The Spine Race Guide part 8--- Staying On Track

  There are several good guide books to the Pennine Way . Damian Hall's guide is particularly useful. However the trail Guides are  not aimed at sleep  deprived  runners  running in reduced visibility

  This part of the Guide will cover the parts of the course where it is either easy to go astray or the ground is particularly treacherous.  It may be worth taking notes of some of the grid references and perhaps writing warnings on your maps.
  For anyone lucky enough to have time for some recce trips I shall indicate parts of the rout worth taking a look at in daylight with a fully functional well rested brain.

  Checking out sections of the course before the race

  Any time you get to spend on the course will help during the race. True it won,t look the same at 2am on a foggy January night but you might just remember small clues that will help you navigate during the race.
  You will probably reach mental depths  during the Spine Race that you have never reached  before. Having a vague memory of what the trail is going to throw at you next will empower you putting you in a better frame of mind .
  Try to make the most of any  recce trip by letting your brain take in as much detail of the terrain and features as possible.
                             Don,t navigate using your  GPS.  Using a map will force you to study the terrain so with a bit of luck you will take in information without even knowing it.
                              (having said that by all means use your GPS to record your track. Your recorded track will be more accurate than any GPS mapping sim. If the trail is totally obscured by deep snow during the race then your recorded track( accurate to 2m) will help you locate the underlying slabs.) SAVE ANY TRACK AS THIS WILL BE GOLD DUST DURING THE RACE IF WE GET FOG
                             Ditch the MP3 player. You want no distractions and you definitely don,t want to suddenly realise that you have run for some time lost in your internal world with little recollection of the last few miles.
                            If your navigation is weak then you will probably take in even more information. Getting lost then un-lost will make you an expert in the local area. (have the GPS as a back up to relate your GPS grid ref to the map).
                            Look out for possible places where you could get lost at night and take your time. Remember 16 hrs out of 24 you will be in darkness!
                            Your recce trip should be more about the navigation than running training!
                             Look out also for places you could sleep. Buss shelters , Bothys, Farmers Sheds,Public loo,s . The place you will need thees bolt holes most is lower down especially before long exposed sections of the trail.
                             Take note of sections of the rout where there is no  drinkable flowing water and the last stream before a dry section of the trail.

  The Pennine Way In Winter

            I am not an expert on the course.  Myself and others have gone astray in several places which I shall list here.
           ( If any other Spine Vets can think of other parts of the course worth a mention then post comments at the end of this Blog and I will insert them into the text)
            If you get lost the chances are you will do it in the dark. The places I got lost have a lot to do with what time of day or night I passed through them. Runners with a different pace to me will have encountered problems at different places.

          Do not underestimate the Sheep/Lemming effect on the first part of the course
           Despite everyones best intentions we all switch off navigating for the first few hours and play follow the leader.
           If the runner in front of you goes off trail , there is a good chance you will automatically follow them.  Now we have two runners heading in the wrong direction ("baa baa baa"). The runners following you are almost bound to follow. ( the "baa baa" noises are getting louder). At this point the initial off track runner may have doubts but looking back he will see several others following and assume he is on the correct track.("baa baa"). Now we have the power of the lost masses and before you know it half the field is heading in the wrong direction. This Sheep effect is particularly powerful if all you can see is head torches. Don,t be afraid to shout: "The Emperor Has No Cloths" We are all running the wrong way!

          THE START TO CP1
        Runners getting caught up in race mode with potential sheep in plentiful supply.
         Just past the A62 crossing look out for a small gate on your RHS where the Pennine Way seperates from the fast inviting downward Pennine Bridalway track (well known for lost sheep)
         The trail is fairly straight fore ward  until Fords Cairn SE 004112 The apparent main track will draw you on  bending round to the west and Castelshaw Moor. The PW is a fairly indistinct right fork.
         Much of the high open fell is paved by flagstones. If frosty any stone slab bridge crossing a small stream is likely to be coated in black ice (its easy to treat slab bridges as just another slightly slippery flagstone)

        Most of the field will cross the M62 footbridge at around dusk then soon encounter Blackstone Edge SD 973164 Although the navigation is not that difficult the terrain is horrible. You will be scrambling over large slippery boulders with mud in between. The west side of Blackstone Edge is a steep crag and there is no distinct path through the boulders.

         The lead in to Stoodly Pike Monument can also be confusing as you will be tired at this point and thinking of the delights to be had at CP1.
          Hopefully the final 500m to CP1 will be better marked next year. You will find yourself descending  down a steep narrow boulder strewn track towards an invisible CP . Once you crawl over the large fallen tree across the track you are nearly there. (The bad news is that leaving the CP you have to go back up that  miserable sodding track!)

          CP1 TO CP2
         This part of the trail is fairly easy but with some tricky sections as follows.
         Just up the hill from Gargrave there is an easy to miss gate  on the RHS where the PW leaves the wide track and continues through fields. SD923551
         On leaving the canal path SD910510 the trail wanders through fields divided by barbed wire and swampy ground.  There is no visible track on the ground and it may well be dark. Its easy to loose the trail and following the Harveys Map or GPS won,t be accurate enough.  If you can, check out this area in daylight.
         The 3km of trail before Malham . alongside the river may be easy in daylight but it is easy to miss the wall crossing points in the dark. Once you have missed a wall gate you will waste time hunting for a place to cross! loosing 30mins in this area is not unusual.
          Malham Cove SD896641 is probably one of the most tricky areas on the whole of the Pennine Way in the dark. Much of the trail passes through Limestone Pavement and large boulders with leg breaking holes. Add to this steep crags and gullies where a GPS can,t get a good signal. In the dark covered in snow it can be terrifying.
        The good news is that in summer, this is a beautiful  and spectacular place to visit for the whole family. The pubs in Malham are good as well. (checkout the trail as far as the open ground just short of Malham Tarn)

         Pen-y-ghent SD838733 Can be intimidating for anyone not good with heights. The climb up requires some rock scrambling and the trail from the trig point on the top leads NW and not the more obvious NNE trail. Take care as you head down hill on an indistinct trail as there are several Shake Holes in the area.
        The 2015 course has been changed from that in 2013/4 in that you will follow the origional pennine way course and descend down to Horton. This adds about 3k to the course but is safer as you can be checked up on in Horton before tramping along Cam High road. There is a Cafe in Horton but it may be closed.

         CP2 to CP3
        The trail up to Great Shunner Fell has several side branches. (you will probably be well revived by the Haws CP and possibly not concentrating). Half way up the fell the most obvious track heads right and levels out . The actual trail branches off and continues to climb. (if you find the trail levelling out early before the top you have gone wrong!) 
         Great Shunner Fell itself is high and exposed but once past the Cairn the trail is mostly paved with  flagstones which can get very icy on the descent to Thwait.
          The trail just past Thwait SD892982 can also be confusing as it winds through farmland towards a particularly nasty slippery muddy  contouring path which eventually slithers down to a bridge near Keld.
           By Keld the boost you had at CP2 will have warn off  (This may be a good time for a feed and a nap). You are in for a long slow exposed drag uphill to   Tan Hill Pub.
           Just past Tan Hill you will encounter several Km of bog (get mentally prepared)
           From what I can recall the rest of the trail to Middleton is ok but much of this was in daylight.
           Check out the bothy you pass about 2km past the tunnel under the main road.

         CP3 to CP4
         The path from Middleton alongside the river is fast and easy but once past High Force waterfall NY880283 the trail soon leaves the river into some tricky small fields.
          The trail crosses two bridges then becomes forced close to the river at NY837297  from this point  on you will have to tackle long stretches of  large slippery boulders (much of the time you will be on all fours) there are short stretches of boardwalks then back into the boulders. This section of the trail is 3Km long and requires good concentration. Some competitors find boulder crawling really hard. Take it slow as it is really easy to take a bad fall! (The boulders can be coated in ice formed from the spay from the river and falls!)
           The end of this section has a  steep scramble up the crag beside Cauldron Snout NY814287
            Cauldron Snout and the 3Km trail downstream is worth a recce.

           After Cauldron Snout you have another long slow haul up a fairly good track towards High Cup Nick NY746262  Near  the hanging valley you have to cross the beck which requires you to head up stream to find a place to cross. If we have serious snow as in 2013 it,s difficult to judge safe places to cross (If in doubt head upstream and use your poles to probe the banks) This whole area can be very confusing as many of the fords are un crossable and the ground is covered in snow . You are high up and exposed to any wind.
            This is a section of the PW I have not seen in daylight but would love to recce.
           Dufton is a village where you may need to feed and get some sleep  (Public loo and bus shelter)
           It may well be worth a short detour into the village centre  for some Pub R ad R.

