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I have been following Emmi's attempt at the B.G.R. and it got me thinking. There are a number of Forumites with previous completions and i wondered if their training was the same or varied dramatically. You read things like must to 10k ascent a week and a certain amount of distance over so many weeks. Interesting to see if that's true or not. And i suppose the info could help anyone in the future with their attempt. After all if we can't help each other with our experience who can we help.
Have not done it yet Herakles, but reading about it over the last couple of years and speaking to completers, this is my summary:
- Everyone has a different approach that works for them.
- Time on your feet is the most vital training principle.
- Recce, recce,recce.
- Establish food that agrees with you in training.
- Establish a schedule that has a degree of flexibility.
- Believe you will succeed as your mental strength will be pushed to the edge.
I did my BG in 2007, and I'd say Roy has summed it up very accurately. The only thing I'd add is to make sure you do plenty of downhill training, even though it sounds very obvious. After 12+ hours of running, the thing that is most likely to hurt you is the descending, rather than the ascending.
agree with every thing except Recce Recce Recce. Use ful but not Neccessary if you have a good team around you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy Scott
Geoffs comment is also true you also need lots of luck, preferably good;)
That was my first stark realisation about fell running, i had the epiphany half way down Winder on the Sedbergh Hills race.Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffB
I agree also the transfer from fell to road on a sizeable descent that just seems to turn the legs to jelly.
Maybe not absolutely essential - but a very very important factor.Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Recce, because knowing the route means knowing what you are dealing with and understanding the task - this supports you in having the mental strength to keep going.
Imagine trailing round not knowing how big, steep, tricky the next hill or descent will be.
I also think recce gives you a relationship with the fells and the route.
To me it is important to have that self suffiiency and mountaincraft, being sheperded round doesn't do it for me - a personal opinion.
Agree with everything being said.
The heart of my training was monthly double leg recces. I did a CW round so did 1+2 then 2+3 etc till I had gone round. I must admit to doing 5 on it's own and not carrying round to 1 again. Then I did the dark bits again in the dark.
Recces are not just about the route but food, clothing and mental adjustment. I was completely knackered at the end of all the double leg recces doing 22 hour pace but figured without my sack, without map reading and the extra 'this is actually it' factor then it would be alright. I only became aware of the weekly climbing targets that people were using a few weeks before my round and it unnerved me because I just hadn't thought of it like that. In the end I had to walk down from robinson because I just couldn't run downhill anymore, but could still climb quite well, which coincides with what people say about training for the descents.
Quote:
Originally Posted by andy k
My Fault sorry, I didn't put it quite clearly enough, Yes Recce the route and know it but reccing each leg 5+ times is silly and to me boring and would actually spoil the day, I'd much rather spend my time doing long solo/or with others runs in unknown mountains, There are far two many hills out there to limit my self to the same few.
I'm on Nav duty for Night Leg 2 of the DP attempt coming to the lakes soon...