Final Thoughts

Camp Life I was extremely apprehensive about spending the week with a bunch of strangers, but as the cliché goes, strangers are only friends you haven’t met yet. And everyone on the team was great – 5 runners, 8 crew, and I hope to stay in touch with all of them, as they made my week a very special experience. In a way it is a shame that the event will be so much bigger next year, as with such a small team, strong bonds were forged this year.  The organisation was superb – I can’t fault anything. Tents were up and ready long before we finished running, dinner was often ready just as I got back, and the morning wake-up cup of tea was enjoyed by my fellow runners.  The food was fabulous, and as well as porridge, toast, bacon and eggs for breakfast, we had delicious dinners:  Lasagne, new potatoes and salad Chargrilled chicken with rocket mash Pasta bolognese Chicken wrapped in cheese and bacon with barbecue sauce Sausage and mash with onion gravy Cottage pie with cauliflower cheese  There wasn’t much time for camp life from my perspective, as by the time I got back each day, I only had a couple of hours before it was time to try and sleep, but there was certainly a very welcoming and jocular atmosphere in the ‘santa’s grotto’ marquee each evening. Equipment Raidlight backpack – comfortable, lightweight, lots of pockets. Would recommend and use again. Having used body glide most days, I also minimised the chafing, and only slightly aggravated the still unhealed chafe wounds from the Ridgeway.  Raidlight bumbag – attached to the backpack to form a front pack. Had two bottles, and a large front pocket, meaning that I didn’t have to take the pack off during the day. I usually had to have help putting my bag on as my shoulder injury restricted my movement and I couldn’t fasten it all up, so not needing to take it off/put it on when alone during the run was a big help.  Power Monkey Xplorer – Fabulous, and well worth the investment. I didn’t use the solar monkey regularly, as there were sunny spells rather than constant sunshine and I kept forgetting to attach it to my rucksack. But the mains charger was fabulous – my Garmin and iPhone were sufficiently charged all week, and with little hassle  Marmot Atom sleeping bag – I loved my sleeping bag so much. Lovely to the touch, lightweight to carry, and under moderate temperatures, extremely cosy. However the chilly nights were more than a match for it, and I did struggle to sleep at all on 3 nights due to the cold. It does however state on the sleeping bag it is suitable for temperatures to 5 degrees, and it was well below that on the coldest nights, so I can’t really blame the sleeping bag for not keeping me warm enough.  Thermarest Prolite – light, easy to pack up and carry, my intention for using this was to provide a bit of padding to sleep on, but I quickly realised the benefit of the warmth it offered, as if my arm strayed off the mat onto the ground sheet of the tent, the temperature difference between the two surfaces was quite remarkable.  Swiss Army Knife – having recently discovered that a v cut into blisters is far more effective at keeping them drained than a needle stuck through them, I had been on the search for a small pair of foldable scissors. I couldn’t find anything suitable anywhere. On the compulsory kit list for TB was a knife – wanting to have everything in order I looked in Millets and saw Swiss Army knifes for sale, so I bought the cheapest they had. I then realised that these included a scissor function, and this saved my feet, and probably my race. By being able to treat my blisters with scissors at the end of each day, and use regular applications of iodine, my feet gave me little trouble beyond discomfort each day. By keeping the blisters dry and open, they didn’t refill, and because all of the problem areas were being treated with iodine, new blisters rarely developed and filled. Of course it helped being able to treat them at the end of each day and rest for 12 hours or so but this is the least trouble I’ve had with my feet during a race for about 6 months.  Compass – essential. The degree of navigation required on TB was such that I was frequently stopping every 50 yards or so to take a compass bearing. It made for very slow going, but added to the sense of achievement. Despite being a gadget freak, the simplicity of the compass really appeals to me – you don’t need a signal, you don’t need to charge it, you just need to know how to use it. My new favourite toy. Final Thoughts

At the beginning of the week, I had every intention of not doing anything like this again. Now, I am regretting that my own race clashes with TB next year, as I won’t be able to compete.  The urge may wear off before TB 2011, but if I do ever take part in another event like this, it is all credit to Steve’s team for making the event so enjoyable.  If anyone is thinking of doing a multi day event in Britain, I would whole-heartedly recommend this one.  The routes were fabulous (even if I personally found a few bits a little frustrating!) and gave me the opportunity to navigate myself around specific routes whilst being supported with checkpoints (between 1-4 a day).  Having the catering taken care of, and the tents transported and assembled for you was a luxury that made the logistics of the race possible, whilst still allowing you to feel that you were ‘roughing it’ by carrying everything else with you each day.  My navigational skills, which were passable at the beginning of the week, have improved immensely. My observational skills, usually fairly dormant, have developed and I notice things with even noticing, if that makes sense.  My confidence has grown, in particular socially. I guess I really need to stop thinking of myself as the painfully shy girl in the corner, as I’m not that person anymore, and probably haven’t been for some time.  Most of all, my confidence in myself as a person has increased. I can rough it. I can find my way out of anywhere. I can survive. I can climb. I can mix with people. I can eat anything. I can cope without OCD rituals. I can improvise. I can push myself. I can keep on going. I can.