The Forum of Benfleet Running Club

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

3 Countries- 163 km- 8,900 m in total altitude gain with a time limit of 46 hours.

Not to be daunted by last years DNF (Did Not Finish) Mike Mason will once again attempt this race.

It just doesn't get much better than this.

Enjoy the Pain !

Pat M · #2 Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 221 Location: Canvey Island

Go on, Mike, give it some welly, mate. You can print off a copy of the Canvey Loop (Not for toilet roll!) for some light reading as you go. lol.

P.S. Don't forget to take pictures.

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

Pat, good tip....unlike my legs I can assure all that my bowels 'move for England!'

rgds
Mike
_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

update:

After the Lakes, Snowdonia and Brecons it is off to V festival in Chelmsford at weekend - I hope that it is a bit hilly.

Final hour session of bench step ups with 20kg on back tonight. God I can't wait....

( Physio tomorrow (Gemma - she of the thumbs that make you weep) and another with Nigel on Wednesday. Ernie comes over that night for motivational speech and slapping me round face repeatedly with dead Roo...Gill and I fly on Thursday to Chamonix. Race starts at 18.30 on Friday and finishes 46 hours later.

This year all the previous European winners are back and from the US Scott Jurek and Karl Meltzer. I need to ensure the Benfleet vest is seen more often then it was last year!

Once this is over can settle down and get back to cheering you all up on Club nights and dusting off my unused Benfleet 15 race number from last year....

rgds

Mike
_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

Jez · #2 Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 291 Location: Eastwood

Just as long as "the Benfleet vest is going the right way!"Good luck sir and the best of British to you.

Karl C · Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject:

MM1 - do you need a map (wouldn't want you getting lost again !) ?

mikemoreton · Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:04 pm Post subject:

MM1,

Good luck for the Jolly Jaunt.

Look forward to seeing you again soon.

ITS YOUR TURN FOR THE BISCUITS!!

jacklarge · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:18 pm Post subject:

MM1,

I expect great things - motivational quotes are all very well but deeds are better currency than promises.

Top 10 will be fine.

Cheers,

John.
_________________
Gordon: Go on then, run!
Dennis: Isn't there some kind of like... special technique?
Gordon: Well... yeah... you put one leg in front of the other over and over again really really fast.

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

Top 10 my 'Caring Club Arse' I will be happy to finish....

_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

jacklarge · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:24 pm Post subject:

MM1,

If Dessie expects the 'fast group' to be 7min/mil(e)ing at every opportunity and most of them aren't Ultra runners but wimps (according to Ernie any race of marathon distance or under is for wimps) then I feel you should step up to the bat or in this case, Mont Blanc

.

That said I'm sure you will give it your all (especially toenails); to paraphrase Mr Wilde "To DNF once is unfortunate, to DNF twice looks like carelessness".

Whatever I expect the views are lovely!

All the best,

John.
_________________
Gordon: Go on then, run!
Dennis: Isn't there some kind of like... special technique?
Gordon: Well... yeah... you put one leg in front of the other over and over again really really fast.

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Interesting read John.

I'm not going to get into the "Marathons are for Wimps" discussion as I'll be creating a whirlwind of hate and ill feeling directed upon myself.
Pain I can handle but the "Wrath"and possible exile from the club is another thing.

I rate my races on how many toe-nails I lose.
I would think this one could be a 10.

As for DNF comments, well I am still a virgin in that respect so I wouldn't know how bad it must be to have a DNF in an Ultra but I have seen quite a few that have and it seems like quite a devastating experience with only one cure and that is to finish the race the following year.

Somehow Mike has to finish this race or he will be doomed.
Tough words I know but that is the downside to Ultrarunning which is in direct contrast to the incredible high one gets when finishing one of these races.

Give it all and more Mike , I know you can do it !

Graham · #3 Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 395

Mike, covering that sort of distance on a bike was painful enough, and that was only with 2.25km of ascent, I can't comprehend how uncomfortable it will be to run it. Have a blinder. You nutter.

Karl C · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:55 am Post subject:

You can track Mike over the whole weekend

http://www.ultratrailmb.com/accueil.php

Mikes race number is 2136

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

Thanks Graham if I do anything like as good as you did I will a) be surprised and b) be delighted.....well done!!!!
_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

Pat M · #2 Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 221 Location: Canvey Island

Well done, Graham. If anyone is interested i'm up to three miles now without stopping. Mike, (MM1) I thought you were running this weekend. Well anyway will keep an eye on your progress. Good luck, and don't wimp out this time or there will be no more pirates for you me bucko!

Karl C · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:59 pm Post subject:

Good Luck Mike (bring back biscuits!)

spokey42 · #1 Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 38

Pat

I'd just like to confirm, we're not!

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

Ok that's it. Nigel has given me final massage and ultra sounded the ITB. Feeling physically sound. Chamonix weather wet at moment and cool but expected to warm up with thunderstorms for weekend

Gear still on lounge floor about to be packed. Ernie has just let after motivational pep talk, cup of tea and slice of cake. For some reason I was unable to offer him any biscuits.

He has left me with the message I wanted to hear but perhaps not as he said it:

'Mike don't DNF again. But if you do make sure it is a proper one. I would expect you to end up in hospital!'

Excellent advice - bring it on!

