PLOD Mourne Mountains information pack

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PLOD Mourne Mountains information pack Key details Meeting point Burrendale Hotel, Castlewellan Road, Newcastle BT33 0JY Parking available at the hotel Route information Mourne Mountains, OSNI map

1 PLOD Mourne Mountains information pack Key details Meeting point Burrendale Hotel, Castlewellan Road, Newcastle BT33 0JY Parking available at the hotel Route information Mourne Mountains, OSNI map Mournes 1:25000 Dates and timings Duration Finish point Friday June 8.00pm 10.30pm registration 10.00pm or 10.40pm full briefing - all teams must attend a briefing Midnight PLOD starts hours Tollymore Forest car park, 176 Tullybrannigan Road, Newcastle, County Down. Captain and support crew roles Captain: motivate the team and ensure all walkers and support crew have everything they need act as a link between Action Medical Research and the team ensure full details for all walkers and drivers, including emergency contact details, are registered online make sure the team members are prepared physically and mentally to take part in the PLOD coordinate the team s fundraising efforts and motivate the team to reach the 1,500 goal advise on training, diet, route, start/finish points, timings - all information supplied by Action. On the night rally the team and make sure everyone is well-prepared for the challenge ahead ensure the team passes through each checkpoint as a team, and finishes as a team it will be the captain to whom team members will look to for inspiration and encouragement a team captain needs to be a born leader and an optimist giving the team the lynchpin it needs to last the course. Support crew: the role of the support crew is equally crucial drive the support vehicle to each of the designated checkpoints along the route communicate with the walkers to ensure the happiness and well-being of the team

2 be the life-line for the team, providing food, drinks, snacks, clothing, sun-cream, and basic first aid you will need a vehicle capable of transporting kit, food, drink and team members notify the checkpoint marshal of any retiring walkers. Fundraising all teams must raise a minimum of 1,500 per team this is a realistic target but we hope that you, like many previous teams raise much, much more! an online sponsorship page was automatically set up for you when you registered spend time personalising your page with your team names and photos, and a couple of paragraphs about why you are taking on this challenge make sure all team members have this sponsorship link so friends, family and colleagues can sponsor online, safely and securely sponsor forms are also available online captains should ensure Action have received at least 50 per cent of the fundraising target ( 750) one week prior to the event. Remaining funds must be received no more than four weeks after the event. The rules of the PLOD Team composition: teams must consist of four walkers and at least one support driver. If a walker drops out prior to the event make sure you let us know immediately. If you replace a team member prior to the event make sure you let us have their full personal details. How the points are scored: the rules have been designed with the intention of keeping everyone involved for as long as possible. It will be up to you to decide if you want to include the King of the Hills in your route. We will notify you of any changes to the point scoring system or the challenges we may set you, prior to the event. Orienteering: In this section there are 10 checkpoints and each is worth 40 points. Teams must stick together during this stage and if any members of the team are found wandering on their own the whole team will be disqualified! (Highest Possible Score = 400) Navigation: There are 23 checkpoints in this part of the challenge worth 50 points each. All checkpoints are mandatory, except the King of the Hills. (Highest Possible Score = 1150) Koth: There will be additional check points called King of the Hills on Slieve Donard and Slieve Meelmore. These are worth 50 points per team member. Each king of the hill is optional and the more members of the team who walk it the more points you will get. However you cannot leave a single member of the team on their own! (Highest Possible Score = 400) Map Marking: Teams can earn an easy 50 points by coming to registration with the route correctly marked on an OSNI map of The Mournes 1:25000 (Highest Possible Score = 50) Team Quiz: This will be given to the team at registration and consists of 10 questions worth 5 points each. (Highest Possible Score = 50) Navigation pop quiz: This will be sent out prior to the event and is worth 10 points. (Highest Possible Score = 10) Team finishing place: Points will be awarded to the first four teams across the finishing line. 1st Place = 200, 2nd Place = 150, 3rd Place = 100, and 4th Place = 50 (Highest Possible Score = 200)

