Things about the London Ultra

So some lovely people who feign interest in this stuff that I do have asked about the race itself. If you're so inclined there's a tonne of info on the official site but if you want details at a glimpse here you go:

NEWS! The lovely @mrnimby is going to tweet checkpoint times using #rowena50 for anyone wanting to stand in a South London Park

Distance: 31 miles / 50km

Route: Capital Ring from Grove Park to Perivale. Yes I don't know where either of them are either.

Terrain: mud trails through green parks linked by suburban roads and footpaths.

Hills: god yes

How long might this take me to finish: Let's say I'm there for the day. I start at 9am and if it was a flat road I would say I would be done by 2:30. Add food, hills and navigation.

Spectator points: Why, yes you mad person, you can either stand by a South London station or eat cake at a checkpoint. See below.

Route map: over here

Keeping in touch: I'll be ringing home as I pass through kms 10, 20, 30 and 40. I will be able to receive messages at +44 79 793 05422. I won't tweet till it's over. The lovely @mrnimby is going to tweet checkpoint times using #rowena50 for anyone wanting to stand in a South London Park.

Watching the London Ultra: so if you like standing around in the cold you could go to:

0900: The start, 147 Marvels Lane, London SE12 9PP. Here I'll be very cold and anxious and probably not talking much.

1000h: 9.5km (1 hour) Aldersmead Road (sort of near Beckenham)

11am: 17km Streatham Common South

midday: 28km Wimbledon Park Road

1300: 39kms Ranelagh Road, Richmond

50kms Perivale Track

At all these points there should be some sort of table or something as a checkpoint.

In addition, I can confirm that fellow runners will be streaming past the following commonly used stations: Penge East and West, Crystal Palace, Wandsworth Common, Earlsfield and Wimbledon Park. I just don't how those commuters are going to contain themselves.

A note of warning if anyone does venture to a checkpoint, firstly, I could be a good 40 minutes slower than I anticipate and secondly and most importantly, if you touch my cake, I kill you.