           The next section of the trail over Cross Fell will test you in both nav skills and endurance over probably the most cold bleak and windy part of the PW. It is well worth a Summer Recce
            This is a section of the course that I have only done in daylight. The upper sections : Green Fell , Dun Fell and Cross Fell could well be covered in snow.  The wind may well have covered others tracks so you need to concentrate on your navigation. ( If running solo seriously consider teaming up with someone else as far as Gregs Hut especially at night). Don,t be tempted to short cut from Cross Fell to Gregs Hut . The area is covered by massive Shake Holes! Stick to the trail.

           Gregs Hut to Garrigill is a rutted but potentially fast track. There is a small shop in the village. (this is the last shop to re stock food at for a long while without diverting from the PW into Alston)

            CP4 To CP5
            Take care just past the YHA in Alston. The PW signs are very confusing. You need to drop down than cross the road bridge heading west then take a right at the next junction NY716461

             The trail meanders up onto the fells   and back down several times  crossing the railway.You will encounter bogs without flagstones . Although not difficult to navigate the lack of trail on the ground makes this stretch of the PW easy to get lost on.
              The trail does not follow the rail track except for about 200m  . Running along long sections of the track missing out the fells is CHEATING! and your track is being recorded. 
             Eventually after a long slog across the wet boggy Wain Rig you will cross the golf course and drop down to join Hadrians Wall. 
              You pass several car parks with toilet blocks early on but after that there is very little drinkable water.
             Hadrians Wall is a long roller coaster of a ridge run . Stick to the path on the ridge and don,t be tempted to run lower down to your right or you may well miss the turn to the north at NY781686
This turning is hidden from view till the last moment and you may get drawn on by another path that continues along the wall as did one runner in 2014! 


            On leaving the wall you drop down to a particularly deep bog , stick to the flagstone path or you could find yourself up to your waist in muddy water.
             The trail passes in and out of forested areas which may have been cut since the maps were made.
             The PW leaves one of the widest forest gravel roads on the RHS (I have missed this twice) A bit further on there is a sign saying "alternative path to PW". On rejoining the PW you will find it is a minute track through the forest.
              It was not long past this junction that the 2014 racers encountered a section we called The Road To Hell or the "mud road" this was a long section of deep sloppy mud. One slip would have left you coated head to toe in mud with no way of cleaning it of . Slipping could well tip you over into a serious DNF mental state. Once past the forest sections you are back on another confusing farmland section.


              When considering sections of the course to Recce you need to try and think where you may be so tired that your navigation goes down the pan. The lead in to Bellingham is a typical example. It,s not that difficult but in the dark it,s easy to get lost.
               The bridge before Shitlington Hall is a typical example. Your GPS may say the PW crosses a ford at NY830849  but in daylight it,s easy to see the bridge 100m upstream .


                   CP5 to the finish.
               First step bon,t get lost in Bellingham .
               The  Bellingham Coop(which you will pass on your RHS) is open till 9pm and it,s the last shop in which to stock up before the finish line!
                Once through Bellingham the path across the fells is indistinct and mostly unpaved.
                Eventually you will enter the forest and join a long straight logging road all the way to the forestry centre buildings.
                 Don,t get carried away as you need to turn left just past the river bridge at NT778013 .  
                 The track winds  through the woods towards the Byrness is goes on for ages before you eventually reach the road.(It appears to have been planned to give tourists a nice scenic walk)
                  The road crossing at Byrness is your point of no return! From then on the PW climbs up to what is in effect exposed wilderness almost until the finish line
 If you have been moving with a group then it,s during this section you may  well all split up . Although   you may be happy to cross the finish line with your own group, somehow the sight of other competitors   overtaking your group or the chance of catching others ahead of you can spit up any tight group.
 ( once you have got in the last big climb to the Roman  Camps the Spine Race will  probably turn into a proper race or  a race to finish in the time limit).
                 Many of the tail enders in 2014 had problems on the cheviots.  This can probably be put down to physical and mental exhaustion. Once you are in this state then it,s easy to make a mistake. The last finishers in would have spent hours navigating in the dark. It takes tremendous resolve and guts  to finish a race like the spine at he tail end . Personally I think tail enders deserve more recognition than the winners. 
                Although the navigation on the cheviots is not that hard, your actual ability to navigate at this stage of the race will be weaker than two days earlier. If you get a chance walk this section of the course before the race.
                You have two emergency bolt holes on the Cheviot Hills. The Mountain Refuge Huts could save your life and even there presence is an indication of how bad conditions can get on this part of the course. Make good use of them to re-fuel and perhaps change layering.
                Once past the second Hut you are nearly but not quite home and dry. 2.5 Km past the hut is "The Schil" and it,s a monumental hard and seemingly unfair slog to the top!
                 From then on it,s a dash mostly down hill to the finish line which is hidden behind one last  short steep hill on the final road section.
                  If you make it then you are entitled to a free beer at the pub. This will be the hardest earned beer in your life!


              That,s only a brief description of the course. You will be surprised how fast time will fly once you are actually racing (providing you have not blown it for some reason!)


            Life On The Trail (The laziness of the long distance runner).

               If you can achieve a balanced  sustainable pace then fore ward progress becomes automatic. Walking or trotting along can become as natural as breathing. The hard bit is using your knackered brain to maintain control of your race.  Fuelling your body, eating , drinking , attending to navigation and staying warm will tax your willpower.
               It,s easy to get lazy and not look after yourself by delaying actions. This is where fore ward planning can help. The key is to make everything readily accessible which is why it helps to have a front  pouch with your pack. You need to be able to get gear out without pausing step.
               You will become reluctant to stop moving and take of your  main pack, so put such things as Buff,s Gloves, Hats, Water bottles , Maps, GPS and Snacks in the front pouch or pockets. If all your short term use equipment is in front of your face you will use it. (even reaching back to grab a water bottle from the side pocket of your main pack cam feel like a huge effort).

               Every now and then you will need to take of your main pack and make major adjustments but the moment you stop you will start to lose body heat. When you do this you may want to consider re-stocking your front pouch.
                There is a fine line between steady state and physically going down hill. As the race progresses the speed at which your race can come apart will increase .

                 I am a big believer in using headgear and gloves to fine tune my body temperature. Because my gear is handy I often swap them around. This action has a subtle effect on my general moral. I like to make fine adjustments so I feel I am in control rather than a passive  victim of the cold.

                Practise  these small actions with your kit before the race.  Can you feed yourself while walking on rough ground?  You may have stopped to cook a re hydrated meal in a bag but if your body temperature has plummeted you may need to eat it while walking. Can you do this without a fork by sqeasing the bag to get the hot food down your neck.  
                 What you carry in your hands will have a bearing on all these actions. If you are using poles can you stow them easily? Your map compass and GPS should be stowed safely in your front pouch . If wearing  heavy Mitts there may not be room in the pouch so they need to be clipped to your shoulder straps.


                 Many of these questions may appear trivial but they are things I had to learn how to do during the 2013 Spine Race . Life on the trail would have been easier If I had experimented before the race.

                 Minor adjustments are even more important if you are moving in a group. If you travel alone you can fine tune your pace (and heat production).  In a group one of you will be generating either to little or to much heat. This needs to be adjusted by headgear or glove shuffling unless you  halt the whole group while you take of your main pack for more radical changes. This is another reason why smaller groups work best. Fortunately towards the end of the race miss matched groups will have split up so differences in natural pace should not be so much of a problem.  

            Avoiding The DNF

            I have written at length about not blowing your race by moving over pace in the first 100miles.

            To get to the finish line on a race this long I also believe you need to be enjoying yourself. You just can,t run for 268miles with a frown on your face

          For some of us this is all about running in company. Personally I have to admit I am just a big Kid. I get a real kick out of the complexity of the race and the challenge of the adverse conditions. If it hurts then I slow down. I am acutely aware of the dangers of getting competitive to early in the race. Having other runners overtake me early on is no problem provided they are younger than me (That's 95%of the field)

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          Yes I know the vast majority of you reading this blog will swear blind that you just want to get to the finish line. One of the most difficult aspects of this whole race is keeping to that intention.

           I do believe that the percentage DNF would reduce dramatically if you could drop the word "race"from your ego at least as far as Bellingham. After that by all means let rip for the finish line. Several Spine Race Finishers over the last two years Started from Edale not fit enough to finish but still managed to get to the finish line because they were having a good time.

           The DNF,s were either injured or were not enjoying themselves.

            Communication Whilst On The Course

             The Phone Signal on the pennine way can be patchy and not strong. If you phone home for a good moan and you are cut off half way through the call this can lead to unexpected consequences .      Your  situation will sound even worse to someone waiting at home. You may unintentionally cause them to contact the emergency services.

