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Hello.
Two weeks ago I went for a 53 mile wander after work through the Peak District from Dronfield to Sheffield via a few favorite places and somehow ended up staying awake for 45 hours whilst at it. I wrote about the experience on here:
.http://portervalleydaydreams.blogspot.co.uk/
Thought I'd share it on here as it may be of interest to anyone planning a big challenge walk this spring/ summer and also to spread the psyche for having silly epic days out on the hills!
Two weeks ago I went for a 53 mile wander after work through the Peak District from Dronfield to Sheffield via a few favorite places and somehow ended up staying awake for 45 hours whilst at it. I wrote about the experience on here:
.http://portervalleydaydreams.blogspot.co.uk/
Thought I'd share it on here as it may be of interest to anyone planning a big challenge walk this spring/ summer and also to spread the psyche for having silly epic days out on the hills!
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In reply to Botion:
I went on a long walk back in December last year- I left home at about 6:30pm in the dark and walked 100Km from my house down to the coast (not in a very straight line and without a map) in about 19 hours. Surrey to the South Coast and West Sussex via Hampshire. Here is my account of my venture http://hepworthadventures.co.uk/my-diamond-dofe-challenge
I found many similarities between our long walks and I can relate to sleep deprivation and very sore feet afterwards!
loved your account- where next????
Cheers
Jez
I went on a long walk back in December last year- I left home at about 6:30pm in the dark and walked 100Km from my house down to the coast (not in a very straight line and without a map) in about 19 hours. Surrey to the South Coast and West Sussex via Hampshire. Here is my account of my venture http://hepworthadventures.co.uk/my-diamond-dofe-challenge
I found many similarities between our long walks and I can relate to sleep deprivation and very sore feet afterwards!
loved your account- where next????
Cheers
Jez
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In reply to Botion:
That was a good read, thanks.
Out of interest how far had you walked in one go before that?
That was a good read, thanks.
Out of interest how far had you walked in one go before that?
In reply to Greasy Prusiks:
I think I had just done about 50Km in a day before that, but I run quite a bit and most of it is a mental game, keeping on going at 3am etc... it was only the last few hours that I really felt it in my legs.
Oh and on reflection I could have taken better food than the food I took- 1 packet Harribo and 1 pork pie! But I didn't really prepare for it physically, just mentally got my head into the right space and then started.
Oh and I have done the Welsh 3000s in one go which isn't as far but does go up and down quite a lot... so what's next?
I think I had just done about 50Km in a day before that, but I run quite a bit and most of it is a mental game, keeping on going at 3am etc... it was only the last few hours that I really felt it in my legs.
Oh and on reflection I could have taken better food than the food I took- 1 packet Harribo and 1 pork pie! But I didn't really prepare for it physically, just mentally got my head into the right space and then started.
Oh and I have done the Welsh 3000s in one go which isn't as far but does go up and down quite a lot... so what's next?
In reply to Botion:
Nice story.
I haven't found the first night doing these mega walks too bad. It's spilling over into a second night where the real terrors kick in. On the LDWA100 in Wales after 20+ hours of rain and at about 2am on night no2 I started to see imaginary people.....very odd!
Nice story.
I haven't found the first night doing these mega walks too bad. It's spilling over into a second night where the real terrors kick in. On the LDWA100 in Wales after 20+ hours of rain and at about 2am on night no2 I started to see imaginary people.....very odd!
In reply to Wainers44:
Also never had a problem on the first night, but in 2007 a mate and I were sweepers on the mid Wales ldwa 100, we did night 2 over the Élan valleys. Now that was interesting, poor bugger was seeing all sorts and i had a time pursuading one walker that the rocks were not tanks parked all over the Élan waiting to fire at him. It got worse.......
For the OP, well done on your walk and if you fancy a light entertaining read this is quite fun.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Your-Feet-Hallucinatory-Hundred-Mile/dp/184513...
Also never had a problem on the first night, but in 2007 a mate and I were sweepers on the mid Wales ldwa 100, we did night 2 over the Élan valleys. Now that was interesting, poor bugger was seeing all sorts and i had a time pursuading one walker that the rocks were not tanks parked all over the Élan waiting to fire at him. It got worse.......
For the OP, well done on your walk and if you fancy a light entertaining read this is quite fun.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Your-Feet-Hallucinatory-Hundred-Mile/dp/184513...
In reply to Moley:
Out of the 4 100s done, only the Wales one (2014?) pushed me over the brink. As well as imagining I was seeing people, we lost our route description at the final checkpoint above Pontypool. We staggered down the hill to find some poor chap literally dangling over a traffic barrier. He was real, and so in return for us keeping him upright, he showed us where the finish was!
