bob graham without traini

[davey]

ok so next year im hoping to be racing on the roads, mostly 5 and 10ks (I know wrong forum)but I,ve still got this terrible bob graham itch that wont go away. I,ve got some pals who are going next june, my question to you is, can it be done without compromising my racing too much, my normal winter training is obviously faster than bg pace with plenty of hills and speed and a 14mile 1000ft ascent sunday run, so I,m fairly fit, what do I need to be doing to get me round (please don't say 10000ft of climbing a week for six months)thanks.

[Dave_Mole]

10000ft of climbing a week for six months

[davey]

Thank you , very helpfull

[davey]

Thanks for that

[ba-ba]

I know people who have got round without much specific training.
Although they are all capable of top 30 in champs races so have the basic fell fitness and training.

Scoffer ran 17:01 off nothing more than his normal training (although living in the lakes that was the right training inc. a 4h fell run on a Sunday). He was on Billy's schedule at Rossett Pike.

If you have the itch why aren't you willing to put in the specific training?

[davey]

Thanks ba-ba , I,m running well on the roads over the shorter stuff and that's why I want a magic solution to running fast on the roads and just popping in a big as well

[Bob]

I did it off 25 miles and about 3000ft ascent per week. I'd got ITBS in the October before so didn't really get training until February or so. I was back to my usual race pace within two weeks of doing the round - I was always somewhere around 1/3rd of the way down the field so never troubling the leaders!

If you want to do the BG then switching your main running focus is a good idea. It doesn't mean not racing just that your training is aimed at the BG not the races. You'll be a bit slower but your pace will soon return.

[Derby Tup]

Being a Lakelander and as strong as a bull might help Bob!

An interesting question I've often pondered is how "good" or "strong" an athlete (in a a broad sense) does someone have be to turn up in Keswick and get round? I know a couple of lads who did very decent rounds (under 23 hrs) without shall we say the "usual" training

fwiw I think rocking up, doing it and clearing off back to the stadium, road, track etc is a shame. Not because it's culturally wrong but because you would miss out on a lot of fun. The BG is way bigger than a 65mile run round the fells. Recceing, geeking out, supporting, training on the hill, meeting BG'ers is great

[Bobster]

seems to me you've got a conflict of interests. If I was you I'd get that tarmac stuff out of my system (get those PB's etc) next year then focus on hill training and really enjoy that. The training is the best bit and the bit that makes a successful round even more sweeter; that the months of focus, tears, sunshine, rain, sacrifice, happiness etc were all worth it. Absorb yourself in the mountains and all that they throw at you. Challenge them and be challenged by them. I think so much is missed if you just rock up at keswick and hope to get round. For what it's worth, 10, 000ft a week worked for me - and I still struggled up Yewbarrow despite training so damned hard and determined that I would beat it!

[davey]

Thanks bobster, I know your right, I,m wanting my cake and eating it and I know the answer really.