18/07/2012 - Trailwalker 2012 (Part 2)

The night passed fitfully. Mark couldn't get to sleep and as it turned out neither could the team-mates settle. The brain just wouldn't shut down at a point when we really needed a decent rest before facing this Epic trek we actually couldn't. It was almost a relief when the alarm went off at 5am to start getting ready. The usual preparations, a couple of bananas, a pint of water, a nurofen, shower then taping up the feet with zinc oxide tape.

We were meeting in the car park at 6am, the plan being to get to QECP at about 6:30am to allow us to miss the road closures for the 6am and 7am starters and get some breakfast down us. As we walked out into the car park, it seemed we weren't the only Trailwalkers with the same plan or inability to sleep as several other teams started loading their kit into their cars.

The team arrive and park at QECP

On arrival at QECP, the car park was extremely full and following the directions of the Gurkhas we seemed to park a good way away from the tents. We decided we'd suit and boot and carry our gear over rather than come back later. 

The car barely made it onto the muddy field and we watched as a four wheel drive struggled to get out. The shape of things to come perhaps?

The queue for breakfast

As we walked towards the tents we could hear the bagpipes starting up - the 7am starters. The BunLovingCrimnals were in that group we thought and it would be us next. We stood in the queue for breakfast dished out by the Gurkha chefs. 

An array of bacon, sausages, beans, tomatoes, boiled egg, cereals, tea and coffee on offer. The team tucked in though Mark was a little less enthusiastic and decided he couldn't really face much to eat at all at this point.

The team looking pensive at the Start

After breakfast we slowly worked our way round via the toilets for a final pre-Start pit-stop and once again bumped into Jon Paul Tom and Olly who were limbering up and getting their gear together. 

As the teams chatted and stretched, the minutes ticked by and it was time to head up to be 'coraled' into the Start Area. Dibbing our Dibbers as we entered to ensure our 8am start would be registered, we waited. 

Gubbs becomes the 5th Red Harrow!

We were soon approached by Gubbs from the HardcoreFour and introduced to Jo, Julie and Josh though there wasn't much time to talk as we listened to the Gurkha officer and then the klaxon sounded followed by the sound of the Gurkha bagpipes and suddenly this throng of 400 or so people was off into the park.

And we're off! (Infiltrated by the HardcoreFour)

We weren't sure how things would go for this first stage as we thought perhaps things might get congested, but the track was good and wide so everything moved at a reasonable pace, enough to get warmed up properly. As we passed the Visitor Centre we were in complete unknown territory but with this many people all going the same way, provided those at the front knew where they were going - we would be fine. 

As we rounded the corner, the track began to deteriorate to a more of a hardcore track, still wide but we soon had our first encounters with the mountain bikers as progressively the word "Bike" was shouted encouraging people to move left out of their way. It wasn't clear how far these bikers had come or how long they'd been out but they were pretty much covered head to toe in mud. if that was an indication of the trail up ahead then things were going to get much worse from here.

The Red Harrows Mobile Command Centre at CP1

At least the rain was holding off us so far and things were actually quite pleasant though the evidence of heavy rainfall  abounded on the trail as standing water. As we approached Checkpoint 1 the walkie-talkies burst into life and we gave our ETA. The Support Team were ready even though we were ahead of schedule and we were greeted by Ted on the trail in advance - something he would do a lot of on the Checkpoints to come. As we dibbed in at Checkpoint 1 our time registered 1:44, a good 22minutes ahead of our schedule. 



The Support Crew escorted us over to the waiting gazebo which they had erected despite there being no need at this point but it was good practice for them. Coincidentally we were alongside the HardcoreFour and after a 16minute break, refuel, re-water we were off again cheered off by our Support Crew and the Hardcore Four! 

Beacon Hill in all its glory

Still in unfamiliar territory we set off towards Checkpoint 2 at a decent pace. The trail had narrowed and the crowd had dissipated thanks to people stopping at Checkpoint 1 and others carrying on up the trail. The weather was still holding up but we knew on this stage we would encounter Beacon Hill. This hill had grown in notoriety as the subject of many a teams blogs in training. It was for this reason we had climbed Shutlingsloe in the Peak District and the Tramway at Burwardsley. Soon enough it was there looming in front. Not the biggest hill we've seen but steep, steep enough to have steps carved into it and a good early test. Halfway up it and we were glad we'd trained on steep hills as maintaining the pace became difficult, but as quickly as it began it was conquered and we were off.

