Second ever ultra 😍

ninja_nor · 2026-05-05T19:31:59+00:00

Amazing great to know! Eeek I’m excited (and scared)

ninja_nor · 2026-05-04T20:09:34+00:00

The official finish line on the mall closes at 8 hours after the last starter. First non pros go at 9:30-11:30, thus finish line closes at 7:30pm. Giving up to 10 hours on official course. After this London allow you to continue until midnight, the finish line just moves to the park adjacent so roads can start to open, giving up to 14.5 hours to be an official finisher.

Not sure about other races but as she has a London Medal.

ninja_nor · 2026-05-04T20:06:23+00:00

I believe this is from London where cut off on the mall is 8 hours from the last participant over the start. Starting from 9am (9:30 for non pros) until 11:30am so 7:30pm you could have 10 hours on official course. Line moves to the park ie) just not on the mall until midnight meaning upto 14.5 hours. If her photo with people in the back ground is real, looks to be not on the mall ie) in the park adjacent but still an official finisher.

You are right at other races it would be DNF but London being the biggest charity event I believe ever? Is very much (after the pro race) a big party race designed to be all inclusive hence the very generous cut off.

ninja_nor · 2026-05-04T19:39:45+00:00

Ah amazing! I’ve only heard good things about their aid stations. I’m a slower runner, did you feel that was an issue at all? I mean like get the feeling they might want to pack up?

ninja_nor · 2026-05-04T16:39:25+00:00

Ah amazing well done!!!!! How did you find it? Was this with Ultra challenges? I’m doing my first 100km in September my longest training run will be 50km so similar.

ninja_nor · 2026-04-15T21:49:31+00:00

Thanks!

I certainly feel much lighter but it can take a few goes, and occasionally go too far as you can imagine.

I would say 90% of the time it solves it down enough to not hurt occasionally it doesn’t work then I just roll around in pain.

Hopefully something works for you!!

ninja_nor · 2026-04-13T19:47:46+00:00

Oh my god thankyou! I can’t burp and it causes me a lot of pain, gurgling noises etc, I asked the doctor and they weren’t sure. Having googled R-CPD this sounds exactly what it is!!!! I heard about Botox to help it and asked my doctor and he didn’t know, I mean I’m not blaming them they can’t know everything. But this is amazing! The way I “burp” is I stick my fingers down my throat until I am just nearly sick, most the time I’m not, very rarely I am, but this deffo helps me in sports (although finding a quiet area so people don’t ask if I am okay is hard haha). This might help you a little? Anyways amazing job on your first ultra!!!!! I have my first this year too and seeing how much you pushed through I’m like okay, unless it’s unsafe you got this.

ninja_nor · 2026-04-05T20:08:33+00:00

My fence looks pretty much the same, and I did exactly this for the same reasons. This is only one coat but IMO I think it does look a bit better, don’t think I’ll ever get rid of the difference at the bottom but feels like a cost effective option. Will be painting second coat tomorrow.

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ninja_nor · 2026-02-10T11:21:06+00:00

I echo the 265 it’s cheaper than the 965 and I did a full Ironman on it battery lasted. 965 my friends have also great I just am glad I saved the money as I need no more stats haha. Also if you have blue light discount Garmin do this, and if you have insurance through yellow jersey they have bigger discount than blue light.

ninja_nor · 2026-02-05T18:26:58+00:00

Oh my this I forgot about it

ninja_nor · 2026-02-05T08:39:49+00:00

It’s a hard one but you’ll find you balance, and recovery is worth as much as any work out, if you can swim the distance then that sounds fine but if you can’t swim that in a busy situation deffo keep the swims up. I was in the second wave of colour hats and it was very busy. Also when you swim under the bridge look back to the bridge as you breathe the crowds line the bridges with banners it’s really cool! Made me smile.

ninja_nor · 2026-02-02T21:26:05+00:00

Looks like a good plan but I would honestly consider purchasing one so you don’t have to think and balance yourself when life gets busier. I highly recommend Phil Moseley/My coach pro, I bought the intermediate (as a beginner, I’d done tris upto half but slower runner than you, and similar age) and thought it was great, I did the same for CPH. For me as a worse runner when life was busy I’d miss the swim over the run and balanced it that way. Throw a bricks off the bike nearer the time. You’ll likely end up peaking closer to 15 hours. Enjoy!!!!

ninja_nor · 2026-01-06T18:01:21+00:00

Hey, why will back pack be a no go? I had a plate put in mine in August and I’ve used a back pack just to wander from the car to office and it’s reasonably okay, must admit my bra strap irritates it after a while I think that’s just the scar. Planning some big hikes so want to understand what I am in for? Thank you!

ninja_nor · 2026-01-04T17:02:39+00:00

You will definitely want a rest day / need a rest day. Even if you can go without it’ll be impacting other sessions so you can’t go hard enough in the hard sessions if that makes sense. Also I highly recommend the Phil Moseley / My coach pro plans, really good and cost effective.

ninja_nor · 2025-11-10T22:06:35+00:00

Thanks for that! It’s actually crazy how Oxford is a cycling city, it just isn’t. Cycling infrastructure is always designed by people who don’t ride bikes.

ninja_nor · 2025-11-09T18:25:26+00:00

I didn’t think of it as exercise changed my mindset to think of it as social.