 Once someone dials 999 on your behalf then your race is over! (it becomes the emergency services responsibility to get you off the hills no matter how good you are feeling).

           The Spine Race may be hard for you,  but for someone who cares about you , watching your tracker trace on a computer screen , it can be terrifying.
         

            I hope this guide has or will help you achieve your goals in The Spine Race.

            If pushed to give two top tips I come up with this: Mentally--------  Keep Smiling .
                                                                                            Physically------ Practise Walking Fast And Efficiently.

                  


                
               

                 

Tackling the 2015 Spine Race (Spine Guide Part 7)

 

Its been several months since finishing the 2014 Spine Race.
I have read all the blogs I could find, trying to pick out any points I may have missed out from my previous Spine Race Guide Blogs.

One thing I have noticed is that the better trained Elite Runners appear to have a higher DNF rate than many of us less well trained runners.
 Possibly they can,t afford to trash their bodies especially their feet.

It could be that most of the Elite runners train for 100 mile races so they are in the same boat as the mortal runners once past CP 2.  This could be a factor but I suspect that the reasons are more complex.
        Over training could be a reason for the high Elite DNF rate.( The word "over training" is probably not appropriate for what I mean)

Negative Side Effects Of Standard Ultra Training.

       Clocking up the miles , Hill reps, High Intensity Training and all the other obvious Ultra Training methods will condition your body to run further and faster.
        Your body will physically become more efficient and your mind will accept what you are doing to your body as normal   THIS CAN BE A  PROBLEM
         Intensive training may reduce your ability to notice how far you are pushing your body.
         Elite runners train to push their bodies closer to their physical limits.
         The Spine Race is run in conditions where not noticing early how hungry, cold or tired you are can rapidly tip you into a potential DNF situation. Even if you become aware of what is happening you may have conditioned yourself to ignore how you are feeling. In a conventional race it is rare that the next CP is more than 3 hrs away. On the spine the next potential rest and recovery point could be 10 hrs away. Thats 10 hrs of cold, windy, wet, dark indistinct trail.
         I have mentioned in previous blogs that the "Man Up And Push On" attitude can at worst be dangerous and at other times it can put you in a situation where it will take you a long time to recover. There is no point pushing on to reach a CP at your planned time if you arrive too depleted or chilled to even eat .
         The Elite runners are in many ways more vulnerable than less well trained runners. They are by definition highly competitive and may well have lighter more stripped down kit . Their alarm warning  bells are set at a higher level. When an elite runners body starts to crash I suspect it happens faster than it does for some of us less fit slightly overweight runners.
         Once your body is operating in a depleted state it can take a surprisingly long time to recover. This is particularly true if you get chilled. On reaching the CP your blood supply will be set to regain the correct body core temperature. Your digestive system will get less blood supply and regaining sufficient food resupply to your body will get delayed. By not getting into depleted state in the first place you may reduce your CP turn round time by several hrs.
          The time taken loading up with sleep and food credits at the CP is at least as vital as your average moving speed on the trail .

   The Sleeping Issue.
          Another major factor could be the sleeping issue.
           Running all the way to CP2 with minimum sleep is a high risk strategy. Most who do this will have avoided pub food stops so could well be low on food as well as sleep. All of us who have run Ultras think about getting the miles in the bag while fresh. What we don,t think of is the sleep end energy deficit hole that we are creating in that same bag.

    It takes time to condition your body to cope with minimum sleep and to eat way more than you usually do.   The first few days of the Spine are all about setting up your body to be in good condition for the latter half of the race.

        I have said it before and the more I read of others blogs convinces me that : it,s how you act between the start and CP2 that will decide if you make it to the finish line. Pushing hard over this part of the course will  at best slow you up in the long run and at worst lead to a DNF.
        It is also  likely that runners slipped and fell  more often through moving to fast over the first few days than they did through tiredness in the latter part of the race.

  Training For The Spine Race.
   
        Most Ultra Runners have a very narrow approach to Spine Race Training.  There is nothing wrong with carrying on with how you would normally train for a long ultra but just upping your mileage is not what you need to be fully  trained for The Spine Race.
        You need to do some quality Spine specific training .
        Think about how the Spine differs from say a 100mile mountain ultra such as the L100 or UTMB.
        The  Spine Race weather   will so bad that  both L100 and UTMB would be canceled if faced with the same conditions.    You could well  be out there running day after day in conditions you would not normally dream of even going for a walk in .
        To train for this you need to go out in the most atrocious conditions you can. Better still go out and train on rough ground in the same conditions preferably on routs you have never run before.
        I should add that this sort of training is best done in company.

        If you train in hazardous conditions you should not do it solo. 

        Finding a training partner to accompany you in this lunacy could be difficult but remember you don,t need to run far or fast as its all about quality. A 5 mile lakeland  wet , foggy  night  run will train you better than ten 20 mile fast blasts in good conditions.

         This brings me to another point. Ideally you need to train on rough mountain trails and preferably on routs you have never run before. If you feel you have to be masochistic then by all means fill your pack with bricks.
         I believe it is well worth doing some training weekends in the Mountains. Drive up on Friday night after a hard weeks work and start your first run on the Friday night so you are knackered before you start. This is of course a big ask for a training partner so it may well be worth contacting other Spine Racers from your area. Use the" loading up of the faster runners pack" method to even up differing pace.
         If the weather forecast for a planned weekend is bad then you are in luck.
         Remember to put in some Bog Running Training.

         Remember  Spine Training is also about testing your gear.
        You do need to have spent at least one  night in your Tent or Bivi bag before the race! 
  That night should preferably be in the rain.  
        (I used my tent and bivi bag in pouring rain during the 2014 Spine Race) Its how I got enough sleep to finish well.
       If you don,t have sleeping in the rain properly sorted before the race then you won,t have control of   your sleeping strategy  during the race.  If you rely on  CP locations for sleeping then:
                           YOU WILL NOT BE IN CONTROL OF YOUR OWN RACE!

        In depth quality training will put you back in control. 
        Making good progress is all about: Sleeping when you need to
                                                                Eating when you need to
                 If you are forced to delay either Sleeping or Eating you will slow up and become seriously more likely to become Hypothermic.

        Training by just running is the easy option. It is easier to justify to yourself and you can even put it on a spread sheet . Bragging about weekly mileage impresses others but it won,t do you much good.
        If you do the maths you will discover that race pace is far slower than you probably thought.
        Pavel who won in 2014 did so in 110 ish hrs. If you assume he spent about 20hrs at checkpoints and other stoppage time this makes his  actual  pace  when moving race pace 20 minute miles

        If you can maintain 20 minute miles you will probably podium! 
         
        The secret is probably training to move as energy efficiently as possible.  The key to this is nutrition and sleep management  rather than running.

        Take full advantage of the training courses offered by the Spine Team.
        The other type of fun training you should seriously consider is entering one or more Mountain Marathons . The LAMM The OMM or the RAB MM would all teach you far more valuable lessons on what you need for the Spine than any Ultra Race . The Saunders MM may also have a few places left. 


       One final thought--- Just entering The Spine Race  proves you are a bit of a nutter. Heading for the hills to run and camp in the rain will just goes to prove how insane you really are. 
       If anyone manages  to justify this behaviour to their  significant other then they really are ready to tackle The Spine Race.

      My next Blog will cover the Pennine Way trail itself and the conditions you may encounter in January on various sections of the course.  I shall also give advise on sections of the trail it,s worth a look at before the race, where you may get lost  and where you may need to make race decisions.

      I have been re-editing my earlier Spine Race Guide Blogs to include lessons I learnt in 2014.
      I guess the guide will never be finished as it,s the complexity of the Spine Race that interests me . I suspect I will learn new lessons every year. 
    My aim remains the same as when I started my first Blog: To write about  what  would I have wanted to know before I first tackled The Spine Race.

Spine Race Guide Part 6. Final Thoughts.

     I am writing this on Wednesday evening so not long to go.
     Its to late to alter your prep for the race now but I have come up with a few thoughts that might help in the 2014 Spine.
    Firstly there is no avoiding the fact that all the rain will have saturated the course so unless we get a North USA big Freeze this race will be remembered as the Wet Feet Spin Year. The implications of that is most of us will have foot problems.
   The whole Trench foot / Blister issue should now be at the top  on every ones list of concerns. To be quite honest it is the one factor that really worries me . And yes that was me shopping for Sealskinz Socks in the local army surplus store £ 9.50 each and labelled as gortex(they look like Sealskinz to me). No idea if they will work but I shall give them a try.


      Blister Advice  As given to me from Anna Kropeliniki (Chief Spin Medic)
Think back to where  you usually get blisters. Hopefully you are using a tried and tested shoe that minimises the chances of friction with the skin. Two socks,Toe Socks or perhaps pre taping the areas of your feet that you know might give you problems. Use the method you are comfortable with. Its another case of knowing your own body.
  Prevention will always be better than cure.

