Bob Graham Round 1 Clive 0

Wimped out at Wasdale, about 1 hour and 20 minutes down on the schedule. Your head goes your legs soon follow.

Why? some strategic planning errors and not having my head in the right zone on leg 2. A round is a cruel beast which seeks out any weakness to stop you getting round. If you are on the margin of being able to do it, which I openly admit I was, then it does not take much to tip you off balance.

That said, it was still a fantastic experience. Weather was not a big problem, though it was very icy on top of the peaks on the 2nd half of leg 3. Leg 1 was magical and the most fun running I have ever done. The team, both pacers and support were brilliant in all aspects. I could not have picked a better random stranger than Jim Mann to do it with. Well done to Jim for getting round in 22 hours, doing leg 4 on a 16 hour schedule!

What it did prove to me is that I am capable of it, and with some spare time. My legs were not shot until my head told them to be. If my head was right in Wasdale my body was quite capable of carrying on.

Lots learned. I am not going to dwell on it or have a autopsy of the BGR experience. We know what went wrong, what needs to be changed and what went right and so much went right.

I am going to step out of the Bob Graham Round mindset for a few months. Running wise focus on getting 1.35 (7 minutes quicker than 2009) on the Cardington Cracker race in December, be Mark Smiths Winter BGR slave the following weekend and then start thinking about an other crack at it, probably in early May.

Myra and a friend as planning to cycle Wales, north to south, next year so I am now becoming Coach Clive as well.

What makes the BGR special is not the achievement, the mountains or the location, but the wonderful people we meet on the journey to and from Moot Hall.

Now, time to get a bit faster !

No time or reason to dwell

The day has arrived after 2 1/2 years since the concept of doing the Bob Graham Round found its way into my head. no time or reason to dwell. Forecast looks better, still windy.

So many nice messages of support. Time to get on with it.

I suspect quite a lot of the 24 hours from 7pm are going to hurt.

Friday

Weather

There may be some light rain at first, but this will soon clear leaving a dry day with clouds thinning and breaking to give some sunshine, particularly over the southern Fells.

Visibility

Very good, perhaps good at first in any light rain, becoming excellent by the afternoon with distant hills clearly visible.

Hill fog

Occasional at 700 metres becoming patchy by the afternoon and lifting above the summits.

Maximum winds above 500m

Northerly 35-40mph gusts 50-60mph over exposed summits and ridges, easing 25-30mph gusts 35-40mph during the afternoon.

Saturday

Weather

A dry day with some good sunny spells, although there will be more in the way of cloud over the eastern fells during the afternoon.

Visibility

Excellent, with distant hills clearly visible.

Hill fog

some patches at 700 metres over the eastern fells in the afternoon.

Maximum winds above 500m

North 25-30mph gust 35-40mph

Full moon approaches

30 minute run last night and my legs felt that they recovered from the Peris Horseshoe. They had not on Sunday where 7 miles mostly on the flat was harder work than it should have been. Lets hope they still feel recovered at Wasdale. Our run last night was just before it got dark and the moon is just off full.

Lots of planning, packing and writing the BGR manual. This has been a useful exercise to get me to think about who and what needs to be where and when. Also what to pack, what to explain. A number of people involved are not runners and previously thought Bob Graham was a mid-West US preacher.

2 1/2 years since I decided to attempt the BGR and 2 days to go. This may be the calm before. I am visiting a customer tomorrow, trying to sleep as late as I can in a B & B in Ullswater on Thursday night. I don't feel nervous or really excited, maybe that is being 42 and treating it a little like a job to be done and doing all I can to give it the best chance of success, rather than worry about it. The one thing that had concerned me was the weather and that has improved in terms of the forecast a lot in the last 5 days.

Outlook for Friday to Sunday:

Occasional showers on Friday clearing, leaving a dry weekend with plenty of sunny intervals. Feeling cool and fresh in a northeasterly wind that will be strong at times on Friday.

If that is what we get then I will be content.

Packing probably too much stuff in 8 labelled boxes on the floor, plus tents, matts, sleeping bags and water containers among other items. Planning and packing has replaced training as a focus in the last week. A few last phone calls to make.

We have a bunch of great pacers and friends from the last 42 years helping, a cast of 13 at last count. Whatever the outcome in terms of getting round the 42 peaks in 24 hours, the other 2 measures of success are

• Failure to call the mountain rescue
• Everyone has fun

Preparing for a small war

Into the final week and it is all about resting and preparing. I am looking forward to the rest of this week where the name of the game is to feed my face (technical term is carbo-load) which I should be quite good at.

Every day the Met Office forecast changes and it has been sounding better, but with some uncertainty. The current forecast is

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Dry, sunny and warm on Wednesday. Cloudier with occasional rain and showers during Thursday, before becoming brighter again on Friday, though turning cooler.

