The route stats

You can see (most of) our route & speeds etc, as recorded by my gps by clicking below:

click for route stats


It didn't get all of it as the device doesn't expect a sensible person to still be walking after 24 hours.

So it's official- we out-walked Duracell!

Trailsquelcher 2012. Brutal.

It was so much harder than any of us ever imagined.

Lying in our tents the night before being kept awake by torrential rain was an inauspicious preparation. But the rain was as intermittent as the previous few weeks and it wasn't even pouring down when we got off to a cracking start, only 16 mins late for our 8am start time.

We were soon passing mud coated and exhausted mountain bikers coming the other way. It seemed a little early for them to already be on the trail. That and their lights set up led a thought to occur to us, so we asked the next couple to come along, 'Have you guys been cycling all night?'. The 1st was too exhausted to respond at all; the 2nd managed a slight incline of his splattered helmet clad head. We took this as a yes, and feared it was a sign of things to come.

Conditions were pretty atrocious, with intermittent heavy rain on already saturated ground. Several checkpoints had to be completely closed to support crews as fields were reduced to mud on a scale I've not seen since Glastonbury festival.

Getting to Checkpoint 5, the 50km halfway point, is quite a challenge- and I would say a sensible place to stop. Things are starting to hurt by this point. On the trail we were skirting boot deep puddles that filled the track, or squelching sticky mud that grabs your boots and weighs them down. Slipping up incline and sliding down hill became, in the dark with achingly weak legs, the occasional fall. Chatting groups became single file silent trudging. A glance around checkpoints showed the struggling to be pretty universal. Heads were in hands; we even witnessed one guy pass out.

Checkpoint 7 seems far enough in that completion surely becomes feasible? The pain is making us queasy, but we know we must keep eating to have enough energy to continue. We're all suffering, but Dan's hobble belies a severe level of pain. I work out that we still have at least 7 hours of walking to go. Both the idea of quitting and the possibility of completion seem equally unfeasible.

The rain stopped, the sunrise was beautiful, my team mates were awesome and 5 hours later with incredible endurance we passed the finish line arm in arm in a minute under 27 hours.

I'm not surprised that only 3/4 managed to finish; I am amazed that in the conditions a new course record was set. To all those who supported us, including donating, cheering at the finish, smiling Ghurkas, and of course the support crew themselves- thank you so, so much. To those I know who've done it before, you have my utmost respect!

Croeso i Gymru

With Tarahumara Chloë off to Columbia for two weeks on the 24th, this was to be our last opportunity to get some team training in before Trailwalker itself. We'd opted for two nights under canvas what with it being June, and in Britain, what could possibly go wrong?

Our destination was a toss up between Brecon and Dartmoor. The forecast for both in the week leading up was pretty much identical - hideous with spells of appalling. Brecon although promising to be all of one degree cooler, was an hour closer and two pounds a night cheaper, making it the clear winner. Off to Wales it was!

Support Crew Chris would be joining us on this one, and as he's more Midlands based, he agreed to meet us at the campsite. Leaving Oxford the forecast seemed to be stuff of fantasy, right up to the point we left Abergavenny. A few miles down the road we sighted Chris taking refuge from the deluge in his car just outside The Castle Inn. This pub was all too conveniently attached to our campsite (pronounced 'a-field'), and although there were tents to be put up, courtesy demanded we 'have a drink and see if the rain eases up'. One pint became two and dinner was taken in the pub, and wouldn't you know it the rain eased to a light drizzle. Jumping on this window in the weather, we tabled our beers behind the bar dashed outside and set up camp.

Returned to the pub to set out our plans for the walk the following day, the landlord was full of great routes and advice which we were extremely grateful for. We also met another group who were doing a walk for WaterAid, and (rather more sensibly) staying in the bunk house. They too were full of encouragement, though how comforting they expected us to find "we've never been out in weather like we had today" we were unsure. With a plan in our heads, and feeling adequately 'hydrated' we decided to turn in for the night and have a good day in on the hills in the morning.

Now getting an early start and seizing the day is very much part of the Team Tarahumara way, Chris and Dan however were not expecting to be seizing quite so much of the day. A 6am wake up call in the form of a flooded tent and a rapid evacuation to the car did not exactly set them up for the day.

After the vegan friendly breakfast feast was served up at a more reasonable hour, Chris and Dan dashed into Abergavenny to replace anything that hadn't been saved from the early morning dousing.

