Training for LEJOG

LEJOG TRAINING

1,000 miles in 6 weeks. That is my aim, and the aim of my training. 

Background

The plan was to start my LEJOG attempt on Thursday 29th March 2018. I therefore planned to train for LEJOG from January onwards. As often happens to plans this one got shelved on Friday 14th April - one month ago - when my employer intervened with an unexpected summer holiday allowance for all members of staff. They knew about my plan for 2018; even so, I thought that requesting a minimum of 6 weeks off would be pushing the boundaries of acceptability. I was mistaken. I got a yes. The revised start date is Saturday 29th July, with a predicted finish in the first half of September. 

This has prompted me to bring everything forward: route planning, gear testing, gram counting and most importantly fitness. One month has disappeared already. What emerged from this first tentative month was a question of singular significance: will I be physically fit enough to walk 1,000 miles in 6 weeks?


TRAINING

29th April (Saturday): solo training walk via Hackwood Park plus 1 extra mile at 24 miles, 7 hours 10. Cloudy, cool and dry. 11 KG pack; new boots. Heels slightly blistered due to not removing debris from boots promptly enough.
30th April (Sunday): solo training walk via Hackwood at 23 miles, 7 hours 40. Cloud cool and dry. 10 KG pack; I ate day 1 of the 3 days of food I was carrying and took 2 litres of water instead of full capacity).
2 dayer total: 47 miles, 14 hours 50 mins.

Holiday to Inverness - reccied the last section of the walk from Inverness to JOG


Monday 1st May: flew to Inverness with my walking buddy on a pre-planned holiday. On Tuesday 2nd May we took the opportunity to reccie the A9 from Inverness all the way up to Wick (17 miles short of John o'Groats) tracking our progress on all six O/S 1:25,000 maps during the 3 hour bus journey north and the 2.5 hour return via taxi (kudos to the driver from Sneckie's Cabs for your valuable advice). This was extremely important. In short, yes, the A9 is negotiable on foot for almost all the way. Almost - but not quite (beware road walking around Golspie and Berriedale; please see the Inverness to John o'Groats trail website for advice on alternatives). Wednesday was spent in the Inverness Tattoo Centre for 6 hours of pain (thank you Kenny). Thursday, flew home. 

May

6th May (Saturday) Kintbury to Basingstoke town centre via Inkpen Beacon and the Wayfarer's Walk, 27.15 miles, 8 hours 10 minutes. Warm and sunny. Took a lightweight day pack instead of the LEJOG gear; can only carry a pack on my right shoulder until the tattoo heals. New boots.
7th May (Sunday) training route via Hackwood, 23 miles, 7 hours 26. Hot and sunny. Daypack. Old boots. 
2 dayer total: 50.15 miles, 15 hours, 36 mins.

12th May (Friday night): 20 miles, 6 hours 6 minutes. Local country route with a couple of loops. Solo. 10 KG pack; tattoo healed. Old boots. Tired (lack of mental resilience).
13th May (Saturday): 22 miles, 7 hours 12 minutes. Local country route with a couple of loops. Solo. 10 KG pack. Old boots. Tired. (not hungry for it this weekend for some reason).
2 dayer total: 42 miles, 13 hours, 18 minutes. Very poor performance. Sort it out!

19th May (Friday night after work; left the office at 17:00, arrived home at 11:36 PM): 20 miles, 6 hours 36; local country DIY route, here, there and everywhere. Solo. 10.9 KG pack starting weight; weighed 7.5 KG at the finish. Old boots. Heavy showers and humid; wore ankle gaiters which I've now ditched; too flimsy. Feeling strong. Hungry for it.
20th May (Saturday: left home at 10:12 arrived home 5:22 PM): 23 miles, 7 hours 20. Training route via Hackwood Park. 10 KG pack starting weight; weighed 7 KG at the finish). Solo. Old boots. A few prolonged heavy showers; hot sun later in the afternoon. Shorts and t-shirt with good old waterproof leather walking boots and the umbrella as cover. Worked fine. Feeling strong. Hungry for it.
21st May: (Sunday: left home 09:45, arrived home 5:05 PM) 23 miles, 7 hours 20 (yes, exactly the same time). DIY local country footpath extravaganza. Follow every path I could find locally to its end, walk back and follow the next one - filled in a few gaps in my local geography). Hot and sunny. 10 KG pack; weighed 7 KG at the finish. Feeling very strong. Very hungry for it.
3 dayer total: 66 miles, 21 hours, 16 minutes. Good progress. 

Dedicated LEJOG training total mileage: 205.15 miles over 9 days.

 2017 walking stats:
Q2 total: 293.97 miles.
Q1 (334.7 miles) + Q2 total: 628.67 miles.
Meindl Kansas (old) boots total: 712.82 miles.
Meindl Kansas (new) boots total: 51.15 miles

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