100 and 50km UK TREKS PREPARATION GUIDE

Transcription

1 100 and 50km UK TREKS PREPARATION GUIDE

2 Welcome. Get ready to be inspired. In this booklet you ll find ideas and advice to help you get prepared for your epic trek and make yourself proud. GET READY TO FIGHT FOR EVERY HEARTBEAT 4 UNFORGETTABLE UK TREKS INSPIRATIONAL TEAM ReRe SECTION 1: TRAINING YOUR PERSONAL TRAINING PLAN SECTION 2: TEAMWORK SECTION 3: SUPPORT DRIVERS SECTION 4: FOOTWEAR SECTION 5: KIT SECTION 6: FOOD & DRINK SECTION 7: NIGHT WALKING SECTION 8: FUNDRAISING UNFORGETTABLE UK TREKS CHOOSE YOUR CHALLENGE OXFORD LONDON LONDON GLASGOW EDINBURGH SOUTHEND LONDON BRIGHTON London to Oxford Trek London to Brighton Trek Glasgow to Edinburgh Trek London to Southend Trek WHAT MAKES OUR TREKS SPECIAL? Through your sponsorship you'll be helping to power our research. Coronary heart disease is the UK's single biggest killer. You ll get a top notch event specific technical t-shirt to wear on your journey. They are stunning, fully signed, rural, urban, coastal and lowland routes. There are checkpoints along the routes to keep you on track, at key points this will include food and drink. There are top class medical and marshal teams to support your every step. A team of masseurs to ease your pain. Each trek is unique and has a fantastic atmosphere with hundreds of others all looking to achieve their goal. And best of all, you ll never forget the totally awesome sense of achievement you'll feel from completing one of the most mentally and physically challenging experiences of your life! 1

3 NEW LONDON TO OXFORD TREK RURAL & THAMES VALLEY May 2016 LONDON TO BRIGHTON TREK COUNTRYSIDE AND COASTAL June 2016 GLASGOW TO EDINBURGH TREK SCOTTISH LOWLANDS June 2016 LONDON TO SOUTHEND TREK URBAN AND SEASIDE 9-10 July 2016 New for 2016, the London to Oxford trek follows an historic route closely tracing the Thames Path Trail. This fairly flat goes past locks, parkland, wetlands and on through to beautiful open countryside, passing towns such as Henley, and then into the heart of the historic university town of Oxford. ALL TREKS OFFER A 100KM ROUTE AND 50KM DAY AND NIGHT OPTIONS One of England s toughest and most popular ing challenges. This is the ultimate UK trekking experience you ve got 30 hours to from London to Brighton. The route takes in canal paths, disused railway lines, the spectacular South Downs and Brighton s coastal promenade. SHARE YOUR CHALLENGE FACEBOOK.COM/ BHF SEND AN EM AIL TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY You will pass numerous landmarks and sites along the route, including Kelvingrove Museum and Park, locks on the Forth and Clyde canal, the Falkirk Wheel and Linlithgow Palace before arriving in Scotland's capital. JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST HEART DISEASE AND HELP POWER OUR LIFE SAVING RESEARCH. SIGN UP TODAY! 30 PER PERSON FOR 50KM TREK. 50 PER PERSON FOR 100KM TREK. WE ONLY ASK FOR A MINIMUM SPONSORSHIP PLEDGE OF 250 Our testing trekking experience starts in the heart of London and finishes by the sea. Our trek is both urban and rural, it passes some of London s iconic landmarks by following the Thames Path. The challenge ends in a truly unique way, at the end of the world s longest pleasure pier in Southend-on-Sea. FIGHT FOR EVERY PENNY We've got plenty of fundraising ideas to help you no sweat bhf.org.uk/fundraisingtips 2 3