The rest of the stage passed fairly uneventfully apart from the frustrating need to don waterproof coats during heavy showers which would last 15minutes or so, then stop, let you realise you were too hot, take them off and then find another shower coming in. This pattern would continue for a number of hours.

Checkpoint 2 - mind the mud.

Approaching Checkpoint 2 we got on the radio again and during the descent there was the smiling face of Ted to greet us again and guide us up to the support vehicle. On entering the Checkpoint, we began to comprehend what our Support Crew were having to contend with. The place was a mess. Large brown ruts ran down the middle of the field where cars, vans and four wheel drives had slid sideways. As we walked to our car, we watched as car after car had to be pushed and guided, Gurkhas throwing down sawdust to tray and soak up the moisture all to no avail. Four wheel drive didn't seem to make any difference whatsoever. 

Banquet at Checkpoint 2

We reached the car to find the team had put the gazebo up and the sides, which was just as well as we arrived to the sound of thunder and then the real rain started. We'd managed to complete this stage in 1hour 55minutes, a good 16minutes ahead of our target time.

Taking the opportunity to change socks, load up on the spread on offer and stock up for what would be a longer walk to Checkpoint 4 before we see our Support Crew again we managed to complete this stop in 25minutes, a little longer than our 15minute allowance but we could afford it and we were still 27minutes ahead overall.

We bid the Support Crew goodbye wondering how they would ever get out and set off up the hill. We'd only been gone about 10minutes when Simon hailed us on the walkie-talkie - "Guys - bad news - we've just been told Checkpoint 4 is now closed to Support Crews - we won't now see you until Checkpoint 5 - Good Luck!"

To be continued....

17/07/2012 - Trailwalker 2012 (Part 1)

Of all the blogs we've written throughout training, this is probably going to be the most difficult. Difficult because it will be hard to put across what we've all gone through over the last few days, not just us - the Walkers but our Support Team too. To make it more manageable, I've split it into parts.

Thursday 12th July 

Oxfam provide us an update on the course. The news isn't good. The recent bad weather has taken its toll. Checkpoint 3 has been closed to Support Crews and Checkpoint 4 car parking has changed making it smaller and further away. Surprisingly, the low lying Checkpoint 6 near the river isn't on the list. At least we can make a plan to carry enough food and water from CP2 to CP4, about 3.5 hours so not a big deal given we've done longer than that unsupported in training. The weather forecast for the weekend isn't looking any better than previous weeks. Still very unsettled, looking like we might get a dry start on Saturday before light then heavy showers persist into the evening before clearing overnight into Sunday. Possibly a small bonus not walking in the dark with rain then?

Friday 13th July

10:00am Mark heads over to his Physio for a little light tissue work and to be strapped up with tape to assist the injury picked up doing the Sandstone Trail training walk. To add to his woes, he's also started with a head cold so isn't feeling particularly great. Mark leaves the Physio with a blue Union-Jack-shaped taping arrangement down his left leg.

12:00pm The support vehicle (Mark's car) is packed with all the goodies, chairs, table, gazebo, cool box etc. and ready for the off. Simon, Martin and Ted are already on their way down. No message from Lee and Polly so it's presumed they have woken and are heading down.

12:30pm Mark and Kate grab a quick protein lunch at McDonalds - Big Mac, Fries and Chocolate Milkshake making Mark feel more like fourteen than forty, just as well as he was a lot fitter then!

4:30pm A smooth journey down and Mark and Kate arrive at the Premier Inn near Havant and the whole team are there and checked in - including Lee and Polly albeit a little worse for wear after a heavy night before at Lee's neighbours during which a large quantity of wine had been consumed (so much for the alcohol ban then!)

5:00pm Lee and Kate set off for Brighton in separate cars to leave Lee's car with all the Sunday gear in, the rest of the team head over to the pub next door for some 'hydration'

7:00pm The team head for Queen Elizabeth Country Park to meet up with Kate and Lee, register and attend the safety briefing. Arriving at QECP, we were greeted with chaotic scenes. Gurkhas directing traffic trying to get in and out who then advised us to park down by the Visitor Centre and walk up. Suddenly things became very real as we drove under the overhead 'Start' banner. 

