It’s an epic challenge for an epic cause and, in the words of Bear Grylls, the Cateran Yomp will take “guts, endurance and heart” especially if you’re doing the gruelling 54-mile route through Saturday night and into Sunday morning.
This year’s Yomp takes place on June 13-15, which terrifyingly, for those of us yet to start training, is just a few weeks away.
I signed up to do the bronze route last year with a group of Courier colleagues, believing myself to be just about fit enough to take on the shorter 22 mile alternative.
While most of my team mates managed to get out on a couple of major training hikes ahead of the big day, I failed to make any of them. I was seriously worried that walking the dog a couple of miles round the block and the occasional jog and cross training session might not stand me in good enough stead!
When push came to shove, I made it to the finish line, and there was even enough steam left in the tank to make me consider, albeit very briefly, carrying on to complete the 36.5 mile silver route. What stopped me, apart from not being in the right mindset and hankering after a well-deserved glass or two of wine, was that I suffering a dodgy ankle. My own fault – I was sporting a cheap and inferior pair of walking boots. In other words, I was ill-prepared.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=w3vsbRLlXoU%3Frel%3D0
Surprisingly, I didn’t have any blisters and while fellow yompers groaned, grumbled and either fell by the wayside or valiantly taped them up, the hard skin on the soles of feet proved a blessing in disguise.
My team wasn’t in a rush – Lord only knows how long it took us to reach the finish line, but the point was, it didn’t matter.
We gorged on chocolate, sandwiches, cakes, ice cream, smoothies, everything going really, and stopped at every pitstop available. That’s what’s so fantastic about the Yomp – you’re never further than a few miles from your next feeding station.
Another plus point, apart from the stunning scenery, is that there are teams of masseurs on hand to ease away aches and pains as well as other surprises, like clay pigeon shooting, archery and apparently a fire-breathing dragon hidden in the woods.
I’m gearing up to do the Yomp a second time, and whether I push myself a wee bit more and aim for silver is yet to be decided.
Over the next few weeks, I plan to kickstart a training regime and get kitted out in decent gear. A new pair of walking boots is on the horizon and I’ll also be investing in some kind of neck scarf as last year, I ended up with wind rash!
Since the first Cateran Yomp in 2011, the charity event has raised over £1,385,000 including £365,000 last year alone through walkers gaining sponsorship for their efforts. ABF The Soldiers’ Charity the Army’s national charity since 1944 supports thousands of soldiers, former soldiers and their families each year while the Prince’s Trust helps disadvantaged young people to get their lives on track.
I’ll do my best to update the blog regularly. Look out for my next entry which will be about advice on gear from Yomp 2015 ambassador Polly Murray.
Take on the best. Take on the Yomp!
For more details and to sign up, see www.soldierscharity.org/events/cateran-yomp/