4 INSPIRATIONAL TEAM ReRe Trekkers take part in our events for all sorts of reasons. From wanting to get fit and staying healthy, doing something for a good cause or ing in memory of loved ones. A group of inspirational people who have done just this is Team Re Re. Team leader, Clare Seaborne takes up their story. Tragically our beautiful sister Reanne Sheward died on January 9th 2015 aged just 23 of a cardiac arrest, two days short of her 24th birthday. From such pain and loss we decided we had to do something to keep her memory alive and raise money for the BHF. When we discovered the BHF s London to Brighton Trek on the web we formed a team and signed up. Our team of 10 including Reanne s mum, dad, fiancée, sisters, brother-in-law, and cousin. Once we d all committed to the mission it was time to prepare and train for our epic. Training was key We trained twice a week, between miles each time; we also did two longer s of around 20 and 35 miles, as well as going to the gym regularly. The training was key for us. We all loved it. As well as getting us all together to prepare for the trek, it also kept us going through very hard times. It provided our family with a focus, helped us with the grieving process and gave us a sense of achievement while keeping our sister s memory at the heart of our efforts. We d done it for Reanne The trek itself was rewarding and fun, but was also tough. A few people found the night section the hardest, whilst others found it particularly difficult when the sun came up, as by then you had to deal with tiredness and blisters! By the time we crossed the finish line we were so pleased we d done it for Reanne. It was emotional, but we had a huge sense of achievement even though we were tired and in pain. We also knew we d raised around 7000 for the BHF s vital research, which was simply amazing. Bigger and better We d recommend a BHF trek to anyone. It was such great experience; we met such lovely people along the way and listened to their stories. We ve now encouraged other family members and friends to join Team ReRe. So we ll be back even bigger and better than ever in But this time around we will be taking on the London to Southend trek and we can t wait! YOU VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES, BUT IT WILL TAKE EVERYTHING YOU VE GOT. 4

5 SECTION 1: TRAINING SOME TIPS TO MAKE TRAINING EFFECTIVE AND FUN One of the crucial parts of your preparation is your training. This booklet gives you some handy tips and a basic training plan to aid you in getting ready for the event. TIP: Do not increase your long s by more than 20% total distance at a time. TRAIN ON THE ROUTE If you are lucky enough to live near the actual route then we strongly advise you to do part of your training on our trek trail. This will make you familiar with some of the parts you may be ing in the dark. CROSS/ALTERNATIVE TRAINING As well was ing, we advise you should mix up your week s exercise by doing some cross training. This could include swimming, circuit training, cycling or a gym session. It will help you to build up overall strength and reduce the likelihood of injuries. KEEPING TRACK When you do your training s, do not rush them. Do make a note of how far you ed and how much time it took you so that you can work out your pace. TIP: Listen to your body! If you don t feel up to another long and your legs are still tired then rest if you need to. This should avoid unnecessary injuries occurring, and remember to stretch before and after any training. Week Distance Time taken Approx. Average mph 1 10 miles 3hr 45mins 2.66 Notes Walk was comfortable and completed without stresses EXAMPLE TRAINING PLAN Our basic plan will aid you in training so you re ready to complete your chosen challenge. MY FUNDRAISING TARGET TIP: We suggest that 3 months is the minimum you should train for our 100km treks. For the 50km treks we advise training for 14 weeks, use the first 12 weeks of the training plan and then use the last two weeks. This will allow you to train appropriately for your 50km challenge. IT BEGINS! (WEEKS 1-4) The first month is all about getting out and ing, no matter how long you for, just get out and do it. Find out what footwear works for you, try to at least 3 times a week and increase ever so slightly each time (including a longer once a week). If you re part of a team, get a team in within the first month, so that you know where you re all starting from fitness-wise. 6 7

6 EXAMPLE SCHEDULE WEEKS 1-4 s can be done on pavement but not all of our treks have large amounts of pavement ing, so even for the easy s it would make sense to find trail and tracks to help get used to your ing boots. The hill doesn t need to be a mountain, just pick some undulating tracks that will test you more than the easy. s can be as testing as you feel comfortable with; this is more about clocking up the miles and getting used to ing for long periods at a time. Try not to rest too long during the longer s, get used to short breaks. Week Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun EXAMPLE SCHEDULE 5-8 WEEKS TIP: Increase your cross training (CT) workout at weeks 7 and 8 to longer spells of alternative cardio. Add an extra day in if you feel up to it to strengthen your muscles with resistance work. s On longer s we advise you carry a similar amount that you would on your trek, to allow your body to adjust to carrying extra weight. For suggested equipment see our kit list on page 18. Also avoid taking long breaks as it will not be reflective of the event. Start to get used to carrying a rucksack with approx. 5kg of weight to get used to carrying the gear you will have on the day of the event. Remember to try to get used to stopping for short periods of time rather than taking a 2 hour lunch break half way. Footwear Your shoes should be your friends by this stage, if they aren t, we would advise you change them. Avoid buying new and untried boots on the day of the event. 1 2 (2-4 ( mins mins (2-4 (2-4 Longer Longer (6-8 Week Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun mins (6-7 ( ( mins mins (3-5 Hill (3-5 Longer (8-10 Longer ( mins mins Hill (5-7 (6-7 Optional CT strength work (12-14 ( mins Hill (5-7 Optional CT strength work (

