The Spine Race Guide

Sunday, 5 January 2020

Thinking Out Of The Box 2020

Reading facebook posts in the week leading up the Start can give an indication of how well the racers are informed about of the race .
Some of the questions indicate a frightening level of ignorance into the Reality Of The Spine.

Most first time runners come to the start with major pre conceptions about this race. They believe that the most important factor is to get as fit as possible and buy all the Lightest Kit.
Looking at the views of my Blog Posts I can tell that you are all obsessed by Kit.
Having the kit will do you no good at all if you don't know how and when to use it . The best example of this is the GPS. Some runners never look at their GPS for their whole race . Many more only look at the screen once they think they are lost . A GPS hand held unit will not plot a new best rout back to the trail once you are off track. It will not warn you if you take a wrong turn UNLESS YOU ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE SCREEN. Car sat navs have probably degraded your nav skills over the last few years.

The importance of getting enough high quality sleep is probably the most underrated aspect of the Spine .Just having and using ear plugs when you sleep will cut hours off your finish time . Not having ear plugs can be a major factor in many DNF's . Lack of sleep at noisy CP dorms will severely degrade your thinking process and physical state.

This may have led to one runner exiting CP4 turning left and running almost 2K back towards Edale during the 2019 race ( there are also tales that he actually passed incoming runners coming the other way )

Think outside the box

You should make your own decisions . As the race unfolds you need to frequently re asses your options .The course factors change each year especially sleeping and feeding post . Changes to availability of pubs and cafs change every year so cross check with CP staff about whats available on each leg .

If I was racing this year then a potential game changer could be the Hall at Keld . Sleeping at Haws is hard due to noise and stress . The YHA could be packed and you may be trying to get to sleep in daylight . Consider feeding up and changing at Haws YHA then pushing on and sleeping at the hall in Keld . I believe the hall is not exactly on the rout so the majority of runners probably won't drop in so it may be fairly quiet . If you do sleep in this hall to maintain your night sleeping cycle then you need a sign saying "silence please and please wake up by------------ " to place by your sleeping body .

I have re issued several of my blog posts so the titles all appear this month . They are packed with information which should be of use for first timers . Some time /location details have changed over the years so please cross check .

Good Luck to everyone Ian

Controll and Race Psychology

Fighting The Spine!.

Some racers approach the Spine with a fighting mentality. The phrases : 'Break The Spine', 'Smash The Spine' and 'Defeat The Spine' are often used . The basis of this thought process is that the Spine Needs to be fought in order to get yourself to the finishing line. Unless you are superhuman pitting yourself against the terrain,weather ,distance and all the unexpected challenges will lead to a DNF.
FITNESS , BRUTE FORCE AND BALLS Alone WON,T GET YOU TO THE LINE.
  I would advise you to approach the race with an open mind. Instead of setting out for a fight ,try to understand the race especially during the initial phases.
You can,t change the Race but you can change yourself by learning how to react to the problems thrown in your face.
You only have to look at the low number of finishers (Counting out 2015 which was not a normal year) to deduce that this race can't be considered a conventional Ultra. Physical training and a good track record on 100 mile races is no guarantee of success.
I remember reading an article written just before the 2014 Spine listing : "The ones to watch", as far as I can remember all but one dropped out !
Race predictions were applied using standard Ultra data ,ignoring the fact that none of the "ones to watch had ever raced for 100 hrs (a more accurate test of form)

LEARN LESSONS THEN ADAPT YOUR BEHAVIOUR TO EMBRACE THE SPINE.
  Learning how to adapt then reaping the results will boost your moral.

Predicting who will make the finish line.

I have mentioned before that regular Mountain Marathon Runners are at the top of the Finishers lists.

This fact could be explained by the relevance of the training mountain marathons gives you to acquire the skill to do the Spine. I suspect that although the training angle is true there is more to it.

The fact that you are into Mountain Marathons shows that you enjoy the challenges they throw up .

Stephen Brown who I ran with for much of my 2016 Spine put it another way:

" Most Spine Finishers already owned much of the Kit before they even thought of entering"

You could boil this down to the concept that running in mountains with extra nav and weather problems is something that: PUTS A SMILE ON THEIR FACES.

If you like the whole idea of a Winter Pennine Challenge you have more chance of finishing than a runner who has entered the race just because it is the longest race they will ever have done.

That is not to say that a Novice with minimum mountain experience cannot finish (You may possibly have never discovered just how much you like this type of race ).

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I Suspect that I am not the Only Spine Vet who rather hankers back to the good old days where there were fewer Cp,s and you had no choice but to carry a tent and camp out on the trail.

Every Spine get,s a little softer with extra more slick CP,s Caff's staying open for 24 Hrs and better safety cover. However the Spine will always be a tough unpredictable race and that,s what still attracts me .
2017 with its mild conditions boosted the number of finishers
The no support rules and CP 1.5/3.5 restrictions plus a proper 2018winter may well come a shock.

Will you make it to the finish line ?

If you love the outdoors and your idea of a good workout involves mud and hills rather than a long hard treadmill session in a warm gym you are in with a chance .

Finishing loop race such as the Hill or multiple 10k laps of a country park in 24 hrs is a physical challenge with the added difficulty of fighting boredom. This type of race won,t help your mind set when fighting a snow storm on Cross Fell.

If you can smile thinking about the race then you have a high chance of finishing.

If you can smile during most of the race then you have an even greater chance of finishing.

Every ones motivation on this race will be made up of different facets. From a personal point of view I know my motivation changed between Spine Years .

Year One : No idea of how to do the race . Not scared but more fascinated as to how far I could get (pre race mentally put my chances of finishing below 20%). It turned out to be a steep learning curve . I loved each challenge apart from the dry retching on day one . By the time I reached CP1.5 I was delighted to think I could at least finish the Challenger course.
Teaming up with Jen Gaskell before Fountains fell gave me motivation in the form of wanting to help her attempt to be the first female Spine Finisher . (This had the effect of taking the pressure of me which was good for my own moral) . After Jenn crashed out of the race at Dufton I had to re-assess my motives and did this by focusing on beating the German team just ahead of me . I enjoyed the chase and looking back perhaps it was a good thing that I never caught them up!
CP5 to the finish started as a race against the oncoming storm followed by a battle against the storm over The Cheviots .
Throughout my 2013 Spine I had a Smile on my face .I loved the race and was totally hooked.

Year 2 . I had a much better Idea of what I was facing. Much of my motivation during the race came from leading small groups. I also became more competitive as I knew I could finish. My kit worked well allowing me to enjoy the race .
I had one massive stroke of luck by arriving at Dufton just as the race was halted . This gave me 3 hrs free unclocked sleep time . By the time I reached the final leg I knew I had a 3 hr time bonus on all the runners in front of me . Again pressure off and smile on!
Another good race .

Year 3 DNF,t on day one . For some competitors this would be game over . For me a finishers medal is not what the Spine is about. By re-starting as a non competitor at CP1 I was able to look at the race as an outsider and learn from others. I spent most of the race collecting info for my blogs .
Yet again this action took the pressure off me and made my race easier. The multiple stoppage breaks changed the whole nature of the race . The fast finishing times exposing the effects that a good sleep has on Spine Speed.

