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Thread: Bob Graham Round and Covid-19

  1. #1
    Master Bob's Avatar
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    Bob Graham Round and Covid-19

    Folks, I've updated the front page of the Club's website with our current understanding of the situation and what we think is the best approach
    http://www.bobgrahamclub.org.uk/ and copied below.

    =====

    The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic is affecting all our lives. It is understandable that as fell runners we seek “release” through our sport. However fell running does not exist in isolation, self or otherwise, and we need to consider any knock-on effects of what we do. All fell racing in the UK is on hold for the foreseeable future, partly due to gatherings of large numbers of people and partly the risk from those people travelling from and returning to different communities.

    The UK government appears to be taking a “ramped” response to the pandemic allowing the population time to adjust to each measure. We have no way of knowing how far they intend to take this process or what any future restrictions might be or how well they will be enforced. At the time of writing (19th March 2020) the government recognises physical activity as being beneficial and is not being viewed as “non-essential”.

    The Lake District Mountain Rescue Teams have issued a statement about emergency coverage in the weeks and months ahead - https://keswickmrt.org.uk/covid-19-l...eams-response/ - acting within your abilities and experience will substantially lessen any risks. In the 49 years of the Bob Graham Club there have been, to our knowledge, only two Mountain Rescue call-outs for contenders either reccying the Round or on an actual attempt. That is an exemplary record but as investment adverts state: “past performance is no guarantee of the future”. For the Bob Graham Round this would mean avoiding Broad Stand and Lord’s Rake/West Wall Traverse and taking particular care on the rocky ground between Rossett Pike and Scafell Pike.

    For the moment the Club recommends postponing any attempt but will accept any successful attempt that takes place should that individual decide to go ahead. In this instance we would recommend the absolute minimum of supporters/pacers and that all members of the attempt have sufficient fell experience. However should travel restrictions be imposed or outdoor activities be banned by the government we will not recognise attempts after the date of introduction of any such restrictions.

    ====

    Obviously a fluid situation and the above may be changed to reflect any changes in restrictions on movement, etc.
    Bob

    http://bobwightman.co.uk/run/bob_graham.php

    Without me you'd be one place nearer the back

  2. #2
    Master Bob's Avatar
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    A rather rapid update.

    As of today we have decided that we will not ratify any Rounds done whilst the current situation and restrictions endure.
    Bob

    http://bobwightman.co.uk/run/bob_graham.php

    Without me you'd be one place nearer the back

  3. #3
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    And ...

    This is now on the front page of the website.

    Following the relaxation of lockdown measures, in particular the opening of overnight accommodation, we are advised that attempts on the Round may now take place.

    If there is a resurgence in the virus either locally or nationally and restrictions are re-imposed then those restrictions apply to all contenders. If the restrictions are due to come into force whilst you would be out on the Round then you must obey them and postpone your attempt in line with the rules.

    Obviously this has been a frustrating time for us all and some may be inclined to attempt the Round to "get something out of the year". MRTs are short on manpower, in addition they need to clean and sterilise their equipment after each incidence thus reducing their availability for further callouts. Given that the majority of MRT callouts related to the Bob Graham are from parties with little or no fell experience we would ask that you consider your level of knowledge, truthfully, before registering for an attempt on the Round. Until now we have never considered vetting contenders or requiring evidence of long days out in the fells such as some 'A' long races require. If you have to ask or look up what an 'A' long race is then you are unlikely to have the relevant experience.

    To avoid multiple parties congregating around the Moot Hall only one party will be registered per starting slot on every hour (this gives a bit of leeway for traffic problems). If you are furloughed then you should consider attempting the Round away from a weekend to give those still working a fair chance. If Keswick market is up and running we aim to avoid having Rounds finish whilst that is going on, particularly finishing around 5pm when it begins to close and pack away, that would mean Friday evening starts are not recommended.

    We can’t avoid parties passing one another on the fells due to different paces but ask that slower parties stop and let quicker ones pass (unless the slower one is very close to the 24hr limit!). Take particular care on bottleneck sections such as the top part of Hall’s Ridge but with an hour gap between parties that particular location is unlikely to see two parties at once.

    Maximum of two pacers/support per leg, ideally just one.

    If the police have to intervene/have words with a contender or their support in Keswick then we reserve the right to refuse to accept that Round.

    On registration you will be emailed either to suggest a different starting time or confirm that the starting slot is available. The confirmation email will also outline the requirements for an attempt within the various legalities and guidelines. You must respond to this accepting the stated conditions otherwise your Round will not be recognised.