Tent 1 - Registration Forms

Walking in to the park we found Tent 1 where the registration packs could be found and then meandered down past the array of tents arranged in start time order noting 6am, 7am and 8am we're looking pretty full but 9am and 10am were looking a bit sparse.

Looking at the conditions of the ground and the forecast, we were glad we opted for a hotel and not a tent. 

Its not looking good out there...

Finding Tent 2, Polly set about filling the forms in while we waited for Lee and Kate to join us. As we waited for the Safety briefing to start we noted the white board next to the tent which now confirmed our suspicions - Checkpoint 6 was now closed to Support Crews as well. It shouldn't have come as a surprise given that yet more rain had fallen in the previous 24 hours. Listening to the safety briefing we also found out that for the first section of the trail there would be a cycle race coming towards us but as long as we kept to the left - we should be fine! 

The Gurkhas doing the Kukri dance

With the briefing over, it was time for the Gurkha cultural show. Out came the marching band and the Gurkhas doing the Kukri dance - quite something to watch. It was at this point we got to meet Jon Paul Tom and Olly who were watching the show a few yards away. It was strange that though we've never met before, we already knew so much about each other thanks to the power of Twitter and Blogging over the last 6 months and it was great to meet them all after all this time. 

No backing out now!

Once the show was over, it was time to get registered and tagged. Thanks to meeting our fundraising target, it meant we could be fast-tracked into Tent 3 where the waiting Gurkhas tagged our wrists with our 'Dibbers'. These little devices would be needed at every Checkpoint to swiped in to ensure everyone knew our whereabouts on the course and they would register our final time. We also had our Team Number  - 145. 

So job done and off to queue and load upon pasta cooked by the Gurkha chefs after which we bumped into the BunLovinCriminals who we hadn't seen since the Gurkha Training Day and had a quick catch up. 

With the procedural stuff done and the festivities over, we decided to head back to the digs, grab a nightcap and get an early-ish night. On the way out of the park, we once again passed under the Start banner, The next time we would do that would be 8am Saturday morning and it would be for real  - with 100km still to go. 

See you in 11 hours...

 To be continued.....

16/06/2012 - Three Peaks (and Three Reservoirs)

With a few diary conflicts Martin was unavailable for a Saturday walk so would train solo on Sunday with Polly stuck up in Yorkshire also training solo, it was left to Mark and Lee to train together in what has become one of our favourite training spots over the last few months. 

The training schedule required a 46km - 11 hour walk so a plan was hatched using a route we have done before but adding in a whole new area of territory using the car park at the Knot Inn as a start, mid-point and finish. We would start from Rushton Spencer, head to The Cloud (Peak 1), then to Bosley (Reservoir 1), Croker Hill (Peak 2), back to Rushton, then Gun Hill (Peak 3), Tittesworth Reservoir (Reservoir 2), Rudyard (Reservoir 3) and back to Rushton.

As  this would be unsupported, we packed the car with a coolbox and load of goodies like sandwiches, flapjacks, peanuts, pasta salad, choccy bars, lucozade, extra water along with spare socks, trail shoes and T-shirts.

The weather over the previous few days had been shocking and over an inch of rain had fallen in The Peak District with more forecasted with high winds and blustery conditions. This wasn't going to be a pleasant 46km but would be a chance to test our wet weather gear and Mark's new BAM wicking underwear as at the end of the day - we can't pick the weather on Trailwalker.

Listen mate - we've trained with the Gurkhas....

We hit the trail at 9:10am and headed for The Cloud. As we came off the old Railway and into the fields we were quickly greeted by the boggy conditions caused by the recent rainfall and made worse by the Fresian inhabitants of the field. A little further on we found a sign lying face down in the mud across the footpath. A quick lift proclaimed the footpath closed by National Grid due to overhead line works. Deciding we could argue we missed it, we decided to carry on relying on the rubber insulation of our walking pole handles and boot soles should we get struck by a live overhead wire. Crossing under the pylons, there was no sign of any hi-vis jacketed workers so we pressed on up towards The Cloud.

As suspected, today there was little activity at the top of The Cloud and in a business like fashion we touched the trig point as we passed and headed down the face of the hill towards Bosley. As we came to the low point we were confronted by yet another 'Footpath Closed' sign and it seemed out friends at National Grid were determined to ruin our plan. A quick glance at the map gave us an alternative route along the road but we asked ourselves what the Gurkhas would do? Donning camouflage paint, we decided to go for it and decided the worst that could happen would be getting turned back. This time we could see the National Grid workers high up on one of the pylons and decided we would be through before they could get down to stop us and it was on to Bosley reservoir unhindered.

