NUTRITION, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL, TRIATHLON

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OUTDOOR
FITNESS
NOW ON
THE iPAD!
Welcome February
Us Brits are good at sitting
down sports apparently –
cycling, rowing and
equestrian pursuits tend to
garner Team GB many
medals for example. And
many of us weekend warriors
get our outdoor fitness thrills from a seat – but
having the opportunity to sit-down does not in any
way equate to laziness or reduced fitness or skill.
We’ve two great cycling stories in this issue
designed to get you out having fun whatever the
weather. Yes, you may have locked your road
bike up for the winter. You’ll not want to damage,
or more likely overly dirty that carbon-fibre
frame with winter rides. Hence the MTB, and we
encourage the cyclo-cross bike, come out to
play. Cross bikes are vastly underrated or should
that be underused? They’re capable of so much
more than the odd trail or field crossing or use
as a winter road bike. Sean McFarlane’s odyssey
shows that this bike offers such a great way to
HEROES OF THE MONTH
DANIEL REEDS AND
FIANCÉ SARAH
1,000km on horseback
across Mongolia sounds
epic. It was and the
memories will last forever
for Daniel and Sarah. P46
explore what’s right on our doorstep – to see
things on two wheels, perhaps for the first time.
Sean finds out where that local trail or track
leads, the ones he passed so many times before
on his road bike, see page 38.
Meanwhile for some ex-pats in South Korea
their MTBs are their escape from work as they
race, ride and socialise together. The Geoje guys
get their kicks tackling challenges such as the
“Boneshaker”, “Body snatchers” and “Itchy ‘n’
scratchy”! There’s fun to be had on two wheels
and on four legs…
Well maybe not fun but a huge test of stamina
and will-power and all-round fitness in terms of
what I’m referring to here. I’m referencing the
riders (and horses) in the Mongol Derby. It’s
billed as the “toughest horse race in the world”.
For Daniel Reeds and his fiancé the 1,000km
challenge tested them and their relationship to
the limit. Read about errant steeds and the most
mesmerising of vistas on page 46. The frisson
that’s the result of a stimulating challenge,
SASCHA HAMM Britain’s
best freeride
snowboarder trades on
experience as well as
talent. His exploits are all
the more incredible as he
is a weekend warrior. P64
BEN LUI
CIRCUIT
PAGE 42
however large or small, is what makes the world
of outdoor sport and fitness so brilliant. You’ll
not get that “man against the elements” feeling
sitting on a “bike to nowhere” in a gym.
Bouldering offers more of this outdoor spirit.
It’s such a more natural way to develop
functional fitness. You might only climb two
metres but the thrill is in mastering the crag
and beating the environment, see page 52.
Patrick Kinsella certainly did this and he
climbed a lot higher than two metres on a
recent trip to Italy. His Gran Paradiso summit
lived up to its billing and again shows how this
magazine’s “type” of fitness is so rewarding, see
page 28.
So however you are propelled to get your
outdoor fitness, do take every opportunity to see
what’s in-front, around, below and above you…
your gym is the most beautiful and sophisticated
in the world, and the one best designed to make
you feel most alive and fitter than ever.
JOHN SHEPHERD Editor
JESSICA ROWLANDS The
20-year-old law student with
“too much energy” definitely
burned a lot up when she
signed up for the Polar Circle
Marathon. P106
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 3
 Contents February
STARTLINE CHALLENGES
006 The Great Outdoors AND HEROES
012 Startline 028 Gran Paradiso
4,000m climb to meet Madonna
014 New Products
016 10 Things we learnt 034 The Geoje guys
Ex-pats MTB in S Korea
from Graham Bell
018 Endurance Cook 038 Mix it up
with Cyclo-cross biking
Recovery food
019 Sports science 042 Circuit Training
The Ben Lui Circuit
Healing joints
020 Summit for the 046 1,000km on horseback
The Mongol Derby
Weekend
Buachaille Etive Mor
024 Featured Event
Major OCR Series

20

88
ON THE COVER FOOD
012 Outdoor workouts 084 Turbo charge Recovery
034 S Korea MTBing
088 Lucky 13
038 Cyclo-cross
Performance boosting foods
052 Bouldering
072 Marathon plan 092 Fat lies, sweet truths
088 Faster Food
092 Fat is not bad
096

98
Cover image Andy McCandlish

GEAR
096 Marathon shoes
098 29er MTBs
105 Head Torches
SUBSCRIBE NOW AND
NEVER MISS AN ISSUE 26
56
46

64

72

TRAIN
052 Boulder Dash
The best functional workout
056 Winter training
Lanzarote
060 Strengthen your
Endurance
Achieve a lot with a little
064 Hamm on snow
Sascha Hamm freeride
snowboarder
068 Crossfit
The fittest athletes?
072 Ultimate
Marathon plan
Speed work
078 Ask the Experts
080 Training diaries
106 Reader
Challenge
Jessica Rowlands
 THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Take the High Road…
in Wales

Picture Matt Alexander

ENTER THE
DRAGON
Any cyclist struggling for motivation to do
another turbo trainer session in the garage
should consider signing up for this year’s
Dragon Ride. This South Wales sportive plots
one of the most challenging courses along the
high roads of Wales, where any shortfall in
fitness will soon be exposed.
There are four routes to choose from, rising
from 100km to 153km, 230km and 305km.
None of the options, it’s fair to say, are easy,
with gradients touching 19% in the saw-toothed
route profile. Even the shortest route heads up
both Bwlch and Rhigos, gaining 527m and 485m
in altitude respectively.
The 230km Gran Fondo packs in 2,905m of
ascent, while the 305km Dragon Devil adds in a
tour of the Brecon Beacons to boost the total
ascent to 3,800m, including the Devil’s
Staircase, where the final kilometre ramps up
to 25%. If you can raise your eyes from the road
ahead, the views will be astounding.

More info: the Dragon Ride takes place on 5th

June, starting and finishing in Port Talbot.
Entry costs from £47.50 to £92.50, see
humanrace.co.uk

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 7

THE GREAT OUTDOORS
 Picture Reuben Krabbe
ECLIPSE OF THE HEART
“There are silly ideas, and then there are really,
really silly ideas. You choose which column to file
this under: travel to the Arctic Circle to try to
photograph something you aren’t likely to
witness.”
Photographer Reuben Krabbe knew that
perishing weather and peckish polar bears were
only two of the obstacles he would encounter as
he set out on a mission to capture an image of
skiers backlit by a solar eclipse. His destination
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com
was Svalbard, an island between Norway and
9
the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean. It’s an
untouched wilderness, remote and dangerous,
and not the most obvious choice for a photo
backdrop. Wild camping on ice in blizzard
conditions only added to the complications.
Yet somehow Krabbe got lucky with a weather
window, and the two-and-a-half-minute eclipse
delivered a jaw-dropping spectacle.
The short film of his mission, Eclipse, showcases
the mesmerising Svalbard snowscape and
records the difficulty of trying to marshall his
skiers into position when all they want to do is
hurtle downhill on irresistible virgin slopes.
Eclipse has just won Best Snow Film at the
prestigious Banff Mountain Film Festival, and Silly, silly, silly…
will be part of the UK and Ireland Banff Mountain you’d be silly not to!
Film Festival World Tour, which runs from 27th
January to 28th May, visiting 52 theatres across
the UK and Ireland. The tour’s programme
includes several films in each showing, shining a
spotlight on some of the most exciting and
dramatic outdoor sporting missions, adventures
and expeditions.
More info: The UK and Ireland Banff Mountain
Film Festival World Tour, starts in Leeds on 27th
January. See Banff-uk.com
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Trials rider Kenny
Belaey cannot afford
to cut himself any
slack as he rides a
slacksline in the Alps.

Picture Dom Daher/Red Bull Content Pool

A QUESTION
OF BALANCE
“The amount of times I crashed? Maybe 500
times, maybe more.”

No one likes to fall off a bike, and the ante is

somewhat upped when the bike happens to be
rolling across a slackline. And then upped
exponentially when the slackline is strung
across a 120m ravine in the French Alps.
Yet this was exactly the new challenge that
nine times World Champion trials rider Kenny
Belaey set himself, despite never having set
foot, let alone a tyre, on a slackline.
“Trials and slacklining are both about keeping
your balance and not falling off. The only
difference is that in trials I am always riding on
fixed obstacles that don’t move. The slackline is
so loose it goes from left to right and up and
down,” he said.
Training for six to seven months on a low level
slackline, Belaey gradually accumulated the
skills and experience to ride one, only for it all to
go out the window when he attempted his first
highline, in the Alps near La Plagne.
“You put your front wheel half a metre on the
highline and everything changes. The moment
my wheel touched the actual slackline for the
very first time, the only thing I could think of,
was: this is impossible. Everything you learned…
you just lose it. You can’t orientate, you don’t
know how you are going to focus on the line
because the ground is so deep below you. You
have no point of orientation. Once you are in the
middle of the line it feels like you’re flying, and
then you have nowhere to go, and you fall off…”
said Belaey, who tumbled at least 80 times
during his actual mountain slackline mission.
“Every metre you extend it’s a different
feeling. I fell so many times that after a while I
thought this project is just going to fail, it’s a
disaster. Every second on that slackline was a
nightmare. Every inch gives a different feeling
because the slackline constantly moves,
changing the surroundings and making my
orientation points disappear.”
Eventually, however, he found a way across
the 20m slackline, describing the achievement
as “by far the most intense experience I ever
went through.”

More info: Watch Kenny Belaey on his

mountain slackline at youtube.com/
watch?v=yLrZ4K1DI8U

10 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

STA R T L I N E
ON YOUR MARKS FOR A BRILLIANT MONTH IN THE OUTDOORS
Why it’s good to
exercise in scenic places
New research shows the quality of the view can boost your health.
MAKING AN EFFORT to exercise in a scenic area
could pay dividends for your health, according to
an innovative new study. Researchers cross-
referenced where people lived with health data
from the 2011 Census for England and Wales, in
which participants reported their general health as
“very good”, “good”, “fair”, ‘bad’ or “very bad”. The
results revealed that, “across all of England,
people report better health when living in areas of
12 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
greater scenicness,” said Chanuki Seresinhe, a
PhD student in the Data Science Lab at Warwick
Business School.
The study, Quantifying the Impact of Scenic
Environments on Health, concluded that the higher
health values of scenic areas remain significant,
despite the facts that wealthier people may live in
more scenic areas; that cities may be less scenic
due to the lack of nature and higher population
density; and that scenic areas may be less
polluted.
Importantly, the research identified a distinction
between scenic areas and merely green space.
“This is a fascinating finding. Just because a
place is green does not compel us to feel better on
its own. It seems to be that the beauty of the
environment, as measured by scenicness, is of
crucial importance,” added Seresinhe.
 16 18
GRAHAM BELL DIY
10 things we learnt NUTRITION
from the skier Recovery boost
Green, it seems, is not the most important colour 10 REASONS
in identifying a place as scenic. Large proportions TO TRAIN OUTDOORS
of grey, brown and blue (“perhaps corresponding
to mountains or lakes,” suggested Seresinhe) are
more likely to convey scenic status.
01 Running outdoors
boosts self-esteem,
reduces stress and improves
“Our results suggest that the beauty of our mood according to research
everyday environment might have more practical from the Centre for Sports
importance than was previously believed,” added and Exercise Science, School
Seresinhe. of Biological Sciences,
“In order to ensure the wellbeing of local University of Essex. Studying
inhabitants urban planners and policymakers might participants at four different
find it valuable to consider the aesthetics of the 5km parkruns, it found major
environment when embarking upon large projects gains in mental attitude
to build new parks, housing developments or between pre- and post- event
highways. Our findings imply that simply introducing runners, including a 9% uplift
greenery, without considering the beauty of the in self-esteem and a 9.5%
resulting environment, might not be enough.” improvement in mood.
02 Hard though it may be
to believe in the middle
of winter, exercising outdoors
in green space alters the
perception of effort. A study
published in the journal
Extreme Physiology &
Medicine found that: “For
those people engaging in
green exercise, the nature
element may help achieve a
greater intensity of exercise
without perception of effort
changing.” This is a fitness
advantage, because, “If a
person perceives exercise to
be easier, it has the potential
to be more enjoyable.”
03 Outdoor activity in a
natural environment
generates greater feelings of
revitalisation and positive
engagement than indoor
exercise, according to a report
published in the journal
Environmental Science &
Technology.
04 Individuals living in a
greener environment
are three times more likely to
be physically active with a
40% lower chance of being
overweight or obese, said a
study in the British Medical
Journal.
05 Green exercise
activities help to
combat mood subscales, such
as tension, anger and
depression, said researchers
in the journals Integrated
Science and Environmental
Planning Management .
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 13
25
IT’S MAJOR!
Major Series
OCR series
06 Scientists at the
University of Leeds
have discovered that spending
time in green spaces
produces, “levels and patterns
of chemicals in the brain
associated with low stress
and positive impacts on blood
pressure.” They also report
positive links “between how
well people perform at
attention-demanding tasks
and time spent, either
beforehand or during, in green
space.”
07 Running, cycling and
walking in a natural
environment can cut the risk
of suffering from poor mental
health by half compared to
exercising in non-natural
environments, according to a
study by researchers at the
University of Glasgow. They
found forests and parks
seemed to protect against
mental ill-health, whilst a gym
did not.
08 A major Scottish study
found that levels of
c-reactive protein (a marker
of inflammatory response in
the body) were lower in men
living in urban areas who
regularly used green space
for physical activity than
those who did not. The results
formed part of the report,
“Contribution of green and
open space to public health
and wellbeing”.
09 Research published in
Science, has shown
that patient recovery rates
improve even if they can only
view trees from their hospital
window.
10 People living closer to
green spaces are more
physically active, and less
likely to be overweight or
obese. People who live
furthest from public parks are
27% more likely to be
Picture Shutterstock
overweight or obese,
according to researchers from
the Universities of Bristol and
East Anglia.
STARTLINE NEW PRODUCTS
Hot in the shops
Take the New Year in your stride with these new
products designed to boost your training.
1 Zippo Hand Warmer, £22.95,
whitbyandco.co.uk
Behind the school bike sheds, before we
were wiser and more fitness-focused, the
Zippo was the cult lighter to own. This
handwarmer keeps both the memory alive
and the feeling in your fingers when the
mercury tumbles. It runs on lighter fuel, but
is flame-free, and a single refill lasts for up
to 12 hours – just slip it into its protective
bag and slide it into a pocket or gloves.
2 Topeak Soundlite USB, £36.99,
extrauk.co.uk
The Soundlite may look as if it has come
from the props cupboard at Dr Who, but at its
heart it’s a sci-fi version of a light and bell
that’s ideal for commuters. Three LEDs
pump out 70 lumens for up to four hours to
light your way, while a deafening 97-decibel
horn can alert drivers and pedestrians of
your approach. An extra £8 buys a version
with a wireless remote control for the horn,
so you don’t even need to lift your hands
from the handlebars to sound a warning.
The battery is USB rechargeable.
3 Endura SingleTrack Jacket, £99.99,
endurasport.com
Don’t let the rain keep you from the trails (as
if!). This new mountain bike-specific jacket is
a 2.5-layer waterproof and its seams are
fully sealed. The hood rolls away and you
can adjust the cuffs and hems for a snugger
fit, or relax them to spill heat. Two
handwarmer pockets and a zipped chest
pocket with an MP3 port add to the
features. The reflective detailing is minimal,
but as it’s designed for off-road trails this
would be of limited value anyway.
4 Stride Out, £10,
strideout-footoil.com
If you’re raising your running or walking
mileage in the New Year, there’s always a
danger of blisters before your feet adjust to
the tougher training regime. Stride Out
claims its blend of natural oils help to
prevent blisters by reducing hot-spots,
friction and moisture. It was developed by
an SAS soldier so you can feel suitably
butch as you rub it in to your feet before a
walk or run.
5 MYZONE MZ-3 Physical Activity Belt,
£129.99,
myzone.org
If your current fitness campaign is about
weight loss, then monitoring your heart rate
during training workouts is one of the most
accurate ways to track your effort and
calorie burn. MYZONE is a heart rate
monitor that syncs with a free iOS or
Android app to provide performance data,
motivational messages and the opportunity
14 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
1
to compete with both friends and an online
community. The company claims the
monitor is 99.4% EKG-accurate when
measured against hospital-style
electrocardiograms. The belt
communicates with training watches,
smartphones and tablets via ANT+ and
Bluetooth, and its built-in memory can store
workout information until you are back in
contact with your smart technology. Other
ANT+ and Bluetooth heart rate monitors are
available for about one-third of the price, as
are free apps, so you are paying heavily for
the way the MYZONE links with its app.
6 Victor + Leap All Day Jersey Jacket,
£120,
victorandleap.com
There’s no “pinking and shrinking” of men’s
products to create the Victor + Leap range
of sports clothing. Items are designed
specifically for women, so the fit is tailored
to the female form. This cycling jacket is
close fitting, with a slightly longer tail to
cover the lower back and has a zipped
pocket.
7 Epic Sport, £19.95,
epicsport.co
Nutrition products with claims to fitness-
transforming properties are nothing new,
but what is innovative about this one is its
clever integration with a smartphone app to
measure its impact and prove its
4
effectiveness. The pack includes seven
sachets of Epic Sport, which is formulated
from epicatechin, a natural compound that
has been shown to increase blood flow by
up to 68%. Biologically, EPIC Sport works to
improve the elasticity of blood vessels. This
decreases vascular resistance and allows
for increased flow of oxygenated blood to
your muscles without placing additional
strain on your cardiovascular system. To
measure this change, the EPIC Sport app
(free to download) uses your phone’s
camera to record blood flow and oxygen
levels in the skin, tracking variations in light
reflectance via a facial or finger video.
Record videos before and after consuming
EPIC Sport to rate its performance.
8 Dr Zak’s High Protein Peanut Spread,
£6.99,
dr-zaks.com
Change up your breakfast or snack time with
one of these new, UK-made protein-enhanced
peanut spreads. They use Vegetarian
Society-approved whey protein isolate to
boost the protein content, and fruit extract to
provide natural sweetness. There are five
flavours, salted caramel, white chocolate &
coconut, apple & cinnamon, cherry Bakewell
and fresh raspberry, and they pack 588kcals,
43.8gs of fat and 35gs of protein per 100gs.
 2 3

6 7 8

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 15

 STARTLINE SPORTING HEROES
10 things we learnt from
Graham Bell, ex-international skier
The downhill racer competed for Britain at five Winter Olympics, and has also raced
in the London Triathlon and Marathon des Sables.
GRAHAM BELL IS one of the greatest downhill
skiers that this country has ever produced,
crowned Ski Champion of Britain eight times
during his career.
Since retiring from racing, he has competed in
triathlons and swapped snow for sand in the
grueling seven-day Marathon des Sables in
Morocco. He’s also presents Ski Sunday, which
returns on the BBC on the 10th January.
01 As a downhill skier there were two
training regimes, on snow and off
snow. We would do a lot of training at high
altitude on glaciers, trying to get as many runs
in during the day. We’d get up at first light to get
the best snow, and catch the first lift up with
all the workers, warming up in the semi-dark,
and be ready to go when it got light. Skiing is a
power sport, so it would be 90 seconds of hard
effort, doing six to eight runs in one day. It
doesn’t sound like much but it was pretty
knackering. If we had an early start, we’d come
off the mountain, have some food, a sleep in
the afternoon and get up at 4pm and do dry
land training, which would mostly be co-
ordination and balance work. We would play
games – we used to ride unicycles a lot and
play unicycle polo, or set up a tight rope. Now,
slacklines are really popular. That would be a
week or two-week training camp.
02 It’s bizarre, but you lose fitness as
the season goes on. You may get ski fit,
and you get very strong, but your aerobic
capacity drops off over the winter, and you
need that to be able to do the on-snow training.
So in April-May time there would be a lot of
getting your aerobic fitness levels back.
Aerobic sessions would be long sessions out on
a bike, not too high intensity, occasionally
running, hill walking or hill running.I’d also do
lots of anaerobic work, like box jumps, later
replaced by a lateral cross-training machine,
which is low impact.
03 I did a lot of weight training… perhaps
four times a week. I would start with
weights towards the middle of the summer,
and there would be loads of lifting, squats,
deadlifts, squats on a wobble board, standing
on a Swiss ball doing light weights. I could line
up Swiss balls and jump from one ball to
another, which was good for the core and
balance. We’d always include balance work in
the heavy weight sessions.
04
Pictures Corbis & BBC
The ideal physique for a downhill
skier is like a rugby player’s. I was
constantly trying to put on as much bulk as I
possible could because of the pure physics of
it. The bigger you are, the faster you will go
16 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
Skiing is a power sport,
so it would be 90 seconds
of hard effort, doing six
to eight runs in one day.
It doesn’t sound like
much but it was pretty
knackering
downhill if you can get into a decent
aerodynamic position.
05 In training my heart rate would be
close to maximum; more than 200
beats per minute when I was younger, and I
remember getting up to 186bpm when I was a
bit older.
06 My racing career spanned the
introduction of sports science. At the
beginning we felt like guinea pigs; there was
some information coming back, but more
information going to the sport scientists. We’d
spend a lot of time doing tests and I’d wonder
what we were testing because it wasn’t
benefiting us very much. That has changed
around now, but we would be tested to
exhaustion and then be completely knackered
for two days. They very rarely do VO2max tests
these days because it takes too much out of
your training regime.
07 I quit Alpine racing in 1998 after my
fifth Olympics and had a summer off.
Then I got invited to a 24-hour downhill ski race
in Aspen, aiming to do 80 runs as a team. That
got me back into training, and the following
summer I got a letter through – well, actually,
my brother Martin was over in the US and I was
getting his mail – and a letter for him came
through for the London Triathlon, so I asked
Martin if I could take his place, and that’s how I
got into triathlon. Muscle doesn’t turn to fat, but
it feels like it. When you get really big and you
have a lot of muscle mass and you stop training,
your appetite is still there and you start to lose
that muscle and it gets replaced by fat. I was
quite happy losing the muscle mass but I
needed to do something to keep active and fit,
and switched to doing more endurance stuff. In
the 10 years after retiring from competition, I
still have not lost my muscle mass, but a lot of
that is down to the fact that I still ski pretty
much all winter. After a season of Alpine skiing
you end up with big strong legs.
08 When I’m cycling I very rarely get
overtaken on a descent. I have ridden
the Etape du Tour (the annual stage of the Tour
de France open to amateur riders) a few times.
A lot of endurance sport lacks the thrill of
downhill skiing, which is why I enjoyed the Etape
– you slog up the mountain for an hour, but it’s
followed by 15 minutes of thrill. I do like the
descending and 106km/h is the fastest I’ve ever
been on a road bike. Downhill mountain biking I
enjoy and is as close as you can get to ski
racing.
09 The Marathon des Sables was as far
away from my comfort zone as I could
get. I’m not a great runner and I don’t like the
heat, so it was playing to my two great
weaknesses. I’d met the guys from Walking
with the Wounded before they did their trip to
the North Pole, and I tried to get involved but it
was the wrong time of year. Then I tried to get
involved in their South Pole trip, but it was at
the wrong time of year again. And then they
came back to me with something really hot and
unpleasant! The Marathon des Sables is
something I’m glad I did, but I’m not rushing
back to do it again. Morocco is an incredibly
beautiful place and the atmosphere among the
runners and helpers was brilliant, but I was
knackered most of the time and too tired to
enjoy it from day one.
10 With Ski Sunday I get to ski down the
course with a camera in one hand. It’s
not full speed, but I’m still doing 75mph with
just one pole.
n For all inquiries about BBC Ski Sunday
presenter Graham Bell please contact
Champions Celebrity on 08453 313031
Bell competeing in
the Skiing World
Championships
in 1987

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 17

STARTLINE DIY SPORTS NUTRITION

Recovery Snack
In this series endurance nutrition expert Renee McGregor provides easy
to prepare performance boosting food and drink recipes and tips.
(Food and drink that you can prepare yourself… and yes, very easily!)
What you eat and drink after a workout/race to replace both carbohydrate and protein - for an easy evening meal.
is very important in terms of boosting your good options would include a wholegrain
recovery. However, there are many bagel with scrambled eggs, which will INGREDIENTS:
misconceptions about timing and just what provide around 60gs carbs and 20gs protein. n 2 peppered smoked mackerel fillets,
you should take on board. If, however, it was a lower intensity session, skinned
Contrary to popular belief, the “20-minute then aim to recover with protein and n 2 tbsp low-fat cream cheese

window for recovery” is not applicable to all. vegetables/salad - a feta and vegetable n 2 tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt

The only time this really factors in is if you frittata makes an ideal choice. n Juice of 1 lemon
have completed a very high intensity training Remember though muscle recovery
session and your next meal is over 2 hours continues over a period of 24-48 hours after INSTRUCTIONS:
away; or if you have a further training session endurance-based training and potentially up n Put all the ingredients into a food
planned within 12 hours. In these to 72 hours after resistance training, which processor and pulse until smooth.
circumstances aiming for a recovery choice, means that your choices throughout the day, n Spoon into a bowl, cover with cling film/
preferably in liquid form, made up of fast regardless of the timing of your next training plastic wrap and chill in the fridge before
release carbohydrates, such as lactose in session, are still going to be important. serving with oatcakes. It will keep for up
milk, and an easily digestible protein such as to 2 days.
whey will be beneficial. TRY THIS SIMPLE RECIPE FOR
For all other situations, aiming to have your MACKEREL PATE. NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING)
recovery meal or snack within 2 hours of Mackerel is an oily fish and an excellent Calories 181; fat 14.7g (of which saturates
completing your workout/event will be source of omega-3 fats, calcium and 4.5g); carbohydrate 1.6g; protein 10g
sufficient to allow for muscle recovery. vitamin D. The cream cheese and yogurt
So what should it be made up of? here soften its strong flavour and make RENNE MCGREGOR,
This will once again depend on what this a nutritious topping for oatcakes; a registered dietician and sports
session you’ve just completed. If it was a high lunchtime sandwich or pitta bread filling; nutritionist and ultrarunner,
intensity training session then you will need or as a topping for a baked sweet potato eatwellfeelfab.co.uk