    Obviously if things don't open up on the 4th then current restrictions apply.
    Last edited by Bob; 23-06-2020 at 01:41 PM.
    Bob

    http://bobwightman.co.uk/run/bob_graham.php

    Without me you'd be one place nearer the back

  4. #4
    Master ba-ba's Avatar
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    A couple of ratification forms on their way to you in the next few days.
    Jack Wright dropped me over Kirk fell and crushed the rest for a 16.58. His dad was chuffed!
    I trundled in behind for 17.40
    The Charli Lowther train set off fast and were out of sight quickly. We caught them at Broad stand and passed them on Red Pike.
    Lord Lowther was well under 18h, with his mate just outside.
    Also passed a 2am start going solo heading up bowfell. He looked a bit shot.

    Thanks for the BG club for letting us out to play officially. Though as the 78 peaks and Sabs wainwrights show, 'it's only a Bob Graham' was the mantra I had in my head all the way through.

  5. #5
    Master Bob's Avatar
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    Well done!

    Some fast times this weekend - maybe the enforced curtailment has led to people being much fresher than they might otherwise be.
    Bob

    http://bobwightman.co.uk/run/bob_graham.php

    Without me you'd be one place nearer the back

  6. #6
    Master ba-ba's Avatar
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    3-4 months of solid base training and no hefty race calendar to be continually tapering/recovering from. Though over pillar etc. I was wishing I could be racing Wasdale

  7. #7
    Master GeoffB's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ba-ba View Post
    I trundled in behind for 17.40
    'Trundled' my arse!!! Well done Nic, impressive stuff.

  8. #8
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    Yes, fantastic Nic and well done!

  9. #9
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    Thought folks might like to read this report of a recent round by an Otley resident. Good effort.

