06/09/2025
I’m Sara, I work at Challenge Running doing mostly admin stuff but I’ve also helped out at and had a good go at a couple of the Challenge Running events. This weekend I went along to the final running of T184 and I’ve also had a go at TR250, twice.
I’ve had some successes over the years at mainly bumpy, mountainous long events, the stuff most folk would consider hard but let me tell you, from personal experience the River/Canal races are just brutal. To my mind they don’t offer ready made strategy in terrain ie hike the ascents, run the flats, relax into easy leg turning recovery on descents; every stride is work physically and mentally.
You need to be engaged 100% to go the distance as your brain screams ‘this should be easy’ and you find yourself struggling to make sense of why the miles just aren’t ticking by and it all just hurts.
I’ve witnessed some incredible performances on these events. Finishers are almost always broken but not beat at their finish lines having left it all out on the course. And the finisher stats are so telling…dnfs always outweigh finishers. That’s not to say that dnfs are failures - I reiterate that the course is a cruel mistress and it’s claimed some of the very best in long distance. I’ve never seen competitors in such beaten form at the halfway point continue the way these guys do knowing the end is still so far away. But continue they do, drawing strength from who knows where. To me they are the epitome of true endurance athletes.
So from someone who’s had a go and been beaten on all occasions, if you’re after a true test, a proper hard event you’d do well to give TR250 a go. Beware though, it is very specialised and if you go in unprepared it will chew you up and spit you out right on that tow path…
If this has tweaked an interest you can follow the final days of T184 here…
https://live.opentracking.co.uk/25t184/
and watch socials for updates
Or, if you fancy a go at something truly testing in long distance eventing, click the link to read about Thames Ring 250 here…
https://www.challenge-running.com/e/thames-ring-250-11289
Pic - drinks kindly put out on course by The Maybush pub on Thursday night for the runners