18 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016


Healing Joints
THE GREAT NEWS is that keeping going –
training wise – into our middle and older years
has so many physiological and mental
benefits. Between the ages of 30 and 60,
actual physical decline can be minimised.
However, our bodies do become subject to
more wear and tear and we can suffer from
greater joint and muscle stiffness and
complain more and more about those “old
aches and pains”.
So what can the older weekend warrior
consume to remain fighting fit? Sulphur –
believe it or not – is an essential ingredient for
our health. Sulphur is present in specific amino
acids, such as taurine and cysteine, and as
inorganic free sulphate and loosely bonded
sulphate, as found in dietary sulphate - both
sources have been shown to play a key role in
joint health. Specifically it’s been identified
that free sulphate and loosely bonded
sulphate can assist with the synthesis of
taurine and cysteine and the production of
chondroitin sulphate. Chondroitin is a key
element in joint health as it promotes elasticity
in cartilage.
References: 1.Arch Intern Med 2003; 163(13): 1514-22; 2.Arch Intern Med 2003; 162; 2113-2123; 3.J Rheumatol 1982;9:3-5;
SPORT SCIENCE NEWS STARTLINE
A visit to your health store will reveal
products such as glucosamine sulphate and
chondroitin sulphate (and amalgams of the
two). Research has identified that these
supplements can be beneficial to joint health.
One survey dealing with glucosamine
indicated that it was highly effective at
reducing joint pain and reduced the joint
narrowing that occurs with degenerative
diseases, such as osteoarthritis (1). A further
study that used 1500mgs of glucosamine
supplementation daily found that there was no
further joint narrowing at the end of the survey
(2). As indicated chondroitin can assist with
joint elasticity – one research survey
administered 800mgs to patients with knee
degeneration (3). At the end of the year’s study
period the subjects had increased mobility
levels, reduced knee pain and stabilised
markers of bone and joint metabolism.
So, if you want to keep your joints mobile and
pain-free (or at least with reduced pain) then
supplementing with sulphur-based products
such as chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine
sulphate could well be worth a try.
Beware
backpacking injuries
Watch out for injuries if you’re planning to
carry a heavy rucksack on a long distance
walk. Backpacking on steep terrain leads to
fatigue that can destabilise your gait and lead
to injury, according to new research.
Scientists tested a group of participants on
an inclined treadmill, loading them with
rucksacks that weighed 30% of their body
weight. The results showed that vigorous
activity increases the variability of both stride
time and stride length as well as balance
control.
These changes, “may compromise the
stability of gait during and after vigorous
walking,” said the research in the journal
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
Don’t double up
When it comes to post-exercise recovery,
there’s no benefit in doubling up your sources
of carbohydrate. While sport scientists have
proved that consuming a mix of two types of
carbohydrate – glucose and fructose - during
exercise can significantly increase the body’s
ability to absorb energy, when training and
events have finished, a single, plentiful
source of carbohydrate is sufficient.
Tracking the speed of muscle glycogen
repletion in a group of cyclists after exercise,
researchers measured the impact of taking
glucose; glucose and fructose; or glucose
and sucrose.
“Combined ingestion of glucose plus
fructose does not further accelerate
post-exercise muscle glycogen repletion in
trained cyclists when ample carbohydrate is
ingested,” said the researchers in the journal
Pictures Shutterstock
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
They added, however, that combining
glucose with fructose or sucrose does reduce
gastrointestinal complaints when ingesting
large amounts of carbohydrate.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 19
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20 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

 Summit for
the weekend
BUACHAILLE ETIVE MOR
Time for a wild weekend? Challenge
yourself in the heart of the Scottish
Highlands.
Why: The perfect isosceles
triangle of a mountain, Buachaille
Etive Mor is an icon of Glencoe.
The glen itself stretches east from
the shores of Loch Leven to
Rannoch Moor, a cleft through
dramatic scenery with brooding
mountains, lochs and towering
waterfalls. There are eight Munros
(peaks over 3,000-feet) in Glencoe,
and a dizzying array of outdoor
activities, from skiing to hiking,
climbing, downhill mountain biking
and even marathon running. As a
landscape it’s rugged, remote,
beautiful and thrilling.
Run here: The route may be
gruelling, but the views along the
Glencoe Marathon are sensational
and the pride of completion will
last long in the memory. It’s an
off-road course over the full
26.2-mile marathon distance from
Glencoe to Fort William, passing
through Glen Nevis below the
mighty Ben. Brace yourself for
1,608m of ascent, including the
Devil’s Staircase, a punishing
500m climb over the formidable
Aonach Eagach Ridge. It’s not an
event for the faint-hearted,
ill-prepared or PB seeker, but it is
a cracking challenge. Next event
is on 2nd October 2016,
glencoemarathon.co.uk
Road cycle here Unpredictable
weather and the need to share
roads with potentially busy
holiday traffic has restricted road
cycling in this area, but plan your
route smartly and it’s possible to
map out days of spellbinding
mountain cycling in the area. Next
May, Scotland’s Tour of the
Highlands Cycle Sportive takes
place over three days, covering
300 miles as it links five ski
centres in the Highlands. Day one
starts in Glencoe just a couple of
miles to the east of Buachaille
Etive Mor, and by the end of the
third day riders will have pedalled
up more ascent than any other
A cleft through dramatic scenery
Shutterstock
with brooding mountains, lochs
and towering waterfalls.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 21
three-day ride in this country. The
Tour of the Highlands takes place
on 28-30th May, tourhighlands.
wordpress.com
Mountain bike here: Whether
you’re a cross-country rider
looking for a mix of tracks and
technical trails, or a speed-seeking
downhiller, you’re spoiled for
choice in Glencoe. The West
Highland Way is an MTBable trail,
and crosses the glen, while
Glencoe Mountain Resort has
black runs so steep and technical
they host international
competitions. There’s also a more
achievable 2km red route. A day
pass gives unrestricted use of the
chairlift to the top for high octane
descents or access to high level
plateaus for trail riding. See,
glencoemountain.com
Hike here: The West Highland Way
is one of Britain’s favourite long
distance backpacking routes, and
no wonder. The national trail heads
north from Milngavie, along the
shores of Loch Lomond, and past
Buachaille Etive Mor on its way
through Glen Coe and Glen Nevis to
Fort William. It’s a 96-mile route
that’s ideal for a six-day hike where
the views get better by the day - see,
west-highland-way.co.uk. Or plan a
day’s walk up Buachaille Etive Mor
or the striking Three Sisters.
Maps: Ordnance Survey Explorer
384 Glencoe and Glen Etive cover
the area.
Plan your visit: There’s camping
(or hire a microlodge) at Glencoe
Mountain Resort
(glencoemountain.com), with
prices from £6 per adult per night.
Nearby, try the Kings House Hotel
(kingshousehotel.co.uk) where
doubles including breakfast cost
from £90 per night, or the Clachaig
Inn (clachaig.com), where rates
rise from £48pppn including
breakfast.
 10KM WINTER RUN SERIES
SNOW ZONES, POLAR BEAR HUGS AND MORE

LIMITEDENTRYPLACES
STILLAVAILABLE

LIVERPOOL | SUNDAY 17 JANUARY | 2016

LONDON | SUNDAY 31 JANUARY | 2016
MANCHESTER | SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY | 2016

ENTER ONLINE:
www.winterrunseries.co.uk
 Getout andstayou t
whatever th eweather
we e nable you to g et o ut a nd ex plo re wit h o ur awar d
winning ra nge o f wate rproo f so c ks, gloves an d h ats.
get o ut and stay o ut what e ve r t he we at he r w i t h s e a ls k i n z.

ava i l a b l e f r o m a l l l e a d i n g o u t d o o r s h o p s a n d s e a l s k i n z . c o m
STARTLINE EVENTS
Events Diary: Feb-March
There’s something for everyone in our events guide…
24TH JANUARY
OFFCAMBER WINTER
SERIES 2016 - ROUND 5
The Inside Park, Fairmile
Road, Blandford
Blast away Christmas
excess with this x-country
park-based MTB jaunt over
3, 4.8-mile laps.
£12, offcamber.co.uk
11TH-14TH FEBRUARY
TRIATHLON SHOW/
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE &
TRAVEL SHOW/THE
LONDON BIKE SHOW
ExCel, London
Under one roof you’ll have
your outdoor fitness needs
well and truly met by these
three great shows.
£15,
triathlonshowlondon.co.uk,
telegraphoutdoorshow.co.uk,
thelondonbikeshow.co.uk
13TH FEBRUARY
ORDNANCE SURVEY
INSANITY
Sparsholt College, Westley
Lane,Hampshire
Flirt with either a 41- or
57-mile distance in what will
likely be sub-zero
24 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
temperatures!
£35, ukcyclingevents.co.uk
20TH FEBRUARY
THE ROCKET SPORTIVE
Amberley Working Museum,
Station Road,
Amberley
44-, 51- & 69-mile options
will provide you with every
opportunity to enjoy the
passing South Downs.
£26/35,
ukcyclingevents.co.uk
14TH FEBRUARY
OPEN 5 SERIES NORTH
PENNINES
Blanchland Village Hall,
Derwent, Consett
The area promises some
fantastic biking and running
routes and depending on the
weather – stunning views or
tricky navigation.
£35-42, openadventure.com
15TH–21ST FEBRUARY
HOT RUNNER
Little Bowbrook, Hartlebury,
Worcestershire
The Hot Runner is a
seven-day challenge with a
unique marathon, half
marathon & 10k race on
each day.
£175 for 7 in 7 marathons,
£140 for 7 in 7 half-
marathons, £115 for 7 in 7
10ks, ultrarunningltd.co.uk
21ST FEBRUARY
WELSH GRAVITY ENDURO
MASH UP
Pounds Mountain Bike Centre
Glyncorrwg, Port Talbot
The first Mash Up race of
2016 will return to its origins
at Afan Forest, Glyncorrwyg
where there will be 4 timed
stages to indulge in
£45,
welshgravityenduro.com
27TH FEBRUARY
COSTAL TRAIL SERIES
Banburgh Castle
Northumberland
Running here will nourish
your soul like nowhere else
on earth. The
Northumberland coastline
boasts some of the most
dramatic coastal scenery in
the UK. 10k through to ultra
event available.
£30-£60,
endurancelife.com
STAR EVENTS
Sign-up or go to these great events
›› NEAR HORIZON
19TH-20TH MARCH
NATIONAL MTB ENDURO SERIES Carmathenshire
The first of a six-part series that will travel to some
of the UK’s plum mountain biking destinations
through the spring and summer, this enduro MTB
event will test your downhill skills on steep,
flowing, rooty descents. Choose from one or two
days with typically, seven timed stages.
From £50, mtb-enduro.co.uk
›› NEAR HORIZON
20TH MARCH
VITALITY NORTH LONDON HALF MARATHON
It’s worth having a think about how you’ll celebrate
crossing the finish line of this half marathon,
because the 13.1-mile race ends in Wembley
Stadium. The timing of the event makes it an ideal
warm-up for the London Marathon five weeks later.
£42, northlondonhalf.com
›› DISTANT HORIZON
23RD-25TH SEPTEMBER
SOUTH WEST OUTDOORS FESTIVALDevon
Head to Devon for this three-day festival for lovers
of the outdoors, with camping, trail running,
kayaking, mountain biking, walking, adventure
films, foraging and campfire cooking sessions.
£tbc, tinyurl.com/p3clcyf
12TH MARCH 2016
BATTLE STATIONS!
HAVE YOU EVER needed a helping
hand when clambering up the
muddy banks of a ditch or jumping
from an obstacle? Ever struggled to
vault over a log and felt a little bit of
encouragement would have
helped? If so, then this is the race for
you.The Royal British Legion Major
Series, which kicks off a seven-run
UK-wide programme of events in
March, has a unique group of 40
very helpful marshals attending
every race.
The 5km and 10km events are
supported by the UK’s largest
supplier of outdoor fitness
programmes, British Military
Fitness (BMF), and the races are
“unique” because the marshals are
real-life military personnel,
instructors from the Armed Forces,
who are otherwise known as “The
Major’s Troops”.
While the Chief Officer in Charge,
“The Major” himself, a moustachioed,
uniformed figurehead, supervises
arrangements on event day, his
hand-picked platoon line the route,
offering runners encouragement
and support as they tackle
obstacles.
The launch event, in the Midlands
on Saturday, 12th March 2016, will
be at Ragley Hall, Alcester, in
Warwickshire, one of England’s
grandest stately homes, the
ancestral seat of the Marquess of
Hertford. The Royal British Legion
Major Series will be taking over part
of the 6,500-acre estate,
challenging competitors with steep
hills, waist-deep wading across icy
Ragley Lake, and adding plenty of
surprises with military-themed
zones, involving smoke and
explosions on the day.
Race Director Alex Stanley, who’s
also Head of Events at BMF,
explained: “The Royal British Legion
Major Series is accessible and ideal
for all ages and abilities. Our
runners are aged 17-70 ... and 55
percent of people who take part are
female. Anyone can take part.
“Our 5km course, with 15-20
obstacles, is ideal for entry-level
first-timers and participants with a
wide range of fitness levels. Our
10km course features 30+
obstacles and is a bigger challenge.”
The North event, on Sunday, 20th
March will be at Bramham Park,
Leeds, West Yorkshire, and will see
up to 5,000 competitors and
spectators flocking to the 500-acre
estate. The waterlogged terrain will
include stench trenches and muddy
bogs, thick woods and river
crossings.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 25
On Saturday, 9th April, the South
event is at Eridge Park, Tunbridge
Wells, Kent, where runners will
traverse part of the 3,000-acre
estate, climbing steep hills, crossing
sticky, muddy bogs, and wading
waist-deep along icy streams.
And on Saturday, 4th June 2016,
Scottish runners will converge on
the 4,000-acre Cardross Estate,
Port of Menteith, Stirlingshire, with
competitors climbing muddy gorges
and wading through a river.
It’s all in a good cause, too, as the
series’ title sponsor and charity
partner is Britain’s biggest Armed
Forces charity, the Royal British
Legion and the 20,000 runners
expected to take part this year will
help raise £250,000 fundraising
for the charity.
More information,
majorseries.com
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CHALLENGE GRAN PARADISO

PARADISO LOST

Mountain man Paolo

Pieroni on the
summit of Gran
Paradiso, with
madonna and
groupies behind

28 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

ST [AND FOUND]
Armed with his trusty ice axe and his
crampons, Pat Kinsella prepares to
meet Madonna on the roof of Italy.
Words & Pictures Pat Kinsella

xaltation. That’s the word for it. When you reach

the very top of a country and stand on the loftiest

E
piece of terra firma in the land, you feel exalted.
At that precise moment, you’re higher than
absolutely everyone else in the nation, and it feels
James Brown–style good.
Such moments taste particularly ace if you’ve
had to work for them – and to reach the peak of Gran Paradiso, you do
have to put in some hard yards. But on this summit, the hardest yard
of all might be the very last one – and not for any of the reasons I
expected when I started my summit push at 5am in the morning.

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 29

CHALLENGE GRAN PARADISO
A new day
announces itself
across the range
Climbers on the
ridge after a
pre-dawn start
SUPER GRAN
Gran Paradiso is, of course, the highest mountain in Italy. And,
no, I didn’t know that either – almost until I began to clamber up
it. The problem with Gran Paradiso – other than its name, which
makes it sound a little like a nightclub in Blackpool – is the
illustrious company it keeps. To get here, you have to pass right
under the nose of Mont Blanc. Or, as they call it on this side of the
border, Monte Bianco. Whatever name you want to give her, at
4,810m La Dame Blanche stands head and elegant shoulders
above the rest of the range, dominating the view. Teasingly, she
dangles one long leg into Italy, but her brow is on terrain
belonging to France.
Many guides use Gran Paradiso as a practice peak for clients
who want to have a crack at climbing Mont Blanc. Conditions
near the top are ideal for revealing how people cope with altitude,
and it’s the perfect place to test their performance capability
while wearing crampons and using an ice axe. Because, while it
might not be the highest mountain in the Alps, Gran Paradiso
does go 61m past the magical 4,000m mark, and getting to the
summit is far from a walk in the park. It’s not a technical ascent,
but you do require technical equipment, and topping out is a
genuine test of fitness, with a long peak-day push of 1,300m
demanding a decent degree of mental and physical endurance.
And it’s a classic climb in its own right – a stunning summit
30 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
reached via some of the finest approach terrain in the Graian
Alps, and served by several sensational alpine rifugios. I’ve been
higher – Kilimanjaro took me to almost 6,000m – but this feels
like my first foray into proper mountaineering.
GRAND PLAN
My alpine adventure begins at La Chaumiere Lodge in
Chamonix, where highly experienced Italian mountain guide
Paolo Pieroni picks me up, checks my gear and drives me straight
through a big hole in the hills towards his homeland.
As we thread through Tunnel du Mont-Blanc and emerge into
the Aosta Valley, Paolo, who works for Adventure Consultants,
explains the plan. Our bid to reach the roof of Italy will begin
from the car park of Gran Paradiso National Park, about an hour
and a half’s drive away. It’s a bluebird day and Paolo is already
optimistic about our chances of making it to the summit in clear
conditions. Not in one hit, though.
After a mid-afternoon start, we trace a meandering trail
upwards through Italy’s oldest national park, wending through
woodlands before emerging from the treeline and ascending the
lower flanks of the mountain via a series of long switchbacks.
Waterfalls and streams stroke the hillside here, while mischievous
marmots scamper off at the sound of our approaching footsteps.
We pass a gang of grazing donkeys, left to run wild in the park
 MAIN:
Descending
from the
summit
LEFT:
Paolo has
summited
Mont Blanc
70 times;
The approach
climb; Roped
up on a
section of via
ferrata.
after an aborted plan to initiate mule trekking in the area.
The gradient begins to bite with a bit more intent the higher we
get, but after a couple of hours, right on the snowline, we arrive at
Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the more impressive huts
that cling tenaciously to precipitous hillsides all through the
Alps. This alpine eerie, perched at 2,735m, is our resting place for
the night. The refuge is bustling with activity when we burst in –
full of excited climbers either on their way to the top of Italy, or
on their way back down. The atmosphere is relaxed and
convivial, and most people are enjoying a beer or wine with their
dinner, which is served on communal tables.
There’s a cold Birra Moretti with my name on it – a liquid carb
shot to go with the pasta meal – but we restrict ourselves to one.
Our summit push will begin well before dawn, and soon after the
sinking sun paints the peaks around the hut a stunning shade of
pink, I hit the dorm to get some sleep. We’ve got 1,326 verticalm
to scale tomorrow.
LONG WAY TO THE TOP
By 5am, a hasty bread-and-jam breakfast has been washed down
with a couple of bowls of sugary black tea, and we’re outside the
hut with crampons on and ice axes drawn – ready for action. As
ready as I’ll ever be at 5am, anyway. Caribiners clink as climbers
crunch around us, conversations muffled by the snow and the
early hour. Last night’s bonhomie has been replaced by an
atmosphere loaded with nervous tension that crackles in the
pre-dawn air, and everyone has their game face firmly fixed.
Sunrise is little more than a rumour, but already a luminous
centipede of headtorches is scampering up the mountainside
above us. Soon a line of climbers becomes visible, silhouetted
against the breaking day as they pick their way along a ridgeline
on our vertical horizon. This is route 1 to the summit, in the
middle of “rush hour”, but shortly after first light arrives Paolo
leads me along a less-trodden trail, and we leave the crowds
behind. Our new route requires more rock climbing and the
negotiation of some sections of via ferrata (Italian for “iron road”
– permanent metal placements in the rock face to assist climbers).
On the more technical sections, and during open traverses
where crevasses can be a danger on Gran Paradiso, I’m joined to
Paolo by an umbilicus of rope, in classic mountaineering style. If
either one of us slips or falls, the other must stop the plunge by
any means possible, otherwise we’ll both disappear into the
abyss. It’s a sobering prospect, but I instinctively trust Paolo
– who has climbed all over the world and visited the top of Mont
Blanc 70 times in a career that’s seen him venture above 4,000m
on over 500 occasions. He’s not a big man, but has a wiry
strength, developed during a lifetime spent in the mountains, and
he exudes knowledge, competence and confidence.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 31
CHALLENGE GRAN PARADISO

Some of the world’s very best mountain guides work in these
mountains, and Paolo clearly commands considerable respect
from his peers. I’ve known him less than 24 hours, but I feel like
I’m in good hands. Still, things happen out of the blue in the
peaks. Later, during our descent, Paolo recounts a cautionary
tale about another guide – a friend – who disappeared into a
crevasse just a few weeks earlier, while guiding a client on the
Italian side of Mont Blanc. I’m glad he saves that anecdote for the
way down, because right now I need to dig in and put one positive
foot in front of the other. It’s not hard to find inspiration here,
though, and just as we top out from a section of via ferrata the
rising sun illuminates our target in spellbinding fashion. We rejoin
the other climbers for the final summit push, which ultimately
involves squirming along a very narrow ledge, occasionally
squeezing past people going in the opposite direction, with the
beckoning void yawning to the right. And then we arrive, at the
very apex of Italy. Sort of.
“A summit is a gift,” Paolo had sagaciously told me earlier. “If
you deserve – someone will let you have it.” Well, maybe, but I
didn’t realise there would be a queue.
TOP SHELF
Standing on the summit plateau, all of Italy spirals out beneath
us. Roped up, with helmet on and ice axe and ski pole clasped in
gloved hands, I’m short of breath, cold and knackered – but
elated, and feeling like a proper mountaineer.
At least until I spot the dog. Alright, so it’s a husky – a
mountain rescue dog doing some training – but seeing it trot
around wagging its tail brings me down to earth a bit. But still,
puffing and panting aside, I don’t feel too bad, considering I was
in lowly London 24 hours ago, and now I’m in the clouds,
nudging 4,000m. However, reaching the classic summit marker
– which boasts a Madonna effigy (the virgin one, not the Like A
Virgin one) – proves a whole lot trickier than I expected. It’s a
narrow shard of rock, with room for only a couple of people at a
time, and we’ve clearly arrived in peak hour. Quickly, Paolo
decides the queue is too long. He indicates a second summit,
about 30m further on. It doesn’t have a Madonna statue to pose
next to, but he assures me that it’s only about a metre lower than
the popular peak, which is still congested with climbers.
“This one is harder to get up onto,” he insists. “But it’s better to
enjoy some solitude.” There isn’t much wriggle room for anything
up here, let alone an argument, so I acquiesce. And he’s right. It
is a real scramble onto the peak, but once I’m up, gripping on for
dear life with crampon talons, I feel like I’m actually on the top of
the mountain. And I feel exalted. I’m the highest person in all of
Italy. Well, except for that bloke over there, manhandling the
mountain Mary and taking a selfie.

PEAK BAGGING
Besides Gran Paradiso, there A Monte Rosa
morning
are numerous 4,000-metre-
plus peaks in the Alps to be
explored. Some, such as the
Matterhorn (4,478m),
demand a degree of ice-
climbing skill, but the
following 10 summits can all
be tackled by beginners if
they’re accompanied by a
guide.

DUFOURSPITZE 4,634m
The pinnacle of the Monte Rosa
massif, Switzerland’s highest
mountain and the second
highest peak in the Alps.

ALLALINHORN 4,027m
Located in the Mischabelhörner
group of the Pennine Alps in
Switzerland, this peak can be
climbed in a few hours from the
top station of the Metro Alpin.

STRAHLHORN 4,190m
In the Swiss Pennine Alps, this
peak offers great views of the
Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa
massif.

WEISSMIES 4,023m
A traverse of this Swiss Pennine
peak is a classic alpine journey,
especially when combined with
its neighbour, the Lagginhorn
(4,010m).
MONT BLANC DU TACUL
4,248m
On the French side of the Mt
Blanc massif, this peak is part of
the Three Monts Blanc route
– along with Mont Maudit
(4,465m, and can be climbed
from the Aiguille du Midi
cablecar.
VINCENT PYRAMIDE 4,215m
In the Italian Penine Alps, one of
many peaks over 4,000m in the
Monte Rosa massif. Strong
teams combine it with an ascent
of Schwarzhorn/Corno Nero
(4,322m) and Balmenhorn
(4,167m) in the Wallis Alps.
PUNTA GIORDANI
4,046m
The shortest of the 4,000 metre
mountains found in the Monte
Rosa massif.
ZUMSTEINSPITZE/
PUNTA ZUMSTEIN 4,563m
In the Pennine Alps on the
Switzerland–Italy border, this is
the fifth highest peak in the Alps.
PARROTSPITZE 4,432m
One of the most prominent
peaks in the Pennine Alps
between Italy and Swizerland.
MONT BLANC 4,810m
Despite its size and reputation,
Mont Blanc can be climbed by
anyone with a good level of
fitness and the right guide – the
least difficult approach is the
Goûter route, via Nid d’Aigle.

