Episode 18: Kit Lists - Lakeland 50/100

"Lakeland Legends" Cathy & Wayne are veterans of a number of Lakeland 50's but why has neither of them stepped up to the Lakeland 100 start line?
Sponsored by Montane, this podcast describes the high's and low's of their respective 50 mile trots around the Lakeland fells, their favourite kit and top training tips. Amid all of the technical info you can also learn why one of them called their Mum, the concerning question of whether being given watermelon by a semi-naked man in the dead of night was, in fact, a reality and just how, exactly Wayne can see to your every need (!)

Perhaps this podcast just goes to prove that what happens on the trail should stay on the trail......

Don't forget to enter our amazing competition to win £250 of Montane kit!!!!! ***Competition is now closed

Enter the competition here: Montane Competition
Lakeland Kit Unboxing with Montane Athletes: Montane Lakeland 50 & 100 - Unboxing the Kit List 2021 - YouTube
Shop the Montane range here: The Climbers Shop and Joe Brown Shops | Outdoor Clothing & Equipment UK (climbers-shop.com)
Joe Brown Outdoor Academy:  The Joe Brown Outdoor Academy
Running Concierge: The Running Concierge – Bespoke guided running in the Lake District

Transcript

Wayne

Hi there, welcome along to outdoor gear chat. This is episode 18 sponsored by Montane. So today we're going to be talking about kit lists specifically for the Lakeland 100. The Lakeland 50. Or the the ultra tour of the Lake District is its official name is I'm joined as always by Cathy. Hi. 

 Cathy

Hi, Wayne, how you doing? I know you're not doing very well are you?

 Wayne

No I've got COVID, move rapidly on, feel rotten. You'll probably hear that throughout the course of this conversation. So my apologies if there's coughing, spluttering etc. as we go through. So yeah, yeah. We are talking about the the Lakeland 100 and the Lakeland 50. And so it's now into its 15th year. 

Cathy

Yeah, I believe so. Yeah. Yeah. And it's such a popular event as well, rightly so because it's a brilliant event. And but it's also a huge event. And I know both of us here have got form with the Lakeland, certainly the Lakeland 50 on my part, have you had a crack at the 100? 

Wayne

No. It doesn't interest me at all.

Cathy

No, no. Some people ask; oh right, you've done the 50 a couple of times when you're gonna do the 100. I'm like, er I'm not. Why? Well, it's twice as long as the 50.

Wayne

And the 50 is bad enough. (CC It was a really long way!). Yeah. It's tough enough, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's the thing. Yeah, I was lucky, beforehand. I love it. Absolutely love this event. I have made friends with people that I would trust literally, and have done, with my life on this event in all sorts of ways from a participant perspective, but also marshalling or a support perspective as well. And yeah, it is, it's to say about is the Lakeland family comes together for this huge event. And I guess that's the thing it's huge now and sells out in seconds. Pretty much, the event, but that wasn't always the case. I know. I've interviewed Mark Laithwaite a few times, maybe a couple of times for different things, including a radio show. And then yeah, that wasn't the case in the year one, I think was it on the Lakeland 100. I think there was seven people start, I might get the numbers wrong here. And not very many for the 50 either. And now. Yeah, I was trying to find the numbers before we came on. But the numbers Yeah, they are in the hundreds on both events. 

Cathy

I had thousands floating around in my head. I'm not sure how.... I don't know where I got that from.

Wayne

No, I think you might be right, overall. I think there's a couple of 1000. Overall, we'll we'll get correct info.

Cathy

It certainly felt like it at the start line.

Wayne

Yeah, well, yes. See now. The first time I did it, that first year I entered, I entered late for the event in the grand scheme of things. So I think it was the March or something like that, that I entered it. Was it hang on a minute? When? When? Yeah, yeah, I think it was....

Cathy

Way back in time. It was in black and white Wayne?

