There are already a few events which operate on those or similar lines. The New Forest Challenge (formerly New Forest Marathon) issues the co-ordinates of the checkpoints a week or two in advance, along with some general advice on routes between them ("skirt the wood" etc.) but not the specifics of every turn.

If some events wish to work that way and a certain number of members are happy to enter them then I don't see a problem with that, but I don't think the 100 should do so - there's only one each year and it should be open to as many people as possible. As things currently stand, anyone who enjoys the challenge of finding their way in unfamiliar territory on the day is free not to recce or even not to look at the route description in advance, but those who prefer to give themselves a bit of help beforehand are able to do so. Keeping the route description under wraps until the day of the event (or close to it) would certainly solve the problem of the spray paint, but it would also alienate a considerable number of walkers who find it useful to recce the route.

For what it's worth, I don't usually recce events - less on any point of principle, more because they tend to be a long way away and I don't have the time and/or don't want to pay the train fare to go there twice. I did for the Games 100, because I happened to be living in London at the time so it was easy enough to get out into the Surrey hills at the weekend - didn't do the whole route, just a few bits I thought would be useful. When it came to the event I did find it useful, after 30+ hours on my feet, to be able to identify familiar landmarks to confirm that I was still on the correct route.

May be those that recce an event, especially the hundred, do get an advantage but does it matter? The ethos of LDWA events are that they are not a race but just a personal satisfaction of finishing the event. I do agree with Rebecca that doing a recce of the hundred as a holiday is a great way to visit new parts of the country and see them - you won't be able to enjoy those views by night. I certainly did a recce of the hundreds when I did them and had some great holidays with good company. Now I still go on holiday with friends and walk the hundred, then offer my service somewhere as a marshal - it's great.

It's just a personal thing whether or not to have a 'look' at sections of the route before the event. I prefer to retain the full challenge and maybe surprises of the event which for me include navigating unfamiliar areas at night.

My only plea to people who do 'recce' is not to leave physical route markers of any kind on the route particularly like that disgraceful behaviour last year leaving graffiti in the form of paint.


Bill.

Well I have done a few 100's with and without reccying. Without reccying it was definitely harder. I would say that reccying improved my time by on average 6 - 8 hours over the 100m distance, so yes, inevitably it gives you a time advantage particularly at night, allthough I have still managed to get lost despite the reccy.
We now reccy every 100 miler, for several reasons. The main one is that although I like the challenge of the 100, I don't 'enjoy' 100's and have several inevitable low points throughout where I am blindly putting one foot in front of the other and not enjoying the scenery. When we reccy, we can enjoy the scenery as it is at a more leisurely pace with no time pressures and normally do the whole route over 5 days carrying a pack between pubs / B&B's / hotels (not camping!) and it really feels like a holiday, with the reward of nice accommodation and beer at the end of each day. I also see it that you are hopefully spending money in local Inns en route, which gives them a much needed boost.....so the reccy of the 100 has become our annual holiday, thoroughly enjoyed, and has the added bonus of ensuring we hopefully avoid going through the second night on the 100....but yes, I can see why those who don't reccy can frown on it.

If you are interested in such an event try the Tour de Trigs. Held in December you are issued with a list of grid references 30 minutes before the start and have to follow the route with only that information. No food at checkpoints (but hot drinks). Lots of fiddly rules about kit but I think its well worth doing.

There’s been much talk about reconnoitring (such a lovely word) events, which I don’t agree with, route finding is all part of the challenge and its more fun in the dark when you’re in a clearing in the woods trying to find a path out. Perhaps the hundreds should give out the route description a week before the event just enough time to mark it on your map.

So what are peoples thoughts on a challenge walk of a distance let’s say of 50 miles or less where you received the route description when you turn up on the day and let’s make it more interesting let’s make it self supporting. There would be check points for safety and to make sure walkers were not cutting corners.

I’ve not been a member of the LDWA for that long and I think some of you may say that’s how it used to be done well why not try it that way again.