STUFFMOUNTAIN

At the start of Simonside Cairns 2009. Photo Dougie Nisbet.

In a 2 day Mountain Marathon at the overnight camp your survival bag or the blanket can be used as an extra thermal layer either wrapped round or laid upon. And it does work !

The Durham Hewitts Round is now featured on this ultra running route website. Check it out , lots of info and routes to inspire the long distance runners amongst us ! www.gofar.org.uk

Looking for a virtual tour of the Cheviot Hills then click here http://www.flickr.com/photos/42797725@N07/show/ & sit back & enjoy your armchair journey along Northumberland`s northern edge. Be sure to choose the full screen option by clicking between the four arrows in the bottom right hand corner. For futher information visit Geoff Hollands excellent site www.cheviotwalks.co.uk & step into a totally different world of walking in the Cheviot Hills.

Take a look at the, recently revamped, Trail Runner Canada website, www.trailrunner.ca for a review of 'Long and Ultra Distance Off Road Running'. There is also much relavant information for any Off Road Runner of this Site.

A contour is a line joining equal points of height. Contours give the ground in a 3 dimension showing specifically – Height. Steepness. Profile. They will also help to focus the mind on other features such as stream, the contour shape will form a valley leading down to valley floor where the stream is situated.

Years I have been searching for the perfect mountain running shorts. I may just have found them. The shape is medium cut not too short to look like a track runner or too long to look like you are on a beach in Bermuda and offers good freedom of movement. Good all round fit with elasticated waist and draw cord. The inner mesh is stretchy, holds you well in place and dries quickly and does not affect breathability. The outer fabric is very wind and water resistant and is very breathable. In general the shorts are lightweight, durable and have a nice feel next to the skin even when damp. 2 side pockets, one with a key pocket which I could not fit my key into. Maybe a hook maybe a better option. I have worn these shorts this summer on the Saunders 2 day mountain marathon with no chaffing at all [ a problem with many shorts ] and other fell races of various length. In summary these shorts are very comfortable, functional and perform very, very well. Check them out on www.montane.co.uk

Check out the new SILVA Expedition 4 it has the 1:40k scale as well as 1:25k and 1:50k.

Alex Menarry recommended this book to me and I was so pleased he had as I would have not bought this otherwise with such a tacky title. Hauki is a well known fiction writer, his work has been translated from his native Japanese to 42 languages. You will not put down this book once started and is an honest, fun and well written book. He takes you on a ride of memories, music and visual treats that as a runner you will totally relate to as he prepares and runs marathons. A very honest piece of writing, now in paperback, seek this highly enjoyable book out, you will not be disappointed.

I use a SUUNTO Vector altimeter wristwatch. This is priceless in the mountains aiding fine navigation. To enure accurate readings re-calibrate your watch at any known height. This could be at sea level, a spot height on a map such as a cairn or a trig point.

Often over-looked the humble sock is in reality a vital component for the off-road runner and is the second most important body attire after shoes themselves and deserves to have a lot more attention focused on it. So what am I looking for in a sock and why is it so important ? in a pair of socks I need – 1. a close, glove-like fit that has the correct anatomical support and provides durability and comfort. 2. the material must have a close yarn so not to catch the likes of heather and other vegetation. 3. the material must also be able to dry quickly whilst wicking away sweat and retain its shape and fit after washing. 4. protection from blisters, those areas of the foot that are prone to rubbing and chafing need to be secure. 5. ohh and it must be a dark colour ....... white does not stay white for long and ends up permanently discoloured from peat water. There are three types of material technology on the market these being wool, synthetic or hybrid with each of the many manufacture

The first newsletter from the Trailguides team is available to download. You can sign up for auto newsletters at www.trailguides.co.uk . The team welcomes any content for future newsletters. Please pass on to any colleagues whom you think may enjoy

It is that time of the year when many start their summer build to the likes of the LAMM and Saunders. The age old question – Should I train with a pack on. There are 4 differing views. 1. Do not train at all with a pack on your back. 2. Train with a pack on your back for your long runs 50% of the weight. 3.Do strength training mainly squats with static weights. 4. Train with a combination of 2 and 3. I advocate the fourth regime. Set up a program which includes runs with your pack on, but mainly during the shorter runs. You should also complete some longer runs with the pack, if for nothing else but to get the feeling of carrying a load over a long distance, however not every one as this could lead to the possibility of over-training. This also gives the opportunity to iron out any durability issues with your kit. The carrying of the pack conditions your body for the balance required during running with this added weight attached to your back. Also if you do not do some training with t

