Joss Naylor Round advice

[I must be mad.]

I have run in the lake district,and taken part in the LAMM and Saunders events. However I have no experience of long distance challenges. I have reccied the first 2 legs of theJNR and found I need to run faster than anticipated, and get the route just right. Can some one tell me the best maps to use for this event and also help with some route advice. Arthurs Pike, up through Parkfoot ? Kirkstone pass ,down the path or cut across? Seat Sandal to Dunmail down the path or across the grass ? and finally ( for the moment ) straight up Steel fell from the stile or is there a better route. All help gratefully received.

[Peter M]

I have run in the lake district,and taken part in the LAMM and Saunders events. However I have no experience of long distance challenges. I have reccied the first 2 legs of theJNR and found I need to run faster than anticipated, and get the route just right. Can some one tell me the best maps to use for this event and also help with some route advice. Arthurs Pike, up through Parkfoot ? Kirkstone pass ,down the path or cut across? Seat Sandal to Dunmail down the path or across the grass ? and finally ( for the moment ) straight up Steel fell from the stile or is there a better route. All help gratefully received.

I can only give advice on what we did last weekend. The contenders were v60's and so had 18 hours. I have now got to start looking at timings for a 15 hour round for me. A 12 hour round seems to be very fast and I know of a few very capable distance mountain runners who waited for a greater time allowance.

Arthurs Pike we went through Parkfoot. At Kirkstone we dropped down the grass ramps into the field and then through gate onto the road. From Seat Sandal we followed BG descent down the nose. The way up Steel Fell is again the BG route straight ahead as you cross the stile.

[tinyman]

I can only give advice on what we did last weekend. The contenders were v60's and so had 18 hours. I have now got to start looking at timings for a 15 hour round for me. A 12 hour round seems to be very fast and I know of a few very capable distance mountain runners who waited for a greater time allowance.

The excel spreadsheet on the excellent Gofar website has a whole range of timings: here
http://www.gofar.eclipse.co.uk/jossnaylorlc.html

I agree that the 12 hour time is a stern challenge that has made a few big names 'wait a year or so'! But it's got to be a day out that's worth the wait

[I must be mad.]

Thank you.

[Brummy John]

In my humble (and inexperienced) opinion, the 12 hour limit makes the JNC disproportionally difficult for the 50's. I reckon 14 hours would be more in line with the times allowed for later ages.

[IWCharters]

In my humble (and inexperienced) opinion, the 12 hour limit makes the JNC disproportionally difficult for the 50's. I reckon 14 hours would be more in line with the times allowed for later ages.

14 hours at 50-54 with 15 hours at 55-59 doesn't seem right, surely?

[Brummy John]

The JNC time for allowed for a 54 year old male is 12 hours, but a man 6 years older is allowed 50% longer - 18 hours.

The 12 hour JNC schedule equates to an 18 hour Bob Graham Round, mile-for-mile. This is a real stretch and I think unachievable for most mortals, including those under 50.

The schedule for 60+ is the same for both men and women, but oddly they are different below 60.

If the schedules were harmonised for all ages the times would read as follows, the challenge would be within reach of mortals under the age of 60 and more money would be raised for charity:-

50-54 - 14hr
55-59 - 16 hr
60-64 - 18hr

The effect on the fells would be minimal, compared to the hoards of tourists at the top of Bow Fell during the JNC's last Saturday and the dozens of coaches parked up at Wasdale Head for the SP leg of the Three Peaks challenge.

[tinyman]

Do we know how many JNC completions in each age group there have been to date?

[IWCharters]

Do we know how many JNC completions in each age group there have been to date?

M50 26
M55 18
M60 36
M65 15
M70 3

W50 7
W55 2
W60 2
W65 1

Note these figures include repeat crossings by runners who have a previous completion in a younger age group

[tinyman]

The 12 hour JNC schedule equates to an 18 hour Bob Graham Round, mile-for-mile. This is a real stretch and I think unachievable for most mortals, including those under 50.

The completion figures suggest that there are a significant number of M50's who have stepped up to the mark.