Year 4 was probably my worst Spine year. I mentally beat myself up for oversleeping at CP 1.5 . This one mistake changed my race into one of continually trying to catch up lost time rather than racing others . The internal pressure I put on myself prevented me from sleeping well during the rest of the race . This all came to a head during the last haul through the snow on the Cheviots . If there had been any way of quitting between hut 1 and 2 then I would have quit. This negative swing was made far greater by my chronic lack of sleep. The Cheviots mentally shattered me!

To sum up how I mentally work . I try to focus on external factors to give me motivation . Internal pressure takes the smile off my face .
I Enter The Spine To Enjoy The Journey . Beating others and even finishing for me is just a bonus .

I have been asked if I would raise money for Charity By running the Spine . I have to confess that I could not mentally cope with other peoples expectations .
My chances of finishing would probably be diminished if I was sponsored to run.

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Enough about Me !
Earlier in this post I mentioned that lovers of mountains have a greater chance of finishing.
If this is you then there are ways you can focus this positive mental energy.

1 Navigating with a map will keep you better in touch with your surroundings.
2 Turning your torch down low at night (Especially in moonlight) will reveal the splendour.
Unfortunately Full moon is the 2nd Jan 2018.
3 Keep your head up and look around . Your nose and ears can help you soak up the mountain atmosphere.
4 Try to keep comfortable in your layers. If you become over aware of physical discomfort you will close yourself off from the outside world.
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Running Your Own Race And Team running.

If you try to make it to the finish line by running with someone you are not matched with in pace or sleeping patterns it will end in disaster.
Starting The Spine with the intention of running the whole race with a partner is a strategy I would only advise if you know your partner really well and have spent some time training together.

Teams competing in The Challenger will be subjected to far less stress.

Ad Hoc Teams will form as you run . Some last to the finish but most won't

It possible to run with others and still run your own race. The one proviso is that teams need to stay fluid. The only way this can work is if runners finding themselves teaming up need to discuss aims ,attitudes and possible 'divorce ' scenario,s. It is also worth laying ego,s on the table so everyone knows where everyone else is coming from.

Large groups tend to move more slowly and eventually break up before the finish line. This is partly due to small miss match of pace and sleep patterns but also because chronic sleep deprivation will magnify any psychological stress between team members.(larger groups will also be slower through CP's as they tend to swamp the facilities.)

You can and should expect unreasonable , manic ,unpredictable and irrational behaviour from yourself and others towards the end of the race (this is especially true for anyone fighting the final cut off,s.)

If you find yourself working well with another runner after hooking up during the race then let them know and discuss strategy. This sounds easy but because you are both subjected to the same stress factors laid out by the race.
You will find it easier to team up than to break up a team.
It is usually up to the weaker team member to give permission for the stronger racer to leave them behind.
Small teams ,especially pairs of runners can and will form strong bonds . Everyone has low moments and running with someone else who is experiencing the same conditions as you can help pull you through your lowest moments more effectively than a phone call to an outsider who can never fully comprehend your situation.

Fear Of Getting Lost In the Dark.

If this is a problem for you then your only option is to team up with others. This can only really work if you are physically stronger than your running partners. Trying to keep up with a group moving faster than your natural pace is not sustainable in the long term.

It is still possible to reach the finish line despite being a weak navigator. This can happen even even among the race leaders . This is a high risk strategy that only really works if you have the capacity to run yourself out of trouble. In some instances navigation weakness in yourself can compromise other runners who feel obliged to help you out of trouble.

Having the ability and self confidence to navigate will go a long way to maintaining the positive mental state desirable to reach the finish line.

Your Moral Obligations To Others.

The Spine Race is potentially lethal! It is run in conditions far worse than other races in Europe (as far as I know)

You have a responsibility to keep yourself and others safe . It is often up to a struggling runner to not put themselves in danger . You should not assume that other runners will be around to pull you out of a dangerous situation and rescue you.

If you find yourself having to stop racing and help rescue another runner then don,t hesitate. The race directors will credit you with any time lost . You won,t be asked to sacrifice your own race.

I have no doubt that choosing to quit is probably more difficult decision to take , than manning up and pushing on.
One of the hardest and most courageous decisions to quit I have witnessed was made by Michael Frenz in 2013. -------30 miles from the finish line he became aware that he was loosing control of his ability to' thermoregulate'. He was still strong and moving well but had sufficient self awareness that he knew he would probably put himself and others in danger if he pushed on . Michael self DNF't despite the objections of the runners with him. It was the correct decision and I salute him for his actions.

A runner suffering from Hypothermia may not be in a position to make their own decisions.

Whenever you pass another runner you should talk to them and assess their physical and mental state. Any worries you have should be reported to Race Control as soon as possible.

Anyone abandoning another racer in trouble has no place on The Spine or any other race!

Although you are racing this does not give you permission for bad behaviour . Sleeping in toilets is pushing the bounds of acceptable behaviour. (during the night it is unlikely to impact on the public but sleeping during the day in a toilet is not acceptable ) This also should probably apply to the Malham Bird hut . (leave it for the bird watchers during daylight)

Competitive Mind Games
This race is hard enough without getting into a fight with other racers .
The main niggles are 1 following a good navigator and trying to disguise what you are up to!
2 Disturbing another runner trying to sleep.
3 Walking off with someone Else's gear! (this is usually by mistake)

The Front runners can get into sleep time spats at CP's Don't ask CP staff to wake you if your nearest competition wakes up first . CP staff are neutral and not your race team.
2018 will be interesting as the front runners will all have the same info on each others race strategy and CP storage times .
In previous years runners with support teams could sleep outside CP's and sneak off at any time .

Mental State Of Tail Enders Nearing The Finish Line.

At this point the tail enders will have been racing for 48 hrs longer than podium runners

The mental strain will probably be far more of a problem than the physical. Sleep deprivation turns most runners into a bunch of 3 year old's who have stayed up too late. Throwing your toys out of the pram is normal behaviour . Just prepare for others to chuck their toys at you and try not to get into a fight.

Once you have climbed onto the Cheviot ridge you are faced with a long wilderness section with no easy way of quitting the race. Anyone on the Cheviots pushing the final cut off will be running in the dark and needs all the help they can get!

The Cheviots in the dark is a scary place especially if covered in snow. If you only get a chance to recce one stage of the race then this is the section you should choose.

By the nature of the race anyone around you in the last stages will probably be moving at the same pace as you .

It may be worth burying the hatchet and teaming up at least as far as The SCHIL. From that point on then turn it back into a race to the line!

HYPERACTIVITY during the race.

This is a common state for virtually all runners at some point . Sleep deprivation and hormonal overload can trigger strange behaviour.

There was once an example of the medical team preventing the race leader from carrying on from CP2 until he calmed down! (offering to do press ups to show he was OK did not go down well!)

Hyperactivity can be your worst enemy when trying to fall asleep.

Spine World: Total Race Immersion

Once you start the race you are surrounded by a group of people all with a stake in the race. The dedication of the Racers and support staff is all quite remarkable and all consuming.

The non stop 24 hour nature of the race kicks up the passions ignited by the race. Followers of race trackers get sucked in and loose almost as much sleep as the racers.

Even for anyone unlucky to DNF keeping posted on race developments is a priority.

