Berghaus Trail Team ...a lakeland adventure.

Recently, I’ve been away from home a fair bit and over the next month, will be away a lot more with the Thames Path 100 mile run this weekend then heading out to California for a road trip up through Death Valley and Yosemite before heading back south for the Born to Run ultra-marathon weekend.

I’ve always been protective of the time seeing my daughter and always tried to keep it in balance with the outdoors stuff. Had originally planned to spend the weekend just gone in Glasgow but when the invite came for a Trail Team 2014 selection day, it was an important opportunity to take. Spoke to Mirren about it and got her support …subject to having dinner together on Sunday.

Bunch of pals were doing the Highland Fling so nipped over to see them off on Saturday morning before driving south to the Lakes for the selection day. Was kinda weird seeing folks heading out on a race I’ve done a couple of times.

 

Anyway …onto the day itself.

The team is being put together by the folks at Freestak with some great sponsors …

Berghaus

Coming from a mountaineering background, my knowledge of Berghaus goes back to when I really started exploring the mountains in the mid 80s. Still can remember my cousin Alan getting serious kudos from the rest of us when he turned up sporting a pair of the innovative Yeti gaiters. A few years later, I felt that Berghaus lost their way with providing great product aimed at folks who really pushed themselves in outdoor adventure. As such, I had kinda written the brand off a bit. Was aware in the last year or so that this had been reversed a bit and was super impressed on Saturday to find out they are back strong working with athletes to provide new kit which helps improve the experience of folks who choose a fast and lite (but comfortable) approach to outdoor adventure. Feel a new jacket purchase is in order soon ..

LEDLenser

Whilst there wasn’t a presentation, the company had given a couple of their SEO headtorches as part of the raffle. I’ve previously known the brand for providing a great product at a price that makes high performance affordable. In fact, at work we issue the guys who work trackside on the railway the excellent H5 model of headtorch which offers enough flexibility for walking to the site and also for close up work.

TorqNutrition

With high performance sports nutrition being day job for my wee sister, I was aware of the science bit but Ben from Torq did a great presentation based on a nice easy to understand format with enough information to make a difference but not too much to confuse. We had an opportunity to try samples of the range of bars, drinks and gels. The “unit” systems is a nice touch …very simply, for every hour of exercise, you are aiming to consume 2-3 units with a unit being either one bar, gel or 500ml drink. Reckon a lot comes down to personal taste but in particular, was impressed with the gels which actually tasted like the flavour listed on the wrapper !

We were then treated to talks by Helene Whitaker and Steve Birkinshaw. I’ve been aware of both for over a decade from a number of events although I am more used to only seeing them very briefly and only from behind as they disappear into the distance. Couple of wee bit of trivia / obscure connections – Helene used to run for my current club Westies when she was based in Glasgow and during her talk had a great photograph of my clubmate and pal Christine Mehennet (who held a number of Scottish Fell running records in her own right) and Steve was out in Namibia as part of the BBC “SAS – Are you Tough Enough” series of programmes the year after I was in Jungle version of the same show (where I proved without doubt that I wasn’t ending messily on an IV with heat stroke). Both Steve and Helene proved it is possible to be completely inspiring and extremely humble at the same time.

Anyone who knows me also knows I like my hill lists (finished my Munros round a whilst back at currently got three summits to go on a Corbetts round) but Steve’s summer run is in a different class – have a read at over.

Wound up and feeling motivated, we went for a bunch run up to Red Tarn under Helvellyn. The racing snakes went up from with Steve, after a short time, I decided a more social pace was in order … i.e. one that didn’t feel like my heart was trying to exit the rib cage !

Up at the Tarn, a few folks balanced temperature with a quick swim ..the rest of us just stood around smiling. Group photos before a bounce back down to the hostel.

Julie from the Freestak team wanted some running photos so a few of us volunteered to try and look athletic. At some point, a wee memory from the 2008 Marathon des Sables dripped forwards- it finally dawned on me that was where I knew her from ! Poor Wanda looked kinda shocked when I said hello (I was clean shaven back in the day) and mentioned the Sahara. Think I matched her shock myself when I asked what she had been up to since and the reply came “I broke my back”. With my limited knowledge of broken backs, I had always assumed that meant a wheelchair …apparently it usually does. Wanda shared her story of a fight for recovery (I just stood like an idiot speechless and trying to figure the right words to say …which never came by the way). I asked if she would go back and Wanda confirmed that was all part of getting her full life back. My stock answer when asked the same question has always been a qualified no …well not unless there was a reason. Wanda suggested a class of 2008 MdS reunion and maybe there was a “reason” I had asked …maybe she is right – time will tell.

The rest of the evening was a mix of good food (epic portions), a couple of beers and a viewing of the 2013 Dragons Back Race which was won by Steve Birkinshaw with the great back story of Helene along with Martin Stone winning the original and only other running of the race back in 1992. The other inspirational tale within the DVD was that of another fell running legend Wendy Dodds who also completed the 2013 edition at the tender age of 61. The Dragons Back had been in the head but was too close to the Ben Nevis Race (long term plan is to try and run at least 21 consecutive events) so discounted. Turns out the next edition in 2015 is in June i.e. nae excuse this time round.

Sunday dawned and with the Thames Path 100 miler the following weekend, my plan was NOT to join the Steve Birkinshaw group. As we set off, it was obvious that the best laid plans o’ mice and men etc … Got chatting with Andy Thompson who organises the Blencathra race (another good reason to revisit the lakes) and ended up staying with the group as we made our way up Swirral Edge and onto the summit of Helvellyn. The route then continued along the high level ridge until dropping down to Grisedale Tarn where Neil, Andy and myself took the lower route whilst the remainder of the Steve group went off for another summit.

Back in Glenridding, there was not much else to do other than some handshakes (with the guys) and hugs (with the girls) before the van was pointed north again.

As sometimes happens, the weekend far exceeded expectations – the reality is that only four people will make the final team who head out to train in the Alps this summer and with one more selection day to go, the odds are kinda slim but fingers and beard crossed. Putting that to one side though, the weekend pretty much defined why I run – the shared physical experience & adventure with like-minded people in a beautiful landscape …a glimpse of what community can be like when given a chance.

To all who were involved in making the weekend happen – sincere thanks, braw times indeed !

 

Steve's group starting up Swirral Edge