32 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

CHALLENGE S KOREA MTBING

BRITS
ABROAD
Ex-pats from all around the world enjoy their
MTBing in South Korea. With ginseng a staple on
the menu – it’s perhaps no wonder that their
performances are super-charged as they
tackle challenging routes, rides and races.
Words Robin Williamson

The author navigates

Fat man’s squeeze

34 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

 o my right was the
35-degree gradient of the

T
start to the Yangsan race,
a 30km XC trail
designed to test the rider
against the steep South
Korean hills, notorious
for their gradients and relentless rocky
sections. I’d ridden it many times before, but
this time it felt different. My Korean
competitors were hot on my tail and the
temperature was even hotter. This was the
Grand Masters’ Race. Held every year in the
summer heat, 200 riders had turned up to
test themselves against tough sinuous,
switch-backs and tricky downhill sections.
Two particular sections test the riders, the
aptly named “Sidewinder”, a steep, loose The Geoje guys
50m test of stability, effective braking and the
requirement to keep the front and rear wheels
out of the centre rut which the heavy rains
have forged. Further along the trail we then
encounter “Fat Man’s Squeeze”, so named
because two rocks come together to form a
narrow gully culminating in a 2-foot drop
which must be taken while twisting the bike
to the left to avoid the tree waiting to take the
unobservant out.
Local trails on Geoje Island have some
great named challenges - so we also have
“Boneshaker” (very aptly named as a few
have had offs requiring hospital treatment),
The “High school” (a great MTB education),
“Body snatchers” (where two empty graves
exist), “Itchy ’n’ scratchy” (named for its
penchant to sting the unwary rider with
head-height bushes of Poison Ivy, whilst lower
thorns rip into unprotected skin) and
Start of the Muju
“Grandma’s backyard” (which aptly finishes in relay race
an elderly lady’s yard, where her washing on the
line can surprise first time riders).
The Geoje MTB group has been riding in second and £75 for third. The strangest gift I
Korea for the last four years and we regularly WHERE IS GEOJE? have received has been a high quality
tackle these challenges and more. There are Geoje Island is Korea’s second largest Ginseng plant which found its way into my
about 200 of us ex-pats, who regularly meet up after Jeju. There are two large towns, lunch salad. Perhaps that’ll give me a boost
and ride around the trails of Geoje Island and Okpo on the east coast and Gohyeon on onto the podium in future!
the surrounding mainland near Busan. Most of the west. Most of the tourist sites lie Race schedules start around March and
us work in the Oil and Gas Industry, and come between these two settlements around, April and tail-off around August when the
from all corners of the world, such as the UK, and just off, the southern coastline. The ambient temperature can reach 40 degrees
USA, Norway and Australia. key attraction of the island is its natural centigrade, pushing the competitors water
Regular ride outs are organised throughout coastal beauty. Outside of the two cities demand to their limits.
the week, such as the beginner’s ride on it is a near-endless series of calm Race courses vary in length, from those in
Saturday afternoon, and on Sundays - which is blue-beached coves and sheer pine- Ulsan of approximately 10km, to the
for elite riders, and those aspiring to be so. The forested grey cliffs overlooking the sea. Hamyang course at 45km with an elevation
Sunday ride takes about 2-4 hours with its gain of 1900m in a single climb.
single trails of varying difficulty and skill levels. The Muju MTB race festival takes place in
For a spot of Wednesday evening fun, we The trails around here do require a good May on the now dry winter ski slopes. It’s
head out on the infamous “torches” ride, fitness level in order to enjoy them. here that the 3km downhill course tests both
where we ride into the trails with our We have a good number of Korean the untrained and elite competitors. Taking
headlights. Encountering large sticky spider’s members in the group too, they’re very fit your downhill bike on the ski lift to the top of
webs built right across the trails is great fun and they compete with us across respective the peak allows spectacular views of the area
for the lead rider! age groups - ranging from early teens right and creates butterflies in the stomach as you
We also train by way of our commute. through to the grand master group of the up look downward toward the finish line. The
We’ll do daily back and forth rides of to 60-year-old riders. course truly tests every rider with steep
differing routes to the two main yards of Competition is always fierce amongst the switchbacks, large rocky drop-offs and a
Samsung and DSME here on the Island and race entrants and the racing is extremely well 10-foot jump right near the finish line to
it’s best to keep off the roads as the driving organised by the Korean Mountain Bike entertain those watching. Cross-country
standards are somewhat hazy. Many Federation, with entry fees ranging around takes place over two laps of the near 30-40
members use indoor turbo trainers, rollers or the £15 mark for each race. And they degree slopes pushing your aerobic demands
good old gym work. Some members also incorporate a meal at the end of the race and beyond what you thought you were capable
crossover to the road riding group for a gift such as a cycling top, rucksack or of. A team relay brings the festival to a
training, as the tortious hills offer great leg backpack. Those that get to the podium can climax, with each rider completing a 2km leg
workouts. expect to receive £150 for first place, £100 for and a prize of £500 is shared amongst the

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 35

CHALLENGE S KOREA MTBING

winning team’s riders.

Safety equipment and suitable clothing is a
must in South Korea due to the severity of
some of the trails, however local dealers offer
a great selection of gear to the rider. Many
members also buy on-line from proprietary
retailers, either shipping the items directly out
here to us or having friends bring their
purchases out with them when they visit.
All bike marques are catered for in South
Korea too and there’s a sterling back up and
repair service offered by dealers on the island.
Most riders opt for bikes with dual
suspension due to the technical sections
encountered on many trails, however hardtails
do make up a percentage of bikes used by the
group, usually of the carbon fibre nature.
Dietary requirements are catered for by
local Korean cuisine, which ranges from the
spicy and pungent Kimchi, a pickled and
fermented cabbage which accompanies most
meals, to Samgutang, otherwise known as
chicken and ginseng soup. Good quality beef
forms the staple diet for most Koreans cooked
on a Korean BBQ, a circular grid heated from
below by barbeque charcoals, however those
of a non-adventurous nature can find western
food in specialised restaurants.
On rides, we carry energy bars, gels and
other quick snacks bought on-line from
proprietary sites. These are washed down by
water or energy drinks carried in Camelbaks
that are a must for riders during the summer
periods of extreme heat. We’ve seen
temperatures hit the 40-degree mark, with
water consumption hitting 3 litres on a
regular basis during a ride. During the
summer months 30-degree temperatures are
commonplace.
For those ex-pats based out here for between
three months to four years, Korea offers
outstanding scope for the foreign MTBer
with stunning scenery and challenging trails.
So, come and join us…

A WORD FROM
FELLOW EX-PAT
MEMBER PHIL SHIEL
“What I enjoy about Geoje MTBing is hitting
the trails and conquering those climbs on
most outings… but there are times when I
just don’t have the energy to complete
some of the steeper challenges. However,
when we reach the downhill sections that’s
what I really enjoy, it’s a rush going fast and
tackling some of the technical sections at a
good speed. There have been times where I
have gone into a section too fast and ended
up in a bush or a ditch but luckily I’ve never
been seriously hurt.
There’s always the regular group of guys
who attend the weekly rides on the various
trails we do around and off the island and
there’s always that friendly competition of
who will get to the bottom of a downhill
section first or who will take the next KOM
(King of the Mountain).
Robin
The Geoje MTB club is a great group to be Williamson,
part of and there are some exceptional tackles the
people to socialise with.” Ulsan Race.

36 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

CHALLENGE CYCLO-CROSS

38 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

 MIX IT UP
WITH
CYCLO-CROSS
With more and more of us choosing a cyclo-cross
bike to keep up our road mileage over winter, Sean
McFarlane urges us to explore what these bikes (a bit
of practise, a decent map) and its rider can do.
Words Sean McFarlane Pictures Andy McCandlish

As winter really bites, weeks now we’ve been chatting over our
our weekend rides mid-ride lattes about how we really should

A
involve more and more
pre ride preparation. We
seem to don every last bit
of clothing we have.
Fluorescent as usual is
the prevailing colour of jacket choice and
why not? Visibility in the dreary winter light
is essential and for now fashion takes a back
seat, although I think it always has for me.
The summer’s carbon steed has long since
gone to gather dust at the back of the garage
and the weird and wonderful world of winter
bikes is fully on display. More and more these
days, many of us are choosing cyclo-cross
bikes, often with road tyres on them and
some heavy-duty mudguards. For a few
put these machines through some more
off-road terrain. After all, that is really what
they’re made for. In peak summer we may
occasionally venture farther afield but come
winter we’re very keen to seek comfort in
knowing we’re never too far from our warm
and comfortable homes. That’s all good and
logical but it does mean we spend a lot of
time during this season doing the same 40
mile or so loops. The only choice to be made
is clockwise or anti? It can become, like the
weather, all a bit dull. As we whizz along the
damp tarmac, year on year we pass the same
farm tracks and may wonder where they lead.
Well, with a cyclo-cross bike it’s time to mix
things up and explore what’s on our doorstep.

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 39

CHALLENGE CYCLO-CROSS
As is so often the case these days, my ride
partners seem very keen for me to be the
guinea pig. As they head off for their usual
ride, only Al is keen to join me for my new
adventure. Ah well, their loss. We meet at
Al’s garage, and we take more time than
usual to look at our bikes.
We also arm ourselves with a decent
mapping computer. This is no doubt going to
be muddy off-road stuff so my phone is left at
home. My computer looks like it would
survive being run over by a tank, so I’m
happy. More than ever, we really don’t want
to get lost. We then dig out the tyres that
came with the bike but, surprise-surprise,
we’ve never used! Time to change that. Al’s
garage has an impressive amount of kit, and
the closer that kit is to the front door
represents how much it’s been used. The
cyclo-cross tyres are right at the back, next to
the Pilates ball and yoga mat. Oddly enough,
I suspect we’ll need some core strength and
more than usual today.
Most cyclo-cross bikes come with 32mm
tyres as standard and there’s usually a decent
tread on them. We pop ours on. We also
quickly chat about pedal choice and after a
serious challenge from flats, we both opt for
SPDs. We then take a quick test spin round
the block, adding some grass and kerbs.
Immediately the bike feels different. We
smirk in anticipation - this is going to be fun.
We’ve decided to do our usual route which
criss-crosses our local hills and we’re
confident, having first studied the maps, we
can link up several parts of it with some
off-road options. We’ve biked this route for
over 15 years but today we’ll be riding many
new parts. Like a couple of kids approaching
a toy shop with decent spending power, we’re
very excited!
We start our ride with a very familiar
8-mile road section. We both comment how
surprised and pleased we are that we cover the
ground almost as quickly as we do with our
road tyres on. I try to start a conversation
about rolling resistance and speed but Al
quickly realises I know very little about what I’m
trying to talk about. His signature upping of the
40 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
pace, just slightly, tells me he’s bored so I stick to
more familiar ground and chat about rugby.
We then approach a narrow opening and
green path sign. I’ve long wondered where it
goes and today, 15 years after first wondering,
I’m going to find out. (Well, to be honest I
already know having studied the map.) New
local terrain is something I’d always thought
was somewhat of a rarity for me but perhaps
not. The mud splatters up with a good dose of
leaves as we head down this virgin track. As
we do so, I can see familiar hills and valleys all
around but seeing them from this new angle is
strange. But it’s a most welcome strangeness.
The track starts gently but then surprisingly
quickly the ground loosens with large stones
and we know our biking skills will be tested.
Whilst Al and I don’t cope particularly well
with our fingers particularly hurting, the bikes
are in their element. Certainly no skidding or
sliding as I would expect. I’m all too aware
that I don’t want to get overly confident – I’m
struggling to see any soft landing areas - but I
certainly feel I could push this more and the
bike would cope fine. We both have a strange the road on to the grassy track, the gradient
sense of unease that we’re perhaps damaging quickly steepens and my gears and legs are
our bikes. The road bike shape to them makes tested. The bike again is on the money with a
us automatically think this is somehow surprising lack of wheel-spinning up the
something we shouldn’t be doing. Al muddy track. The cattle have been here
reassuringly reminds me that although, perhaps recently and our herd of two copes well.
we are not, these bikes are built for this. Eventually we get spat out onto the wet tarmac
We re-join tarmac and it’s most welcome; and both quickly say in unison “Ah we’re
we squeeze and open our hands to give our here” as our bearings suddenly lock in and we
fingers some relief, and roll our shoulders and realise exactly where we are. We’ve only
neck. In hindsight we should have done this covered just over 20 miles but the legs feel
before we started to warm-up. We’re more tired than that distance usually dictates.
experienced road bikers who have done Plus we’ve both eaten almost all our nutrition.
plenty of mountain biking but this is Right, we need to head home, following as
undoubtedly a very new two-wheeled closely as possible those ever so straight flying
movement for us. We’re loving it! crows, so on the road again we discuss how we
Having taken an off-road short cut to our could do so. We stop to look at my map and
usual loop, we’re now not far from a regular whilst it’s clear there’s a far more direct line
coffee haunt. I’m keen for a caffeine break but home, we both know there’s an element of
Al quickly says “look at the state of us” and entering into the unknown here. Al combines
he’s right – more mud than lycra – so we push a harder than usual exhalation with a head
on. Our next off-road track actually extends shake, his doubt is both clear and justified; it’s
our usual road biking loop but that’s fine certainly not a wide double track all the way.
– today is not exclusively about short cuts. It’s less than 3kms so we can carry the bikes if
Well, not quite. As we excitedly accelerate off need be, although I can’t help wondering how

my bike shoes might cope with cow pats. The
suggested route would certainly be a great
finish to our ride today and would perfectly
complete our novel mixed terrain circuit.
Plus there’s never been any doubt – we’re not
taking the usual route home!
The start of the track bears all the
hallmarks of a track that peters out – long
grass and no footprints, either from man or
beast. Hmm. We bash on. It’s cycleable but
it’s certainly the most challenging terrain of
the day. Whilst it’s flat (ish), the ground is
very uneven and we need to concentrate.
You can tell by the complete lack of chat
now that we’ve both entered that all too
familiar off-road biker’s competition of
trying not to put a foot down. It’s tough but
so far so good. Even during the course of this
ride, both of us have clearly improved our
riding abilities on these bikes. If this section
had been early on in our ride today I’d have
slung the bike over my shoulder very early
on. Eventually we reach a well cut field and
can see the track continuing. It’s now little
more than a faint quad track formed by a
farmer’s annual run on it but our bikes will
manage this with ease. We pick up the
speed, whizz through some farm buildings
and then we’re out on the road once more.
“Awesome” Al shouts. I think about pushing
it to catch him up but as the mud flies off his
wheels I delay that.
We’re now less than 2 miles from home.
We’re covered in mud but the bikes are still
moving well. As we pass the usual groups of
weekend cyclists they stare longer than usual
at us. “Where they hell have they been?” I
hear one shout. Tonight’s Strava upload will
no doubt lead to much head scratching. As
we arrive back at Al’s garage, our grins are
the only pink colour in the otherwise dark
brown that covers us from head to toe. Some
interesting fumes too, mainly agricultural.
We’re genuinely thrilled at our new means
of adventure. Immediately we both chat
about other potential routes. “I’ve always
fancied checking that out” is said more than
once. And now we can. We can’t wait. I ask
Al how easy it would be for him to take a
sickie tomorrow....
CYCLO-CROSS ESSENTIALS
If you’re planning on taking your cyclo-cross
bike off-road (where it was born to be!) here
are our handy tips for first timers:
1
Don’t throw away the tyres that (usually)
come with the bike, or at least don’t
misplace them. So many people I know take
them off straight away and have trouble finding
them later. Also consider experimenting with
tyre widths and tread types. There’s a wide
variety which make a significant impact on
handling.
2
Remember you’ll undoubtedly get more
muddy than road biking and prepare for
what that means i.e. choose coffee stops
that have wipeable seats, wear appropriate
clothing, consider SPD or even flat pedals rather
than road cleats.
3
If you fancy raising the heart rate a bit
more, try some cyclo-cross racing. It’s a
sport that’s increasing hugely in popularity
and is a great way to train over the winter.
4
If you don’t have a cyclo-cross bike,
consider making your own. I’ve seen plenty
of old mountain bikes (usually with no
suspension) being rejuvenated very successfully.
5
Unless you really know exactly where
you’re going, get a decent mapping system
with GPS. Being lost in winter is no fun and
can become a serious safety issue.
6
To disc or not to disc? It is a big question.
With disc brakes being made legal in
cyclo-cross racing a few years ago, the
technology has seriously moved on. My bike was
bought a few years ago and doesn’t have disc
brakes but if I were to buy one today I would
more than likely opt for discs. Their ability to
allow you to brake later and reduce skidding do it
for me. Plus they cope far better with the
inevitable mud.
7
Cyclo bikes are great commuting bikes,
particularly in winter when our cycle paths
can get cluttered with leaves, mud, ice and
a host of other nasties. The extra confidence that
a cyclo-cross bike gives you here can be very
welcome.
8
Explore! I like to try and do all my rides on
about 90% tried and tested routes and 10%
on new, even ambitious stuff. That way you’ll
discover some great virgin trails, which is fun.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 41
CHALLENGE BEN LUI CIRCUIT

EPIC,
MANAGEABLE,
PERFECT... Sean McFarlane embarks on a trip designed to
awaken his fitness as the seasons change.

Words Sean McFarlane Pictures Andy McCandlish

42 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

 inter’s grip was
beginning to loosen, just
W
slightly. As it did, I felt
compelled to get the
maps out and plot an
adventure. My wife often
rolls her eyes as she sees
me lying in front of the fire with a range of
Ordinance Survey maps sprawled over the
floor. Pencil in mouth, I ponder and plan.
The requirements for this one are clear…
We needed an awesome day filled with
stunning and remote landscape; a day where
we felt minuscule when thrown into the
outdoor arena that is the irresistible Scottish
highlands and their majestic snowy peaks,
now more accessible following Spring’s thaw.
And all this was to be less than 90 minutes
from home and within the reach of even those
with a very modest fitness level. And the
icing on the cake… we were determined to
make at least a good attempt at replacing
every last one of the calories burnt with some
quality fish and chips at the end of it.
Our starting point is Tyndrum. A small
village located on the main route from
Glasgow to Fort William, just south of
Glencoe, it’s a well known spot. The West
Highland Way comes through the village but
we’re spoilt for choice of routes today so
won’t be touching that popular walking trail
on this occasion. I’ve driven the road here on
numerous occasions over the years. As I do, I
often gaze westwards and am impressed and
intrigued in equal measure with the stunning
Ben Lui and its surrounding peaks. On many
a journey to Fort William, I’d looked at that
area, with the snow capped tops set against
the piercing blue skies behind. I ’d known it
wouldn’t be long before I’d plan something to
immerse myself in the area’s outstanding
landscape.
With Ben Lui the jewel in the crown, our
circuit today is a three munro run (though as
always I suspect we’ll be walking at least half
of it) with a bike in and out to start and finish
with. As seems to be the case for many of our
adventures these days, non-running forms of
transport provide a welcome assist. Bikes,
kayaks and even trains have all been used to
great effect for us recently and we’re
continuing that trend here. Mountain bikes
will start and finish the day. We could have
run the initial five-kilometre stretch but why
run when you can bike? More importantly, 10
kilometres of extra running would take the
required exertion levels for this particular
excursion considerably higher. For today at
least, that wasn’t what we were looking for.
Via a flurry of text messages the night before,
the four of us “officially” arrange to arrive in
Tyndrum at 10am. Whilst Chris and Dave
are bang on time, I travel with our
photographer Andy who seems to approve of
my usual sneaky tactics of arriving early for
coffee and cake. The car park is the normal
scene of kit and energy bars. The forecast is
set to be good all day so that helps with
planning what to take, though we still opt for
too much rather than too little. Fair enough.
Almost ready to set off, I turn around to see
Dave looking menacing with an ice axe.
Quickly and gladly realising I’m not the
intended target, I advise against the need for
it; if we get in to that sort of terrain we’ll be
turning back.
We saddle up and spin out to the west of the
village and are quickly over the train line and
into the forest. As we gently gain height on
the big wide track, we banter. The forest is
thick around us and after 15 minutes of easy
biking we reach the far side. This is surely the
closest I’ll get to running out of the players’
tunnel at Murrayfield. The forest leaves us
and the light brightens. We whizz out of the
trees and into the vast open landscape. Dave
and I grin whilst Chris gives his usual
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 43
CHALLENGE BEN LUI CIRCUIT
“whaw!” - he works harder than us and the
comparison with his window-less office is
almost too much for him.
We’ve been on the move for less than 30
minutes but we already feel we’re in the heart
of some seriously remote countryside. We
whizz along the surprisingly dry (it is April
after all) Landrover track and soon reach our
bike drop-off point of Cononish, a tiny farm
settlement. We go about locking our bikes up
in the copse of trees, no doubt entirely
unnecessarily.
On foot now, we continue with a gentle jog
up the glen. As we do, Ben Lui is in full view.
I’ve seen plenty of Scottish mountains but
this one really is a bit special. It’s well defined
snow-capped ridges are perfectly silhouetted
today against the sharp blue sky. We see the
corrie basin of Coire Gaothaich – it looks like
a good place for a regroup half way up. It’s
not long before someone says “Everest” for
comparative reasons. None of us dismisses
the suggestion. As we run towards its north
east base, the mountain grows imposingly
over us. It looks like a long way up, and it is,
at well over 1,000 metres. We stop at the
bottom to briefly decide the best way up. It
looks obvious to the corrie but after that it’s a
44 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
choice of two ridges, we agree the right hand
one looks the better option. Even from here at
the bottom, we can see the snow on the ridge,
so it’s clear we need to monitor things as we
ascend.
It’s a solid grassy climb and we quickly gain
height. With the lungs filling nicely and the
pleasant spring sunshine on our backs, we
eventually reach the corrie. With impressive
rock formations everywhere and snow
cornices plentiful, it’s a magical place. What a
great location to camp, but not today. With the
snow now kicking in, several streams punch
through the sugary white stuff. We stop for
some food accompanied by a drink of water as
pure as it gets. Onwards and upwards.
The gentle incline in the flat corrie now gives
way to some seriously steep terrain. As we
zig-zag our way up, Chris and I are glad we
brought trekking poles. Dave’s using his hands.
We pick our way through the snow patches and
slowly but steadily approach the ridge.
Popping out onto a high mountain ridge in
blue sky conditions gives you a feeling that’s
hard to beat, and this one doesn’t disappoint.
We all gaze, marvel and point. The peaks
rollercoaster away from us and we feel both
very small and very on our own. It’s a vast
expanse of stunning emptiness. “Why don’t
we do more of this?” I say to the guys. It’s
never an easy question to answer, I suspect
because we can’t.
Aware that we could spend a lot of time just
staring at the scenery here, we bash on. The
ridge requires attention but it’s a good and
grippy track. On the summit I see someone
who appears to have two very sizeable
walking poles in his pack. As I get closer, I
see he’s a ski tourer. When we reach him, we
chat and compare notes. He tells us the
names of all the ski-runs off the summit – we
figure if they have names then they must be
quite popular? Maybe… but either way we
briefly admit defeat in “who is having the
most awesome day” competition.
We head south east off the summit. It’s
good running and we are all like the
proverbial kids in the sweetie shop. And it’s a
massive shop. Our next summit is Ben Oss.
As usual, the feedback from the others tells a
story. Chris has long been lost for words - he
enthused about the car park - but Dave has
done plenty of hill walking so is altogether
more difficult to impress. As we drop down
and begin to then climb up Ben Oss’s south
west side, Dave says: “This really is a great
run – I’ll need to come back with the other
half.” I’m happy – an adventure that
guarantees no matrimonial disharmony is the
ultimate compliment to me as route planner!
Our second summit reached, we all quickly
see the huge snow patch conveniently placed
right over our planned line of descent. Chris,
the voice of reason, says we should go around
it and although undoubtedly correct, I
consider it for at least two seconds before
shouting “Ah f*** it!” at Dave and I batter
down it. Dave follows and after a little
headshake so does Chris. He always wanted
to. In reality we’d seen throughout the day
that the snow was very soft and this section
was no different. I love this – finally I can run
downhill quickly! Eventually the snow ends
and it’s back to grass and stone. We pick our
way down and then make our way up to the
summit of our last peak of the day, Beinn
Dubhchraig. The terrain is good and we
increase the pace. Quickly on to the top, we
gaze back at the circuit. Ben Lui once again
dominates and although it seems like we’ve
come a long way, we’ve made very quick
progress and our bags are still surprisingly
full with food. From our vantage point, it
certainly looks a far more exhausting route
It’s good running and we
are all like the proverbial
kids in the sweetie shop.
And it’s a massive shop.
than is actually the case. As we descend, the
gold mine (yes, seriously) on the hill behind
our target marks the way. Cononish once
more comes into view,
Once back at our bikes, we chuck our
helmets on and spin back. With the light
westerly breeze at our backs, we quickly
reach the forest. Tyndrum has several notable
pit stops and arguably the best of the lot is its
award-winning fish and chip shop. My mind
has been focused on it for too long now.
There’s all sort of healthy and smaller
portioned options on the menu but I’ve
purposely abstained from my final muesli bar
to ensure a full-power appetite. No half sizes
for me thanks.
With hunger now pushing us on, we head
through the forest and crossing the railway
line, Tyndrum looks idyllic. With smoke
gently rising from the cottages dotted liberally
around, off-road finally turns to tarmac and
we make the short cruise back to the cars. A
quick squirt of deodorant and we head in for
some calorie replacement. Always good to see
a menu with the word “whale” on it. Four of
them please.
Chris does point out that this will probably
end up being an overall calorie gain day. The
spectacular nature of today’s adventure does
belie the exertion levels required to do it. As
usual, Chris is right and I nod as another
mouthful of mushy peas hits the spot.
We discuss alternatives. Doing the whole
thing in the other direction is an obvious
option though we agree we ascended and
descended Ben Lui in the preferable
direction. We could very easily add in
another munro, Ben a’Chleibh just off to the
south west side of Ben Lui. The whole day
would also make for a great walk. That corrie
is certainly a perfect and stunning spot for an
overnight camp. The train station in
Tyndrum opens up yet more possibilities. You
could even walk here from Glasgow along the
West Highland Way. We all agree that we
can’t think of a circuit so spectacular, easy to
get to and accessible. Plus it really doesn’t
require a great deal of exertion. Mission
accomplished.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 45
CHALLENGE MONGOL DERBY
1000KM,
10 DAYS,
56 HORSES,
1 COUPLE
The Mongol Derby is a monumental challenge for an
experienced horse rider. But how would a novice
rider survive, and would his relationship with his
fiancée remain intact over 10 gruelling days?
Words Daniel Reeds Pictures Saskia Marloh
whole range of emotions
flowed through me as I
A
waved on the other two
riders, not wanting them
to risk their own race for
the sake of ours, which
now meant I was on my
own in the middle of Mongolia with no idea of
where my fiancée was or whether she was safe…
Earlier in the day things had been going
well. Sarah and I had galloped away from
camp on Day Four of The Mongol Derby,
officially the longest and almost certainly the
toughest horse race in the world, traversing
1,000km through Mongolia. The horses we’d
been given for the leg were incredible, not
only were they breathtakingly fast, but the
way they placed their feet amongst rocks,
hillocks and marmot holes was beyond belief.
We even let the thought enter our minds that
on steeds this fast we might be able to regain
some of the ground we had lost on Day Two,
when Sarah’s horse had decided it wanted to
walk the entire 25-mile stage.
But once we’d slowed down, and joined two
other riders, I made a major mistake, I forgot
for a moment that the horses we were riding
were still semi-wild. As we stopped briefly to
graze the animals, I causally shifted my foot
so Sarah could check whether my girth (used
to keep the saddle on) was tight enough. The
moment my boot touched the horse’s side it
did a huge bronc, catching me totally off
guard and sending me flying over its head. As
I hit the floor I had a split second to decide
whether to hold on to the horse’s lead rein
46 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
and risk serious injury or let go and
potentially lose the horse. I decided the latter,
but instantly regretted it as I watched in
disbelief as, complete with all my gear, the
horse span on a sixpence and galloped back
the way we’d come. Without a second’s
thought Sarah asked “should I go after it”
and still slightly in shock I said yes and
watched her disappear in a cloud of dust.
Twenty minutes later and there was no sign
of Sarah, or either of the two horses, and I
was starting to get worried. At the breakneck
speeds Sarah had shot off at, a broken leg
would probably be a best case scenario if she
fell and my only connection with the outside
world was an emergency button on my
tracking device, which all racers where
obliged to carry. A few minutes later though,
which felt like hours, Sarah appeared on her
steed. She explained she’d nearly caught my
horse, but after the chase entered a forest,
and a close call with a low hanging branch,
she’d decided things had got too dangerous. I
couldn’t bring myself to call for help though
and we decided to walk back for a bit and
hope my horse had stopped to graze, offering
a potential chance for me to remount.
We spotted the horse on a small hill and I
watched in awe as Sarah used her
horsemanship skills to reign in the rogue horse;
that’s when the day’s adventures really began!
Now aware that he could buck me off, the
next 10 miles of riding were eventful to say
the least. I managed to stay on for several
episodes with my real life bucking bronco,
but came off another three. I was aware that
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 47
CHALLENGE MONGOL DERBY

if I let go of the reins for a second time the

chances were we’d not see the horse again, so
each time I came off I held on for dear life
- even when I fell under the horse and felt
hooves coming down on my back and legs. To
say I was running on adrenaline when we got
into that evening’s camp would be an
understatement.
When the adrenaline had subsided however,
and I had a chance to reflect on the day, my
overwhelming feeling was that of pride, not
with myself for surviving, but with Sarah for
the way she unquestionably put her own life