 I have said in a previous blog that Blisters can be a DNF injury . I should explain that the main reason for this is the risk of infection. Most of us Ultra Runners regard blisters as something that we must just put up with until we get to the finish line. We usually take some time off the next day to look after our self.  The problem with The Spine is that the next day is yet more foot abuse! Instead of keeping our feet clean and dry we soak them in a warm moist bug breeding environment then bash the hell out of them!

   Spine Specific Blister Advice
   As soon as you get a hot spot on your feet you should apply tape and perhaps some padding. Try to avoid getting the edge of the tape in areas where there is friction between shoe and foot (you don't want the edges to roll up and rub or trap dirt.
   If you get a blister all is not lost . Clean the area then put a bit of padding just over the blister and hold it with Kinesio tape. Try not to burst the blister because as soon as you do infection can get in .
   The medics at the checkpoints might drain your blisters but they do this with sterile equipment after cleaning the area better than you could manage on the trail.
    At every checkpoint try to give your feet time to breath and dry. 
                                  As soon as you get in    1    clean your feet.
                                                                        2    dry your feet
                                                                        3     apply powder

                  These steps will help ward of damage.
                   In addition it always helps to elevate your feet.
                    Delay taping your feet until just before you leave the CP to give them a maximum chance to dry.  The above procedures will also help with trench foot.

     The medical team are masters at all these techniques . They can tape patches to your feet in ways you had not imagined . They will always be happy to help and it is always worth getting them to inspect your feet even if you think they are fine. The medics can spot the signs of impending problems sometimes before you can feel them.

    The second skin compeed type plasters can give you problems on the Spine . Once applied most runners leave them on so long the  dirt gets under the edges . This can lead to blisters around the original trouble spot. At this point the compeed will have to be removed and as we know they stick like shit to a blanket! It is incredibly difficult to remove the compeed  without tearing the skin and exposing you to infection.


    The above methods are that used by the Spine Medics but you may have your own tried and tested methods . Use what you know works best for you.


    Pay close attention to the advice from the medics at the pre race briefings and feel free to ask questions. The medical advice you get can and probably will save your race at some point.

    And Finally


   I have been re reading my original 2013 Race Report looking for inspiration to wrap up this series of Blogs. It suddenly occurred to me that there may be  way to neatly sum up the race. Everyone has a view on this : Is it a Race? is it an Expedition ? I think I can sum it up from a different angle which may be of use to runners feeling nervous about the race.

    The Spine Race can perhaps be thought of as a School or University . The course you have signed on to is a total immersion course . You will be learn lessons right from the start and continue to learn right up to the finish line when you Graduate. Even then you will only have Graduated from that years class.
      I am a Graduate of the Spine Class of 2013 but that's no guarantee that I will graduate this year.
    The Spine will teach you all you need, provided you are prepared to listen (and not sit at the back and play on your GPS).
       My Blogs , hopefully have given you some insight as to what to expect but the real learning experience starts on the first hill.
     Back in 2013  6 Runners left the Bellingham Checkpoint. They had about 235 miles of wear and tear on their bodies but they had all been paying attention to all the Spine had taught them over the previous days. All six runners were mentally way more capable of fighting there way through the coming storm. One knew enough to know that his decision to pull out was the right decision. The other  5 Graduated and finished the spine . I doubt that any of us could have coped with the blizzard on the Cheviots if we had faced it on day  one :fit, fresh but mentally out of our depth.

     To learn all the Spine has to teach; You need to stay open and keep looking around you. If you are not enjoying the views you are pushing to hard. Runners who like to isolate themselves from their surroundings by plugging into an I Player will just not learn what they need to finish The Spine. Its the Spirit of the Pennine Way In Winter that will give you the power to succeed .

     I just read that last bit back and I am not sure that I like what I have written . Perhaps what I am trying to say is:  You need to enjoy the whole experience and look froward to it rather than see The Spine as something you have to fight to finish.
        And with that I really must go and organise my kit.

The Spine Race Guide Part 5 (Its all in the mind)

          Mental aspects
          Sound Mountain Judgement
          When The Shit Hits The Fan!



           Mental Aspects
 Nearing the end of this set of blogs and I have realised that I have been concentrating mostly on the Physical aspects of the race.  Hopefully the first 4 Blogs have given you an idea of the tools you may need to finish The Spine but you still need to consider how to use them.
          Most experienced Ultra Runners have come to discover that the importance of what goes on in your head becomes far more significant the longer the distance.
          It follows naturally that the Spine at just under 270 miles is a race completed or DNF't in your own head.
                  This is pure subjective speculation on my part but if I was compare some of the races I have run and rated  the fraction of Physical to Mental Importance  to finish the race ,I come up with this:

                   Fell Marathon                                     Physical 90%        Mental  10%
                   Classic Quarter ( 44 miler)                  Physical 80%        Mental  20%
                   Fellsman   (62 miler)                           Physical70%         Mental   30%
                   Lakeland 100                                      Physical 50%         Mental   50%
                   Spine Race                                          Physical 20%         Mental   80%

          At first glance considering how physically taxing the Spine Race is you may think that's all bollocks!  
           Try and look at the Spine another way yes it is physically brutal running 2.7x 100 milers. But  to pull yourself through to the Spine  finish line you have to use ten times  more mental effort than that used to run 100miles!
          The figures are larger but The 20/80 split stays the same.
                 Forgive  me my figures are totally plucked out of the air but I hope you get my point.

          Over  the past year I  wondered  how the hell I finished the Spine? Writing the Spine Guide is perhaps a sort of therapy ( Totnes where I live is overrun by   Therapists). I have found it much easier to discuss the tangible physical processes . I know that with a few exceptions most runners are looking for an answer to the things that they can perhaps measure.
          If I had started the Blogs with  my woolly musings on how to think your way to the Finish Line you would all have got bored a long time ago.

           It may come as a big disappointment  but I have no answers for you as an individual.
           Andy Mouncey (who has studied this sort of thing) would say : "You need to want the race".
           For many of you this will be key to you finishing this race or not.
           After talking to Andy I have tried to look deeper into what I was thinking during the 2013 Spine. My conclusions are as follows :
                                                            On starting I felt I was so far out of my depth that I really did not care if I got to the finish line.
                                                             Day one I reverted to my default state of getting competitive.
                                                             Day two after the shock of a near DNF at CP1 I got back into control and started enjoying myself getting into the groove. I must confess I also get onto a bit of an Ego trip if I am lead navigating in a group.
                                                              Day three I hooked up with Jenn Gaskell and relaxed even more.
                                                              Day four the thrill of pushing our limits which I love to do followed by the shock and grief of Jenn's pulling out.
                                                               Day five I deliberately shifted my mind set back into race mode. Still no real thought of finishing the race but I just Had to run down the Germans! I used this thought and cultivated it to push me on.
                                                                Day six more of the same but just with a sniff of the finish line as being possible.
                                                                 Day seven , grouped up ,head down and reverting to the group running mind set . Probably my most uncomfortable mental state as I felt like the  outsider of the group.
                                                                  Late day seven when the shit started to hit the fan I felt I had become part of the group. The effect on my mental state was dramatic. I felt valued again and I must confess the worse the storm became the more elated I felt.

           The bottom line is that I really enjoyed myself despite all the spine threw at me and this was the key to my     POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE.

           I feel that for me staying positive enabled me to relax and make better decisions.
           This is easy to say but  you may be so short of sleep that your emotions are on a rollercoaster.

          Feeling Abandoned
           I came across several runners (in 2014) who had issues with dropping out of running with other (Usually Pairs of runners). In any group one pair will tend to feel stronger about about staying with each other than say a third member. As the Race progresses one team member may hold the others back and at some point the pair will move ahead without them. The effect on the sleep deprived runner left behind can be devastating.  The lack of sleep can also lead to unreasonable child like behaviour. You should be aware of this possibility in any group situation. Getting to the finish line is difficult enough in itself and requires a degree of selfishness.
             The simple fact is that Group Running is not running your own race.
           

          The Spine Is 268miles of Decision Making. 
          
           Stating The Spine with a rigid race plan will not work. You have to remain flexible .
      
          It is even a mental decision to quit when your body has broken.
          Making decisions well takes practise and if you consider the consequences of getting it wrong in such a hostile environment as the Pennines in January that's why it is so vital.
           If you think back to my discussion on group running I mentioned that runners with weak nav skills can train as they race . The same thing applies to decision making. It is a mistake to let the more forceful member of the group take all the decisions.  A blind follower  will be up the proverbial Shit Creek if they  get separated .
          As the sleep deprivation kicks in decision making will get harder . Everyone in a group should at least inwardly question all the decisions being made even if you don,t always outwardly agree or disagree.
         
