UKC

Hey all,

Who is doing this in the summer? Anyone here done it before?

My training is consisting of hill walks (Brecon, Lakes etc) and flat TABs with 15kg in my daysack, as well I have started to do non-weight runs (starting at 2miles) in trainers to build my cardio up, then build upon the distance and introduce my boots and then weight.

I have been and done Pen Y Fan and its nearby mountains a few times since the New Year, and I love it! Great training, I live in a very flat part of the country so any hill work I have to drive at least 2 hours.

The weight runs will obviously just be sort of doubling/jogging though.

We did it last week the 4 peaks there, casual pace in 4hrs30mins doing 9miles.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Patrick

In reply to paddyposh:


Glad you're enjoying it.

youtube.com/watch?v=AEbuWZN8oxE&

Get yerself to your nearest multi story and pound up and down the stairs (lift down if you can. Save those knees!)

Best of luck.

BB.

In reply to paddyposh:
Forget all the running or jogging with weight. Buy the best pair or two of road running trainers you can afford and get marathon fit.

On weekends head into the hills and do long walks, multiple days ie 30km/3000m ascent... steady down hill as you need to stay niggle and injury free.

The fan dance is just an very early in the course half a morning jaunt to shift the time wasters and unfit.

In reply to paddyposh:

Totally agree with Summo. Screw most of the cardio - definitely don't worry about weighted runs, you'll just knacker your joints.

Long days out are the way to go, all milage is good milage. Elevation is good. Try doing some leg blasters (google them) before your runs if you want to see what heavy legs mean for you. Going out pre-breakfast will help get your body used to working with fewer calories as well. Speaking of which, think about how you're going to eat and fuel and remember that water doesn't form part of your weight and that refills can't be guaranteed.

Finally, remember that it's all about the effort. And that you're supposed to be enjoying yourself. Rehearsing the route will help with morale as well - not having to worry about nav will mean that you can focus on getting one foot in front of the other.

In reply to summo:

I have been having a look at running trainers, a lot don't go to my size mind (size14). But I will have another look this morning.

I am doing the PARAS10 as well in May, was advised to go running for cardio in boots as well. Do you not think its necessary?

Thanks, I intend to get some great hill walking in at the weekends! I live in Peterborough, so realistically the nearest hilly place is the Peaks.

In reply to london_huddy:

I may just stick to non-weight running then, I have read lots of mixed things about weighted runs but I am leaning towards not now definitely.

I have started doing 2 weighted walks in the week and a long one at the weekend. I may change that to 1 walk midweek and 1 at the weekend, but throw in a couple of normal runs before work.

The leg blasters look very interesting! I may do them on one of them for sure.

I have a 3ltr hydration bladder so I will train with the weight plus water and snacks.

In reply to paddyposh:

I would run only in trainers. Running in boots, with kit puts too much stress on your body, especially your knees, but also lower back.

The trick is to build up your cardio. Do some core exercises to build core (obviously) - many injuries carrying kit are due to posture and weak upper body.

I would then add in as others have said, increasingly longer days in the hill, carrying kit.

As the event gets closer, try a few easy runs with a bergen on to get used to it, but just don't beast yourself.

Pcoy, and the training for it, is a war of attrition - the ones who rest as much as train, and take it in sensible structured chunks are the ones who tend not to get back squadded.

In reply to paddyposh:
Avoid running in boots unless you have to for the actual event. Fit good inner soles and walk in them to make sure they are well broken in and you develop some tougher skin on the right parts of your feet. Different footwear will impact different parts of your feet.

Find a modest hill locally and do efforts running up, walking down etc.. any hill is better then no hill.

In reply to Nevis-the-cat:

Yes I will be just using trainers I think to build up my cardio a lot, as at the moment it is pretty poor.

I am also incorporating a lot of leg work, core work and back work in to gym sessions (squats, deadlifts etc).

What I can gather from the Pcoy 35lb TAB is that the average speed needed is 9-10 min miles to make the 1hr50 mark.

In reply to summo:

In regards to boot running, in order to make the times I would have to do some form of doubling/jogging on the flatter or descending parts in order to make the time, but training wise absolutely I don't want to damage myself. I will be sticking to trainers.

I have just ordered some "ironman" gel insoles from Amazon for my boots, will use them when they arrive for all of my weighted walks.

I have managed to locate a hill area near my work (Bradgate Park, Leicester) where I will try and get some morning runs and TABs in before work when it gets lighter.

In reply to paddyposh:

I've just done the winter Fan Dance (January)

Don't know about the summer version, but if you're doing the load-bearing winter one you HAVE to wear boots. Trainers/ off-roaders are accepted for "clean fatigue" participants.

I didn't do a huge amount of training for it....went for a few loaded walks on Ashdown Forest just to get used to the weight, as it's considerably more than I'd carry for a week's wild camping! The base load is 35lb but when you add in the 3 kg of water, hot flask and march food it comes to about 44lb start weight.

I do a bit of running anyway, mostly off-road.

If you do a fair bit of hill-walking actually finishing inside the time limit isn't that hard (I managed it and I'm 61). However, to get a good time you will need to jog parts of it (I jogged the Roman Road section outwards, and should have jogged it on the return leg too, but hadn't eaten enough and had a bit of a "wall"). I didn't do any loaded jogging in training.

In reply to Rob Naylor:

Well done on the achievement!

Yes I do everything (bar running) in my boots (army issue), to get used to them.

I tend to go hill walking every other weekend, with the ones in between often offroad around Thetford Forest.

My running is poor, so I am trying to do a lot more now to get used to the cardio aspect as yes I've seen you need to run the Roman Road and also the last descent.

Are you doing the summer one? I believe it is 4hr 15m if I remember correctly.

In reply to paddyposh:

No, I'm not doing the summer one. I hope to do one of the additional test marches this year....the ones where Fan Dance completion and a training day are entry requirements. I think they've only announced one so far, which I can't do, but there are more promised for later in the year.

In reply to Rob Naylor:

The Loadstone? Sounds fun.

I am also hoping to do the Steel Bayonet Fan Dance (para pathfinder course, which is a similar Fan Dance plus a 5km speed march straight after). Currently its April only but they are doing one in September too.