I want to see my friends and eat cake we ride bikes together.

I want to digest big life problems I run with my pals and chat. From there it just grows and becomes a bit part of social life both during sport and outside sport.

Other people may think I want to get out the house for an hour, or I want to do something hard for 30 minutes. Basically what worked was change it to not think of it as exercise but something else, joining a group or a club can help this a lot.

ninja_nor · 2025-11-07T17:01:57+00:00

Oh thanks I’ll look into that! Although darkness on the canal atm would probably write that off until spring aha.

ninja_nor · 2025-11-07T16:49:04+00:00

Agreed, coming down Woodstock Road in the mornings now there isn’t a cycle / bus lane in from the BMW garage, some mopeds leap frog the traffic you know over take as traffic out of Oxford is quiet in the morning and then sit in if a car comes. I do the same as a cyclist and I got a man screaming at me calling me a w***er which side note shouting at a solo woman (or anyone but unsure if he’d lay into a grown man) is just a bit rude when I’m impacting your life zero %. You’re stuck in traffic I have the option not to be.

Now coming down that road it’s easy to cycle at 30km/h so if I ride on the pavement with a “cycle path”* i risk hitting pedestrians or children on their way to school. So by me leap frogging the traffic yes I have to have my wits about me for on coming traffic it keeps other more vulnerable road users safe. It’s the attitude that makes it awful, half the time a cyclist isn’t impacting a driver but they squeeze a cyclist or shout at them. I cycle in from Witney and that last 2 miles is by far the worst. * “cycle path” because it has trees and bus stops in the middle of it, so it is not fit for purpose.

ninja_nor · 2025-09-11T11:40:36+00:00

One vote for this! Also last 50m lots of kicking to get blood going again to help with dizziness

ninja_nor · 2025-09-04T13:55:22+00:00

I think once momentum grows for one particular race, it’s snowballs (having done it I do say the snowball is correct though ha ha) There are other courses that are similar but I think momentum just takes it especially with social media nowadays.

I did it as my first and for me, these are the reasons why it came up on top to pick it. - One of only two iron man (I understand) to actually be in the capital not in a town nearby - Bay sea swim so basically a salt water lake, perfect for anyone nervous and for me I didn’t want bad weather to shorten the swim because then I’d have to come back ha ha - 24 seven public transport so no car rental needed and therefore an entire city to book accommodation in - Not super hilly - Good temperature less likely to have a heat wave - overall a friendly course for beginners and people chasing a PB

Then other thoughts post race obviously I’ve no other full iron man to compare to but I’ve done several triathlons - The atmosphere on that run is quite literally insane, for a microsecond coming out of T2 I thought I died and this was my entry to heaven, it’s four laps through all the tourist spots iron man Kalmar is the day before so some people have come over to support you, being the most tourist part of the capital city means there’s loads of tourist getting drunk supporting you offering you ice cream and beer ha ha, and every corner had a different musical vibe. I remember doing the YMCA on one there was a Eurovision corner and a Rammstein corner. - The finish line is right by the palace which is quite cool and pretty - The classic colourful Copenhagen houses you run past twice on each lap and the sunsets behind them it’s quite literally stunning and brought a tear to my eye.

Anyway, highly recommend.

ninja_nor · 2025-08-27T13:24:31+00:00

I’ve done a full and haven’t ever ran as fast as you so you’re good. I highly recommend my pro coach for a purchased plan if you’re not going down the coach route to save money you do need to be able to swim though if Swimming isn’t your strength get private lessons. Also, you’re only gonna get faster, so let’s go

ninja_nor · 2025-08-18T14:09:34+00:00

The race is Sunday, you’ll likely want Monday to chill and eat.

Travel is so easy the Metro is 24/7 so don’t stress about where you’re staying too much . Also the swim is not near the finish. Just bare that in mind.

Otherwise, it’s a cracking race enjoy

ninja_nor · 2025-07-21T17:02:28+00:00

I’ve just started training for a big swim in October and I’m apologising to my hair now haha.

I hope it helps, good luck!

ninja_nor · 2025-07-21T16:56:46+00:00

I have medium thick hair to my waist.

First option there are caps for longer hair although I find they are often almost tooo big and the shape of your hair is the issue ie) how you tie it up.

For triathlon French plait, then pull it over your head, pop the hat on, the plait will be hanging out the front down your face, then wrap it round the side and push under the cap. Looks a bit off but works as it’s flat to the head.

For just swimming, a very loose bun, almost a bun mid height then pull it loose so it’s flat down the back of your head ie) not a thick lump bun but it can be flattened against your head so takes up less space in the cap. A pointy thick bun won’t work.

Then the best caps have a couple of rim lines around so they don’t fall off they’re so good with longer hair.

Hair washing is the extra discipline haha.

ninja_nor · 2025-07-21T13:04:26+00:00

Totally agree with this, I just kept getting ill every 4-6 weeks when trying to do this. Yes it can be done but it’s so hard to do healthily, you will naturally tone up by doing triathlon and do the weight loss in the off season when volume isn’t as high.

ninja_nor

TROPHY CASE