Each time I came off I held

on for dear life - even when
I fell under the horse and
felt hooves coming down
on my back and legs.
at risk to recover my horse.
It wasn’t the first or last time, during the
nine and a half days racing, that I would look
over at my fiancée and simply think “wow”. A
day after dealing with the bucking bronco, the
riding took us through mosquito infested river
valleys. That evening when Sarah took off her
riding tights I was gobsmacked by the state of
her legs. Hundreds of insect bites had swollen
up and joined to form one big inflamed mass.
By far the worst bites I had ever seen, later in
the week they would leave the entirety of
Sarah’s hamstrings black from bruising, but
not one word of complaint ever left her lips.
Nor had it during the first days of racing when
temperatures had reached 38 degrees and
numerous riders had to be put on drips for
dehydration and the race favourite pull out
after she collapsed with heat exhaustion for a
second time. Nor later in the race when in the
mountains, we spent a full day in the rain and and her morale, and when we arrived into flying colours, it’s also the first time in my
near freezing temperatures with riders camp, tired and exhausted 30 minutes later, life, so far filled with personal tests and
fainting around us from hypothermia. she shed a few tears – there was clearly a line challenges, that I’ve been able to truly answer
It wasn’t just Sarah’s endurance that she hadn’t wanted to cross. the question “am I a strong human being?”
impressed me. Her commitment to ensuring The ride wasn’t just about difficult times My own personal hang ups and inhibitions
each and every one of the 56 horses we used testing our relationship’s strength - there will never let me self-congratulate or
stayed safe and healthy reflected her true were beautiful moments we shared which acknowledge my own achievements too
passion for the animals we rode. Even when will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Of much, but having lived the world’s hardest
one of her horse’s sunk up to his belly in a the breathtaking sunsets we saw, horse race alongside my fiancé, seen the
swamp, and I looked on uselessly in stunned inspirational nomads we met and the hardships she went through, and the
disbelieve, she refused to dismount and gently stunning horses we rode, it was an encounter incredible determination she showed in doing
encouraged the horse to keep moving and get early on the ride that I will remember most so, I know I must have “done alright” to
itself out of trouble. fondly. On the first night of the race we complete it alongside her! So only one
During the whole 10 days there was only didn’t make it to an official camp and question now remains for us…what next?
one moment where Sarah showed any sign of instead spent the evening with a local family,
weakness and although it was hard to witness whose hospitality I will never forget as they n The Mongol Derby is the longest and most
her distress, it was oddly reassuring to be cooked us dinner in their small ger, looked dangerous horserace in the world. It’s a test of
reminded that some of the feminine after our horses and made room for us to endurance and horsemanship. It replicates the
vulnerability that forms an important part of sleep. As we rode out of the valley, where the 1,000km course that was used by Chinggis
our relationship was still intact. Sarah had ger was located, the following morning I Khan’s empire-busting postal system. Riders
been suffering, as many people on the race looked over at Sarah galloping across a are required to change horses every 40km. You
had, with digestive discomfort - on Day 6 she picture perfect meadow, with the sun rising can only carry 5kgs of supplies/additional
was riding a particularly frisky horse and was behind rolling hills, and felt totally at peace weight on each course and you must not weigh
understandably keen not to dismount until with the world; if I can replicate that feeling more than 85kgs.
we reached the next camp. Whilst she just a few times in our marriage I know it will More info, theadventurists.com/mongol-derby
managed to grit her teeth for more than be a very happy one.
25km, eventually she had to “quickly alight” Doing the race together has not only given n Daniel was supported by Vango and raised
and, whilst still holding onto the reins, Sarah and I an experience we will share money for the charities Azafady and Cool Earth.
answer a call of nature. Whilst I didn’t really forever, and acted as an incredible test of our You can still donate at, uk.virginmoneygiving.
think anything of it, it clearly affected Sarah relationship, which I think we passed with com/SarahCandDanielR

48 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

 Swashbuckler
Swashbuckle
kler 2016
2016
Middle Distance Triathlon
15th May 2016
Swim 1.9km, Cycle 90km, Run 22km

“The only UK race I would come

back to year after year…”

Further information & entries at:

www.racenewforest.co.uk

S h o p S i l v i ni
On Amazon
 Gladiator
“Iron-Distance”
Triathlon
& Boskman Middle Distance
26th June 2016
Full/Long distance events at historic Buckler’s Hard in the New Forest.

Swim 3.8km/2.5km, Cycle 180km/125km,

Run 42.2km/21km
If you will put yourself through hell,
do it somewhere nice!

www.racenewforest.co.uk
TRAIN
GET YOURSELF FITTER AND NAIL YOUR NEXT MAJOR EVENT
Will cycling
help runners?
If you always do the same activity you run the risk of overuse injuries and mental
boredom. Cross-training can be a way to avoid these outcomes but specifically can
cycling for runners actually improve performance as well?
A TEAM FROM the University of Texas reviewed
the transfer of cross-training benefits on
VO2max from and across cycling, running and
swimming(1). Running had the greatest positive
transference, swimming the least, whilst
cycling ranked in the middle. Running’s greater
VO2max transference may be attributed to the
fact that it places greater stress on the body
than either of the two other sports, due to the
impact forces involved and more muscles being
recruited.
The sports boffins indicated that the
Pictures Shutterstock
cross-training effects never exceeded those
created by sport specific training itself.
However, while excessive cross-training can
negatively affect performance, there is
evidence that cycling can contribute to or
References: 1. Sports Med 1994; 18(5):330-9; 2. J Strength Cond Res 2003; 17(2):319-23
maintain running performance.
Runners often rest after the end of a training
season or a big race. There’s been debate about
how much fitness this loses and if the recovery
should be active or passive. Researchers from
California looked into the effectiveness of cycle
cross-training between competitive seasons in
female distance runners (2).
The researchers wanted to find out whether
substituting 50% of running training with
cycling would maintain 3,000m performance
and VO2max during a five-week recuperative
phase at the end of the cross-country season.
Eleven college runners were assigned to either:
n A run-only training group.
n A run-and-cycle training group (50% split).
64
CONTENTS
52 Boulder Dash
64 Hamm on Snow
Sascha Hamm
snowboarder
68 CrossFit
Both groups trained at 75-80% of maximum
heart rate. Training volumes were similar to the
competitive season. At the end of the five-week
period, the team discovered that 3,000m race
times were on average slower by 1.4% (9
seconds) in the run-only training group and by
3.4% (22 seconds) in the run-and-cycle group.
Equally importantly no significant change was
found in VO2max between groups.
So substituting some run training with cycling
as a means to improve/maintain running
endurance seems to be worthwhile at certain
times of the year. Intensities should be kept to a
similar level to running ones. Additionally, cycle
distances should be increased threefold to
running distances to achieve similar.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 51
 TRAIN BOULDERING
Boulder Dash
Words Matt Maynard Pictures Nick Brown & Tom Napier & Phil Ewels
Climb your way to fitness and cross-train for other sports whilst spending more time
in the great outdoors. Matt Maynard provides the low-down on bouldering in Britain:
where to go, what to know and how to get stuck in.
ROCK CLIMBING SHOULD be fun. It’s also
a great way to keep fit, whilst taking you to
spectacular places. Bouldering leaves
the roped climbers tied up in knots and
concentrates more on the action. The
climbs are sometimes as short as just two
metres in height and crash mats are used
to protect against falls. Indoor climbers
will be pleased to discover that nobody
changes the holds every week and new
climbers will quickly find out that it’s also a
great source of strength and conditioning
to complement other sports. With these
thoughts in mind, Outdoor Fitness teamed
up with professional climber Ben Heason
to help you get outside and get your
boulder on!
ABOUT BEN HEASON
During his 17 years as a
professional climber, Ben has
made over 10,000 climbs in 30
different countries. He is renowned for his
bold ascents and remote expeditions. In 2005
he free-climbed Angel Falls in Venezuela, the
world’s highest waterfall. He now gives
motivational talks to corporate organisations
and schools around the world. More info,
benheason.com
52 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
WHERE CAN I BOULDER? If you live in a big
city, it’s likely there’s an indoor climbing wall
closer to you than an outdoor bouldering spot.
However, you may be surprised to find just how
close your nearest crag really is.
n Search online for your nearest climbing club.
n Explore guidebooks at your nearest climbing
shop (see guidebook suggestion).
n Scour the filterable database ukclimbing.
com/logbook for your local crag.
n Ask at the climbing wall where everyone
disappears to at the weekend.
n Reach out with a “Lifts and Partners” post at
ukclimbing.com/forums.
Heason says: “Many climbers use urban
features such as stone bridges to practice on.
Obviously, these must be safe and legal but with
some imagination, man-made structures can
provide an extremely convenient and really fun
venue for practice outdoors.”
WHAT KIT DO I NEED? A pair of trainers are
all you will need for your first bouldering trip.
As you progress, however, you will want to
invest in a pair of Rock Boots. These are tight
fitting and do not have tread. The soles are
made of a special rubber compound that
moulds slightly to the rock, providing excellent
grip. Boulderers also use chalk to keep their
hands dry and increase friction with the rock.
A bouldering pad can be reassuring to have
under you when bouldering, but is not an
excuse for taking more risks. They can seem
cumbersome to lug about but they fold up for
storage and have rucksack straps for carrying.
(See Beginner’s Kit List)
ROCK BOOT CHOICE Try a size smaller than
normal, they should be tight but comfortable.
Your toes should be butted up against the end
of the shoe. I’d suggest you try them on in the
climbing shop rather than buying online. Be a
kid again and try Velcro fasteners.
Heason says: “As you gain more experience, I’d
recommend having two pairs of boots for
different types of climbing. A more comfortably
fitting pair for warming-up and for easier
climbing and a tighter fitting pair for when
you’re climbing near to your limit - every little
helps.”
WHAT DO I CLIMB? Most climbing spots will
involve a pulse-raising walk to the crag.
Accompany this with some dynamic
stretching. For the first 20 minutes of climbing
as you continue to warm-up, concentrate on
making all the moves feel easy and not trying
so hard that you might fall off. Forget the
guidebook and try climbing a traversing line
along the bottom of the crag.
Bouldering doesn’t just happen on boulders.
It could be just the first 3 metres of the crag. It
is common that even the easiest problems in a
Steve Franklin
climbs “Trackside”
at Curbar Edge,
Peak District.
 BOULDER TALK
CRAG A series of boulders, a rocky
outcrop or cliff face where people boulder.
ROCK BOOTS Special shoes for rock
climbing.
BOULDERING PAD Big foldable crash pad
that offers protection against falls.
PROBLEM A line of holds that a boulderer
intends to climb.
PROJECT A challenging problem for
future completion.
SPOTTING The technique for protecting a
partner in the case of a fall.
TOP OUT To climb up and over the edge of
a boulder or cliff.
SEND To complete a problem e.g.
“I topped out and sent my project!”

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 53

TRAIN BOULDERING
guidebook are too difficult for a first trip.
Approach any section that looks climbable,
ensuring you can walk down if you do top out.
Explore the rock, experimenting with how you
need to grip it or move your bodyweight to make
best use of the potential holds.
Top Tips for Topping Out
n Push with your legs on the footholds, rather
than pulling with your arms.
n Experiment with using different edges of your
shoe against the rock.
n Always clean your shoes before climbing.
n Existing chalk on hand holds, or rubber marks
on footholds provide clues.
n Watch other climbers climb the same problem.
Heason says: “Consider choosing a project at
your local crag. This could be a line of holds that
suit your strengths or a part of the rock that has
aesthetic appeal. Try it a few times each time you
go. Memorise the best hand and foot placements
to save time during your attempt and ensure sure
you take rests. It will all start to feel easier as
your muscles adapt to the moves and the holds.”
WHAT IF I FALL OFF? It is best to always
step-off, or jump off the boulder in control. Even
with a bouldering pad it can be dangerous to fall
out of control from any height. Try to even out
the surface under the bouldering pad. Ideally
you will have a friend spotting you.
Top Spotting Tips
n You are not catching. You are guiding the fall.
n Protect the climbers back, neck and head.
n Stand attentively, close to the rock, with your
arms fully raised.
Heason says: “If possible, practice spotting at an
indoor bouldering wall, where the consequences
of bad spotting will likely be less severe. When
you’re spotting someone who’s on a hard move,
or if they’re getting quite high up, reassure them
by telling them ‘I’ve got you!’ It can help a lot.”
BEGINNER’S KIT LIST
1 2
1 BOULDERING PAD Grivel Crash Pad, £90, gooutdoors.co.uk
2 CHALK BAG La Sportive Cobra, £8.95 bergfreude.co.uk
3 ROCK BOOTS Climb X Dyno from £49, Go Outdoors
4 GUIDEBOOK “Boulder Britain” by Niall Grimes £19.99, amazon.com
54 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
HOW DO I GET BETTER? Going bouldering will
of course improve your bouldering. However,
some focused training will bring additional
improvements.
Heason says: “Technique can be improved
outdoors by repeating problems. I concentrate on
this especially when warming-up. When you feel
more comfortable on a problem, try eliminating
holds. On a gentle angled problem, try eliminating
one or both hands, to improve confidence in
footwork. For steep climbing you will need to
develop strength in your fingers. I recommend
using a fingerboard - a resin or wooden block of
varying sized holds, mounted above a door in your
house. Beast Maker is a good wooden brand that
is kind on the skin and they have lots of training
ideas on their website, beastmaker.co.uk”
WILL MY OVERALL FITNESS IMPROVE?
Bouldering uses some very particular muscle
groups and tendons that are otherwise
infrequently used. There is however a lot of
overlap with other sports and bouldering can
make for a great substitute strength and
conditioning session in the gym. Biceps, triceps,
shoulder muscles and back muscles are all
worked vigorously during steep bouldering.
Bouldering is therefore excellent training for
upper body intensive sports. The best boulderers
however, are not sporting “Arnie sized” pecs and
biceps on stick thin legs. Upward propulsion
should actually mainly come from your lower
limbs. Your calves are firing each time you stand on
your toes to look for the next hold. Your quads will
also be used powerfully when you step up onto the
next hold. Cyclists or runners have a head start
here, and shouldn’t worry they are missing a
workout each time they head to the crag.
Heason says: “I do conditioning work such as
crunches, lunges and held plank core exercises.
These, along with press-ups, pull-ups and
dumbbell work will really improve your
bouldering and shouldn’t be neglected.“
3
 OF READERS ON
BOULDERING
ALAN
ROYLE,
29, Plymouth,
Devon
Why? The urge to find,
improvise, refine and then
climb aesthetically
captivating rock.
Where? Bone hill (Dartmoor)
and Carrock Fell (Lake
District).
Wouldn’t go without…
Money for the essential cafe
stop!

JONNY
RICHARD,
35, Menai
Bridge, Wales
Why? Fresh air, the feel of
real rock and the chance to
be creative in your
movements
Where? Porth Ysgo
(North Wales) and St. Bees
(Lake District).
Wouldn’t go without…Toenail
clippers, milk chocolate and
yerba mate tea.

SAM
HAMER,
25, Bakewell,
Peak District
Why? It’s great pushing
yourself on the hardest
moves with the ground not
too far away.
Where? Stanage Plantation
(Peak District) and Rocklands
(South Africa).
Wouldn’t go without…
Brushes for cleaning the
holds, and a flask of tea and
gloves!

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 55

TRAIN WINTER TRAINING
Top 10 Winter Training
Camp Must Haves
We sent Nik Cook off to Club La Santa on Lanzarote for some winter sun and training
to see if this purpose-built facility delivers his top 10 training camp must haves.
I’D ALWAYS BEEN a bit hesitant about the idea of Club
La Santa, images of “Butlins with lycra” conjured up.
However, about a year ago, and just about escaping a
dump of snow in the Peak District, I packed up my bike
and headed for some winter sun and training in the
Canaries.
I’d been on a few self-organised winter training camps
with mates before, we’d usually rent an apartment in
Majorca or similar, and although we always managed to
get the miles in, they did tend to be fairly Spartan
affairs. The training was good but endless bowls of
pasta, the hunt for a bike shop when the inevitable
breakdown happened, and slight cabin fever when not
out riding probably slightly negated any net financial
benefits of the camp. So could the purpose-built training
camp facilities of La Santa deliver my perfect dose of
winter training?
56 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
01
WEATHER Weather is probably the
most important consideration when
booking your winter training camp. To be
honest, anything is likely to be better than
the UK but in December, January and
February even traditional training hot-spots
can be unreliable. Lanzarote consistently
averages 17-25 degrees C throughout the
year and it was around 18 for our week-long
stay in January. We did get a couple of
hours of rain and, although this resulted in
some of the locals moaning about it being
cold and wet, It certainly didn’t feel like it. If
you’re cycling, the only other climatic
consideration is Lanzarote’s notorious
winds. Take them into consideration when
route planning and leave your deep section
wheels at home.
02
ACCOMMODATION There are
different levels of accommodation at La
Santa and we were in the most basic in the
original block. The new seafront
apartments did look amazing but our home
for the week had everything you’d want. It
was clean, functional, had all the facilities if
you wanted to cook for yourself, and was
plenty big enough for the two of us. There
was a secure terrace for storing our bikes
and despite being right at the hub of the
complex, noise was never a problem. There
was also free wi-fi that was fast enough for
downloading our evening films.
03
FACILITIES This is where
La Santa wins hands down,
everything you need for a
successful training camp is on site;
facilities include a fully equipped
gym, pools, 400m running track
and a reasonably priced
supermarket (the freshly baked
pastries are really good). This
means you don’t have to waste any
valuable training or recovery time
driving or walking around looking
for somewhere to restock your
fridge. Off-site, the roads were
great for cycling and my mate
found some brilliant trails for
running.
04
SUPPORT Unfortunately
my mate’s bike was damaged in
transit but with incredibly friendly,
skilled and enthusiastic mechanics
at the Bike Centre, he was soon up
and rolling again. Even if they
hadn’t been able to fix it, there are
quality bikes you can hire. And if
your body breaks down, there’s a
physiotherapist and massage
therapists on hand to get you back
into shape. If you’re unsure about
routes, you can always join a
guided group ride or run. Finally,
there’s always a smiling member
of the Green Team on hand to help
you out or, as in my case after one
particularly long ride, direct my
sugar depleted brain and body
back to my apartment.
If you’re unsure
about routes, you
can always join a
guided group ride
or run.
05
TRANSPORT
Flights from the UK to Lanzarote
are regular and affordable. We
flew from Manchester and
although it meant a horrendously
early start, I was out on my bike in
the sun by mid-afternoon the same
day. With La Santa such a
destination on the island, local
taxis are prepared for bike boxes
and large amount of luggage. We
had two bike boxes between us
and were still able to get a regular
sized cab both ways.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 57
06
VARIETY I was primarily
here to road ride whereas my mate
as noted was targeting trail running
and mountain biking. However, I
rented a high quality Cannondale
mountain bike and we had an epic
day riding the 95km stage of the
recently held 4-Stage MTB
Lanzarote Race. Slightly less
energetic, we also played crazy golf,
badminton and joined a few yoga
classes. There’s always something
going on, including races, and once
you have your “sports pass”
everything is included in the price.
TRAIN WINTER TRAINING
07
NUTRITION We opted for
half-board and it was perfect. We
kept the fridge stocked with
sandwiches and salad for lunches,
and as we were normally back at
different times from our respective
rides and runs this worked well. The
buffet-style breakfasts and dinners
were brilliant and excellent value.
There was a real variety of food on
offer and you could easily provide
for what your body wanted. It was
interesting though that neither one
of us craved carbohydrates, we just
wanted quality protein. On previous
self-catering training camps this
had been in short supply but with
as much as I wanted available, I
recovered from workouts better.
58 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
08
INSPIRATION This is
something that La Santa has by
the bucket load. Everyone there is
active, walking around in
compression gear, and no matter
how sweaty or shattered you are,
you never feel out of place. You get
to rub shoulders with top athletes.
While we were there, Munster
rugby team were being put through
their paces and making serious
dents in the buffet. Dame Sarah
Storey was putting the icing on her
hour-record attempt training and
knowing she was out battling the
same headwinds as me was an
added spur to get out and ride
hard.
No matter how
sweaty or shattered
you are, you never
feel out of place
09
R&R One of the problems with
amateur training camps is simply
doing too much. Athletes go out and
double, even triple their regular
training volume and then wonder
why they often get ill when they get
home. Along with the excitement of
being able to train without the
distractions of work and family, the
other reason for this on a lot of
camps, is that there simply isn’t
anything else to do. Well, that’s not
the case at Club La Santa, on our
designated rest day, we did a yoga
class, had a leisurely round of crazy
golf, booked in for massages and
then spent a blissful couple of
hours in the Wellness Centre Spa. A
lazy day may be but still a full day.
10
ENTERTAINMENT
I’d been a bit worried by the whole
holiday camp vibe but although
there was plenty on offer, including
the infamous Green Team show, a
disco and a karaoke night, it was in
no way forced upon you. And if you
wanted to avoid it all there was no
disturbance at all in our apartment
as I indicated. That said, we did
enjoy a couple of restorative pints
in the bar and a few frames of pool.
CONCLUSION
Despite my initial reservations,
there’s no doubt that Club La
Santa met all of my training
camp criteria and more. Yes,
you probably do end up paying a
bit more than for a DIY camp but
I’d argue that the facilities and
subsequent quality of the
training experience more than
make up for the additional cost.
I’ll certainly be returning.
More info, clublasanta.co.uk
5 JUNE 2016, SOUTH WALES

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 TRAIN STRENGTHEN YOUR ENDURANCE
Strengthen your
endurance 2
In part one of this article (see Jan issue) I discussed why strength
training is important for endurance athletes. Now I investigate
how to practically apply strength and conditioning to your
training programme.
KEY EXERCISES
The principle of specificity is one of the pillars
upon which strength and conditioning (S&C) is
built. Hence your choice of exercise needs to be
specific to you sport. On a macro level it’s clear
that most endurance activities involve the lower
body. Whether we cycle, run, climb, row or
swim, a very good level of strength is required
in our lower body. Whilst there isn’t the scope in
this particular article to outline custom training
plans or full exercise portfolios for every possible
endurance sport, there are certain exercises
which are totally applicable across sports.
If there is one foundation strength building
exercise for the lower body it has to be the squat
and its variations. There are four key types of
squat which deserve our attention; the front,
back, overhead and split squat
The overhead squat can be seen as, more than
anything else, an exercise to train posture and
Words Phil Nourse Pictures Shutterstock
stability throughout the torso, as well as to
develop mobility and discipline of execution. If you
squat in anything other than a disciplined, upright
position you will get instant negative feedback in
the form of the bar falling forward. For most
athletes I believe the overhead squat can be used
very effectively as part of the warm-up leading
into a more heavily loaded squat.
It’s been said that the back squat builds the
60 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
man, the front squat builds the athlete - a
sentiment with which I fully concur. I have
always believed that whilst the back squat is
the more guttural, agricultural, macho exercise,
the front squat requires more in terms of
flexibility, discipline and control. If the back
squat is a big American muscle car, the front
squat is the refined European supercar. Much
like the overhead squat, the front squat
instantly tells you if you’re doing it wrong or it’s
too heavy, as you simply drop the bar forwards.
It’s also worth nothing at this stage that this
ability to safely “dump” the bar (in a safe
training environment) is a huge advantage over
the back squat.
The back squat allows for far more deviation
from correct technique whilst still completing
the lift. As an athlete comes out the bottom
(“the hole”) of a back squat, they can, in effect,
cheat their legs of the training effect by
shooting their knees back, letting their legs
straighten under no real load as their bum
rises and then finish the squat by extending
their hips and lifting their torso. This results in
the quads receiving little training effect, the
hamstrings taking the real brunt and an
imbalance develops between the two muscle
groups.
In the front squat, this potential incorrect
movement is far less of a concern. If your torso
starts to tilt forwards then you’ll simply drop
the bar forwards. Thus the front squat keeps
you honest, is conducive to the development of
a natural, functional strength balance between
quads and hamstrings and allows you to
develop athletic abilities such as postural
control and flexibility.
The front squat would therefore make a great
exercise for cyclists looking to improve the
power of their pedal stroke.

