[SA Chris]

Just get out and do some long days in the hills, run what you can, walk what you can't. You won't do worse than my 7:30 first attempt. Or my 7:10 second...

[Fultonius]

Just get out and do some long days in the hills, run what you can, walk what you can't. You won't do worse than my 7:30 first attempt. Or my 7:10 second...

Cheers for the encouragement Chris. I nearly bailed - I offered my entry to someone but they didn't take it up, so I kept up with some running just in case I end up at the start line.

I had a bit of a realisation recently. My "slow" all day pace was just nowhere near slow enough. Point in case: I went out for a 17km / 650m run a few weeks back. I thought I was going steady and it covered a lot of ground I run regularly during shorter efforts. On the finally climb I could feel my hip flexors starting to tighten which portents the dreaded onset of the IT band knees. Next descent they went. Nearly brought me to tears in frustration. That was when I started seriously considering pulling out.

Next longer run was 13km /510m and I went extra slow. Basically trying to maintain a pace that would allow me to talk the whole way. Finished feeling great. Legs ok the next day. This was last Thursday. On Saturday I went out with a mate who's also doing the RoS. We went up the ridge left of curved ridge  over the Bauchaille, Stob Na Brioge, down the far side and up the two Etive Beag's. All in we did 22km and 2000m. It was very slow, and we descended very moderately, some breaks for chats with people etc. but made it round in 6 hours. My leg are feeling it today, but my knees/hips survived the whole thing.  All in, quite pleased with that and feel a bit more positive about getting round in one piece.

I have decided, however, that long runs are not my thing. Having to spend too much time running when I could be climbing. I think I'll stick to infrequent 10km hill runs from now on.

[SA Chris]

Good stuff. I made the mistake of getting drawn along by the crowd and blasted the descent off devils ridge the first time, stood around eating for too long at the food break, then really struggled to get going again up along Glen Nevis, and pretty much limped round the rest of the course in hell. Worth doing a day where you have more than one ascent if you are going to try slot another long one in.

[Fultonius]

Good stuff. I made the mistake of getting drawn along by the crowd and blasted the descent off devils ridge the first time, stood around eating for too long at the food break, then really struggled to get going again up along Glen Nevis, and pretty much limped round the rest of the course in hell. Worth doing a day where you have more than one ascent if you are going to try slot another long one in.

Aye, my main goal is to go super slow to the second climb. If I feel OK along the ridge then I'll maybe ramp it up for the end.. or just suffer and die... We'll see haha!

[SA Chris]

Be aware they detour yo off the main tourist path near the end of Glen Nevis, and send you along a rockier upper path which is really energy draining.

You got food / nutrition sorted?

[Fultonius]

Be aware they detour yo off the main tourist path near the end of Glen Nevis, and send you along a rockier upper path which is really energy draining.

You got food / nutrition sorted?

Good beta, cheers!  We had thought of a reccy last weekend, but went for the Buachaille option instead.

Aye, feeding myself seems to be one thing I've managed to nail. 2 pork pies, 3 cereal bars, 2 flap jacks and about 1.5L water/juice (and some stream sips) mainly on the move. My energy levels felt pretty good even at the end, so I think I'm good with that. Might swap a cereal bar for a snickers.

[SA Chris]

Take some wine gums / jelly babies / clif bloks?

There was flap jack and half bananas at the refill point last year, plus coffee, water and (bizarrely) over-caffeinated sugary drink company, year before were jam sandwiches and coke as well. Plus water obv. They are really helpful with filling water bladders etc.

[Fultonius]

Take some wine gums / jelly babies / clif bloks?

There was flap jack and half bananas at the refill point last year, plus coffee, water and (bizarrely) over-caffeinated sugary drink company, year before were jam sandwiches and coke as well. Plus water obv. They are really helpful with filling water bladders etc.

Thanks for all the encouragement/motivation to not pull out of the ring of steall folks, especially Chris - I managed to munch my way round which meant I finished quite strongly (flap jack and pork pies). I don't have any split times, as my chip failed for some reason, but I did a fair bit of overtaking throughout the day.

Really enjoyed it. We we're very lucky with the weather which was never hot hot, but nice and sunny. Very windy at times up on the ridge. My hat blew off and went miles. Anyone else do it?  I have worked out my time to be 6hrs 24m as I knew who I finished behind and my knees were fine!  All in, I suppose I'd say it was worth it as I feel I've had a fun experience of a big race like that, didn't get injured and now have a much bigger base of fitness. I am, on the other hand, quite looking forward to being able to prioritise climbing and getting out on the bike again.

