Fastpacking. Lily Dyu
energy requirements may be comparable to those for a marathon – or even greater – due to the demands of carrying a pack and the hilly or mountainous terrain. Unlike in a marathon, your body will not have the benefits of rest and recovery, since you will be making these demands over sustained multiple days.
Eating and nutrition will therefore play an important role in your trip. Fastpacking gives you licence to eat a lot! It’s important to eat frequently while you’re moving and to adequately refuel in the evenings. Runners will have their own preferences for food and an eating schedule, but the main advice here is to remember your energy requirements will be high and to ensure that you stay fuelled and hydrated throughout.
As a vegetarian, this was not one of my best mountain hut dinners! (Photo credit: Chris Councell)
Food on unsupported trips
Fastpackers who wild camp fall into two categories when it comes to food: cold or hot. Some people carry only food they can eat cold, so they can avoid taking a stove and fuel. For others, a hot drink and meal at the end of the day is worth the extra weight, especially if it’s been wet and cold.
Each runner will have their own preferences for camping food and eating while moving, so no advice is included here on specific products; however, for a trip over multiple days, weight will be key. Some people take a scientific approach to researching and choosing the most calorie-dense foods and matching the quantities to their daily energy requirements.
Top tip
If you are headed into colder conditions, take an extra 500 calories per day as your energy needs will be higher, in order to maintain your body temperature.
Cooking and eating utensils
Choose a camping stove that is small and lightweight and will heat up water quickly. A collapsible cup, which you can use to eat hot food, and a Spork are good choices to keep weight down.
Preparing a fastpacking dinner in a bothy (Photo credit: Tori James)
Food on non-camping trips
If you aren’t camping, and are running between accommodation, then you have options. In the evenings you can dine in, eat out or perhaps self-cater, depending on your lodgings and access to shops. During the day you can carry a packed lunch and your own snacks; buy your food en route; or stop for lunch at a pub, café or mountain hut.
Runners will know from experience what is likely to suit them best. Some people carry gels and bars while others find these get sickly and prefer ‘real’ food. In the Alps, some people might manage by grazing as they run, while others might stop for a proper meal in a refuge, where they can also replenish their snacks. If you’ve become wet and cold, the benefits of a hot meal and drink can’t be overstated.
Guesthouses and mountain huts can often provide a packed lunch. Check your route to see if you pass towns and villages where you can buy food, so that you don’t need to carry much. Always carry at least 400 calories of spare food or gels in case of emergencies.
Water
Staying hydrated while fastpacking is critical, given the high levels of exertion from running long distances with a pack. You should drink plenty of water and have your water bottles or bladder drinking tube easily accessible at the front of your pack. As well as drinking on the trail, it is also crucial to rehydrate well in the mornings and evenings during your trip. This is to avoid the risk of severe dehydration which is a possible cumulative effect of multiple back-to-back days of being dehydrated.
As weight is key, you should plan carefully how much water to carry and where you can fill up en route. It is therefore critical, when planning, to understand where your water sources are going to be, whether that’s a shop, a stream or a mountain hut that you’ll be passing.
If you’re wild camping you should aim to camp near a river or stream. This will mean studying your map and route carefully so that you know where you’ll be able to get water. Most bothies are near a water source and this is generally shown on the MBA website (www.mountainbothies.org.uk). It’s worth investing in a lightweight, collapsible water carrier for these trips.
While some people drink from rivers and streams without treating the water first, it is best to always err on the side of caution. Nasty water-borne diseases are easy to pick up.
The simplest way to purify water is by boiling it on your camping stove. If you want to save fuel, you can buy chemicals or purification tablets to treat water. If you are squeamish about muddy-looking water, you can filter larger particles out through a Buff first. Other options are lightweight filters, ultra-violet filters and even a straw with a filter on it which lets you drink straight from the water source.
Whichever method you use, always try to take water from a fast-flowing stream, as opposed to standing water, and preferably above the tree line. Avoid areas where there are cattle, sheep or other livestock as there could be a dead animal upstream, or water-borne bacteria from livestock.
Tips for staying happy and healthy
Women should be aware that the menstrual cycle can be affected by physical, physiological and emotional stress, all of which can occur at high altitude. Periods can be missed altogether, or become heavier, longer, shorter or irregular. Jet lag, physical exertion, cold and weight loss can also alter the pattern. Be aware of this particularly if you are fastpacking at high altitude. Pack sanitary items even if you aren’t expecting your period during your trip.
Carry antibacterial gel and practise good hand-hygiene.
Use tape to cover areas on the soles and heels of your feet that you know are prone to becoming hotspots.
Carry toilet paper in case you get caught out. Bury toilet waste and either burn or carry out toilet paper and sanitary items.
Use Vaseline to prevent chafing. Sustained, multiple days of running can result in chafing even for runners who’ve run countless marathons with no previous issues. This can ruin your time outdoors.
Sunglasses are a must for high-altitude routes and also protect your eyes from the glare from rock and snow.
At the end of the day, immersing your legs in cold water, whether in a bath, shower or river, followed by hot water where possible, is great for preventing muscle soreness.
Be prepared to make emergency repairs to kit, clothes and packs, and carry spare shoe laces.
Carry and use a chap stick for the harsh conditions of sun, wind and altitude.
Take care of issues early – as soon as they arise – to prevent them spoiling your trip. Don’t wait until a hotspot on your foot becomes a blister, or for your back to be rubbed raw from your pack.
Chilling your legs in icy water can help to reduce muscle soreness
INSPIRATION
Stories from the world of multi-day running
Fastpacking is about enjoying your surroundings at your own pace (Grand Col Ferret, Tour du Mont Blanc, Route 9)
A Pennine passage
A birthday run along the backbone of England