SINGLE LEG EXERCISES

When we address the split squat, we’re
beginning to transition into the very worthy S&C
world of single leg work.
When your bilateral strength levels have
significantly improved through front and rear
squatting for example, the next step is to start
to introduce unilateral (one foot forward, one
foot back) and single leg exercises into your
training. In many cases, the development of
unilateral leg strength is key to improving
endurance performance.
This is because somewhat obviously in
endurance sports the feet work independently
of each other. If we take running the forces
experienced in the single-foot landing will affect
every aspect of the body differently than in a
two-foot landing and thus specific strength
needs to be developed to contend and control
this. Further evidence comes in the form of a
concept known as “bilateral strength deficit.” In
short it has been shown that, in most athletes, if
you test pushing strength in the left leg and add
it to that of the right leg, this total will be
greater than if both legs were pushing together.
The only athletes that display the opposite
performance are weight/power lifters and
rowers, which is logical given that they are
practically the only athletes that push with both
legs together in their sports. So, outside of
rowers, endurance athletes need to address

“As an endurance athlete

there’s no need to do
anything overly complex
or intense with your
strength training.”

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 61

TRAIN STRENGTHEN YOUR ENDURANCE
their single leg strength.
Variations of the split squat are an excellent
progression and transition from double leg
squatting to single leg squats. Even within this
you can move from a conventional split squat to
a version with the rear foot elevated and then
eventually to pure single leg work. The single leg
squat and variations such as “pistols” can
eventually be used if and when general strength
is built to a level where the athlete is able to
execute them whilst maintaining a level,
controlled and balanced posture.
Of course different activities will benefit from
the development of strength in different
exercises. Rowers, for example, may benefit
from leg-presses and seated, bent forward and
upright rows. Swimmers may benefit from very
specific strength exercises on a swim bench
and cyclists may use single leg, leg-presses.
Development of general lower body strength
using the exercises described will, however,
convey huge benefits to almost all athletes
THE GOLD STANDARD EXERCISE
If I were to pick one exercise to help an athlete
develop power it would be the power clean. The
snatch is also excellent but it is more complex
to learn and execute.
The clean isn’t just about teaching the
development of explosive power, so important
to a mid-race burst, hill sprint or sprint finish,
but it also enhances the ability to contend with
eccentric, impact type forces experienced
whilst landing for example, when running.
During every foot strike during each running
stride, the body has to decelerate its mass,
working eccentrically, as it lands and then
reaccelerate it. It’s coping poorly with these
forces which leads to injury and dysfunction.
One again, the clean can be executed in
conventional form, by receiving the bar in, an
arguably more specific, split position and even
in a single leg fashion.
PROGRAMMING
As an endurance athlete there’s no need to do
anything overly complex or intense with your
62 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
strength training. You need to be strong enough
to cope with the strains and impacts associated
with repetitive endurance activities. You also
need to have a level of strength which makes it
a breeze to overcome the forces involved in
these activities and thus prevent fatigue. I
discuss both of these concepts in the first part
of this article but, as a quick illustrative
example, imagine a weak rower versus a strong
one. The stronger one will find every stroke so
much less challenging and, in combination with
their specific in boat and ergo training, will
either be able to work at a given workrate for
longer or be able to pull harder and work at a
higher workrate.
You don’t need to train like a weight lifter to
develop usable performance enhancing
endurance strength. Huge strength can be
developed without ever having to take near
maximum efforts in training. Endurance athletes
need a level of strength training, which can be
seen as a “sweet spot”. This is the point where
significant improvement in strength can be
derived with a wholly acceptable commitment in
terms of time and fatigue. You can probably get
to about 80% of your strength potential with
quite a conservative amount of quite
conservative strength training. It’s squeezing
that extra 20% out that really requires a lot of
intense, fatiguing training. This simply isn’t worth
it to you as an endurance athlete.
“You can probably get to about
80% of your strength potential
If you’re just starting to explore the world of
strength training then you don’t need to worry
about a programme. A couple of days per week
lift some weights. You don’t need to go too
heavy and you don’t need to get too close to
fatigue. Just because you could lift a weight 10
times doesn’t mean you have to and it doesn’t
mean that lifting it fewer times won’t develop
strength; in strength training novices, it will. It’s
actually amazing how much strength a novice
can gain from very little training. Once you’re a
little more experienced and the easy gains have
dried up, you’ll require a little more structure.
During the times of year where your endurance
training volume is the lowest and/or the
demands and importance of competition are
the least intense, e.g. off-season and early
pre-season, you can train a little more
frequently and with slightly higher volume. Two
or even three strength sessions per week with
as much as three or four sets per exercise is
fine and beneficial at these times of year,
especially if you let commonsense rule when it
comes to the weights used and how close to
fatigue you go. As endurance volume and
competitive demands increase, however,
strength training becomes a business of simply
maintaining what you’ve built and you can
achieve this with as little as one session per
week and one to two working sets per exercise.
The web is replete with examples of how to
structure strength programmes. Practically
every possible combination of reps, sets and
percentages has been written and is published
somewhere. There are numerous versions out
there of the “5x5 programme”, the vast majority
of which should be suitable for endurance
athletes. These programmes generally revolve
around 5 sets of 5 reps performed twice
weekly.
Hopefully this article has fleshed out some of
the theoretical bones of the first part with a little
more practical meat. And shown you that for an
endurance athlete a little strength can go a long
way.
n To find out more about Phil Nourse go to,
Olympicelite.com
with quite a conservative
amount of quite conservative
strength training.”
13 March 2016

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Words Nick Hutchins Pictures Alamy & David Carlier
64 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
TRAIN SASCHA HAMM
Sascha Hamm – Britain’s
top freeride snowboarder
We talk to the UK’s best backcountry snowboarder
about what it takes to compete with the world’s best
riders on the planet’s most terrifying mountain faces.
FOR A COUNTRY with scarce few
snowboardable mountains, it’s surprising that
the UK has managed to produce riders that
can compete on the world stage. But it has,
and in rather impressive numbers. In 2014,
British snowboarder Jenny Jones won a
bronze medal in women’s Slopestyle at the
Sochi Winter Olympics, while British men
Jamie Nicholls and Billy Morgan came sixth
and tenth in the men’s category respectively.
And, since 2010, Britain has also had
considerable success in competitive
freeriding – where snowboarders ride down
challenging off-piste faces. James Stentiford
from Devon became the first Briton to podium
at a Freeride World Tour event – the world’s
biggest competitive backcountry series
where, during each stage, riders are scored
for speed, style and trickery as they take a run
of their choice down a huge mountain face –
all in front of hundreds of spectators.
Shortly after earning a 3rd place at the 2011
Verbier Extreme, Stentiford retired from the
Tour. It wasn’t long, however, before another
British freerider, 38-year-old Sascha Hamm,
started making his presence felt. Unlike
Stentiford, who’d got onto the Tour through a
wild card entry system, from 2012 Hamm
spent two years riding on the Freeride World
Qualifier Series, the Tour’s feeder
competition.
In his second year he accrued enough points
– even winning one stage in Nendaz,
Switzerland – to qualify for the main tour and
once on it, maintained his blistering form,
placing in the top five at a number of stage
events during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
PART-TIMER
What all of these riders have achieved is
remarkable, but what makes Hamm possibly
the most impressive of the bunch is that he’s
not even a full-time snowboarder – just a
weekend warrior who runs a London-based
real estate company four days a week. “Every
Thursday night I get the tube to City Airport,
jump on the plane and end up in mountains,”
says Hamm. “After three days of riding, I get
up early on Monday morning, fly back and go
straight to the office.”
There are a number of reasons why Hamm
is able to compete as a world-class
snowboarder without training like one. First
off, he’s been riding since his early teens so is
super comfortable on snow. “When I was 13 I
saw an advert of a snowboarder in a
skateboard magazine and hassled my parents
to get me a board,” says Hamm. “They said
no, but my auntie gave in so I got a board and
started riding in the Italian Dolomites, where
we’d go on family holidays.”
As he hit his twenties he started spending
entire seasons in French resorts. “I rode in
Avoriaz and Les Arcs and quickly developed a
love for throwing myself off big jumps that
we’d build away from the pistes.” But he
hadn’t just developed a taste for air, he also
had flair for doing good things while up in it –
enough to be win the 2000 British Snowboard
Championships.
As important as the time he’s spent on the
snow, and his natural talent for snowboarding,
is the fact that he has a magnum’s worth of
bottle. This is evidenced by the fact that if he
doesn’t get on the podium during a Freeride
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 65
TRAIN SASCHA HAMM
World Tour stop, it’s normally because he’s hit a
turn or cliff drop too fast and crashed. “I didn’t
do so good on the 2015 tour,” says Hamm. “I fell
on my butt twice and crashed twice. I only did
well at one of the events, Chamonix – where I
came second.”
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Given how well he’s now doing on the Freeride
World Tour it’s hard to believe that from 2000
to 2010 he disappeared from the scene
completely. “After the British Championships in
2000 I ploughed all my snowboarding prize
money into a race driving course and drove in
Formula Ford,” says Hamm. “But after a couple
of years I maxed out a load of credit cards
paying for car repairs and had to stop. I then
launched my real estate company, RW Invest,
which took up all of my time - so from 2000 to
2010, I was lucky to get away snowboarding
once a year.”
While a ten-year break would be too long for
most people to get back to an elite level in a
sport, Hamm is not most people.
“Snowboarding is a bit like riding a bike,” he
explains. “Once you are on the snow instinct
kicks in,” It probably helped that one of the men
he spent most time riding following his 2010
return to the sport was fellow British freeride
sensation Stentiford.
“At that point he was competing on the
Freeride World Tour and really enjoying it,” says
Hamm. “It suited my riding style so I really
wanted to have a go.” As it turned out, having a
go quickly meant turning into one of the Tour’s
star performers – he was going faster and
jumping off cliffs bigger than pretty much all
the other snowboarders he was competing
against.
Riding at this level, and in this way, comes
with a cost. “I’ve had a lot of injuries,” says
Hamm. “Somehow I always hurt myself in the
same place twice. It started with my left arm
where I now have a pin with eight screws. I’ve
66 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
also had two ACL reconstructions in my right
knee and two meniscus operations on my left
knee.”
“I’m in reasonably good nick at the moment
but as I’ve got on in age, my body doesn’t
recuperate that well anymore so stretching and
training is very important. For the last two
seasons I’ve been doing a lot of post-riding
stretches (of which more later) and loads of leg
work – squats, wall sits, jumping squats and
lunges – which have improved my power and
strength on the snow and increased my
resistance to injury by making my body more
stable and mobile.”
MIND GAMES
Hamm puts even more planning into his
competition runs than he does his off-board
training. “You don’t get to ride a face before the
event,” says Hamm. “So you study an image of it
on a laptop prior to the comp and pick out the
line you’re going to ride. Once you actually ride
the face, however it often feels very different to
how it looked on a screen so having years and
years of experience of different types of
snow-based terrain can help you be ready for
any surprises.”
Big things are expected of Hamm on tour this
season – he’s a serious contender to not only
finally win a stage, but the whole thing. “I’m not
quite sure what tack to take this year,” he says
adding, “Whether to go hell for leather – as I’ve
done in previous seasons – or play it safe and
focus on getting down the mountain without
risking a fall that could cost me points.”
Despite his cautious talk, slowing down just
isn’t in the make-up of a man who’s spent his
whole life looking for ways to go bigger and
faster – on a board or in a car – and that means
we can expect more high-speed carving, powder
spraying and cliff drops from Haam on the tour
which resumed in Andorra on the 23rd of
January.
More info, freerideworldtour.com
Hamm’s snowboard stretching drills
You’re on your snowboard holiday, you’ve had a successful day on the hill so what’s the first
thing you do when you get back to the resort? Chances are you might head straight to the bar
for several pints of apres ski. But if you want to make the most of your riding time the next
day, here’s what you should do.
“Ride, ride and ride more – that’s what I always
tell people who ask me how to get fitter for
snowboarding. Do really long runs from top to
bottom without any breaks, have a rest on the
lift on the way back up and repeat for the rest
of the day. Once you’re off the mountain,
stretching your lower limbs is hugely important
because it helps reduce how tight your muscles
get, which makes them less likely to get injured.
Here’s a routine I do after the end of every
session to stay supple.”
HAMSTRING STRETCH
4 sets, 1 rep each side, rest for 1-minute
between sets.
From standing, step one leg back, bending at
the knee and keep the other leg straight. Bend
at the hips and put your hands above the knee
of your straight leg, putting minimal weight
through it. When you feel a stretch in your
hamstring hold it there for 30 seconds.
HIP FLEXOR ROLL
3 sets, 30 seconds each side, rest for
1-minute between sets
Lie face down on the floor, propped up on your
elbows, with one leg cocked out to the side the
roller in the cocked hip crease. Roll the roller
up and down your inner thigh. When you come
to a particularly tight spot, roll the roller back
and forth over it.
QUAD STRETCH
4 sets, 1 rep each side, rest for 1-minute
between sets.
Stand a half metre from the floor, with one hand
on it for balance. Bend one leg back behind you,
holding it with your free hand. Once you feel a
good stretch in your quad, hold the position for
30 seconds.
QUAD ROLL
3 sets, 30 seconds each side, rest for
1-minute between sets.
Lie face down on the floor, propped up on your
elbows, with one leg crossed over the other
and a roller beneath one quad. Roll the roller
up and down your quad – from the top of your
thigh to just above your knee. When you come
to a tight spot, roll the roller back and forth.
SLOW TEMPO CALF RAISE
3 sets, 10 reps each side, rest for 1-minute
between sets
Stand in front of a wall with your feet about half
a metre from it. Put your hands against it for
balance and raise one leg off the floor. Press up
through your standing forefoot to activate your
calf, rising and lowering for 10 reps.
IT BAND AND GLUTE ROLL
3 sets, 30 seconds for each IT band, 30
seconds for each glute, rest for 1-minute
after you’ve hit both areas.
Lie on the floor, propped up on one elbow with a
roller beneath the outside of your lower leg and
your legs crossed. Roll the roller up and down
your lower leg. When you come to a particularly
tight spot, roll the roller back and forth over it.
If it’s too painful, uncross your legs and plant
one foot on the floor for balance. Roll over on
the foam roller so you’re sitting on it with it
under your glutes. Roll it up and down as you
did with your IT band.
CALF ROLL
3 sets, 30 seconds each side, rest for
1-minute between sets.
Sit on the floor with a foam roller beneath your
calfs. Cross one leg over the other and roll the
roller up and down your bottom calf. When you
come to a particularly tight spot, roll the roller
back and forth. If it’s too painful, uncross your
legs and plant one foot on the floor for balance.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 67
TRAIN CROSSFIT
Rich Froning,
CrossFit world
champion

68 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

 The Fittest of the Fit?
Who are the world’s greatest all-round athletes. Although Daley Thompson
might argue against it, many would say they’re CrossFiters.

OUTDOOR FITNESS SPOKE to former

endurance athlete Jordan Wallace, a member
of Team Reebok UK (a collection of the UK’s
finest Crossfit® athletes), to find out why
incorporating some Crossfit workouts into your
training can offer so much.

OF: How did you get involved in CrossFit?

Jordan Wallace: I found CrossFit whilst
reading an article online about the newest
fitness crazes in the UK. As soon as I read what
it involved, I knew that it was something I
wanted to try. I had come from a long distance
running background and I was in need of
something new to challenge my fitness. As
soon as I tried it I was hooked, that was five and
a half years ago and I’ve never looked back.

OF: So what’s CrossFit all about and how is

it developing in the UK?
JW: CrossFit is defined as constantly varied,
functional movements performed at a high
intensity. We use movements found in nature,
such as squats, deadlifts and presses and we
perform these at an intensity that elicits a
cardio response. CrossFit can only be
performed at a registered affiliate with a
qualified instructor. There are over 500
affiliates in the UK; this has dramatically
increased due to the involvement of brands like
Reebok. They have made the Reebok CrossFit
Games a world-wide event drawing many
people to the sport.

OF: CrossFit is now one of the biggest

growing fitness trends in the UK (and
world-wide), why do you think this is?
JW: I believe it’s for two reasons. Number one is
due to the convenience of the programme. You
can do a session in an hour and have a fantastic
workout. Not many other programmes offer
that. The second reason that I believe CrossFit
is becoming so popular is due to the fact that it
is a results-based programme. You become
stronger, leaner and fitter.

OF: Is it true to say that if you are a serious

CrossFit athlete you are ‘fit for everything’?
JW: That’s the goal of the programme.
CrossFiters don’t specialise as athletes. They
probably couldn’t run a sub 3-hour marathon, or
squat a world record but they can compete with
the good class performers in those disciplines.
To compete at the CrossFit games, an athlete
must prepare for 4-5 days of unknown events.
Words John Shepherd Pictures Reebok

Sometimes competitors won’t know what the

event is until 10 minutes before starting.

OF: Who are the stars of the sport and who

should we look out for?
JW: The sport has been dominated by the U.S
athletes over the past few years and the best
known athlete in the history of the Games is
Rich Froning, He has won the Games four times

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 69

TRAIN CROSSFIT
and has never placed lower than second place.
Ben Smith, another American won the Games
this year. However, the two Brits, Steven
Fawcett and Phil Hesketh qualified to compete
in Carson last summer and have begun to make
waves.
OF: How can someone get involved with
CrossFit? Does it suit a particular fitness
background?
JW: CrossFit is for anyone. The beauty of the
programme is that it’s universally scalable,
meaning that no matter your fitness level the
workout can be tailored to you. The best way to
get involved in CrossFit is to google your local
affiliate and attend one of their taster classes. I
promise you will not regret it!
OF: Is the sport really tailored to all levels of
ability? It can seem to the outsider that it’s
perhaps a bit of a one-size fits all approach
and one that pushes very hard?
JW: The sport can be tailored to all levels of
fitness. Your local affiliate will be able to adapt
any workout to an individual’s fitness level or to
work around an injury.
OF: Greg Glassman – the founder of CrossFit
- perhaps for promotion purposes, said
about CrossFit that “warning, it could kill
you”, was he being serious, or was he just
trying to talk up the sport?
70 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
JW: I think he was joking, I have been doing this
for almost six years and I’m still alive and
kicking! Any training programme can be
dangerous when not executed correctly.
CrossFit is built upon the process of mechanics,
consistency, intensity. A good coach will never
allow an athlete to add load to a movement
without sound technique.
OF: What’s your take therefore on CrossFit
for the mainstream and what should the
public look for in an instructor or when
joining a box (CrossFit facility)?
JW: I think that CrossFit and its training
methodology is the future for fitness. The level
of service that you receive at a box far
outweighs the service at a regular chain gym.
To those guys you are just a number, to CrossFit
coaches you are a friend and a valued member
of their community. When looking at joining a
box, don’t focus too much on the equipment or
the size of the gym. Focus on the atmosphere
and community. Anyone can purchase fancy kit,
but creating a friendly and nurturing
environment to train in takes years. And find out
about working out outdoors – as I know that’s
what you guys are all about… CrossFit is a do
anywhere activity.
OF: How can you fit CrossFit in around your
other outdoor sport training?
JW: At my box we have many members who
take part in other sports, these range from
rugby to triathlon. We focus on making the
sessions compliment the training for their sport
not hindering it. Sometimes that means that we
cut volume, reduce loads or exchange
movements to keep our athletes fresh.
OF: So what challenges are part of the
CrossFit Games?.
JW: Events at the Games are so varied. For
example, the first event at this year’s was a
500m swim, 2-mile paddle, followed by another
500m swim. Event 9 however, was a 1rep max
clean and jerk, the biggest load score was
350lbs (158.5kgs). Ben Smith placed seventh
and second in those events respectively. I think
you will agree this is an amazing example of
well-rounded fitness.
OF: Finally, can you provide a WOD (workout
of the day) that would suit Outdoor Fitness
types i.e. for obstacle course racers,
triathletes and cyclists?
JW: A great workout to try would be 4 rounds
of 400m runs and 50 air squats, This was one of
the first workouts I tried and wow, was it a shock
to my system! My time was 9:57. I would love to
hear how you do.
n For more information on Reebok and its
latest CrossFit footwear and apparel, visit
reebok.co.uk and follow @ReebokUK’
 endurancesho
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 TRAIN ULTIMATE MARATHON

Run the
ultimate
marathon 2
SAFE SPEEDING Get faster and
stronger, while staying injury free.
EXPERT: GARTH FOX has an MSc in Sports Science and
Human Performance and is a sports scientist to
endurance athletes, garthfox.com

BROADLY SPEAKING, THERE are two key types of training

you need to do to run a fast marathon. You need to build
enough endurance. And you need to work on speed, to teach
your body to run quicker. Quality speed work could well be
the difference between running a sub-five and a sub-four-
hour marathon. Regardless of that, your nipples will thank
you for getting all the suffering over that bit quicker.
However, running at a high intensity has risks. “Speed is
beautifully correlated with injury,” says Fox. “For anyone
trying to race a four-hour to a 2:59 marathon, I wouldn’t
recommend doing speed training more than once a week.
You should never run flat out either. Marathon training is
about pressing the correct physiological buttons while doing
everything you can to avoid injury.”
Most athletes run a little too hard most of the time and not
hard enough some of the time, says Fox. “It’s so important to
separate the two types of run paces – and don’t spend long
in the middle. Around 80 percent of your marathon training
should be Long Slow Distance (LSD) runs designed to build
muscle endurance. The other 20 percent should be a variety
of other intensities, with perhaps 10 percent speed
(VO2max) work. The 80/20 rule definitely works.”
If you only train at your race pace, you’ll go slower on the
big day. “You’ve got other things to do, such as fuelling and
dealing with human traffic. So you need to train at a faster
pace than your anticipated marathon pace. You are trying to
make your race pace feel easier.”
How do you know what the right marathon pace for you is.
Ideally you would run a 10K or half marathon to gain a good
idea of what’s realistically sustainable for you. “If you’re
hoping to run a marathon in four hours, you need to
experience what that pace is like [calculate race paces at,
Words Damian Hall Pictures Shutterstock

72 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

 WHAT ARE INTERVALS?
The most loathed but most effective
speed work session, interval training
means relatively short bursts of high
intensity running – not quite
sprinting, but faster than is
comfortable, certainly above your
estimated marathon race pace.
Faster paced running will develop
your overall speed. It’s the most
effective way of making you quicker,
because it pushes your body the
most. You’re training your body to
better utilise available oxygen,
improve your heart’s efficiency and
train your metabolism to burn off
fat. Intervals are the most time
effective training method, too, as
you’re getting maximum return from
a comparatively short session.
It’s not always easy, but intervals
should be paced so your running
speed remains consistent through
the whole workout. Put too much
into your first interval and see the
rest get progressively slower and it’s
been a comparatively ineffective
sessions. Your last rep should be as
strong as your first.
There are lots of ways to do
intervals – the two general ones
being longer but less intense, and
shorter but faster. Slower and longer
intervals can be at your 5K race
pace, but shorter ones will be far
more intense.

HILLS: AN ENDURANCE
ATHLETE’S BEST FRIEND
“For someone new to the sport,
when they start running on terrain
that’s not flat really positive things
start happening,” says Fox. “Your
body’s working at a higher intensity
on hills. So even if you’re running
very easily, your heart rate is
elevated, your lungs are being
worked harder and improving,
likewise your body’s ability to pump
blood, as well as your leg muscle
strength. It also quickens stride rate,
increases stride length, and
improves your running economy.
You’re working leg muscles, postural
muscles in a concentric fashion
(shortening them), but also in an
eccentric fashion (stretching them)
when you come downhill. Imagine
you’re holding a big bag of shopping:
when you pull your arm up to your
shoulder to lift the bag your muscles
are being used in a concentric
fashion but when the arm goes all
the way down and you lower the bag,
they are being used in an eccentric
fashion. Above all, hill running
improves your muscles –
concentrically and eccentrically,
which will in turn improve your
speed.”