3 Finishing together: Teams are awarded 50 points per walker that completes the challenge. (Highest Possible Score = 200) Teams must all be finished by a pre-determined time, to be announced nearer the time. Once that time has passed, teams must proceed to the nearest pre-listed exit on the hills. Your points will be taken from the last check point reached. This is the same for any team that drops out. Registration on the day All teams must register on the day, and must confirm mobile phone numbers and emergency contact details. Each team member will be given a participant number with medical details to be filled in on the back. Numbers should be worn/displayed either on the walker s person or rucksack so it can be easily accessed in the event of an emergency. Teams should bring their rucksacks and team maps to registration. There will be a spot check on a few safety items, so ensure you look at the kit list carefully. Bivvy bags, maps and compass are an absolute must. Checkpoints should be marked on the team map and will be checked by the safety officer. Teams will receive the orienteering maps for the forest section and glow sticks at registration. Visit the enquiries desk for any last minute queries. Safety briefing Registration will be followed by a safety briefing. There will be a safety briefing every 30minutes with the first starting at 8:30pm and the last one starting at 10:30pm. All team members must attend a safety briefing! Teams will then have an hour to get down to the starting point at Tollymore Forest Park. Finish The finish will be at Tollymore Forest Park, food will be available. Sit down, relax, and chat to the other competitors. The scores will be posted on the PLOD webpage on the following Monday. Accommodation If rooms are required you will need to book them direct with the hotel or bed and breakfast. You will all be extremely tired, including the drivers and it would be advisable to stay the night and travel back to your homes on the Sunday when well rested! Alternatively, you can book tent pitches at Tollymore Forest Park. General preparation and training Train well for the PLOD and you will get through the challenge safely and have a much more enjoyable time. For any long distance walking challenge there is only one form of training that will ensure you perform well - walking! If generally fit and do lots of sport you will be off to a good start. This event will see you on the trail non-stop around hours. Many a good marathon runner and endurance cyclists throw in the towel so do not make any assumptions that walking is easy. Your PLOD success is about teamwork so the more training you can do together, the better. We all need a little encouragement when the going gets tough. Get a plan and get started Depending on your fitness levels and walking experience, the start point will vary for each individual. If you are not used to physical activity and this is your first big challenge, do not delay the start of your training. Start with short distances at regular intervals, and when comfortable, increase the length of the walks. Aim for 2 3 walking sessions a week, always wear the boots that you will be using on the PLOD therefore fully broken in and you are accustomed to how your feet react to regular walking.

Stretch and build up slowly Stretching should always precede any physical training. Stretching is doubly important for walkers, as you need to keep muscles and tendons long and supple.

Training is about building your body up gradually, but it is also about getting in the right frame of mind for your endurance challenge.

4 Stretch and build up slowly Stretching should always precede any physical training. Stretching is doubly important for walkers, as you need to keep muscles and tendons long and supple. This is worth noting if you are a regular runner, as running does have the effect of shortening and tightening everything. Approach your training sensibly and you will make it through just fine. Training is about building your body up gradually, but it is also about getting in the right frame of mind for your endurance challenge. Success is as much about your mental readiness as it is your physical condition. So get the miles in, include a few hills to help practice your ascending/descending techniques and remind those lungs what it feels like to work a little harder. Once in the swing of things, you will be surprised at the distances you ll end up covering. Phase one: beginners should start with short regular walks, increasing distance in line with how you feel/time available, don t over do it to start with. Do at least three sessions a week of 2 4 miles. Phase two: continue your regular weekly session, increasing the distance of some walks to 4 6 miles. Phase three: keep the routine with short sessions during the week, aim for at least one longer distance at the weekend. Covering miles a week is great. Maybe aim for a convenient pub finish! Phase four: if all feels good increase your distance and time, covering miles a week. You should be taking on a few hills by now - get your body and mind in tune with the ups and downs of walking. Phase five: you will know now what you are capable of, and setting your own targets. You don t need to complete the full distance prior to the event. Marathon runners don t run marathons as part of their training! Having reached this confident stage you should be covering miles a week and at east one day at the weekend should include a 4 6 hour walk. Kit list Each team member should be responsible for their own spare clothing. Please be aware that cotton clothing when wet will not keep the wearer warm, in fact it will draw heat away from the body and is a potential cause of hypothermia. Walkers: OSNI map of The Mournes 1:25000 water-proof map case might rain difficult to read a soggy map! optional compass (at least one per team) route instructions will be sent to your team captain pre event, copies and available at the start waterproof jacket waterproof overtrousers full leg cover in addition to overtrousers could be cold overnight; jeans not permitted shorts it could be warm during the day shirt, sweater, or equivalent specialist clothing hat and gloves bivvy bag each bothy bag one per team advisable spare clothing, Inc extra fleece comfortable walking boots with good ankle support walking socks

