Advice Needed - 1st time 100km walk
Discussion
Not sure which forum this best fits, so start here and see where it goes.
Our company have signed up for the London to Brighton 100km walk in 24hrs to be held on the 12/13 may next year.
As this will be the 1st time I've attempted such a distance, just wanted to gauge thoughts on the best type of footwear and any recommendations for a training schedule.
Can't find clear confirmation on what the route entails, but expect road, footpath and perhaps some byways if the cycle ride is anything to go by. So would you suggest trainers or hiking boots?
I'm probably about 2mths late in starting although I do tend to walk at least a couple of miles a day from Waterloo to the office - not quite the same terrain or distance but better than nothing!
Any advice gratefully recevied!
Our company have signed up for the London to Brighton 100km walk in 24hrs to be held on the 12/13 may next year.
As this will be the 1st time I've attempted such a distance, just wanted to gauge thoughts on the best type of footwear and any recommendations for a training schedule.
Can't find clear confirmation on what the route entails, but expect road, footpath and perhaps some byways if the cycle ride is anything to go by. So would you suggest trainers or hiking boots?
I'm probably about 2mths late in starting although I do tend to walk at least a couple of miles a day from Waterloo to the office - not quite the same terrain or distance but better than nothing!
Any advice gratefully recevied!
This year I did the London to Cardiff 24 hour run (from Twickenham to the Millenium stadium)
It was a relay and we had ten runners in our team. It eventually took 28 hours for most teams (including ourselves) which was mainly due to getting lost - most of it was offroad (footpaths/ bridle paths) and when tiredness kicks in - sense of direction seemed to go all over the place......
Now, when I said I did the run - I was chief driver of the Minibus so cannot offer any help with footwear etc, but they all seemed to wear the same footwear as they would for a marathon (ASICS from memory). Good walkie talkies, good headlamps and a sense of humour were all necessary attributes!
Well worth doing - the teams were fiercely competitive at Twickenham but come entering into Wales the team spirit between the different teams was amazing. I am even tempted to run for a short leg next year, if they enter again.
Mike
It was a relay and we had ten runners in our team. It eventually took 28 hours for most teams (including ourselves) which was mainly due to getting lost - most of it was offroad (footpaths/ bridle paths) and when tiredness kicks in - sense of direction seemed to go all over the place......
Now, when I said I did the run - I was chief driver of the Minibus so cannot offer any help with footwear etc, but they all seemed to wear the same footwear as they would for a marathon (ASICS from memory). Good walkie talkies, good headlamps and a sense of humour were all necessary attributes!
Well worth doing - the teams were fiercely competitive at Twickenham but come entering into Wales the team spirit between the different teams was amazing. I am even tempted to run for a short leg next year, if they enter again.
Mike
Lightweight good quality fell boots should work (I've done 2 of these types of events, albeit across hills in Bergaus GTX boots).
Buy them early and now to wear them in (you won't wear them out, I did both events in the same pair)
Get good socks - 1000mile socks are excellent.
Use white oxide tape to tape your toes and where you learn that you get blisters through your practice walks.
Look up the Caledonian challenge and Oxfam trailwalker - there are loads of bits of advice for those events that will hold you in good stead for this one.
The things that will make you fail are:
1. Blisters. If you let one form, you're pretty much f
ked. Practising long walks will teach you where you are likely to get them to take preventative action.
2. Hydration. Wear a camelback, keep drinking from it. I presume you have a support team or food/drink stations to keep it full. If your piss is not light straw coloured, you need to drink.
3. Energy. Pocketful of nuts/fruit/jellybabies. Keep generally munching. Carbs at rest stops.
4. The night bit. YOu get a natural low between 3 and 4am. Make sure you've practiced walking at that time so you know how bad it feels.
Make sure you've done at least one 25 mile+ practice walk so you know how the fatigue feels. You'll need to build up to it, so you'll need to be out walking a lot.
Walking poles. You might look a tit, but they take, I reckon, about 50% load off your knees. Well worth it.
Buy them early and now to wear them in (you won't wear them out, I did both events in the same pair)
Get good socks - 1000mile socks are excellent.
Use white oxide tape to tape your toes and where you learn that you get blisters through your practice walks.
Look up the Caledonian challenge and Oxfam trailwalker - there are loads of bits of advice for those events that will hold you in good stead for this one.
The things that will make you fail are:
1. Blisters. If you let one form, you're pretty much f
ked. Practising long walks will teach you where you are likely to get them to take preventative action.2. Hydration. Wear a camelback, keep drinking from it. I presume you have a support team or food/drink stations to keep it full. If your piss is not light straw coloured, you need to drink.