Bosley Dam - Done

It was business as usual at Bosley, the reservoir level was up given the recent rainfall, the funny looking black sheep were minding their own business and a few fisherman were sat in their shelters. As we climbed from Bosley we stopped for our first break at a point we've used before. A quick sandwich, lucozade, peanuts, choccy bar and flap jack were downed. Mark's feet were feeling a little damp and a quick check of each confirmed them on the moist side of damp so the gaiters were adjusted and we were on our way after about 12minutes.



The climb to the top of Croker Hill wasn't too eventful other than the effects of the recent wet and warm weather had encouraged massive grass and nettle growth to the point where the path had been lost in places requiring us to hold our walking poles aloft like soldiers wading through a swamp with their rifles. Touching the gates to the BT compound at the top we headed on down and then along the Golden Hill ridge noting the surrounding peaks shrouded in mist and the obvious signs of bad weather. Here the wind picked up to the point of making conversation inaudible and as we descended we met two gents heading up - wearing a soaked T-Shirt and cotton shirt and overheard one say to the other "Looks like we've got some weather heading our way". We weren't sure what weather forecast they'd looked at that morning but clearly they weren't dressed for the conditions but sure enough, the weather was shortly on us as we pulled up our hoods as the rain came in sideways. It was at this point something from the Brixham Badgers Trailwalker presentation came to mind - "Waterproof is a relative term". Mulling this over as the rain ran down our outside and sweat ran down our inside we thought how true this is as it became clear something wasn't right in Mark's boots as damp was turning to wet and this would need to be addressed as we reached our second checkpoint at the car park back in Rushton Spencer.

While we had planned a 10-15minute stop it was quickly apparent Mark would need more than a change of socks. As the socks came off, so did his zinc oxide tape as the moisture had completely de-bonded it from the skin and the skin had now softened. To make matters worse, the special orthotic insoles were also wet. A quick decision was made to hurriedly re-tape, change socks and boots. Coupling this with re-fueling, and re-stocking the backpack for the next checkpoint, the stop became an uncomfortable 35minutes sat on the back bumper as the rain re-started.

With Mark still guzzling Lucozade and downing a Mars bar we set off for Gun Hill which was to be a long ascent to the summit but at least now with dry feet. We mulled over how the stop would have been improved. Of course we'd have our support team, they would have the food ready and would re-stock the backpack with water etc. but having to re-tape wasn't something we were hoping to have to do.

The Cloud (left) and Croker Hill (right) from Gun Hill

The walk over the summit of Gun Hill was a case of dodging the big muddy puddles and our preferred route weaved left and right to the trig point and with some satisfaction we touched the trig knowing this was our third 'big' hill of the day and started our long slow descent to Tittesworth Reservoir. Tittesworth dams the River Churnet and supplies 10 million gallons of water a day to Severn Trent Water. It also has a large car park, visitor centre and big childrens play area making it quite a popular spot, though not so it seemed today. 

Lee with his new mate Bob

As we descended towards Leek, we lost sight of the reservoir altogether but once we dog-legged back over a hill it came back into view. It was at this point we realised we'd probably been walking for too long as first an effigy of Dame Edna Everage and then Bob Marley were found lying at the gates of a farm. As we worked our way around the reservoir and into Meerbrook, more effigies were apparent adorning each house. Concerned that we might end up as effigies ourselves we pressed on to our third checkpoint - a nicely sheltered (and empty) barbecue area at the side of reservoir. 

So thats where all the water goes...

Something had been bothering Mark in his right boot over the last kilometre or so, so the chance was taken to inspect and as suspected, the hastily placed zinc oxide tape had rucked up on the softened skin and once again the socks were wet through. A quick minor re-taping job and the wet socks were put back on as there were no spares in the backpack. At 33km, with an anticipated 13km still to go (it was actually 15km), blisters were a concern now. Lee was also feeling the effect of the distance and terrain with pain in the knee joint. 

 As Mark put the medical kit away, a strip of ibuprofen fell out and a second thing from the Brixham Badgers presentation came to mind - "Drugs" - so we duly obliged and within minutes of setting off round the lake both commented on how much better we were feeling and happily threw a stick several times for a demanding Border Collie who seemed to have befriended us on our journey round the lake.

