24Km march across the beacons, any advice?

[TArrryan]

I don't know what luck is every thing happens for a reason.

60 is monstrous but tats part of the challenge, Among my friends I'm sometimes call the 'camel' or 'pack mule' because of my ability to carry objects and survive with little water. I'm 194cm (6' 4") with a long stride and a ridiculously high metabolic rate. I'm the only person I know of who can wear a shirt in the snow and still be hot!!

 

hmm I like the idea with long flights of steps, Ill give it a thought and thanks for the dietary information. every little helps and you have all been a great help so far.

 

I'm looking forward to running down to the story arms, I wanna see the look on peoples faces as I run down the hill with 60lb on my back!!

[Paul Smith]

As long as your heart and lungs are strong your endurance will kick in! If your not getting oxygen in you will be nakerd before you start! If you must train with weight limit it to 35lb and 1 day a week. You can build up slowly!

[Paul Smith]

I don't know what luck is

 

I'm looking forward to running down to the story arms, I wanna see the look on peoples faces as I run down the hill with 60lb on my back!!

 

Don't be surprised if they don't bat an eye! Use a camelbak and save time stopping to take on water.

[arbogrunt]

...advice?....yes, the 'Sarah Siddons' is the best boozer in Brecon!.

Don't over train, but get as much hill time in as you can. Get some sorbithane shock-stopper insoles, run down hill and push it out up hill....and good luck mate!

[armybloke]

Good luck trooper. P*** on your feet when you are in the shower, it'll make them stink but it toughenss them up. Wear the same walking boots for a month. Get them wet on your feet and let them dry there too. They will feel snug and be like wearing slippers. NO WAY to new boots as you'll come off there with no skin on your feet. Remember the Pen Y Fan is notorious for bad weather so getting used to wearing your boots in the shower is no bad thing! Make a route card for your trip with a start and projected finish time and STICK to it even if you end up in bother and give a copy to a reliable mate to come get you when you are late for that well earned pint in your local. You go 'off-piste' and get lost and no one will find you! I concur with 'deer man'. Take stuff you can use - unless you intend to run a beach volleyball competition en-route! - and a sleeping bag or similar is good advice. Cold, wet, hungry and injured is not nice. For practice get severely drunk in a rainstorm, go home for a battering off the wife for burning toast at 3am and get kicked out into the garden til she wakes up that day at around mid-day!! (worked for me )

[TArrryan]

Good luck trooper. P*** on your feet when you are in the shower, it'll make them stink but it toughness them up.

 

This explains allot if its indeed true!!

 

I'm curious about the idea of getting my boots wet and letting them dry on my feet, the logic is there but does it really work that well?

 

Fortunately the route is well walked by casual day hikers, that's why the SaS moved the Fan dance to Scotland a while back. I'm going to make a laminated A4 card with the route on and carry the map in my bag. I'll be attempting this in anything but the most lethal weather conditions! its not fun if its easy

 

oddly enough I'll be starting at the story arms mountain rescue centre! I don't think I could hope for a better starting position. I'll inform them of the plan beforehand and give them the details of the trek, I might have a comrade in arms for this, but it depends on him keeping up with the training and hardships on the mountain.

I agree with the sand now, It might be suitable for training purposes in the forest but on the day I'll carry as much gear as possible, Ill be staying at a camp-site the day before so Ill pack my tent in it too, maybe get one of those little pop up ones, may not be great but it will provide instant shelter in a emergency.

 

thanks once again for the support, If all goes well I'll start training this weekend and I hope to attempt it mid winter I get very hot so the cold will actually be doing me a favor

[Will Ayers]

i wouldnt bother with the pop up tent, theyre rubbish, go for a bivvy bag, pack your sleeping bag away inside it and put it all in the pack somewhere near the top. this way if the poo does hit the whizzer then you can crawl in to your waterproof bed no probs.

 

i'd always pack food for ballast, pack everything you need and if your under weight top up with mars bars and cereal bars. i usually have some food in a pouch that i can reach without removing my pack, im like you 6'4'' and i can never eat enough. i chow down while im climbing and give it legs on the downhill sections. although i'd say be carefull while on those decents as thats where most people come a cropper on selection, no one likes a snapped leg.

 

i might sound like i know what im on about, i havent been out on the hills for years. this thread has made my legs ache at the thought

[TArrryan]

on the ten tors I use to keep my food in the top pocket above my head, My arms were plenty long enough to reach it, however if two of us do attempt it together then I have thought of a cunning idea. I can keep my food in his rear pocket and his in mine, to get a quick snack it simply involves the one wanting food to drop back slightly and retrieving it. no slowing down and little fuss.

 

I can keep my sleeping bag and survival bag ready packed outside the bag (wrapped in a bin bag to keep it dry until needed) at least then its as simple as pulling it out and getting straight in. I have a habit of considering every possible eventuality and preparing for it accordingly, be prepared and don't rely on luck!!

 

I have thought of a moderately steep hill nearby that I can run down and keep walking up when I don't have time for a full walk during the week.

 

Below is the fan dance in all its glory, Ill try and find a OS elevation map later for better reference, the western marker is the start and the eastern marker is the turnaround point where the 6km drag starts, I'm really not looking forward to that bit

Edited August 27, 2010 by TArrryan

[TArrryan]

Completed a short 2 mile trek from my front door to Lepe beech today, find out how fast I can do it in so I have a way of checking my progress later as I go along.

I was very surprised though!! I walked 75% and ran 25% while wearing my 30lb bag and still managed it in 23 minutes, pretty much the speed Ill have to do it on the beacons (minus 30Lbs and the slopes!!) I have a excellent idea now the pace Ill have to achieve to complete it. Its not much but its a start.

I did get some funny looks from drivers running down the road in steel toed boots, trousers shirt and big bag!! I've never been a running person and end up out of breath after a hundred meters or so, yet I was doing it today with 30lbs no problem?!? strange how things work out

[ukminch]

The only thing that will prepare you for it is to do similar, when going for selection people are running stupid miles a week, as well as weights in the gym, then when weekends come they hit the hills with a pack from dawn to dusk, and repeat for several months - It's not going to be easy good luck!!