BG Thoughts

Can I do the Bob Graham Round?

Course I can. Its only 65 miles after all. Oh and  few hills too. and during the notoriously fickle Cumbrian summer with it's unpredictable weather.

I'm not sure of the latest figures but I recall reading a year or three back that the majority of attempts on the round actually fail. I wont fail. I refuse to consider the possibility. To allow thoughts of failure would lead to thoughts of subsequent re-tries and I reckon it's important to channel all of thoughts and my energies, on and off the fell, toward 1st June 2013.

When I mention I'm doing the BGR, everyone asks me the same question - "what time are you going for?"

Its an obvious response to say "I dont care as long as it's less than 24 hours" and that is true. Whatever my time is I'll be in the club.

But I hope its not being bigheaded to say that most people who know me and know something of the BGR would expect me to take several hours less than 24.

I expect as much of myself if I'm being honest. If the weather is kind and the nav' is spot on then I should be capable of a quick round.

Of course the weather could be terrible, slowing progress and getting cold. And poor weather could lead to nav' errors which lose yet more.

So I reckon I should plan from the outset for the weather to be kind and to be a few hours inside 24, then if circumstances dictate I will have a good time cushion in hand.

The toughest part should be the as yet unknown world of +14 hours on my feet. All I can do about that is train train train. On the fell.

On most training runs I have encountered at least one problem of some sort or another. Falls, weather issues, extreme tiredness, nav' errors. But I know that all the time I've spent out there, especially the ascent, is being banked and should pay off on the day.

I've a week away in the sun coming up. Plenty of running will be done, offroad, but lacking in climbs I think. Hopefully when I return (Easter) I will be reinvigorated, and, armed with the extra daylight, can really push on through some long days.

After Easter I have 6 weekends until the Scafell Marathon marks the end of my training and start of taper period. Unlike the year to date, I'm going to plan out these weekends to include specific long runs as well as shorter faster ones. Handily, there are many particular events happening (Alberts JNC, Joe's 40 mile race, the TWA, Stu's 25@25) once the days draw out and weather improves (!). By making specific plans to attend some of these I should be well served with training opportunities and enjoy the build -up even more than I am anyway going out mostly on my own.

#wecontinue