sorry nick, daughters been in hospital,will email

Hello Ian,

I emailed you on 18th October but haven't heard anything back yet. Is your email up and running?

correction it's a large

I have a medium T shirt unused, i bought 2 a large and a medium in the hope i'd lose weight email me koszalinski@blueyonder.co.uk

I've just received the Chiltern Landmarks 100 results book. It was a long wait, but what a professional, glossy publication and fine memento of a wonderful event.
Talking of mementos, would anyone out there happen to have a spare Chiltern Landmarks 100 T-shirt that they don't want and I could buy off them? I placed my order after completing the event but unfortunately my order form was mislaid and I was denied my precious keepsake, all supplies having long gone by the time I phoned up to find out about its whereabouts. (I should add that I did receive a genuine apology and a refund, but disappointment remains nevertheless.)

I must admit I really enjoyed the hundred and I appreciate the effort that must go in to organise these events, but is two months long enough to wait for the results?
I have to be honest and say that it has taken the shine off the event for me.

First of all, a thanks to all the people that make these walks possible. What a lot of hard work and sleepless nights. This was my second 100 and slightly easier (if you can say that) than last years Exmoor. I used to live in Bucks, so it was lovely visiting all my old favourite places. A special thanks to Tony Willey, I hooked him just after Ivinghoe Beacon and we had a great walk in together. There seemed to be a problem with the certificate production line at the finish, so I haven't got my mine yet. I keep checking the website daily for the detailed results. I said I wouldn't do another 100, but I've forgotten the pain and can't wait for Northumberland. Surely it can't be as hilly as Exmoor!

I bet George Foot, Hundred Statistician Extraordinary, would know who the oldest '100' virgin is. I'll e-mail him.

I cannot compete with the fabulous Henry Bridge, but I wonder was I the oldest first time finisher, at 74 years? I had the most marvellous walk, enjoyed every miniute of it, except at 59 miles, when I was persuaded to press on. If I was the oldest "virgin" 100 finisher, do I get a special badge ? (only kidding !) Mike Skuse

The problem is twofold. St John and Red Cross are expensive these days (over £100 for two volunteers plus materials for 8 hours), and it must be hard to run a 100 and have any spare money to pay them in the south east; halls cost a lot to hire. Also, those organisations do 1st aid; patch you up to go home or call county ambulance in an emergency, but not foot wash, burst blisters, tlc. That comes from a small band of (mostly 1st aid qualified) LDWA members who know what it is to walk a 100, and what is required. Bobbie Sauerzapf and I were at breakfast overnight with the other 1st aiders, then left to work on CP16 (our CP). We provide the service you needed (and have done for years), but we're not so sure next year; 48 hours with little sleep was just too much for the second year running... So you have my sympathy, but ultimately 1st aid LDWA style is a luxury.

I have an observation based upon my first attempt at a 100. I failed to complete, dropping at Breakfast with badly blistered feet. I started to burn up at 17 miles and made repairs with my own kit which I quickly realised was inadequate. The problem for me was that serious first aid assistance was not available until 59.5 miles. By which time I was in a bit of a mess and strongly advised to retire. It was my inexperience which led to this situation, but is it not possible to offer serious first aid more frequently?

I'm pretty sure the oldest finisher of a Hundred was the legendary Henry Bridge, at 81 - don't know which 100, though - and the youngest may have been Peter Sorensen, son of this year's Hundred organiser Paul - have a feeling it was the 2002 Lakeland 100 and on his 18th birthday.

Fabulous event - thoroughly enjoyed. Hit my usual wall at 70 miles but struggled on to finish in 38 hours. Excellent route - little hard underfoot - feet were in a worse state than they were for exmoor last year. Food? Well lucky I had some extra in my bag, but checkpointers were excellent. Does anyone know the oldest and youngest person to complete a 100m?

I'd like to say a massive thank you to Graham Stainsby who kept me company all the way from Turville to the finish. Great conversation and good support from Graham on my first 100. Good photo of Graham on Alan Greenwood's website! Thanks also to Alison Brind both on this walk and at Henley a few weeks before.

The hard work and consideration shown by all the marshals/CP staff was also very much appreciated.

Anything that recognises volunteers is a good idea, and presumably it wouldn't entail too much extra effort for organisers. It's nice to have a memento of a successful event - I'd definitely have bought a 'supporter' T-shirt if one had been available at the CL100.