    Solo, unsupported BG.
    Easy words, different in execution.
    I struggled though the shit storm of covid19. Trying to find some positive focuses was wearing me down. I spent last summer on the subs bench due to a self induced stress fracture. I don’t do anything by halves, i broke it enough to have to have three months off running: this news made me cry. This year I had many plans in my head, baked from the frustrations of sofa sitting and sideline watching of last summer. I feel bereft of this summer of opportunity.
    So, I made a list, and entered some races and drifted though the ballots, then covid hit and the list got shorter and shorter. I’ve always liked the idea of a solo Bob Graham. My BG was one of the best days I’ve ever had. I wanted a really big adventure, one to really test me. I set a few dates, the weather didn’t play the game and they drifted away, along with my confidence. Kim (Collison, coach) did the bigging up thing and kept getting me to set another date. Finally, the weather played the game, a Friday set off with wet everything or a Saturday night with wet feet, pretty easy choice. I wanted this to be as scaled back as possible: just me, absolutely no support, no GPS, map and compass only and no watch. Just me, challenging myself in the big hills. Simon (husband) wanted me to have a tracker, ‘I want to be sure you’re ok’: this seems reasonable, if not quite 100% in keeping with my scaled back idea: so I agreed, although I don’t remember this being part of our marriage vows ��. It would take a long time to find me if I’d been missing for 24 hours and didn’t arrive back. But mostly I didn’t want him to worry. For the same reason, I brought my phone, charged but turned off. If you need mountain rescue to scoop you off the hill, the politest thing to do is to tell them where they can find you.
    Bob Wightman said go, work finished up for the week, we headed West to stay with friends. Saturday night came, the weather isn’t change to anything that made me chicken out, and, suddenly and very slowly, I was at Moot Hall, with Kim, Simon and the usual number of non-social distancing drunks grabbing a late pizza, beer and snog. Off I set, down the pink alleyway, though the carpark, over the park, over the bridge and out. Escaped from Covid and off on an adventure. Halfway up Skiddaw, I realised I had a hole in my sock, at the back of my ankle and my mind tried to tried to make this into a catastrophe. My necessary kit and food for a day hadn’t allowed for luxury items such as blister plasters. I fought it a little, then started an ear worm to shut it up. I looked at the stars and the lights of Keswick and decided that the world was ok after all and that I was going to be fine and enjoy my adventure. The two big tops on leg one were clear on the way up, but both claggy by the time I got there. i cursed my decision to not bring my GPS and had a wander around Blencathra, to find the stream direction I could hear and confirm my location on my ascent. Then was concentrating on minding myself and filling up my water after Halls’ fell and had another wander around before hitting the track to Threkeld. I tried hard to avoid getting annoyed with myself about this, the challenge was always to challenge me, this was my opportunity to manage a little suboptimal nav. The sun was starting to rise half way up Clough Head, that beautiful streaky pink sky in the East, followed by a big ball of intensely coloured sun. The kind one forgets about in summer as one is rarely up. Back up into the daybreak clag on Clough Head and the Dodds, I floated by, reminding myself to eat, drink and nav and catching occasional glimpse of the rising sun through the clag. it was nice to turn off my headtorch and widen my views and enjoy myself. I got to Dollywagon Pike and didn’t feel great. I managed to convince myself that I had lost lots of time on my little nav errors and moving too slowly during the night. I sat down and made myself eat ‘breakfast’ while looking over at Fairfield. I managed to avoid talking myself out of any contemplation of anything but getting up there and bumbled along to it. Back to Seat Sandal and down to Dunmail Raise.
    Leg three started with an overtaking by two runners, one of whom i had run some of the Lakeland 100 with in 2015, we chatted and they drifted onwards. It was nice to have a little friendly interaction. I wondered why I was doing this solo. I started counting the tops I’d done and realised I was close to halfway and used this to spur me on. I wandered around the noblets of Sargent Man and eventually found the top. I’d forget to eat much and then eat lots of a half hour and then forget again, but it all seemed to work out ok. My backpack was getting lighter and my mind was focused and clear (well, for about 10 seconds every hour or so ��. I contemplated the long ascent to Rossett Pike and then Bowfell and tried not to let it overwhelm me. I climbed well on both and got to the top. I asked a man sat on the top the time and he said ’12.01’. Shite, halfway with over halftime, I needed to get moving again.I slipped on the way off and hyper-extended my finger, ouch, but just keep moving Carol. I could make a fist, but it hurt a little. I needed to shuffle stuff around my backpack and needed to eat, I wandered off the line. This was hard work, concentrating on naving myself, minding myself, eating, drinking, carrying and keeping positive. I corrected my error and moved on the the area in my head I call ‘The Rocks’. I began to really understand the difference between supported and not. Scafell Pike was like central station, with folk queuing to take photos at the trig, i ducked in and out and headed from Lords’ Rake. I pointed a man in plimsoles looking for Lord’s Rake towards the tourist path and told him to go down about a mile (cheeky, but kinda felt like I was saving him from himself, he was never going to head back up to look for it after descendng a mile). It was nice to be away from the crowds and up to Scafell. Lovely views to Wastwater and the whole valley and most of leg four. It was hot in valley, I filled one water bottle up and not the other. Then realised halfway up Yewbarrow my mistake and hope I didn’t run out. It was jacket on- jacket off weather from Scafell onwards, either cold in the wind or too warm in the sunshine, I was damp and worried about my water. Yewbarrow was challenging, I felt my climbing was really slow and my legs felt a bit flat and powerless: i sat near the top and tried to eat, with minimal success, I checked the time and realised I made some up on the Rocks. This was game on for an under24 hour finish, I made myself get up and keep climbing. Onwards and onwards. I kept counting the tops and living with the ear worm that I couldn’t remember why I planted it. i replaced it with the irish national anthem (well, all few lines that I know). I chanted it upRed Pike, Steeple, Raise. I ran out of water completely. I had done leg four on Kim’s successful 24 hour round the previous week, I knew there was a trickle in red gully on the way up Kirk fell and took a chance it was clean enough to drink. I turned my phone on on Great Gable, as I’d promised Simon I would do. Back in my backpack, my phone began to sing and chant. I used this to spur me on and drifted off Gable on a line no Borrowdaler would ever admit to. It was getting colder and colder in the wind. I tried to move faster on the tops. Stopped eating again, starting and lost focus coming off Grey Knotts and took an even worse line than off Gable. ‘It’s ok, it’s ok’ I chanted at myself, trying to stay positive. Dale head tested me. Three to go, nearly two and a half. Do I stop to put on plastic bag trousers now? I questioned and questioned myself. keep going and keep warm, stop and get warmer. debated over and over in a tired head. My phone chattered in and out of reception. I cursed not putting it on silent and made myself eat sweets. I kept my head down, hoping I’d just crash into the tall cairn. Eventually I saw it, touched it with my head (my fingers were too cold to pull them out of my jacket. I took off towards Hindsgarth. two to go. Robinson looked huge in the sunset. I dipped in out of the wind and made myself eat more sweets. Last top, last top, last top I chanted going up Robinson. I felt a bit guilty and changed it into ‘I love Robinson’ I got distracted b thinking about Mary Robinson (ex president of Ireland) tried to think of all the good things she had done then and since. All distraction from my blister, tired legs, dodgy stomach and some dehydration from running out of water earlier and all those little aches and pains than come at the end of a long run. I thought about Simon and how much I was looking forward to seeing him and telling him about my adventure and listening to his take on it and how his day was. All the distraction was worthwhile, there was the top. I struggled to decide how to come off, opted for dropping at the tree and let my legs loose on the lovely grassy run in. I hit the road and my stomach had a last rebellion. I ran a bit, felt like I’d vomit, walk and it was better. I put my phone close and checked the time regularly, mainly because I couldn’t remember the second I put it back in my pocket. I turned the last corner, more drunks and John, Martyn, Helen and Simon all there to clap me in: heart warming emotions. What a fab adventure, but, wow, a massive one. 23.18. Solo. Unsupported. BG Round.
    Carol (Morgan)