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 73

TRAIN ULTIMATE MARATHON
coolrunning.com]. Break it down into quarters – can you hold
that pace for 10K?” “Plyometrics are
Speed work does all sorts of good thing to the marathon simple jumping,
runner. It helps improve technique and your economy –
helping you to run faster for the same oxygen consumption, bounding and
or use less oxygen for the same running speed. “Speed work hopping exercises
is an aerobic capacity increasing session,” says Fox. “So
when you run your marathon pace you’re operating at a
that develop
lower percentage of your capacity and the whole system is explosive power.”
running more easily. If your car could drive at 200mph,
driving at 60mph is no sweat. If it can only do 90mph, then
60mph is still pushing it some and wear and tear will be
considerable. When you run at a higher intensity you’re
producing more lactate, more metabolic stress and the body
gets good at dealing with that.”
The bad news is, if done correctly, speed work hurts. But
the good news is there are lots of different ways to do it.
Intervals are the classic method (see box out), and your local
running club probably offers structured interval sessions on
a Tuesday or Thursday night. There’s also fartlek
(unstructured fast bursts during an easy or moderate-paced
run), Saturday morning parkruns, HIIT (high Intesnity Interval
Training) and hill sessions (see box out). Speed work can be a
lot of fun and shouldn’t ever be boring.
Rest is vital though “The day after a speed session should
be total rest,” says Fox. “Most training plans are way too
optimistic. I’ve trained athletes for many years and the
amount of training that can be absorbed over the long-term
is much less than generally perceived, because they get
injured, or tired, or life gets in the way. But mostly they don’t
rest enough.”
Fuelling is also key. “To get your body to run at your target
marathon pace, make sure you’re fuelled to do it. If you’re
depleted, it increases the chances of lowering your immune
systems. Athletes of mine have done a speed session then
got on the London Underground and had a cold within an
hour,” says Fox. For the LSD run, being fasted is a good idea
though. “When you’re exercising aerobically in a depleted
state it improves your fat metabolism and that’s important.
But other sessions should be in a fuelled state.”
Before speed work, to avoid dreaded muscular twangs, it’s
vital to warm-up. “You need to feel your muscles working, to
wake them up, especially if you’ve been sitting at a desk all
day and your muscles have gone to sleep. But never with
static stretches,” warns Fox, “which can cause laxity in
tendons and muscles that cause poor form. Instead try
dynamic activation and specifically target the systems you’ll
be using. Try lunges (without weights), duck walks, step
walks, standing on tiptoes, then trot along slowly for 10
minutes before the quality part of the session begins.”

STRONG ARM TACTICS To run your best ever marathon, consider strength training
Arnold Schwarzenegger is never A strong core is crucial for Joint stability in other areas is programme should come before
going to win parkrun. Big muscles endurance runners. “Core strength just as important. “Most runners plyometrics. Done in the great
slow us down. However some is the ability to stabilise the pelvis, have probably heard of balance outdoors, basic strength could be
targetted strength training can spine and torso – helping us hold boards or similar devices,” says developed with lunges and squats
still help keep you injury free, says posture,” says Laithwaite. Laithwaite. “You stand on them (or with kettlebells, e.g. 20x3 (reps x
Laithwaite – it will help you train “Technically it’s not ‘strength’, as try to) to improve balance. If your sets). Core work would involve the
harder and recover more quickly. holding the plank position for two balance is poor due to lack of ankle plank, side plank and a bridge
“It can also enhance your minutes is not a maximal control, you can imagine how exercise. Do these for six weeks
economy,” he says, “which means contraction. But holding a stable difficult running off-road is. You’re then start the plyometrics (page
you’ll need less oxygen for any platform when you run is critical focusing your efforts on propelling 75).”
given running speed. Strength can for economy. If your chassis yourself forwards, whilst your body Any Pilates or core strength
be defined as the maximal amount collapses every time you hit the is simply trying to stabilise itself on class will also benefit runners. “Or
of force you can produce in a single ground, your performance will the uneven floor!” you can do simple exercises such
effort.” suffer.” Plyometrics can be of great as the plank and bridge as part of
benefit too. “Plyometrics are your warm-up,” advises Laithwaite.
EXPERT: MARC LAITHWAITE is a former sports science lecturer who simple jumping, bounding and “What’s critical is the transfer from
specialises in endurance coaching and organises the Lakeland 50 hopping exercises that develop core to technique, doing plank
and 100 ultra races. Follow his blog at theendurancestore.com/ explosive power. You should be exercise is pointless if you still run
blogs/the-endurance-store. careful though – a basic strength with bad form (see Good Form).”

74 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016


PLYOMETRIC WORKOUT
n 10m bouncing to gain height x4,
progressing in height and
effort 1-4
n 10m hopping x2 right leg, x2
left leg
n 20m bounding on flat x4,
progress through each, bound
further rather than higher
n 20m bounding uphill x4,
progress through each, bound
further rather than higher
GARTH FOX’S SPEED SESSIONS Four effective ways to train for a faster marathon
YASSO 800 INTERVALS This is
really solid speed work for
someone tagretting a three-hour
marathon, a VO2max session that
will also benefit running economy
and threshold (especially for the
lesser trained athlete). Yasso 800s
require running 800m in 3mins,
with 3mins of jog recovery. That’s a
pace of 6-min per mile (min/miles)
pace. To run a sub-3hr marathon
you’ll need to run at a pace of 6.40
min/miles. So your speed for the
session is around 30 seconds faster
than your targetted race pace. If
you’re just starting out, you’d
maybe only do one 800m but
ideally would progress up to 10
repetitions.
HILL REPEATS The hill doesn’t
need to be steep, it needs to be
runnable, perhaps 4-6 percent
gradient. Run pretty hard and try
and maintain the pace for 3mins,
with an easy 3-min jog back down.
It’s the same thing as the Yasso
session, with varied muscle work.
This session is more about muscle
endurance and less about
improving economy (because your
cadence will be lower).
HIIT Use the same hill as above or
even something steeper and try to
run at a higher pace than the
previous sessions – all the way to
the top, for around 2mins. Do this
four times, with 2mins recovery as
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 75
you jog back down. This will
improve your strength and power,
help your economy, cardiovascular
conditioning, underpin your speed
and enable you to hold a moderate
pace for longer in races.
SPECIFICTY Do a slow-paced run,
setting out fasted and ideally on
rugged or hilly terrain. When your
legs are glycogen depleted, throw
on a chunk of target marathon
pace. You’re improving fat
metabolism and training to run at
marathon pace in a depleted state
–exactly what it’ll be like on race
day. Run slowly during the first
part of the session to guard
against injury.
TRAIN ULTIMATE MARATHON

“Running with good

technique – in a more
natural and efficient
way – will ensure we
don’t get injured from
muscle misuse,”

GOOD FORM Most running injuries are linked to bad technique and good form also rewards with better endurance and speed
“Good running technique is key and the runner against over-use injuries.
so often overlooked,” says Benzie. “Running with good technique – in a HOW TO RUN MORE proprioception from the bottom of
“With an efficient, natural running more natural and efficient way – NATURALLY AND EFFICIENTLY the foot which has 200,000 nerve
style your body will use its natural will ensure we don’t get injured 1 Get your arms right and the rest endings – telling us where we are
balance, skeletal support and from muscle misuse,” says Benzie. tends to fall into place. They need and how to react to the ground as
fascial elasticity. It will stress your “Heel-striking for example to be at right angles, close to the we move over it.
body less and therefore allow it to increases the impact on the knee; body with the dynamic movement Instead, aim for full-foot contact,
last longer in a race. Most running we create around 2.5 times our to the rear, letting them swing then your feet work as natural
injuries can be traced to bad form.” body weight on impact on every forward naturally. shock absorbers. The quicker your
Runners tend to get injured foot fall and make around 1,300 2 Stay upright as much as possible, feet move the less likely you are to
because they misuse or over-use strides per mile – imagine that. with a slight forward lean from the heel strike and the more efficient
their muscles. Observing the 10 Good running form also helps to ankles. Run tall, using your your style.
percent rule (building up training by strengthen bones and joints, skeleton to support the weight of
no more than 10 percent per week) reducing your chances of injury in your body. So, think: pump arms, stay tall,
for marathon training should shield the longer-term.” 3 Heel-striking increases knee short, fast strides (your cadence). If
impact and is inefficient. When you that seems too complicated, just
EXPERT: SHANE BENZIE is a running coach, movement specialist and land on your heel you’re effectively imagine you’re on a unicycle
race director of the T60, T100 and T184 races, runningreborn.co.uk braking and missing out on (forward lean, pedal fast).

76 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

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February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 77

 TRAIN Q&A

Ask the experts

From what’s the use of a fatbike, to strength training on the run, to springtime wild camps our
experts have all the answers. Email your questions to of.ed@kelsey.co.uk

PAUL MUMFORD
PT AND BAREFOOT
RUNNING EXPERT,
THEACCUMULATOR.NET

Q: I’d like to incorporate some

strength training into my cross-
country training and include some on
my runs. Is this a sensible option and
would it be as effective as doing it in
the gym?
Jo Anderson, by email

A: There’s absolutely no reason why you

can’t get a very effective workout with
nothing but your own body weight. In fact
there are many exercises you can do
which will have a direct effect on
improving your running so you really get
the best from your workouts.
The two key principles I stick to with
body weight training are: a) to move as
much of the body as possible, therefore
firing multiple muscles at once or in
sequence and b) to make the exercises or
movements specific to your goals. For
instance, if you are training for a race and
need to improve your speed and agility
off-road, then work with single leg
movements; plyometric (jumping); and
exercises that work to strengthen and
rotate your core. I therefore recommend
exercises such as, single leg squats,
backward lunges, jump squats, lunge
jump, half-turn jumps, planks and bicycle
crunches. These exercises will make you
more agile off-road as you have to
manoeuvre your body around or over
obstacles like trees, puddles and roots.
Another good way to get a great
bodyweight session in outside is to plan
your run so you pass a playground. These
places can open up a myriad of
possibilities for bodyweight exercise as
there are often complex climbing frames
and other apparatus that you can use to
push against, pull from, jump over or
even crawl under. However it’s probably
best to pick a time when there are no kids
about to spoil your fun (or their’s!). You
could even pack a TRX® with you and
strap this onto climbing frames and away
from the playground, fences or trees. You
can then add more strengthening
exercises into your run and controlled or
uncontrolled intervals.

Another good way to get

a great bodyweight
Pictures Shutterstock

session in outside is to
plan your run so you
pass a playground.

78 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

 SEAN
MCFARLANE
ADVENTURER,
SEANMCFARLANE.CO.UK
Q: I’m planning some springtime wild
camps. I’m new to this, although I’m a
regular hill walker and have a good level of
fitness. What are the basic kit requirements
and what should I look out for (or not) when I
pitch my tent?!
Colin Wilson, by email
A: Springtime in the UK can still be very cold,
especially at night so make sure you have a
good warm sleeping bag. For your tent, weight
and resilience to the elements are key (virtually
all tents are easy to pitch these days) but
JACOB TIPPER
CYCLE COACH WITH
ON THE RIVET COACHING,
ONTHERIVETCOACHING.COM
Q: I’ve heard recently about fatbikes, what
exactly are they, where can I use them, and
are they really a bit of an exclusive boy’s
toy?
Martin Brown, by email
A: A fatbike is a bicycle designed with extra wide
tyres, typically 4-5 inches wide, sitting on a 2.6+
inch wide rim. The frames are then specifically
designed to accommodate such fat tyres with
wider forks and stays than your usual bike. The
benefits of the added width allows you to run
extremely low pressures of 5-10PSI, it’s
there’s a huge range of options so you don’t
need to break the bank. A decent head torch
with backup power is a must. Always pitch your
tent in full light. I’d also advise making sure as
much as possible that your first wild camp is a
cracker – perhaps use a location that’s been
recommended by others or you are at least
familiar with, and go on a very good forecast.
Wild camping in good conditions is an outdoor
experience that’s hard to better. Given your
level of fitness, consider using a mountain bike
or even sea kayak to access some other areas
that those on foot miss out on.
this with the increased surface areas of the tyre
that provides you with a smoother ride over
rough or unstable objects. The bikes were
designed for winter trail riding in the snow and
for touring through the deserts on sand. This
makes the fatbike one the most versatile bikes
there is – and they’re also lots of fun to ride.
However, whether it’s the most practical bike to
spend your money on may depend on how much
snow you are expecting, or how close you live to
the beach. Even so the bike is great fun and you
can always apply the formula of: “How may bikes
do I need?”. The answer = N+1!
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 79
TRAIN TRAINING DIARIES
We've a very historic new challenge starting this issue involving the Royal Navy, whilst Ian
Shutt's Lakesman preparations continue.
The most significant
naval expedition of
the last decade
Kris Cunningham, together with 11 Royal
Marines & sailors aim to walk in Shackleton’s
historic footsteps.
KRIS CUNNINGHAM
Kris is a navy mine clearance
diver
It’s been 100 years since the late great Sir
Ernest Shackleton famously led his men from
the depths of despair and destitution to one of
the greatest stories of heroism, grit and outright
valor. During the heroic age of Antarctic
exploration, the experienced polar explorer Sir
Ernest Shackleton led the Imperial Trans –
Antarctic Expedition 1914 – 1917. After Roald
Amundsen won the race to the South Pole in
1911 Shackleton turned his attention to
crossing Antarctica from sea to sea via the
South Pole unfortunately for Shackleton and his
crew their ship, the Endurance became trapped
in the ice and was eventually crushed.
80 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
Shackleton against all odds managed to lead
his crew to safety travelling 346 miles to
Elephant Island where he bid farewell to his
men. He then risked an open boat 720-nautical
mile trip to South Georgia in the Endurance’s
lifeboats that the men had dragged all the way
to Elephant Island. After 15 days at the mercy
of the southern ocean Shackleton and five of his
companions made land on the southern tip of
South Georgia. Shackleton knew there was a
whaling station there where they would receive
shelter and means of saving his crew but the
only problem at this point was it lay 32 miles
away in Stromness and what lay between them
and saviour was some of the most dangerous
glaciers and mountain ranges in the world.
Shackleton and two of his men (Worsley and
Crean) travelled for 36 hours defying all odds
and expectations to arrive in Stromness and
arrange for the saving of all of his men. Not one
man was lost and this led to Sir Ernest
Shackleton being regarded as the Royal Navy’s
greatest ever leader.
Now a band of 11 Royal Navy and Royal
Marine adventurers aim to walk in the footsteps
of Shackleton and his men, and find out “what
makes a great leader and how can we develop
leadership through adventure”. Led by
Commander Tim Winter the Antarctic
Endurance 2016 team will take on a six-week
challenge. They will cover over 2,000 nautical
miles of sailing and crossing South Georgia on
foot, following the same route as the great man
himself. The prospect of such an adventure
would tantalise the taste buds of the most
battle-hardened adventurer. Now I, Kris

Cunningham, one of the lucky few to make it
through an arduous selection process, will take
you through our training, kit, mental prep and
fitness prep for our upcoming expedition over
the next two issues. After which you will be able
to read a full report on how we did. You can
track our journey and find out more at,
antarcticendurance.co.uk
n Exercise Antarctic Endurance 2016 will
take place between 13th Jan and March
16th, sailing from Stanley in the Falklands
and returning there, having taken passage
into the Weddell Sea, made landings on the
east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula and
Elephant Island before sending a team
overland from King Haakon Bay to
Stromness in South Georgia.
Now a band of 11 Royal Navy
and Royal Marine
adventurers aim to walk in
the footsteps of Shackleton
and his men, and find out
“what makes a great leader
and how can we develop
leadership through
adventure”.
SECRET IRONMAN
Ian has upped his training but the recent
flooding has not helped
IAN SHUTT, 36 Ian is an
accountant who’s aiming for
the Lakesman in June 2016
It’s been a stressful month in the Shutt
household. We’ve sold our house but don’t
have anywhere to move to at the moment,
and with mortgage redemption penalties
and my job change, the pressure is on to
find somewhere soon. Fortunately we have
a garage which means when we were
showing people around or having the
estate agents over to take photos, we
could move the majority of our stuff in
there and out of the way. That means that
with the terrible weather and flooding
we’ve been having while I’m writing this,
I’ve been forced to move a lot of boxes to
get to the treadmill I bought myself last
year.
I don’t really like running indoors, I’d
much rather be out on a muddy path,
dancing around puddles and inevitably
ending up in more than I manage to miss.
I’ve also got a turbo trainer too set up in the
garage, and a weights bench. But again, I’d
rather be out in the Dales and the only
lifting I do is reps of shoulder presses with
my two year old. As you’re probably
gathering, it’s not been a great month of
training.
All is not lost however and I’ve started to
put a more formal training plan together.
My first milestone is the last weekend of
February where I’m planning on doing half
distances for swimming and cycling on the
Friday and Saturday respectively, then an
off-road half marathon at Harewood House
on the Sunday. My in-laws live in Wells,
Somerset, and we’ll be down with them
over Christmas so I’m hoping the weather
will be warmer and dryer enabling me to
get a few miles in along some of the
beautiful trails around there.
I also want to take this opportunity to
explain one of my biggest motivations for
taking on the Lakesman. My son. Sammy
was born with bi-lateral talipes (also known
as clubfoot). That basically means that
instead of the soles of his feet being flat to
the floor, they curve in by almost 90
degrees. When he was a few weeks old both
his legs were put into pots and later his
tendons were cut, followed by more pots to
try and get them to re-connect in the
correct way. That was followed by months
of wearing boots and a bar to push his feet
outwards. We were lucky that when he
turned two he was allowed to stop his
treatment, but there’s still much to do and
he will need to carry on with treatment
until he’s four or five. I’d like to help raise
awareness of talipes, and so am raising
money for the charity STEPS which provide
support for children like Sammy and
parents like me.
n You can sponsor me for STEPS at: uk.
virginmoneygiving.com/SecretIronman
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 81
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 FOOD
EXPERT NUTRITION ADVICE TO BOOST YOUR PERFORMANCE

88

CONTENTS
84 TURBO CHARGE
RECOVERY
88 FASTER FOODS
The lucky 13
90 FAT TRUTHS

Blackcurrant
endurance power
LOOKING TO GET an edge from your fitness and
outdoor activities? New Zealand scientists have
discovered that blackcurrants may enhance the
benefits of exercise and boost recovery.
Scientists are discovering previously unknown
benefits of blackcurrants that could be potential
game-changers for athletes.
Top of the growing list is their ability to
improve recovery by reducing muscle soreness,
fatigue and tissue damage, as well as improving
stamina. Blackcurrant polyphenols, chiefly
anthocyanins, are prized for their effect on blood
flow, as well as being anti-inflammatory and
antioxidant agents. Research is showing how
they boost endurance (by up to 11%) by reducing
Photo Shutterstock
year and now sees them as an “essential” part
of his training and racing regime. Since then he
has won Wasdale - the world’s hardest
half-Ironman - and clocked two second-place
finishes at the Celtman Extreme triathlon.
Chris says: “I first came across New Zealand
blackcurrant extract whilst training for the
World Long Distance Mountain Running champs
in 2014. The competition took place at the
famous Pikes Peak Ascent in Colorado, 13.5
miles uphill, finishing at over 14,000ft.”
“I found I had less fatigue during threshold
efforts and could maintain a higher than usual
heart rate for effort, suffered much less DOMs
(muscle soreness) and could train harder for
Scientist Roger Hurst from the New Zealand
Plant and Food Research Institute evaluated the
effects of New Zealand blackcurrant extract for
oxidative stress, inflammation and muscle
damage. In a high-intensity rowing study
designed to induce oxidative stress and muscle
damage, the supplemented subjects found they
had no muscle soreness or aching following the
double-blind crossover study (3,4).
The University of Chichester is conducting
ongoing performance studies. To date they
show the NZ berries increase fat oxidation,
delay the rise of lactate and increase clearance
of metabolic waste products, leading to
improved recovery.

lactate (1) and enhancing fat oxidation (2). consecutive days.” n With thanks to CurraNZ. CurranNZ
Extreme adventure multi-sport athlete and “I found I had next-to-no soreness after the contains 2,242 ORACs per capsule and is
mountain runner Chris Stirling cottoned onto Pikes Peak race, so decided to also run their available from health food stores,
the benefits of New Zealand blackcurrants last marathon two days later.” healthcurrancy.co.uk

1 Eur J Appl Physiol. 2015 Nov;115(11):2357-65. doi: 10.1007/s00421-015-3215-8. Epub 2015 Jul 15.
2 International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2015, 25, 367 -374
3 Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol 297:70-81, 2009.
4 In Health and Disease, CRC Press 2013. Pages 323-338 Print ISBN: 978-1-4398-9471-2 February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 83
 FOOD TURBO CHARGE RECOVERY

TURBO CHARGE
Words Andrew Hamilton Pictures Shutterstock

YOUR RECOVERY
Andrew Hamilton summarises the most up-to-date
findings on post-exercise recovery nutrition, and
explains how you can use them to accelerate your
recovery to train and compete better.
THE FASTER AND more fully you recover, rest; the other of course is nutrition. It’s
the sooner you’ll be ready to train again, probably not exaggerating to say that if
the better you’ll perform when you do you’re training regularly, the next single
train and the more benefits you’ll get most important thing you can do to boost
from your training efforts. One key performance is to improve your recovery
ingredient of post-exercise recovery is nutrition.

84 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

RECOVERY REQUIREMENTS
Over recent years, scientists have established
that consuming carbohydrate following
exercise yields large benefits (see box 1). As a
result, we now know that the highest muscle
glycogen synthesis rates occur when
relatively large amounts of carbohydrate
(1.0–1.5g per kg of bodyweight per hour) are
consumed immediately after exercise, and
then at 30–60 minute intervals thereafter, for
up to five hours (depending on the duration of
the prior exercise)(1).
For a 70kg athlete for example, this would
mean consuming 70gs to 115gs of
carbohydrate immediately after exercise, and
then repeating at regular intervals. After a
hard 1-hour run, repeating this dose just once
would probably suffice. However, after a hard
3-hour run, he/she might need to repeat this
dose hourly for 5 hours.
Protein is also important for post-exercise
recovery and in recent years, increasingly
advanced scientific techniques have helped to
shine a light into optimum post-exercise
protein intake, timing and the best protein
types for recovery.
KEY POINT: Endurance athletes need
protein as well as carbohydrate in order to
recover rapidly.
CARBOHYDRATE AND PROTEIN
DOUBLE WHAMMY
Research shows that carbohydrate and
protein work synergistically in the body, which
means that better recovery is achieved when
carbohydrate is combined with protein. In one
study, US researchers compared the effects
of a pure carbohydrate drink to a chocolate
milk drink (providing a carbohydrate/protein
blend and containing the same number of
calories) on muscle protein synthesis in
runners in the 3-hour period following a
45-minute run(2). The chocolate milk drink
increased muscle protein synthesis by 38% in
comparison to the carbohydrate-only one (see
figure 1) – i.e. it was significantly more
effective in promoting recovery.
In another very recent study, researchers
looked at muscle protein synthesis and
different recovery formulations after
high-intensity cycling(3). Twelve cyclists
completed 100 minutes of high-intensity
cycling, then over the next four hours at hourly
intervals, drank one of three recovery drinks:
n 70g protein/180g carbohydrate/30g fat
(high protein)
n 23g protein/180g carbohydrate/30g fat
(low protein)
n 0g protein/274g carbohydrate/30g fat
(zero protein)
Both the protein-containing recovery drinks
were superior at promoting muscle tissue
synthesis and recovery. However, while the
low-protein recovery drink contained only a
third of the protein of the high-protein drink, it
stimulated muscle tissue synthesis almost
equally as well. Importantly, the protein used
in these drinks was rich in leucine, and
scientists have recently discovered that
The vital role of leucine is also illustrated in a
BOX 1: NUTRITIONAL 5-day study on cyclists who performed
REQUIREMENTS FOR interval-training bouts lasting between 120
RAPID RECOVERY and 150 minutes on days 1, 2 and 3, followed
CARBOHYDRATE – needed to synthesise by a sprinting test on day 5(4). After each
and replenish muscle glycogen (the body’s interval bout, the cyclists ingested either a
premium grade fuel for strenuous leucine-rich protein, high-carbohydrate
exercise), and also to top up liver glycogen supplement or a supplement containing
stores, which serve as a reserve to exactly the same number of protein and
maintain correct blood sugar levels. carbohydrate calories but where the leucine
PROTEIN – needed to supply the amino content of the protein was poor. The results
acid building blocks required to repair and showed that feeding the leucine-rich protein
regenerate muscle fibres damaged during (along with carbohydrate) produced
exercise, and to promote muscle significantly better subsequent cycling
hypertrophy (growth) and adaptation. performance than the equivalent amount of
WATER – to replace fluid lost as sweat non leucine-rich protein.
and to aid the process of glycogen storage
in muscle. HOW MUCH, HOW OFTEN?
ELECTROLYTES – to replenish minerals A popular approach among some athletes is
lost in sweat (e.g. sodium, chloride, to simply ensure that they consume plenty, on
calcium, magnesium). the basis that “it’s better to be safe than
sorry”. The problem is that there’s only a finite
amount of protein that can be absorbed by the
muscles at any one time – the so-called
FIGURE 1: “muscle-full effect”. Consume more than this
CARBOHYDRATE VS and the extra is simply broken down and
CARBOHYDRATE AND oxidised for energy or stored as fat.
MILK PROTEIN DRINK A number of recent studies on recovery have
concluded that around 0.25gs of high-quality
protein (such as whey) per kilo of bodyweight
– e.g. 20gs for an 80kg athlete – is an ample
amount, and around the most that can be
utilised by the body after one feeding(5-7).
Relative amount of muscle synthesis after 3 hours of recovery
However, after exceptionally hard or long
bouts of exercise, the 20g per feeding
guideline might need to be raised a little - to
approximately 0.38gs per kilo of bodyweight,
which is around 30gs for an 80kg athlete(8).
KEY POINT: Your muscles can only absorb
around 20gs of protein in each feeding.
CARBOHYDRATE
Rather than consuming a large quantity in
one go, consume 20gs immediately after
CHOCOLATE
exercise and repeat every 3 hours for
maximum total absorption.
DRINK
MILK
PROTEIN TIMING
Does consuming protein during exercise (in a
carbohydrate plus protein drink), or even
before exercise give you a head start for
Research shows that recovery? There’s actually scant evidence for
carbohydrate and protein this effect - indeed, there’s some evidence
work synergistically in that protein during or before might actually
reduce recovery and muscle protein synthesis
the body, which means after exercise(9). The explanation is that a
that better recovery rapid rise in blood levels of amino acids once
protein is consumed is known to stimulate
is achieved when recovery. But if there are already plenty of
carbohydrate is amino acids swilling around in the
combined with protein bloodstream, taking more after exercise
produces a rise that is proportionately less
leucine plays a key role in muscle protein steep. Overall, the best advice is to take a
synthesis, possibly by acting as a “signalling recovery drink immediately after training
molecule”, helping to switch on genes involved when the window of recovery is wide open.
in protein synthesis.
KEY POINT: consuming small quantities of KEY POINT: Remember the “3R” rule –
protein (especially whey protein) along with rehydration, refuelling (with carbohydrate)
carbohydrate after exercise accelerates and repair (with protein) and apply it as
recovery compared to consuming only soon as you complete your training/
carbohydrate. competition.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 85
 FOOD TURBO CHARGE RECOVERY