Spine World is very addictive and will lead racers to blank out the outside world.

If Donald Trump presses theBIG RED BUTTON during the race ; then the reaction of most racers would be to ask what effect his actions will have on the CUT OFF TIMES!

Outside Communication And Social Media

If you think you will have time for Tweets and Selfies you will get left behind.
Stopping at almost any point for no reason in the open will leave you chilled for the simple reason that the clothes you are wearing will be matched by muscular heat production. The only way you can pause and not get chilled is to dive into heated premises.
There have been some Go pro images from the first 100miles but after that everyone gets serious and either concentrates on the race or Quits.
CP time is not to be wasted on searching for wi-fi (most are black spots anyway)
Phoning a loved one who is worried about your safety should be avoided.
At least 1 competitor has been COMPULSORY DNF't after a concerned partner phoned the emergency services after a runner phoned home for a moan about how shit he felt then the signal was lost!
AS soon as the emergency services are called the responsibility for the runners safety is transferred to the Police . YOU ARE OUT OF THE RACE (NO ARGUMENTS ALLOWED)

Run Your Own Race From The Start!

Now that,s a big ask! Everyone heads off up Jacobs Ladder over pace every year. Letting others pass you is very hard ,it takes will power.
It takes 15 hrs to reach CP1 for most runners you don't have to sprint.

That first hill is not just an issue of over expenditure of energy but also a matter of getting your base layers damp from sweat. Damp base layers will drain you of energy for the next 15ish hours.

Try to take it really slow at the start and for all of day one .Sitting back and learning how to move efficiently will teach you more about finishing the Spine than any Blog I can write.

Make a mental effort to monitor your body . Adjust :pace, clothing and food intake as you go along.It takes will power to dot his but it,s worth while.

The next mental task you need to address is navigation. Although everyone will be playing follow the leader , it,s time to start cross checking your navigation before it get,s dark. If you can make navigating a subconscious habit it will really help later in the race. Try to get into the habit of monitoring your position on the map so you know when to turn the page.

By the time it gets dark small groups will form up for the majority of the runners. One of the reasons this happens is because it takes less mental energy if you delegate decision making to others. Just not tripping takes mental effort so we all tend to load mental strain on others. At this point on some levels you will have ceased running your own race . With a competent nav group leader this may not be a bad thing in the short term but you will be loosing out on forming your own efficient decision making mental pathways.

Good and bad mental habits have a greater impact on your performance later on in the race when lack of sleep strains your decision making capacity.

Checkpoints and de-stressing.

I have said in a previous blog that you won,t have much time for talking but at times having a chat is a good method of winding down your stress levels in order to fall asleep fast.

If you have a CP strategy and a well organised Drop bag this will be a great help. The most simple action such as having a laminated sign saying :"Please wake me at .......pm " attached to your bed he'd will reduce your fear of oversleeping even though you have set your alarm.

Good sleep is the best way to keep your mind sharp and in a positive mood.

Fight /Flight and the dark side of the Spine.

You will have read tails of having to fight your way along the course at times. This may well be unavoidable at times . It certainly happened to me in 2016. Lack of sleep put enormous strain on my mental ability to keep moving . I got to the state where my ability to balance was severely compromised (if i shut my eyes for a fraction of a second I would fall over . I was not actually gripped by fear but I knew I was on the edge of my mental reserves.

When you are in a fight and flight situation your hormonal system kicks in releasing several hormones :Adrenalin and a lesser known hormone Cortisol . These hormones act to override many of your normal bodily functions masking your natural red light warning signs. They also have an effect on your brain effecting mood. Mood changes can help you survive short term issues but can also be a problem inhibiting and disrupting sleep patterns and compromising your immune system This effect can persist for some time.

It is not unusual to see tail end Spine Race Finishers at the Kirk Yetholm village hall sitting and quietly weeping for some time .

Long term high levels of Adrenalin and Cortisol are not good for you . There have been studies on post race Cortisol levels at the Western States 100 that indicate that vitamin C taken post race may help reduce Cortisol. I suspect that the post WS100 levels of Cortisol are way lower than the levels found in Spine Race Finishers.

Virtually everyone finishing The Spine even if they DNF will probably experience some form of mental fallout. What form this takes can vary. It can range from becoming a total obsessive Spine Race bore to falling into a deep depression . You should warn your nearest and dearest that you will be changed by this race.
The term Post Traumatic Spine Disorder has been used sometimes as an amusing term.
POST TRAUMITIC STRESS DISORDER is not amusing it is a real condition experienced by soldiers and others exposed to extreme stress. It is also a spectrum disorder (you can suffer it to different degrees). It is possible that some spine finishers will be somewhere on that spectrum for a while.

Don,t plan on getting back to work too soon after the race.

Note: I Know very little about Endocrinology but would love to know more . If anyone wants to investigate : The Hormonal effects of extreme distance races then The Spine with it,s continual ticking clock would probably throw up some interesting data for a Phd .

I would welcome any feedback from Medics so I can edit out any mistakes I have made in this blog.

Fffff

Spine navigation Reality

Falling back on nav adds such as GPS and Maps will drastically slow your pace . We will normally avoid active navigation with aids unless we acknowledge just how dangerous a strategy "following can be".

You can test this by running with a partner of a similar pace . As soon as you get your map or GPS in your hand and glance down you will fall behind.

This is where your training should come in. YOU WILL PROBABLY HATE THIS ROUTINE!
To reduce speed lost you need to reduce the time your eyes are looking away from the trail. You can achieve this by having a map/GPS stowage system that you can access without looking. Once you have worked out how to do this you need to go out running with your gear ,and set up and a beep timer set to beep every 5 mins . On the beep get out the nav gear and look at it properly so you can see how your position on the trail relates to the info on the map/GPS . ( If you are passing a track junction find it on the map.
All this action will drastically slow you up but gradually you will get more efficient and loose less overall speed. There is also an important side effect in that regularly glancing at a GPS will become a habit so during the race it will feel like a natural action rather than an annoying inconvenience.

For a novice navigator getting to the point where you accept that active navigation will make you faster in the long term is a real mental barrier. This is the reason why fast runners often will try Orienteering then almost immediately give the sport up. Taking up Orienteering will teach any runner that a complex route can be completed faster by focusing on navigation rather than running .

Night time Spine Navigation will almost always be potentially complex.

When it comes to complex nav Ultras like the spine the orienteers have a massive advantage because they will spend far more time actively navigating.

Any Spine /Challenger novice running solo will probably loose at least one hour due to nav errors every 20 hrs. This puts trying to gain time by using ultra light kit as an insignificant factor.

What do we want from our GPS nav equipment?

The answer is a car type satnav type system .

The car satnav works with your brain in a different way to a hand held GPS.

1 It does not require you to hold it.

2 It is usually set up near your sight line to the road.

3 It will give you verbal prompts to any deviation from a straight line.

4 It will describe objects requiring radical changes in direction reducing the time your need to look at the screen and process the information.

5 It will stay quiet when no nav action is required from you.

Car Satnav designers take great care to minimise the amount of attention your brain needs to get to your destination. The device will only ask for you to take action if a direction deviation is required. . They also know about the straight line tendency.

The Walkers/Runners GPS unit.

