I appear to have entered this in a mental shift away from racing bikes for a while. I’ve about 15 years of fell running behind me, up to 50km distance, but it’s been a while since I’ve really focused on it.

Any one else here done it?

My current thoughts are:
1)Spend the Autumn – Spring running and biking, moving the shift away from long rides to long runs.
2)Really work on my Nav, it’s ok, but tired and in clag…I don’t know.
3)Train on the ground the race covers at least once a month as the Lakes are only 1.5hrs drive away.

Kit is not an issue, between myself and the wife we have enough light kit to clothe a small family.

So, suggestions from people?

Suggestions from people – you know what you’re doing – get on with it. Good luck.

It’s great. Mark and team are brilliant. Route fun although some sections drag. The second 50 is better than the first!!! I am thinking about another crack at the 100 but it’s bloody tough.

Downside – you train yourself to run slowly for a long time. Not sure that’s a great goal. But that aside, great fun and wonderful scenery obviously!

Enjoy it!

I dont think its a navigational challenge is it? So wouldnt worry about that overly

The main art in running long distances in the hills is pacing, eating and drinking. I am planning the Bob Graham next year so here is what I have leart

18 weeks training in the run up will be plenty so dont worry about anything other than being aerobically fit until end March

Practice setting off really slow, I mean un-naturally if you are used to shorter races.

Eat and drink early and often, once you are dehydrated and hungry it is too late to recover from and you will probably DNF if this happens less than half way into it. Its usefull to practice eating and drinking on a long training run of 30 miles or more to experience this!

Have fun.

Sounds a bit like the Tour de Helvellyn – anyone doing/done that? (Mr fionap is entering this year.) My plan is to take the dog for a gentle stroll and check out some nice cafes while he runs around in the hills.

I dont think its a navigational challenge is it? So wouldnt worry about that overly

Never done it, but as I understand from friend who have yes, it is. In so much that the course isn’t marked. No special navigation skills required, but plenty go off course. Knowing the course off heart, can help a fair bit.
On the other hand you lose the excuse to stop and check the map 🙂

djglover – Member
I dont think its a navigational challenge is it? So wouldnt worry about that overly

There is a bit of nav from what I’ve heard, but nothing being up there a few times before won’t cover I hope!

Speaking of BGR – spent the weekend reccying a few chunks – most of leg4, tail of Leg1, middle of Leg 2. I more or less know Leg3 by feel now 🙂
The ascent of Kirk Fell via the gully was….interesting. I wasn’t a fan of it.

IanMunro – Member
On the other hand you lose the excuse to stop and check the map

I will more than likely be stopping also to eat cake 🙂 No excuse needed.

Oh I was up on leg 4 at the weekend too, loved the ascent of Kirkfell, but I went via the fence, I have come down the gully before, that is all it is good for IMHO

Re the 50, I think you can use GPS, so you can improve your chances of a good finish by almost totally mitigating any navigational errors and following the screen!

djglover – Member
Oh I was up on leg 4 at the weekend too, loved the ascent of Kirkfell, but I went via the fence, I have come down the gully before, that is all it is good for IMHO

Agree, up on the crags is way easier and faster. Ex climber, so chossy ground I find hateful 🙂 Give me rock and I’ll go way faster than choss.

I’ve done the 50 3 times and the 100 in 2014.
Using a gps watch worked well for me but I also knew most of the route from running / mtb’ing. Regardless of using gps in my mind you should be a competent enough navigator to relocate or get to safe ground if the weather craps out or your injured.

I’d recommend reccying the section from Howtown to Mardale head, there’s scope for cock ups there and you’ll get familiar with the section alongside Haweswater which goes on & on seemingly for miles.
Also Ambleside to the finish during the day and at night if you think you might be finishing in the dark.

Doing it over couple of days with a bivvy is a nice way to learn it.

Use your training time to perfect your system of shoes n socks (blisters cause a lot of dnf) what pack your using, headtorch, etc.

don’t neglect running down hill in training that catches a lot out as well and it really trashes your legs.

Enjoy the training I had some great days and nights, it’s a superb atmosphere, get there early enough to see off the 100’s on the Friday night.

Oh this looks like fun….and it’s just been payday.

Must resist

steve-g – Member
Oh this looks like fun….and it’s just been payday.

Must resist

It sold out in 6mins…

rich-c : Good call on the Hawswater section, I’ve run it in the past…it’s quite hateful 🙂
Can’t really get away with training not on descents, issue round here is flat, rather than hills. But, the length of descents is a real thing. Managed to destroy my quads running down off Kirk Fell into Wasdale on Sunday – brutal descent after the scree.

Yeah that’s gonna hurt, sounds like you know what you’re doing and will be fine. I found long walking days out in the fells is very worthwhile as well as the running, time on your feet is the advice I was given.

The thing you really need to be careful of is the creeping thoughts of “I can’t call myself an ultra runner until I’ve done a 100” that way lies madness 😉

I’ve been giving doing an ultra next year some thought myself. I did a trail mara this year and could have easily gone another half when I got to the end.

Do you think a 100k ultra and a full iron triathlon would be manageable in the same season?

I just completed a 5:03 half iron a few weeks ago so would want to give the full iron a good go to get a fast time…

Impossible for anyone else to say Scruff 🙂 Like so many things it depends.

Guy I know did a Bob Graham and then 3-4 weeks later did the Lakeland 100 and finished well. But he is very fit and very determined / prepares well.

He’s now resting!

Scruff – I raced an IM and two 24hour MTB races in the same season. I probably wouldn’t do it again. But, would it have been possible to get round, yes, I did. Was it fun to race…no it wasn’t.
Fast and your first IM? Don’t worry about it, once you finish you get a PB. After that, worry about going fast. The first one will be a learning curve.

Currently waiting on my legs to give me to go sign after 5 days in the Lakes on my legs and a lot of running abuse. Eager to even just go for a wee run, but need to be smart 🙂

On the basis I’ve never done a 100k ultra or an Iron man

I would say fine go for it…

I’d do the IM first, as that’s your main goal, then carry the fitness forward to the ultra … giving yourself time to recover and to build up the longer mileage in your legs.

Got my first ultra in a few weeks, the polar opposite of L50. 38 miles around quiet (read .. desolate) Essex coast line. It’s pancake fan and hopefully the wind ain’t blowing … wanna ease myself into this ultra malarkey 🙂

A friend of mine did the Lakeland 100 and then the Big Woody triathlon. She was dead last at the Big Woody, but did it on about 2 weeks of bike and swim training as she was purely focused on the 100. So it’s doable…

My training combined normal HIM training (not enough) and a few ultras plus navigation refreshers – read mountain navigation for runners in PDF from rock/running shop in Ambleside and practised it.

IMO there is quie a bit of navigation and I was amazed at how many people screwed up esp the my GPS never lies brigade. Always a bit weird to watch a chain of head torches going the wrong way or people ignoring what a good old map and compass says. The worst bit for me is (on the original) going up Ullswater knowing that in a few hours you have to be going the other way. The Haweswater stretch is also a bit of a slog.

The best bit – making friends with complete strangers as you inevitably buddy up – unless you are a whippet at the front!!