BG Training

[that_fjell_guy]

Good work! Are you coming on the leg 1 and 2 recce next Friday?

Unfortunately I can't as I've got to go to Harrogate. Family 'do'.

[ashstroller]

Well after a good training week last week, including the recce of leg 3, this week has been below standard, suppose I should still have easy week every so often anyway?

Only managed 3 runs this week...My hill session, speed session and just s steady run (total 24miles). I still managed two core sessions, 2 spin classes and a weights session.

I hope to get a good quality session on Friday night or Saturday daytime depending on how things pan out. Do most people seem to so one long day on feet weekly, fornightly or monthly?
I have me pencilled date for BG attempt (mid June2012)

[Derby Tup]

Purely my thinking: everyone is different but if you're say a genuine mid-pack fellrunner with some ultras / MMs / long fell races under your belt then you have a chance of getting round on one decent run (say 5,000ft-7,000ft, 4-6hrs) per week for maybe 8weeks (plus other training). I'm around the last 20-30% in races and had to throw myself into the BG to have a chance (12weekends running on Sat / Sun, 150,000ft Jan-end April) . Very strong runners could get away with a run as above per fortnight but you'd have to be exceptionally talented / strong to do one long run per month!

Not being injury-prone or susceptible to blisters, being able to eat well on the hoof, becoming obsessed by rhe challenge, simply loving the mountains, having a strong mountaineering / hillwalking background and / or being mentally tough can be all positive factors in whether you succeed too. I suspect you'd need at least one of these in your favour however strong a contender you were to get round

[Splatcher]

Not being injury-prone or susceptible to blisters, being able to eat well on the hoof, becoming obsessed by rhe challenge, simply loving the mountains, having a strong mountaineering / hillwalking background and / or being mentally tough can be all positive factors in whether you succeed too. I suspect you'd need at least one of these in your favour however strong a contender you were to get round

I think that's so right DT, & I suspect you need more than one of them too. I'm hoping that's what's going to get me round: it worked on the Joss Naylor. The main one I haven't got is the strong stomach, hence my Kendal Mint Cake diet.

[that_fjell_guy]

@Ashstroller.
Having read a few people on various threads I think that the first few months are almost a case of training to train. I feel I am a little behind myself, and in honesty I'd say I'm doing less than you.

November 40 mile run with 10,000' climb, 40 mile cycle, 30 mile walk + 6 gym sessions ( 4 Cross Trainer)
December 30 mile run with 1,000'(!!) climb + 9 gym sessions ( 7 Cross Trainer)
January 60 mile run with 10,000' climb, 20 mile cycle + 5 gym ( 5 Cross Trainer)

I KNOW I need to do more, but am sure I have the time to get it in. If you had the basics in place last year i.e. long races/runs, ultra's or whatever, enough to feel you can complete I'm sure a SOLID three months before your attempt will get you through! What you do now I think will mainly improve the comfort with which you get round. Resting up, intentionally or not, I would guess is as important as doing your 10'000/40 miles per week. February could well be a poor month for me, but come March, April, May I'm out there, getting the hills done!!! :thumbup:

[ashstroller]

Thanks good advice.
Well I managed a good day of running/walking on Saturday. It was 24miles in total completed in just under 9hours, the conditions were knee high snow in places, icey on other sections, so all good fun!! A big loop heading out of Ambelside up the struggle/kirkstone pass over a fair few summitts towards Gatesgrath where we joined the L100 route which takes you to Kentmere before retruning to Ambelside.

[Hank]

I was hoping for a big monthin January, but things haven't quite gone to plan.

Since (and including) the Tour de Helvellyn on 17th December I've done 210k and 12000m of climb (that's about 130 miles and 36000ft for you oldies out there). A few other short bits and bobs from the house, but I don't really count them. TdH was great, but it seemed to inflame my ITB, so no running from then until 31st December and then a few relatively shorter runs between then and mid-January making sure all was in order with the knee. Had a good run out on the 16th (36k/2300m), then again on the following Monday and last Friday, meaning I did over 60k and 4200m last week. The plan was to pile on another big week this week, but since Friday have been full of cold (lesson: don't spend 9 hours in the snow if you think you're getting a cold!). All being well I'll get out on Friday for a big day, and then as much as possible it'll be two big days a week until mid-April.

[Derby Tup]

I was hoping for a big monthin January, but things haven't quite gone to plan.

Since (and including) the Tour de Helvellyn on 17th December I've done 210k and 12000m of climb (that's about 130 miles and 36000ft for you oldies out there). A few other short bits and bobs from the house, but I don't really count them. TdH was great, but it seemed to inflame my ITB, so no running from then until 31st December and then a few relatively shorter runs between then and mid-January making sure all was in order with the knee. Had a good run out on the 16th (36k/2300m), then again on the following Monday and last Friday, meaning I did over 60k and 4200m last week. The plan was to pile on another big week this week, but since Friday have been full of cold (lesson: don't spend 9 hours in the snow if you think you're getting a cold!). All being well I'll get out on Friday for a big day, and then as much as possible it'll be two big days a week until mid-April.

Eight or ten good weeks on top of where you are and you'll be fine. Better off having a cold now than mid-March when you'll be hitting the hills hard :closed:

[Derby Tup]

Thanks good advice.
Well I managed a good day of running/walking on Saturday. It was 24miles in total completed in just under 9hours, the conditions were knee high snow in places, icey on other sections, so all good fun!! A big loop heading out of Ambelside up the struggle/kirkstone pass over a fair few summitts towards Gatesgrath where we joined the L100 route which takes you to Kentmere before retruning to Ambelside.

I reckon hard days in tough weather conditions have extra added training value. We had one or two good ones last spring including a morning where we did four or five thousand feet up the 'dale in p*ssing train. Full waterproofs went on in the car and we ended up half drowned but happy with our work. Ken will tell you, they're the best days of your life and he knows about that stuff :thumbup:

[ashstroller]

I reckon hard days in tough weather conditions have extra added training value.

I certainly agree with that statement!

Yes Ken has a story two to tell, so I will ask about that one