"Long runs, box jumps and skipping had built endurance in the legs, while long chippers had given them the mental preparation to keep moving when the going got tough."
In less than 24 hours, 12 CrossFit Tonbridge members covered 462 miles and ascended 10,971 feet. It was all part of the annual Three Peaks Challenge, which involves walking the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales — Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon — in 24 hours.
“The difficulty of any of the challenges detailed on this website shouldn't be underestimated,” the challenge’s website states. “It is very easy to get lost … and particularly when mountains need to be climbed in the dark or in poor weather.”
To participate, CrossFit Tonbridge members were required to CrossFit at least three times a week in the five months leading to the challenge. Aside from that, members were asked to do a total of one additional training hike to prepare for 28 miles of climbing and hiking.
“Fireman carries and piggy backs had got them used to carrying a weight, so the backpacks were no problem,” affiliate founder and ex-Marine, Alex Clarke, says. “Long runs, box jumps and skipping had built endurance in the legs, while long chippers had given them the mental preparation to keep moving when the going got tough.”
The Journey Begins
The squad began its 1,344-meter ascent of Ben Nevis at 5 p.m. on a Saturday, splitting into a faster and slower group.
From the start, the challenge proved it was to be taken seriously. The path to follow was roughly marked, and it was dark and wet.
“There was some scrambling involved [in] getting to the top,” Seb St. John, CrossFit Tonbridge coach and qualified mountain guide, says.
With only a touch of light to illuminate the way, members of the group suffered some minor falls. Still, they managed to arrive at the summit without using ropes.
“This climb was the most difficult,” Clarke says. “We treaded carefully on tired legs.”
The first CrossFit Tonbridge team clocked in at 9:30 p.m.; the second finished at 10:15 p.m.
Before the second leg — the 260-mile trek to Scafell Pike — the two groups merged and stopped for 15 minutes to change clothes and stretch. The group ate and slept on the cramped minibus, which itself posed an unexpected challenge.
The minibus, which was borrowed from a school, was only able to travel 55 mph — 15 mph below the speed limit because of safety restrictions. Driving-time between mountains took the group longer than it did other teams.
“We were well on our way to Scafell Pike, but they had quicker vehicles,” Clarke explains.
Likewise, the CrossFit Tonbridge group made strategic changes to keep a competitive pace. Bathroom breaks were limited to one between each mountain.
“We had to climb and descend the mountains quicker (than) most other teams to ensure we finished in under the 24-hour time cap,” Clarke says.
Closing in on Scafell Pike, St. John recalls torches bouncing around the night sky as groups ascended and descended.
Early Sunday morning, the group arrived at Scafell Pike — a 978-meter climb. There, the group overtook other teams who were leading.
“The group’s attitude was a bit like in the middle of a WOD when you decide that someone ahead of you is going to get chased down and caught,” St. John says. “This was the unspoken attitude as we passed groups who were ahead.”
He adds: “Despite our tiredness, we accelerated for a bit longer to build a gap.”
From there, the group navigated steep, rocky terrain as it approached the summit.
Without the second mountain completed, the group felt energized. Only one remained.
“It boosted morale,” Clarke says. “We gave everyone 10 minutes to sort out (their) kit … then we were on route to (Snowdon).”
The group arrived at Snowdon — a 1,085-meter ascent — at 2 p.m.
“We took a back route up the mountain that avoided the easier and more gentle ‘tourist’ route that is longer in distance,” St. John says.
With the challenge’s 24-hour cap looming, the group again split in two: one that ran, another that walked.
“To make the time limit, we descended down the tourist route to the town of Llanberis,” St. John explains. “Running down the mountain was exceptionally hard after all the previous mountains.”
He likened it to the set of nine in a 21-15-9 workout — the group worked through pain and discomfort, knowing the end was near.
“We scrambled up and down the mountain to make the deadline,” Clarke adds.
With good weather and daylight, both groups found Snowdon the easiest climb.
By 4:15, the running group crossed the finish line. Before two hours were up, the second group finished, as well.
“We did very well relative to other teams. We constantly passed other teams on each mountain as we set a much higher pace than them. I think very few teams were successful that weekend in the challenge,” St. John says. “I spoke to some mountain guides several weeks ago who felt the success rate for large groups such as ours was extremely low — something like only 25 to 30 percent managed to complete the challenge in under 24 hours.”
A Retrospective
Lack of appropriate rest, Clarke notes, was among the biggest hurdles.
“With (five to six) hours (of) travel time between (the mountains), this leaves no time to stop, rest, eat, etc.,” he says. “The combination of being on foot for hours on end, quickly moving down steep descents and then stuck in a vehicle meant we really started to feel it in the knees and legs. They would seize up during the travel time and then get worn out on the mountains. It was more of a discomfort rather than a problem.”
And then there were the rain-soaked rocks.
“It was very (slippery),” Clarke says. “But I believe that having strong legs and connective tissue in the joints that has been built up (from) the CrossFit training helped us cope with this and prevent injures such as sprained ankles.”
CrossFit helped mentally, as well, he adds.
“The coaches who went on the challenge kept everyone's mind on the task at hand (and) made sure they all knew they were capable of completing the task,” Clarke explains. “Confidence plays a huge part.”
Andy Townsend, who participated in the challenge, agrees.
“Coach Seb’s drive to get us up and down the mountains was legendary,” he says. “‘Be more positive’ was one thing he said to me going up Scafell Pike.”
The group closed off the weekend with a celebratory meal in a local pub.
“We were all ecstatic with our accomplishments,” Clarke says.
