The class of 2014 was a great idea I thought. Good luck to everyone having a go next year! Many folk will tell you they have very fond memories of their BG year(s)
Some useful links: Blogs - here plus here Bob Whiteman's website - here
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Five supports so far this year though I cancelled my own attempt, I'll be out to put that right in 2015.
I plan to start recceing this year so I'll follow the thread with interest. If people are out to recce and want company please let me know.
Not sure I have the credentials for this place....delusions of grandeur perhaps... but going to start training soon and see where I end up...so I'll be hanging around here. Cheers DT :)
For my sins I am throwing my hat in the ring for next year as well
Having 'clockwised' (finally) last year, my latest hair brained (and only this second thought up) scheme is for a crack at a solo anti-clockwise attempt. To do it solo would be fantastic, particularly anti-clockwise which has thus far proved to be a right bastard of a way round to go.
Also I could feasibly just pop over to the Lakes and do it when ever I like - so its a Friday evening, the weather's not looking too bad and, on a whim, I can suddenly mention to Hester "I know, I'll do a solo BG tonight" :)
That said it might be better, and slightly more prudent, if I can also enlist Hester to be soup lady at one or two of the road stops!
As to whether I could still fit that in this year or wait till next, I'm not sure. Winter is coming...
I also have delusions of grandeur and would like to get some good recces in over the next 6 months, and then make a call whether to be class of 2015 or 2016. So I'll be keeping an eye out for some nice long days out, and might even instigate a few of my own!
Really looking forward to it :p
I have penciled in a round for June next year. Did Leg 3 of the Billy Bland relay this year and off to recce leg 1 & 2 together next week, the 555 bus is useful for this! Then just need a full recce of 4 & 5 although I know parts of that section.
That and finalise the support crew!
The BG section of this forum has loads of info and discussion. Some useful threads - 10,000ft per week plus learning BG sections and support tips and finally a good general BG discussion thread
Neither of them post here (well, one does infrequently), but I know a couple of gals who will be giving it a go in 2015 ..... probably :D
Clue: I'm married to one of them
I reckon that I'll be back for another shot next year after a winter of learning to eat!
I was happy with my preparation and fitness this year, but it seems I simply didn't get enough food down my neck to get me beyond Pillar. So, same routine this winter and spring, and keep my fingers crossed that turning 60 in March doesn't slam the door.
Martyn,let me know when you're across with Helen and I'll join you for some recce time.
I am possibly thinking about a 2015 attempt but need to get my head round the training and preparation. I wondered if any of you 2015 contenders have or are to willing to share a typical weekly training plan. Is a training plan for a BG dealt with in stages e.g autumn-work on speed and stamina; winter-get the strength from big climbs etc. I know there is a lot of good advice on the forums but I am trying to work out how I might structure training for this based on getting out 3/4 times a week (a couple of mid week evening runs and a longer weekend run). Any advice or help appreciated. Thanks.
I found a 100 mile training plan on google. It has been mentioned numerous times that contenders need to be building upto 10,000 ft per week/(3000 metres/week). I done a bit of manipulaton in Excel based on 100 miles = 3000 metres of climbing to create a training plan. I intend on basing my training on that. Living in south of Manchester it will get pretty challanging trying to get the climbing in. I will tidy the plan up a bit and stick it on my blog. I would be very interested in feed back on how relevant it is.
Like Mark, I am touched and humbled that I provided a little inspiration along the way. Thank you for the link to to that old blog - if Carlsberg made "days out on the fells" they would make BGR (& JNLC) training days!
Glory Days as Springsteen might have sung!
Every success to the "Class of 2015" and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Bobster, I think a lot depends on where you are fitness-wise now / say in November. I'd suggest quite a lot of folk will simply up (off-road) mileage until Christmas, spend January to March pushing onto the next level and focussing on getting more climbing in, then do 10 to 12 weeks of specific training / recceing
Pat, as has been said many times on this forum the best focus for hours training is ups and downs rather than distance, time on feet rather than pure distance. I did much of my training for the rounds I have done in The Peak as opposed to The lakes. Multi ascents of kinder, up and down Whin Hill time after time etc. Living in S Manchester you have great access to The Goyt and Western edge of Kinder where all sorts of endless up and down fun can be invented. Also I don't think 10000 feet a week is necessary but to build up to that ability before your round and also have a few 10 hour days out is a key part of the build up. After that its psychological!!
.... and Me and Pat (If she's not too quick!!)
I will add my experience to the training, it is the downhill which gets most people not the climbing, so train for coming downhill, cycling using the stepper ect in the gym will not help with this, I am not saying don’t “cross train” but get to the hill whenever you can. Support other BG attempts, I learnt so much from this for my own round, you will get an idea of the speed you will need to move at as well as learning the route and eating ect. Just remember that supporting somebody on legs 4 and 5 and the speed they will be covering the ground will be now where near the same pace on leg 1 with fresh legs. I did one 9, two 10 and one 12 hour day on the route in my build up, add to that countless 5 to 8 hour runs on the hill. Mid week training was mostly road runs but the corner stone was a big hill run at weekends.
