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Oxfam Trailwalker
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I'm in a team that's been entered into the Oxfam Trailwalker this summer. Simply, it's 100 km over the South Downs in 30 hours.
Is there anyone out there that has already done it. I've never done anything like this and would appreciate any advice from training through to gear.
I have a reasonably high level of fitness and am used to long off road runs (a la Grizzly etc) and hill walking on consecutive days (4 day expeditions in the Lakes/Scottish Highlands etc).
Cheers
Rob
Is there anyone out there that has already done it. I've never done anything like this and would appreciate any advice from training through to gear.
I have a reasonably high level of fitness and am used to long off road runs (a la Grizzly etc) and hill walking on consecutive days (4 day expeditions in the Lakes/Scottish Highlands etc).
Cheers
Rob
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Comments
I think that most of the kit should be okay as I'm pretty much fully kitted out for hill walking/orienteering/fell running so I should be able to cobble stuff together! One thing I'm wondering though is footwear. I have 4 season hill walking boots (pretty heavy duty), Walshes (pretty light) and standard road running shoes. I guess it's a personal choice but I did notice a lot of people in the leaflets wearing trainers. I suppose the fact that we're planning to walk/run rules out the boots...
You may already know about it, but it might be worth checking out the Long Distance Walkers site here. LDWA challenge events are fab: great for training and you get a nice certificate and food! I'm hoping to do the Ridgeway 40 and the Malvern marathon at the very least before July.
i didnt finish, my team pulled out at 40 miles
i did the whole 40 in brasher boots, and running gear
it rained for 10 hours
My best tip, is to make sure that the members in your team have the same goals as you
It sounds silly, but you HAVE to do it as a team
some of you may be faster than others, and its a good idea to practise together,and decide in advance how you will pace yourselves on the day
also limit your rest stops
eat
i forgot to tell you that
i used nuts, vv good
can then eat without stopping
When is the Trailwalker? do you have to do it as a team or can you do it by yourself?
I didn't know there were any long-distance walking events. In fact, I didn't know walking was an event!
So is it 100km in 30 hours in one go, or over two days with an o/n stop or what?
and no, you cant do it on your own
its 17th july i think this year
and yes there is a website
but you need to hurry
THE TROOF!
We were very lucky with the weather it was fantastic. We ran the flats and down hills and walked up the hills. Most people tend to set off far too fast leaving you with nothing left at the end. set your own agenda and stay with it.
its a very well organised event and the food at the halfway mark is very welcome.
the most important thing is to enjoy!
good luck.
Mimi
agreed
the ghurkas were great
Tips for succesful completion:
1. Agree your team goals - seems obvious but we discovered that we hadn't been clear enough with each other beforehand, and it's hard to renegotiate in the middle of an event.
2. Work as a team - practice walking together, especially when exhausted.
3. Eat and drink and have enough changes of clothes and support. Hot food and dry clothes at the mid-point made a tremendous difference.
4. Try to pick a pace at which you are all comfortable walking, and try to stick to it.
I was one of the people who decided to quit when, after 11 hours of stormy weather, I realised that:
1. we had slowed down so much as a team that we could not possibly have completed the course in the time allotted,
2. that to continue would mean my rapidly disintegrating soggy feet might be permanently damaged,
3. that the speed we were travelling at meant I was becoming very very cold and sleepy, which registered danger in my mind.
Without any prospect of 'success' by my terms the entire event had become pointless.
I am very aware that in the early hours of the morning after 18 hours of exercise things look much bleaker than at any other time, but this year I will be better prepared for that, and have also warned my 2004 team-mates that if they want cheerful chat at 1am they can do it themselves... :-)
It was a bitter decision to take, and last year the dragon won. This year we are hoping to do better.
Good luck.
We found that regular foot massage and sock changes at every stop helped a lot as well.
I am getting a lot of training in eating lots at the moment though!
Cheers
Rob
Totally agree
apart form the shoes
i know my brashers would have done me proud
(I didnt bother with sock changes--didnt wanna se my feet)
to keep ourselves occuppied we would tell jokes, do impressions of the pub singer (which I might add I was the only member of the team who was completely hopeless!!!!) and if its a good day, always get to the top of a hill, turn round and enjoy the view.
I don't know what the surface is on the SDW but if its grass I'd go for trail shoes, more than 50% tarmac/gravel running shoes.
I wouldn't plan to use boots if I was aiming for a fast time unless I was worried about my ankles needing support.
I tried walking in running shoes but after a few miles they don't provide enough protection against stones. I'd love apair of shoes with strong enough soles not to be able to feel the stones, but similar cushioning to running shoes - my toes would twiddle with delight.