I'm one of the many supporters, helpers and marshals and I would like to have something to mark the 100. I don't want one of the official t-shirts because I think only those who've done the event are entitled to wear those. I like to see them wearing their shirts with pride having done the event. I wondered if there'd be enough of us 'hangers-on' to justify a version of the official t-shirt, maybe with something like 'supporter' added under the logo. Some completers may even take one home to the long-suffering families. I help out at Race For Life each year and we have t-shirts with 'volunteer' on.

Yes, I would endorse Merrian's 'leader board' suggestion and it's good to know that it isn't impractical. In fact, if it can all be done via a laptop then presumably there could be a screen rigged up as well. Having something like that to focus on would increase the fun and excitement back at base, and perhaps draw in passers-by, who might then be persuaded to give the LDWA a try.

It's perfectly feasible at the finish to have a dedicated laptop with a spreadsheet so that times at each CP can be recorded. In fact, the DDC last year and this is setup to do that we just didn't do it for logistical reasons. If we can get sufficient bodies to have someone free to do that, I'll be pushing for it at the Northumberland 100. I can't see photographs of the finishers being a major problem either - just needs a bit of thought. As long as we've got the bodies next year, I'm sure we'll do our upmost to incorporate the best ideas. Might as well put in a plug for helpers then - see LDWA News for Mike Rayner's email address!

Here's another idea, and even trickier to deliver than photos of finishers. People often want to find out how other members of their group are getting on. If they're ahead of you, and you know their number, and the checkpoint/finish desk is quiet, you can ask what time they went through/finished. That's limited and it's not so easy if they're behind you. A huge board showing latest checkpoint? Use the internet? Mobile phones? Raynet?

Congrats to Adrian for a superb route. It was entirely my fault I got lost both nights. Thanks also to Jean Bobker and latterly Adrian for making an old man very happy; and also to the two gents at the breakfast stop who wouldn't let me retire as I wasn't anything like tired enough, they said. It was my first 100, and it was a wonderful memorable experience. I have already framed the Cert and sewn the badge on my rucsac. Can't wait for the next event to swap stories. Mike Skuse 14987

Step forward Merrian Lancaster, official photographer for the 2006 Hundred - well volunteered !! I reckon the only way you'll get out of it is by doing the event.....

I think it would be a nice souvenir, the easiest way might be to leave the camera with whoever is running the finish desk at the time. One of the problems though with our events (as compared to say running races) is that we don't wear numbers, so you have to know who you are looking at !

Re photos.....For the future, do you think it would be a good idea to get a picture of every finisher, and those who retire if they want? It's just an idea and of course I haven't given a thought to the problems of who provides the camera, the memory cards and charges the battery, or who takes the pictures, unloads and publishes them.

Re photo on event website... http://www.dasha.demon.co.uk/chilterns.htm - Doesn't Gerald look remarkably fresh for someone who's been out for 48 hours !! Well done.

Alan Greenwood has generously put a number of photos on his web site - www.alangreenwood.biz/walkingpage - see if you can spot yourself or some friends !

Some of them are definitely in need of captions....

Any more photos of the event out there ?

A big thank-you to all who helped to put on a very enjoyable event. The event as a whole was well organised and the food was as good as my mums !

I appreciate the point re the runners arriving at checkpoints too early but many of them , including myself, are not out and out runners more run/walkers if you get my meaning. I agree with earlier comments re a midday start but appreciate this adds to organisation. I think the fact that the early part of the course was extremely flat meant most run/walkers made good time - as soon as the hills arrived the field stretched out more and checkpoints were not arrived at en mass in advance of the checkpoint opening.

Many people arriving at checkpoints early ate more food to pass the time !!!!!

I'm sure this one will run and run !!!!

Thankyou organiser Adrian and the organising groups BBN TV and L for a well run 100 and many thankyous to all the helpers on checkpoints for their unstinting hard work and support for the walkers. A good route description on the whole only problems were with a compost heap and a gap in the fence on the last leg. Hope late finishers were able to get a place to rest in the gym. Will the results be on the website soon?

What a smashing photo of Gerald Bateman, last finisher on the Hundred, on the event website. It quite made my day.

This was my second 100 and I enjoyed it a lot. Route description worked well for me except at one point where I misread the bit about the left turn at Hastow and ended up putting another mile or so on my journey. Everything about the checkpoints was great for me: hospitality, location and food. Same comments as already made about runners. Out and out runners, as opposed to walkers who run a bit downhill, really ought to be convinced to start at the later time to avoid backups at the earlier CPs. Perhaps a 12 noon start might be more attractive to the moderate runners.

