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• Mourne Seven Sevens: August 04, 2012

[LandyLiam]

Thanks to Sean for reminding me that this pinnacle event in the Mournes is less than 2 weeks away.

Here's the details

http://www.spartanredsox.co.uk/mourne-seven-sevens-challenge.html


so who else is up for this 18 miles slog over 9 mountains (don't forget to add beg & cove!) with over 2500 metres of ascent? (thats a meter for every forum post i've made!) shall we get a wee group to start together and then break into smaller groups depending on pace? or is anyone going for the solo run?

[mregan]

If I was doing it I'd be running it. Trying to think which way to do it though!

[Mourneman]

Not that I'am doing it but if I was this would be my route,

 1 .Glen river,ice house,black stairs,donard sumit
 2.donard sumit,saddle,commedagh summit,drop down onto brandy pad bypassing castles.
3.brandy pad hares gap,contour round bernagh,then summit it,
4 vear off bearnagh summit to less steep ground,meelmore,meelbeg keepintothe left of the wall where the better path is.
5.descending melbeg & along valey keeping to the river trek with Doan to the right & Ben crom to the left.
6.crossing between dams ascending binnian,then back down the north tore & up Lamagan

But that's just a plan,not that i'am doing it

[LandyLiam]

I think the runnners tend to go clockwise, maybe the descents are more gradual that way, certainly Bearnagh is. The traditional walkers route is as John described, although most stick to the path up Donard rather than do the black stairs (no point in getting your feet soaked at the start of the day  )

[Rusty Madra]

I'm off that day and fancy it yeah ! 

[Mourneman]

  HMMMMMMM

I'm off that day and fancy it yeah ! 

[Rusty Madra]

I've a feeling it may be painful and there'll be moments of weakness and doubt. However I also know that when I cross that finish line I'll feel like I've just won the lottery 

[whoRya]

I'm planning on doing it with me old mucker Rumblebum.

I'll be doing the tried and tested route, definately getting Donard out of the way first.  I think it would destroy me to think I had to finish on it.  I like the thoughts of getting to the top of Lamagan and thinking the worst is over.

I had a bit of a run-through a couple of weeks ago.  I started in Donard Park and went to the Saddle>Commedagh>Brandy Pad>Bearnagh>Meelmore>Meelbeg>Ben Crom Res>Lamagan>Cove>Beg>Saddle>Donard Park.  I left off the two double backing tops just to save time.

It was a fair days walking but gave a good flavour for the walk.  It felt pretty good most of the way, I had to dig deep to get up Lamagan but then you always do.  I contoured Cove Mountain for the most part.  Beg is a bit of a sting in the tail for tired legs and a tired mind.

I have no thoughts of trying to aim for a time, completion will be a sufficient reward.  Well that and a pint.  It isn't as if I have enough time to get out training as such. 

The walk-through helped ease my mind a little.  I suppose I am a little concerned about something hitting me from left-field like a bad case of cramping-up.  I have a friend who was recently doing the 3 peaks, which was well within his abilities but he got bad leg cramps and could barely stand on his second peak.  Someone who came to his aid asked him "haven't you taken magnesium to prevent cramp?"  I must admit I haven't ever heard of that.

Has anyone got any other helpful info about dos and don'ts for an endurance event?

I plan to stop for no more than a few minutes at any one time, snacking all day rather than taking a typical lunch break.  And of course lots of drinking water.  I'm thinking of taking enough water to get to Ben Crom Res, then filling up with enough to see me to the end.  Aren't the marshalls always dishing it out there in a bucket-on-a-rope-stylee?

I'm interested in other thoughts or experiences.

[LandyLiam]

I'm thinking of taking enough water to get to Ben Crom Res, then filling up with enough to see me to the end.  Aren't the marshalls always dishing it out there in a bucket-on-a-rope-stylee?

i didn't notice that last year, but then again, the midges were firece down at the damn and i didn't want to hang about, one of my big errors last year was too little water

[Mourneman]

i can carry water & food for anybody in NI-WILD to a chosen meeting point

[Spud]

i can carry water & food for anybody in NI-WILD to a chosen meeting point

Good lad John, could you meet me in Belfast about 1 today, I forgot my lunch! Lol 

[Spud]

Joking aside, good luck and safe trip to all taking part!

[Rusty Madra]

Can I tag along with any NI Wilders? Not sure of the route / format of the 7/7's 

[twentyclicks]

@Spud - 

@whoRya - when you sweat, you lose both water and salts like sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium. For short events a splash of water is ok, or moderate days where you have time for proper meals which probably have salts in them. Long endurance events you'll want to replace those salts/electrolytes along with your water. The added advantages are that the water absorbs a bit quicker so it doesn't slosh as much in you, and if you take too much you'll just need to pee (drinking too much water on it's own can lead to dangerous brain swelling... a bigger health problem with slower marathon runners than dehydration)!
Old school, people used to take salt tablets, or mix salt with some squash. Nowadays you can easily pick up a tube of electolyte tablets in most outdoor shops. High5 'Zero' and Nuun are common brands with lots of nice flavours containing the best mix of all the electrolytes. Around £6 a tube for 15-20 tablets, just pop one in your water bottle each fill. Alternatively some of the carb, or 4:1 powders give you fuel as well as the electrolytes.

[twentyclicks]

I'm doing this too! Going to run. Need to decide on route, but also unsure about the kit requirements... ideally as little as possible. I imagine most of the runners take hardly the shirt on their back, but the info online seems a bit extensive. Anyone any experience of this? I don't want to be turned away on the line!

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