I'd never walked further than about 15km until the day. You won't need to do the full distance beforehand but definitely build up your walking week by week. I've entered a half marathon in May and have only ever run 6 miles so know where you're coming from Wink.

I never knew about mountain running/ultra marathons/long distance walks a few years ago and thought a road marathon was the pinnacle of human achievement Grin - now I'm in awe of just how amazing our (well, some of our) bodies are and how much you can push them to do, like the guy who's just finished 400 back to back marathons.

Good luck and enjoy your training Smile

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DeriArms · 14/01/2017 18:34

Agree with the pp who recommends Body Glide and 1000 mile socks. GET GOOD BOOTS, underestimate the importance of this at your peril. Look for gore-tex and the Vibram sole. I've done a 44-mile walk which I must admit I found tough. The first 34 miles was fine (!) but the last 10 miles was a killer to be honest. I took several pairs of socks and changed them every 8 miles or so as I was quite afraid of getting blisters. I sought advice on MN before doing it for which I was hugely grateful! One more thing, I saw a few people use those Norwegian walking pole things, which i think will come in handy for you 40 miles in when your back and knees are hurting and you need that extra support. I didn't appreciate that beforehand!
Anyway, go for it and good luck!

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DeriArms · 14/01/2017 18:35

Oh yes and cut your toenails for god's sake Wink

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Titsywoo · 14/01/2017 18:38

Yeah of course you can. My brother is also an ultra marathoner and he has won 2 100 mile races in the last year despite only starting to run in 2014! He is a bit insane though. Some of my friends did a 100km walk and made it in 26 hours - one was very overweight and didn't train enough so he felt it a lot more but he still made it!

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extrabiotin · 14/01/2017 18:44

100k in 48 hours! I just looked it up there. Says team of four, not clear whether the 100k is split up amongst the four team members or if everyone has to do the 100k together within 48 hours.

I think it is too much for anyone but seasoned athletes TBH.

I did the Camino de Santiago, and averaged about 18 -20 k a day and was knackered! Too much vino tinto on the way I suppose, but it was very enjoyable.

This challenge is just OTT. But each to their own I suppose. Best of luck anyway.

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edwinbear · 14/01/2017 18:44

Definitely. I've done the Jersey Itex twice which is 42km of coastal walking. Both times without any training at all and starting somewhere between still drunk and hungover (2am start). With a bit of training you will be fine, it's about mental grit as much as anything.

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Fieryfighter · 14/01/2017 18:45

Of course you can! You've got plenty of time to get ready. I'm doing the 100km race to the Stones in July and I totally understand the feelings of trepidation but you CAN do it. As others have said Google training plans and also Google the shit out of all the advice you can find and pick what you think is useful.

For long distance walking over not too treacherous ground definitely go for trail shoes rather than boots - those boots will feel pretty damn heavy after a while. Enough changes of socks too, And deal with blisters before they become a problem. If you can identify sore spots that regularly occur tape them up before you start.

Test all your equipment out before hand so you know what works for you and is comfortable.

There's loads of great advice out there but yes you can do it!!

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SylvesterMcM0nkeyMcBean · 14/01/2017 18:51

I did a 100km walk after signing up in a fit of I-don't-know-what. I am not an active person and I went from nothing to 100km within about 6 months of training. The walk was from London to Brighton and it took me 28 hours.

I agree with what others have said about good boots and socks, also tape your feet YouTube will show you how to do that.

I joined a gym to get my overall fitness levels up and then just walked and walked for as many weekends as I could to get the distance up. My idea was that if you can do 2/3 of the distance during training, you'll manage the rest on adrenaline. It worked for me, my longest training walk was about 37 miles and I did that just over 2 weeks before the event.

You can totally do this.

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NE14T · 15/01/2017 17:48

Great advice here and I'm feeling much more positive, thank you!

I'm planning to train over the next couple of months in trail running shoes and then invest in a good pair of boots in April/ may time which gives me time to break them in. Is one pair likely to be enough?

Time is definitely my biggest issue. I'm a single parent working hellish 13 hour shifts so my body clock is all over the place. Having said that, when I get my mind stuck in something I'm pretty good at being stubborn!

I'm planning to spend the next 4-6 weeks just improving my general fitness, walking more, swimming, eating better etc (I have a tendency to low carb and not eat enough) and then start proper training. Am quite excited! Apart from actually finishing, my main goal is to not lose a toenail or sandals will be out for the whole summer 😱

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NE14T · 15/01/2017 17:50

Extrabiotin it's a team of 4 people (we have 2 teams through so 8 of us altogether) and we have to finish as a team within 30 hours. We all have to complete the full 100km.

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PossumInAPearTree · 15/01/2017 17:55

It's what, 31 miles a day? Two days in a row.

It's do'able. I walked 14 miles last year with no preparation. Took me maybe 5 hours taking it steady inc a lunch break. My feet were killing me by the end of it! So if you walked ten hours each day you should manage it.

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MyGastIsFlabbered · 15/01/2017 18:14

Do you have to walk the 100km in one stretch or can you sleep?

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SylvesterMcM0nkeyMcBean · 15/01/2017 20:42

I lost 5 toenails! It's ok, if you have glittery nail varnish you can just paint it straight onto your toe where the nail should be and no-one can tell the difference ;)

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IMissGrannyW · 15/01/2017 20:47

of course you can do it.

Good luck!

Give you feet a lovely soaking at the end (oats are nice in warm water) and have the prosecco on ice!

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BlueHumbug · 15/01/2017 20:51

I did it with no training - it was painful by the end but so much fun. Imagine it'd be easier for you as you're actually training for it.

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museumum · 15/01/2017 20:54

Train like fuck. Seriously. I've done something very similar and yes there were grown men crying by half way. But I completed it (in a bit of a daze by the end) and it was amazing.

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Talith · 15/01/2017 20:59

Not a patch on your planned distance but I did the Moonwalk Marathon a few years back and their training programme was sensible. I recall they said you should build up your walks and that you have at least done 2/3rds of the distance once before the event. And definitely mix loooong walks with your other fitness training. Only after a good few hours do you get a sense where the blisters are likely to appear and there is the aspect of mental training. Even with company I found it quite uh. boring after a few hours to walk for 4 6 or 8 hours but over the weeks I began to zone out and it was a lot easier. Anyhow it sounds a worthy challenge and I am sure you will be fine! Go for it!

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marywinchester · 15/01/2017 21:10

i've done the 100km race to the stones in 2015 and 2016 and doing it again this year. take spare socks with you and put talcum powder in them beforehand and change socks when you can. take some food with you. i carry flapjack and chocolate and jelly sweets (there are pit stops on rtts every 10km does yours have this?) i use a camel backpack so i have lots of water as its quite a long way between pit stops. i think i still have the training plan from rtts if you want to see it. you'll be fine just don't go mad at the start, keep a nice even pace. i did both years in around 22 hours walking non-stop. if your stopping overnight try to stretch. you'll be fine.

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