The Road to Mont Blanc pt.2

2nd April 2025

Packing light appears to be impossible for me. Every time we go away in the campervan, I vow to pack less, and every time, that doesn’t happen. Last weekend's long run went well (ended up doing 18 miles instead of 15 and feeling OK), and I’m currently gathering things ready for five nights in the Lake District with Tim and Arlo. The Lakes is my happy place, and with some of the highest mountains in the UK, I figure the best spot in the UK to train for the TMB.

As the TMB has a total ascent of nearly 33,000ft, I’ll spend a lot of time hiking up super-steep terrain, so my plan for this trip is to get more practised at that, as well as doing back-to-back days. Training for the Grand Tour of Skiddaw ultra last year, my weakness was definitely the climb up Skiddaw – that was the only point I thought to myself: I can’t do this. I’d focused a lot on distance in my training – ticking off a few 30-milers – but not enough on the other elements. Turns out the hills in Derbyshire, where I live, aren’t a patch on Lake District terrain! So I’m going to do a mix of running days and walking days, the first being a 16-mile hike known as ‘the back o‘ Skiddaw’, which should take just over nine hours and has a total of 4,350ft of ascent.

So, what to pack? Everything! Hiking wear, running gear, pub clothes, chilling clothes. Leggings, shorts, jeans, joggers. Backpack, running pack, bumbag. Hiking boots (freshly cleaned using Footwear + Gear Cleaner), trainers, tent slippers, sliders, Converse. The list goes on. I figure I’ll streamline my packing when I actually have to, which will be for the TMB. My luggage will need to consist of my running pack and one 10kg bag, which will be transported to our accommodation each day and include everything else I’ll need for the whole 10-day trip (we’re staying a couple of nights before and after the run). Given my current packing style, I think I may find this a challenge…

4th April 2025

Currently sipping a cold beer, freshly showered and looking out at a beautiful view over Derwentwater, having just got back from 'the back o‘ Skiddaw' hike. I'm feeling very weary, but pretty pleased, too.

Hiked 17 miles over 5,000ft of ascent in eight hours (slightly further and in slightly less time than expected). The most ascent we do in a day on the TMB is 5,000ft, so happy to know what that feels like – though it will be over more miles (21, I think!).

I didn’t start the hike feeling too happy, though. Six miles in and hiking up the first Wainwright, Bakestall, I thought there was no way I was going to manage another three, plus another 10ish miles. We chose the direct, straight-up-the-side-of-the-mountain route, and it was a proper hands and feet job, and my legs, especially my calves, were BURNING. That will teach me for doing a lower body strength workout the day before: lesson learnt. That was the hardest part, though – I got into my stride after that. The views were beautiful and we had full sun the entire day. And my face knows about it. I felt so pleased with myself, slapping on the factor 50 this morning. Then didn't reapply. Need to be on my sunscreen A game during TMB or else I will be burnt to a crisp!

The initial plan was to do a big day tomorrow, too. And I'm just going to see how my legs feel in the morning. Ideally, I'd like to do a decent run, maybe for 4-5 hours... but we will see. Got up at six today so we could have coffees, eat breakfast (overnight oats courtesy of Tim), pack the van up and drive to the start of the walk, ready to set off at eight. So fancying a more chilled start to tomorrow. This is a holiday after all...