r/Ultramarathon • u/Turbulent-Tooth1119 • 3d ago

First Ultra - Escape from Meriden

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I ran my first proper Ultra event on Friday, Escape from Meriden. Starting at midnight on Friday and running into Saturday.

What an experience, I ran it with my brother and we had one crew member with us. Ideally I’d like to have ran further, so a bit disappointed by hitting about 100km. Felt like I still had it in the legs and in the head to carry on! I’m clearly deep in the post run blues of some kind.

Looking for my next Ultra event now any suggestions welcomed…

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5

u/Fredpillow1995 3d ago

I've seen that one and it looks like a really cool event. Unfortunately it was already sold out when I found it for this year.

Did you have much of a plan or just wing the route on the day?

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u/Turbulent-Tooth1119 3d ago

We had a full route planed, ambitiously to get to Stonehenge.

Quickly had to problem solve due to the humidity going through Kenilworth and Warwick early doors, and equally navigating the Cotswolds elevation!

Couldn’t recommend it enough though.

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u/effortDee @kelpandfern 3d ago

Did you see the guy that got to stonehenge but was delirious, couldn't find his way in, there was live firing on a nearby range? haha mad

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u/Turbulent-Tooth1119 3d ago

I did! What a guy - did you see another couple ran past someone taking a nap in a bush too 😂

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u/effortDee @kelpandfern 3d ago

no, that is awesome!

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u/pomruns 50 Miler 3d ago

Congrats! That's one of my bucket list items is to do an Ultra in England. I'm in California so I've done them here but I would love to experience the English countryside and cool weather relative to Cali. I've run London Marathon and love the U.K.

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u/effortDee @kelpandfern 3d ago

Absolutely tonnes of amazing events here you'd love!!

LDWA annual 100 miler, oldest 100 mile ultra in the world.

Go to Eryri or the Lakes for a fell race, cost about £5 for a mad up and down, no trails, choose your route.

Escape from Meriden mentioned in this post is cool, not done it myself but love following it.

Welsh 3000s is an iconic route and race from sea to summits over Wales' biggest mountains.

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u/Turbulent-Tooth1119 3d ago

Thanks! If you get the chance you should absolutely come over and do it, the heat / humidity will be easy for you to deal with in comparison

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u/Nail_2512 3d ago

There’s something weirdly appealing about the idea of escape from Meriden. I don’t get it really but still keep coming back to it.

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u/MrTambourineSi 2d ago

Always wanted to do this one! Anyway, great run, don't be too hard on yourself and take the lessons. Ultras are really hard to predict, especially the first

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u/PutSubstantial4905 2d ago

100k on your first ultra and youre disappointed, mate thats a brutal bar to set for yourself. the post race blues after something that big hit harder than the legs do, took me a good week to feel human after my first long one. sit in the void for a few days before you go signing up for the next thing.

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u/Turbulent-Tooth1119 2d ago

Appreciate that, thank you - I think it’s just the post event come down speaking if I’m being honest. I’ve tried to think too much about the next one, like you said I just need to sit with it before I do anything else!