Neolitic Run!! See bottom of post

Well here we go, the post I have been promising to everyone recently. It’s a very interesting one too (for some of you out there).

I will start with the updates on my training and a few last pieces of kit I bought, before the finale’. 

I gave in and bought a GPS. Now, im not really a fan of the whole wandering around up in beautiful countryside, staring at a little screen, trying to do this and that, work this and that out etc, BUT… I don’t fancy being lost up in the mountains/ moorlands, at 3AM in the morning, with wind, sleety rain and cloud obscuring my senses, dressed in a pair of shorts and t-shirt… I have that survival bivvy (required) but I don’t plan on using it. I’ve heard a few stories of people doing this runn and them seeing little headtorches wandering around and going in the wrong direction. I’ve heard nearly every one gets a little lost at one point, even the veterans of navigation… that to me say’s Wes, you’re a complete beginner, don’t take risks that can effect wether I stay alive or not, for a run…

After contacting my mate Jon Halewood, and conversing briefely about what would be best, as I honestly didn’t have a clue, he suggested, one of those yellow Garmin Etrex models. I went with the Garmin Etrex- Venture HC (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-eTrex-Venture-Handheld-Navigator/dp/B000UNDLQ2)… All I can say is that when I received it and turned it on, it was like going back in time and using a Nokia 3310.

I barley understand a thing about it. The compass training im kind of reading about makes sense to me, it feels right, this machine feels complicated, and slightly unreliable. But they’re reputations (GPS’s) say otherwise… they save lives I suppose.

I went on the Lakeland 100 site and downloaded the course (Track/Route NOTE: ß GPS JARGON) and put it on my GPS. It looks to work, and basically all I then do, like a robot, is follow it… obviously not blindly like some of these Sat Nav idiots who drive into the middle of farmers’ fields on top of a hill, no house in site, trying to deliver someones shopping…

I think Navigation will be an enormous step in my success. If I waste 10 minutes here, 5 minutes there, being lost, one im loosing energy and two im loosing time and risk getting cut off (thrown out the race for not getting there within a certain time).

 I recently also spoke with a man named Paul Kirtley (http://paulkirtley.co.uk/) a special guy,here’s a little info: ‘Paul started working for Ray Mears’ company, Woodlore Ltd, in 2003, assisting Ray and Juha Rankinen on bushcraft courses in the UK.  In late 2005 Paul was offered what some would consider the top job in bushcraft instruction – working as Course Director of Woodlore Ltd…..‘Paul developed, introduced and led the Woodlore ‘Wilderness Navigation’, ‘Applied Bushcraft’ and ‘Intermediate Bushcraft’ courses.  He also worked with Jamie Cooke of Fusion Medical Ltd to develop and teach Woodlore’s First Aid courses, which later became ‘Wilderness Emergency Medic’ courses after receiving the approval of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.  He has been very kind and generous with his knowledge, and has helped as much as I can with my limited knowledge of the subject, he also forewarded me to the Mountain Navigation book by Peter Cliff (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountain-Navigation-Peter-Cliff/dp/1871890551) You guys who are interested in the ‘Great Outdoors’, bushcraft, or even just knowledge on how one gets hypothermia etc, his blog is phenominal, its very detailed but down to earth.

 I’m honoured that so many people have stepped in and jumped to help me, and have seemed genuinely hopeful that I will complete this challenge. Now as far as navigation is concerned, I wish to learn to use a compass, very well, and will eventually attend one of the courses about it, but for now, I intend on Existential phenomenology- Being there, studying from experience.

Anyway, moving on now, as im aware I can rant about non entertaining subjects for a while.

I want to talk about things I’ve learned on my runs.

1.       The darkness REALLY is thick. When im out running in the middle of the night, my ultra bright headtorch seems to be stopped by an invisible wall a few meters in front, like the cone of light actually hits this screen and wont go past it, therefore your kind of running in a little bubble. Imagine being up on a pitch black hill in the dark, imagine that there is that fine thick smoggy rain that ‘soaks you through’, you cant see past a few meters in front, when you turn your light off its almost like being in a cave, but with the light on, you run, unaware of your surroundings beyond your bubble. Its strange,

2.       A hoody. I have found that when out in such places, a thick, hood that stops wind at least a bit, is like a comfort blanket (not that I ever had one, though I believe you’ll understand the phrase). The real vulnerability while your out there becomes hazy, and you feel quite safe, there in you little hood. Ive notice that when I go out there in just my shirt and shorts, my face neck and hands fully exposed, I feel it… I feel unsafe.

