I'm wanting to do the KIMM next year with a friend, he already runs FLM so hes fit enough but I've not been running that long. Just a couple 20 min sessions a week.
Do you guys have any advice or training schdule that I could look at/use?
Cheers,
DanielB
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He's my 2ps worth
If you are city based, I would follow a marathon training schedule during the week. Something similar to ones suggested in runners world.
At the weekends I would try to get as much time out in a cross country environment as could.
Ultimately you want to be able to withstand 8 hours on a sat and a sun so that is the endurance you are looking for. So bilud up to this over the next 6 months.
Figure in at least 50% of your time out will actually be walking (especially up hill) so make sure you factor this into your training as it does use different muscles.
Get used to nutrition out on the hill for this length of time and try to do a naviagtion course if you can.
Try out you kit in earnest about 1 month before the event (find somewhere like Dartmoor/Peak District/ Snowdon / Lakes etc. or use a long distance footpath) and go out for 2 days with your partner. Don't attempt anything highly ambitious but check the kit is OK, and the food/cooking is OK too)
One other point - the KIMM tends to avoid paths or more likely is in an area where no paths are evident - so dont be fooled - get used to going across ROUGH particulary across heather and bogs.
The venue changes each year - but the one consistent factor is hard terrain.
Would disagree with this unless you are doing the Elite, A levels. Navigation is equally and probably more important in the KIMM.
Not that fitness is not important, it just that I don't believe a marathan would be the ideal preparation.
http://www.bamptonpo.com/Navigation.htm
but I would add - marathon fitness may not be a prerequisite - but in all likelyhood on each day you are likely to be out on the hills for perhaps 6-9 hours and a marathon fit person is more likely to prepared for such endurance than a a 10k fit runner. With regards to navigation Lloyd is spot on - there is no point being a whippet if you cant find your way around.
This is why I mentioned marathon training during the week.
I wasnt saying a marathon is the best training, but if you are city based then the discline and fitness gained from marathon training when you cant get out on the hill is just the ticket.
I agree with Martin about kit, get the lightest and most conftable you can afford or justify buying- and try it out long in advance.
One tip that I picked (although I have never done the kimm) is not have your snacks and kit for the day in your partners pouch on their rucsac- and they have thiers on yours- that way you dont need to take your rucsac off whilst on the move
(assuming you have more snacks etc that can fit in your pocket!)
Navigation is key, when the viz is down to 50 metres (like day 1 of this years Saunders) the ability to run straig onto a control, or quickly re-locate is very important.
Also when you get to a control, already have the route to the next planned. If you faff around for only a few minutes at each control it adds up to 20-30 minutes at the end of the day.
You really do need to be marathon fit, not fast, just bags of endurance and the only way to get it is to do long runs (or run/walks).
Basic navigation was assumed, but didnt need to be in depth
Agenda was as follows-
Arrive and camp in Friday night.
Saturday -
-intro talk/ lecture on naviagtion/ kimm/ adventure racing
-6 hours approx wih an instructor in teams no bigger than 4. What you go through depends on the teams experience (several people when I went had previously done the course- so it can be quite tailored)- but includes things like taking a bearing pacing , route selection
- another lecture on gear/ equipment/ nutirion for the kimm/ adventure races
- 2 hour night navigation exercise in teams of 4
Sunday
-mini mohntain marathon approx 4-6 hours depending on how good you are. You put it all into practice in teams or on your own.
might look into it again.