As well as the people I also kept imagining I was seeing bridges over the canal we followed for a while when mostly they were trees!
Out of the 4 100s done, only the Wales one (2014?) pushed me over the brink. As well as imagining I was seeing people, we lost our route description at the final checkpoint above Pontypool. We staggered down the hill to find some poor chap literally dangling over a traffic barrier. He was real, and so in return for us keeping him upright, he showed us where the finish was!
As well as the people I also kept imagining I was seeing bridges over the canal we followed for a while when mostly they were trees!
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In reply to Botion:
Great read I have a 61 mile (~100 km) race coming up in 4 weeks that I am pretty psyched about. 24 hours to finish it in the Yorkshire Dales. Slightly terrified too to be honest.
Great read I have a 61 mile (~100 km) race coming up in 4 weeks that I am pretty psyched about. 24 hours to finish it in the Yorkshire Dales. Slightly terrified too to be honest.
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In reply to Wainers44:
South Wales was a bit of an epic wasn't it! My second 100 and finished but still unable to recall any part of it that i actually enjoyed. I also had no idea how to find the finish and had to ask directions in town. Happy days, I'm toying with the idea of doing another in 2018 to celebrate my 65 year - just about recovered from the last.
South Wales was a bit of an epic wasn't it! My second 100 and finished but still unable to recall any part of it that i actually enjoyed. I also had no idea how to find the finish and had to ask directions in town. Happy days, I'm toying with the idea of doing another in 2018 to celebrate my 65 year - just about recovered from the last.
In reply to Botion:
That is a great read and a great achievement.
I have never done a long walk like that but I have done similar in terms of endurance.
I was once called out to work on a Sunday morning and spent the day on site, as I was pulling on to my drive at 6pm the phone went again and it was off to a different job.
I finished that one at 5am in Sheffield but I was booked on site in Thirsk at 9am and thus job had taken months to sort so I drove there, did a few services in the area then installed the machine.
On the way back I got another call and finally landed back home at 1800, 36 hours working with no breaks and no food other than a couple of packets of crisps from a shop I passed.
I was in bed by 2000 and slept right through to 10am the next day.
The other one was leaving Monaco at 5am and telling the wife I would see her in a few days(she was flying home)
The first 5 hours were all mountain roads and the first time my feet touched the road was in Grenoble to fill with petrol and grab a Mc'Ds for breakfast.
Another 6 or 7 hours of back roads saw me somewhere around Leon then I jumped on the motorway.
By 2200 I was boarding the channel tunnel and was back in Leeds in my own bed by 0100.
1036 miles never going more that 10kph over the speed limit.
30 mins in Grenoble for breakfast and 20 mins wait for the tunnel at calais and 4 other stops for petrol and a bottle of water that were all less than 10 mins each.
I was fresh as a daisy until I hit Doncaster services on the A1 after a 60 mile detour due to night closures, I could barley stand when I did my final fill up and had to cling to the pumps as I walked to the kiosk to pay but 20 mins from home no way was I stopping.
I slept 12 hours straight and when I woke I was in more pain than I have ever been in my life for the next couple of days.
That is a great read and a great achievement.
I have never done a long walk like that but I have done similar in terms of endurance.
I was once called out to work on a Sunday morning and spent the day on site, as I was pulling on to my drive at 6pm the phone went again and it was off to a different job.
I finished that one at 5am in Sheffield but I was booked on site in Thirsk at 9am and thus job had taken months to sort so I drove there, did a few services in the area then installed the machine.
On the way back I got another call and finally landed back home at 1800, 36 hours working with no breaks and no food other than a couple of packets of crisps from a shop I passed.
I was in bed by 2000 and slept right through to 10am the next day.
The other one was leaving Monaco at 5am and telling the wife I would see her in a few days(she was flying home)
The first 5 hours were all mountain roads and the first time my feet touched the road was in Grenoble to fill with petrol and grab a Mc'Ds for breakfast.
Another 6 or 7 hours of back roads saw me somewhere around Leon then I jumped on the motorway.
By 2200 I was boarding the channel tunnel and was back in Leeds in my own bed by 0100.
1036 miles never going more that 10kph over the speed limit.
30 mins in Grenoble for breakfast and 20 mins wait for the tunnel at calais and 4 other stops for petrol and a bottle of water that were all less than 10 mins each.