FEATS FOR FEET is a 58 page booklet contains 2 long walks [ or runs ] and was devised and described by Gene Robinson, an experienced Fell Walker. Two routes included are the 21 miles Teesdale Triangular Trek and the Teesdale Watershed Walk of 49 miles. After an interesting chapter on the lure of long distance challenges which he returns too during the book many times, Gene describes the two walks in detail. The beauty of this book is that it is a great read, not only do you want to go out and walk or run them, he has really encapsulated the remoteness and the lovely wild scenery of the North Pennines, a view most strongly held by myself. The book was written in 1980, so beware of changing times on the hills, but this just adds to the charm. Highly recommended and at £1.99 a bargain and can be purchased at the Teesdale Mercury office in Barnard Castle.

Happy third birthday to Track n Terrain. To celebrate they are moving premises to 14 Elvet Bridge, Durham City and should be open for business by this weekend.

When ascending a long, long hill – DO NOT focus on the top but break the climb down into goals. You can then focus on climb [ not distance ], your rhythm, technique and energy for each shorter section. Trying to focus on a long unrelenting climb can be soul destroying especially if it is a climb that is not totally visible due to false summits and/or weather conditions. Mentally it will be easier to break the climb down into shorter more manageable segments that are easier to visualize. For example, a 2,000ft climb can broken down into 4 goals or milestones….. Chapel Fell Top. Total Climb 2000ft. First milestone Gate at 450ft. Second Milestone, Wall end at 900ft. Third Milestone Currick at 1500ft and Forth Milestone Summit Cairn at 2000ft. as each milestone is reached it can then be mentally ticked off. Once this outline has been set then it can be further refined by adding some further techniques such as a target time for each section using an adjusted for running Naismith’s Law for

Trailguides have a number of new publications planned for 2009 that are aimed at the fell and trail runner . As a continuation of their "Coaching Off-Road Running" series two new booklets will be released during the course of the year, "Speed Training for Off-Road Runners" during summer and "Strength and Conditioning for Off-Road Runners" towards the end of the year. Speed Training as the title suggests will cover all aspects of improving a runner's speed from the principles of why speed sessions work to how to construct a speed session and just as importantly how to balance a speed session to suit the specific needs of the fell and trail runner. As well as the theoretical aspects of this type of training the text will also cover practical examples and will include the outline of a number of suitable sessions that will put the buzz into your running. Strength and Conditioning will come into its own during the winter months when the hard work starts in

I will publish on the blog regular product tests, this one appeared in Durham Fell Runners Quarter 1 2009 Newsletter. RAIDLIGHT – Trailrunner Short Sleeve Shirt This top has a nice feel, looks good and comes in a variety of colours. A three fabric construction, mesh for ventilation, stretch for fit and breathable for performance. Four pockets, one of which I would like to have seen which a fixed closer to keep for example a key in. The pockets are easily accessible, with or without a bumbag, but with a back pack totally inaccessible. This top is at home on long runs in hotter climbs or UK summer. Strange fit as I took a large and I am a standard medium. The collar annoyingly ‘flops’, possibly Raidlight should consider using the mesh fabric on the outside to give it more stability. Small issues really, as this technical top is good to run in, performs well keeping you dry and cool, has a very good price tag and still after many outings looks new. Can be purchased at Track n Terrain for

“Terrain Training for Off-Road Runners” the latest publication in the series of coaching books specifically aimed at the fell and trail runner by the Darlington-based publisher Trailguides, is proving to be a hit with runners across the country. Over the last three years this expanding range of books has been highly acclaimed and received rave reviews from the governing bodies of fell, hill and trail running in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland with the biggest specialist magazine The Fellrunner even calling these books “unique”. Spokesperson for Trailguides, Lyn Shevels, said “It’s a little bit ironic really, the North East has never really been a traditional hotbed of fell running such as the Lakes, Lancashire and parts of Yorkshire and yet here we are producing instructional books on the sport that are rapidly gaining an excellent reputation with a firm following. Part of that is due to the knowledge and skill developed over the years by the two writers, Stuart Ferguson and Keven

A regular question. So where does STUFFMOUNTAIN come from ? STU art F erguson F elland MOUNTAIN .