This is a totally different beast. Most units take very little account of the mental effort required to use them. Some are made so complex that one slight slip on a menu page can require you to seek out the manual (Printed usefully in 16 languages!) . Most are designed to be used while stop ed and held steady. The watch style GPS units can be better but tend to monitor where you have been rather than where you are trying to get to.

It's not all bad and a GPS will probably at some point save your race BUT ONLY IF YOU KNOW HOW TO USE IT.

If you are buying a GPS you need one with an adequate base map. As a minimum I would recommend OS 1:50,000 mapping.

You need to set the unit up so your direction of travel is towards the top of the screen and the map scrolls down as you move forward. The reason for this is that you need be able hold the screen up in front of you and let your eyes look up and see the actual terrain without asking your brain to swivel the view to account for where north is .

If possible get OS 1:25000 mapping. You may think that this is the same as a zoomed 1:50,000 map but there is much more information on the 1:25000 maps including most of the crucial wire fence boundaries on the low level farmland. If you try to Zoom right in on the 1:50000 base map you will discover that the red diamond pennine way cymbals are so large that you can't discern their direction.

You also need to know how to easily access the OS Grid ref from your GPS. This is a safety precaution that will allow the Spine Rescue teams or MRT to accurately locate you if you need to call for help. The Trackers attached to your pack work on the phone signals (if there is one ) and will give your rescuers insufficient information to reliably find you fast. In the past having the Grid ref permanently displayed on your home screen has been recommended but in practise you need that screen as un cluttered as possible.

Having said that there is a strong case that all competitors should be asked to demonstrate locating the Grid ref on their GPS in order to pass Kit Check

Ok we have set up our GPS in it's most simple map form. How about the Official Spine GPX track.
Get this programmed into your gps and displayed on the screen in a unique colour so you can't confuse it with any other lines displayed on the screen. You will hardly ever find yourself precisely following this line as it has not nearly enough way points to follow the trail.
It will come into it's own when you leave the pennine way to go into and out of the CP's which are not all on the trail.
The GPX files issued now are far larger than in previous years as modern GPS units can hold far more points than was normal back in the earlier days of the Spine.
Always use the latest GPX files as minor local changes in the rout happen every year to reduce erosion or keep placate concerned farmers with stock disturbance issues. (previous competitors tend to use old GPX files where even the CP locations may have changed)

Other Factors That Can Send Us Off Course

Everyone entering the Spine is by definition a racer . We have all trained to run. Our primary concern is Speed. It follows that a runner will subconsciously avoid any action which slows you down .

This can be described as wide runnable trail syndrome. Some how we will always choose a fast line over a smaller rougher track. We should be navigating navigating but in reality we get lazy.
The lucky few of you who have recce'd the course will have not had much trouble with the navigation. During a non stressed recce we tend not to overshot places where the PW branches off from a wide unable trail during daylight .

When knackered in the dark without anyone else to follow we somehow miss these small side turnings especially when we are trucking along heading down hill. The classic place where this happens every January is where the Pennine Way joins the Pennine Bridal Way then branches off again.

SE018095 is the spot where several mental blips all conspire to send you the wrong way.

1 the PW Bridal way is wide ,firm ,downhill and in a sweeping curve to the left.

2 The PW itself is a small branch off to the right with the signage indistinct and off your eye line.

3 This will be around dusk or in the dark for most runners

4 You have just passed a road head which is usually marshaled (This interrupts your mental concentration)

5 Interacting with Marshals and other runners may have led to torchlight in the eyes ruining night vision.

6 Once interacting with marshals most of us tend to put in a spurt to regain lost seconds (we run off without thinking.

7 If one runner goes astray down the bridal way a whole bunch will follow.

8 The lead up to the road crossing is a slow section so straight after the road crossing we all tend to speed up.

THIS IS THE FATE OF AT LEAST 20 RUNNERS YEAR AFTER YEAR on Spine and Challenger.

You can make real speed downhill on the pennine bridal way for several Km and there is no big sign saying WRONG WAY The slog back up hill is a real bummer but at least you will have company of the other runners stalling in front of you who were drawn like moths by your head torch.

The Heard Effect

The attraction of the following or just sticking with a group, is overwhelming especially at night. Its not just that you cannot see that far but also that your body clock is telling you that you should be resting. Sight is our primary sense and we can mentally extend our sight by letting our brain latch onto the flicker of a head torch beam far ahead.

Some runners have rear facing flashing red LED's and these are particularly good at luring lagging runners to follow.

Another factor is the subliminal belief that any runner in front might be superior in ability and by default navigational ability.

Unless you actually know who the leading runner is and how good they are at navigating you should never assume they are going the right way

A lost or unsure leading runner will automatically seek reassurance by looking back . If a whole bunch of runners are still following then they will falsely take that as a sign that they are heading the right way.
A whole heard of runners heading the wrong way is difficult to halt. Even the last runner staring at a GPS showing the error will start to have self doubt.

The other problem with group running is that conversation is more fun than navigation. Unless one group member (Usually an Orienteer) takes charge the group will often blunder forwards without even thinking about navigating This is especially true of the high level parts of the course.
On low farmland groups are soon forced to get their act together.

Applying Psychology To Your Recce Trips.

We tend to move slower on a recce and so are less susceptible to navigational regression.

Most recce trips are done in daylight so our eyesight trail clues are stronger.

If you have never done the race you won't appreciate just how much harder it all is in race conditions.

You may be tempted to do more night recce's , and yes this will expose some of the potential nav traps but unfortunately you won't take in so many other memory sight information.

The ideal situation is that we visually memorise the whole course . In reality this is not possible even for someone with incredible visual memory capacity (It ain,t the same in the dark)

We need to recognise where we might make errors and try to memorise these locations

HIGH LEVEL AND FELL NAVIGATION

Nav errors on the high moors can easily loose you a Km . There are long periods where you are following a single track with no signs to tell you if you are heading the wrong way. PW signs will only be found at large path junctions and sometimes at fence/wall crossings The boundary crossings at high level can be several Km apart.

Many of the high level boggy areas have long lines of flagstones. However the primary function of the flagstones is to reduce erosion and not to indicate the Pennine Way. There are several junctions where the track branches and a fairly insignificant path will be paved while the Pennine Way branches off in a less erosion prone un paved direction.

Mental Approach

Start by making the assumption that you won't be looking at your map or GPS at all critical turns unless you are physically faced with a choice of left or right . T JUNCTIONS automatically force you to refer to your map/GPS

Y junctions are more tricky . if the wider non deviating path is correct you will probably be OK but if the PW is a less distinct track deviating from a larger path then you need to make a mental note and possibly mark your map and enter a pinging way point in your GPS.

Beware rail tracking . This is where you go for over 1km on one obvious trail. Somehow during the race your tired brain will get habituated to this trail and you will become more and more blinkered.

Typical example the CAM ROAD 3km before Haws . This junction has all the nav traps .

I The PW Deviates from a long wide track that you have been following for some hours.

2 The Actual PW is indistinct and sort of slides off to the right in the grass.

3 The finger post is set back from the Cam Road out of line of sight.

4 High altitude and probably foggy/dark

5 Exposed windy trail and you are probably distracted by the cold

6 The wrong direction( Cam Road) is down hill and inviting.

7 Its only 3k to the CP/finish line so Challengers are in full race mode and Spine racers are already tasting that CP hot food.

