These boots are made for yomping

The 2017 Cateran Yomp is on June 10. As the popular but gruelling charity event draws near, Gayle signs up for a mini boot camp with army veteran Mike Mooney

admit it – I’ve done no training for this year’s Cateran Yomp.

Last year, I breezed through the 36-and-a-half-mile silver route with barely a blister and was so buoyed up that I vaguely considered doing the gold 54-mile option. But with just four weeks left until the big day, I’m feeling like a bit of a lost cause because I simply haven’t clocked up the miles.

Yes, I’ve been active – running, walking the dog, a bit of horse riding – but even the bronze, 22-mile alternative will be a tough undertaking, by any stretch of the imagination.

Luckily for me, help is at hand in the form of army veteran, fitness consultant and adventurer Mike Mooney, who is offering boot camps for prospective yompers.

Mike, 68, lives in Blairgowrie, the Yomp starting point, so we meet up there.

My first question – “Is it too late to start training?” – is met with a robust shake of the head.

“It’s never too late,” Mike reassures me.

“You need a progressive programme – definitely keep a diary – which sees you slowly building up your distances over the next few weeks.

“You lead an active lifestyle so you have a core level of fitness, which is great, but you need to be upping the miles.

“And because you’ll be walking with a rucksack packed full of gear, you need to start increasing the level of weight on your back.”

Mike advises that by the end of their training programme, yompers should have completed 75% of their target distance.

That means I need to slot in a 16-anda-half miler at some stage soon...or if I do silver, just over 27 miles.

As we talk, we walk, and Mike immediately picks up on one of my failings – the inability to use poles effectively.

“Walking technique is crucial and so many people don’t have a clue what to do with poles,” he explains.

“Forget being feminine and try swinging your arms across your chest to open up the diaphragm.”

It’s not purely about physical training. Mike also teaches navigation skills so we spend some time looking at a map and compass.

In 2016, just 350 out of the 856 people who signed up for the 54 mile route crossed the finishing line.

“Such figures, with a 59% dropoff rate, show exactly the level of commitment and preparation required to succeed,” says Mike.

“In order to be successful, you need to open yourself up to being tested and contemplating failure.

“Try to gather as much information as you can in advance – the likely weather, the reality of the terrain and the look and feel of the course.

“Whether you’re the map reader or the medic, the guy looking after the gear or the leader, you have a role to play and your persistence can help get everyone back on the same page again.”

Mike, who joined the army at 15, says a top tip is to take steps to pre-empt any problems.

“Physical discomfort is a real barrier to success and it destroys morale, yet it can largely be managed,” he insists.

“Make sure your kit person is up to speed with a stock of Vaseline, plasters and spare laces.

“Identify and protect physical ‘hot spots’ early, especially on your feet. Check for wee niggles and make sure your boots are a good fit.

“Ultimately, a group with a strong team spirit can repel the worst of what the elements have to throw at it and bond individuals to the pursuit of a collective aim – battling the Yomp.”

We part ways with a promise that I’ll practise using poles properly and put in more miles.

This weekend’s plan is to attempt a 10-miler somewhere in Angus. See you at the Yomp in June!

Clockwise from main image: Mike and Gayle stride out; Mike shows off what every yomper should have in their kit bag; and map and compass skills are every bit as vital as physical fitness. Pictures: Mhairi Edwards.

with Gayle Ritchie