       It is because of the hostile environment that many of the decisions you make have to be made early.
        That is another reason why map and compass navigators do well . If you are using a map you have to be more observant of your surroundings and what lies ahead . 
       You need to be thinking ahead ( perhaps stopping to layer up before tackling the next exposed ridge ) . It is this sort of decision that is called Sound Mountain Judgement.(SMJ for short).

  Stu Westfield is way more experienced than me and he will cover SMJ better than me in his Pre Spine Masterclass. It will be well worth attending this class
        
        The best way to learn this is mountain and hill walking experience. If you have not spent much time in the wild  then you really should at least take part in one of the Spine Training Courses .

         SMJ is more a way of thinking rather than a set of rules . You could describe it as a continuous set of RISK ASSESSMENTS  but not the tick box sort.
         You are responsible for yourself and the other competitors in the Spine . Not only that but also anyone who may have to come out and pull you out of the shit such as Mountain Rescue Teams.
          You will probably make better decisions when you are not under stress so forward planning is required . Try to anticipate problems with the trail ahead. At times you may well have to take difficult decisions and override a partners decision if you feel it is unwise or dangerous.  
         
          When The Shit Hits The Fan.
          Sounds dramatic but this is a real possibility on the Spine Race .
          On a standard 100 miler if you can't go any further for any reason you usually have the option of pulling out at a CP. Failing that at least help (in uk Ultras) is seldom more than one hour away. Further more once you stop in most circumstances you are safe and unlikely to come to much harm. (yes there are races held in bad conditions but not as bad as you should expect on the Spine.) 
          Much of the pennine way is remote and a long way from road heads. You are often at high altitudes and exposed to the elements.  This is why avoiding that fan is so important.
          The Spine Race Fan often has a name: HYPOTHERMIA.

          I won't go into great detail as you will learn plenty about this in the Race Briefings.
          The problem with hypothermia is that once you are in it it is difficult to recover without help. The real secret is to avoid it in the first place. 
          Most people think hypothermia is caused by just not having enough warm cloths on to maintain your body temp. However when in an event such as the Spine the heat you are generating through movement along the trail is just as important as the layers you have on . We all generate different amounts of surplus heat depending how our body works . I have previously mentioned how inefficient my running style is so I generate plenty of heat. Others will run at the same pace and generate far less.
           Its a bit of a sweeping statement but many women generate less heat than men and so have to wear more cloths to maintain a level body temperature in cold conditions.

          Our ability to generate heat  depends also on our pace .
                                 Pace depends on energy levels.
                                 Energy levels depend on Nutrition as well as how physically tired and mentally tired we are.
                                 The Cold will make us more mentally and physically tired
                                 If we are  tired we will slow our pace and generate less heat.

      The whole thing turns into a vicious circle: The colder you get ,the slower you go , the colder you get!
      This can develop quite fast especially as the mere fact that you have got that far will have run down your reserves.    You may not realise that you are falling into the Hypothermia downward spiral.

      I mentioned in an earlier Blog about not adopting the " Man up and push on " mantra. If you are a long way from a checkpoint and heading up to an exposed part of the trail then pushing on could lead you into danger.   Unfortunately just stopping won't help either. You need shelter ,possibly food and a way to warm up . In some cases this could mean phoning for help and perhaps moving back the way you came . Phoning race control for help is not a DNF offence but a sensible option . Better still before you get to that state , phone in and let race control know of your worries . The Spine Team are out there to get as many of us to the finish line as possible. They will do there best to help you recover and put you back on the trail again.


     If you are with a group then let them know whats happening . Someone may be carrying extra spare warm gear or have food that helps you.  The rest of the group must also be aware that if one member slows down the groups pace slows and there is a danger of others in the group not generating enough heat themselves through having to move at a slower pace . The healthier warmer group members should not put them self in harms way otherwise the whole group could become potential casualties.

     If you have been running with a group for some time and are starting to have problems then talk to the Spine Team while you are at a checkpoint. You may need help in making the decision to perhaps leave the group ,rest and eat longer then join another group coming up behind you. Your former group members may well be reluctant to let you drop back so having the `spine teams opinion of your options helps.

      You will probably be more susceptible to Hypothermia in the latter stages of the race. It's worth taking a little extra time before leaving a checkpoint to look at the map of the trail ahead. Think about wind direction and any forecast rain . You may spot a section of the course that will be very exposed for several Km. Use this information to plan ahead so you can re assess your clothing needs before getting to an area where there is no shelter to get layered up .

    The other factor you need to consider is that the distance between each CP is an ultra in itself. You will start to tire in the latter stages . If you have gone  out to fast  in any stage ,you may not have enough energy to move fast enough to generate enough heat in the latter part of the Ultra stage . It is remarkably difficult  when fresh out of a CP to rein back your pace .  This is even more difficult if another competitor is within striking distance . One way to force yourself to do this is to overeat before you leave the CP. Its really difficult to run on a full stomach . Moving off slowly will let you digest the food and give you more energy in reserve later on in the leg you are running. (note this won't work for everyone but it works for me.) 
    I you start to get hungry with 10km to go to the next CP thats when the danger of Hypothermia will strike fastest. This is especially true after the first 100miles because at this point you natural body reserves will be low. Your energy supply (and the ability to fight the cold)will be mostly dependent on what your digestive system can directly convert into usable energy.
    As the race progresses the food in energy out process will become more efficient and you may well discover that your natural sustainable pace gets faster. This all leads back to why the Spine Race is different. I strongly believe the first few days of the race re program how your body works. Keep this thought in your head as it will help you to hold back your pace on day one and two.

    None of the above guide lines holds true in all cases.  You Have To Make Decisions Taking Account Of All The Factors
               The decisions made by the TEFT in 2013 on leaving Bellingham illustrate this point: We departed the CP in a compulsory  group. We knew the forecast ( 65 mph winds , -8c and a full on Blizzard) not only that but we would be traversing a very exposed  high altitude remote part of the course.   The Blizzard was forecast to strike at dusk and we had a 5am start. ------ Starting slow was not an option , we had to get as far as possible before dusk. What happened is we marched hard and fast.  We were told about the two Mountain Refuge Huts on the Cheviot Ridge . ( Our emergency bolt holes).       Two hrs into the march one of the team chose to drop out. ( he had found he had lost control of his thermo regulation) He was still running well but made the call that he would probably be in trouble if he carried on . One phone call to race control and a lift by flagging a car down to take him back to Bellingham. This action very likely stopped him putting himself and perhaps the whole team in danger.
     The TEFT carried on and made it to the second Mountain refuge hut where we were forced to halt for the night. Looking back the only mistake we made on that leg was that we did not change the Batteries in Thomas's GPS when we stopped to put on extra layers at the first Mountain Refuge Hut. (as it was the 10 km between the huts took us 7hrs ).   We were forced to change the batteries at an exposed spot 1km short of the Second Hut. The two minutes it took to change the batteries in a screaming wind left every one of us very chilled.

           Thinking About A Really Wet Race .
       Its sunday night and a bit to far away from the start for a really accurate forecast. 
       Not much more we can do in the way of prep but perhaps I can leave you with a few thoughts on coping with rain . 
                  I assume you will all have adequate waterproof tops and trousers. 
        Potential leaks will come from the joins between garments . Can you answer the following questions:

1. Does your top ride up above your waterproof trousers if tugged by the action of your pack belt?
2. Do your hands stay drier with glove cuffs inside or outside of your waterproof top's cuffs?(this could depend on how you hold your arms)
3. What is the best way to keep your feet dry ' Gaiters inside trousers or outside ?
4. How easy is it to adjust your hood opening in a strong wet headwind?

          We have only a few remaining days and plenty of rain forecast so it may be well worth heading out into a rain storm .
          

         
                                                                     

           

                                                             

         

The Spine Race Guide part 4 ( Running?)

Making Progress Along The Course

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

                          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 !

                          I started this series of blogs with the question “ What would I as mid to  tail end runner have wanted to know before my 2013 attempt” What follows is aimed at runners similar to me whose main aim is to get to the finish line. If you don,t make mistakes you could find yourself up with the front runners.
                          As far as I am aware none of the starters failed to complete the Spine because they were not moving fast enough . The reality is many of the DNF,s can be traced back to running to fast at some time and ignoring what their body was trying to tell them. The cut off times are generous and are only likely to become a problem if you spent to much time resting and not moving
.

                          I would love to know how the front runners race differed to mine but only out of interest. I am, and always will be a plodder so their strategy has only limited relevance to mine.