7 EXAMPLE SCHEDULE WEEKS 9-12 By now your long s will be taking 8-10 hours. For s approaching miles easy access to energy hydration will be a big factor so try to source some items that are lightweight and easy to carry with you in your bag hydration tablets, energy gels, etc. Tip: 50km trekkers, we advise that you try night s at this stage to help you prepare for the event. Please see our night section for advice on page 23. EXAMPLE SCHEDULE WEEKS In month 4 you should be practising ing long distances on certain days back to back to get you used to what lies ahead on trek day. You should also attempt a few night s to get used to using your torch/head torch to navigate. TIP: On your night safety is the most important thing. Remember to tell someone where you are going and carry a phone with you. Check the night ing section on page 23 for more advice. Week Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun mins mins mins mins (6-7 Hill (6-7 (6-7 Hill (6-7 (17-19 (19-21 (21-23 (22-24 Week Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Easy NIGHT NIGHT (6-7 Hill (6-7 (6-7 Hill NIGHT (6-7 (16-20 (18-22 (16-20 (20-22 (18-22 (

8 YOUR PERSONAL TRAINING PLAN Week Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Notes

9 EXAMPLE SCHEDULE WEEKS Your final 3 weeks of training are all about keeping the strength work going with the cross training, but easing down the mileage on your legs. You want to be refreshed and ready to go by event day, not overtired and injured from over training. TIP: This is an example to aid your training, not a must-do training plan. Week Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun (6-7 Hill (6-7 (6-7 (16-20 (16-20 (6-7 EVENT DAY EVENT DAY SECTION 2: TEAMWORK SHARE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS BY TAKING PART IN A TEAM By no means is it essential that you enter this event as part of a team as we will support any individuals taking on this event to help make it truly memorable. However, this is what our participants from previous years enjoyed about taking part as part of a group. Team building in a team you have a place and you find that place over the 30 hours from London to Brighton, often surpassing your own expectations when you find out more than you thought about your grit and determination. Shoulder to cry on the trek is a roller coaster of emotions so being part of a team will help you through the tough times and get you through to the finish! Easier to fundraise setting up an online sponsorship page or fundraising together is often easier with more contacts to ask for support and not just one head to think up fundraising ideas. Easier to train training partners at any level of sport will help you, especially on the days you feel underwhelmed and demotivated to do it. Amazing that you can share the sense of achievement immediately with your friends and know exactly how they feel 14 15

10 WORDS FROM A SUPPORT DRIVER I didn t the 100km, but as a support driver I was truly involved. I d say check out the route well in advance and know where you re going to meet your team. I was able to carry spare clothes and drinks and food for the team which made it great for them as they could really chill out for a few minutes at each checkpoint while I ran around getting them plasters or whatever they needed. When my team crossed the finish line I was so proud of them and I know it sounds a bit over the top but, I knew I d done my bit to get them there too! In fact it was pretty emotional! SECTION 3: SUPPORT DRIVERS HOW TO MAKE LIFE A WHOLE LOT EASIER! If you have family or friends who want to support you on the event, then why not offer them this role. You will depend on this person so much to offer support in the way of food, drink, words of encouragement, and they can also carry extras for you to help you keep your bag as light as possible. Your support driver is your ROCK! Meeting the team at checkpoints they are the person you will most want to see on the trek. They see you off from the start and meet you along the route until you finish your epic. Their role is by no means easy; they will be on call 24/7 during the event. Often a less glamorous job and underrated, it s still hugely rewarding when you see the team coming towards the finish line, knowing you have helped get them there. Your support vehicle should be large enough for every trekker in your team in case they are unable to complete their trek. We suggest your car or a people carrier, we don t advise large vans or minibuses because of access along the route. SECTION 4: FOOTWEAR Although training and being fit for the event is absolutely crucial, more often than not it is a poor selection of footwear or the wrong treatment for your feet that will determine if you manage to finish the event. Below are some tips to help you where feet and footwear are concerned: When buying new ing shoes try to use the same socks you will be ing in when being fitted. Buy from stores where there are staff with knowledge of hiking who can advise on the correct type of footwear. Try to keep your feet dry, talcum powder or the like will stop feet over-sweating and limit blisters. Ensure you have fully worn in the footwear before the event so you know they are comfortable and you are confident of ing long distances in them. Once you have purchased new footwear start off by ing around 1 hour at a time in the shoes then gradually increase the distance. Socks should ideally be made from natural materials such as wool; they draw moisture away from your feet better and limit blisters. However, everyone reacts differently to materials and we would advise trailing socks and if they don t suit you, look at online forums and ask in store at outdoor shops for advice. Bring 6-8 pairs to the event so that you can change socks to avoid blisters. Lace up your boots or shoes carefully, too tight could mean your feet are pinched causing blisters and you will get pain, and too loose and your boots will rub and then the dreaded blisters start. FACT: Our medical support team spend about 90% of their time dealing with blisters on the day