Wayne

It felt like it. Yeah, it definitely feels like Yeah, yeah. And that, I think it really was the turning point that year, because then when entries opened again later on that year after the event had been held, it just sold out in a matter of hours. And then now obviously, there's a whole ballot process and stuff, I think, isn't there. But But yeah,

Cathy

Yeah, a lot of our staff can remember it back in the day, you know, when it was still sort of very much a local event. And we've got, well, most of our staff in Ambleside have done either the 50 or 100 or both on multiple occasions. It's just it's got something about it, you know, people just keep going back and again and again and again. Can't explain it. But then the 100 route, I suppose you've got like amazing scenery all the way around. You're not on the beaten track. Really, there's a lot of it where you're on trails that are relatively quiet. And on the 100 route, it's circular starting from Coniston. And going out you're taking 6300 meters of ascent on the on the 100 and then the linear route with the 50 start to Ullswater and you run back to Coniston but that's still got 3100 meters at the same which is pretty jolly meaty. Yeah, your legs certainly feel that afterwards? 

Wayne

You're not kidding. It does very much feel like it's up and down and up and down and up and down, isn't it you know, yeah, it feels relentless at points but like you said the most stunning of views and when you look at the part that the Lakeland 100 takes in and the promo stuff so you've got Dunnerdale, Eskdale, Wasdale, Buttermere. You've got Matterdale, Haweswater, Kentmere, Ambleside, Elterwater, Coniston, it's like, it's a who's who of all the Lake District sights. Isn't it? And it is spectacular. Some of the viewing points that you get. Yeah.

Cathy

And then of course, you're getting to see that at dawn, at dusk. Well, unless you are obviously one of the racing snake folk at the front, which absolutely, I am NOT. You get to see the Lakes in all of those different types of light, which is just just great as well. And then also you get to go through areas in the dark, get freaked out by sheep coughing at you in the darkness. And yeah, yeah.

Wayne

Don't let it put you off if you're listening. Yeah. Laughter

Cathy

So how did you find yourself at the start line Wayne?

Wayne

It was a training run for a longer event. Laughter. It was really it really was yeah, actually, some friends had done it, and I had entered an event called the Marathon des Sables, which has a long stage of 50 miles. So I needed to know I'd be able to do 50 miles in a oner for want of a better phrase.

Cathy

What better way to train for the Sahara Desert than to do that distance in the Lake District. Wayne. Genius. Laughter.

Wayne

Exactly. Yes. It was. Exactly yeah. And yeah, I remember the race photographer said to me; "Actually, the there's no better training than the Lake District in winter for the Sahara in summer." And I didn't get what he meant at the time. But having done it he was absolutely right. The punishment of wind, rain and hail in a Cumbrian winter was very, very similar to the punishment of sand in the Sahara. But yeah, that was why that was why I entered, so I entered with it..... I had my rucksack was way bigger way heavier than anyone elses that was participating. Because I needed to be able to know I could carry 10 kilos over 50 miles. And I managed it. But, then, yeah, I did. On that occasion. Then this is the really strange thing: so I did it. I managed it on the first attempt, and then I've tried twice again and failed. And I think it's because my heart hasn't been in it. I haven't wanted it enough to finish it. And yeah, one occasion I won't go into the details why but rang 0800 Reverse and asked my Mum to come and pick me up from Kentmere. (Laughter.) Basically, that was the pinnacle of my of my DNF, of my failures. I rang my Mum to come and pick me up. Yeah, brilliant isn't it. How about you anyway? What's your.....how did you end up doing it?

Cathy

Ah, well mine was by way of going out running for a bit after I had my second daughter. I was quite ill after having her and I just thought that I need to do something about being fit enough and well enough to make sure I'm around. And and the easiest thing, obviously, when you're a new Mum is just to pop your running shoes on and go out whenever you can. It's the easiest sort of form of sport that I found. And I NEVER thought I would put the word running and fun in the same sentence, EVER. But I just found that I could fit it in. And I felt a lot better, a built up literally from zero. I'd had to have surgery after Connie came along, abdominal surgery. To the point I couldn't actually walk to our front gate when I came out of hospital. So basically, I was literally a couch to well, first of all, it was a couch to 10 meters. For a start. And then over a couple of years, we were very fortunate to live in a village in the country so I could run out from the house and I knew I didn't like running on road, so I just ran on three fields mostly. And a friend of mine was training for the Spine Race....and as my, well actually it's Chris, he's now our Ambleside shop manager.....and as I was building up my distance, he got in touch and said: "I'm training for this. I need somebody to come out with me so I can do multiple days. Do you fancy it?" And I said, Well, yeah. Not knowing what I was getting myself into. And so the first day I did with him we did From Edale on the Pennine Way to I can't remember what the road junction is. But it's basically to some some moors.