Every year 10% of night runners make this nav error and loose considerable time.

Pre any Recce get out the map and look at all the junctions that require course deviation. Go out there locate these points and ask yourself "Is there any way I can miss this path junction in the dark?"

LOW LEVEL FARMLAND NAVIGATION

Time is lost by multiple minor errors which once discovered give you the choice of retracing your steps or climbing Barber wire topped obstacles.

This requires a different set of nav skills. Any recce of these areas should also be approached differently.

The main difference about the low level areas is that there are multiple paths ,junctions and farm animal trails.

As you are changing direction so often we tend not to fall into 'rail tracking' We are often faced with T junctions so the Map /GPS gets far more use . Your main issue will be trying to work out which muddy smear on the ground is the actual Pennine Way.

The biggest most well trod tracks are made by farm animals and none of them are in the race.

Things are made worse by the fact that many of the Pennine Way wall crossing points are often steps up walls (sometimes but not always with small wooden gates)
By definition they are stock proof so there will be no animal tracks to follow. The gates in themselves are difficult to spot in the dark and the steps up the walls are made of the same material as the wall . It is not unusual to completely miss a wall crossing when standing only 5mtrs away in the dark even with the aid of a good torch.

This wall crossing is typical of low level farm land . If you look closely you can see stone steps protruding from the wall like a ladder. In the dark the steps will be invisible unless you are side on to the wall. The only unusual feature is the sign post, most crossings are unmarked . Without that post you will have difficulty spotting wall crossings like this unless there is a well trampled track leading up to it.
The OS 1:50000 GPS base map does not show all the fence boundaries you will encounter. The same applies to the Harvies PW Maps which are fine on the high fells but don't have the detail required for fast night navigation in farmland.

AT night eyesight becomes more critical. PW trail makings are not on every fence crossing ,they are also small ,faded and don't show up well at night. Most are small faded yellow acorn symbols about 100 mm across.
The wooden finger posts are moss covered and difficult to read from a distance. If it snows the snow tends to stick to the wood completely obscuring the writing.

For low level fields the 1:25000 AZ maps are much easier to read but not being waterproof are easy to get damp and trash. You can put them in a plastic map case but you may need to take them out after 6Km in order to turn to the next page. The whole operation makes map work at low level a real chore so most of us rely on a best guess and the GPS map.

False Signs. (The Post Middleton Trail Trap)
There are places on the course where miss read/interpreted signs conspire to send you the wrong way.
One classic spot is about 500m past the Farm Auction Yard in Middleton. This is a point I raced passed 4 times racing in the Spine in the dark. Every time I came off trail and ended up climbing a wall. This was despite looking out for where I was going wrong . While volunteering in 2019 I got to look at this section in daylight and worked out where and how I went wrong.

To demonstrate how your mind can send you the wrong way I shall explain how my brain acted whilst racing .
Starting from the smelly auction yard you go through several gates heading parallel to the river on a wide track with a wall on your right side . It is significant that it was always in the dark. The track is level and firm and I would have been fed and rested and so pushing on quite fast. The right hand wall is fairly straight but up ahead is a small kink to the left where there is another gate with a white sign on it .

At this point the track peters out as seen above . The gate and sign are easy to spot in the head torch light . You will be drawn towards this gate .

This is the same view but closer.

GPS MAPPING ERRORS

When you do a recce it is important to record your track then have your recce track displayed on the base map during the actual race. You will discover just how inaccurate GPS units can be . Errors of 5mtrs are not unusual and can be much worse in woodland areas. 5 mtrs may not seem much but at times you may have a choice of two gates to pass through . Choosing the wrong gate almost always puts you the wrong side of a high wall or fence and involve retracing your steps or climbing over barbed wire.
Much larger GPS mapping errors frequently occur when the path on the ground deviates from that shown on the GPS map . The real track can often be 30 mtrs away from the mapped track in places.
For runners without a recce track you have to rely on zooming in and out of your base map image . Don't be alarmed if you are trudging along a path and your GPS is showing your position in the middle of a river running parallel and 5mtrs away from your position. This is all part of the challenge of the race. Navigation is all about taking in as many clues as possible and using your brain to sift out any erroneous data

GETTING FORCED OFF THE TRAIL

At times you may pass through flooded areas alongside rivers . The flooding can be extensive and cover any trace of the trail. We tend to walk around these areas as it is impossible to gauge their depth except by prodding with that invaluable walking pole . In avoiding floods we also tend to drop our guard and miss kinks in the trail. The approach to MALHAM is where this often occurs and many runners will get diverted up dead end field boundaries.

The same can happen if the ground is churned up by cattle . While trying to stay upright we we forget to look out for the trail.

Multiple racer footprints in snow or mud .

Just to mess with your head there are some small junctions on the course that regularly catch out racers. This can lead to a really clear wrong track as runners retracing their steps will double the number of footprints.

Tracks in snow are remarkably difficult to follow in the dark as your head torch will reduce the 3D effect .

Overseas Competitors And Folk Who Don't Have Recce Opportunity.

By studying the course with a Map and Google Satellite Image it is possible to actually deduce where you may make Nav Errors, especially on the high moorland areas . Look out for sharp changes in direction especially if they involve other wide tracks (as seen on the satellite image). You can insert Pinging Waypoints into some GPS devices just before the junctions to remind you to check your GPS
The low level areas are more difficult to analyse so during the race always check with other runners to see if they have done many daylight recce's before putting any trust into them.
Your best plan is to get into that habit of frequently checking your GPS. This refex action will start to make sense if you get in some orienteering practice. This will also help train your brain to relate your actual position to where you are on a map. The faster you can preform this mental function the more you will automatically actively navigate and the less mistakes you will make during the race.

In my next post I will take a detailed look at the trail between Airton and Pen y Gent including advice on negotiating Malham Cove in extreme conditions. This is one of the few sections of the course I have looked at while not racing . Racing over this section (always in the dark I know that I have made repeated nav errors as do most of the mid/tail end runners . Reading the post could save you one hr and several tears in your over trousers!

. Anyone covering this section in daylight will probably have very few problems and not have noticed the nav traps.

Improving Race Speed updated 2019

EVERY SPINE RUNNER IS RACING

There is no way of getting away from that fact even if you:" only want to finish"

If "just finishing" is your only aim then you are probably not one of the faster racers and so you may end up as one of the Racers who end up racing the CUT OFF TIMES.

Cut Off times are often changed with little warning especially towards the end of the race when adverse weather conditions can slow progress across the Cheviot,s down to a crawl.

The Spine is 7 days of race pressure so you need if possible to build up a cushion of time.

Overall race time = (Average speed X Time making net forward progress)+ Static Time

Net forward Progress = Time taken moving towards the finish LESS ! Time Moving the wrong Way!
Therefore AVOID NAV MISTAKES.

A conventional attitude to Ultra,s is to break them down into small sections and calculate split times. This well tried race plan formula just won,t work on the Spine. The Weather can double or even treble actual split times. ( Ice Caked shoes don't help)

By all means start with a plan BUT DON,t PLAN ON THE PLAN WORKING!