3.       Habit! This is a big one but may not appear at first. I have noticed that after running more than 4 mile, that (for me) it sometimes becomes rather easy to slip into the bad habit of maybe being sluggish with a leg, landing on one harder than the other, leaning forwards etc, I feel I can see the out come over 100 miles. I believe that when not running with good posture and clear precise movement in the body and legs, the wear and tear becomes much more intense, think of drawing with two pencil’s both sharpened in the beginning, one on the left, one on the right, if ,like a see –saw you put more pressure on the right than the left, it will wear out quicker and dull, where as if you maintain a even pressure on both, they’ll wear out, but slower and more evenly, as instead of the ratio being 20:80, Its 50:50… anyway…

4.       I have found decent gear is worth the extra cost for me. The Helly Hanson top im wearing at the minute is supposed to be a great base layer, wicking moisture from the skin, dealing well with temperatures from both extremes being -15 to +15 (http://www.baselayer.co.uk/Men-s-Helly-Hansen-Stripe-Crew-HH-48800--Black-White-product-425-267). Maybe an un-neccassary luxury? Try wearing a cotton t-shirt, damp with sweat on its own up on the hills with a stiff cold wind blowing… no comparison. Seriously.

5.       Back to the psychological part for a second. I learned a lot in my first year in Lancaster but a thing called ‘anchoring ‘ I spoke briefly about it in an earlier post about how when you hit a certain place you think a certain thought, how when you listen to a certain song, it reminds you of a certain person or memory, place, whatever. Well. ‘anchoring’ as Richard Bandler puts it, is basically what it says on the tin. Anchoring new thoughts/ feelings, either deliberately or subconsciously, attatching certain things to other things. Think of the Dog salvating when the tuning fork was tinged. Look here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Pavlov) it will interest you, seriously, they call it ‘conditioning’ which I suppose is also just as valid a title. But basically, I have found, that when a large event where you are real present to the moment you in , the friends your with, place you are etc, you subconsciously take in things that will remind you of that night for example, like music. Someone plays that music again another day, and your back there! Straight away, back in the club again with your friends. I have also noticed from something Joe Pearce said to me, that you can be present and in the moment, feeling strongly about whatever, but then something epic happens, be it a loss of a relative or friend, etc, and the feeling you had that was very similar gets multiplied ten-fold and converts to another memory, than its original… for example, your leaving, home, for good, a song is played, every one seems to instinctively shut up and absorb the moment, feeling the song, the atmosphere of the room… to me that’s where the song stuck. Now when I listen to that song again, im there. But for my friend, the song reminds him of a great person who passed on about a week or two after this event, to me, I take it that, the loss of one friend moving away, got far overshadowed by a REAL LOSS, e.g. song- loss of friend (moving away), 2 week later, loss of friends’,inspiration,motivation (loss of life)= no coming back, far overshadowed his subconscious relationship to that song. Now when we listen to that song, it reminds him of a lost friend, it reminds me of leaving… its really quite interesting… am I thinking too much? Maybe, but it interests me. Some other chap might be fascinated with traveling the world collecting coins, or a nannan who likes to collect thimbles. I’ve found that you can create new anchors. I have done, this, I’ve tried and tested it and it works, but this doesn’t mean to say I am god. Im very human and I often slip into an undeliberate way of living, falling into traps I know im falling into, but kind of just allowing it to happen. A lazy mentality, the kind where you become bored. ‘boredom is the sign of an idle mind’. ‘Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity, and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind’ – Da Vinci. What im getting to is that, you can create a certain feeling by thinking certain thoughts, e.g thinking about how much you love some one, why, the little things they do, faces the pull, before you know it your in deep appreciation. Say you think like that on all your run, every run, for a month. You will learn to associate running with that feeling. One only needs to go back to school, the classroom they all used to mess around in as a kid to feel that feeling. If every time I got on my bike and worried about falling off, people shouting at me in they’re cars, is the engine working ok? Have I got enough petrol, do I know where im going, what if I miss my turn in?, im gonna feel shit every time I got on my bike. Personally I do the opposite, I LOVE going on my bike! Im saying things like, wow, look how quick I got here, I can nip from uni, to sainsburies, get some cheap food and back here in the time it would take me to walk to the corner shop. I love the noise of the bike, the clocks, I like revving my engine and leaning into corners, I like wearing my jacket and having my own helmet after so many years of wanting a bike… I love riding… this’ gone on way to long now. So sorry if your bored by now guys. (im not really, because if you’ve read this far, your either really interested or daft in that you would spend half an hour reading about something your not really bothered about…) ha-ha.

Im really getting into my training, however no significant increase in milage as of yet. Its been pretty steady since I had time off for my tooth ache. Im basically following the training plan posted in my second post. Last week I did 4, 6, 8, 15 as did I the week before.

