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| As a veteran of some 20 Hundreds, I am often asked for advice on preparation and approach to walking long events, so here are a few ideas. I would be the first to admit that my approach is not particularly conventional, but then, walking a Hundred is a very personal thing - other walkers may well have different suggestions! |
Training |
| The only real training for walking is walking. If you do 20-30 mile walks regularly during the year along with the odd 50, then you probably don't need anything special to prepare for a Hundred. However, I do recommend half an hour or so brisk walking each day - this makes an enormous difference to your general level of fitness and readiness to tackle longer walks. Don't forget to include a few hills - you use different muscles for steep ascents and descents. |
Route familiarity |
| When you get the route description, plot the route as best you can on the maps (easier if plenty of grid references are given). Do spend time studying the map to get a 'feel' for the route - Where are the climbs? Where can you look forward to 'easy' sections where you can stride out? Where is route finding going to require particular care? Many Hundred entrants pre-walk the route or parts of it, particularly the night section. If you do so, don't forget that the route will look very different by night, and paths that are obvious in the daytime, particularly across grass, can become almost invisible by torchlight. Identify landmarks that are easily recognisable at any time. |
Clothing |
| What you wear should be comfortable. A final decision can be left to the day, depending on the conditions and weather forecast, but carry enough for all conditions that might occur: weather can change rapidly, and a hot day can be followed by a freezing night. |
Footwear |
| Crucial, of course. Use footwear which you have confidence in - it should be a comfortable fit with room to move the toes. Anything that feels even slightly tight when put on is too small - feet expand during a long walk. |
| Trainers or boots? I've used both (not at the same time!). Boots keep the feet drier and thus reduce the chances of blisters or trench foot. With boots, a twisted ankle will be less likely, balance over rough ground is easier, you can stride across bog with confidence, and the stony tracks after 80 miles will feel far less painful! Trainers are lighter and will tire the legs less, and if you intend jogging much are the only option, though you'll get wet feet, at the very least from long grass at dawn and from the almost inevitable boggy ground. Whatever you choose should have been broken in on a long walk or two, but not so old that the soles are thin or heels worn down. A new pair of insoles adds a lot to comfort. |
| Choose your socks carefully - I generally wear two pairs. New wool socks have a pile that provides extra cushioning; outdoor shops sell seamless socks and socks with extra heel padding, which can reduce the chance of blisters and sore spots. Avoid nylon socks next to the skin - they don't absorb sweat and make blisters more likely. A change into dry socks half way round feels like heaven. |
Equipment |
| The equipment listed on the event rules is the minimum any sensible walker would take on an overnight cross-country walk, so don't be tempted to skimp, for safety's sake, if not to avoid disqualification. I like a (waterproof!) map case so I can keep my hands free, with the route description showing on one side and the map on the other. |
| Convert the route description into a form that you find easy to read, eg by photo-enlargement - you will need to be able to read it with a torch. Nowadays, electronic versions of the route description may be available so you can adapt the format as you wish. I always carry a spare route description in my ruksack in case the working one gets reduced to papier mache! A hand-held torch has the advantage that it casts longer shadows, making stones, etc, more visible, though many prefer a head-light which leaves the hands free. I always carry an additional 'mini'-torch, in case my main one breaks down (try changing a bulb in pitch dark!). |
| A smallish (25 litre) rucksack should suit most walkers - make sure that maps, spare clothing, etc are kept in waterproof bags - a large plastic bag to hold everything may be best. Pack your rucksack carefully, with things most likely to be needed most accessible and with soft items against the back. It will save time (particularly in the dark) if you know where things are packed. |
Eve of event |
| Try to have a relaxing evening with a leisurely meal (not too much beer!) and a good night's sleep (this is not always easy to achieve!). Make sure that your toe nails are cut fairly short. Sort your bags into what you will carry, what you will send to the half-way point, and what you will leave behind. Endeavour to be unflustered and at peace with yourself and with the world. |
At the start |
| Arrive in good time to check in and make your final preparations, but not so early that you end up standing around for too long and tire your legs. Take great care putting on your socks and boots/ trainers, and walk a few steps to check that they are comfortable, with no bumps and with the laces adjusted to the right tension. Note any route corrections, and make any final decisions on clothing, depending on the weather and the forecast. Empty you bowels before the start (this becomes harder later on as your muscles lose strength)! |
On the walk |
| Psychology plays an important part - a Hundred is walked on your head as much as on your feet! Your immediate thought should be the next checkpoint - when you start to tire be spurred on by the thought that it is 5 miles to the next checkpoint, not depressed by the thought there are 80 miles to go! After 75 miles you can start thinking that it is just a good day's walk to the end! Enjoy the scenery and company as you go along. Your low points will probably be at different times from your companions, and mutual encouragement will give an important boost. |
Checkpoints |
| Crucial for recharging body and spirit - make the most of them! As well as eating and drinking what is on offer, take the opportunity to tend any aches and pains, to adjust your kit, to refill your water-bottle and to rest awhile. I find that taking weight off my feet for even five minutes reduces the aching of the limbs over the next few miles. Don't forget to thank the checkpoint helpers when you leave - they are probably as tired as you and need encouragement just as much as you do. |
Companions |
| Most Hundred walkers walk in company, enjoying the mutual encouragement and shared route finding (though make sure you know who is doing what). Some walkers do the entire walk with a particular friend, whilst many combine with different walkers for different stages to fit in with their pace. |
Potential problems |
| Blisters |