On their return the group saddled up and took off up into the hills. Now it was certainly wet and windy as we twisted and turned up to the summit but we pressed on. We were all quite surprised when we looked back at the photos and saw just how bad it had been!

Chloë, Dan. Chris, Haley and Rich

We managed to stay out on the hills for just over five hours, but is was biblical, estimates from locals later on had the winds up in the region of 70mph. We got back to base at around five and celebrated not loosing anyone with a few drinks before heading to the pub...for a few drinks.

After spending a good deal of time in the pub regaling the locals and serenading  with a very well received version on James' Sit Down we headed back to the tents to hit the sack, well that was what the majority of us thought anyway. As we approached the tents Chloë and Haley revealed a burnning desire for a night walk, so they'd know what to expect on Trailwalker. Try as he might, Dan was unable to convince them that it "would be exactly the same as walking in the day, just a bit darker", so back into the hills we went. Fortunately for all concerned it was quite a mild evening, the most fortunate for Chris for the only dry clothes he had were his jacket, a pair shorts, flip-flops and an umbrella. What was almost instantly clear was that navigation in the dark is a whole different game. We returned, again with full a compliment of walkers after a quick one hour circuit, all pleased we'd given it a go, and with a few lessons learned.


1. Chris is a smug drunken navigator.
2. Confidence is no substitute for a map.
3. If you're wearing a head torch do not expect people to be your friend after you've just blinded them.
4. A rendition of Summer nights is a fine way to round off an evening.  

Our daylight route. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/192717998

Next Stop Petersfield.

Thank you Jack for your kind donation to the fund, you're a star

Tarahumara Quizathon Fantastico

On Tuesday 12th June The Cape of Good Hope played host to the Team Tarahumara pub quiz, an epic challenge testing ears, eyes, brains and taste buds; read on to discover how old Jon Bon Jovi was in the summer of 69, and how you can improve Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song...

When Team Tarahumara arrived at The Cape of Good Hope at 6 o'clock on Tuesday evening to set up the room for our quiz, we were prepared, but anxious none the less. Many people had made noises like they were going to show up, but we had no idea how many of those were going to show on the night. We ambitiously set up for 22 teams and waited...

How wrong we were to doubt! Friends, family and colleagues turned up on mass in support; so many people rocked up we struggled to fit them all in!

Once everyone had settled in and found a team Tarahumara's own MC Haley set the ball rolling with round one and a bit of general knowledge. Highlights of the first half included the taster round and the odd 'deliberate' mistake, including Question six: "What age was Bon Jovi in the summer of 69" which did raise at least one eyebrow! Mistake admitted (it was of course Bryan Adams singing the Summer of 69), we moved on to the more interactive rounds before the half time break.

The interval gave Team Tarahumara the opportunity to pedal more of their wares in the form of raffle tickets for a mega prize draw with prizes from our many many generous donors (listed below). The crowd were extremely generous and hungry for chances to win, it was very nearly a ticket sell out.

After the break came amongst other things, the most inspired round of the evening - the music round. In the style of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, MC Haley took centre stage with the musical intros round. All the intros were performed pitch perfect, to the delight of the gathered crowds, on her freshly purchased kazoo.

After the answers we given, and the scores counted, a triumphant 'Flotilla the Hun' were declared winners and they collected their spoils in the form of a hamper stuffed to bursting with goodies.

The final order of business was the much anticipated raffle draw. Rich fired up the fairy light on his top hat (no, really) and a representative from the winning quiz team pulled out the first winning ticket. Raffle prizes included meals at Le Kesh, Door 74 and Verde Pizzeria, Drinks at The Corridor, tickets for The Ultimate Picture Palace, vouchers for music at Truck Music Store and a trio of haircuts at Chameleon.

We want to say such a humungous thank you to all that came along to the quiz, and another massive thank you to all those lovely people and companies that sponsored or donated something to make the evening so enjoyable.

Thank you

Le Kesh

Door 74

Truck Music Store

Chameleon 

Summertown Wine Café

Verde Pizzeria

The Ultimate Picture Palace

The Corridor

G&D's Cowley

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe

Thanks again to The Cape of Good Hope for providing us with an excellent venue.


