Graham
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Thames Path UltraTook part in the Thames Path Ultra today. All good training for the MdS. A 50 miler from Reading along the Thames. Thames Paddle Ultra would have been more appropriate. Severe flooding along the Thames made for a interesting day. Within 5 minutes we were running in water calf deep. 5 mins later it was past me knees. Around 200 runners splashing each other, in no time I was soaked. We took a detour and ended up going down a flooded road. When it got to my waist I stopped. The guy in front who was up to his chest tried telling me it was getting shallower but I wasn't convinced. I turned round and hooked up with some other runners and we looked for another detour. Best decision of the day. Started running with some young lad fresh out of Uni. He'd spent his Uni spare time and his loans on marathons and Ironman events. What's wrong with getting drunk & stoned every day I dont know. However he was a dab hand with a map and lived locally so knew all the right routes to miss the flooded areas. In return I towed him round for the day as he wanted to try and crack 8 hours. Slightly easier pace than my only other 50 which I ran with Jez. I still get the horrors when I think about clinging on to him and his fartlek at 40 miles.
Even though I didn't run with my foot fully on the gas it was still a very very tough day. Lots of wading, when the path wasn't under water it was very muddy and the rain didn't ease up much. All in all pleased to get round in 7hr 51mins, just inside the top 20.
Met some real interesting, or maybe just psychotic people too. How about this for all you Beachy Head vets. I spoke to some girl who in the last race got up at 2am to run the course in the dark. Finshed, had some breakfast, then lined up with the rest of the field to run it all over again. That is a tough course to do twice. Also chatted briefly to a boxer. He was in the ring with Amir Khan 16 months ago. Talk about a glutton for punishment. Not sure what's worse, hours of drawn out agony or a brief spell getting your face thoroughly pummelled. With her marathon experience and her recent festive fight with a toilet bowl maybe Anna can answer that one for us. 
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erasedcitizen
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Excellent stuff Graham, what a random day! Thanks for the entertaining write up! 
Well done for another 50 miler!
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runningman
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 Well done ! not long to MDS !!!
The boxer you met was Jacko aka Action Jackson Williams who i had the pleasure of running the first 100 miles with in the Seni !! ( does he still talk alot ? ) since then he has run across America and this year is trying to break the record time for running Lands End to John O'Groats !! He is totally barking !!
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Ernie
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Well Done Graham
7hrs 51mins, flooding and detours with ones foot "off the gas" sounds very impressive to me.
I'd be curious to see what times you can bring in on your next 50 miler.
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Lee O
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Well done Graham, dont think be that wet when you go off in Desert!!!!
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Mike Mason
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well done Graham.....Ernie is going to get the Injini toe socks to you this week...hope they help.....
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Anna Spanner
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You leave my fesitve accident out of your story tellig please Mr Booty! sshhh
Well done
Spanner
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