 I tell you know though, its getting easier. I feel really strong and healthy, when im both running or just living. My joints feel clear and lubricated J, head feels strong, I feel more and more energetic, in love and motivated. Im doing more work, im at uni from early morning to 5, then work till 10.30- 11.30+ then running till sometimes 2am. I’ve found the more you do, the more you want to do, the more you can do. I find that when I live a life doing very little, I got bed tired and wake up tired…

Right now onto the serious stuff. I applied for another Recce Day on 27^th of March. ‘Recce day 3 takes place on Sunday March 27th from Ambleside to Coniston. The weekend includes a nutrition workshop on the Saturday evening. Marc Laithwaite will discuss how to optimise nutrition and best prepare for the Lakeland 50 & 100 events. And Rebecca Dent will outline how to adapt your daily eating habits to best deal with the stress of training.

Marc is a sports scientist who specialises in endurance performances and Rebecca Dent is a Performance Nutritionist currently working with elite athletes for a national sporting body in Scotland. The cost is £10 for the whole weekend plus £5 donation to event charities. To sign up, log into your entry and select the appropriate recce day!’

This has motivated me to train for it. It will so I hear, be a 16- 18 miler at night. We’ll be going over ground I previously trodden part of, a few posts back. It will be fun, the main reason I bought a GPS at once. (second and of course).

Some notes I’ve gathered from others’ experiences in the Lakeland 100.

·         WALK UP HILL (apparently I can do this and still finish the race ahead of time), the reason being, that you waste vital energy going in the running motion, whilst still at a similar speed to a walker. (you’ll) know what I mean if you’ve ever walked up some of  the steep Lake District fells.

·         30+ miles – your general speed/pace is set for the rest of the race.

·         I’ve counted 262 competitors in the Lakeland 100, teams of 2, 3 and solo. Im obviously a solo.

·         Don’t take long at Checkpoints! Apparently, the competitors become more and more sluggish with the entry and departure of the checkpoints later in the race. I’d hate to think that if I hadn’t stayed that extra 10 minutes in the checkpoint, I would have made the finish.

However I do hope I finish with much more minutes on the clock

·         Work out time expected/ average milage for 100 mile and individual checkpoints. I worked out that at present im running 4 miles in 40 minutes at a steady jog on even ground (roads). At that rate, I’d beat the cut off time… so to speak. But ive been told I wont, as certin checkpoints have shorter cut off times. 100 mile / 40 =2.5 so if it was the case, id only have to do 2.5 miles per hour to make the cut off time… but I know its not like this…

NOW ONTO THE INTERESTING PART!

At university the other week, we had a man in, whom is an artist/archiologist. And he spoke of a place I became instantly interested in! a site that had recently been discovered, near where I live, that told some interesting stories! They found that at this particular site, where ground had been slightly eroded, that they found a layer of charcoal running the entire length. And flint!

To cut a long story short, they found (by various tests im unaware of) that the layer of charcoal was a few hundred, maybe 1000 year period, where they found evidence of a tribe living. They found that it was caused by the regular burning of a patch of birch forests that would have filled the area, to make patches of grassland, by this river, to attract deer and other wild animals, to make it easier to hunt! They found that the area by the river, was filled with fragments of flint which looked as if it had been worked by man… it had… they tested the rocks, studied them and found them to be of the neolitic period  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic). For you guys who don’t know (I myself am by no means an expert or claim to know that what im saying is 100% correct), the neolitic, to put sharp, was a HELL OF A LONG TIME AGO. They found that the fragments were in-fact parts of stone tools they would make, the parts they didn’t want, the wastage really. They are parts of tools made by a hunter gatherer tribe living in the area around 6 thousand years ago (if I remember what he said correctly). And guess what… I found some. 2 to be precise, they feel heavy like flint, the sound like flint, I found them sticking out of the soil near the charcoal layer, i did NOT start chipping away at the soil, I have deep respect for such a place, I walked round that area tip toeing as though it was holy. I really care for the preservation of such a place, and I felt strange whilst I trod there. The pieces I found to me show clear signs of being worked, based on what I’ve seen in archeological photographs and ray mears’ programs about flint knapping etc. 

maybe its just a couple of stones. Ill leave the photographs for you to decide. But either way, those pieces I found I held in a way ive never felt before. I were maybe touching a part of a tool, something which perhaps kept the tribe alive all those thousands of years ago. Maybe the last person who held that rock came from a very different place, spoke a very different language, stronger. From the same race but yet so different to us modern humans. I couldn’t help but think of how, if they could see me pick them up, some space boy, in an area he used to call home, where bears lived, bison, wolves, wild boar. Now grassland, forests long gone, people driving nearby in strange metal (whats metal to the stone age people) boxes, exceeding speeds they will have never seen, eating strange foods… we’re very different, yet the same race.

The tribe that would have lived there must have been some of only an extremely small amount of people on earth. Perhaps the population of Lancaster alone, would have been the only people to live in Europe… I don’t know.

It was a run to remember either way, and I plan on camping there soon, in my bivvy, no fires obviously for any worrier out there…

Hope you enjoyed my essay sized post J

wes