11 SECTION 5: KIT WHAT TO WEAR AND HOW TO BEST PREPARE FOR ALL ELEMENTS A SUGGESTION IS 3 LAYERS Base layer: it is worn directly next to the skin and the idea is it will take moisture away from your skin to prevent it making you cold or uncomfortable. If you are buying a base layer remember that some are designed to keep you cool, others are designed to keep you warm. TIP: We advise wearing a cap in the day to keep the sun off and a beanie at night to keep your head warm. Mid layer: A secondary layer is very much an insulating layer to keep you warm. A lightweight fleece or long sleeved full fronted zip-up is ideal. However, it can also be a t-shirt over the base layer. Outer layer: Often a waterproof or high visibility style zip-up. It should be breathable and have a hood. Legs: This will again all depend on the weather but if it s a nice day then decent ing shorts are advised. Ensure these have plenty of pockets. For the night section (depending on the heat) you will probably want to pull on some full length lightweight cargo style trousers. Gloves: They are especially useful for when the temperature drops overnight. TIP: Layers, layers, layers! Whether it s hot, cold, wet or dry, if you have layers you can easily add or take off. Avoid huge heavy coats or knitted jumpers that will take up space and weigh down your rucksack. THE BAG If you don t have a support vehicle and will be carrying your worldly goods for the entirety of the event then here is the advice. Ensure the bag is big enough to hold all of your equipment (20-30L should be about right). Compartments are great for separating your must haves from the not-so-essential extra items, so choose a bag with these. The bag must have adjustable padded shoulder straps and ideally padded waist straps to fit around your hips rather than all of the weight across your shoulders and back. WALKING POLES By no means essential but some people find them a welcome addition on long s for both balance and spreading the weight. MOBILE PHONE A mobile phone is essential and should be fully charged before the event. You will be given emergency numbers to call if you get stuck. If ing in a group, make sure every er has a mobile phone. WE DIDN T SAY IT WOULD BE EASY, WE SAID IT D BE WORTH IT

12 SUGGESTED KIT LIST Item /Optional Comments Route map Provided on day by BHF. Event Control numbers Mobile Phone Provided on day by BHF. Trek number To be carried on your person at all times. Sun cream/ lip balm First aid kit Should consist of a minimum of plasters/blister kit, talc, tape and scissors. Whistle To attract attention. Torch Ideally a high-powered torch that will provide you with your light during the night section. Hat Cap and or beanie for day/night sections. Head torch Batteries We will provide you with a basic head torch but we strongly advise you to purchase an extra light source to bring with you. Bring batteries to fit your torch and head torch. Ensure these are good quality lithium so they will last. Spare socks Bring 6-8 pairs. Extra layers As mentioned on previous page. Item /Optional Comments Sturdy water bottle(s) Avoid a large bottle; choose two smaller bottles to spread the weight if possible but camelpack is ideal. Waterproofs Lightweight, breathable. Energy snacks/ food Drink Money Sat map/ navigation device Optional Ideally enough to sustain you for up to 30 hours see food and drink section for advice. There will be places to buy drink and there is free water at every checkpoint, but you should come filled up and ready to start the trek. Hydration is essential. Avoid carrying cans of drink as they are heavy and cannot be resealed. Ensure you have some spare cash on you to purchase any extra food and drink along the way, avoid carrying all your credit cards and other personal items on you. If you have a GPS navigational device and have downloaded the route, then ensure you bring batteries for it and know how to use it. Camera Optional But worth it. Spare footwear Sunglasses Antibacterial hand wash Optional Optional Optional Gloves Optional May be worth having if using ing poles. Plastic bags Optional Ideal for sitting on or taking your rubbish with you. Toilet rolls Optional There are toilets at every checkpoint, but you never know if you may get caught short

