I've not yet had time to write up about my trip to the GRP in the Pyrenees, but thought I would do a quick reflection after getting home from being the event co-ordiantor for the Red Rose 50.
Grand Raid Pyrenees Tour des Lacs 82km, 51 miles
First 10 miles, 4500 feet of climb completed in 3 hours - average 18 minutes per mile.
Next 11 miles to the checkpoint at La Mongie, a further 3500 feet of climbing but over 4 climbs from starting altitude of around 7000ft above sea level. Toughest terrain (boulder fields) used in event. Result - took 6 hrs 30, one mile took over an hour. Had difficulty breathing so had to keep stopping on climbs. Lost 150 places and timed out. Fellow English competitors in GRP80, Bob Nash ran the last few k with me being timed out by approx 45 minutes. Abigail and Michelle Sunter, made the checkpoint in time but retired there. Winning time was an hour and a half slower than my previous run in 2014. In all 160 of 1160 starters retired at the CP. In the Ultra 160km which started with same route, Albert completed in about 45 hours, about 7 hours slower than he expected. Karen Nash was third lady overall (21 started, 7 finished) in about 42 hours which is six and a half hours slower than her time of three years ago. Of the near 400 men, 41% retired.
Red Rose 50 this weekend
Not got the full results to hand yet but Karen Nash finished 2nd overall (not 2nd lady but overall) in 10 hrs 30. Albert was about an hour later. Bob Nash (who is 74) and Abigail both completed in about 15 hrs 30.
The Red Rose 50 has half the climb of the GRP80k but that is still over 7,500ft. We had 13 retirements from 141 starters, a mix of walkers and runners.
It just puts my "failure" at the GRP into perspective.
I will up update with some photos - and exact times later in the week.
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1 comment:
Gordon, hi, Everybody having bad runs may suggest that the conditions were worse than in previous years. Was there any suggestion that something contributed to altitude sickness?
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