Some of the situations you will be faced with unavoidable conditions that will slow you up but in most situations you can modify your behaviour to increase average speed .

Spine Race Speed

There is little point of thinking you can measure Spine Speed in Km/Hr. A better measure is to think about time taken between exciting the CP,s. (we tend to ignore CP time).

Think of this as a leg.

Next thing to consider is how to reduce this time.

Conventional thinking starts with :Just Run Faster!

Spine Reality has shown that the faster runners don,t always have the faster leg times .

Training to run faster will only help you in some aspects. It also is limited by the amount of hours you can afford to invest training for the race.

Elite Spine Runners (Who can run a hilly 100mile ultra in under 24 hrs ) Will focus their efforts on maintaining a high speed over longer periods.(Some such as Eoin Kieth have re-trained the way their body functions as a whole)

Spine Race Mortal Runners are better advised on concentrating their efforts by a less physical approach to reducing leg time . The good news is you can achieve this by refocusing your race planning on other factors , rather than reducing minute mile pace.

Race Down Time.

(The number one way to loose speed appart from getting lost)

Minimise Time Lost At CP,s (Some first timers throw away any gains by squandering time at CP1. By the end of the race they will have learned better.)

You may have noticed that my definition of a :LEG time was not the time taken to get from one CP to another. It includes the time taken at the CP
Because you need to and eat sleep , this will be a large chunk of your race time.
Cutting wasted time taken at the CP,s should be the first focus of your attention.

The Race leaders will probably not sleep at all of the CP,s. (CP1 is just a transit stop, CP2 may well be the same as it,s not till CP3 that they will sleep.
Many Elite runners have no experience of running over 40 hrs without sleep.
Every year some of the Elite racers they will miss--calculate then crash and burn!
How much time you need for sleep and when you should take it varies with each individual runner
It is generally accepted that two hours of deep sleep will go a long way towards re-setting your brain. Longer than 2 hrs might be better for some but over 4 hrs is probably wasted time.

: Laying in a bed with your eyes shut but your brain still out there racing is NOT SLEEP.
You will probably be shocked as to how hard it is to sleep at the early checkpoints!
Later on in the race sleeping conditions can get easier (except CP5). But most of the field will probably need some sleep at CP1 so give it a try . If sleep does not come make a fast decision to get back on the trail. (note if you can,t sleep at CP1 you may be faced with sleeeping on the hill at some point before Malam.)

Your CP Routine

This is mine :

Locate CP door (not always easy)

Clean crud off shoes before entering CP (makes re dressing much faster)

Take off outside gear in freezing boot room..

Check in (At CP1 you are given your Drop Bag outside the CP.

Locate drying room if any and spread out wet gear.

Stash pack with drop bag in vacant space available( This will be a corridor at CP1 with people trampling over you and your bag).
Dump hill water and rubbish from pack.

Hot drinks and food first session
While waiting for food prep for the next leg. Get weather info Study map of next leg. Complete battery change. GPS +torch while eating.
Re- set GPS for next leg (Gps should be on loop around your neck so you don,t loose it in CP!!!!)
Make a plan.

Take shower /wash bag from drop bag

Shower then repack wash bag.
Re-fold/sort, maps

Eat more food.
Get medics to look at your feet. then apply medicated talk to dry and avoid athleets foot.

Sort gear for next leg into one run bag.Close bags (because someone will probably shift them while you are asleep
Locate bed .change outside,and set alarm on watch, shade torch beam ,creep inside.
Get in bed ,insert ear plugs,pull black buff over eyes,stuff spare gear under feet to elevate, put watch and head torch by pillow.
SLEEP
Get up taking all gear out of dorm silently.
Get dressed using pre prepared run bag
Get Medics to rebuild feet or book place in Q before looking for food.
Eat any food offered.

Repack Back pack and re-organise drop bag ready for next CP (While your brain is fresh)
Sort Hill food and try to scrounge extra.
Have a dump!
Double check drying room and regret not marking all your gear (are they your Omm trousers or someone else,s , they are not where you hang them before bed!)
Don,t forget your towel
Dress in outer layers.
Get out map and double check way back to trail (Without 180 Degree error)
Fill water bottles.

Decide if its worth delaying for other 'not quite ready' runners.
It,s not so shoes , gaiters, gloves on
Get outside with your poles this time !
Bugger off down the trail.

As for relaxing and chatting you won,t have much time except while eating.

Pre planning how you pack your drop bag will cut wasted time:.
Sub divide hill food packs
Have a dedicated CP comfort bag(Soap, Towel,Crocks , Talk, toothbrush earplugs .)
Tape batteries into the correct numbers for each devise.
Label each sub bag so you don,t have to spread your gear about
Make up a drop bag closure check list.(attach to drop bag).

CP 5 Issues

Inexperienced race staff will assume that you will easily fall asleep

If the Sleeping area is not separated from staff area expect chatting (just loud enough to make you strain to hear what they say!)

: No dedicated dorm at CP5. Everyone sleeps in an open hall. The hall has large windows with no light tight blinds so even with curtains closed it is light during the day . To fall asleep you need silence but especially during daylight it can be noisy .
Ear plugs are a must.

Down Time On The Trail.

You can easily loose more time on the trail faffing around than you will gain from running faster.

This is another case of getting really organised.

Packing.

Your pack system can be regarded as a 3 stage transport system:

1 gear you will only used if forced to Bivi or cook.

2 Items of clothing that you may wish to use that require removing back pack.

3 clothing , hill food , nav gear ,poles that you can grab without removing pack.

Items 1 can be buried deep in your pack with the heavy objects close to your spine.

Items 2 near the top or back pockets in marked sub dry bags

Items 3 at the front of your pack or in front pouch all easily to hand .

If you have to take your pack off you will loose ground and start to get chilled.

To reduce down time on trail you need to practise accessing gear while still walking .

It follows that having more front stowage capacity will allow you to carry out adjustments without stopping.

Having a front pouch will give you a better finishing time!

If the front pouch is prevented from bouncing it will give you better posture and balance allowing you to move faster on rough ground especially down hill.
The only real downside is that they can make taking off your backpack slower

Having to take off your pack will:SLOW YOU DOWN
COOL YOU DOWN
STRESS YOU AS OTHERS PUSH ON

Preventing Sweating will reduce trail down time.

We are now back in the choices of kit selection. At times you will overheat at others you will get cold.

Your first line of regulation should be adjustments while still moving. Jacket Ventilation is a good start . The Paramo jackets sometimes come with multiple zips ( If I could afford one I would get one that opens up down the front and with full length under arm zips so you can easily dump heat from your whole torso . A Jacket that operates over a wide heat production range can speed you up by removing the necessity of having to remove your pack .

Fine adjustments can be achieved by switching Hats .(your hats should be easy to grab.)

If you are forced to change your shell layer your replacement layers should be at the top of your main pack.

Hill Food

This should be on the front pack system to encourage you to eat and keep snacking.

If possible take items that can be consumed with gloves on,
If your hill food is not easy to unwrap you will probably tend eat less!
You need a bin bag for dead wrappers and other detritus.

Nav Gear .

Front and central so you will never put off' 'just checking your course'

GPS tethered to your pack.( Stowed in holster)

Maps tethered again and tucked in front pockets.