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by MattPo View Post
    Thought folks might like to read this report of a recent round by an Otley resident. Good effort.

    Solo, unsupported BG.
    Easy words, different in execution.
    I struggled though the shit storm of covid19. Trying to find some positive focuses was wearing me down. I spent last summer on the subs bench due to a self induced stress fracture. I don’t do anything by halves, i broke it enough to have to have three months off running: this news made me cry. This year I had many plans in my head, baked from the frustrations of sofa sitting and sideline watching of last summer. I feel bereft of this summer of opportunity.
    So, I made a list, and entered some races and drifted though the ballots, then covid hit and the list got shorter and shorter. I’ve always liked the idea of a solo Bob Graham. My BG was one of the best days I’ve ever had. I wanted a really big adventure, one to really test me. I set a few dates, the weather didn’t play the game and they drifted away, along with my confidence. Kim (Collison, coach) did the bigging up thing and kept getting me to set another date. Finally, the weather played the game, a Friday set off with wet everything or a Saturday night with wet feet, pretty easy choice. I wanted this to be as scaled back as possible: just me, absolutely no support, no GPS, map and compass only and no watch. Just me, challenging myself in the big hills. Simon (husband) wanted me to have a tracker, ‘I want to be sure you’re ok’: this seems reasonable, if not quite 100% in keeping with my scaled back idea: so I agreed, although I don’t remember this being part of our marriage vows ��. It would take a long time to find me if I’d been missing for 24 hours and didn’t arrive back. But mostly I didn’t want him to worry. For the same reason, I brought my phone, charged but turned off. If you need mountain rescue to scoop you off the hill, the politest thing to do is to tell them where they can find you.
    Bob Wightman said go, work finished up for the week, we headed West to stay with friends. Saturday night came, the weather isn’t change to anything that made me chicken out, and, suddenly and very slowly, I was at Moot Hall, with Kim, Simon and the usual number of non-social distancing drunks grabbing a late pizza, beer and snog. Off I set, down the pink alleyway, though the carpark, over the park, over the bridge and out. Escaped from Covid and off on an adventure. Halfway up Skiddaw, I realised I had a hole in my sock, at the back of my ankle and my mind tried to tried to make this into a catastrophe. My necessary kit and food for a day hadn’t allowed for luxury items such as blister plasters. I fought it a little, then started an ear worm to shut it up. I looked at the stars and the lights of Keswick and decided that the world was ok after all and that I was going to be fine and enjoy my adventure. The two big tops on leg one were clear on the way up, but both claggy by the time I got there. i cursed my decision to not bring my GPS and had a wander around Blencathra, to find the stream direction I could hear and confirm my location on my ascent. Then was concentrating on minding myself and filling up my water after Halls’ fell and had another wander around before hitting the track to Threkeld. I tried hard to avoid getting annoyed with myself about this, the challenge was always to challenge me, this was my opportunity to manage a little suboptimal nav. The sun was starting to rise half way up Clough Head, that beautiful streaky pink sky in the East, followed by a big ball of intensely coloured sun. The kind one forgets about in summer as one is rarely up. Back up into the daybreak clag on Clough Head and the Dodds, I floated by, reminding myself to eat, drink and nav and catching occasional glimpse of the rising sun through the clag. it was nice to turn off my headtorch and widen my views and enjoy myself. I got to Dollywagon Pike and didn’t feel great. I managed to convince myself that I had lost lots of time on my little nav errors and moving too slowly during the night. I sat down and made myself eat ‘breakfast’ while looking over at Fairfield. I managed to avoid talking myself out of any contemplation of anything but getting up there and bumbled along to it. Back to Seat Sandal and down to Dunmail Raise.
