by Dave Hewitt » Sat Jun 22, 2019 2:06 pm
Whenever this kind of complaint is raised - it's quite common when someone has done something long/hard/fast with a degree of publicity, as here - I always feel it's based on a false assumption, namely that one takes in less in terms of the view etc while going fast, whereas arguably one takes in more as senses and concentration levels are heightened.
I've never had enough speed or strength to really be able to comment on this from direct experience, but every year or two I have a go at walking up Ben Cleuch in the Ochils by the shortest route (Tillicoultry-Mill Glen-Law) as fast as I possibly can. No running allowed, but eyeballs-out brisk walking the whole way. I find this hard, as you might imagine (the more so as I age), but also very rewarding - and more to the point there's a vividness to the experience that I don't get when I go up by the same route at a normal pace with occasional pauses to look at the view etc. I very much like those slower ascents too, but the ones that stay with me most, and are sort of burnt into my consciousness such that I can recall both the overall conditions and the small details even years on, are the hard/fast ones.
There's also what feels like the obvious point that people such as Paul Tierney who do amazing things are usually on very familiar ground and will not only have been on all the relevant summits etc numerous times before but will have done a lot of the prep at a much more leisurely pace. I don't know Paul at all, but I do know a few accomplished fellrunners and to a man and woman they are all fond of ambling about, lounging around, taking in the views etc. In fact the day this year when I've done the most leisurely looking at views was with a very accomplished fellrunner and hard hill man who has done heaps of long/fast stuff in his time, but who also needs no persuasion to take things slowly on other days. It's just that every now and then such people also have the urge - and the ability - to do things at a different pace.