I never did the 10,000ft of climb per week although I was hitting this number for the 3 to 4 weeks before I tapered.
Martyn I am happy to help if needed.
ATB
Tahr
Thanks guys, much appreciated. She was getting some advice from Billy Bland today, so I don't doubt that she'll be giving it a bloody good go! If current form is anything to go by, we're all going to have to have our fast legs on in order to keep up with her!
I'd like to join the class of 2015. I haven't set any date for an attempt as my work keeps getting in the way when I'm long distance training and, as a self-employed artist, I can't turn down the chance to become rich and famous;) Even if it doesn't end up being in 2015, I am going to have an attempt at some point (which will be low-key as I hate lots of fuss and the pressure that brings) so I'd like to join in some recces and would love to help on Helen's attempt (and Louise's too). I've done a few supports now and I'm a good mule and motivator but my navigation needs some work. I'm also pretty good at road support having now done 5 of Stolly's attempts! I'm keen to go clockwise but have experience of both ways and like reccying both. So...that's my cv and I hope to see some of you soon :)
ps After November 21st, I can do recces in the week as well as at weekends as work is more manageable and I like a bit of lakes winter weather:D
Well done Hes, I thought it would only be a matter of time the way you (..and Stolly) were going. Don't know what the area you were living in was like, but having moved to Ingleton I'm looking to have a big improvement in my hill work and running generally. Its a great boost having good hill routes on your doorstep.
First time to post on the forum , I'm also going to have a go next year !! Will be able to help other people and would love to recce sections if anyone is interested
Robert
It makes such a difference doesn't it? Where I lived before, I had to drive to get to decent hills (although there was some lovely trail running). Now they are on my doorstep! Its been a bit disappointing not to have been up a hill every day this summer but work has been a bit mad so I've slotted in short runs here and there with some hillier stuff as and when I get more time but from November I am going to change that and get out as often as I can. I am hoping to be much stronger and fitter this time next year :) I hope you are enjoying Ingleton.
Having now had a rethink and re-conferred with my anticlockwise Bob Graham serial attemptee Gavin, we are planning on a Bob Graham anti-clockwise re-re-attempt next May now... so I won't bother with a solo one as well beforehand ;). Having been over the ground now so many times I'm pretty good to go for navigating all of legs 1 through to 4 (5's a doddle so I don't tend to run that leg) and will I'm sure be out and about many times next year. Happy to show people round any of those legs when I'm free and will be running support for sure. I navved for Stuart Little yesterday on leg 3 of his 23:27 hrs successful blast around the BGR - a few 'snaps' here :)
weather helps!
Am putting this here to hide it a bit..is it just me, or did someone turn at the first top of calva, not the second? Easy mistake to make if you don't know it.
http://maps.opentracking.co.uk/bg201...37&buffer=true
Look at any of the other trackers and you see the out and back of second top so the trackers clearly work there, and have the time resolution to show it.
http://maps.opentracking.co.uk/bg2014.cfm
Fence hopping from the far top is visible on the tracker too.
Take james elson tracker 35. Look at all of the other trackers, you see a distinct "out and back" from the first top to the second - which is what makes me wonder.
(actually I dont do it that way, you can dead reckon the second top from a pyramid shaped rock...without traversing the first, but I am not sure it saves that much)
Another top I have seen missed in practice is hitting the top before sergeant man, thinking that is the top of sergeant man: theres a substantial runners trod full of walsh prints, from that top towards High raise, so I am inclined to think it is not uncommon...
Does it really matter in the context of such a big day out? not for me to say! - suffice to say it matters to some -
findlay wild , redacted his own fastest skye traverse on the grounds he didnt touch the top of sgur mhic coinnich only yards away from soloing to the top of kings chimney (and it for those that have been there, it is essentially flat at the top..! And he was the only witness that he did not.
Some seem to question hinkes 8000ers on the grounds he didnt know which point on a flat football field to touch on the top of one of them in clag, so paced it out, no photo possible, not even a hard one of them!
The guy doing the BG is often not the one carrying the tracker and anyway the device is a bit of fun and shouldn't be there to "record" every aspect of the attempt (imho obvs)
I agree. Which is why I hid it in this thread (which judging by mine last year, will get long!)
No contender should be disadvantaged by wearing a tracker,
On the other hand discussions on tracks are useful to newcomers seeing where pitfalls and problems are. And interesting to the rest of us.
I actually think that Hinkes did his 8000ers regardless of whether he could find the top, Finlay Wild did the Cuillin without touching the top of SMC and this guy did the BG even if it was later discovered that only the first top of Calva was touched! To me its an irrelevance which top of thunakar or great end is touched , and brandreth and grey knotts have choices as well, but not everyone holds that view. The sergeant man case is interesting , since it is a material difference, even if the failure was accidental.
im giving it a go 2015, 26th June planned.
Hey there, after supporting Stu last weekend I've decided that I'll be making my attempt on fri the 29th may. Gives me plenty of times for recces and checking of my pace for the attempt. Im definitely up to support anybody on there attempts before mine and after too :-)