Wayne

Yeah, no, I know exactly where you mean. Yeah,

Cathy

Yeah. And then we bivvied in a patch of nettles behind a broken down stone wall. And then I said right stuff that, I'm going to get the car and I'll pick you up in Hebden, basically. So we continued to do those. And I might add, I started out in walking boots doing that because he was like: "It's just walking, just walking." And then the next time he turned up in his running shoes, and I'm like ugh, so I wore my running shoes on the proviso that I was walking. And then of course, we didn't. I just found that I was running more and more and more. And strangely, Chris couldn't find a lot of people that would go out and run 25-30 miles with him, which is what we built up to do. Or rather, not running. I think Debbie Martin-Consani coined the phrase, I love this: "Walking with conviction." Yeah, yeah.

Wayne

Yeah, you trot the bits that you can, but actually you are fast hiking, isn't it that you know, that sort of American term I think a lot of the time that you are doing? Yeah.

Cathy

And then once our staff here got wind of what I was doing, every single email they sent me: "have you entered the Lakeland 50 yet?" or I'll come in and they'd be like one of the little foldee maps on my desk. I think there was some kind of conspiracy with our Montane rep at the time, and I found myself entered. I didn't even sign up for it!

Wayne

Well they were probably giving you all the clues, and saying you're already in so you best get training properly for it. 

Cathy

Yes. That's how I found myself at the start line surrounded by all these racing fit people. And having had a multitude of conversations. Actually, every time I said in the shop, someone was saying I'm gonna do the Lakeland 50. And I say, oh, cool, see it start line. And then Oh, really? What time are you aiming for? And I'm like, er I'm not. I'm a middle aged mother of two. I have a business to run. My training time is, you know, not brilliant. Or I don't have a lot of it. Fundamentally, I am going to eat my way through each checkpoint. Checkpoint to checkpoint. That was how I how I attacked it the first year. Right. Okay, I had a big load of food here. What's the next food coming in? 

Wayne

Yeah. What's, what's the menu at the next one, isn't it? Yeah.

Cathy

Yeah. So that's how I approached it mentally. Because I thought, if I set any times for myself and I start falling behind, that's going to destroy me. There's, no way oh, you know, that will affect me, and I won't finish. 

Wayne

I think that's the thing, isn't it? Yeah. So there's 24 hours to get the Lakeland 50 done or there's 40 hours to get the Lakeland 100 done. And I think that's a lot of people like you and I will be going for 23 hours 59 59. That's it, you just want to come sub 24 hours, basically, and anything else is a bonus.

Cathy

Yeah. Well definitely not qualify for the 100.

Wayne

Laughter. Yeah!

Cathy

It was a major concern actually on the second one. I was like, oh, no, oh, no, no, no 

Wayne

Don't want to go to fast and qualify. Brilliant. Well see, I surprised myself thinking it was 18 hours I thought, was my ....... the year that I did it. And I do think that I could go faster than that for a number of reasons. But yeah, then I was like, actually, similar to yourself, then I'm in danger of doing a qualifing time for the 100. And then I'd be like, what if what if, what if? But I also think I'd love to make it to the Black Bull for last orders. I think the times have changed now so I'm not sure that's possible for for me, but yeah, anyway, that I think that the first year I'd done it. I think it was possible, you know, that could have made it to the pub by the time the last orders was called. Yeah, it's an interesting one that you said as well: It's the linear root of the Lakeland 50. And I was reflecting on that when you said that early on and it doesn't seem particularly linear when you're on it does it? It feels all over the place. And I guess, again, talking to Mark about how the event first first came about, he just drew a big circle on the map and then measured it went; well, it's around about 100 miles. That was pretty much it. That was pretty much it. Then they started checking it out and refining it and Uncle Terry Conway got involved as far as doing the graft on the route itself. But yeah,  that's an important note on the checkpoints as well because they are phenomenal. And my, my favorite was always the Montane checkpoint at Kentmere, it's just felt like a party. 

Cathy

Yeah, I'm still not entirely sure if I didn't dream being served watermelon by a guy wearing a grass skirt and coconuts on his bare torso. 