Big, Big love

Team Tarahumara

Chloë, Dan, Haley and Rich

Hills,Thrills and Silver Foxes

This was to be the second training walk with the full complement of team members and it was high time we tackled some hills, being that there are going to be one or two on the day! For our ups and downs we disembarked the Oxford Tube at the oft forgotten Lewknor Turn to do a bit of map reading and celeb spotting, oh, and wander Ridgeway.

The big plan was to walk sections of the both the Ridgeway and Chiltern Way to make a nice circular route taking in some glorious rolling countryside. Rich had ‘volunteered’ himself as chief navigator by on the day by being the one who brought a map. After a very quick check of said map after we’d all assembled, we headed due “that way” towards the Ridgeway.

The pace was steady and the scenery was a welcome change from the ‘water on the left, water on the right, oh look, Didcot’ that we’d enjoyed on our last training walk. We didn’t see many in the way of other walkers, but they always seemed to appear just in time. The first instance of passerby rescue, came soon after we’d wondered off the edge of our map, albeit intentionally. (Rich’s belief being that the two paths must meet "just up there"). Our new found guide initially filled us with confidence proclaiming he’d lived in the area for over thirty years, he then blew that away when he confessed to having never heard of the Chiltern Way! Nevertheless his information was good, we found the path we were looking for, and on our guide’s recommendation stopped at the top of a Lodge Hill for some great lunchtime views.

We headed off after lunch and quickly met and tackled, (what for us at least) was quite a meaty hill. Keeping the good pace we had established from the start we soon found ourselves heading back toward the Ridgeway and being entertained by a number of red kites.

A result of us stepping off the route for our lunch atop a hill had quite the effect on our route, as after checking the map, we realised we didn’t quite know where we were; Cue emergency guide number two! Soon after Rich had unfurled the map on the ground, and got an ‘ish’ of where we were, a couple of walkers and their dog came to our aid. It turns out we’d taken a right when most definitely should have taken a left. This was easy enough to remedy, however it did mean tackling that ‘meaty hill’ once more!

After numerous fields (and a number of doublings back!) our route brought us into Stokenchurch, and right next to a Ghurkha Pub. We all agreed that this would be a perfectly apt place to stop and ale ourselves, sadly though we’d arrived outside of opening hours. So moving on, but with taste for refreshment, we picked up the Chiltern Way once more and Rich spotted a pub on the map that was only a mere stones throw off the route. As we headed along the roadside to the Fox Country Pub, we caught a glimpse of some similar 'wildlife' The Silver Fox himself– Mr PhillipSchofield!

After a very leisurely pint (served by quite possibly the grumpiest barman in the world) we got back to the task of finishing our loop to Lewknor. We went up through Barnfield Hanging Wood, which contained the thigh burner of the day, a long hill that just went on, and on and on. Once we'd topped out that beast, our thoughts turned to food for the Trailwaker day itself, with the most enthusiasm being mustered for the chilled champagne to be served to us on completion.

We soon arrived back at Lewknor turn, Haley caught her bus back to London, whilst the rest of the group headed back to Oxford in time for Chloë to pack and catch her flight to Liberia.

So, What did we learn this time?

1. Local knowledge can be better than any OS map.
2. Rolling up your trousers may cool you down on a hot day, but you will look a bit silly and the stinging nettles will take full advantage of exposed ankles.
3. The new Magnum Infinity ice creams are AMAZING.
   1. If you eat a Manum Infinity, six Oreo cookies and drink a litre of orange juice; you'll have a taste in your mouth reminiscent of a night drinking tequila.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/180084731 (our slight deviation and correction being clearly visible)

The Awesome Foursome

Four months on from the fateful high fives at the Christmas party; and would you believe it, all four members of Team Tarahumara are in the same country and going for a walk!

 

We set off from along the Thames Path from Reading station just after 9am,  our eyes fixed on Oxford. It was a  classically British Easter Bank Holiday Monday - it was raining, and according to some internet measuring, this would be a 38 mile outing in the rain.

We clocked up miles quickly, pretty happy that we all fell into a similar pace, and stopped for a spot of lunch at around mile 15. With hoods still clinging to our heads we set off again, still hopping to catch a glimpse of a water vole which was frustratingly elusive during our last walk. While we didn't spot much in the way of wildlife (they knew better than to spend their Bank Holiday out in the rain) we did stumble across many the WWII pill box along our walk, all still keeping a watchful eye on the Thames.