                          Before you read this part on my blog it may help to read my original race report blog :              "Inside The head of a Spine Race Finisher "

                       On My Part: I finished the  2013  race in just over the allotted max time as our group was forced to stop at the second  mountain refuge hut on the Cheviots  because it was just to dangerous to go on that night. We made the correct decision to stop using  SMJ . (more on SMJ: Sound Mountain Judgement , in the next blog)

           This is what I remember of my pace divided into sleep /run phases:

1.      I walked up Jacobs ladder the trotted most of the flats and downs on the way to CP1 fast walking the hills.

2.     CP1 to CP 1.5 probably trotted for about 20% of the time ,walked the up hills.

3.      CP 1.5 to CP3 walked 70% shuffled 30%

4.     CP 3 to CP4 Shuffled 20% walked 50% crawled 30%

5.     4CP 4 to CP5 Shuffled 30% ran 30% walked 40%

6.     CP5 to first mountain refuge hut marched 100%

7.     1^st hut to second hut 10miles in 7hrs(deep snow stagger)

8.     2^nd Hut to finish line walked and crawled on hands and knees (over deep drifts )with a bit of staggering.

However this record only tells half the story. So lets look a little deeper.

         Why My Pace Was The Way It Was.

·      Phase One :1Fresh out of the blocks and quite frankly with no idea of what pace I should move at . As it was I basically ran with the  heard but tried not to build up body heat and sweat.

·      Conditions sub zero with a  very strong dry wind. As I have mentioned before I build body  heat rapidly so for me the conditions were ideal.

·      Underfoot the trail was frozen but the dry wind combined with recent thaws had removed ice from most of the trail.

·      I never used traction aids “TA” although some did.( Some used “TA” because they thought  they aught to rather than they needed to . Traction aids  can slow you down . No one with  TA passed me but I passed several  wearing TA .  The TA runners soon took them off.

All this adds up to standard Ultra Trail Running conditions but a bit colder.  The stone slabs although frozen were mainly dry so we had very little ice to contend with. We all made good progress and the navigation in daylight was mostly follow the leader. ( having said that I still made about 1 hrs worth of Nav  errors due to overconfidence.  

·      The end result was I ran over my natural sustainable pace , Skimped on the food and did my usual trick of dry retching my way for the final 3k into the CP.

Lessons  Learnt From Phase One. a

It is incredibly easy at the start  , surrounded by other runners to run over pace. 

 Almost everyone starts racing

The Spine Racers are mixed up wit the Challengers and we all move at the same pace despite knowing that on reaching CP2 the Challengers won’t need to go on .

In the long term you achieve very  little by pushing hard early but you can do a huge amount of damage to your body.

I  put myself in a position where the medics nearly pulled me from the race.!

Others ignored the forming of blisters and arrived at CP1 with damaged feet.

I wont go into any more detail on my pace over the next few days .My original race report covers the details of my pace.

The best bit of advice I can give about day one pace whatever the conditions are is that in the 268 mile long run, you won,t get to the finish line faster by pushing on early. I believe  Garry's motto is walk the hills . Trot the flats and run the down hills.
 The only thing I might add to that is you have several days to go and you may well  discover that once you get into a balanced state you can start to speed up once past mid way. 

Lets think about the feet issue:

 1 Medics can do nothing about trench foot.

2 Trench foot aggravates  blisters

3 You are stuck with your blisters for the rest of the race.

4 Blisters will slow you up on the trail .

5 If blisters get infected you could be medically DNF'd

And here is a new one you probably have not thought of!

6 Blisters can cost you considerable time even when not moving.

A bad case of blisters can take a Medic over  one hour to dress.

On arriving at a CP with blisters you need to shower ,wash your feet and get the medic to have a look at any problem . They may well drain your blisters with a Hypodermic and tell you to dry you feet as best as possible leaving them uncovered and powdered while you sleep.

Just before you leave the  CP   you will want the medics to do their magic and dress your feet.

 So far so good but the snag is that it can take up to one hour do dress badly damaged feet  and there are several other runners in the queue in front of you !

At CP 4 Russ swift wanted to run with me starting at 7am . He had to wait to get his blisters sorted .  I could not wait and ran on without him . He never made it to the finish line!

 What I am getting at is you must stop regularly especially in the early stages  (day one and two)and inspect your feet .

Blisters can be a DNF injury on The Spine.

\

   Avoiding Blisters.

 Try to avoid getting your feet wet. If you run for 8 hrs on dry ground then encounter a stream then try to go around/ jump or even take your shoes and socks off  , paddle across ,dry your feet ,shoes back on and carry on .

  In 2013 ,I encountered only one stream on day one ,paddled  through with wet shoes  and spent the rest of the day with wet feet. What’s 10 mins delay compared with the possibility of trashed feet.

  Personally I always wear two pairs of Socks so never get blisters between shoe and foot . I do sometimes ,with wet feet get blisters between my toes but toe socks and strategically placed plasters help.

   Don’t use Compeed type plasters. The Medics hate them as they are impossible to remove and dress a blister properly without ripping your skin. There is also the possibility of  more blisters forming near the edge of the Compeed . Again the compeed and underlying skin will have to come off.

       Most blisters form on the first day of the race not because of your fast pace or trail conditions but because you will be reluctant to pause and regularly inspect your feet! The faster pace also makes the rubbing action worse.

     

       

       

 There has been talk of the Chief Medic holding a Blister Master class before the race . If it happens I will be in the front row. You should not underestimate the importance of blisters. Make a point of changing your socks regularly.( At least twice a day). If you get into this habit you may well spot the first signs of a blister forming well before you feel it.

      

                For 2014 I plan to use Salomon  XT Wings again for day one and two. From day3  as the pace slows I will have a pair of Gortex Boots which I may use to try and keep my feet  dry. The  possible reduction  in pace will be more than worth if if I can avoid blisters brought on by wet feet..
(in the event I actually used the boots for day one. For the next few days I used Salomon XT Wings with Army Surplus Waterproof Socks)

          Laces

         Don’t double knot your laces this will discourage you from checking your feet and your fingers will have lost their fine dexterity, making  untying difficult. Adopt  the method  used by orienteer’s who use electrical tape to wrap around the bow. ( Fold the end of the tape back on itself to leave a short tab so you can remove the tape easily) .

            If you have the Solomon Type quick lace system don’t rely on the little pocket in the shoe to store the loop . You are about to put 270 miles on your shoe and at some time the lasso loop in the end will come loose and snag on the stud of your other shoe . At this point you WILL face plant.
           The Solomon lace system can jam up with mud and ice. If the outer sheath is damaged the core will also fall apart so take a spare "conventional" skinny lace (which will fit through the eyelets) . The standard Solomon replacement system is near impossible to retro fit even in a warm CP (On the trail you would have no chance) 

                          Checkpoints

Checkpoints can feel friendly but  Chaotic.  There could be perhaps 60 runners at CP1 on the first night.. ( the faster runners will probably be through and away before the mayhem builds up)

           The boot drying rooms are a particular problem as your shoes will get shifted to make room for incoming runners shoes. All the shoes may end up the same mud brown and be difficult to identify.
            The drying rooms at the CP,s (if they even exist) are often only luke warm with limited hanging space . You cant count on wet gear drying out while you sleep. Limited space can lead to your gear gradually migrating from the heaters while you sleep into a large wet pile on the floor. 

          No one is on the same time clock as you and most of the competitors are only working on half brain power. Especially in the latter stages of the race.

           If you set all your gear out neatly and go for a shower the chances are someone will put it all in a heap in the corner.
           You need to work out a checkpoint routine : Sign in
                                                                                  Shoes of and put somewhere to dry.
                                                                                  Shower if available
                                                                                  Medical initial foot survey
                                                                                  Sort wet gear and hang to dry if possible
                                                                                  Feed then re sort gear for next leg
                                                                                  Sleep
                                                                                  Wake ,feed again.feed again feed again!
                                                                                  Relocate drying  gear spread around CP.
                                                                                  Pack allowing for forecast ,trail geography and             your general condition.
                                                                                  Medics re build your feet
                                                                                  Check and double check Kit.
                                                                                  Look at map for way back to trail before leaving.
                                                                                  Sign out.

           Your routine order may be slightly different . The  routine can take 1 hour before sleep and one hour from waking to hitting the trail without allowing for any work by the Medics.

           As you can see if you want to finish this race you won,t be able to spend much time chatting.
           You should have special checkpoint kit bag containing : soap,shampoo,foot powder,towel,blister kit,tooth brush/paste.alarm clock, (pen, paper,tape for putting a please wake me at ??? time on bunk/dorm door) regular medication,body glide,sarong ,flip flops/slippers. If you have these all in one bag you can cut the time faffing about and shower fast so you don't wast time. Every minute you waste in the CP will cost you time. You have to be organised!!!
                                   

