The Bampton Bash - More Planning and Scheming

It's a busy time here at the NAV4 'office', with long evenings spent shaping a number of adventures for 2011. My own training is going steadily, and I've enjoyed helping at the recent Open5 at Slaidburn and Ian Mulvey's excellent Whinlatter Duathlon. Next up for me is the Kielder Duathlon, where I get to ride and run Kielder's remote and deserted trails.

Having expressed surprise that I wasn't racing at Slaidburn, some people have asked me I might be racing over the winter and into 2011. It's fair to say that the NAV4 team could be regarded as in a 'period of regeneration' in readiness for Terrex 2012. There is much to do; it's important to realise personal goals as well as team ones, and not forget why we do certain things. Personally, I will be racing The Lakes 100 and The Montane 100 in 2011; co-ordinating the HeB2B Adventure will also be a big challenge. No doubt the NAV4 Team will build on their strengths and consider their weaknesses in readiness for future events, whatever they might be.

The Bampton Bash
The Tour de Helvellyn has attracted a healthy number of entrants and proves that a good course and event will always be popular. The Bampton Bash may prove to do the same. 'The Bash' is a weekend social/training event based at Bampton and will provide something for everyone, whether expert, intermediate or beginner. There are three elements to it; 1) Our NAV4 weekend navigation course. 2) Our NAV4/12hr MTB/Run O-Event and 3) The Tour de Kentmere Trail Run. The NAV4/12 is, quite simply, a 12hour event where you bike and run, for 12 hours; no gimmicks, no surprises ... (unless you get lost!) you plan your route for the whole day including the number of times you 'transition' and where. Yes, some will be in the dark.
Amazing simple - simply adventurous. You and the area deserve each other. Ooh.

Beginners or intermediate racers, and even some experts, will find our navigation course most attractive and beneficial. The more competent endurance racers will relish our new NAV4/12 12hour event unique (Saturday 26/3 noon-midnight? tbc) Trail runners will enjoy a 24mile-ish run to Kentmere and back on Sunday morning. Those on our weekend course won't be able to fit in the other two elements, although hardcore racers could tackle the NAV4/12 and Tour de Kentmere, back-to-back. There will be camping at Bampton for everyone, and so this is an ideal basecamp for you, your friends and team mates, whatever you all choose to do.

More details of the Tour and NAV4/12 very soon, but get this date into your diary now as it will be a great weekend.

Well Done Angela and Sarah

One week on and we are still hearing stories from the OMM. A big 'Well Done' to Angela and Sarah on being first females in the Long Score. It's really pleasing to hear of their success after they missed out at the LAMM with a Day Two injury. They have done some hard training miles since coming on a NAV4 course a few years ago, as well as completing our GL3D events (especially 2008 - the tough one!) It's a shame they live in the Deep South as Le Tour would suit them very well. Le Tour de Helvellyn has received a great deal of interest, surely due to the route and date making a simple adventure very appealing. 'A classic in the making' ... apparently!

Another NAV4 athlete deserving a mention is Marcus Scotney (one of our NAV4 tutors) who will be up early tomorrow, sorting his porridge and bacon butty, before running 100km for Team GB in Gibraltar. Hopefully, he will have eaten 'a few pies' or the equivalent today. Have a good run Marcus ... run strong and steady. I don't need to tell him that 'the trick is to be at the front at the end, not the beginning.'

Personally, I'll be off to Slaidburn tonight to help with tomorrow's Open5. HeB2B athlete Emma VDG is the planner and I spent a few years playing around that patch many years ago, and it will be great in Autumnal sunshine. There is a huge start list with some interesting pairings and solos, and it will be good to catch up with some friends and team mates. My own coughing and spluttering is finally going so maybe I will have a wee run out myself. Maybe....