Wayne

Well exactly yeah; Am I hallucinating? Er no.  I've just I've had a very nice fruit smoothie in there. What was happening? It was like Jamaica, there was reggae music playing and it's a nice summer's evening. All right, I've got another 32 miles to do I think (CC yeah, I'd better crack on)  Yeah, exactly. So highs are food, probably. And friendship as well for me. Did you get any of that with meeting people along the way as you went? You know, to get that? 

Cathy

Yeah, I met all sorts of different people along the way. And, in fact, at one point, I gave up saying, what I did for a living because I'd be having chats with people and you know, it just comes up well, what do you do? And I met so many fantastic people who were like human rights solicitors and nurses and they had all these amazing jobs. And they're like; what do you do? I'm like, erm well I sell jackets for a living.

Wayne

Don't sell yourself short but yeah, yeah. 

Cathy

It was lovely chatting to all these people. That was really great. But actually my personal high was finishing my second year, I think it was and I knew my friend Sarah Seery was running. And she's a serious runner. She set off like a racing snake. And that was the last I saw her. And she came back in, she placed I think she came in the top 20 If memory serves me correctly anyway, she was in by half 10. And I came in at half six the following morning, not expecting anybody to be there to welcome me. And she had actually gone to bed, finished her run, gone to bed, got up and came down with her partner Brian to come and cheer me over the line. And it was because like, oh my god, I was in bits. I was in tears. I was in dire need of the toilet. So I didn't you know, there was no kind of great homecoming of the person who's just run 50 miles.

Wayne

Exactly, yes. 

Cathy

I was just like, take my poles. I'm going in that direction. But your medal is this way. I need the toilet. That was basically me over the finish line. But oh, what a treat that was that really, really really lifted me. Yeah, it was fantastic.

Wayne

Yeah, it's just, there's loads of names that suddenly flooded into my mind that one in particular, Maxine Grimshaw, who became a really, really good friend she crewed with with a pilot, she crewed on my Spine attempt, and she's walked the Lakeland 50 a few times just and I think in the first time she walked it, she wanted to prove that it could be walked in 24 hours and a lot of the time she walked faster than I can run you know, it's just like Max would you just slow down please put your poles away or something like that. But yeah, all those countless names and you know, like going through the list in my head of, you know, people you know, keep in contact with regularly on Facebook now that I've met through this amazing event, and spend hour after hour with because that I think that's the beauty of ultra events for me is you have nothing else to do but talk and yeah, you do meet so many fascinating people from also, I mean, I've met a very small handful of people that I wouldn't want to spend any more time with but, you know, loads and loads of people that I've gladly spend hours with it's yeah, it's interesting, really fascinating

Cathy

Really, really fascinating. I suppose we probably should talk about kit actually. We've been rabbiting on. We're in danger of just doing story after story after story here and there's a lot of stories here but do you have a fave item for your  Lakeland event?

Wayne

I think I mentioned this on the Spine one, the Montane Prism kit for me is just brilliant. So I have Prism mitts and the Prism gloves and the Prism jacket and the gilet as well and for the event, definitely I take my Prism gilet just for an extra bit of warmth. Then the gloves or the mitts probably Yeah. Probably the mitts actually because again when you get the sausage fingers and the motor function of youe fingers gets a bit hard, particularly throughout the night but they're just great for that extra warmth. Weirdly, in A Midsummer Lake District night, you need that warmth on your hands don't you. Oh yeah. And the poles, my Leki poles, I've got to chuck them in as well. I've had those for a good few years now.  They're not the Nordic Walking ones. They're the, you know, the grip ones, but they're just absolutely fantastic. As far as having an extra two legs, you know, to power your way up the hills or coming down off Tilberthwaite to the copper mines. Yeah, exactly. When your quads have gone, your are gonna fall off in pain. Yeah. How about yourself? What up there on your bucket list?