[SA Chris]

Good work mate. From other people's photos (I know of at 4 friends locally) it looks like you had great weather. Both times I did it we had mixed conditions, low cloud and at least some rain. Last year the RoS was the only race that didn't get shortened due to crap weather, but it still wasn't pleasant.

The DOMS took a week for me to recover from!

I don't think Richie did it this year, got other things going on..

[SA Chris]

Glencoe Skyline next??

[Stabbsy]

Fastest known time for the Pennine Way broken overnight - 2 days 16 hours 40 minutes for 268 miles. Looked in the balance for large parts of yesterday after having been ahead of schedule for the first 2 days.

I remember hearing about the Mike Hartley record when I was a kid and couldn’t understand how something like that was possible. Having spent a few years running, I’ve got more of an idea of the effort involved and it still amazes me.

The same guy, John Kelly, is going for a second attempt at the 3 rounds (Paddy Buckley, Bob Graham, Charlie Ramsey) back to back linked by bike. Failed last year in some horrendous weather.

[steveri]

Stunning. Crazy week for distance records - John Kelly, Sabrina Verjee doing the Wainwrights and Kim Collison adding to the Lakeland Tops record with 78 in 24h. Dull fact: the previous holder of that last used to rent a room in my mate's house, smoker and not much of a runner at the time I believe. Gives me a minor thrill running reps of the same slopes.

[turnipturned]

Adam Perry used to work same office offices as me, I knew he was pretty close to the Lakeland tops record (out by 15minutes)

I remember he telling me, after one attempt, he couldnt feel his legs below his knee for a month. 

[SA Chris]

Yeah sod that. Mate I did Ring of Steall with still has numbness in part of his foot 3 years later.

[Monolith]

Dull fact: the previous holder of that last used to rent a room in my mate's house, smoker and not much of a runner at the time I believe. Gives me a minor thrill running reps of the same slopes.

I thought I'd heard something way back about this. Was it Mark Hartell who used to train at Frodsham?

[steveri]

Mark Hartell yes. Used to live with my mate Clive ...who I'd been running with a year or 2 before he let slip he was an early BGRer

[Fultonius]

Any ideas for a 10km ish hilly run this afternoon? I'm heading back North from Kandal, so anywhere not too out they way. Was thinking grasmere?

[T_B]

Coledale Horseshoe
Blencathra FR course.

Both a bit more than 10k tho

[HarryBD]

From Grasmere up to Easedale then Codale Tarn, N to Calf Crag then E to Helm Crag and down. Reverse if you like your ups steep and downs long.

[Fultonius]

Thought Harry's suggestion might be shorter....woops!  Well, looks like my legs can cope with 15km which is nice!

Might be a bit later home that planned...  1hr 58mins, happy enough with that!

[Fultonius]

Totally forget the thing I was thinking about coming back down from Helm Crag - brilliant run! Thanks for the suggestion.

[HarryBD]

Thought Harry's suggestion might be shorter....woops!  Well, looks like my legs can cope with 15km which is nice!

Might be a bit later home that planned...  1hr 58mins, happy enough with that!

My bad, I’m sure that run was in the 10k region when I did it. Glad you enjoyed it anyway!

[Fultonius]

Thought Harry's suggestion might be shorter....woops!  Well, looks like my legs can cope with 15km which is nice!

Might be a bit later home that planned...  1hr 58mins, happy enough with that!

My bad, I’m sure that run was in the 10k region when I did it. Glad you enjoyed it anyway!

Ha, that wasn't meant to be a dig. I think the bottom line is, you really need to be happy at the 13 to 15km distance in the lakes as that just seems to open up loads more options.

[SA Chris]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-58305778#:~:text=An%20Edinburgh%20running%20club%20has,Scottish%20mountains%20over%203%2C000ft.

love a daft challenge

[SA Chris]

Any radical ideas on nutrition on long races?

My food is normally; 2 x small quality pork pies, small butter madeleines, chorizo slices, a few flap jacks, wine gums, one bladder of tail wind, one with SiS elecrolytes. Plus a few SiS gels of which I might have 1. And whatever I fancy at food stops (usually just have half bananas).

Used to have Chia Charge bars but really gone off them.