13 SECTION 6: FOOD & DRINK Although you will get some food (including hot meals and water), we suggest you stock up on the following: Apples Bananas Beef jerky Cereal bars Chocolate bar Dried fruit/nuts Energy gels light and easy to carry Fig rolls Flapjacks Raisins Sugary treat MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY CHOSEN TREK For further information about the checkpoints, food and facilities along the way on the trek, please see your chosen trek website page. SECTION 7: NIGHT WALKING YOU WILL BE WALKING IN THE DARK! It s essential you bring decent lighting with you for this section of the trek which means decent torch/batteries and ideally your own head torch. We will provide you with a basic head torch, but this should not be your only means of light for the night sections. The trails vary depending on which trek you are taking part in but typically, many of the trails especially in the night section are along tracks, pavements or alongside woods, and sometimes away from people. This means the amount of artificial light such as car headlights or street lamps can be limited. It may be very dark and you will be the one lighting your way. The route will still be signed by arrows the whole way but you will need to keep an eye out with your lights to follow these. We suggest no one s alone in the night section and we ll do our best to help buddy you up with fellow ers if you aren t part of a team

14 24 SECTION 8: FUNDRAISING DO I HAVE TO RAISE SPONSORSHIP? Yes, we ask everyone taking part to raise a minimum of 250. We will send you a sponsor form but the easiest way to raise sponsorship is to set up a personalised online sponsor page at or you can use both. BUT HERE S WHAT MAKES RAISING THE 250 MANAGEABLE Unlike many charity treks, our events are organised and staffed by BHF staff and experienced volunteers, not a third party company. This not only keeps the cost of your entry fee low, but ensures every single penny that you raise in sponsorship goes towards helping to save lives. Because we clearly distinguish your entry fee and sponsorship, none of the money that you raise will cover costs, which is useful to tell any potential supporters. It will also give you have the opportunity to raise your money in all sorts of fun and creative ways, beyond simply asking friends, family and work colleagues for donations. You can also raise money from the general public; here are a few ideas: Set up a Justgiving page and ask the local paper to advertise your story asking people to support with donations or gifts in kind. Ask a local celeb if they could give you a quote or appear in a photo with you to support your challenge. Ask local companies to provide free equipment or help. Leave collection boxes on the counters at local pubs or shops with a poster explaining who you are and what you are doing. Contact local councils to ask permission to do street collections. In our experience, the biggest barrier to participants getting support is simply asking for it, which is totally understandable. But year on year we have had participants who have been amazed by the support they have received when they have asked for support from local organisations. The most important thing to remember is not to be put off by people who say no (and there will always be those who aren t able to help) because the next person you speak to may be generous enough to help you raise your entire sponsorship target yes, this has happened to one of our participants in the past! Please do contact us if you need any ideas as we have a huge number of ways which will make raising money a doddle, we ll even phone a local company to support you with your fundraising if it helps. Finally, we don t insist that you raise money in advance of the event. Whilst we always suggest you start raising money as soon as possible, as it makes it easier to get sponsorship before the event than after, you have three months after the event to raise your 250, which gives you plenty of extra time to hit your fundraising target. A message from the team Well done in taking the first steps to sign up for these seriously challenging events. Whichever trek you have chosen it will probably be the hardest thing you ever do but at the same time one of the most rewarding. Our treks are a true test of physical and mental toughness and you will be stretched to your limit more than once. Please do take your preparation for the events seriously and we promise you will reap the benefits much more on the day. We wish you all the best with your training and fundraising and look forward to seeing you on the start line in 2016! Thanks you and good luck. BHF Events Team

15 Walking all over heart disease bhf.org.uk/uktreks If you re looking for a training buddy in your area visit Facebook. British Heart Foundation Greater London House, 180 Hampstead Road, London NW1 7AW Phone: Fax: Website: bhf.org.uk British Heart Foundation. Registered Charity Number in England and Wales (225971) and in Scotland (SCO39426)