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Thread: Levels of support

  1. #1
    Master GeoffB's Avatar
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    Levels of support

    Ellie and Jack, from Pennine, went round the BG at the weekend (it was a repeat for Jack) carrying all their own gear. They were met by a friend with a cup of tea at Dunmail and again at Honister. Then me and my wife, Sue, met them at Scafell. Sue ran the rest of the route with them, as far as Little Town, and that was their support team.

    It was quite interesting watching the other teams coming into Honister, including one lad who had 4 support runners with him! Maybe a bit more than necessary...

  2. #2
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    I guess from the Honister point of view, you'll have people who pop up to Windy Gap or Beck Head and run in too.

    I was up this weekend and it's amazing how many teams were going through Wasdale though - it was rammed in the carpark and a good proportion were BG'ers
    Trying to plod up hills every day slightly faster than the day before

  3. #3
    Master GeoffB's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TurboTom View Post
    I was up this weekend and it's amazing how many teams were going through Wasdale though - it was rammed in the carpark and a good proportion were BG'ers
    Yeah, we stayed well clear of Wasdale, expecting it to be rammed. They just ran straight through there.

  4. #4
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Each to their own, but i'd sooner do it solo/unsupported, and not join "the club".

    I understand many people won't feel that they have the tools to do that, but 4 supporters on a leg does seem a little excessive!

  5. #5
    Master Bob's Avatar
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    The Club's recommendation has always been to minimise the number of supporters on the fells but this year we've tried to be a bit more explicit about it and have asked contenders to agree to no more than two pacers per leg.

    There were thirteen registered attempts over the weekend, among those there were a couple of reciprocally witnessing attempts.
    Bob

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    Without me you'd be one place nearer the back

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by GeoffB View Post
    Ellie and Jack, from Pennine, went round the BG at the weekend (it was a repeat for Jack) carrying all their own gear. They were met by a friend with a cup of tea at Dunmail and again at Honister. Then me and my wife, Sue, met them at Scafell. Sue ran the rest of the route with them, as far as Little Town, and that was their support team.

    It was quite interesting watching the other teams coming into Honister, including one lad who had 4 support runners with him! Maybe a bit more than necessary...
    ‘That’s the way (I’d like) to do it!’ No fuss, no bother. Having multiple supports and road crossing parties is getting ridiculous. I’ll be with Travs (metaphorically not physically!)

    With you and Sue it’s a case of ‘quality not quantity’
    Last edited by felltrumpet; 02-09-2020 at 09:17 PM.

  7. #7
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    I am suprised there is not yet a dedicated website that exclusively logs the GPS traces for the BGR and any other Long distance challenges that folk undertake solo and therefore the purest most envirometally sound and satisfying way to acheive ones goals.

    The site could even offer public or private records and tracking if required

    Each to there own of course, but using todays lightweight kit has gone a long way toward making a posse of sherpas etc uneccessary I am aware of the safety arguments surrounding going solo in the hills but the use of todays technology/tracking helps to minimise the risk and tbh anyone with the nouse to go out solo will take steps to ensure there own safety, without having to worry about the safety of supporters.
    Last edited by JohnK; 02-09-2020 at 09:48 PM.
    The older I get the Faster I was

  8. #8
    Master Bob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnK View Post
    tbh anyone with the nous to go out solo will take steps to ensure their own safety,
    You vastly overestimate the common sense of the population
    Bob

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

    Without me you'd be one place nearer the back

  9. #9
    Master BillJ's Avatar
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    To put forward the opposite point of view...
    Part of the joy of doing the BG (for me anyway) is the memory of the friends who shared the day. Despite it being 20 years ago I distinctly remember the moments with each of the friends who ran alongside me when I did it (despite having an appalling memory for almost everything else in my life!!)
    And conversely I have always always enjoyed running alongside others when I've supported other rounds - new or old friends.
    Going solo, OK you have your own memories but you don't have those shared-experience memories.
    "And the winds blow and the sky looks cool / So I make my home in the clouds"

  10. #10
    Master bigfella's Avatar
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    Like almost everything in the world today it would be so much better if there weren't so many of us and it wasn't so popular.
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