Yorkshireman Prep- Will travel

[MightyCodpiece]

Hi, all-
New to this game, utterly clueless on many levels, and am looking for some prep tips for Yorkshireman mara and beyond. I have no idea if I've bitten off more than I can chew with that race, but if I have I hope it at least smells good.

Here are my basics:
- 30-45 mile/week runner
- 47 yo, round 5'9" 178 lbs (Beer and sausages good!)
- 43-ish 10ks; 3 maras (Kent, Loch Ness and Snowdonia) ranging from 3:23 to 3:55 or so
- Avid hill-walker, scrambler (mostly in Snowdonia)
- Stubborn and high tolerance for pain
- Having a very difficult time finding meaningful hills round here in Northants.
- I hate treadmills

I'll be establishing a solid mileage base over the next 5 weeks or so, but beginning in early June, I'd like to take a few long weekends and drive somewhere to get some hard runs or races in. Wales, Peak, Lakes, Yorkshire are all in play. I think I'll be able to take about 4 trips before the big race (Yorkshireman is 13 Sep, I believe).

I'd love to be able to link up with other runners (rookies like me, or grisled mentor types), and maybe work our way through some good routes.

Also, any thoughts on the Yorkshireman race itself?

Thanks for reading this wandering ramble.

[NirvanaBliss]

Good luck with the Yorkshireman Race, as you can probably tell most of the chatterboxes are off to either 3 Peaks or the London Marathon, so you might get some replies, but mostly probably tonight and tomorrow.

Welcome to the forum...

[MightyCodpiece]

Great, Nirvana! Thanks for the encouragement. All the best to the 3P and London runners.

[idler]

You'll be fine. I did it as my first (only) marathon. Off a lot less mileage than you and with an injury in the run up wrecking my preparation. Get some 15+ mile days in, get some hills in when you can. Whats's the best local hill you've got? Do reps of that. The ascent isn't that monumental and you'll have no bother getting round. The course record might be a bit tougher mind you ;-)

[Derby Tup]

Hi, all-
New to this game, utterly clueless on many levels, and am looking for some prep tips for Yorkshireman mara and beyond. I have no idea if I've bitten off more than I can chew with that race, but if I have I hope it at least smells good.

Here are my basics:
- 30-45 mile/week runner
- 47 yo, round 5'9" 178 lbs (Beer and sausages good!)
- 43-ish 10ks; 3 maras (Kent, Loch Ness and Snowdonia) ranging from 3:23 to 3:55 or so
- Avid hill-walker, scrambler (mostly in Snowdonia)
- Stubborn and high tolerance for pain
- Having a very difficult time finding meaningful hills round here in Northants.
- I hate treadmills

I'll be establishing a solid mileage base over the next 5 weeks or so, but beginning in early June, I'd like to take a few long weekends and drive somewhere to get some hard runs or races in. Wales, Peak, Lakes, Yorkshire are all in play. I think I'll be able to take about 4 trips before the big race (Yorkshireman is 13 Sep, I believe).

I'd love to be able to link up with other runners (rookies like me, or grisled mentor types), and maybe work our way through some good routes.

Also, any thoughts on the Yorkshireman race itself?

Thanks for reading this wandering ramble.

You'll be fine at the Yorkshireman Nearer the time Keighley & Craven AC organise some recces of the route (typically a half at a time, or perhaps a 16ml chunk). Suggest keep an eye on www.kcac.co.uk It's a nice very well organised race and looking at your stats I would have thought you'd do 4h15m without a problem if not better

[MightyCodpiece]

Thanks for the info idler, Tup. And the confidence. I'll be watching KCAC, for sure.

[Tussockface]

Forget times and enjoy. That's the beauty of ditching running road for trail and fell, and is what I did at 47 after 15 years pounding tarmac. You're allowed to walk bits. You can stop and eat cake. You can chat while you run.
Don't worry about the standard, you'll have no problem.
The Yorkshireman is a great choice as it's not severe fell or remote upland terrain. The only caveat is that the field can get a bit stretched out, so if you don't know where you're going (and don't get to a recce) try to stick with a similarly paced runner or drop back with a slightly slower one. You can always go faster next year!

[Derby Tup]

Hi, all-
New to this game, utterly clueless on many levels, and am looking for some prep tips for Yorkshireman mara and beyond. I have no idea if I've bitten off more than I can chew with that race, but if I have I hope it at least smells good.

Here are my basics:
- 30-45 mile/week runner
- 47 yo, round 5'9" 178 lbs (Beer and sausages good!)
- 43-ish 10ks; 3 maras (Kent, Loch Ness and Snowdonia) ranging from 3:23 to 3:55 or so
- Avid hill-walker, scrambler (mostly in Snowdonia)
- Stubborn and high tolerance for pain
- Having a very difficult time finding meaningful hills round here in Northants.
- I hate treadmills

I'll be establishing a solid mileage base over the next 5 weeks or so, but beginning in early June, I'd like to take a few long weekends and drive somewhere to get some hard runs or races in. Wales, Peak, Lakes, Yorkshire are all in play. I think I'll be able to take about 4 trips before the big race (Yorkshireman is 13 Sep, I believe).

I'd love to be able to link up with other runners (rookies like me, or grisled mentor types), and maybe work our way through some good routes.

Also, any thoughts on the Yorkshireman race itself?

Thanks for reading this wandering ramble.

Just had a thought MCp - why don't you nip up and run the Wharfedale Half-marathon? iirc it's actually c 14ml / 2200ft and goes through stunning Dales countryside. It'd make an ideal intro to off-road / fell running

[MightyCodpiece]

Aargh, Tup. I'll be teaching in Italy 1-11 June, so perhaps, since I'll be in Naples, I'll try running up Vesuvius, at least as far as my legs will take me.

Too bad, too. Wharfdale looks like a good race in a scenic area and about right for my limited experience distance and vert-wise.. I think I'll look for a race on 13 or 14 June. I know the Moel Hebog run in N. Wales is on, but will scour for some more. Maybe Knowl Hill or Hebden Bridge? Thanks for the suggestions.

Thanks, too, Tussock. Navigation is one part of Yorkshireman that I have some concerns about. Can't wait to work at getting lost on the high ground. I will be looking for recces, however. I don't really care about times so much. Completion is a win for me.

[Tussockface]

Navigation is one part of Yorkshireman that I have some concerns about.

Don't be too concerned, I didn't mean to put you off. It's not a race in which navigational errors will lead you over a cliff or two thousand feet downhill into the wrong valley. The worst that can happen is that you lose a bit of time. I did an extra mile near the end one year, but there was no great harm done. Most people inadvertently stray from the official route at some point!