Always check what terrain to expect and whether it’s within your capability (Passo di Ciotto Mieu, Italian Alps)
Top tips
Research and plan your route thoroughly and understand its technical difficulty.
If considering a mountainous route, read a guidebook beforehand, using a highlighter to pick out technical sections. Consider these carefully before making a final route choice. Partway through a multi-day mountain trip is too late to discover that there are sections of route that you are not equipped for or sufficiently experienced to undertake.
Be flexible. There is no shame in missing out sections and using public transport to connect up more runnable, scenic and interesting sections.
Identify escape points where you can leave a route if necessary.
Plan for recoverable daily efforts. On any multi-day trip, aim to be just as strong on the last as you were on the first day.
Navigation
Although spending time navigating may slow your running pace, it’s easy to overshoot and miss a turn when running, so it’s worth stopping regularly to check your location. Always carry a map and compass and know how to use them. A good navigator will always have these to hand, rather than in their pack. Ensure you are competent in navigating in poor conditions.
Always know where you are on the map when following a route. It’s easy to forget to check this while you’re caught up in the flow of running, but you don’t want to suddenly reach a path junction and wonder where you are. While you’re running it can be difficult to keep track of your position and this will mean you need to re-find your location each time you look at the map. To get around this, a good technique to use is ‘thumbing the map’. This simply means always having your thumb next to your current position on the map and moving it along the route, as you compare map features to the observed terrain, while you run.
Obviously, night navigation experience is a bonus if you’re caught late on the trails due to unforeseen circumstances. In these situations, you should also act with risk aversion in mind and try to find the easiest route to navigate – for example by switching to quiet roads rather than mountain paths to get to your destination.
Always factor in navigation when estimating your running pace
Mobile phones and GPS devices
There are, on the market, countless GPS devices, including GPS watches that can navigate for you. There are also many useful GPS apps available for smartphones – if you’re buying one, choose a product that lets you download maps so you can view them offline. These apps will locate your position on a map even if you have no mobile coverage; this can be useful for cross-checking your location. A very popular GPS app is Viewranger – www.viewranger.com – which runs on both iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Don’t rely solely on electronic equipment for navigation as it can fail, or you may find you are unable to charge your device on your trip. A good rule is to treat a smartphone as an emergency device. Be aware that batteries run down more quickly in the cold. Always use a waterproof cover. Keep your device safe in a pocket in a waterproof bag, in airplane mode, with no apps running in the background to conserve battery life. Rely on your own navigation skills.
Safety
The most important thing a runner will take on a fastpacking trip is their outdoor know-how. Mountain weather can change very quickly; you need to have the skills to take care of yourself and others before you head into the mountains and remote places. These include navigation, first aid, what to do in an emergency, river crossings, and an understanding of mountain weather, hypothermia and the effects of heat.
If you are not skilled enough to hike a route, then never fastpack it, since running increases your risk of an accident. Fastpacking presents unique challenges compared to hiking, since you will be in different footwear and probably carrying less equipment and clothing.
That said, some people have argued that going lighter and faster allows you to remove yourself from risks, like poor mountain weather, more quickly. This clearly depends on your experience and you should never compromise on safety when making gear choices. It’s a classic balance of your experience, the likely conditions, terrain and carrying the necessary gear to be safe.
Top tips
Start early each day. This provides contingency in case something unexpected happens, like getting lost or encountering poor weather.
Make sure you know what weather conditions are likely. Are afternoon thunderstorms common in the region you’re planning to fastpack in? Will there be snow and ice on a high pass? Ensure you know how to deal with these situations.
Build your experience by trying fastpacking on shorter trips before attempting long-distance routes. Learn as you go and build skills and confidence.
Fastpacking means going fast and light, but without compromising safety. Never omit essential clothes and equipment for the conditions, no matter how light you’d like your pack to be.
Take a charged phone and avoid using it apart from in emergencies.
Ideally, go fastpacking in company.
Leave your itinerary with someone at home. Make sure someone knows where you are going to be and when you should be expected to return, especially if you are travelling solo.
Plan for emergencies and have exit points planned along your route so that, if necessary, you can get out safely.
How to get started
It’s a good idea to start with a simple overnight trip, for example running a circuit close to home that includes an overnight stay, or an out-and-back route. You could take the train somewhere and then run back to your start. Short trips allow you to build up experience of back-to-back running days while carrying a pack.
The UK’s national trails are a great way to try fastpacking and generally these aren’t technically difficult or very mountainous. You could opt to use a baggage service to move your gear and this would let you get used to running longer distances over consecutive days, before carrying the weight of a heavier pack.
What to take
The contents of my rucksack for two weeks in the Italian Alps
Obviously, what you carry will depend on the type of trip you’re doing, whether you’re camping or running between accommodation, but the key principle in fastpacking is to travel as light as possible. A heavy pack will make it both uncomfortable and impossible to run. But you should never compromise on safety – you need the right gear to take care of yourself and to be prepared for the likely conditions. Carry exactly what you need to be safe and happy, and nothing more. A full suggested kit list is provided in Appendix B.
A word on weight
The weight of your pack is the number one and most crucial factor for enjoyable and successful fastpacking! This cannot be over-emphasised. Aim for a pack weight of 3–8kg. Anything above 8–10kg will be difficult to run with and increases your risk of injury. The rise in ultra-lightweight outdoor gear makes this much easier now, but it can be as simple as being ruthless about what you take and thinking carefully about your food choices.