Tittesworth Dam

Crossing the dam at the far end of the reservoir we were soon ascending once again and ticked off our second reservoir heading for the last one on our list - Rudyard. As we climbed over our final summit, we knew it was all downhill and then there would be a long flat to the finish. Skirting the edge of Leek we dropped down to the old railway line. At this point, Mark proclaimed us to be a little over 6km from the car with the clock stood at 9hrs and 24minutes we agreed if we hit Gurkha "Tab" pace we could make it for 10hrs 30minutes. So off we set as the rain once again had other ideas, marching rapidly, walking poles pumping along the former railway line.

Boathouses on Rudyard Lake

Rudyard Lake was built to serve the expanding canal system in the early 1800's. When a railway was built linking Uttoxeter and Manchester, it became a haven for Victorian day-trippers. Among these were a courting couple who married and named their son after the lake - Rudyard Kipling. As we marched along as the rain fell, Mark mulled over the words to "If" - and the line "If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds distance run" he wondered whether Rudyard was looking down on us now trying to work out whether we would fill sixty minutes with distance Tab. 

The old Railway Line seems to go on forever

What was clear is that the two and a half mile long lake seemed to go on forever and the railway line just seemed to keep going into the distance. The pace was taking its toll, Mark's feet were wet and sore, Lee's knee was hurting but we refused to ease off the pace. 10 hours 30minutes was the target and we counted down the kilometres and then the metres to the car park arriving there at 10hrs and 30minutes with the odometer showing 48km actually walked - further than we'd been before and despite the problematic pit-stops well on target for a 24hr Trailwalker pace. The Garmin download also showed we'd broken the 1000m climb level which was equally pleasing.

Resisting the temptation to stop for a pint in the Knot Inn, we stretched off, packed up and headed for Mark's house where wife and support team member Kate was rustling up some protein in the form of fillet steak as a reward for the days endeavours.

It was pleasing to report that despite wearing waterproofs for the full duration of this walk and getting wet feet, there were no blisters and the wicking underwear did exactly what it said on the tin.

This was our penultimate big training walk. This Sunday we plan to walk the entire length of the Sandstone Trail starting in Whitchurch and ending Frodsham - 55km with 1250m of climbs. This will be our first training walk with our support team and we've broken it into 5 stages to try and stay consistent with Trailwalker and give the support crew practice. We hope to complete it under 13 hours.

09/06/2012 - Training With The Gurkhas!

After the disappointment of the cancellation of our original planned Gurkha training, the day finally arrived for the rescheduled event. The email from Oxfam indicated the itinerary as Command Tasks - tough team bonding exercises, Training and Preparation - tips and advice, Army Exercise Simulation - walking with kit, Army Medic Advice - dealing with blisters/injuries/heat stroke, History of the QGS and Circuits and Aerobics - the bit I was least looking forward to! Oddly though there were only four teams who had taken up the offer, us, The Vale Venturers, The Bun Lovin Criminals and The Mental Orientals.

Teammate Polly had decided not to run a mountain marathon on Scotland so arriving with Lee collected Mark on the way to meet Martin at Junction 15 of the M6 at 8:30am for the journey to Bramcote Barracks. It transpired that Martin's flight from Amsterdam had been delayed and only arrived at 1am that morning so he was already somewhat jaded.

The journey quickly passed with everyone having a catch up given that Mark hadn't seen his teammates for over two weeks and we arrived at the end of the drive to the Barracks being greeted by the Trailwalker flags and were directed where to park by a solitary Gurkha soldier.

Welcome to the raw recruits

A short walk around the perimeter fence and we found the field tents from where today's operations were to be commanded and banners announcing the 250 Queens Gurkha Signals as we grabbed coffee and soon bumped into the Bun Loving Criminals - a great group of ladies if you get a chance to meet them. We were rounded up into the main tent and welcomed by the Major and provided with the running order for the day which meant the physical activity would be done in the morning in order to ensure our lunch stayed down which was greeted with much nervous laughter.