I was fresh as a daisy until I hit Doncaster services on the A1 after a 60 mile detour due to night closures, I could barley stand when I did my final fill up and had to cling to the pumps as I walked to the kiosk to pay but 20 mins from home no way was I stopping.
I slept 12 hours straight and when I woke I was in more pain than I have ever been in my life for the next couple of days.
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In reply to Dax H:
I'll probably be called a liberal snowflake or something but really... don't do that again. It's a miracle you didn't drive off the road and kill yourself or someone else.
I'll probably be called a liberal snowflake or something but really... don't do that again. It's a miracle you didn't drive off the road and kill yourself or someone else.
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In reply to Botion:
I did the lakeland100 back in 2012. It starts at 1730 so the first night is ok.
The second though, 90 plus miles in and I was all over the place. I walked for miles with people who don't exist (I checked the results for names and splits to find them).
Every large rock turned into an animal under my feet, guinea pigs, tortoises, mice. and I was convinced I was being cut off at a pass by a large polar bear.
I had no idea what time it was even though I had a watch.
Worst of all, I thought I'd run strongly into the finish to be told by my support that I had been staggering with a weighty limp. The shame.
As I'd had to work the day before I'd not had time to go nocturnal so was awake at 8am friday and didn't get to bed until 4am Sunday.
It's terrifying in hindsight but I don't remember being at all worried at the time.
I did the lakeland100 back in 2012. It starts at 1730 so the first night is ok.
The second though, 90 plus miles in and I was all over the place. I walked for miles with people who don't exist (I checked the results for names and splits to find them).
Every large rock turned into an animal under my feet, guinea pigs, tortoises, mice. and I was convinced I was being cut off at a pass by a large polar bear.
I had no idea what time it was even though I had a watch.
Worst of all, I thought I'd run strongly into the finish to be told by my support that I had been staggering with a weighty limp. The shame.
As I'd had to work the day before I'd not had time to go nocturnal so was awake at 8am friday and didn't get to bed until 4am Sunday.
It's terrifying in hindsight but I don't remember being at all worried at the time.
1
In reply to Dax H:
Wow. Nobody should be doing anything like that anywhere near the roads. If that's a case for anything, it's a case for tachographs on private cars. (FWIW I expect insurance black boxes will have that effect soon enough - with a driving pattern like that you'll come up as a massively high risk).
I already believe taxi drivers should operate under the same rules as bus/coach drivers as far as working hours go - I've seen far too many dangerously tired ones in my time, e.g. doing a long night shift then a 5am airport run to finish. I could be very tempted to say to extend that - certainly to any kind of business travel. OK, a taxi driver or business traveller doesn't have 50 people on board, but they can just as easily cause an accident that will kill 50 people, e.g. by inadvertently cutting up a coach which then loses control and overturns.
Doing a long distance hike or similar and falling asleep on the train is one thing...
Wow. Nobody should be doing anything like that anywhere near the roads. If that's a case for anything, it's a case for tachographs on private cars. (FWIW I expect insurance black boxes will have that effect soon enough - with a driving pattern like that you'll come up as a massively high risk).
I already believe taxi drivers should operate under the same rules as bus/coach drivers as far as working hours go - I've seen far too many dangerously tired ones in my time, e.g. doing a long night shift then a 5am airport run to finish. I could be very tempted to say to extend that - certainly to any kind of business travel. OK, a taxi driver or business traveller doesn't have 50 people on board, but they can just as easily cause an accident that will kill 50 people, e.g. by inadvertently cutting up a coach which then loses control and overturns.
Doing a long distance hike or similar and falling asleep on the train is one thing...
Post edited at 09:51
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In reply to Botion:
Impressed at you having the wherewithal to do that as an individual thing - I've done plenty of long distance walks and an ultra, but all of them have been team events and/or competitive to keep me motivated!
Impressed at you having the wherewithal to do that as an individual thing - I've done plenty of long distance walks and an ultra, but all of them have been team events and/or competitive to keep me motivated!
In reply to Dax H:
I agree with others here, as an ex cop I have cleared up after too many fatal road traffic accidents in my life. Several of them it was suspected the driver fell asleep.
What you did was reckless, dangerous and unnecessary . I don't see any difference between your voluntary actions in both cases and downing a bottle of scotch and driving, the resulting accident would have been the same.
The problem with people falling asleep at the wheel is the impact speeds tend to be high, basically because in most accidents people brake before impact. If you fall asleep, the vehicle continues at the same speed till it hits something.
The fact you offer these stories up as something to be admired also puts your personal judgment in question.
I agree with others here, as an ex cop I have cleared up after too many fatal road traffic accidents in my life. Several of them it was suspected the driver fell asleep.