Cathy

Well, definitely the poles you just said. And you just mentioned like the descent down into Coniston for me, because on the first year, I had an LCL issue that niggled And then it just came back with a vengeance. Nothing at all the year of training nothing. Oh, my word that was agony, but the poles Leki Microlight poles with the little gloves. Absolutely brilliant. And you do need to sort of train with them and get into a rhythm. Definitely. Because certainly, at gates and styles, awwww I got in a right pickle to start with. But now I've got my got my method. It's a bit military boom, boom, off, hands over the back, on. So those and my well, I suppose Buff become a generic term. And you get one with your Lakeland event, don't you? They become like badges of honor. And those are fantastic. And we've actually just sourced some versions at the shop that are made entirely from recycled fishing line. So they're nylon, and I'm going to be taking one of those out next and try those because they they seem like a great environmental solution. So, but I love those because they're in a band. They're a wrist warmer, they're neck warmer, they've mop up stuff. Yeah, they're

Wayne

Yeah they mop fluid up. Yeah.

Cathy

Around a hot cup or a hot mug. They're just got any number of different uses so I never go out without one of those.

Wayne

No, likewise, right. Yeah, I've always got one wrapped around my wrist just just in case of something is normally one in my pack. It's an interesting one actually, because talking about kit I had the I think it was a Montane Anaconda backpack for a long while. Absolutely loved it. And then it died in all sorts of horrible different ways. And I also had the, the I think it was called the backpack which was the erm what do we call it? All I can think of is the American fanny pack. (CC Bum bag, bum bag Wayne.) Laughter Sorry. Yeah, absolutely it was like I can't think of the English name for it but yeah, the the backpack. I absolutely love that as well. So for shorter training runs, they were brilliant. I don't know, I think I think it was Gainer Pryor. I think she won the women's event at the 100 a few times. She packed all her mandatory kit into the I think it was an eight liter bumbag at one point it was absolutely incredible. And her fuelling for the event was stuff like she'd take bacon sarnies and I think she's taped a bacon sarnie to the outside of the bum bag that she had at some point during the during the first night. Brilliant. Yeah.

Cathy

Yeah, there's a really good video actually on the Montane website, and it talks through all the mandatory kit for the Lakeland. And so it focuses on like taped waterproofs and mid layers for when you chill down super quickly when you're tired, or you've just used all your reserves and stuff. And then the hat and the and the gloves. And actually, that video features the lovely Debbie Martin-Consani. And also Mark Carey. So it's a great one to watch that. I'll put the link in the show notes. So that's all there ready?

Wayne

What's that professional term show notes? What's What's

Cathy

The show notes? Yeah. On the podcast, there's a little tab and it says show notes. And if you read down, there's all sorts of fascinating information in there.

Wayne

It's just we haven't mentioned it before and it sounded dead professional. And it's important not to skimp and I know the event organizers and I know Mark Laithwaite says this every year on the reccies and in his pre race briefing, don't be skimping on the kit that you're taking along to that event, because you don't...... anyone who's been out there knows how quickly a Cumbrian summer can change and temperature drop, rain comes down. That year I dropped out?  Yeah, there's a helicopter flying overhead. There's a clap of thunder. There's a flash of lightning. And then the heavens just opened. Right, brilliant. I was having a rubbish time out anyway and it's just got dramatically worse as you're going up Gatesgarth pass it was but yeah, thankfully, I had been out in plenty of that before so knew what was coming. But yeah, not, you know, not skimping, you know, not going to Decathlon and buying a cheap pair of waterproof trousers. Because they'll just fail in the middle of the night or whatever.

Cathy

You definitely don't want that. I mean, I think the key thing is, if you're going to invest in kit, the main thing is it's versatile. So whatever you look at, think about how you can use it for the other activities that you do. So it's not just for that event, you're actually buying something that you're going to be able to use at other events, maybe if you're a paddler, if you're a walker, if you're doing backpacking or whatever, then you've got something decent that's going to last you and, and be really useful for other activities too. And I think that's the real key; versatility you know, what else can I use this for? To get my money's worth out of it? It's going to protect me when I'm absolutely working at my max but also it's something I can keep in my pack for the other times when I'm out enjoying the hills and the mountains as well.