Everything but the kitchen sink

The first presentation was on Medical Advice, particularly dealing with blisters and prevention. A slide was put up which in their admission was the tamest one they could find of the entire back of the heel of the foot with an exploded blister and red raw skin beneath. It was explained that ideally Compeed should be used on known hotspots before blistering not as treatment afterward. Zinc Oxide tape was also highly recommended though an example of its misuse was provided during a joint operation with the RAF. Apparently after a march, an RAF airman had rubbed up a large blister and then decided to apply zinc oxide tape to ensure he could continue the following day which he did. However, due to the sticky nature of the tape, he managed to remove the tape along with said blister and required hospitalisation for 3 weeks thereafter! We were advised on carbing up the day before, during and after and also drinking plenty of water the day before, during and after. It was interesting to note that caffeine tablets and caffeine based energy drinks were not recommended to be taken because of their diuretic effects.

Bergens full of house bricks maybe?

The room was divided into two groups and we were sent to the far corner of the field with three members of the Vale Venturers for kit familiarisation and 'Tab'-ing (which we found out was walking with kit at no slower than 15 minute mile pace). Arriving in the corner of the field we found two Gurkha soldiers, an array of kit laid out on the ground and a bunch of SA80 rifles. The kit on display included everything they would take and carry on a  two-day training operation in a 'Bergen' - the backpacks they carry. The kit included their sleeping bag, mattress, spare T-shirts, spare boots, shaving kit (they still have to shave daily in the field), boot polish, gore-tex waterproofs, ration packs, their waist webbing which includes water canisters and spare magazines with about 180 rounds of ammunition. All this weighed in at about 15kg. Noting a pile of fully packed Bergens we were quickly offered the opportunity to try them on and handed the optional SA80 rifle adding another 5kg to be carried. On top of this little lot, they would also wear body armour and depending on the plates could easily add another 8-9kg to their load (and I thought my 6kg 30litre daypack was hefty for a days yomp)

Gurkha recruits Mark, Lee and Martin

Once fully loaded we were off in two-abreast formation for a 'Tab' although the Gurkha soldier indicated it was more of a 'walk' and too slow for a 'Tab'. Marching us off around the perimeter of the base we soon got an appreciation of what these guys go through on long march. The straps soon started to be felt in the shoulders and we tried to work out how you could easily fire your rifle if you came under attack, something we found difficult with a pack on. Back at the start point we were relieved of our rifles and Bergens and then taken through a range of stretching exercises, each working different muscle areas as we went through the routine. This was really useful as we discovered some great stretches for the calf - an area I've had particular problems with.

The Circuit of Death

Our stretches done, it was time to swap with the other group and head for the Circuits and Aerobics area or 'The Circuit of Death' as it should be renamed. Our PT instructor and two eager Gurkha assistants took us round the circuit to demonstrate the exercises to be done at each station bearing names like Supermans, Thrusts, Bungees, Plank, Weighted Sit-Up, Sprints, Medicine Ball, Alternative Medicine Ball, Press-Ups, Squat Thrust, Squats, Lunges - names filling me with dread and designed to work different areas of the body or in my case inflict pain.

After the demonstration, we were off for the warm-up, a gentle walk around the circuit - so far so good I thought. This soon progressed to jogging and the need to touch the ground with various parts of the body as instructed along with direction changes on the instruction of the Gurkha PT instructor. By the end of the warm up I was already feeling like I'd had a good workout but the real pain was yet to come. We would have an initial 10 seconds at each station to familiarise ourselves with the activity before being told to move to the next exercise. After completing the next exercise this was increased to 40 seconds at each, then 15 seconds then 5 seconds - each one requiring we move to the next one as rapidly as possible. Towards the end I was finding it was taking at least 5 seconds to get off the ground! With the torture session over it was time for more stretching and a demonstration of the use of a foam roller.

Gurkha curry - you'll want more!

Leaving the Circuit Area we were off to the Mess Tent as the Gurkha Chefs removed the covers from the most amazing display and we were greeted by the welcoming smell of curry. Naturally we had to try everything on offer and we agreed it was as good if not better than anything we had tasted in a restaurant. As we were joined by the hungry Gurkha soldiers we got the chance to chat with them as most had done Trailwalker in the past and they explained that for them to have the fastest time gave them the bragging rights over other areas of the military so they are pretty keen on who gets selected to do it each year. Fortunately there was plenty of curry leftover so after the mornings activity we justified second helpings but it still left us wanting a doggy-bag.