       
           Get as much information from the race staff as you can about  your next section of trail. Knowing you will face 1km of bog followed by several km of dry flagstones will alter your choice of kit.

         As you get more tired you will have to carry more kit as your slower paced body will generate less heat. Re think what you carry at every CP. Double check that you have not forgotten any vital bit of kit before you go out of the door. As Garry Morrison says” plan your kit for the worst case scenario.”

–      Navigation

–      Take full advantage of the training courses organised by the Spine Recommended trainers

–       I  predict  at some time you will get lost trying to locate The CP’s.   Re locating  the Pennine Way when you have just left a  CP can be surprisingly difficult as well.

   I know of one runner who departed CP4 Alston and blindly followed his GPS for 1km heading back towards Edale before he realized his mistake! ( Update ---this happens every year!)

     You will get lost when you drop your concentration, thinking you are on the obvious path. Having missed a small turn off. It is at this point that your GPS batteries will run flat. (Have you ever tried to change your GPS batteries with gloves on ? you may have to).
     Once you have lost the  trail you will have to make the decision between back tracking and trying to go cross country back to the trail.(at night it is usually safer to back track as you may end up climbing barbed wire and ripping holes in your shell layers)
                              Signposts are few and far between so can't be relied upon even if you spot them.
                              Some of the most tricky navigation is on low level farm land. The trail is often obscured by farm livestock tracks. Your GPS won,t be accurate enough to indicate which side of a barbed wire fence you should be on and the Harvey.s maps don,t give wire fence detail. Its not unusual to find yourself following the tracks of earlier runners who then had to climb several fences to get back on trail.

     Surprisingly you can improve your navigation skills during the race.

         Here’s how: Early on during day unconfident navigators will probably find themselves  tagging along  in a  large group with a confident  navigator in the lead.
          Now is your chance to   passively navigate by following the  groups progress on your own map (try to always know where the group is on your own map and look ahead to predict what features are coming up on the trail). This  self training will pay dividends later in the race and having someone crosschecking the lead navigator will help the groups progress.

                      It’s a little appreciated fact that the act of navigation will slow your pace.

                      At times it’s how fast you can navigate that dictates your speed. It’s not just about making mistakes. You will  find your brain slows up as the  long term sleep deprivation takes it’s toll. You will keep losing your location on the map or perhaps  keep hitting the wrong key on your GPS.

                     I would strongly advise everyone not to rely on their GPS . The Spine will put a strain on all your gear and your GPS (despite the manufactures claims of its toughness) has a good chance of breaking especially if you have it out and use it most of the time. Never change the batteries of your GPS if there is a chance of the innards of the GPS getting wet. Many GPS units have moisture sensitive parts located under the Batteries

       The other problem with the GPS is you focus your whole world on that little screen. It’s easy to become over insular then start thinking about what’s  hurting and” what the hell am I doing this race for anyway!”. Map and compass navigation forces you to look outward and  forward  keeping your brain occupied with more useful thoughts..
        My interest in navigating is one of the key  psychological tools I use to complete Ultras.

       I don’t think I would have had the willpower to  finish the 2013 Spine if it had been clearly marked .        ( I recently DNF’t  the 2013 -- Winter 100 at 75 miles due mainly to sheer boredom!)
       The Spine Kit List talks about the Harveys 1:40K waterproof maps. These are ok most of the time but they don't show all field fences and walls . You will spend many hours at night in low level farm land and knowing which side of a fence you should be on will save you from clambering over walls and barbed wire fences.   A better option is the OS Adventure map books of the pennine way (Available from :Dash 4 it).This has all the mapping in two  books at 1:25k scale however it is not waterproof so you need a good map case.

                         Bogs.
    Unless the course is frozen large distances of the Pennine Way pass through Bogs. You need to adapt your pace to prevent the bog from sapping all your energy. Having big feet helps.
    Before the race you need to do training over boggy ground.
    I goes without saying that for some reason you will encounter most of the Pennine Way Bogs at night and in fog!

                         Snow.

 Making progress in  deep snow is energy sapping  . It really helps running with others so you can take turns breaking the trail. Any snow deeper than knee deep will be impassable without poles.

         You will often find the ground below the snow is wet so your feet will get soaked in compacted slush. Without gaiters this slush will build up into blocks of ice attached to your lower leg (this is no fun at all , just ask Brian Mullen). Balls of ice will also form on the end of your running poles. To make progress you will have to keep beating your feet against fence posts to smash off the ice.
           In 2013 we had strong dry wind with dry drifting snow. On the higher exposed ground the trail became invisible for several hundred meters at a time . The tracks of the runners in front of you became obscured in seconds. It is at times like this that working with a partner (one on map and one on GPS really helps)
.

       Night running in snow with a LED head torch  gives you very little depth of vision. Reflection from the snow removes the shadows of trail undulations .

         It can help to run with the torch strapped  to your hand to increase the contrast of the ground you are about to pass over.  I some times ran with two torches. ( The one on my head at low power.)

        A thin dusting of snow can sometimes help you to move faster in the latter stages of the race . By then the soles of your feet will probably   become  tender and the cushioning of the snow lessens the impact of each foot fall.

        The other advantage of snow is the fun you can get examining others tracks. Not only can you use the runner in front of you as a  remote navigator (provided he is not lost) but it will while away the hours.

        If the snow gets deeper than waist deep you will have to crawl over the surface . Use your poles flat on the surface to spread the weight of your upper body.

       You will soon learn how to gauge the  depth of the snow by how much heather is protruding.

      In some places on the course the trail of the Pennine Way is made of flagstones which are sunk below the surrounding ground . Snow collects in this trench and you will have to probe with your poles to allow  you to make better progress  in the shallower snow just along side the trail.
         A thin dusting of snow is all it takes to obliterate virtually all the PW trail markings.

                      Fog/Low Cloud
      Taking your head torch off your head and pointing it by hand will give you better vision of the trail in front of your feet.

                  Race Plan  

              Try not to get into a race on day one or two. It’s during the first two days that you will sew any seeds of a later DNF by damaging your body. Spine Racers will probably get dragged along by challenger runners. Having talked to Mark Brooks (2012 Challenger winner) I know he said that   quite apart from feeling knackered by really pushing the pace over 105miles , his feet were wrecked and he would not have been able to go any further.

        Any runner doing the full Spine  should try to think of the first 150 miles as a training event for the second half.

       The Challenger runners can afford to damage themselves and run their reserves down to some extent  .  Anyone who completes the full Spine will probably have used 5 times the physical and mental energy than the Challenger runners by the time they reach the finish line.

         Challenger Runners should not underestimate the task before them. Yours is probably the second hardest race in the UK . Expect a finishing time perhaps 50% longer than that of the Lakeland 100.

          Because you can count on the weather being unpredictable you will have to remain as flexible as possible with your plan . The ability to adapt to what the race throws at you is what will get you to the finish line.

        

            Accept the fact that your body will be damaged by the end of the race and your mind will probably never be the same again.

    

           

.

              Get really comfortable with your kit. Know the best order to load your pack.

              Practice how fast you can drop your pack ,take out your spare thermal layer and put it on under your waterproof then get moving again. An exposed ridge in driving rain is the wrong time to discover the zip is really difficult to re-thread!

           Listen To Your Body ----The Spine Race is not an event where the phrase :”Man Up And Push On “ always works.
          Damage limitation is the only way to cover 268miles ,you have to run smart.

           If you find yourself muttering about "Digging Deep" as you head up hill beware! The hole you are digging will be deepest when you reach high ground. Once on the high ground you will be exposed to the full force of the elements. It's on the high ground that you will need reserves of energy,  if you used up all your energy on the climb then you will be in trouble.
           This is one critical difference between The Spine Race and a normal Mountain Ultra. The flatish high level trails on the Spine will give you little respite.

          Right from the start try to get really good at changing layering so your body temperature is under your control. Avoid sweating as damp clothing will not keep you as warm if you slow up or have to stop for any reason. The climb up to Kinder Scout is very exposed but if you look ahead for Photographers and MST they will be lurking in the more sheltered spots where you could change gear.

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            Forming a team by running with others.
            Some runners will run with friends right from the start. Unless you know each other really well this is difficult to do as you may well be miss matched . (its something I have never tried)
             
             Half way through day one large  groups may start to form. Some in the group will be tempted to run over pace through fear of being alone and navigating solo as the first night approaches.
            The over paced runners will be doing themselves no favours and might not realise  that another  group runner  is in exactly  the same situation . If you are not happy with the pace :speak out and announce that you are dropping back (It is more than possible that another runner from the group will join you.

            Some of us are quite happy to run solo. Others especially if they are not confident about their Navigation will tag along with others.