Wayne

And I think that's the one thing that I didn't realize at first, but then did after my first Lakeland 50 if you will, you're making that investment because it's not just a one off thing. You might think that to start off with the you know, (CC yeah, you get hooked in!) Absolutely. Yeah. If you are for example, a roadrunner or something like that. Or even if you're a walker, you know, you're doing a lot of  fell walking and suddenly when you realize that the kit is lightweight, and you can move faster and go further. And I guess that's, that's the Montanes point. I guess isn't there's further faster. Like you were saying earlier, when you go from wearing walking boots to wearing trail shoes. Suddenly you like bloody hell, I've got a lot more energy because I'm not carrying quite as much weight on my feet and on my back as well. And that is that investment. Yeah, and then cups, we've got a talk cups as well.

Cathy

The people at the Lakeland event won't even mention the word cups, they won't respond to the word cups, there's been some humungous conversations going on about cups. I don't know what the actual wording is for this year. The first year I did it, the folding cups that we sell the little Wildo folding cups worked and that was fine, that past Kit check. But I think the following year, they had to be solid wall. So actually, my husband made me a brilliant little beaker actually, I carry it all the time now. So you know those little IKEA beakers you just cut that down. So it was still a sensible size, maybe took the top sort of centimeter off, put a little hole in it and put the metal suage through it. And I just carry that hooked onto the outside of my running pack with an accessory carabiner. So I can have hot  or cold drinks. It doesn't matter. I'm not going to spill anything. Or crush it and it doesn't weigh anything. And it just sits there ready to go. Yeah, perfect.

Wayne

And I guess the background of this has come from a number of things. Its environmental impact as far as handing out cups of soup and squash and stuff for hundreds and hundreds of people at different checkpoints. And then yeah, people were skimping and scrimping if you will, on weight, as far as collapsible cups go. I know I've worked on events before where somebody gives you a cup and you're like well, how do you expect me to make a brew in that? Yes, you know we're both....... I'm gonna burn my hand making it you're gonna burn your drinking it and so on. So it's yeah, and then experimenting with how you might access drinking during the course of a potentially 24 to 40 hour event using a collapsible cup and they are some some of them are

Cathy

Yeah, some of them are less useful than others.

Wayne

That's very diplomatically put there. I was holding my head not able to think about the word and yeah, you did just mention this I think in your spiel there but like testing it, making sure you kit will work for you. In all conditions, isn't it? 

Cathy

Yeah, and that involves that for me. Anyway, whenever I was out on a training run, I always ran with a full pack a) because that's what you're going to be doing on the day but b) it just meant that I nailed knowing where everything was. there's so many pockets, it took me months to remember where I put stuff. And so yeah, it just became second nature; I need this, even though I was fogged in the head, I knew where it was, I could access it. Fundamentally, I knew my packing method so I can put it back in the same way, so that later on, when I was even more brain fogged, I could still find what I needed and access what I needed. It's, again, it's kind of military precision, but it makes such a difference 

Wayne

It really does. Yeah. I remember doing one training run and we’d started and it was raining and we were doing an overnighter and yeah. It was just starting to get dark and then the rain started coming down and there’s loads of pack rustling going on: “What’s going on?”, “I’m trying to find my headtorch.” Well you knew we were going to be out in the dark why is that not…..and it was at the bottom of a pack and you’re like right, brilliant. Now we’re all soaking wet and cold because….nd yeah, it was a good learning point for later on obviously. Back to previous ones, is your headtorch charged? Have you got spare batteries? Laughter.

Cathy

Oh ha ha ha. I had a little situation after recording the lighting podcast and me going out running with an uncharged headtorch. Yes, I’m not going to live that down am I?

Wayne

Laughter. That is something that I have done myself and come training for something like this or on the event itself you need to be able to do that. And again, that whole fumble; Is your headtorch going to last the night on that particular power setting or do you need a spare set of batteries? Do you know how to replace those batteries. Yeah because you don’t want them failing between checkpoints when it’s dark.