What you did was reckless, dangerous and unnecessary . I don't see any difference between your voluntary actions in both cases and downing a bottle of scotch and driving, the resulting accident would have been the same.
The problem with people falling asleep at the wheel is the impact speeds tend to be high, basically because in most accidents people brake before impact. If you fall asleep, the vehicle continues at the same speed till it hits something.
The fact you offer these stories up as something to be admired also puts your personal judgment in question.
Post edited at 11:54
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In reply to Dorchester:
I understand where the nay sayers are coming from and I didn't intend to ride home in 1 hit, the plan was 2 days and to stop when I got tired but I didn't get tired until I was 20 mins from my house.
I was fresh as a daisy on the bike but once I stopped for the last fill up with 20 mins to go my legs didn't want to work.
One day I might enter the iron butt challenge, that is 1000 miles in 24 hours, it runs every year for the royal British legion and people don't die.
I understand where the nay sayers are coming from and I didn't intend to ride home in 1 hit, the plan was 2 days and to stop when I got tired but I didn't get tired until I was 20 mins from my house.
I was fresh as a daisy on the bike but once I stopped for the last fill up with 20 mins to go my legs didn't want to work.
One day I might enter the iron butt challenge, that is 1000 miles in 24 hours, it runs every year for the royal British legion and people don't die.
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In reply to JoshOvki:
Are you hoping to win it?
> Great read I have a 61 mile (~100 km) race coming up in 4 weeks that I am pretty psyched about. 24 hours to finish it in the Yorkshire Dales. Slightly terrified too to be honest.
Are you hoping to win it?
In reply to Greasy Prusiks:
Thanks!
The longest walk in one go was the Derwent Watershed but extended from Nether Edge in Sheffield and back- 62 miles in just over 26 hours and completely self supported. That done 'normally'- i.e- setting off in the morning and arriving back the following day as opposed to doing it after work. Pushing through the 24 hour boundary and to have been walking for a whole day and still going is really cool and well worth experiencing!
Thanks!
The longest walk in one go was the Derwent Watershed but extended from Nether Edge in Sheffield and back- 62 miles in just over 26 hours and completely self supported. That done 'normally'- i.e- setting off in the morning and arriving back the following day as opposed to doing it after work. Pushing through the 24 hour boundary and to have been walking for a whole day and still going is really cool and well worth experiencing!
In reply to Botion:
Micro-sleeps can be very effective. Just before dawn on the second night of the Spine Challenger in January I was practically falling asleep on my feet. So I lay down by the side of the trail, closed my eyes and slept for just a few minutes. This did me the world of good and I continued to the finish with no further problems (other than sore feet!)
Micro-sleeps can be very effective. Just before dawn on the second night of the Spine Challenger in January I was practically falling asleep on my feet. So I lay down by the side of the trail, closed my eyes and slept for just a few minutes. This did me the world of good and I continued to the finish with no further problems (other than sore feet!)
1
In reply to Botion:
Thanks for all the kind comments. It is cool to see the psyche for doing these silly kind of things! Next up is a wander from Dronfield to Marsden via Stanage, Crook Hill and Bleaklow in late April/ May. The route is wonderfully simple and the idea of seeing sunset from Totley Moss, sunrise from Bleaklow and finishing with the wonderful Wessenden Valley is highly appealing!
To those doing ultras or 100 milers- how do you manage or cope with sore feet? It starts to affect me after 40 miles and by 55 it gets pretty unpleasant. Is there any way to prolong it or just a matter of shutting up and keep on walking?
Thanks.
Thanks for all the kind comments. It is cool to see the psyche for doing these silly kind of things! Next up is a wander from Dronfield to Marsden via Stanage, Crook Hill and Bleaklow in late April/ May. The route is wonderfully simple and the idea of seeing sunset from Totley Moss, sunrise from Bleaklow and finishing with the wonderful Wessenden Valley is highly appealing!
To those doing ultras or 100 milers- how do you manage or cope with sore feet? It starts to affect me after 40 miles and by 55 it gets pretty unpleasant. Is there any way to prolong it or just a matter of shutting up and keep on walking?
Thanks.
In reply to Botion:
Bloody hell that's a fair old way.
I'm considering something similar when the days are a bit longer.
Bloody hell that's a fair old way.
I'm considering something similar when the days are a bit longer.
In reply to Botion:
I wonder if I'm just lucky but I've never had any foot problems. I use Salomon fell running shoes sized slightly big to accommodate two pairs of pretty thick socks. I've done lots of 12hr plus days / back to back days and one 22hr day on Charlie Ramsay's round with that set up and never had sore feet or a blister.