Glove Storage .

Get this one sorted and you have just gained 2 hrs off your finish time

You will take gloves off and on hundreds of times during the Race!

Any seconds saved will have a large impact on your overall speed . The problem is mostly about what do you do with gloves once they are off.

Your choices are :Clip them to your pack .

Have a dedicated pouch or deep pocket that they can,t fall out of!

Have them on short strings permanently attached to your sleeves.

Whatever you do it,s worth sewing small loops to them to give you the option of clipping them to your pack.
Practice removing and stowing gloves while walking without looking at the gloves. If you can do the whole thing by feel you will gain ground.

AS a last ditch method chemical hand warmers can revive numbed hands . However most are activated by exposing to air and are not compatible with soaking gloves.

Clip on Storage .

On your front pack strap attach a Carabina Clip to attach :gloves ,hats .

,traction aids , head torch or your mates gloves
. Don,t be tempted to go for a small one ,get a chunky one you can open it with gloved hands !
. Tape or lash the Carabina to the strap so it can never fall off.

Annoying bits that fall apart.

Many adjustment plastic clips on your pack or head torch are designed for easy factory assembly. This means that the webbing can slip out of the clip.

Take a good look at all buckles and clips . Is there any way of using tape, sewing line or a soldering iron to make them more secure . Most of us have had a head torch strap come loose at some time . `in the middle of the night your head torch may well get dragged off your head and require precious gloves off ,spare torch time to re-adjust it !

Not Enough Hands

What you need to carry in your hands: Running pole (possibly X2 )

Map

GPS

Compass

Food

That makes 6 hands plus a spare for really rough ground (Pen Y Gent)

Work out a system . ( I usually only carry one pole at a time)

If it,s not in your hand it has to have a dedicated storage place.
Front storage again!
Work out a way to temporarily store poles fast

Making Progress Along The Course

One question everyone wants to ask is :Do you actually run and for how much of the race?

You will get the impression that you walk the hills then jog the flats and down hills.

In reality this is only for the first half of day one.

Looking at Films about the Spine you will get a false impression :Much of the footage is taken from day one . There is a focus on the leaders who move faster and lets face it we all put on a spurt for the camera. Runners walking don,t make the edit unless they are courageously fighting the elements.

                          I have no idea   what the Elite runners get up to. (most of them had buggered off into the distance before I reached the 1 mile point!). The winner in 2014 won by actually moving at 20 minute mile pace.

The most efficient way to get to the finish line is to move at your natural pace.

Your Natural Pace Is. The speed at which you don,t sweat.
The speed at which you don,t keep tripping up.
The speed at which your energy use equals food input.
The speed at which you don,t make nav mistakes.

7 DAYS is a long time . Most self DNF,s happen over the first two days due to runners not running their own race .
It,s really hard but just try to take it easy for the first few days. Running short of energy early in the race will bight you in the ass later on as your CP stops give you very little time to recover.
Once past CP3 you will have got the hang of things and reserve energy can be used to greater effect.

Have  YOU OVERTRAINED desensitising your body warning lights?

  This is not about lack of tapering . It,s about ending up so fit that your body is trained to run to just keep running. This is fine for a 100 mile race where you aim to fall apart just past the finishing line . If you get anywhere near this state on the Spine your body will crash ,fast and with little warning.
I am not saying don,t train ,just be aware to keep reserves.
If you run short of energy you will move slower and loose heat fast. Adding extra warm cloths will have only limited benefits if your body can,t produce heat. NEXT STEP HYPOTHERMIA.

Power Walking.

This is probably not the best term for Spine Pace . I prefer the term Efficient Pace Walking. If you can train yourself to walk faster your upper body will move around less and you lill expend less energy for a given pace .

Having a loose fitting back pack wobbling around is another wast of energy.

As I Write This Post It,s The end Of December . You will all be well into putting in the miles to train your body . Most of you will be concentrating on running.

It is well worth experimenting on upping your walking pace . If you have a regular training run : Time yourself over a set distance such as a 1Km leg . Force yourself to walk and try to adjust your walking style to gain speed without breaking into a run. You may well find that changes in posture or leg lift will help.

Upping Your Natural Walking Pace Is More Use On The Spine Than Training To Run Faster.

Running in a Group.

For some this is the only way to go.

Any group of 4 runners or more will tend to loose speed.you are always waiting for someone !

For a smaller group sharing nav duties can help speed.

Running in deep snow can be faster if you take turns breaking the trail.

In larger groups someone will almost always be moving at a pace out of their comfort zone.

I shall discuss Group Psychology in a later post.

When Should I Not Pause To Sleep At A CP? (and hope to gain time)

This is a decision most of us will have to face at some time during the race.

Factors To Consider: Will I be able to fall asleep?(noisy CP ,s + Adrenalin)

Will I miss a weather window (And end up fighting a storm)

Will I miss good daylight (When I can move faster and nav easier)

What,s the next point I could possibly sleep in shelter.

Is my sleep system ok for sleeping on the trail?(Tent is far more comfy)

NB carrying a tent in you drop bag will give you more options even if you don,t normally carry it.

Do I have it in me to make it all the way to the next CP?

All these decisions are easier if running solo or in a pair. (Discuss options before you get to the CP.)

If you do miss a CP sleep you will probably gain ground on others but there is always a price to pay. The Tent option is probably best only if you have taken the time to practise putting it up and down in a hurry. (from past experience I believe it,s faster to put up a tent then sort yourself out rather than trying to juggle food /sleep /changing cloths from a bivvi bag.

Risk And Reward Strategy

Your pre Spine Planning is all about the Risk and Reward Balance.

The most basic approach is to equate speed with reducing pack weight.

Podium runners plan never to sleep out on the trail . Their main strategy is to run there way out of trouble so they try to shed as much pack weight as possible.

A runner moving at speed will be slowed by a heavy pack more than a tail end plodder like me.

Carrying less gear reduces your options for very little increase in speed.

For a front runner a light pack can be a significant factor but for the tail- ender light pack weight is less significant than the ability to sleep out on the trail.

The extra 500g of tent over bivy bag weight is a significant factor for the elite.

If you can afford the cost and drop bag extra weight then having the choice between tent and bivy bag in your gear at each CP is worth considering.

What never get,s mentioned in blog,s is that it,s not unheard of for a front runner to end up begging for extra food and warm layers. It,s not always possible to run your way out of trouble .

The relatively mild weather conditions for the first 5 days of the last 4 spine years has allowed several runners to get away with a high risk strategy. If we do get heavy snow early in the 2018 race then I predict that several potential podium runners will DNF due to lack of spare food and gear.

Having used a tent on two years I believe it gained me time . However being a fairly large old bugger I am less effected by weight. One situation are where a tent really pays is if you are running in a pair. Sharing duties so one brews up while the other puts up the tent is mutually beneficial time wise . Most tents are 2 man and once inside a tent offers better head protection so you will probably fall asleep faster and get better overall quality sleep.
The other issue in well below zero temps is that your shoes will probably not be frozen solid when you wake.

THIS IS MY ROUGH 2017 PACKING PLAN for TENT/BIVI choice.