3. Energy. Pocketful of nuts/fruit/jellybabies. Keep generally munching. Carbs at rest stops.
4. The night bit. YOu get a natural low between 3 and 4am. Make sure you've practiced walking at that time so you know how bad it feels.
Make sure you've done at least one 25 mile+ practice walk so you know how the fatigue feels. You'll need to build up to it, so you'll need to be out walking a lot.
Walking poles. You might look a tit, but they take, I reckon, about 50% load off your knees. Well worth it.
With that kind of distance I would look into getting a good pair or running shoes with proper insoles to suit your feet. Specialist stores and some high street shops do this for you.
Bring something sugary, like jelly babies or Werther's, as your energy will go every hour or so. Don't take them if you feel fine. If you don't worry about appearing unsociable, make sure you have plenty to listen to.
You should complete this in about 18 hours if you maintain a reasonable pace and stop once or twice for a proper meal.
Bring something sugary, like jelly babies or Werther's, as your energy will go every hour or so. Don't take them if you feel fine. If you don't worry about appearing unsociable, make sure you have plenty to listen to.
You should complete this in about 18 hours if you maintain a reasonable pace and stop once or twice for a proper meal.
Edited by daveco on Thursday 22 December 13:54
mattman said:
Corsair7 said:
100km walk advice - don't.
That was my initial thought, but its for charidee and actually think it will be quite a challenge - I'd love to do a marathon but couldn't commit to the training or doing the actual event! 
A few miles walk to the office each day will only prolong the agony on the day IMO, you want to ramp that up over the coming weekends. I suspect you want to be building to a good 30 miles in a day by a couple of weeks before the event and try different foods on your longer walks as you want to be sure you get on with it.
Foot wear wise I'd go for light walking boots, the ground will be rougher and you'll be more tired than would suit a running shoe so something with a relAtively solid sole and ankle support would be preferable I'd have thought.
mattman said:
That was my initial thought, but its for charidee and actually think it will be quite a challenge - I'd love to do a marathon but couldn't commit to the training or doing the actual event!
I suspect the amount of training required and effort required on the day will be the same if not more than a marathon. Do not under estimate the training required!Did 45 miles in a day once, starting at nine in the morning and finishing at eight at night.....it was a long day....
You are going to attempt 62 miles.... don't underestimate how hard it might be, it COULD be fairly hot that time of year too..
It is do-able, but do plenty of training, all this bks about hiking boots makes me laugh, I did the 270 mile Pennine Way twice in a pair of battered hush puppies thirty five years ago...just wear a pair of shoes that are comfortable to YOU, and the soles are not going to come off halfway through.
Maybe consider some Sorbothene shock absorbing insoles, these are excellent.
Good luck.....
You are going to attempt 62 miles.... don't underestimate how hard it might be, it COULD be fairly hot that time of year too..
It is do-able, but do plenty of training, all this b
ks about hiking boots makes me laugh, I did the 270 mile Pennine Way twice in a pair of battered hush puppies thirty five years ago...just wear a pair of shoes that are comfortable to YOU, and the soles are not going to come off halfway through.Maybe consider some Sorbothene shock absorbing insoles, these are excellent.
Good luck.....
As a student, I once attempted the Bogle Stroll. This is 55 miles walking through the night setting off at midnight. It was held in November at the time and it was rather cold. My preparation was getting completely aholed that evening and then deciding to do it at about 23.55. I think our drunken team managed about 35 miles in Converse, t shirts and jeans. The horizontal rain eventually saw us drop out 
There is a little bit of more sensible advice on their website...
http://www.manchesterrag.com/bogle/faqs/#1
Good Luck !
holed that evening and then deciding to do it at about 23.55. I think our drunken team managed about 35 miles in Converse, t shirts and jeans. The horizontal rain eventually saw us drop out There is a little bit of more sensible advice on their website...
http://www.manchesterrag.com/bogle/faqs/#1
Good Luck !
Go to a running shop and get some trainers fitted. Essential and you'd be staggered at the difference. You don@t need boots.
There should be a training guide published by the organisers and you should try and stick to it. If you've not done a few lond distances as part of that then you really have no conception whatever on the task you have taken on.
I did the Shine 26 mile walk in October and had trained for 6 months. Without training you'll be in a heap of pain and trouble.
There should be a training guide published by the organisers and you should try and stick to it. If you've not done a few lond distances as part of that then you really have no conception whatever on the task you have taken on.
I did the Shine 26 mile walk in October and had trained for 6 months. Without training you'll be in a heap of pain and trouble.
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