Navigation.

[Nathaniel Lee]

Is there anyone who lives in or near Sheffield who is very proficient at navigation. This includes night time navigation and also when deep in the middle of forests in the mountains, The examples in last sentence are an example of the time and terrain my brother and i will encounter. I know the FRA has a course but we are looking for a more regular feedback and tutorage. Is there anyone who can help as this would help my brother and i immensely as this training is very race specific we get this wrong we will get nowhere. It's fortunate that the race i not until next April.

[Rodders]

Hey up. I am happy to meet up and do some day time nav with you from Langsett or near by during August to help you build your nav skill capabilities.

[Nathaniel Lee]

Thanks. My brother would be coming along is that o.k. ?. I am seeing him on monday i will ask when he is available if that is o.k. with you. We would very much appreciate any help. I take it map, compass and pencil required.Cheers.

[IanDarkpeak]

Thanks. My brother would be coming along is that o.k. ?. I am seeing him on monday i will ask when he is available if that is o.k. with you. We would very much appreciate any help. I take it map, compass and pencil required.Cheers.

I seem to remember you are in DP, they run a nav course although I'm not sure when the next one is, whats the special event you are doing?

[Nathaniel Lee]

Thanks Ian. I will look into that regards DPFR navigation. My brother and i are in training for the Barkley Marathons. It is odd as you cannot know if your application is successful until December. If you are not familiar just go to www.mattmahoney.net/barkley for all answers about the race. Also to apply to enter the race you must find the info from a previous runner as the process is not given out anywhere to keep numbers limited to about 35. 30 usa 5 reserved intl spots.

[simgreen78]

Matt, a 100 mile race with 59,000 feet of climb?! That is some hardcore racing right there.

With respect to nav, all good ideas above. Plus I can also recommend the book 'Navigation For Off-Road Runners' as a jumping on point from the trail Guides series. Available from Pete Bland's website.

[Nathaniel Lee]

I agree and only 10 finishers ever. You would think 100 miles in 60 hours would be easily doable for most good athletes. I don't know if you looked at the website but i believe nav skills and the ability to power hike for lots of hours are the key. Yes there are some runnable sections but i think the ability to do these at a decent clip but nothing out of the ordinary will get you thru. If you look at the guys who have finished it {not that i expect to} they all have long distance trail records which require the ability to power hike like you have never known. The elevation is lots and lots of 1000 to 1500 ft in 0.5 to 1.4 mile steep climbs again the hike comes in. The way to enter is secret so i can only hope i have the right details from a former runner and hope we are 2 of the 5 international admitted in December in a grand total of 35 runners.

[simgreen78]

On a previous thread you were asking about steep climbs in the locality for some specific training, 1000ft in .75 miles etc and a few people offered up suggestions. Given what you are looking at doing, I don't think that is the type of training you need to be looking at. Quite honestly you need miles, and lots of them, with good climb interspersed throughout. Have you looked at the LDWA website? Some great local routes on there that will take you out for many hours at a time and test your hill legs whether running or power hiking. For example, you could try the Kinder Dozen, which will give you about 10,000ft in 26ish miles. A great indicator for how you'd feel at the quarter point of your race. You could build from there. It would also be a great test for your Nav whilst being kept within the confines of one mountain.

[Grouse]

Why are you doing it if you don't expect to finish it? I'm not having a dig but I think you should be more positive. If you think you can or if you think you can't you're right and all that. Good luck.

[Nathaniel Lee]

I would feel egotistical to suggest i could finish it when you have a look at the finishers they are all top end U.S. ultrarunners like David Horton,Andrew Thompson and John Basham who have a bunch of long distance records between them. Don't get me wrong i will bust a gut trying to finish and i wont give up so the only way i will come off the course is to be timed out. But with only 10 finishers ever all with top pedigree as above i am being realistic but i will dream.