The Untamed Thames Ring 250

Date : Wed, Jun 24 - Sun, Jun 28, 2009
Race : Thames Ring 250 mile race

Where : Start and Finish in Streatley, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Distance Covered : 183.14 miles (CP#7) in 63 hours

Pictures
Pre-race http://rajeevtherunner.smugmug.com/gallery/8992499_QbQHu#597869674_EtKj8
Race http://rajeevtherunner.smugmug.com/gallery/8858686_yNG7R#587155722_ko9cg

I have divided my race report into 3 sections.

Part I covers the days leading up to the race and the first 55 miles.

Part II details the sections from CP#2 (55 miles) to CP#5 (130 miles).

Part III focuses on the remaining 2 Checkpoints (#6 & #7)

I received an e-mail from the newest member, Christian Hottas, of the Ultraholics Yahoo group back in November, 2008 about the inaugural Thames Ring 260. It immediately appealed to my desire to see what lay beyond a race of 100 miles, not that I had sated my appetite for 100 mile races.

I spent a few weeks doing research on the race route and the Thames Ring. The minute I saw names like Henley, Reading, Marlow and Milton Keynes I was hooked. I had to give myself the gift of running a race in the UK. I have always been intrigued by that country and continue to be so even after spending 2 weeks there before, during and after my unsuccessful attempt to complete the TR250 race.

(The Morrell Room)

The race started in Streatley, outside the Morrell Room, and passed through Reading, Henley, Windsor, London, Milton Keynes, Braunston, Napton and then onwards to Oxford on the way back to Streatley. I am hoping to go back in 2011 and complete what I started last month.

Goring & Streatley are quiet little villages that have a few surprisingly famous personalities living there. George Michael, of WHAM and "Careless Whisper" fame, has a home right next to the bridge that connects the 2 villages.

(The back of George Michael's home)

(High Street connecting Goring and Streatley)

Goring is the one with the train station, the library and a host of small shops and restaurants. Its quiet beauty, so English, charmed my heart no end. The Goring side of the Thames is lined with stately mansions. One of them is shown below.

(An estate on the Thames)

The various checkpoints are detailed below.

CHECK POINTS

LEG	Leg dist	Leg time	Tot dist	Tot time	CP opens Closes (hrs open)
Streatley – Hurley CP1 GR = SU828842	27.25	8	27.25	8	13:30 18:00 Wed (4.5)
Hurley – Chertsey CP2 GR= TQ054666	27.8	8	55.05	16	18:00 Wed 02:00 Thur (8)
Chertsey – Yiewsley CP3 GR= TQ066800	27.2	10	82.25	26	23:00 Wed 12:00 Thur (13)
Yiewsley – Berkhamsted CP4 GR= SP997077	23.6	8	105.85	34	05:00 Thur 20:00 Thur (15)
Berkhamsted – Milton Keynes CP5 GR= SP880364	24.35	8	130.2	42	11:00 Thur 04:00 Fri (17)
Milton Keynes – Nether Heyford CP6 GR= SP644591	26.95	11	157.15	53	17:00 Thur 15:00 Fri (22)
N. Heyford – Fenny Compton CP7 GR= SP430532	25.99	12	183.14	65	24:00 Thur 03:00 Sat (27)
F. Compton – Lower Heyford CP8 GR= SP483246	22.84	12	205.98	77	06:00 Fri 15:00 Sat (33)
Lower Heyford – Abingdon CP9 GR= SU498967	23.55	12	229.53	89	13:00 Fri 03:00 Sun (36)
Abingdon – Streatley Finish CP10 GR= SU594808	18.83	11	248.36	100	18:00 Fri 14:00 Sun (44)

Red = guesstimations!! Green = good sleeping spaces.

Bon voyage! :-))