PROTEIN FREQUENCY
How often do you need to consume protein for RECOVERY SUGGESTIONS
optimum recovery? In a landmark study, These assume a bodyweight of 80 or more kilos. Lighter athletes should reduce the amounts
researchers compared 3 different frequencies proportionately – e.g. a 50kg athlete should use 5/8ths of these quantities (multiply amounts by
of whey protein feeding on recovery and muscle 0.63), a 60kg athlete should use 6/8ths of these quantities (multiply amounts by 0.75) etc. For
repair over a 12-hour period following training snacks and meals, see box 3. Combine any 20g portion of protein with 80gs of carbohydrate.
and an initial recovery drink(10): All these figures are based on hard training sessions. For exceptionally hard/intense workouts,
n 2 x doses of 40gs every 6 hours increase the immediate post-exercise protein intake to 30gs. For lighter sessions, reduce both
n 4 x doses of 20gs every 3 hours the protein and carbohydrate quantities by a third to a half.
n 8 x doses of 10gs every 1.5 hours
FOR 1-HOUR FOR 2-HOUR FOR 3+ HOUR
Of these, it was the 20gs every 3 hours that TRAINING SESSION TRAINING SESSION TRAINING SESSION
resulted in the greatest recovery. This of course Immediately after exercise: Immediately after exercise: Immediately after exercise:
fits with the muscle-full effect described earlier consume a recovery drink consume a recovery drink consume a recovery drink
and is therefore recommended as the best way supplying 20gs protein plus supplying 20gs protein plus supplying 20gs protein plus
to ensure recovery. Of course, the 20g portions 80gs carbohydrate. 80gs carbohydrate. 80gs carbohydrate.
of protein consumed later in the day doesn’t 1-hour post exercise: 1-hour post exercise: 1-hour post exercise:
have to be in the form of a recovery drink – consume a carbohydrate consume a carbohydrate consume a carbohydrate
meals and snacks are fine too. Finally, it’s worth snack supplying 80gs of snack supplying 80gs of snack supplying 80gs of
adding that pre-sleep protein ingestion seems carbohydrate. carbohydrate. carbohydrate.
to significantly benefit muscle recovery and 3 hours post exercise: 2 hours post exercise: 2 hours post exercise:
repair. One study found that 40gs of casein consume a snack or meal consume a carbohydrate consume a carbohydrate
(milk) protein before bed stimulates muscle supplying a further 20gs snack supplying 80gs of snack supplying 80gs of
protein synthesis overnight(11). protein plus 80gs carbohydrate. carbohydrate.
carbohydrate. 3 hours post exercise: 3 hours post exercise:
BUILDING YOUR OWN Bedtime: consume a drink consume a snack or meal consume a snack or meal
RECOVERY PLAN containing around 25gs of supplying a further 20gs supplying a further 20gs
Boxes 2 and 3 show how you can use the milk protein and 15gs of protein plus 80gs protein plus 80gs
information provided to build your own recovery carbohydrate. carbohydrate. carbohydrate.
plan. These assume that you begin with a 6 hours post exercise: 4 hours post exercise:
post-exercise recovery drink (preferably consume a snack or meal consume a carbohydrate
containing whey protein) and follow up with a supplying a further 20gs snack supplying 80gs of
carbohydrate/protein snack or meal. Of course, protein plus 80gs carbohydrate.
you don’t have to use a recovery drink – you can carbohydrate. 5 hours post exercise:
always consume a snack/meal immediately Bedtime: consume a drink consume a carbohydrate
after training. containing around 25gs of snack supplying 80gs of
milk protein and 15gs of carbohydrate.
REFERENCES carbohydrate. 6 hours post exercise:
1. Clin Sports Med. 1984 Jul;3(3):595-604 consume a snack or meal
2. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2012; 44(4): 682-691
3. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015 Mar;47(3):547-55
supplying a further 20gs
4. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2011 Apr;36(2):242-53 protein plus 80gs
5. FASEBJ. 2005; 19, 422–424 carbohydrate.
6. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 2009; 89, 161–168 Bedtime: consume a drink
7. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 2014; 99, 86–95
8. Front. Physiol. September 2015; 6:245
containing around 25gs of
9. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 2010; 92,1080–1088 milk protein and 15gs of
10. J.Physiol. 2013; 591,2319–2331 carbohydrate.
11. Med.Sci.SportsExerc. 2012; 44,1560–1569

SNACKS AND MEAL FOOD COMBINATIONS

n Combine any one of the protein options (all providing 20gs of protein) with any one of the
carbohydrate options (providing 80gs of carbohydrate).
n Low-fat protein options are preferred in the early stages of recovery as amino acid release
will be more rapid (fat slows gastric emptying).
n Most of the carbohydrate foods also supply some protein too – a combination will
therefore deliver slightly more than 20gs of protein.

20g OF PROTEIN OPTION 80g OF CARBOHYDRATE OPTION

110g of white fish (cod, haddock etc) 5 medium slices of bread
90g of salmon fillet 10 crispbreads
75g of canned tuna 4 medium bananas
100g of beef steak 5 medium pears
90g of chicken breast 400g of cooked pasta
160g of cottage cheese 280g of cooked rice (brown or white)
65g of cheddar cheese 240g of baked potato
500mls of skimmed milk 150g of cooked couscous
2 small eggs 2 small slices of medium pizza
200g of baked beans 4 tablespoons of sugar-free muesli
70g of pumpkin seeds 125g of oat flakes

86 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

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 FOOD GO FASTER FOOD

13 Foods That Will

Make You Faster
Performance ingredients can speed up oxygen distribution, muscle
development, recovery times, sprint power, energy creation and
Words Rob Kemp Pictures Shutterstock

even decision-making. The key to tapping into this record-busting

larder is to know which foods really will make you faster.
EXPERT: GLENN KEARNEY
Etixx sports head nutritionist has supported
athletes from the New Zealand All Blacks to
the 2012 Team GB Athletics Team.
etixxsports.com

88 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

01
YOU CAN’T BEET IT
The evidence keeps on coming that
the essence of beetroot is not only a
super source of faster oxygen delivery but it
also boosts an athlete's thinking too.
Researchers from the University of Exeter have
found that drinking high-nitrate beetroot juice
improves sprint performance and improves
decision-making time by an incremental but
important 3% faster after drinking 140mls of
beetroot supplement, according to a report in
the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
04
SALT IT OUT
Research in The Scandinavian
Journal of Medicine & Science in
Sports, highlights how the commonly
acknowledged bad boy of nutrition – salt – can
work wonders for athletes when used wisely.
Athletes given salt capsules as part of their
in-race feeding during triathlons finished an
average of 26 minutes faster than those whose
sports drinks was spiked with a non-salty
placebo.
02
HUNGER FOR GAME
“To improve your ability to repeat
movements at high speed, try
supplementing with beta-alanine and creatine,”
suggests Kearney. Creatine is a naturally
occurring mixture of amino acids, found in meat
and fish. “The best source of creatine is wild
game such as venison - which is also leaner
with fewer calories and less saturated fat than
other red meats. Turkey and chicken breast
both have high sources of beta-alanine and for
vegetarians roasted soybeans are great, with
three grams of beta-alanine in just one cupful
(200g).”
05
SHAKE IT UP
There’s good reason as to why
recovery shakes feature in the kit
bags of athletes the world over and isn’t solely
down to clever marketing and stylish shakers.
“By consuming the right ratio of carbs, protein
and amino acids post exercise, ideally within
30-40 minutes of finishing, you’re hitting the
optimum time for muscle repair and recovery
with the ideal mix of nutrients,” says Kearney.
Shakes speed up the process as they’re
available instantly and digested rapidly.
03
COFFEE PERKS
Caffeine is a central nervous
system stimulant and a strong cup
(double espresso) can speed up the body’s
metabolism - having the effect of increasing
calorie burn in the process. But research
suggests it raises muscle recovery and energy
replenishment. A team from the Garvan Institute
of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia found
that endurance cyclists who ingested caffeine
(8mg per kg of body weight) with carbs had 66%
more glycogen in their muscles four hours after
finishing intense exercise, compared to
consuming carbs alone. “If you have 66% more
fuel for the next day’s training or competition,
there’s no question you will go farther or faster,”
said Dr John Hawley, the study’s senior author.
06
BE AN IRON MAN
“Iron from food sources or
supplementation also increases
aerobic capacity,” says Kearney.
“Especially if there’s a deficiency which needs
to be corrected.” Endurance athletes are at
greater risk of suffering with low iron levels, but
before supplementing take a look at ways of
adding iron to your diet. It’s often because of
the focus on carb loading that high-quality
protein – a main source of iron for many – gets
overlooked. Look to key sources such as roast
venison, sardines in tomato sauce, grilled rump
steak and roast lamb to raise your iron levels.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 89
FOOD GO FASTER FOOD

07
CHILL IN
Capsaicin - the compound
that makes taking out your
contact lenses after chopping chillies an
extreme sport – has also been shown to
speed up the body’s metabolic
processes, with benefits for extreme
athletes performing in colder climes. A
report from the American Society for
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
shows how chilli peppers, can increase
thermogenesis, the process by which
cells convert energy into heat, speeding
up an increase in body temperature and
thus calorie burning.

08
RYE FILLS FASTER
With stodge-like implications and a
“slow-digesting” reputation you’d
be forgiven for thinking that high fibre breakfast
cereals such as wholegrains or rye would be out
of place in a feature on “faster” foods. But the
make-up of these healthy breakfast cereals can
significantly speed up weight loss. Researchers
at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
have shown how wholegrain foods are key to
increasing levels of satiety (feeling full) and so
reducing hunger, curbing snacking and
contributing to weight management
09
TEA FOR YOU
Can’t stomach strong coffee?
That’s really no problem if you’re
fearful of losing out on the quick-thinking
benefits of caffeine because some types of tea
can deliver exactly the same results. “Caffeine
can help improve focus and speed of thought,
and decrease the perception of fatigue,” says
Kearney. “But black coffee before exercise can
cause gut issues so if you are prone to this you
may want to try green tea or a caffeine
supplement instead.”
10
FISH FINISHERS
It’s the Omega-3 fats in oily fish that
have a variety of fast-acting positive
effects for the body and mind of an athlete.
These fats can improve muscle function and
rapidly decrease post-exercise inflammation in
the body. Salmon is an excellent source of the
fats, protein and vitamins that speed up muscle
repair and make the membranes of brain cells
more supple - optimising thought processing
power.

11
BANANA SPLIT
TIMES
Bananas aren’t just loaded with
easily digestible carbohydrates for rapid
refuelling. “They’re also packed with potassium,
which aids nerve and muscle function,” says
Kearney. However, the body doesn’t store
potassium for very long and since it’s a nutrient
lost through sweat but crucial to staving off
cramp, a fast-acting, swiftly broken down
replacement is vital for long distance athletes.
We give you then, exhibit A: nature’s power bar,
the banana.
12
BERRY FAST FOOD
Blueberries, raspberries and
strawberries are all antioxidant
bulging superfoods for runners and riders –
whilst blackcurrants in particular can provide a
major boost for an athlete’s PB. Researchers in
New Zealand for the University of Chichester
found that for a group of male cyclists
blackcurrants – in concentrated form - helped
improve a 16.1km time trial performance by up
to 8.6% and boosted fat oxidation by 27% when
cycling at 65% VO2max.
13
BACTERIA
TO THE FUTURE
Speed up your recovery from illness
and create a more resilient defence to disease
by taking on good bacteria in the form of
probiotics found in yogurts. Studies reveal that
daily probiotic intake for an athlete is linked to
fewer days off training with cold and flu
symptoms. The good bacteria helps the body’s
own mucous membranes resist bugs whilst
the protein within yoghurt strengthens
immunity too.

90 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

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 FOOD FAT TRUTHS
Fat no longer the bad guy
Did you know that many healthy option foods are more likely to harm you than the
so-called bad foods they replace? Andrew Hamilton explains how the latest research
is turning our thinking on saturated fats upside down.
A professor of mine once told me: “An expert is
someone who learns more and more about less
and less, until they eventually end up knowing
everything about nothing at all.” What he meant
of course is that by focussing only on the fine
detail in a very specific area of a topic, it’s very
easy to miss the bigger picture and arrive at
completely the wrong conclusions.
Nutrition is a case in point. Studying how a
nutrient behaves in the lab is very different to
understanding how it behaves in the human
body, where the outcome is affected by a huge
range of factors such as interactions with other
nutrients, an individual’s lifestyle, environment
and genetic makeup.
Of course, this isn’t to criticise the scientists.
Scientific investigation is never simple, especially
in an extremely complex area such as human
nutrition. The best the researchers can do is to
offer the most plausible theories using the
currently available evidence, on the
understanding that a theory might have to be
adapted or thrown out completely if subsequent
evidence suggests otherwise.
DUSTBIN OF SCIENCE One theory that could
be heading towards the dustbin of nutritional
science on the above basis is the “saturated fat is
bad” mantra that consumers have had thrust
upon them by health professionals for well over
30 years. The reasoning behind this advice (now
ingrained in the national consciousness) is that
saturated fats act as killers in the body, raising
blood cholesterol and causing heart disease.
OUT WITH THE BUTTER, IN WITH MARG On
the basis of the possible link between raised
blood cholesterol and an increased risk of
coronary heart disease (CHD), consumers have
been urged to remove foods high in saturated fat
(see box 1) and instead replace them with
unsaturated or low-fat alternatives. As a
consequence, butter has become almost a rare
sight on the supermarket shelves, replaced
instead with a plethora of “butter substitutes”,
claiming to be healthier courtesy of a reduced fat
content, or higher unsaturated fat content, or
“healthy heart additives” or various combinations
of the above. Likewise, full-fat yoghurts have
virtually disappeared to be replaced with low-fat
(but often sugar-laden) alternatives. Sales of red
meat have declined, consumers are urged to
cook and bake with unsaturated oils such as
Words Andrew Hamilton Pictures Shutterstock
sunflower oil, while manufacturers have been
busy replacing saturated fats with unsaturated
in many of their products.
A BIG FAT PROBLEM Although this move away
from saturated towards unsaturated fat seems
logical, there’s a problem – namely there’s little
evidence it’s improving our health. Indeed, many
people may have been persuaded to make
changes that may actually be harmful to their
92 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016
SOURCES OF
SATURATED FATS
Saturated fats are found in many foods, both
sweet and savoury. Most of them come from
animal sources, including meat and dairy
products, as well as some plant foods such
as palm oil. Foods high in saturated fats
include:
n Red meat (esp. fattier cuts)
n Meat products
n Butter, ghee and lard
n Cheese, especially hard cheese
n Cream
n Some savoury snacks
n Biscuits, cakes and pastries
n Palm oil
n Coconut oil and cream
health!
The reason is because the advice given by
health professionals was based on observations
that saturated fats can raise levels of total blood
cholesterol, theoretically increasing the risk of
CHD. However, total blood cholesterol is only
modestly associated with CHD. What seems to
be more important than the total level of
cholesterol in the blood is the number and size of
low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles that
contain that cholesterol.
Also, saturated fat actually consists of a very
large number of different and diverse
compounds; we now understand that different
saturated fats may have different effects on
LDL, and on the wider risk of heart disease,
based on the specific saturated fatty acids they
contain. Importantly, people eat foods, not
isolated fatty acids. So some foods rich in
saturated fat may pose no risk for CHD or could
even be protective.
What’s more, recent evidence has emerged
indicating that eating saturated fat over a long
period of time is not linked to heart disease. In a
landmark study published just a few months ago,
scientists looked at data on saturated fat
consumption over many years and the
subsequent incidence of heart disease by pooling
together 12 previous studies in this area(1). Each
of these studies was in itself very large (using
between 90,000 and 340,000 subjects), which
means that the overall results were based on
more than a million people of all ages and
backgrounds.
The results were damning; there was simply no
association between saturated fat intake and the
incidence of stroke, heart disease, death from
heart disease, or indeed early death from any
other causes such as cancer. That was the good
news; the bad news was that consuming certain
types of unsaturated fats called “trans fats” was
strongly linked to an increased risk of heart
disease and death from heart disease. And that’s
worrying because trans fats tend to occur when
foods containing unsaturated fats are processed
– exactly the kinds of foods that the health
professionals told us to eat more of instead of
saturated fat.
MORE FAT, LESS SUGAR There’s also another
downside to the “ditch saturated fat” health
mantra because in a number of foods such as
low-fat yoghurts, the manufacturers reduce the
fat content but then add significant quantities of
sugar to compensate for the thinner texture that
inevitably occurs. However, when saturated fats
are replaced with refined carbohydrates such as
sucrose (table sugar) or high fructose corn syrup,
the end result is bad heart health. A newly
published study reviewing all the evidence has
concluded that such a replacement inevitably
leads to unfavourable changes in LDL
cholesterol and blood fats, which increase the
risk of CHD, and that a diet high in added sugars
can cause a 3-fold increased risk of death due to
CHD(2).
THE WAY FORWARD At this point, you may be
feeling more than a little confused and
wondering what this means for your weekly
shopping trip? Well, let’s try and put these
findings into context. These (and other) recent
studies are not saying that we should be
switching to a diet of steak and clotted cream.
But what they do suggest is that switching from
foods naturally rich in saturated fat to those
where saturated fat is replaced with unsaturated
fat is not supported by scientific evidence.
Indeed, it could actually be a bad move since
processed products containing unsaturated fats
are likely to contain higher levels of harmful
trans fats.
But let’s add a couple of caveats. Firstly, if you
train seriously, a diet rich in natural, unprocessed
carbohydrate is essential to help fuel your
workouts. By reducing junk fat in your diet, you
can increase the proportion of carbohydrate
without the need to consume an excess of
calories, which could dent performance by piling
on the pounds. Secondly, some unsaturated fat
(“essential” fats) is very important for health –
especially omega-3 oils, which tend to be lacking
in the typical British diet.
On the latest and best available evidence to
date therefore, a sensible approach is not to
assume that products labelled “low-fat”,
“fat-free” or “low in saturated fat” are any
healthier than their traditional counterparts.
Instead, reduce your intake of processed and
refined foods, which are more likely to contain
harmful fats, ensure you consume some
high-quality essential fats. Watch out too for
low-fat foods with added sugar - one of the
biggest health cons in the book. Finally, if you
enjoy butter on your toast, or the occasional slab
of red meat, tuck in, enjoy and don’t feel guilty.
 PRACTICAL
TIPS
n Reduce your intake of
fast/processed/junk foods,
which are high in fat and
may contain significant
levels of trans fats.

n Don’t switch to low-fat

products that contain
added sugar.

n Use butter for spreading,

not margarines - even
low-fat, polyunsaturated or
cholesterol-lowering
margarines.

n Forget “easy spread”

butters too – they have
hydrogenated vegetable
oils added to make them
“spreadable”.

n Use only pure olive oil for

cooking – not sunflower,
corn oil or any other
vegetable oil. While not a
good source of essential
fats, olive oil is relatively
heat stable and doesn’t
produce harmful
compounds when heated.

n Reduce your
consumption of the
following (even low-fat
versions), which can all
contain adulterated
harmful fats when
produced commercially:
crisps, biscuits, cakes,
pastries, crackers,
confectionery, pies, frozen
or prepared meals,
mayonnaises, salad
dressings, chips, processed
meats, “cook in” sauces
and curry pastes.

n Avoid products
containing “hydrogenated
vegetable oil”. Check all
labels – you’ll be surprised
where they pop up.

n For baking or treats, use

butter or cream.

n To boost your intake of

essential fats (especially
omega-3s): use fresh seeds
sprinkled on salads,
especially hemp, pumpkin
and sunflower; switch from
white breads, cereals, rice
and pasta to whole grain
versions; eat fatty fish
(mackerel, herring,
sardines, salmon, trout
pilchards etc) at least once
a week.
References 1. BMJ 2015;351:h3978; 2. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2015 Nov 13. pii: S0033-0620(15)30025-6. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2015.11.006.

93
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GEAR
PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING KIT FOR TRAINING AND EVENTS
Light, camera, action
KNOG QUDOS, £89.99, euro.knog.com.au
WITH THE GOPRO now a universal accessory for
fans of the outdoors (other action cameras are
available, as they would say on the BBC), the
Knog Qudos has the power to cast new light,
literally, on your films.
From transforming movies shot in low light and
night adventures to illuminating snorkel and
scuba dives, the Qudos has the capacity to cast
up to 400 lumens, bringing new levels of detail to
film. The CNC machined aluminium case is
waterproof to a depth of 40m, the beam can be
set at narrow, wide and ultra wide angles, and the
98
CONTENTS
96 MARATHON
SHOES
98 29ER MTBS
105 HEAD
TORCHES
light from the three LEDs can be switched
between a low of 70 lumens and a high of 400. At
a weight of 150gs it’s not too heavy to mount on
your biking helmet either.
Runtime varies from about 40 minutes in high
beam to over four hours in low, and the USB-
rechargeable lithium battery is replaceable so
you can take spares along.
It comes with an action camera mount
compatible with GoPro cases, as well as a cold
shoe for use on a DSLR camera or tripod, and it’s
available in black or silver.
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 95
 GEAR MARATHON SHOES

Marathon shoes Spring marathon in your sights?

It’s time to sort your footwear for
long, comfortable runs

1 2 3

1 NIKE FREE 4.0 FLYKNIT, £110,
nike.com
The “Free” in the name indicates this shoe has
an emphasis on “natural motion”. The Flyknit
upper holds and flexes with your foot really
well. The midsole (there’s no conventional
outsole) has a pattern of deep flex groves that
not only offers excellent forefoot flexibility but
also means your whole foot moves more
naturally. This fluency feels great and if you are
used to a more structured or protective shoe
the difference is marked. It takes time for your
feet and ankles to get used to it so if you need
more support this is not the shoe for you.
Cushioning is reasonable, there’s not as much
on offer as from a conventional training shoe,
but there is more than you would get from an
out and out minimalist shoe.
Verdict: Great as an alternative shoe and as a
means of strengthening and mobilising your
feet and ankles. Only a daily use shoe for very
well conditioned runners with good
biomechanics.
Words Paul Larkins
2 ADIDAS SUPERNOVA GLIDE 8, £105,
adidas.co.uk
This shoe ticks all the key boxes you want from
a neutral training shoe. It’s well cushioned with
a comfortable ride from heel to toe. There’s a
springy feel to the shoe from heel strike to
toe-off and decent stability adds to this clean
transition. The fit’s very good with the upper
hugging your foot well at the heel and midfoot
and there’s enough space in the toe-box. Good
flex in the upper adds to the comfort.
While it’s neither a minimalist shoe nor a
racer, the Supernova Glide 8 is relatively light
and responsive. This means covering the miles
is easier and for faster running the shoe will
cope well. Whether you want a shoe that
happily covers mile after mile or one that allows
you to push the pace on, this one does the job.
Verdict: A versatile shoe that offers great
comfort
Rating: nnnnnnnnnn
3 PEARL IZUMI ROAD N3, £94.99,
pearlizumi.co.uk
A shoe for the pacier runners amongst us. The
N3 is going to work well for interval sessions,
hard timed runs over 8-10 miles as you get
ready for the marathon, and perhaps most
importantly of all, race day given its
competitively low weight. Sitting on a
beautifully cushioned midsole, there’s a nice
wide feel to the toe box, and perhaps most
significantly, a real sense that you can drive off
from your toes. While the shoe leans towards
the neutral runner, those with mild pronation
won’t be unhappy with the responsive feel, and
you’d certainly favour it for key workouts and
the “big day” without any problems. Keen
runners will know there are two schools of
thought for midsoles, summarised simply as
hard versus soft. This shoe is definitely on the
soft side of that particular divide.
Verdict: An efficient shoe happy to perform
on race day as well as in training.
Rating: nnnnnnnnnn

Rating: nnnnnnnnnn

96 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

 4 5
4 NEW BALANCE HIERRO, £100,
newbalance.co.uk
Running manuals and an endless line of experts
– our illustrious team included – will wax lyrical
about the benefits that trail running offers for
your marathon training, additional endurance,
better core strength and so on, however put
your hands up if you actually live in an area with
the required amount of unspoiled countryside? If
like us, most of your runs consist of Tarmac,
some meagre sections of canal path or other
hard packed dirt surfaces, then meet your new
shoe! The Hierro is springy, soft even, well-
equipped for stony surfaces and forgiving on the
road. Now shop staff will tell you this is a trail
shoe, but let us tell you, the shoes won’t mind
being “Chelsea tractors” either. Okay, they’re a
bit cumbersome for pace work and the race
itself, but for everything else for runners who
mix and match and are looking for a jack-of-all-
trades these really are shoes to consider.
Verdict: Designed with rocky paths in mind,
the Hierro won’t mind some road mixed with
some trail. Great for long distance work.
Rating: nnnnnnnnnn
5 ASICS METARUN, £200,
asics.co.uk
This is an oddly stressful shoe to test because
of the price and its numerous extra
technologies. For this kind of money you hope
something sensational will occur. So what do
you get? Well, more cushioning, five times more
technology and much less weight, pretty much
an ideal package then. Asics’ FlyteFoam plays a
pivotal role in providing all you expect from a
performance shoe. Fans of Asics’ Kayano will
certainly love the solid, stable feel of the shoe.
Cushioning is from the futon-school of comfort
– it’s hard and good for you! Other features
include the AdaptTrus, which flexes safely
under normal foot strike but becomes rigid if
the arch of the foot rolls too much. It not only
adapts to the support requirements of individual
runners, but also provides progressively
adaptive support and a smoother transition,
thereby reducing local pressure as the arch
drops during a long distance run due to fatigue.
Verdict: A lucky few will nab a pair of these
limited edition beauties and despite the hefty
price tag they won’t be disappointed.
Rating: nnnnnnnnnn
6
6 ONRUNNING CLOUDFLYER, £130,
on-running.com
Fans of lightweight shoes should take a peak at
these. The technology sounds a bit airy-fairy in
that the “clouds” you’re running on lock firmly
on impact to provide a solid, stable base from
which to propel yourself down the road.
Propelling might be a little too enthusiastic
description though, but you’ll certainly know all
about the light, responsive feel these shoes
provide and yes, your stopwatch might also
reveal you’re moving a little easier and a little
faster. Interestingly, for such a springy shoe,
they feel quite hard – no bad outcome for pace
workouts, speedy 10ks and even race day itself.
Maybe you’d want another pair of slightly more
cushioned shoes for bog standard, long days
out over rougher terrain, but to be honest that’s
being a little picky - for just about every runner
these will work.
Verdict: Would-be speedsters and light-on-
your-feet types will enjoy the performance,
makes for a great race day shoe for most
of us.
Rating: nnnnnnnnnn
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 97
 GEAR 29ER MTBS

Big wheels,
big speed
When it comes to off-road speed, there’s
nothing faster than a 29er mountain bike. Our
four, sub £1,000 test bikes prove you don’t
have to spend a fortune to go flat out either.
THE LAST COUPLE of years have seen
the rise of a new all-rounder 27.5-inch
wheel size that splits the difference
between original 26-inch wheeled
mountain bikes and wagon wheeled
29ers (with 29-inch diameter wheels).
When it comes to rolling over roots and
rocks with minimum loss of speed and
turbo-diesel style surges of power that’ll
punish your riding mates, 29ers still have
the upper hand. That’s why they’re still
very much the dominant force in MTB
cross-country and marathon racing, with
27.5in bikes only getting a look in for
riders who aren’t big enough to feel
comfortable on bigger wheels. The
stability and increased confidence
inspired by 29ers also makes them great
for more technical trails compared to
smaller wheeled bikes of similar
suspension travel which are literally
more likely to get tripped up by rocks and
roots. Their impact shrinking ability is
even more valuable if your budget doesn’t
stretch to a lightweight suspension bike,
and that’s definitely the case if you’ve got
to keep a £1,000 lid on your shopping.
As you’ll see from our test, a grand will
still potentially buy you the serious speed
and technology that you’d hope for and
expect. It also offers you a diverse range
of ride characteristics and mixes
well-sorted complete packages with
bikes whose real value is their upgrade
potential. Question is, which bike will get
you maximum speed for your spend?

