True Mountain Lakes Sky Ultra™ Mountain Skills Training Weekend

True Mountain Lakes Sky Ultra™ are pleased to announce details of a mountain skills training weekend to take place on 1st & 2nd August 2015. The weekend is designed to give folk additional mountain skills and confidence away from obvious trails and paths, whilst also acting as a reconnaissance of the graded scrambles on the True Mountain Lakes Sky Ultra™ course.

The course will be based at Greenside, Glenridding and hosted by Mountain Run, headed up by Charles Sproson (RD and Lakes Sky Ultra™ planner) with his many years of experience in the mountains, from leading navigation courses to climbing up to grade E3 summer & Grade VI winter.

Saturday will focus on skills and looking at moving safely on steep ground. Uphill and downhill running techniques will be covered. There will also be a chance to familiarise with the course markings that will be employed on the race and there will be some time spent on navigation for runners. There will be an opportunity to review the activities of the day which will be followed by an informal talk from Team Nutrition (partners of the race and suppliers of the feed stations).

Sunday will start with a quick recap of Saturday and then a guided run over the main sections of the North-West corner of the True Mountain Lakes Sky Ultra™ course. We expect to be on the fell for around 6 hours and will cross Striding Edge, Swirral Edge and ascend Pinnacle Ridge. The day will finish with a brief recap and an individual review of each individual’s abilities on exposed ground.

Costs & Accommodation:

The cost of the course will be only £120. In order to book your place on the course, enter on SPORTident Entries.

You will need to book your own accommodation and bring your own food. YHA Helvellyn currently have single beds available at £23 but there are numerous B&B’s, campsites and hostels in and around Glenridding.

Timetable:

Arrive Friday evening or by Saturday morning 8:30.

Saturday 1st August 2015

9:00 Meet/Greet and explain the plans for the weekend.

10:00 – 16:00 On the fell. We will be on the fell, working on skills so warm clothing will be the order of the day as opposed to single layer running clothes. You will also require your own food for the day. We will cover the following topics during the day:

• Confidence on rough ground.
• Safety on steep ground.
• Navigation for runners (basic) geared around ability to self-rescue and navigate off the course by non-marked routes.
• Uphill & Downhill running techniques.
• Appropriate spare/emergency clothing.
• Course markings.
• Sound Mountain Judgement

16:00 – 18:00 Review of the Day

• Q&A
• Mountain Running Kit selection
• Training
• Nutrition

20:00 – 21:00/21:30 Evening talk or film

Sunday 2nd August 2015

8:30– 14:30ish: 6ish hour guided run to include race route along Striding Edge, descent off Nethermost Pike, ascent of Pinnacle Ridge, then joining St Sunday Crag to Grisedale Tarn, before rejoining the race route onto the Helvellyn massif, descent off Swirral Edge and the N-W ridge of Catstycam, followed by a trot back to Greenside/Helvellyn YHA.

14:00/15:00ish Finish and depart

Equipment:

You will need your usual mountain running gear, including aggressive soled footwear. However the following kit list will be requisite for the course:

• Waterproof jacket & trousers
• Spare L/S base layer, Primaloft layer or similar (NO COTTON).
• Hat, Buff or similar.
• Gloves.
• Head Torch.
• Survival Bag.
• Whistle.
• Hill food for both days.
• Map & Compass – Harvey’s Lake District 1:40000.
• Race Vest/Small Pack to put it all in.

Please be aware we might not be moving very quickly at some points during the day, please account for this in your clothing selection & check the weather a few days before. We know its August, but this year does seem to be colder than previous years.