After lunch it was back into the tent for a presentation on the history of the QGS, their formation and areas of operation. It was interesting to learn about the selection process for the Gukhas that there are 30 applicants for every position such is the demand in Nepal to become a Gurkha soldier in the British Army and they would then normally serve 22 years though sadly with military cuts, a number of them will have their careers cut short.

Not sure I'd want to spend the night in it

Following the presentation on Training and Preparation, we were off for the final task of the day which was the Command Task. Separated into our two groups as before, we were presented with two taped off squares an array of tent poles, spikes and tent canvas all laid out on the ground. The rules were that we would have to erect the array of tent paraphernalia into a 9' x 9' tent but two people would remain outside the square providing instruction and 6 members inside the square who were not permitted to talk. Sounded straightforward enough and our Red Team were quickly in the lead with the frame up only to find that one of the horizontals was shorter than the rest. In error, a shorter pole had been matched with a longer pole requiring the frame to be dismantled to find the problem. 

A quick re-erection had the frame back up and us still ahead of the Blue Team and ready for the canvas. At this point a member of the team (who shall remain nameless) gestured that the canvas was upside down, so quickly flipping it over it was soon over the frame only for it to be realised it was now inside-out requiring it to be removed and flipped over again costing us time and allowing the Blue team to marginally snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

This simple exercise was explained to us as an example of working as a team to achieve a goal. For Trailwalker we're going to spend a long time in each others company, for a chunk of the distance we will get by on conversation and banter but this will dry up, we will get irritated by annoying habits of our team mates, we will have low points and will need our other team members to pick us up to get us through it. It is as much a mental as a physical challenge.

With time left for some group photographs at the end, we said our thanks and goodbyes to our amazing Gurkha hosts and if you are reading this with a view to doing Trailwalker in the future we would strongly recommend you do this if you get offered the opportunity - it's inspirational and motivational (and the aches and pains will soon be forgotten)

Thank you 250 Gurkha Signals for a great day

05/05/2012 - Trailwalker Prep Session and Training on The South Downs - Pt1

This Saturday was the Oxfam Trailwalker Preparation Session at Queen Elizabeth Country Park. We had decided to book the 9.30am session to allow us time to get training for the first time on the South Downs Way afterward.

Martin had already decided it was too far to drive down and decided he'd rather stay and watch the footie. Lee knowing his issues with timekeeping had driven down the night before with Polly and Simon had stayed overnight in Banbury. Mark decided to drive the 200miles on the morning and arrived bright and early at the Visitor Centre at 8.30am and was shortly joined by Simon. No sign of Red Leader and Polly but theres was still plenty of time for him to make an entrance, though we weren't expecting it to be at 10:15am due to breakfast being served late and a 'navigational time issue'. Lets hope things are smoother the next time we come here!

The running order was Tom from Oxfam, followed by Gurkha Gopal and then Tony, Mark and Jo from the Brixham Badgers.

Tom is doing Trailwaker with a team himself and has been training on the course. He ran through training schedules, team roles and the support team role and then it was over to Gurkha Gopal .

There he was stood in combat gear, a little guy with a great smile and sense of humour but obviously as hard as nails. He explained that he'd done Trailwalker four times, three times in the UK and once in Australia. His fastest time was just over 11 hours and his slowest around 14hours though this year he doesn't have a team - yet.

He went on to explain how the Gurkha's approach this 'run' (a term he continued to use much to our amusement). He explained that they spend no more than 2 minutes at a checkpoint enough to charge themselves with fuel and change socks though he confessed he wears the same pair throughout often wearing a hole through them! This F1 style of pitstop was made more interesting when he added that their Support Team have to point their vehicle in the direction of the exit to ensure they make it to the next checkpoint before them! By all accounts they don't drink a great deal as he indicated the team go through about 30litres of water between them. For salt replacement, they use sliced apple sprinkled with salt.

He ran through the timings of the starts and the need to register on the Friday evening and that the Gurkha Cultural Event is a must attend to get into the spirit of Trailwalker. He did also say that while camping is available at the start this may not result in a decent nights sleep which is why the Gurkhas stay away. Interesting to note was that camping is available at Brighton Race Course from Saturday evening so the Support Team can set themselves a base.
 
