w/c 21 Nov - Not injured, so good

The main objective of this week was to run for a bit and it not to hurt.  So mission accomplished.

Half a week's training after a month layoff was hard work, but I knocked out about 4000' tentitive feet of climbing and some easy road runs, and nothing hurts and so I think I can start.

90 mins on Kinder (from Hayfield) and 90 mins on Moel Famau (from Cilcain) each felt harder than I hoped, but there was no pain in the calf.  This was brilliant.  It was just brilliant to be amongst the fells again.

This week has not really been defined by the training, but more by the forumlation of a plan.  Well not a plan exactly, just firming the idea up a bit really.  I'm torn between an 1100 start at Capel Curig to get that long leg done first, or a 1800 start at Nantmor which is a start time for me that worked really well when I did the Bob Graham.  I'm also wondering when to go - mid to late May seems to be in my head now, as the weather is often settled and it comes about 3 weeks after the Fellsman, which is a perfect final long day out before a taper. 

I still don't know which time or date I'll go with, but the joy is that I get to spend the next few months working this out.  I'm starting to get excited about the training days.  I don't know much of the ground the PBR covers very well or at all in some cases.  I've never done the bit between Siabod and Nantmor nor the southern bit of Snowdon.  I hardly know the Hebog bit.  I'm hoping to get out on Friday on that long Capel section - this is when the real training begins....

Week summary:

Mon - nothing
Tues - 2M on road, testing the calf - all ok
Weds - nothing
Thurs - 90 mins on Kinder and William Clough 8M, 1700' ascent
Fri - 7M hilly road
Sat - 3M easy road
Sun - 90 mins slow on Moel Famau, 7M, 2300' ascent

4000' ascent, 27 miles

Tune in Head - Business Time, Flight of the Conchords

Going it alone

5 years after completing a summer Bob Graham Round, and 2 years after doing it in mid-winter, I'm off again.  But this time, it's going to be very different.

This time I'm leaving the Lakes behind for the Paddy Buckley Round.  I'm looking forward to discovering the Welsh mountains.  This time I'm going alone.  No support on the fells, no company, just me and the mountains.

It's going to be different because I'm different.  5 years ago, I was a relative newcomer to fell running.  I needed help with my summer BGR and got plenty.  The same for my arctic-esque mid-winter BGR.  Lots of doubts, and lots and lots of help.  Now, I want to explore the experience of a solo round.

I've helped out on a few BGRs and a PBR and have enjoyed them all and have repaid many a debt.  Now I'm tiring a bit of the 'events' that rounds, especially BGRs, can become. There's nothing wrong with that, but I'm in a different space now - a much more low key space.  Hence the desire to do a low key round.

I do think that the PBR lends itself to a lone round, more than the BGR.  There's no club, no membership criteria, no 24 time limit and no ratification required to join.  This seems at odds with the mountains (easy to say when you're in the club I have to admit).  This means no completed PBR can be described as a failure.  I like that.  

Also, these mountains are for the most part, more remote.  To my mind, a posse, working doggedly to a schedule seems wrong here.  Well, less appropriate anyway.  I love the idea of a sort-of wilderness experience and so I'm going for that.

I'm also motivated by the additional challenge presented by a solo round.  Carrying your gear, finding your own way, feeding yourself, assessing the conditions and keeping the will alive are all new tests to the soloist.  There's no hiding place on a solo round.  

The other huge benefit is that you can go when you're ready. With a group of helpers, you usually have to pick a time months in advance and stick to it, give or take an hour. Here, I can wait for settled weather, put it back if i'm not sure i've got enough training in and just go when I'm 100% ready.

Right now in November, I'm at a low ebb fitness-wise as I've had a recent calf injury.  It appears that it's almost mended and so it is with excitement that I'm on the cusp of preparing for a summer 24 hour round again - a great thing to have in your life.

This blog, like the others, captures the highs, lows and frankly, mostly boring details....