5 gaiters optional rucksack walking poles optional head torch or hand torch and spare batteries basic first aid kit, inc pain killers, blister pads, zinc oxide tape or similar vaseline to deal with any uncomfortable chaffing water bottle personal food supplies energy sweets and snacks mobile telephone at least 2 per team luminous bands/snap lights useful during the darkness hours optional sunscreen and sunglasses digital camera one per team pen/pencil and note book. Support driver: OSNI map of The Mournes 1:25000 driver route instructions contact numbers for your team members and event HQ strong torch and spare batteries mobile telephone spare car keys waterproof jacket waterproof overtrousers spare clothing, plus extra fleece food supplies agree team needs. Include plenty of high carbohydrate foods, easily potable water plenty of it, keep your team topped up camping stove and spare gas hot drinks will be in demand spare basic first aid kit black bin bags for rubbish leave none behind blankets big enough vehicle digital camera a few sleeping bags in case you need to prematurely transport very cold and weary walkers. Your questions answered Can I take part on my own? If you are unable to find a team, contact us and we can put you on another team if a place become available. You will be notified as soon as you can join. Is there an age restriction? Participants must be 18 or over. Participants aged 16 can take part, but must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Can I arrive earlier in the day? Yes, the PLOD organisers will be setting up and happy to say hello. Will I be safe? Yes, as long as you have prepared, follow our advice and stick together as a team. You will receive a full briefing before the walk, including advice on what to do in an emergency. Our support team will set up their base in Tollymore Forest Park, with team members based throughout the hills, at check points and along the way. Do I need to be an expert map reader? No, but one person in the team should be able to read a map well. Orienteering maps are available at the start. All the orienteering points will be found on the paths. However the rest of the route will be based on OSNI map of the Mournes 1:2500. The route should be straightforward to follow, however a map reader is an essential requirement of any mountain expedition. How fit do I need to be?

The terrain is tough in parts and depending on fitness levels, some teams will be on the trail for 12 17 hours.

Check out the recommended list of kit items you and your team should be carrying. Keep kit to the essentials and avoid doubling up on basic items.

6 The terrain is tough in parts and depending on fitness levels, some teams will be on the trail for hours. If you want to enjoy this event (and finish), we recommend you increase your fitness levels and endurance training properly. What kit do I need to carry? Check out the recommended list of kit items you and your team should be carrying. Keep kit to the essentials and avoid doubling up on basic items. Your main items will always be water, basic first aid kit, spare warm and wet weather clothing, a torch, route maps and mobile phones. Will I need special clothing/footwear? We recommend that you have a good pair of walking boot with ankle support. Make sure you have broken them in! Specialist wicking tops are advisable and make sure you have a selection of clothing items to keep you warm or cool, depending on the conditions. Be sure to have checked the recommended kit list for precise details. Does the event supply food and cater for special dietary requirements? Yes there will be food at the Silent Valley breakfast stop, and a BBQ at the end of the walk. Advise organisers, in advance, of any dietary requirements. Thank you for taking the time to read all of this information. We look forward to meeting you on Friday 15 June at registration. For further information contact: Sarah Matzen T E smatzen@action.org.uk W plod.org.uk/mourne Event organiser: Action Medical Research, Vincent House, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 2DP

Participant Information Pack

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