UK Outlook for Friday 24 Sep 2010 to Sunday 3 Oct 2010:

Outbreaks of rain are likely to affect the UK on Friday but become mainly confined to eastern England and Scotland, while western areas become drier and brighter. It will feel cold, especially in the east and northeast where it will be rather windy. Indications are that the weather will become more settled during the last weekend of September with most places seeing dry and bright conditions. Daytime temperatures are likely to recover to near normal but it will feel chilly at night with a chance of patchy frost in rural locations. Towards the end of September there are signs of a return to more unsettled weather with wind and rain in the northwest gradually extending further south and east by the start of October. Temperatures will tend to be near-normal.

Not quite cool, with a gentle breeze and clear skies, but looks OK. Things can change, but there is no mention of gales or heavy rain which there was 5 days ago.

Last motivational coffee and cake with Coach Jon today.

I have done a little running, 1000ft of hill reps, 7 miles and 2 miles on the flat. Also a "how fast can I run a mile while waiting for children at Gymnastics", answer is very slow, just over 7 minutes, though there was a head wind. Still a bit tired from the Peris Horseshoe which I very much hope disappears before Friday.

Scared by the moon

I got sent to Morrisons to do the weekly shop on wednesday night. It was just about dark when I came out and the moon which was a perfect 1/2 caught my eye. The implication that we are only 1/4 of a lunar cycle away from standing outside Moot Hall under the full moon scared me for the 1st time.

I did a very bad job of explaining this to a ex-neighbour who I meet in the car park who wondered off thinking I had really lost it and that I was now scared of the moon itself. Sorry, Wally.

7 days to go.

Nant Peris Horseshoe 2010 : welcome to the taper

I can't really claim that the Peris Horseshoe was part of my taper, that would be rubbish. At 17 miles and 8,500ft of serious terrain, it is always going to be hard work. I will claim it as my favorite fell race in the calendar, there is no better place to mark the end of my BGR training (assuming we get round).

My legs still felt a little tired from the previous Sundays run over legs 1 & 2 of the BGR and I did keep a little in reserve not wanting to end up really drained with 2 weeks to go. I also got very strict instructions, while I was waiting to register for the race, from Peter Taylor and Dave Sykes from Tattenhall not to injury myself . While you don't go out to hurt yourself, I was unable to disable the self preservation chip due to a little voice in the back of my head chirping on about "2 weeks to go". Probably a good thing.

My good friend and neighbour, Bryn, came up with me. I dropped him at Pen-Y-Pass and he walked up the Miners track to the summit of Snowdon with some fluid. He ended up being co-opted by the marshalls on the summit, who remembered him from 2008, to cut up Mars bars for the passing runners.

A field of 71(I think) started a little late, with a slightly altered start. Mike Blake, the race organiser, mentioned during his pre-race briefing that he had forgotten his fell shoes( think studs) and ended up running in road shoes (think slicks) he happend to have in the car. If there is one thing I shall remember this race for, it is struggling to keep up with Mike on a number of the downhills. I had invested in the most agressive studded pair of fell shoes out there (Inov-8 Mudroc) and I think of myself as reasonable quick downhill, but following Mike off the Glyders was a real lesson. Mike knew the lines really well, every so often I would work hard on a hill or the descent would favor grip over skill and I would make 30 seconds on him. Within 5 minutes he would get a better line round a lump and be back with me. I did manage to gain maybe 2 minutes on Mike on Lliwedd, but I got some really bad lines and he got a little ahead by direct route up Snowdon. Mike has 20 years on me and if he had studs he would have left me for dust yesterday. I must admit I do try to beat Mr Blake in races, more as a way of judging how well I am doing rather than a personally competitive thing. Mike's view of the race can be found here. Given his 10 minute handicap of running on slicks, I think Mike deserves to be the winner of any King/Blake challenge. I do come away with real admiration for Mike, not just as a runner past and present, but also for the energy and organisation that makes races like the Peris such a great day out. Sorry if I nicked your lines Mike :-)

Apart from trying to get some advantage by following Mr Blake, the notable parts for me were

• Legs got tired on Y Garn, a hang over from doing 27 miles and 11000ft 6 days before I guess. Good I was still able to run OK on tired legs.
• I got a useless line over and off Lliwedd. Lost maybe 5 minutes.
• Short stop at the top of Snowdon, get some fluid from Bryn and disappeared off down the track shouting "passing to your left" at the tourists.
• I did slow down on the last 2 hills, but managed to keep going limited only by how much air I could get down my lungs.
• I fell over about 1/4 of a mile from the finish, some minor cuts to my knees and the air went blue.
• We got a mug at the end, every last drop of sweat was worth it 10 times over for the mug.
• Sausage, egg, chips and beans in Pete's Eats.

While I did try to keep something in reserve for this race, my only goal yesterday was to finish in under 5 hours, who was in front or behind me did not matter at all. My time was 4 hours, 59 minutes and 55 seconds. My fall near the finish was only due to running as fast as I could on tired legs as I saw the 5 hour barrier approach on my watch. So I am really pleased to have finished 14 minutes faster than last year. I still think that if I got the good lines on the second half I could take 5 - 10 minutes off my time, but getting good lines is all part of the game.

