Running in bad weather

[fellgazelle]

When I have gone out in particularly cold/bad weather I have also carried a 'kissu'.

What's a 'kissu'?

[DazTheSlug]

not sure what is meant by "race kit"

I take whatever kit with me I feel necessary to keep me safe, race or solo

this is partly to do with the fact that I'm usually quite far back in races, so spaced out and in clag I could easily find myself "solo" anyway

however, it's not unknown for people nearer the front to go astray I believe...
[COUGH! 3 shires COUGH!]

the only difference for me is that on races I don't leave an itinerary with my OH along with a suggested time to call out Mountain Rescue if she hasn't heard from me.

[IanDarkpeak]

What's a 'kissu'?

AKA clan tent- bothy bag.

comes in vaious sizes from 2-3 man to 18 man sorry person

[Bobster]

[QUOTE=DazTheSlug;259703]not sure what is meant by "race kit"

By race kit I meant the minimum kit required for some races i.e. map, compass, whistle, full body cover, emergency food - which is, I think, what is asked in the original question: do people go out on their own with minimum kit.

[Bob]

I think the real answer is "it depends".

It depends primarily on the current weather and the likely forecast. It depends on the current ground conditions. It depends on where you are. It depends on your knowledge of the area. Plus any one or more of a number of other factors.

I've gone out in winter conditions with minimal (race) kit ( so "yes" to your original question) but I've also gone out and then turned back when carrying much more than that. There's no one answer that genuinely covers what I do, and I suspect that is true for most people.

[stevefoster]

Think common sense should prevail, if your in any doubt, don't go out or if your out, turn back, don't listen to your stubborn side that says keep going, puts your life at risk and the lives of others. Experience in bad weather counts, but even the most experienced and well prepared folk encounter problems, stay safe

[stumpy]

One big difference between the equipment I'd take for a race and when out for a a winter's run is the difference between what is being taken for emergency survival and the extras needed to be comfortable.

I can put up with a lot of discomfort in a race, and will risk the minimum of kit to survive in an emergency but if I'm out for pure pleasure (!) I'd certainly want extra food and layers to stay warm when hanging about looking at views or if misplaced for a while....

I also think that whatever anyone says about us needing to be self-reliant, there IS a big difference between being in an organised race in August with 300 others on the hill, often with MR on standby, and being out in February with just a few bods about, darkness coming on at 3.30 and your Missus waiting to dial 999 only if you're well overdue. If you slip and break a leg in a race there's a reasonable chance you'll be spotted or at least your whistle heard before hypothermia sets in - though I accept its not guaranteed, and that's a decision for us all as individuals to make. It's not about putting the onus on others, but simple statistics!

That said, it's still a matter of personal judgement as to what kit is necessary weighing up likely weather, ease of escape routes and your own ability etc etc. The Welsh 1000m this year is an excellent example of where good judgement was necessary both before and during the race to not get in trouble in the first place.

One other thing, for winter running, getting a bit of local knowledge to find out about snow/ice conditions etc before you head off can help savesome hairy moments....

[Baggins]

I'd be interested to know how many folk on here run on their own high up in winter in minimal kit. I mean if it's your area and you know the routes (and escape paths) like the back of your hand, that's different: you're never going to stop and get cold.

It all depends.

Weather, how high your going, length of run?

In the right conditions I'd say go up and down Scafell with less than "race kit" but as part of a longer run I'd have full waterproofs (Gortex or similar) mitts, balaclava and spare warm top, plus lots of food.

Also I often don't stick with a set run, I'll alter it depending on the conditions and how I feel.

As an example I set off around the Mountain Trial yesterday, I was going to cut it short as the weather forcast was bad but at the second checkpoint decided I'd go round it all as it was ok.

On the traverse around Great End the weather got worse, winds picked up and started raining so I dropped back into Eskdale to get out of the winds and shorten the run.

Its not just about what kit you take with you its about adapting to the conditions you find and knowing what you're limits are.

[mr brightside]

Got to thinking about this on my recent little solo jaunt around the Lakes

I'm still not 100% confident about heading up to the high fells in bad weather with just a bumbag

Let's face it races are different: you've got lots of company and although you shouldn't rely on that there's an obvious comfort and security in being part of an organised event, where if you do really b * gger it up, you'll probably be OK in the end.

I'd be interested to know how many folk on here run on their own high up in winter in minimal kit. I mean if it's your area and you know the routes (and escape paths) like the back of your hand, that's different: you're never going to stop and get cold.

But if I was going to spend a week running in the Lakes in the winter, I'd want to take a little rucksack with some gear and food in - and there's probably some weather I wouldn't go up in at all.

Suppose I'm just wondering where peoples' limits lie?

This is just my personal opinion but i think too many people get paranoid about weather conditions. You read in the papers and watch on the news these stories of people getting caught out by conditions which they either can't handle or aren't equipped for and it breeds this crazy hysteria that we're living in a death trap. Take the woman who rolled her car down a ravine in spain or somewhere and supposedly nearly died, she wasn't critically injured and the weather was fine she just couldn't cope with the situation.

I've never run on the mountains in the winter but i've hiked a lot in all weather, the important thing is to be prepared and have a contingency plan, know which direction is 'out' if things go wrong and know how to deal with injuries of common type should they occurr. Making the correct initial decision is crucial if the sh*t hits the fan so stay focused.

[Mud]

I also think that whatever anyone says about us needing to be self-reliant, there IS a big difference between being in an organised race in August with 300 others on the hill, often with MR on standby, and being out in February with just a few bods about, darkness coming on at 3.30 and your Missus waiting to dial 999 only if you're well overdue. If you slip and break a leg in a race there's a reasonable chance you'll be spotted or at least your whistle heard before hypothermia sets in - though I accept its not guaranteed, and that's a decision for us all as individuals to make. It's not about putting the onus on others, but simple statistics!

It's not just weather, either. On the same basis as above, I'm definitely a bit more enthusiastic on lively descents in a race than when by myself.

It's not that I'm expecting anyone else to help me out, but that when by myself a knackered ankle in late afternoon could get iffy.