Hope to see you all at the 'caring club - my arse' shortly.

rgds

Mike
_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

sharon g · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 19

Good luck Mike

spokey42 · #1 Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 38

Mike

Could you bring me back some Vieux Appenzeller cheese please? It's very hard to get it over here. No biscuits required.

Thanks, Godfrey

Jez · #2 Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 291 Location: Eastwood

You can get that cheese quite easily in Aldis, common as muck in these parts.

regards Jez

Karl C · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 12:50 pm Post subject:

Jez / Spookey

there is a special offer on at the moment on at Lidl

buy one get one free

mikemoreton · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:03 pm Post subject:

Hey!!

Our raffle tickets are buy 1 for £1. get 4, yes four, free!!!

Roll up Roll up!!

Draw to take place next Tuesday?

mikey · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:07 pm Post subject:

If I buy 2 tickets tonight .... How about some extra freebies ?

Mikey

Jez · #2 Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 291 Location: Eastwood

Ill bet you say that to all the girls!!

mikemoreton · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:42 pm Post subject:

Jez, Who Me? Noooooooooo

Mikey 2 tickets for £2. For you my friend, you get 8 free

See you Tuesday

(notice I didnt put 'Next' in there)

PS
Patm has been quiet since i mentioned tickets

Karl C · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:24 pm Post subject:

http://live.ultratrailmb.com/coureurentete.php

2136

mikey · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:10 pm Post subject:

Sorry Karl ........ Mystified by last post

Appears to all be in “foreign” .... Can't see any relevance to MM2's raffle

Am I missing something ?

Regards

Dopey

MM2

Could only buy one ticket last night + 4 freebies

Could you hold over extra free tickets (agreed above ) until I have more fund's available ?

Karl C · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:13 pm Post subject:

Mikey - I have seen what you have done here.
You have engaged mouth before engaging brain.

MM1 is doing the Mont Blanc trail run (which is why this is in the Ultra Marathon section of the forum) and you need to type his race number in to see how he is doing.

MM2 is doing the raffle for the Junior Section.

I think the main problem here is you are all called Mike and come from Hockley.....

mikey · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:22 pm Post subject:

Did type in race number ( 2136 )

All I got was more “foreign” ....

and something about being a ....... "Non partant" !!!!!

Has MM1 pulled out already ?

Aussi Mike won't be impressed

Karl C · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:23 pm Post subject:

"Non partant" =

....."not from Rayleigh"

Pammie · #3 Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 385

i typed in a few random numbers they all come up as non partant
_________________
I'll put something interesting here when i've thought of something, in the meantime heres some music.

mikey · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 2:58 pm Post subject:

So it's a "Good" thing then ..........

Didn't realise you spook Dutch

Reclaimed any land recently ??

mikemoreton · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:01 pm Post subject:

think that link is 'Merde'

En Francais n'est pas

Au revoir Mes amis

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Try this link http://live.ultratrailmb.com/coureurentete.php
I dont know where that other link came from.

Went over to Mike's Wednesday night to give "Motivational" talk.
I think I left him in a more depressed state.
I gave him the usual "if you do a DNF in this one dont bother coming back to Hockley " Speech but not to sure it went down that well.
He certainly showed me the door fairly quickly so he is moving well.

ooroo

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Arrived Saint-Gervais 20 km 22:10

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Arrived Les Contamines (30 km) 00:22 (Continental Time)

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Mike left Les Chapieux (49 km) 06:16 am (Continental time)

Karl C · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:15 am Post subject:

10:03 cont time - arrived at Refuge Elisabetta (63 km)

http://live.ultratrailmb.com/point.php?idpt=8

Karl C · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:14 am Post subject:

unsure as to this text message now - as 10:00 time is the cut off time..??

Is he in, or is he out ??

Karl C · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:35 am Post subject:

had confirmation from Gill (Mikes wife) that he is still in...

Karl C · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 1:07 pm Post subject:

13:49 leaving Courmayeur Dolonne 77km

Have heard he is really suffering with his quads...not looking good.

Been suffering since 72km....

Karl C · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 1:08 pm Post subject:

13:53 - Mike has stopped......

Karl C · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 4:38 pm Post subject:

GREAT EFFORT Mike,

after seeing the hills I am impressed you got so far again !

enjoy the rest of the weekend !

Pat M · #2 Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 221 Location: Canvey Island

Well done, Mike, you got over some of the hightest peaks. Congradulations!

mikey · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:21 pm Post subject:

Obviously tempted to start this reply along the lines of you not showing your “sorry face” in Hockley again after DNFing !!!

But lets face it, its a thousand times better to attempt an event outside your comfort zone and fail

Rather than spending your life whining that events are just to difficult to do.

There are far too many people down the club, who haven’t got a clue what they're capable of, because they haven’t got the guts to push themselves outside their comfort zone.

Congratulations, you're a true hero of GORC

Mind you don't even think of DNFing next year !!!

Mikey

mikemoreton · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:31 pm Post subject:

Yeah!! well said mikey.

Who would have thought that last Sept I would finish this years London Marathon. Any thing is possible.

It was a lot less than what MM1 did, to which i applaud him.

Well done MM1.

Did you stop for biscuits?

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

I'm with you Mikey.
Better to have a go and fail than not to have a go at all.

He'd make a good Aussie !

Karl C · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:41 pm Post subject:

better to have loved and lost, than never loved at all...

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Now were getting personal Karl.