| | An obvious problem that most walkers are familiar with and have their own treatment for. Don't ignore early signs of soreness as early treatment (plasters or moleskin) to reduce friction can avoid more major problems later. If a blister has formed then, contrary to standard first aid advice, there is a strong case for popping the blister with a sterile needle - otherwise continued walking will enlarge the blister which will then burst and be much more painful. Hardened feet are less susceptible to blisters - regular walking hardens the feet, as can regular applications of surgical spirit in the days leading up to the event. |
| Trench foot |
| | Feet can become very sore with a waxy white and deeply creviced skin, as a result of socks and footwear being waterlogged for many hours. A change of socks can provide relief, but the problem might be avoided by waterproof boots or treating the feet beforehand with Vaseline or some other water repellent grease. |
| Rubbing |
| | Ensure that nothing that you wear or carry rubs against your body. On a short walk you may hardly notice, but continuous rubbing on a Hundred can lead to major sores. In particular, pack and adjust your rucksack so that pressure on your back is not concentrated at a single point and use a waist strap. Don't keep anything in your trouser pockets - I carried a small purse in my pocket on my first Hundred, and the 'dead' area on my thigh resulting from the rubbing remains 20 years later. Too tight clothes, especially underwear, can also give problems. |
| Energy depletion |
| | Walking 100 miles uses a colossal number of calories. Estimates vary, but for a person of average weight, brisk walking on easy terrain uses perhaps 300kcal per hour, with over double that for hill climbing or on rough ground. A chocolate bar might contain about 150kcal, and this has to provide for the basic functioning and warmth of the body as well as energy directly used for walking. The message is that you have to eat an enormous amount to replenish the energy that you are expending on the walk. Eat and drink plenty and often, particularly energy rich foods such as cake, bananas, dried fruit, sandwiches, and isotonic drinks. Eat the food provided at checkpoints, even if your appetite seems poor, and don't be tempted to rush through checkpoints without eating just to save a few minutes. |
| Training |
| | One of the most common causes of retirement on Hundreds is being unable to digest food, perhaps even vomiting. Alongside a nauseous feeling, this makes it impossible to take in the energy needed. Some walkers find this a regular problem and have tried many ways of relieving the difficulties. For example, there are energy-rich foods that can 'slip down', such as fruit, rice or custard. On the one occasion when I had problems eating, a checkpointer gave me a drink of Bovril, which was enough to keep me going, and soon I was eating normally again. |
| Dehydration |
| | Even in average temperatures, but particularly in hot weather, you will lose gallons of water through sweat. If this is not replaced continuously you may feel unexpectedly devoid of energy. You should drink at every opportunity even if you do not feel thirsty, both at checkpoints and by keeping your water bottle topped up. The body loses salt at the same time as water, increasing the chance of cramp. This can be pre-empted by eating salty foods at checkpoints, but if cramp strikes a salt tablet or a little salt dissolved in water can give almost instant relief. |
| Fatigue |
| | Everyone feels tired at some point on a Hundred, particularly during the night, but walkers commonly remark on getting a second wind after a period of tiredness, suddenly feeling much better and able to go on. A rest or even a short sleep at a checkpoint can be very refreshing. Extreme tiredness can lead to hallucinations, particularly for those going into a second night; if you start to hallucinate at least make sure that you keep with other walkers. |
| Cold |
| | Physical exhaustion and hunger combined with wet and windy weather are just the conditions that can lead to hypothermia, and anyone walking a Hundred should be aware of the potential danger. There have been several Hundreds where the days have been warm, but the temperature has fallen to near freezing at night. Carrying adequate and appropriate clothing is crucial; in particular windproof protection for the whole body, and clothing that retains its insulating properties when wet, such as wool or thermal fabrics. If you feel even slightly cold, particularly later on in the walk, put on extra warm clothing to reduce heat loss. When you stop at later checkpoints it is a good idea to put an extra layer on until you are walking again, otherwise you may start to shiver. |
| Training |
| | Walk at a pace that comes naturally. If you go either above or below your natural pace you'll tire far more rapidly, both physically and mentally. Whilst it's nice to journey with other walkers, you should ensure that their pace is close to yours. It's easy to set off too quickly or jog a lot near the start and suffer for it later. On the other hand, there is a strong mental desire to keep up with the pack near the start, and making good progress early on gives a psychological boost. |
| Getting lost |
| | Having to retrace steps for even a short distance when tired can be a major psychological blow, and can often be 'the last straw'. If you are uncertain, it is worth taking a little extra time to check the route description or map, taking particular care at night. Frequent causes of going astray include the eye skipping a line of route description, misinterpreting the first instruction on leaving a checkpoint, or following someone who claims to know the way. Route finding by committee is a recipe for disaster, though one person reading the instructions and another carrying them out can be effective. |
| Retirement |
| | If you reach a checkpoint feeling you want to retire, pause a while before handing in your tally. Often a relaxed rest, some food and a chat with the chekpointers can help you over a low point of the walk. Whilst helping at checkpoints I have seen many walkers arrive saying 'I'm finished', but who have revitalised their energy and spirit and gone on to complete the walk. If after a rest you feel that you really can't go on then it's no disgrace to pull out - there's always next year. |
| Remember |
| | Completing the walk is much more important than a fast time. Many problems can be avoided by taking just a little longere, for example by eating adequately, tending minor injuries, and double-checking the route. |
| Above all, enjoy the walk. The LDWA Hundreds are a marvellous experience. Without exception, they have followed fine routes in attractive surroundings. You meet like minded walkers on the way. The atmosphere is quite unique, and on finishing you will feel great, even if you cannot manage another step. Good luck! |