    Leg three started with an overtaking by two runners, one of whom i had run some of the Lakeland 100 with in 2015, we chatted and they drifted onwards. It was nice to have a little friendly interaction. I wondered why I was doing this solo. I started counting the tops I’d done and realised I was close to halfway and used this to spur me on. I wandered around the noblets of Sargent Man and eventually found the top. I’d forget to eat much and then eat lots of a half hour and then forget again, but it all seemed to work out ok. My backpack was getting lighter and my mind was focused and clear (well, for about 10 seconds every hour or so ��. I contemplated the long ascent to Rossett Pike and then Bowfell and tried not to let it overwhelm me. I climbed well on both and got to the top. I asked a man sat on the top the time and he said ’12.01’. Shite, halfway with over halftime, I needed to get moving again.I slipped on the way off and hyper-extended my finger, ouch, but just keep moving Carol. I could make a fist, but it hurt a little. I needed to shuffle stuff around my backpack and needed to eat, I wandered off the line. This was hard work, concentrating on naving myself, minding myself, eating, drinking, carrying and keeping positive. I corrected my error and moved on the the area in my head I call ‘The Rocks’. I began to really understand the difference between supported and not. Scafell Pike was like central station, with folk queuing to take photos at the trig, i ducked in and out and headed from Lords’ Rake. I pointed a man in plimsoles looking for Lord’s Rake towards the tourist path and told him to go down about a mile (cheeky, but kinda felt like I was saving him from himself, he was never going to head back up to look for it after descendng a mile). It was nice to be away from the crowds and up to Scafell. Lovely views to Wastwater and the whole valley and most of leg four. It was hot in valley, I filled one water bottle up and not the other. Then realised halfway up Yewbarrow my mistake and hope I didn’t run out. It was jacket on- jacket off weather from Scafell onwards, either cold in the wind or too warm in the sunshine, I was damp and worried about my water. Yewbarrow was challenging, I felt my climbing was really slow and my legs felt a bit flat and powerless: i sat near the top and tried to eat, with minimal success, I checked the time and realised I made some up on the Rocks. This was game on for an under24 hour finish, I made myself get up and keep climbing. Onwards and onwards. I kept counting the tops and living with the ear worm that I couldn’t remember why I planted it. i replaced it with the irish national anthem (well, all few lines that I know). I chanted it upRed Pike, Steeple, Raise. I ran out of water completely. I had done leg four on Kim’s successful 24 hour round the previous week, I knew there was a trickle in red gully on the way up Kirk fell and took a chance it was clean enough to drink. I turned my phone on on Great Gable, as I’d promised Simon I would do. Back in my backpack, my phone began to sing and chant. I used this to spur me on and drifted off Gable on a line no Borrowdaler would ever admit to. It was getting colder and colder in the wind. I tried to move faster on the tops. Stopped eating again, starting and lost focus coming off Grey Knotts and took an even worse line than off Gable. ‘It’s ok, it’s ok’ I chanted at myself, trying to stay positive. Dale head tested me. Three to go, nearly two and a half. Do I stop to put on plastic bag trousers now? I questioned and questioned myself. keep going and keep warm, stop and get warmer. debated over and over in a tired head. My phone chattered in and out of reception. I cursed not putting it on silent and made myself eat sweets. I kept my head down, hoping I’d just crash into the tall cairn. Eventually I saw it, touched it with my head (my fingers were too cold to pull them out of my jacket. I took off towards Hindsgarth. two to go. Robinson looked huge in the sunset. I dipped in out of the wind and made myself eat more sweets. Last top, last top, last top I chanted going up Robinson. I felt a bit guilty and changed it into ‘I love Robinson’ I got distracted b thinking about Mary Robinson (ex president of Ireland) tried to think of all the good things she had done then and since. All distraction from my blister, tired legs, dodgy stomach and some dehydration from running out of water earlier and all those little aches and pains than come at the end of a long run. I thought about Simon and how much I was looking forward to seeing him and telling him about my adventure and listening to his take on it and how his day was. All the distraction was worthwhile, there was the top. I struggled to decide how to come off, opted for dropping at the tree and let my legs loose on the lovely grassy run in. I hit the road and my stomach had a last rebellion. I ran a bit, felt like I’d vomit, walk and it was better. I put my phone close and checked the time regularly, mainly because I couldn’t remember the second I put it back in my pocket. I turned the last corner, more drunks and John, Martyn, Helen and Simon all there to clap me in: heart warming emotions. What a fab adventure, but, wow, a massive one. 23.18. Solo. Unsupported. BG Round.
    Carol (Morgan)

    Great read and a big well done on a pure well accomplished personal challenge, solo unsupported is the most satisfying way to be in the hills imo.

    Again Well done
    The older I get the Faster I was

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