Start to CP1 : 16hrs with 3hrstop at CP1 ----------------carry bivy bag(2hrs sleep max)

CP1 to Maham Tarn : 4 hr stop in bird hut ---------------carry bivy bag

Malham to CP2 : Non stop still with bivy bag.

CP2 food +shower then back on trail at dusk------------carry tent short sleep Tan hill possibly

Tent stop to Middleton : no stop still with tent.+emergency foil bag.

Middleton(shower short sleep): swap tent for Bivi bag then non stop to Alston.

Alston (shower +sleep time adjusted to daylight /weather conditions.

Alston to Bellingham : non stop with Bivi Bag.
Bellingham (3hrs sleep)

Bellingham to finish : Short power knapp,s at Cheviot Huts ----Carrying Bivi Bag.

You will have noticed that I give no split times after CP1. This is because I will be running at my own pace( modified by trail conditions). Sticking to a rigid plan may well not be feasible.

SUPPORTED TEAM STRATEGY(mountain rescue teams only)

Check before race to see if you are allowed to sleep in MR support vans.

You will probably all have back up teams with Vans . This opens up several options.

Tent will never be used as the support van is your tent.

Hill food can be kept to a minimum as extra is always ready at the next road head.
You need to know when and where to expect to meet your support crew. This should be discussed each time you get back on the trail ,so you can plan accordingly

Clothing can be added or shed at road heads according to weather /pace/demand.

CP waiting times can be cut as support team will pamper you!(hot food/meals ready and pre booked

Hopefully this will give a level playing field for all teams .
NOTE : YOU STILL NEED TO CARRY ALL THE MANDATORY GEAR!

Ways for a team to move faster.

One of the key factors is to leave individual ego,s at home. Team Speed is what matters .

Talk this over together and with the support team.

One member of the team will always be slower (THEY HAVE TO ADMIT THIS!!!)

The miss match can be sorted by getting the faster runner to carry a greater proportion of the pack weight.

Support team can re-assess individual pace at each road head. Training together should have revealed pace differences before the start line.

Train to always keep moving fore ward and focus on trying to avoid ever stopping.

Once running pace is evened out then the next thing is forming the best nav team . This is usually one on map and another on GPS.

Next thing is to reduce stopping time . I covered this earlier in my blog but teams can help each other in other ways.

Stowing Poles Any action taken with the hands may involve having to put down or stow a pole. Your partner can take your pole and either carry it or better still stow it in your pack.

Having a team partner gives you access to the back of your pack.

Your team partner needs to know the location and contents of every external pocket and pouch in your pack. With this information they can get things out for you without either of you stopping.

Running In A Group, Transiting Gates.(massive time cost/gain0

It may appear trivial but you will wast a huge amount of time waiting holding gates open.

Try to arrive at gates together even if the tail runner has to put on a spurt to catch up.

The faster runner opens the gate and closes it while the slower pushes onward without pausing.(this is another example of taking speed strain off the slower team member)
The slowest runner never be asked to shut the gate as they will fall further behind.

KEEP TALKING

Each team member must be aware of the condition of the other . with this information you can make decisions earlier and for the benefit of the team as a whole.

Speed In Snow

Snow shoes may help for deep snow (As several runners found out in 2018)

Team running can share workload. Rotate the front runner to break trail in fresh snow.

SNOW BALLING is a new experience for most novice Spine Racers. It occurs at temps of around 0c . At much lower temps the dry powder snow tends not to stick to legs and shoes.

It is not unusual to find yourself with 1Kg of snow attached to your feet (so much for weight saving gear.)

HOW SNOW BALLS FORM:It starts with a seed of wet snow. If this is crushed against half melted snow you will get an extra layer forming (the same as rolling snow to make a snowman.)

Snow balls forming on shoes are also mixed up with mud and grass . This can make them as tough as reinforced concrete!!!

Your best defence is to prevent them forming.

Small fibres of fluff on your laces wet out and start the seeding.

Use a lighter to burn off any fibres and tape lace ends with plastic electrical tape to stop them flapping about.

The photo,s above show snowballing on the frayed uppers. Replace frayed under foot gaiter straps with new water repellent straps.

Overall Speed In Bad Conditions.

You will always move slower at night. This would be ok if the slower pace led to less energy use . The problem is that the reduced speed is due to low light contrast leading to a decrease in walking/running efficiency.

Unless we get cold dry air conditions ,you can expect mist /fog at night. This makes path finding slower ( Visual signs of the trail) and also foot placement difficult.

We are all familiar with the concept of technical trail surfaces . At night any surface can be regarded as more technical. And so slower to negotiate.

. Good lighting will help but head torches have a major flaw.
IN SNOW HOLDING A TORCH IN YOUR HAND IMPROVES SPEED

Your head torch is close to your eyes so you can,t see the shadows cast by objects on the trail. This effect is more pronounced in misty snowy conditions.

By carrying a torch low down in your hand you can see the ground more clearly and move with more confidence. (this is one reason I carry two torches . I turn the head torch beam to min power and turn up the power on my hand torch)

You will sometimes need to follow tracks in mud or snow and holding the torch low down will greatly assist in tracking.

Speed In Bog Or Deep Snow.

You have to accept the fact that at times you will be forced to slow up . Trying to maintain pace over the ground if your feet are dragged down will just sap your energy . Your pace should be governed by moving efficiently even if this means slowing up.

At any point on the course you have to take the long view . Energy saved is never lost .

By moving efficiently early in the race you will find it,s actually possible to speed up over the latter stages of the race.

Stopping On The Course.

In a normal ultra your heart rate is elevated much of the time and stopping for a short break can rejuvenate your pace

Your Heart Rate on the Spine will usually be much lower so stopping gives you very little benefit. Stopping means reducing heat production and having to take extra actions to keep warm.

You should expect to keep moving except for pub stops and pausing in shelter to sort out kit.
Appart from in 2017, temperatures during the race have made stopping in the open for a rest a shortcut towards hypothermia.

Blisters

Most of us will have foot problems .

It is possible to run a 100 mile race with bad blisters by just toughing it out.

268 miles is a whole different matter . Foot infections can lead to the Medics DNF ing You!

It Takes the Medics a long time to dress a bad foot problem and this is all down time.

Dressing feet is not a medical priority. If the medics are called away on an emergency then it will be up to you to sort out your own feet!

Even if you carry on ,by day 4 blisters will decimate efficient walking technique.

Prevention of blisters is better than treatment (There Is No Cure Except Time Not Running)

Most blister problems start on DAY ONE If you take really good care of feet before CP1 you will have much less trouble later.

On Day One when runners are caught up in the fast pace they tend to ignore any pain or hot spots . Fast pace is also a trigger for blister formation.

Over my past 4 Spine my feet have had few problems . There is nothing special about my actual feet.

I Belive my lack of problems is due mostly to always wearing a minimum of two pairs of socks (3 with the waterproof socks) I use Injini Toe Socks on day one .

I Check my feet regularly and coat them with "Burts Bees Hand Balm " which reduces the wrinkling from the damp. My Shoes are large enough not to crush my toes together and I carry 3 sizes in my drop bag.

Most DNF's either happen or are seeded on day one and two . Keep taking a mental MOT of your body during this phase of the Race . You will need a healthy body for the latter stages of the Race.