Far from Ideal, but Good Enough...

When prepared for my summer BGR, which was a wonderful and successful experience, I knew I was going to make it. I was fitter than I’d ever been and convinced it was going to be my day. So when the pleasant start turned into a 12 hour rainstorm, I didn’t worry. When we went astray on Pillar (I’m still not sure how we managed that!) and dawdled a bit on Kirk Fell for some reason, it never entered my head that failure was on the cards. Sure enough, despite my legs pretty much giving way on the road section, I ambled into Keswick with plenty of time to spare, just as the sun finally came out and rainbow smiled its congratulations. My head was right, more than my legs were actually, and nothing else mattered.
That’s the main difference between summer and winter rounds. In summer, bad weather is probably still not going to ever stop you, except perhaps hurricane force winds. In summer, you hang on and keep positive and you should be fine. In winter it’s hard to apply that logic. You can be physically stopped in your tracks, or slowed in your tracks by ice and snow that no amount of positive mental attitude can melt. It’s fair to say that this is playing on my mind.
This December has been more like a Scottish Highland February. Snow and ice abound, and it’s powdery, drifty (!?) stuff that makes for slow going. Reports are coming back from the lakes of deep, tiring snow on the ridges and in the cols. I would normally be positive enough to say that the abundant clear skies will at least provide no navigational issues, but it now appears that the cloud will roll in this weekend, providing the worst of both worlds. I can’t help feel hard done by after last year’s winter epic and the summer deluge I had. But that’s pointless and pathetic. Winter rounds demand courage, and that is part of the motivation. It is impossible to be courageous when there is nothing to fear and so it’s time to stop worry and just get on with it.
The forecast at least promises warmer weather - 3 degrees C at 750 metres, which is balmy compared to last year.  The sheer cold took a lot out of me last year so hopefully I'd be able to hang on for longer.  So the plan is to start, work hard, and see how things pan out. I can’t expect any more. If conditions leave me an hour down in daylight then I’ll call it off, otherwise I’ll keep pushing.
But I must think of my supporters. I had no qualms about accepting the wonderful offers of help in summer when I ‘knew’ I was going to make it, because it was going to be a cracking weekend. I’m feeling guilty about lining up all this support when it’s looking a trifle marginal. I am worried about failing and putting my supporters out, esp those doing later legs. I just hope I can give them all a day/night out on the fells.
The use of poles, axes, microspikes, GPS and substantial reserves of merino wool is a real feature as I prepare my kit lists and get my gear sorted. It already feels like an epic.