This has probably been covered before so apologys if it has. A midnight start is traditional but there seams to be a wide variety of start times. Midnight start means leg 1 in the dark and a 7pm start leg 2 (Middle May to middle July). I was wondering as a percentage of attempts which start time is the most successful? My thinking is might as well stack everything in my favour. Cheers Phil.
I guess Bob Wightman would be the person to answer this as regards percentages of successful times per start time but it strikes me that there are far to many variables for it to be accurate. Such as, the biggest, weather, capability of starters, crew, how they were on the day, visibility, personal preference / body clock etc....... I just feel that midnight and later (i.e. early morning) means the risk of the pub being shut at the end although most finishers don't seem to go to the pub.
I guess that midnight c/w is pretty close to BG's own 01.00 c/w - I have supported successful contenders who have felt compelled to do it "properly" with a 01.00 start.
One of the very prominent protagonists in the early days of the BG Club was the late Eric Beard, who used an 18.00 start c/w. This used to be favoured by L&M AC - one of the arguments being that the easy ground along the Dodds offers relatively straightforward nav (if a clear night is forecast); also, meal times are pretty "regular" - supper in Threlkeld @ 21.30 - 21.45; early breakfast at Dunmail @ 03.00 - 03.15; full breakfast in Wasdale @ 09.30 - 10.00, late lunch at Honister @ 14.00 - 14.15. I can't understand why the "modern trendies" have pushed it back to a 19.00 start?
I was a bit of an oddball until I was abducted by aliens; but I'm perfectly OK now!
Hi philblack40. Perhaps it's just as important to think about your body clock. I started at midnight and it worked for me, getting the dark bit done when freshest. The downside is that you're waiting a long time to get started, setting off at the time when you're normally going to bed. I can't say I ever felt sleepy during my round but others may feel different about this.
I echo philbrynmaen's point about body clock, but in my case I exploited my "old man's" early-rising habit by conking out for bed as usual with a few wines quite early, then setting off when I happened to first transiently wake up (left at about 03:30; fortunately I was staying nearby in Keswick). That way I started with the best part of a normal night's sleep and got back in time for what was just a rather late night, which reduced disruption to the family holiday too. I know there are excellent considerations about which rocky sections you hit in daylight, but on the other hand it can't help deliberately starting off by depriving yourself of a night's sleep, as many seem to by setting off in the early evening. Worked for me, anyway.
In mid summer I think midnight starts work best. Daylight coming off Blencathra and if you pick up time a daylight, or at least daylight on the hills finish is entirely possible. Adjust this for a faster round so a really quick one could be as late as 5am. Or a record attempt maybe even 7am. Missing one nights sleep isn't too problematic , missing 2 definitely is.
I don't think there are any proper stats - I was hoping to analyze them, but can't get access to enough data.
My opinion looking at times is that you lose very little on leg1 in the dark compared to light, but you waste some of the best running there is in the dark on leg 2 with the popular start time of 7pm - the leg2 times all seem 15-25 min longer that way, proving you can't run quite the same in the dark.
20 years ago it seemed to me most rounds were 12 or 1 - the high proportion of rounds of 6-7pm seems to be recent in BG history.
Ps there is also Own metabolism and body clock which also plays a part - you are likely to have slept well more recently on a morning or evening start.
Last edited by alwaysinjured; 04-08-2014 at 10:33 AM.
A 6 or 7 pm start is wholly geared to be able to have a pint or two at the finish. A crucial consideration I'd say. Starting later at say 11 pm or midnight are also a problem in that I found it hard to start off feeling at all lively. My normal working day during the week is basically geared to getting up at 5:15am and its almost impossible for me to try and sleep much in the daytime on the day of the attempt (although I don't get up at 5:15 obviously). Far better to get going while you're still in what is part of your normal waking hours I think.
The problem with leg 2 isn't running it in the dark per se but is running it in hill fog and rain in the dark, which is when things can really slow you down (or go tits up). Thats the big risk of an early evening start
A 6 or 7 pm start is about much more than the pub. It's a time that suits many people who run in the evening, say after work. It's also sensible and considerate for pacers / support who have to get to Keswick on a Friday and back home or to their accommodation on a Saturday. Leg 2 really is the best "running" on the round and if you or your navigators actually know where they're going then it makes a lot of sense
There is a huge amount of hanging around on a midnight start. The time I tried it I absolutely hated the waiting around plus going out for a run out after the time I'm usually in bed. It really did not suit me. Eating on the day of a midnight start is a potential issue too, whereas a decent breakfast and a hearty (slightly late?) lunch plus grazing through the day seems very compatible with an early evening start
Poacher turned game-keeper
Out of curiosity stolly did you ever consider a 5 am start then? Aimed at body clock? Gable (maybe pillar) to the end in the dark? Ive done A/C leg2 (ie leg4) in dark/wet a couple of times got on OK, or better than we did leg3.Originally Posted by Stolly
Dont think there are quite as many submerged rocks (and deep boggy holes) on the running on leg2. Done it a few times at night and rain, not really tripped up much (as we did leg 3), just not as fast running: you end up picking your feet up more, worrying about trips. Nethermost is probably the place it is easiest to trip on leg 2 dark.wet because of a few sticky up rocks. Came a cropper there once. But then I managed it in daylight too!
Dont remind me about leg 3 in dark and "stolly weather!" still have PTSD and nightmares because of it!
Last edited by alwaysinjured; 04-08-2014 at 11:57 AM.
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