Recommend vs. mandatory.

That's what I'd like to know.

That list has several of items I would never bring.

The mandatory kit aspect strikes me as .... interesting. Used to it from fell racing etc, but not for self supported events.

Interesting, that could be worth a pop. I don't know a lot of that route. Which is nice :)

Also depends where in the world you are. Even up high, in post industrial areas like Calderdale I won't drink from any water source. Scotland, pretty much all fair game once I'm in the Highlands and following Stu's list.

Different view:

Bow Fiddle Rock by Greg.May, on Flickr

Back from two weeks in Scotland running and holidaying. Highlight was the Scottish 6 Days of Orienteering. Great competition on some difficult terrain in Moray. Mostly woods on sand dunes. Bonkers some days with real difficult to interpret contours. Highlight (hardest) day was by far the long in Cul...

You've got it John. Just eat a lot :)

Back to normal now:

Bow Fiddle Rock by Greg.May, on Flickr

Spent a week in Moray orienteering and playing on the beach. A rarity in colour from me.

Untitled by Greg.May, on Flickr

Scottish six day, first day today, a brutal intro in the dunes! M40L, while a good training choice, may come back to bite me by the end of the week.

A nice easy 45 mins over the tops in horrible humid weather. Off to Scotland tomorrow for two weeks orienteering and general mountain time. Phone. Box. Ignore. Excellent.

Two hours on the moors with no one about. 16km on mostly singletrack with a reasonably easy 450m of up. Spent a lot of time watching birds circle over head. Pretty damn perfect.

First day of holidays, first mid day run. Body very much in recovery mode after the last half term (and the weekend blowout!) Took a nice hour over local trails, not pushing at all, breaking in a new pair of trail shoes. Ground was soaking, ideally would have been in grippier fell shoes, but needs m...

Jenn. * If you don't know the story of her pre-TDR, GDMBR combo ride on SS and the "issues" that occured. it's worth digging back through the archives on Bikepacking.net and if you can find it the articles in ST and Mountain Flyer. Mike and John Curiak or Stamstead (take your pick). Cranes...

I've only really used TT bars on longer audaxes, 400km+ - they do help in the latter half for me.

I'm not a fan of people using them in bunches, I tend to leave when a group I'm in contains a person riding mid pack on extensions. Not worth it.

Another soaking, 19km and 750m of up followed by the Tour. I've had an odd amount of non family time this weekend! Using it well before summer holidays

Nice easy 15km (650m vert) with my buddy talking sh!t and avoiding thunderstorms. Got soaked, but then dried out. Came home to find wife and child were cooking us dinner - then I sat down and watched the tour. Life is good.

Technically a Skyrace, but I've run a lot tougher terrain in fell races. I'd consider that pretty normal for most of the Lakeland middle and long races (AM and AL)

Of me, but not by me - this is why I fell race:

356358006_841663807485657_5990472451217323004_n by Greg.May, on Flickr

JohnClimber wrote: ↑Fri Jul 14, 2023 5:09 pm I fancy re starting again but how do I avoid getting shin splints and pains in my legs please?

Sorry John, having never suffered with them I can't help here. One of the advantages of pretty much avoiding any sort of road running!

We quite often combine a race (fell or O) with weekends away. Means we have to take little, but get to do that bit extra. It's also great as a family as we can all race if we're at an O event, or we tend to just one of us race at fell events - this includes daughter (6) who's now able to do the juni...

Sounds great folks. Audax is great. Just enter and go, do loads, try different places, enjoy it.

As an aside - I pretty much always bounce the first control. Saves a lot of time over a longer event.

Whilst we’re on the subject, anyone know what bearings the wheel takes? Will need front and rear Would prefer to source the bearings before starting maintenance (It’s the standard WTB wheel in the version - blue 105 650b 2019 we’ve all got) Not sure, my bearings are still pretty good. You'll probab...

Fell running is itself simplistic. It's why it is so great. Pretty much the only other running I do other than orienteering! (which is just fellrunning with a map really)

I've a 650*47 wheelset, and a 700*32 - it's a perfect combo on that bike to do whatever I want with it (within huck to flat sensibilities) I've run up to 700*36 and it was tight when cornering hard on the road, odd bit of chainstay buzz when the bike was loaded and I was being... energetic in the co...