The last year of BGR training has been all about climbing hills at a moderate pace, repeat until finished. It became clear yesterday that if I want to improve in this class of race that I do need to become faster and work my my V02max . I was too slow up Elider-Fawr, I would get breathless really quickly if I went faster than my usual up hill plod and I could have run more of the Miners track. With training focused on this type of event, and getting the route knowledge (learned of lot from Blake yesterday) I think I have the potential to do 4 hours 30 minutes, but this is something that can be considered post BGR if we get round. One thing at a time dear boy.

Peris 2010 was a top day out, part down to following Mike for a lot of the race, part down to having a mate (Bryn) along and part because it is a great race in a great location. While I could have done better I am sure with more focused training, I would rather compare where I am now to where I was in 2008. I have been running for 2 1/2 years, just about all of it has been with the underlying aim of attempting the Bob Graham Round. The days I remember as learning something important or being special in some way include

• 2008 Aran race : finished in the last 5. Took too much clothing and was out classed by the 60 year plus ladies.
• Peris Horseshoe 2008 : spent time being sick with dehydration on Lliwedd until a kind soul out for a days walk dropped a litre bottle of Tesco's water in my lap and wondered on
• 2009 Long Mynd Valleys race : over an hour faster than when I was 27 on the race which caused me to give up fell running for 13 years. Not quite true, we took up diving instead.
• Highland Fling Ultra : 53 miles and 8500ft along the 1st part of the West Highland Way, including an out of mind experience and calling a very confused coach Jon as I could see the finishing line. Being held up against a fence at the end of the race by Iain and Sarah Ridgeway and crying with possibly joy while sitting in the shower.
• 2009 Welsh 1000m race where I did not finish and had a near death experience, just someone else's near death.
• Leg 1 and 5 for Mark Smith's Winter round : a shock to the system as to what a round really means and during the trudge up Blencathra I did commit to myself to pull out of the idea of doing a BGR, I would never be near fit enough.
• A bind date with Penrith Stu running legs 1 and 2 in snow : this day out caused me to up my game quite a lot and he also introduced me to Nuun tablets!
• Tattenhall Boob Graham Round : Proof of concept, in particular with Peter Taylors comment about me being a really **** runner when he 1st meet me in April 2008 and now I was at least in the ball park after doing legs 3 & 4 legs in heat with a sack.
• Pacing an overnight leg of the Paddy Buckly over Snowdon for Jamie, Mick and Olly.
• Paul Jacksons BGR : Just a great day out with new folk, found legs 3 & 4 much easier than 6 weeks earlier. Also meet Jim with who our resources have been pooled for the attempt on the 24th.
• Most of Ceredigion Coast path with Misty.
• Many hours and days out with coach Misty, always eager and always faster than me. Chewed sticks when she got board of hill reps.

Writing a blog has been a very good discipline. I have no idea who reads this, but feeling you have to justify your training output, meeting or exceeding the 10,000ft target each week has been useful. I based my training plan roughly on Mark Smith's blog with some modification (more rest and some very slack weeks) and I can't think of a better way of doing it for me at least. I could probably have used some more distance, a few more really long (12 hours plus days out) but it did not fit my lifestyle and the BGR prime directive of avoiding collateral family damage.

So 2 weeks of planning a small war, getting kit together, resting, eating and a bit of running, cycling and maybe even some surfing.

Last big day out

It must be a good sign when after 2 leg of the BGR you don't feel like you have had the life drained out from you.

Jim Mann and I did legs 1 & 2 on Sunday. Apart from the last hour from Grisdale Tarn, up Fairfield and Seat Sandle being a bit of a struggle for both of us (me a little more) because we were about a litre short on the amount of water we needed, things went very well.

We were about 20 minutes up on schedule at the end. We passed and gave appropriate encouragement to many competitors of the Helvelin Triathlon. I guess if you were fashion orientated, then one of these would make Triathlon more appealing than a pair of discounted Ron Hill shorts and a inside out Inov-8 top (it was dark when I got up, my excuse anyway).

We also engaged in some road crew training on Sunday with Myra very ably meeting us in Threkeld and Dummail with drinks and food.

Ideally, we would have at least climbed Steel Fell and maybe gone on a bit further, but I have the Peris next weekend and don't want to push it too far with only 6 days to recover.

Monday : 12 miles near Stratford-upon-Avon along foot paths and the Green Way. Very nice morning run starting from my Brothers house and ending up near Wellsborne.

Tuesday : Rest

Wednesday : 1000ft 2 reps fort to bus stop and back in dark

Thursday : Went out for a run, but heart not in it. Did some down hill training instead

Friday : 5 miles and 1000ft at a moderate pace

Saturday : Rest

Sunday : 11,000ft and 27 miles

12,000ft and 44 miles make it one of the best weeks in terms of Horizontal miles and 12,000ft is OK.

Starting the ramp down now. I am going to enter the Peris Horseshoe next weekend, but plan not to take it to the wire. I only really want to do better than 5 hours (last years time was 5.13) and not get injured.

Lots of planning to do, but we have a cracking set of pacers lined up. Am I ready? I feel ready to attempt it. If I get round is determined by those things you can control like the extent of your minerals, your planning for food, support, etc and those you can't such as weather, injury, the 2nd coming, etc. I have had enough of training, Thursday of this week showed that, which suggests its time to get on it.