Stair Training

[Matt]

As a first timer I have no idea what I'm in for. Am feelin OK with the base and endurance work but little low on the stairs. Sick of just do multiple squats and partial squats. So after finishing work at 4am, I hit up the security guard at the local Uni to prop open a door to a stairwell. 5000 stairs later (that's 2500 up and 2500 down) felt like I'd achieved something. (Although it wasn't stairs after running 80ks).

Have never been to the Blue Mountains so can anyone give me an idea of what is the biggest staircase? (How many satirs or how long does it take the average/ below average plodder to complete?

Ta.

[Jaci]

Hi Matt

we're average plodders ... and went up to the Blue Mtns a couple of weeks ago to do some of the major stairs.  As well as the many hills, the main staircases to climb are The Golden Staircase .. up to CP1, and Nellies Glen, up to CP 4.  Both sets of steps are not a bit like the stairs you would have trained on .. they're stone and logs, muddy, slippery, uneven etc. 

I didn't count the steps, but it took us 12 minutes to walk at a comfortable pace up the Golden Stairs.  Another regular poster on the Face Book 'Unofficial Australian North Face 100 site' http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Unofficial-Australian-North-Face-100/183848461633391 reports that Nellies Glen has 505 steps.

The other big one of course is going down the Giant Staircase behind the 3 Sisters.  I don't know how many steps there are but I think it takes around 10-12 mins to get down them.  They are mostly metal, but very steep and small, and slippery in the wet.  You really don't want to try and rush down them.

You might want to hit those uni stairs a few more times over the next 3-4 weeks .. any practice will fare you well for the NF trails

If you Google the names of these staircases I'm sure you'll see plenty of pics and info .. they're popular walks in the Blue Mtns .. I hope that helps!



Good luck with it,
Jaci.

[Margaret]

Hi
I am new to TNF 100, but have done the Nellies Glen stairs at the end of a 6ft training run, and the Golden Staircase last weekend. I am slow, aiming just to finish in whatever time it takes, but honestly I don't think the stairs are too bad, provided you're not in a hurry. They are very uneven, more like rock climbing in parts. Even for a plodder, they are over quite quickly. This may seem very different in the actual event when I'll be going up Nellies in the dark after a long day on the trail. I think any sort of stair training is time well spent.
Good luck!

[Adrian]

Hi guys,

After finishing last year in 18.39 hrs it's not the stairs you need to worry about. The Golden Stairs your stuck in the queue and you get dragged up walking behind others, Nellies is mental issue not a physical one, just take it one step at a time and get the warm clothes on before as it gets dark in here you get cold quickly. Enjoy your day run the flats. YOU WILL ENJOY IT !!!
See you on the happy trails, not long to go.

[Kent]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to put my 2 cents worth in. I have another post about running down hills. That also applies to running down stairs. As I did not train for it last year it really started to become painful to go down hills and stairs by the 20k mark.

My biggest problem is lack of trail experience. With all the loose rocks and dirt I found that I was using my legs as breaks. I was passed by a lot of experienced runners just gliding down and I still don't know how they do it without breaking anything.

I would suggest maybe mixing it up in the last couple of weeks by trying to find some downill trails or tail stairs just so your feet and legs get used to that. Coupled with the training your doing now on the stairs will put you in a great position.

Good luck all. It's getting very close now!

[Matt]

Thanks everyone for the input. Can't get to too many trails in the last few weeks so have chosen lots of stairs + my last few long runs as the way to lead into my taper.

Safe training everyone and see you in under 5 wweeks. (OMG!)
Matt.