           Most of us  mid to tail end runners will spend much of the race running with others. The company helps pass the time  especially during hours of darkness and sharing navigation and planning helps.  You must be comfortable with each others pace and sleep/walk /rest cycle.
            Navigation duties can be divided up : Map and compass navigation.
                                                                        GPS monitor to cross check .
                                                                         Path finder (the one with the best night vision) who's role is to scan ahead and work out the best rout through a boulder field or bog.
           My night vision is terrible and I wear specs so I particularly value a path finders help. 

           Don’t be tempted keep up with a naturally faster runner because you don’t trust your own navigation.
            Running with others brings certain obligations . The slower runner must take action if they are slowing up the faster runner.    Most fast runners,  because of what I call : "The Way Of The Spine "won,t be able to just take off and leave you.
            Perhaps the best balanced group is one with a slow good navigator leading a group of stronger runners who are less confident.
           One Thing You Can Count On Is That All The Runners Really Look Out For Each Other
           We all run with each others safety as out top priority.
           
            Running with a partner for several days.

           You could be running with a partner  for several days together forming a very strong bond. It is not unusual to swear to stick together till "the finish line do us part."=====     BUT -Remember the Spine is a long and unpredictable race.
           One of you may be forced to drop out. It is important to discuss how you will both handle this scenario  if it happens. Talk about it because it will be up to the runner pulling out to give their partner permission to carry on without them.  The stronger  runner will feel  uncomfortable  about breaking the team and possibly sacrifice their own race if they have to make the call about splitting a partnership. Both of you could end  making a bad possibly dangerous  decision.

            Don’t be surprised if you can’t get on with another runner .  The sleep deprivation will  make you very intolerant of others habits and foibles. Tensions can also build up if one team member faffs about at checkpoints when the rest of the team is ready to hit the trail.

           A solo runner joining up with a team that has been together for some days will  often find it difficult to become part of a tight established  team.

            Probably the worst case scenario is that of a good fast navigator with   a weaker runner ( who is afraid of running alone ) desperately trying to keep up.

            It  pays to be improve your navigation so you can run your own race.

            To finish the The Spine Race you will have to use all your mental resources mush more than your physical resources . This is a subject that is covered better than me  by Andy Mouncey  in his blog Cracking The Spine crackingthespine2014.blogspot.com/‎ It is well worth a read.

           
           

                             NUTRITION 

                 I won't go into to much detail on this subject as it has been covered by many others.
                 There is plenty of advice on fast carbs, slow carbs , Protein balance and calorific intake.
                 Most of the studies done on long  ultras are on 100 mile races. The Spine yet again is different.
                The bottom line is: You need  to pack food that you can take in rather than what  the  food studies  say you should be eating.
                 Hydration is easy to skimp on in cold conditions. Keep Drinking.
                 You will need to eat a vast amount  to get your body to the finish line. The rate of energy drain from your body used by just staying warm will have a major impact. Think about how hungry you felt the day,s after your last long Ultra. Build up your rate of consumption as the race progresses.
                Figures of 10,000 cals per day have been mentioned. (Your day could be over 24 hrs of continuous energy demand)

                  On a race this long very few of us can deal with energy jells for long. You need solid real food.
                  Pig out as much as you can at checkpoints . Stop at cafe's ,Pubs  for meals and shops for whatever you fancy.
                   I know some competitors cooked up hot meals whilst on the trail.( This is something I will try in 2015)On the plus side you will probably get your food faster than in a pub and your pack is open all hours. On the minus side you may get chilled and it will split up a group of runners .
                  If you intend to cook out on the trail when not actually camping I would suggest you pack an ultralight disposable foil jacket with a foil hood so you don,t get chilled when brewing up. This is the sort of gear they issue at the end of marathons if you look chilled . With care they can be scrunched up and used again. It will be worth practicing eating hot rehydrated food while you walk. (can you squeeze the food into your mouth or do you need a fork?) . If you can eat while walking you will stay warmer and gain ground.
                   It may well be worth pre packing ziplock bags of snack food for each phase of the race( most of us find that we crave  savoury food  . If you can get some thing down your neck at 15 min intervals you won,t go far wrong but in practice you won,t do this.
       Personally the only high tec food I can tolerate are Cliff Shot Blocks.(you need to drink with them)

       Shot blocks have several advantages : They can be opened with a Mitted hand and teeth.
                                                                    They are mess free so the wrapper can be stowed.
                                                                    They come in small bight sized portions.
                                                                    They can be shared with a flagging partner.
                                                                    They look and taste like Chivvers jelly blocks.

                   The rest of my portable diet consisted of : 9 bars , Mule Bars ,Salami, Cheese, Nuts,Pies , Jacket Potato,Pasties ,Chips and anything any one was foolish enough to offer me.


       One good  Mountain Food Trick worth trying is the :Warm Jacket Potato Recipe

1.     Take a large uncooked potato and bore a hole half way into its centre with an apple corer or knife .
2.     Insert 1/2 a crumbled stock cube into the hole and plug with the removed core.
3.     Microwave until almost cooked ( about 10 mins).
4.     Take from microwave and wrap in foil then a polythene sealed bag.
5.     Wrap the bag in your down Jacket and put the whole thing back into your pack.
6.     Now the best bit ---6 Hrs later take out the still warm potato .
7.     Use the potato to warm your frozen hands 
8.     Bight into  it and discover the salty stock cube has spread through the centre of the potato so you can choose how salty you like it by the depth you bight.
9.     Smile the cold long night is not so bad after all  and you are gonna make it to the finish!

    I hope I have not totally pissed of the checkpoint kitchen staff manning the microwave if you all go for this but believe me its worth trying out.
         
          Cooking Food If You Have To Camp Out.
                After years of experimenting in Mountain Marathons I find The Expedition Foods high cal range of dehydrated food taste's best. They are easy to use and you eat them straight out of the packet.
For a cheaper fast hot food option Morrisons A H Couscous makes a simple snack. (The bag it comes in is not waterproof). For drinks search for non diet one shot hot drinks in the supermarket
                 Remember if you plan to cook at CP 1.5 you will need replacement dehydrated  food  supplies  in your drop bag.
                 In 2013 I consumed at CP1.5 :    A bowl of noodles from the cp tent.
                                                                      E Foods main meal x 2
                                                                      E Foods  rice pudding
                                                                      3 nine bars
                                                                      E Foods  Porridge
                                                                       3 mugs of one shot Horlics
                                I told you I was a pig !
                                                                     
   
                       The food  part of the Blog feels a bit thin so I would welcome input from other Spine Vets  and anyone with local knowledge . I would also like to publish  the Grid Refs of suitable Cafe's ,Pubs and shops so competitors can put the in their GPS's

    Start ---CP1:         Pub at SD 969179---( Probably dusk on day 1 , and aprox 18 k from CP1)
     CP1----CP2          Pub at Lothersdale
     CP1----CP2          Pubs in Malham.
     CP1---CP2:          Cafe at gift shop SD978779 -- (slight detour off trail but worth it)
     CP1---CP2:          Co op  Gargrave    SD 933542------( at dusk day 2) and The Swan Pub.
     CP1.5:----             John's Noodle Bar SD 895660 ( good overnight stop with hot drinks)
       

               Updated Thoughts After Finishing Again In 2014.

Looking back at the 2014 race I did actually preform better. This however was nothing to do with actually running faster but more due to better decision making.

               The plain truth is that I probably spent only 10% of the time on my feet actually running!

               So how could I go even faster in 2015?  The answer is obvious but I don,t really want to face the truth. I need to concentrate my physical training efforts on that 90% of the time that I am walking.

Now for the  2015 Training Plan  :  I am lucky that I live only 6 miles from my work.

                                                         My rout to work is 90% fields, woods and footpaths.

                                                         I can take exactly the same rout each time I go to work on foot.

                                                         What I plan to do is try to reduce the time it takes me to get to work

           Now The Catch----------------I will only walk and march.

           The aim of this exercise is to increase my walking pace.

If I can walk 11% faster this will have the same result as me running for twice as long during the Race. 

                     The real bonus is that by walking I will use less energy

 Exactly how you train yourself to walk faster and burn less energy I have no idea. That's what my 6 mile commute should show me.

                    I know it can be done as I came across a competitor in the 2013 Winter 100 who despite being much shorter than me could maintain a fast walk at my trotting pace . Her job was as a professional  Dog Walker and she used her work time to train herself to walk faster.

     

                   I know all you ultra runners reading this Blog won,t be able to stop yourself running. I have the same trouble myself but you really need to work hard at your walking. Think back to some time during one of your ultra,s when another competitor walked past you. I bet it hurt your moral

                    

                    Train yourself to be a fast efficient walker and you will make that finish line sooner!