Water is available at checkpoints to top up bottles and camelbaks though this may mean queueing so perhaps sticking with Plan A and carrying our own water is best advised. Sometimes food or chocolate bar treats are available at intermediate checkpoints along with hot/cold drinks and at checkpoint 7 there is a hot meal though he cautioned that a lot of people drop out here. This he put down to a combination of it being night, tiredness and then taking on board a meal so perhaps caution advised not to eat too much or linger too long. The Gurkhas will be there to applaud us in at each checkpoint and motivate us with the sound of the pipes at the finish line.

Next up were Tony, Mark and Jo of the Brixham Badgers. Like us they had lost a teammate in training and had to replace him and they stressed the importance of training on hills to prepare for Trailwalker. Their training adopted the '10% Rule' gradually increasing the distance each week in the run up to the event. Their plan was to build in time in the second half of the walk and gain encouragement from beating their plan which included blitzing the hill in the final stages.

The support team were very well organised. Each walker had their own box of clothing and gear. At each checkpoint, the walkers were greeted by the support team and lead to the vehicle where 4 chairs were arranged around a square blanket with their stuff infront. Pit stops were kept to a minimum 20-25mins with the exception of one afforded half way of nearly an hour because the team were well ahead of schedule. The Support Team used a flag mounted above the vehicle so it could easily be found at each checkpoint and this was handed to the team at the last checkpoint so the support team could see them coming and cheer them in at Brighton.

It was also interesting to note that Support Team members can walk down the trail to meet the walkers, take instructions and run back to the Support Team. They can also walk with the team up the trail from the checkpoint as a boost before turning round and coming back.

Last year they explained it rained for the first 10 hours and suggested that 'waterproof' is a relative term. Beyond the halfway stage two of their teammates started to suffer with knee and foot problems including monumental blisters and continued the rest of Trailwalker in pain which apparently was only eased with the use of walking poles. On the same subject, they recommended anticipating pain management and alternate between nurofen and paracetamol over the duration of the walk. Despite the adversity of injuries and bad weather, they managed to complete the walk in 27hours 53minutes raising £2,770.50 for Oxfam and The Gurkha Welfare Trust. To read their blog in full you can find it here.

The Prep Session ended and we agreed it had been a useful experience especially to listen to those who had been there and done it. One thing that doesn't really come out in blogs is the mental and emotional side of doing this as everyone expects physical pain. The Brixham Badgers managed to reduce a few members of the audience to tears as they described their highs and lows - we need to prepare for that. Thanks to Mark, Tony and Jo for putting it together and getting up at 5am to be there.

We headed for the cars for the next phase of the day - training on the Trailwalker Route at last.

19/04/2012 - Going, Gurkha, Gone.

Well following our invitation to Gurkha training last week, sadly we have to report that it has been cancelled. 

To say we're disappointed is an understatement. We had been looking forward to training with the Gurkhas since the day we signed up for Trailwalker and could only hope we'd be in a position to raise enough sponsorship and pledge to qualify, which we have. 

Our excitement at being offered a place on Gurkha Training rapidly turned to dismay as we were informed by email from Oxfam yesterday that the training which was scheduled for this Saturday has had to be cancelled due to a lack of numbers wanting to take part. We can understand the need for Oxfam and The Gurkha Welfare Trust wanting to fully utilise this event though we suggest that had Oxfam given teams more time to raise sponsorship and having the training day a little later may have had a different result. Instead we have been asked back next year, which does defeat the object of making this part of our training build-up to Trailwalker. 

On a more positive note, we have done very well with sponsorship recently. We would like to thank Roger Haydon (Polly's stepfather), Vincent Fairclough (you never know when you'll need a good lawyer),  Dave Nanson of DBS Environmental, James Lockhart and Paul Whitmarsh of Whitmarsh Lockhart, Lisa Hathway, Jane Harris of the Morgan Foundation and our Chairman Steve Morgan on behalf of The Morgan Foundation for your generous sponsorship. Our total has now leapt up to £2,847.14 excluding Gift Aid which is just amazing.

As we have an extra weekend now, it won't be wasted so we have planned a 5hr walk in the Peak District venturing a little further afield this time. We're planning a 21km walk taking in 4 hills which should yield us about 750m of muscle sapping climb - by our standards thats a lot, so it will be our hardest yet. We're looking to take on Shutlingsloe Hill also known as 'The Matterhorn of The Peak' and Birchenough Hill - the site of a B17 Flying Fortress crash in WWII and I am planning on taking the camera! The planned route is here.