The rain was unrelenting, never particularly hard, but ever present. Fortunately this didn't dampen (apologies) our spirits and we managed to keep a good steady pace all day. It wasn’t until about mile 24 that Haley gently asked if anyone else was feeling any aches or pains, the consensus being that we were each feeling it in our feet a bit. Haley was buoyed by this, being her first walk with the rest of the team, she was concerned that she was the only one feeling it. However, when we parked our bums for a quick snack shortly after, our Antipodean took off her shoe to reveal a chalk white foot, wrinkled from being wet from mile one; and what was either a blister or a new big toe. Fortunately calls from her father all the way back in Oz filled her with enough anti colonial gusto to bravely soldier on without complaint for the next 9 miles.

We suspect the extra miles might have caused the mirage like phenomenon of Didcot. From around mile 20 until the last 3 we just couldn’t seem to shake the specter of the two grey cooling towers puffing away. When we first noticed them they were a good deal behind us, but then by some strange twist in the universe (or possibly the river) they disappeared and reappeared some distance ahead of us! Next they were to our left and then to our right. For the next 10 miles they would sneak up at us from all angles. It was hilarious at first, but they slowly chipped away at souls as the miles ticked on and Didcot continued to mock us. Chloe took the direct approach at dealing with the problem - shouting expletives at the inanimate towers - and although it may not have shooed them away, it certainly appeared to lift her and the groups spirits.

It turns out that Reading to Oxford along the Thames path is a good deal further than Reading to Oxford just along the Thames. Coming up off the river to walk through pretty little places such as Goring and Streately adds, at best guess, another ten miles on. As we arrived at Abingdon, and with darkness having fallen, the team took the decision that it was time to call it a day. The thought that we have to do this distance twice over on the day is a little daunting, but as Chloe and Rich dashed along Abingdon High Street to catch the bus we could see that even when you’re dog tired; there’s still some reserves hidden away somewhere, which gives us comfort.

Sooo, What did we learn from our first walk together as a full team?

You take fewer photos in the rain, you NEED either waterproof boots/shoes or socks - otherwise your feet turn to mush, The words to the rap from 'Oh What a Night' (Thanks Chloe), and if you're feet are aching from walking, surprisingly, a little jog can offer sweet relief.

All in all we managed 33 miles in 11 hours 22 minutes including breaks, if it floats your boat, you can check our route here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/167212348

What's Amharic for "It's too early?"

Guest post from Tarahumara Haley.

I was unexpectedly called away to Ethiopia and Kenya for work these last few weeks. Not the worst state of affairs, granted (a chance to work in the birthplace of coffee for a self-confessed coffee addict? Yes please!)... though it did mean that I missed out on my team's first official training walk. Also, due to various restrictions on movement, oh, and the at times intense heat, it did make me wonder how I might keep up at least a modicum of Trailwalker-inspired fitness whilst away.

Enter Aberra, a colleague of mine over in Dire Dawa (a town in the Somali region of Ethiopia). An enthusiastic runner, Aberra extended the invite for me to join him and a couple of colleagues on their daily run. "Great," I said. "What time?" "Six o-clock."

My heart sank a little once I realised Aberra meant six in the morning, rather than the evening - my brain, let along my legs, refuses to engage without at least a couple of cups of buna (Amharic for coffee) in the morning, and certainly not that early, in any case; however, since the town's street lighting left a little to be desired, and was certainly not sufficient to light one's way on an evening run, my options were reasonably limited. "O-kaaay... though  be warned," I told Aberra, I'm not the greatest of morning people, so I will be slow (not to mention grumpy)."

In the end I was glad that I dragged myself out of bed on those early mornings. The air was much cooler, the streets much quieter... and when we reached (after a walk-run combination on my behalf - hey, it was early!) the top of the hills behind the town, the views were pretty spectacular. Oh, and on one of the days, we were treated to the sight of a troupe of baboons - not something I normally see treading the streets of Bermondsey. Cars, yes; dogs, sometimes... but baboons? Never. Thanks, Aberra!

Some photos that attempt to capture the moment are below.

The hills behind Dire Dawa, at about 6:30am.

Obviously, you've never really been somewhere until you've
captured the moment in a self-snapped portrait of dubious quality...

More of the view from the top of the hills in Dire Dawa.

Baboons: an unexpected accompaniment to my morning training sessions.
(Note: In the interest of transparency, and lest I mislead you, dear reader,
these particular baboons are ones that I photographed on the road to Djibouti -
the ones I saw on the hills behind Dire Dawa were much more camera shy...)