1 2

4
WHAT TO
LOOK FOR
1 Tyres While 29er raise the already tall bikes though, so make
wheels naturally roll front end any higher. sure they match your fit
more smoothly over Quality of suspension is and ride quality
rocks, roots and dips more important than preferences.
than smaller wheels, the quantity of travel
tyres on the rims are though, so check model 4 Handling While all
also crucial. These details, rather than just four of our test bikes
speed-focused bikes relying on brand names. look similar they’ve all
tend towards faster got distinctive handling
tyres with minimal 3 Frame £1,000 won’t characteristics. Different
tread, rather than normally buy you a bar, stem, steering angle
Words Guy Kesteven Pictures Michael Kirkman

all-weather grippers, but carbon fibre frame, but and wheelbase

width can also make a the latest alloy
massive difference to machines ride really well
overall ride quality. and aren’t much heavier
than a cheap composite
2 Fork XC/Trail 29ers chassis. Seemingly tiny
typically use a fork with tweaks to tubes and
between 80 and 120mm dimensions can make
of travel as they’re big differences between
lighter and they don’t seemingly identical
dimensions create
everything from ultra
responsive old-school
skittishness to
comparatively relaxed
confidence so check our
reviews to get
something that suits
your style.

98 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 99
GEAR 29ER MTBS

Trek Superfly 5 £1,000

Trek’s Superfly series has been one of the most successful racing bloodlines in
mountain bike history. Does this entry-level model do the family name full justice?
FRAME AND FORKS The 5 is the
cheapest Superfly but gets the
same lightweight hydraulically
formed alloy frameset as Trek’s
£1,600 8, £1,400 7 and £1,200 6
models. The tapered E2 head tube
assures steering stiffness and the
flex of the extended seat post and
skinny, wide splayed seat stays
should increase rough terrain
comfort. There’s masses of tyre
room and the smallest of six sizes
comes with 27.5-inch rather than
29-inch wheels for better handling
balance.
The highest price on test gets you
a good looking spec including Race
Face cranks and a Rock Shox
Recon fork with remote lockout.
However, closer inspection reveals
that while the head tube is tapered,
the fork uses a skinny and more
flexible straight gauge steerer tube
that undermines it’s stouter leg,
and provides a smarter damping
advantage over the other bikes on
test. The XT rear mech doesn’t
have a clutch to stop chain clatter
either. The Bontrager bars take
some twisting to find a
comfortable angle and they’re too
narrow to force the bike against the
grain of the trail. The unlocked
grips start to slip and spin in the
wet too and the tyres are real ride
killers.
THE RIDE While the Bontrager
XR1 tyres are labelled as 2.2-inch
wide they’re actually only 1.9-inch
across and significantly lower in
height. This dramatically
decreases their ability to absorb
trail chatter and soften bigger
blows before they get to the rest of
the bike. This creates a jarring,
jolting character particularly at the
back end of the bike. Things
improved noticeably when we
switched to the genuine 2.2-inch
tyred wheels of the other bikes to
try and identify the issue but even
then the frame is surprisingly blunt
for such a svelte looking structure.
Despite being the lightest bike on
test by a long way, the Superfly
feels disappointingly inert and
unwilling when you press the
pedals, with enough flex in the
wheels to make the front brake
rotor rub when you’re charging
hard. While they roll well on the
road or hard packed bike paths, the
tyres lack of bump absorption
means the Trek struggles to hold
both speed and accurate lines in
the rough. Minimal tread means the
tyres are generally already well on
their way into a sideways slide
before you even start to try and
lean them over, so cornering is
cautious. The degree to which the
wheel and tyre combination
undermines the ride is a real shame
and means we have to mark the
bike down as a complete package.
The handling is basically sorted
though and the lightweight frame is
well worth upgrading over time,
especially if you can negotiate
bigger tyres at the time of
purchase.

VERDICT Trek’s introduction to the Superfly range looks the part and the superlight frame certainly has race potential. Details like the
untapered fork, rattling rear mech and ride killing tyres are disappointing on the most expensive bike here.
RATING nnnnnnnnnn

100 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

Focus Black Forest Lite £899
The best component list here combined with a full-featured frameset for the lowest
price on test means it’s hard to fault the Focus on paper.
FRAME AND FORKS The Focus is
certainly bang up to date in feature
terms. Very neat internal control
routing disappears into a plastic
junction box at the head tube and
the frame tubes are triple butted to
minimise weight and vibration
fatigue. An easily adjustable post
mount holds the rear brake and a
142x12mm screw-in rear axle with
closed dropouts (rather than open
quick release slots) creates a more
secure, stiffer rear wheel
connection. If you don’t like black
there’s a blue/green version too, but
it’s only available in small, medium
and large size options. Limiting sizes
does reduce costs though which
means you get the most expensive
(Rock Shox Recon) fork on test
complete with a 15mm screw
through axle to match the frame.
Shimano Deore stop and go kit is a
byword for dependable durability
and own brand Concept wheels and
finishing kit perform perfectly
adequately. The big volume
Continental Race King 2.2-inch tyres
are definitely a good match for the
rest of the bike too.
THE RIDE While it’s the parts and
frame that might be the outstanding
aspects in the showroom, it’s
definitely the geometry not the kit
that’s the most immediately obvious
aspect of the Black Forest’s ride.
Specifically, the steep 700-degree
head angle makes it very quick
steering despite the naturally stable,
harder to turn inertia of the bigger
wheels. In fact, jumping off the more
relaxed steering bikes on test and
onto the Focus can trip you up with
the way it turns immediately if you’re
not careful. It also makes it feel
more nervous on fast and/or
slippery descents as the front wheel
doesn’t naturally self correct and
straighten up as obviously as a
slacker angled bike. This does make
the Focus feel very responsive and
agile when you’re climbing or
threading through tight tree lines
on the trail at slower speeds
however. This will particularly
appeal to riders who want to retain
the responsiveness of a traditional
26-inch wheeled bike but want the
extra rolling smoothness of a 29er.
The 15mm front and 142x12mm
rear through axles make for a
significantly stiffer wheel-to-bike
connection and more precise
positioning too, so once you’ve
adapted to the handling, the Focus
is very much on point however
tricky things get.
The frame itself is also a good
overall balance between
performance and punishment
avoidance. There’s an
encouragingly direct connection to
the rear wheel through the cranks
and while it’s slightly heavier than
the Scott and not quite as stiff as
the BMC it’s still competitive with
both on the trail. Continental’s
chubby Race King tyres add their
signature float and easy speed
between bike and trail too. If you’ve
suffered at the hands of older
versions of these tyres in the wet,
this latest version has a noticeably
softer, more trustworthy tackiness
when the dirt gets damp. The
skinny rear stays help you to
sustain pedalling rhythm and speed
across rougher terrain and there’s
less general shake and rattle grief
on longer, rougher rides.

VERDICT if you want a really well specced, smooth, speed retaining and efficient big wheeler that handles as instantly as your old 26-inch
race bike, the Black Forest Lite is a great package for the price.
RATING nnnnnnnnnn

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 101

GEAR 29ER MTBS

BMC Team Elite 03 SLX £950

BMC has made a big impact at the top level of cross-country MTB racing. This makes
the stiff character of the Team Elite unsurprising.
FRAME AND FORKS While most
MTB frames now use a sloped top
tube to create a lighter, compact
frame with a longer seat post
extension for shock absorbing flex,
BMC has stayed with an almost flat
strut-reinforced top tube that
matches its road bike designs. This
creates a frame that feels
physically much bigger and the
multi-shaped tubing and brace rear
stays are similarly stout in size.
External cable and brake hose
routing makes maintenance easy
and the quick release seat collar
makes height adjustment or stuffing
it into the back of a car that bit
easier. While it’s a large frame for a
given size there’s no actual XL
frame option and the coil sprung
Rock Shox front fork is also harder
to set up for different rider weights
compared to an air sprung fork.
Despite flexible 30mm legs it’s
heavy too (as is the complete bike)
and there’s no remote lockout for
sprinting. The SLX element of the
SLX/Deore description is actually
only the rear mech too, but the
Deore cranks, shifters, hubs and
brakes all work smoothly and
dependably. The DT Swiss rims are
wrapped in plump Continental Race
King tyres that actually measure
their claimed 2.2-inch width.
THE RIDE The rounded balloon
body of the Continental tyres is an
obvious factor in initial ride feel too,
underlining the Team Elite with a
really smooth and naturally speedy
character. The rear end of the BMC
definitely seems to create more
propulsion from its Deore cranks
than the other bikes here. Add the
ability of the big mainframe to
channel shoulder power through
the bars to the back wheel and
whenever it came to dropping
mates on smoother trails and
shallow grades, the BMC has a
clear advantage. It’s stiff enough to
offset its relatively hefty complete
weight on short power climbs too,
where the wide bars help amplify
upper body input.
The short stem makes for
comparatively agile and responsive
steering feel up front so you can
turn quickly into corners. The long
wheelbase and rear end keep it
fundamentally stable and
surefooted when you’re on
straighter descents at high speed
though. The extended top tube
means the short stem doesn’t
compromise breathing space
either.
The stiffness that it uses so
effectively on smoother trails and
power plays does literally come
back to bite you on the a***e when
you hit rougher terrain though.
You’ll know all about any potholes
or big stray rocks you don’t dodge
and even lumpy tussocks on field
side tracks will jolt and buck you
around. All this makes pedalling
rhythm hard to maintain unless
you hover above the saddle which
inevitably fatigues legs fast. While
the coil sprung fork up front is
smooth over smaller impacts,
significant drops, rocks and roots
still come walloping through and it
flexes noticeably when you start
braking or turning hard. The long,
tall frame also makes it
cumbersome to hop and pop over
obstacles on more technical trails.

VERDICT If you’re a powerful or just uncompromisingly aggressive rider looking for maximum muscle return and a light steering feel on the
trail then BMC’s Team Elite is one of the best options you’ll find for under £1,000. Don’t expect a comfy ride on rougher trails though.
RATING nnnnnnnnnn

102 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016

Scott Scale 960 £949
Turn up to watch any MTB race and you’re guaranteed to see more than your fair
share of Scott bikes. But what impresses is how much fast fun the Scale 960 can be.
FRAME AND FORKS Scott’s
crazy light carbon frames might
grab the headlines, but its alloy
frames are also extremely light
compared to others. The thin wall,
multi thickness tubing gives an
impressively cultured and forgiving
ride too. Add in contemporary
features like internal cable routing
for clean lines and a post mount
rear brake for easy adjustment and
it’s a very upgradeable frameset.
There’s a full range of sizes up to
XXL and rather than allocating
wheel size dependent on frame size,
the Scale 760 uses 27.5-inch
wheels but an otherwise identical
spec if you want slightly snappier
acceleration and handling but a
firmer ride quality.
Whichever wheel size you go for
you’re getting an acceptable
selection of kit for the money, where
an XT rear mech is the highlight on
the otherwise Deore stop and go
equipment. The Syncros cockpit
and seating kit is all well shaped
gear, and the Maxxis Ikon tyres on
the Syncros rims are arguably the
best fast tyres around, with much
better grip than you’d expect as
long as things don’t get too wet and
sloppy. The Rock Shox TK 30 fork
gets a remote control lever on the
bars so you can lock it out for
sprinting or smooth climbs. The
quick release (rather than through
axle) 30mm diameter legs are
slightly flexier than the 32mm
diameter leg forks of the Trek and
Focus when you’re braking and
steering hard though.
THE RIDE The Scale feels more
controlled in steering terms
because Scott was one of the first
bike companies to reverse the
tradition of race bikes being
nervously fast handling machines.
Instead it realised that letting
riders relax more on descents
reduced overall fatigue and also
gave them the confidence to open
gaps on the way down rather than
just hanging on for grim death and
then attacking again on the climbs.
Obviously a more confident,
relaxing bike is more fun when you
want to push your limits or just
extract maximum playtime on any
trail and that’s certainly the case
with the Scale. By using a
comparatively relaxed 69-degree
head angle and a 720mm wide bar
for increased steering leverage it
feels more secure and easily
controlled whether you’re
straightlining a rough or loose
section at speed or surfing a slide
through a slippery corner.
The noticeably forgiving feel of
the frame means it loses less
speed when jolted off-line or
hooked up on bigger obstacles on
rough terrain – this helps to
increase traction and sustain
pedalling rhythm better. Combined
with the confident handling up
front, this put the Scott firmly on
the offensive not the defensive as
soon as the trails got technical and
taxing. There is a slight trade-off in
terms of absolute sprint stiffness
on smooth trails but the remote
fork lever gives you a psychological
edge when attacking out of the
saddle. The significantly lighter
weight and supple tyres are also
an advantage on longer climbs -
particularly rougher ones.

VERDICT While the fork is a bit flexy, and the kit isn’t the best value here, all our test team agreed that the Scott 960’s mix of lightweight
efficiency, smooth rolling speed, confident handling and addictively playful enthusiasm makes it the pick of the pack.
RATING nnnnnnnnnn

February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 103

GEAR 29ER MTBS

And the
winner is...
IF YOU WERE predicting results based on the visual
appearance of their frames or a study of specifications
then you’d probably come up with a different set of
results to those of our test team. That just goes to show
how important frame quality and handling character are
to the overall performance of a modern mountain bike,
even in what seems a very similar selection.
Trek’s Superfly 5 definitely looks promising on paper
but it doesn’t take long on the trail to leave a rider
starting to feel underwhelmed. The dead feel through
the pedals and rough ride of the narrow tyres are
obviously the big problem in terms of ride feel but the
hidden skinny fork and twisting grips are disappointing
too.
As long as you don’t need an extra small or extra large
bike the Focus Black Forest Lite has an impressively
comprehensive list of contemporary frame features.
Despite the cheapest price it’s got an equally sorted kit
list too, including a through-axle fork to boost control
and a through-axle frame. Whether it’ll work for you or
not depends entirely on whether you want a 29er that
still handles like your old 1990s race bike or something
more modern and mischief proof.
BMC’s Team Elite TE03 is also a bike you’ll buy based
on feel, in this case a solid and surefooted anvil for
beating out a punishing pace that extracts maximum
speed from your muscle power. Just don’t expect high
velocity to equal forgiving comfort when the trail gets
more toothy.
That leaves a clear winner for both all round trail riding
and competitive honours, and that’s the Scott Scale
960. It’s light, agile and efficient enough to race for real
or just give your mates a hard time on every climb.
Where it really scores though is showing just how much
control, confidence and fun a stable steering but
responsively agile and smooth riding 29er frame can
deliver every time you hit the trail.

BRAND SCOTT BMC TREK FOCUS

Bike Scale 960 Team Elite TE03 SLX Superfly 5 Black Forest Lite
Price £949 £950 £1,000 £899
Weight 12.7kg 13.4kg 12.51kg 13.03kg
Frame Custom butted superlight alloy Custom alloy Alpha platinum alloy MTB SL Alloy
Fork Rock Shox 30 Silver TK PopLoc Rock Shox 30 Silver TK PopLoc Rock Shox Recon G2 Silver Rock Shox Recon G2 Silver
remote air spring 100mm remote coil spring 100mm Solo Air spring 100mm travel Solo Air spring, Maxle 15mm
travel travel axle 100mm travel
Chainset Shimano M627 36-22T Shimano M627 36-22T Race Face Ride 36-22T Shimano M615 36-22T
Mechs Shimano XT rear, Deore front, Shimano SLX rear, Deore front, Shimano XT rear, SRAM X7 Shimano SLX rear, Deore front,
Shimano HG50 cassette Shimano HG50 cassette front, Shimano HG50 cassette SRAM PG1020 cassette
11-36T 11-36T 11-36T 11-36T
Shifters Shimano Deore Shimano Deore Shimano Deore Shimano Deore
Wheels Syncros GX03V rim on DT Swiss 483D rim on Bontrager Mustang Elite Concept EX rim on Shimano
Formula CL51 QR hub Shimano Deore M615 QR hub Tubeless Ready rim on Deore 15mm axle hub
Bontrager QR hub
Tyres Maxxis Ikon 29x2.2in Continental Race King 29x2.2in Bontrager XR1 Expert Continental Race King 29x2.2in
Tubeless Ready 29x2.2in
Brakes Shimano M425 disc Shimano Deore M615 Shimano M445 disc Shimano M396 disc
180/160mm rotors 160/160mm rotors 180/160mm rotors 180/160mm rotors
www scott-sports.com evanscycles.com trekbikes.com focus-bikes.com

104 outdoorfitnessmag.com February 2016


Don’t let darkness keep you indoors. These headtorches for runners
mean you can train at any time of the evening.
1 3
2 4
1 PETZL MYO, £80,
petzl.com
Powered by three AA batteries
there’s no danger of running out of
light with the Myo – just carry
spare batteries. The power pack
and lamp are on opposite sides of
the headband to spread the load,
but this is still the heaviest torch
on test. Its beam is white and clear,
with three settings of 60, 110 and
280 lumens plus a strobe. In each
setting it’s possible to programme
10 different levels of brightnesses
so you can calibrate light needs to
battery life (there’s a handy charge
indicator). For running on Tarmac,
the lower setting is plenty, but
you’ll need the mid setting
off-road; and a boost option
delivers 370 lumens for 60
seconds, which is handy if you’re
navigating at night and want to
scan a hillside for a path. Battery
life depends on the type of AA –
expect longer from premium
batteries. While the beam is
excellent, the bulk and weight of
this torch lean the Myo towards
walking or biking, rather than
running, where I found its lighter
rivals stayed in place more easily.
Verdict: A robust, richly-featured
torch, but heavier than its rivals.
Rating: nnnnnnnnnn
See the light
2 SILVA TRAIL RUNNER 2X, £79.99,
silva.se
The Silva may only be 35gs lighter
than the Petzl, but it feels
substantially less weighty because
of the distribution of its weight.
There’s a chunky, USB-
rechargeable battery pack on the
back of the headband, and a
featherweight lamp at the front, a
combination that seems to apply
much less pressure to the
forehead and consequently feels
more comfortable. The Silva
produces up to 160 lumens in its
three settings; maximum,
minimum and flash, with a single
four-hour USB charge good for
seven hours of use in the higher
setting and 14 hours in the lower (I
found it exceeded these official
times). On a run, the spread of light
really impresses, combining a
close range floodlight and a long
distance spotlight – all of which
inspires running confidence and
maintaining pace on dark, uneven
trails. The anti-slip gripper in the
headband also helps it stay in
place better than any of the other
headlamps.
Verdict: The combination of flood
and spot lights works brilliantly.
It’s the most comfortable to wear.
Rating: nnnnnnnnnn
3 NATHAN NEBULA FIRE, £85,
2pure.co.uk
The Nathan is the second-lightest
torch on test, which is impressive
given that it has a USB-
rechargeable battery and smart
technology. It’s all bound up in a
single unit on the forehead – I
prefer the battery and lamp to be
split at the front and back, but this
is a personal choice. Designed
specifically for running, the pool of
light is exactly where you want it,
and what’s really innovative is a
sensor that lets you adjust the
brightness of the beam without
pressing a button – just swipe your
hand in front of the lamp when it’s
turned on and you can change the
setting from low (16 lumens) to
medium (80 lumens), to high (160
lumens) or sprint (192 lumens,
although limited to three-minute
bursts). There’s also a clever
strobe that automatically activates
in the face of car headlights to
warn oncoming drivers that you’re
a runner and not street furniture. A
five-hour recharge offers battery
life that ranges from 4¼ hours in
high to 25 hours in low.
Verdict: Lots of clever features in
a running-specific headtorch.
Rating: nnnnnnnnnn
February 2016 outdoorfitnessmag.com 105
HEADTORCHES GEAR
4 ALPKIT MUON, £21,
alpkit.com
Yes, that price is correct – you
could buy four of these for one of
the Nathan’s and still have change.
Moreover, it’s the lightest on test at
just 68gs, has a flashing rear red
light, and is powered by a single
AA battery, so carrying spares is
easy. The run time is also
impressive, stretching from nine to
35 hours in focus beam mode
(depending on the type of
disposable battery). But compared
with its much more expensive
rivals, the quality of the light
doesn’t match up. The Muon offers
a choice of a focused beam with
three brightness settings (4, 34
and 134 lumens) plus strobe, or a
floodlight with two settings (10
and 31 lumens) and strobe. While
the focus beam is fine on Tarmac
and smooth trails, there were
times when I wished I could
combine it with the floodlight for
rooty, uneven tracks. The strap is
also narrower than the others,
forcing me to wear it tighter to
keep it in place.
Verdict: Exceptional value, but
committed night runners should
consider upgrading.
Rating: nnnnnnnnnn
Reader challenge
Jessica Rowlands is a twenty-year-old law student from London with too much energy.
Each year she tries to do something that really challenges her. In 2014 she learnt to fly
and last year she decided to run her first marathon… the Polar Circle Marathon that is!
I HAD INITIALLY signed up for the Paris where the wind chill reached minus 30 degrees Navy SEALs that it would be a good idea to get
Marathon, but when injury struck and I had to C. The winding hills of the next 30 kilometres up the following day to run the half marathon. It
pull out, I knew I needed to commit to showed us some incredible landscapes in the turns out this sort of thing has diminishing
something big to keep me motivated. So I monumental arctic desert. At kilometre 37 I marginal returns; day two brought less euphoria
googled “cool marathons” and ended up signing found myself alone amongst all this beauty and and more moaning. But I made it.
myself up for the Polar Circle Marathon literally vividly remember being concerned about I have always loved the outdoors but this
“the coolest marathon on earth”. frostbite on my cheeks (having ditched my experience has multiplied my addiction to
I decided to raise money for Mind, which is a balaclava) so I started singing Beyoncé tunes at outdoor sports. Whilst others my age like to
really fantastic cause, but I didn’t announce my the top of my voice to keep the blood flowing. spend their weekends jumping around in clubs
intention to run (and therefore ask for Good job no one was around to witness that and putting pizza on the ceiling I have just bought
sponsorship) until three weeks before the race. calamity. Some might argue I wasn’t running a new pair of trail shoes and a tent and have
This was because even up until the last few fast enough if I had the energy to sing Single planned some adequately cold, wet and lonely
minutes I wasn’t sure if I would make it, and I Ladies and they might be right, because I weekends in the wintery wilderness of the UK. It
didn’t want to let anyone down. desperately didn’t want the race to finish. I was is experiences like the Polar Circle Marathon and
So, at the end of October I headed out to a utterly loopy with euphoria. Clearly I am no magazines like Outdoor Fitness that make me
remote town in the Arctic Circle in Greenland athlete, but I ended up being the first British realise that I’m not a total weirdo for enjoying this
and met a group of much older and much more woman to finish the race in a very long, slow, stuff, or if I am, at least I’m not alone.
experienced runners. They also turned out to be slippy and magnificent 5 hours and 13 minutes. I You can still donate to Mind on Jessica’s
some of the best people I have ever met. Part of also managed to raise over £1,600 for Mind. fundraising page, justgiving.com/
the race was on a 100,000-year-old ice sheet The best bit was that I was persuaded by some jessierowlandspolarrun

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