Cathy

No. You need that torch to be, like you said, it need to be accessible and that kind of comes ack to your pack as well. Getting the right pack for you. Montane do an amazing range called the gecko pack range and they’ve just pulled together a huge amount of science and experience and they’ve combined it all to create something really great, really simple technical packs. A whole range right through from a waist belt through to a standard race vest right through to an actual vest you wear. What they have designed just doesn’t compromise on the movement that you need, the upper body movement when you are running and the way they have been able to do that is by working with athletes. They’ve put a huge amount of time in and again, I’ll put this in the show notes; there’s a video showing just how much work has gone into the design with the runners that they work with. Because it’s colossal and it’s really important to take that into account, you know, there’s so much work gone into the fit, to the comfort, to make sure it’s sized correctly. So they’re unisex – everything from small, medium, large. They’re breathable and fundamentally with this new range they’re less whiffy! They’re all Polygeine impregnated which is like a permanent odour control. It’s basically a low concentrate of silver salt which has anti-microbial properties and that means it inhibits the growth of odour causing bacteria. So, you can basically wear it more and wash it less. Whether it is clothing, whether it is a pack – that saves you water and energy. You’ve gatta think; how many of us have thrown away running kit that is actually perfectly usable but it just absolutely reeks? (WS It just honks, yeah, yeah) You just can’t go out in public in it. So Polygeine can offer, perhaps not the entire solution; we all perspire at our own rates but it can certainly go a long way to help promote the life of something.  

Wayne

Yeah awesome. I wear the Terra Alpine short and I have done for quite some time yeah. I was very grateful to Montane because they provided a load of kit for me to do the MDS including the Terra Alpine short. They look like a Bermuda short but they’re absolutely amazing. They’ve got nice deep pockets in, they’ve got a zip-able key pocket – I just constantly have terrors about losing a house or a car key. Yeah and then I can just stick loads of food in pockets or like a head torch or for me – for my phone. I like to whip me phone out and take snaps while I’m running as well, I’m a big fan of that. Remembering why we’re doing it is, for me, a big part of being outdoors. I want to do these events but yeah, those stunning sights on the day, when you can see them. Lovely.

Cathy

Yeah, yeah. That’s what’s running’s about for me these days now. It’s more of a photographic trot.

Wayne

Yeah, exactly, exactly. Let’s admire the view. Yeah.

Cathy

Well, excitingly, there is an opportunity with Montane to win a whopping £250 worth of Montane kit to help you on your way along the Lakeland 50 or Lakeland 100 and we will have all those details available on our website www.climbers-shop.com Just click on the home page and all the entry details are there. 

Wayne

Brilliant! Is that like a voucher for £250 worth of stuff or is it a particular package?

Cathy

Because it’s so difficult for us and Montane to put a size range of clothing into a prize pool basically this will be £250 of retail value; whatever size you are, whatever gender you are it doesn’t matter. You’re going to have £250 worth of kit and it’s going to fit and be right for you.

Wayne

Amazing. Fantastic. How do I enter? Laughter

Cathy

Laughter. I think there’s something in the small print Wayne. I don’t think you can. Sorry about that. You already got yours for the Marathon Des Sables anyway! Laughter

Wayne

Laughter. Yeah, yeah. I know I have. Montane have been very, very good to me since then as well, to say the least, yeah.

Cathy

They’re a really good British company. They’re really going places and they’ve been doing what they do well for a long time. You know, the old Montane smocks – I think they still make the original – ideal for really, really cold conditions

Wayne

Yeah, the Extreme Smock. It was absolutely amazing. And supporting loads of races s well as we said with Debbie with The Spine and the Lakeland 100 and Lakeland 50. They’ve been supporting that for years haven’t they?

Cathy

Yeah, really putting back into the sport and they’re whole Via series of clothing, trail running clothing is superb. There’s all sorts to look at and great, great women’s collections as well as men’s so lot’s and lot’s to choose from there. But if you are heading out; whether it’s on the Lakeland 50/100 or if you’re just starting out on your very first trail run or maybe thinking about getting into it there’s lot’s of tips and advice on our Joe Brown Outdoor Academy website which is www.joebrownoutdooracademy.com and, of course, listeners: if you so wish - you can hire Wayne! Come to the Lake District, he will take care of all your needs, as far as accommodation and running are concerned. Laughter 

Wayne

Yeah, good clarification there. Laughter

Cathy

Laughter You can look him up on www.runningconcierge.co.uk. Wayne offers brilliant guided runs with loads and loads of really random facts. 

Wayne

Yeah there’s loads of random facts. I love the geekery of the Lake District. There’s plenty to talk about obviously from a cultural perspective, the history and all the rest of it. So yeah. That’s been episode 18 of Outdoor Gear Chat. I’ve been Wayne.

Cathy

I’ve been Cathy.

Wayne

And we’ll be back again soon.