Ready for the off

This project has been going now all this year, I have been thinking about it for over a year and it has been in the background for over ten years.

It is now the eve of my departure for the Lakes (after work tomorrow) and I am filled with a mixture of emotions.

I am excited by the prospect of testing myself properly on the Bob Graham Round and the opportunity to get this thing out of my system. I am looking forward to an absolutely awesome day in the fells and to the sheer magnitude of what is before me. I have grown to love the mountains of Cumbria and the splendour of the scenary of the Lakes. With each visit I have made I have discovered more about this wonderful terrain and grown to like it more and more.

When I started out on this journey I was scared of the heights and cowed by the ruggedness of the land but through practice and training I feel not only at ease but I enjoy being in these wild places.

I am amazed at how my body has adapted to the demands I have made of it. Outings which a year ago would have been possible only with a big effort now seem to be easily within my grasp.

I don't know how much of this is necessary, or how much it is an inevitable part of training but I do know that the nature of the Bob Graham Challenge has changed in my mind.

When I started it seemed to me it was a case of stubbornly keeping going as my body and legs fell apart around me. I thought all I needed was enough determination to keep going for the 24 hours and that would see me through.

In retrospect I am not sure whether I would ever have had that much determination because fundimentally you do have to have a bare minimum of physical capability. Although I was fit I don't think I had enough fell experience for my legs to be able to provide what was being asked of them - they would have reached a point where there really was not enough left in the tank to generate the energy required to get round in 24 hours. If it was a case of simply keeping going until the end of the round regardless of the time taken then I think that would be possible as I am sure that the mind can drive the body on well beyond what would normally be regarded as its limits.

This is why for me it is so important to do this thing in under 24 hours. Although it is a random (ish) time limit - the 24 hour mark does celebrate the inauguration of the round and it defines and lays down the challenge ahead. Without this challenge I would be left with a very pleasant and wonderful walk but no motivation to do it at any pace in particular. It would be easier and in many ways all the pleasanter for the relaxed approach but it would lose one of its dimensions as a challenge.

Having heard of, read about, witnessed and met people who have done this challenge has motivated a competitive side of me to do it myself. There are many things in the world out there that are challenging and spectacular which I would love to do and may be lucky enough to have a go at one day but the Bob Graham some how got under my skin as a challenge that I really wanted to do.

It may stem from my first naiive acquaintances with it. That was a time when I did not really understand the challenge and in some way I committed myself to it psychologically without knowing what was involved. After that stubborness and determination to finish what I had started took over.

Another reason that it became what has been described elsewhere as a 'quiet obsession' may be to do with the fact that it is a challenge so close to my own personal mental and physical limits. Like the sub 3 hour marathon which had taunted me for even longer I felt that it should be possible if I were to be properly prepared. Part of the challenge though was working out exactly what 'properly prepared' was - a very personal thing.

As I write this of course I still don't know if I am yet ready to fully answer this question but I have at least documented my attempt so that any others in a similar position may have the benefit of my experience whatever the result.

As well as the excitement and anticipation there is some fear. I am afraid of the huge effort that will be involved, I am afraid of spending 24 hours on the fells on my own, I am afraid of the natural dangers of the remote mountains and above all perhaps I am afraid of failure. I think this can be used positively as it can be very motivating and it is a natural emotion.

It has been said that to even consider the possibility of failure is a guarantee of it happening and although I do not accept this it may be true.

I call it realism and believe that I have done the preparation for a successful round but that there is always an element of uncertainty. What I am certain about though is that I shall be giving everything I possibly can to lead to a sub 24 hour round and I will be helped by the many people who have sent me their best wishes for the day.

This week I have really rested. I did a 1 hour gentle run on Tuesday night and I did a 20 minute gentle jog tonight This is extreme tapering and it makes you feel terrible - the body justs rebels at the inactivity but I am hoping the rest will mean that my muscles and physiology are in tip top condition on Sunday.
I am not back for over a week now but I shall update this Blog as soon as I can!