24Km march across the beacons, any advice?

[TArrryan]

sometime early next year I hope to attempt something called the Fan Dance, this use to be part of the SAS selection process until to many tourists were present on the mountains, of course secrecy was paramount and they moved to a new location in Scotland to test recruits.

anyway, the fan Dance is a 24Km march up Pen-y-fan and across several more peaks before descending into the valley only to turn around and repeat the process!

there are a few catches though. the march must be completed in under 4 hours!! that's one kilometre every ten minutes in mountainous terrain.... carrying a 60lb Bergan!! the actual weight the recruits carry is lower, but since I don't have a Sa80 rifle to carry with me Ill have to make do with more weight.

 

Has anyone ever attempted such a task or have any advice to give? If you do then please share it would be much appreciated. I am no stranger to long marches though, I am physically fit and completed the 45Mile ten Tors in the past. however this is a much more extreme undertaking considering ill almost have to lightly jog the entire way!!!

 

anyway, Please let me know what you think

[Mike Hill]

Make sure your Boots are well worn in,if possible worn in the same kind of Terrain your going to be moving in.Thats because going up and down carrying a load changes the pressure points that your Feet experiance.

 

I take it that you have worn a heavy pack for extended periods before?Otherwise your shoulders and lower back may get rubbed worse than they probably will be.You could try toughening up the skin with Methelated Spirts.But what you really want are Callouses there.

 

I had to carry a Car Battery and Rifle 40km through the mountains last new year.No fun.

[samarb]

if you need to make up weight then i found ballast in double lined sandwich bags helps as you can fill up the bergan's pockets and it moves arround your body better whilst your wearing the pack also start wearing your pack every where and you'll be supprised how you build up and hopefully it will be easier to carry on the day (btw dont start at 60 just build it up over time).

[TArrryan]

Thanks for the good advice there mike hill (appropriate name for the topic!), Unfortunately where I am in the new forest I'll lack mountains to climb, I'll try and make up for this by going a good deal further, faster and with a little more weight. I can find steep repetitive slopes nearby but they will be be nothing like the beacons. rest assured Ill be paying a few visits to practice though!

 

I am very used to carrying heavy packs thankfully, In my first day on Dartmoor I covered 30 miles with 50Lbs, it took 13 hours but that's because I wasn't allowed to navigate, the team leader believed he was the better navigator because he was 'older'!! fool!!! He made us cross a boggy valley because he believed going in a straight line was faster than simply following the mountain ridge where it was dry, even, cool and only a little longer although we would of done it faster ah ham back on topic

 

the route is relevantly straightforward, its 12Km up the mountains and down into the adjacent valley where you then turn around and repeat it, the first half is the easy part. To begin with you have a very steep 3Km uphill segment, then its a somewhat peaceful (by comparison) 3km across the peaks to a 6Km downhill point where you then turn around. I hope to move across the 6km rapidly skipping downhill, this will be where I can gain time that I lose over the course. the return 6km will be soul destroying though, the long sloping drag uphill and then the last half will seem easy!!

 

of course I have allot of training to do first, half of all SAS recruits who attempt it drop out at this point, and they are by no means unfit!!

 

I remember using surgical spirits on my feet to harden them, I gave up eventually as it was making little difference, I have the feet of a hobbit and the back of a ogre!

 

----Edit----

 

Good idea with the sand in the pockets, beats the hell out of my idea of filling up water bottles. First I have to get a new bag, I don't feel my old one is quite up the the task as it once was.

I have had a little think and Ill start with a sensible 20Lb and step up in tens until I reach 70-80Lb at least on the day 60Lb wont seem quite so bad then.

Edited August 26, 2010 by TArrryan

[Mick Stockbridge]

Good luck mate, I admire people who take on these sort of challenges and if you're doing it for a charity let us know and I'll be the first to sponsor you.

[White Noise]

Hell yeah go for it brother:biggrin: Need to carb up for that mother . Get some really good professional sports insoles . Little bag of sweets to suck on will help every x amount of miles . It will also keep you smiling . Why not put a camel back hydration pack in your bergen . I know it will get lighter as the tab goes on . Make sure you pad out ya bergen straps . Let people know the crack where your going route etc . All the best . R u on about Pen Fan is it the one and same ?

[TArrryan]

although I was going to do it as a personal challenge I am considering doing it for charity too, why waste a opportunity to raise some money to help someone else out I'm thinking of splitting it 50:50 between a charity called dEBra and one other which Ill decide later.

 

I have to start at the story arms rescue centre and climb to Corn Du, Pen-y-fan, Cribyn then about half way to the next peak I drop into a valley (the dreaded 6Km) heading to Torpantau and then repeat.

 

I have done the maths and I have to average at least 1.7m/s to complete it on time, In a ideal world I would like to hit 1.6m/s uphill and 2m/s downhill!!

[Paul Smith]

Go up the obelisk to the trig point 50 minutes, drop down to the roman road and don't stop until the pig pen! Water stop couple of minutes reverse route. Run all the way down to the Story Arms.

 

Do not use sand as ballast, it can't keep you dry, you cant eat or drink it! Take more kit and water.

 

Train without weight on the heart and lungs, carrying 60Lb takes it out on the body.

 

Good luck!

[TArrryan]

Ill pack my bag with all essential items first in pairs and only then bringing up the weight with ballast if needed

 

hmm you sound like you know the area already deer man! good to have first hand knowledge. I want my first attempt to be just that, I don't like having to go back and repeat something.

 

hmm maybe running and walking long distances to improve my heart and lungs and carrying weight to build strength?

[John Barleycorn]

I'm just back from hiking in the Alps, but even on the multi-day hikes my pack was probably not much over 35 pounds, 60 sounds monsterous.

I dont know if you are allowed trekking poles, but I have found that they make me a lot faster over uneven ground. In particular have doubled my downhill speed as they can both absorb the shock on your knees by taking it on your shoulders and stabilise you.

Diet as mentioned, high carbohydrate for several days before to boost your glycogen. Wholemeal carbohydrate at the start of the day to give slow release, plus energy/mineral drinks throughout.

Have you tried those strap on weights on your ankles.

Any buildings with multi-flights of stairs to run up?

Hope it goes well, but it will not involve luck, just practice