Thanks to all the organisers.

as this was my first hundred, i was well looking forward to it, i enjoyed the various companions along the way, and the checkpoints were excellent, i didn't expect to find the ground so hard, but at least i don't have to clean me boots,unfortunately i had to pull up after twisting my knee after 82 miles i did make little gaddesden and decided to carry on, however the 2 and half hours it took to get to potten end only 3 and three quarter miles away made me think 14 miles left and 15 hours to go thats less than 1mph I had already travelled the last 3 miles at 1.5 mph but i was slowing down at the end, it was in day light and any object 2" above the ground was a problem, so i keep telling myself i made the right choice, especially when in 2002 i damaged the same knee and was out of action for a year,so i look forward to northumberland and softer ground, but thanks for a great 2 days

Commiserations Gary. I will confess to five separate navigation errors which lost me 45 minutes. The route instructions were spot on, my only criticism being that there was sometimes rather too much information. The route was inevitably rather complex in such a highly populated area and I found it difficult to maintain concentration as tiredness set in.
Don't think the mistakes made much difference to my time. I was overtaken by Steve from Poole who dragged me round the last 20 miles at a much faster pace than I would have done solo. Thanks Steve.
Thanks to all involved in the organisation for a superb event. The care and attention to detail was very evident.
I thought the route made excellent use of the area. For me the highlight was the walk along the grassy ridge of Coombe Hill at 6am on a perfect Sunday morning with not a soul in sight. Beautiful!

I wouldn't say that I enjoyed it but I would like to say a massive thanks to everyone involved at all the checkpoints, and a speacial thanks to one George "Jersey" who helped me round my first hundred - A legend indeed!

Did anyone else get lost in the woods at the end of the event? Those of us like me who did not read the route description properly may have taken the first entrance at the barrier/stile at the bottom of Shire Lane. There then followed what I can only describe as a nightmare, wandering around a wood and getting nowhere for about 3/4 hour. I did consider 'yomping it' on a fixed compass direction which would have meant going uphill through a thick forest 'freestyle' but in the end somehow or other wandered back to the barrier at the bottom of Shire Lane and took the correct ( second)entrance. Having wasted 3/4 hour, I was determined to get in before 11.00 pm and ran like mad through the forest, out the other end, through the field and down the drive. My arrival time : 11.00pm exactly, ie 1 minute beyond my 'deadline'. ie failed! Anything can happen at the end of a 100 and it usually does in my experience, but overall a superb personal adventure and I will be back next year to hopefully complete my 10th.

What a wonderful weekend. The route description was excellent, the food at CPs superb (although sometimes supplemented by 'extras' from the group running the CP (so I am told) and the weather couldn't really have been better for a 'hundred'. Breakfast was quite the best I have had on a hundred - cooked to perfection and so well managed by the team on duty. Well done and thanks to everyone who helped and to the committee for all their hard work.

I'd agree with the comment about runners. This caused no end of problems for walkers who turned up on time and found that the food had gone as the runners had arrived so early and thus helped themselves to most of the food.

Many thanks to Paul, David, Lyn, Adrian and all the other members of the organising committee for their efforts.

The event seemed to go very well. We did the marshals walk and worked on the event. Many thanks to you two (Jo and Julian) for helping on CP16; as you saw we just about had enough marshals with you included, without you we would have been short. On saturday night we were at breakfast (nominally to provide 1st aid); here Essex-Herts were also short on help and we ended up doing a few hours making tea and coffee. We returned to work on our own CP (16) for 23 hours minus the odd sleep. These events seem to depend on those who will always help, and those who never walk 100s but will run CPs. I don't want to change the marshals walk and make it a bigger event, but maybe some more help from those who walked last year's 100 but not this one would be a good idea. The route: lovely apart from the first few miles into Chalfont St Peter (or last if you were a marshal). The food: we always supplement the supplied food on our CPs (enough said ?). Start times: Please will walkers walk and not run, or will runners start at the runners time ? The description: on the whole good, but some interesting definitions of the yard (or metre) somewhere... It was one of the best 100s, thanks to Lynn, Paul, David, (oh, and Raynet...)

Congratulations to all who completed the event, and commiserations (but congratulations as well!) to those who didn't walk the full route.

I was marshalling at various points on the route, from where I was the event seemed generally to go very well, but I would have thought this is as good a place as any for feedback - both positive and negative - if only to maintain / improve this and other LDWA events.

So has anyone any thoughts or comments about the route itself, the route description, the start/finish, checkpoints, food and drink on the route, start times or indeed any other aspect of the event ?