> To those doing ultras or 100 milers- how do you manage or cope with sore feet? It starts to affect me after 40 miles and by 55 it gets pretty unpleasant. Is there any way to prolong it or just a matter of shutting up and keep on walking? Thanks.
I wonder if I'm just lucky but I've never had any foot problems. I use Salomon fell running shoes sized slightly big to accommodate two pairs of pretty thick socks. I've done lots of 12hr plus days / back to back days and one 22hr day on Charlie Ramsay's round with that set up and never had sore feet or a blister.
In reply to Botion:
To those doing ultras or 100 milers- how do you manage or cope with sore feet? It starts to affect me after 40 miles and by 55 it gets pretty unpleasant. Is there any way to prolong it or just a matter of shutting up and keep on walking? Thanks.
Get the footwear and socks right. Do not wear goretex fell shoes as they are either too hot or are foot baths when its raining. Lost most of the skin and 3 toe nails off my feet on the S Wales 100 learning that one.
Change your socks regularly and wear the thinnest coolest possible (I use Go Outdoors £1.99 specials!). Four changes for a 60 mile walk would be right for me; about 6 times overall on the 100. Last time I washed, powdered and then changed my shoes too at mile 60. No toe nails lost, no blisters, even though it was very warm.
Some people vas or sudocream their feet; I never have but it can work from what I have seen. Only "dry weather" blisters I had were doing the Dartmoor Perambulation for a bit of a laugh. 55+miles in 15 hours in 80Deg heat left me with blasted feet. Should have changed the socks more...
To those doing ultras or 100 milers- how do you manage or cope with sore feet? It starts to affect me after 40 miles and by 55 it gets pretty unpleasant. Is there any way to prolong it or just a matter of shutting up and keep on walking? Thanks.
Get the footwear and socks right. Do not wear goretex fell shoes as they are either too hot or are foot baths when its raining. Lost most of the skin and 3 toe nails off my feet on the S Wales 100 learning that one.
Change your socks regularly and wear the thinnest coolest possible (I use Go Outdoors £1.99 specials!). Four changes for a 60 mile walk would be right for me; about 6 times overall on the 100. Last time I washed, powdered and then changed my shoes too at mile 60. No toe nails lost, no blisters, even though it was very warm.
Some people vas or sudocream their feet; I never have but it can work from what I have seen. Only "dry weather" blisters I had were doing the Dartmoor Perambulation for a bit of a laugh. 55+miles in 15 hours in 80Deg heat left me with blasted feet. Should have changed the socks more...
In reply to Wainers44:
First West Highland Way Race (95 miles) I did, soles of my feet were blistering after c.45 miles and I was powdering feet, changing socks, shoes etc. regularly after that. Subsequently I've just gone the whole way in same pair of shoes and socks and now prefer to do so... probably depends whose feet, what shoes/socks, what conditions, but different for all of us!
> Change your socks regularly and wear the thinnest coolest possible (I use Go Outdoors £1.99 specials!). Four changes for a 60 mile walk would be right for me; about 6 times overall on the 100.
> left me with blasted feet. Should have changed the socks more...
First West Highland Way Race (95 miles) I did, soles of my feet were blistering after c.45 miles and I was powdering feet, changing socks, shoes etc. regularly after that. Subsequently I've just gone the whole way in same pair of shoes and socks and now prefer to do so... probably depends whose feet, what shoes/socks, what conditions, but different for all of us!
In reply to DaveHK:
I don't get sore feet. Lightweight fell running shoes and socks. Pack light and stay light on your feet. Are you being a bit heavy landing on your feet when running?
> I wonder if I'm just lucky but I've never had any foot problems. I use Salomon fell running shoes sized slightly big to accommodate two pairs of pretty thick socks. I've done lots of 12hr plus days / back to back days and one 22hr day on Charlie Ramsay's round with that set up and never had sore feet or a blister.
I don't get sore feet. Lightweight fell running shoes and socks. Pack light and stay light on your feet. Are you being a bit heavy landing on your feet when running?
In reply to Lion Bakes:
I take it that question is for the OP who asked the question about sore feet and not me?
> Are you being a bit heavy landing on your feet when running?
I take it that question is for the OP who asked the question about sore feet and not me?
Post edited at 20:46
In reply to DaveHK:
Yes it is, thick fingers!
> I take it that question is for the OP who asked the question about sore feet and not me?
Yes it is, thick fingers!
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