5 navigation lessons the Spine Race taught me

A few weeks have passed since this year's Summer Spine, and hopefully you've caught up on some sleep and had chance to reflect on your race. Whether you finished in Kirk Yetholm or your day ended somewhere along the Pennine Way, standing on that start line is an achievement in itself.

The Spine is unlike anything else. It tests your endurance, your resilience, your decision making and - more than almost any other event - your navigation.

I'm Jon, and I run GPS Training. I've completed both the Spine Challenger South and North, I'll be back on the Pennine Way myself this January, and my wife Jane and I have spent time helping the Spine team with kit checks at Bellingham - so I've had the pleasure of meeting hundreds of you before you headed out onto one of the toughest sections of the course.

People often ask me which GPS I'd recommend for the Spine. My answer usually surprises them, because the most important question isn't "Which GPS should I buy?" It's "How well do you know the one you've already got?"

Every Spine teaches me something new. Here are five navigation lessons I'll be carrying into my next race.

The Spine doesn't reward clever navigation. It rewards reliable navigation. When you've had little sleep, you're fighting the weather and you've been moving for hours, a complicated setup is the last thing you want.

Your GPS should give you what you need at a glance: a clear map, an easy route to follow, and minimal distractions. The mistake I see most often is people trying to use every feature their device offers. If you're constantly pressing buttons or flicking between screens, your setup is probably too complicated.

Save the experimenting for your training walks - not somewhere between Cross Fell and Byrness.

Battery life isn't something to think about when the warning appears. It's something you plan for before you leave Edale. Summer or Winter, you'll only see your drop bag a handful of times, and between checkpoints every percentage point is your responsibility.

Good battery management isn't complicated, but it does need preparation. Before race day you should know:

• How long your GPS or watch will realistically last.
• Which settings drain the most battery.
• How to reduce screen brightness.
• How quickly the backlight switches itself off.
• Which features you can safely disable.
• Exactly how you'll recharge each device during the race.

The competitors who seem least worried about battery aren't carrying the biggest power banks. They've simply planned ahead.

One habit I follow on every Spine is dead simple. The moment I reach a checkpoint and get to my drop bag, the first thing I do is put everything on charge - phone, GPS watch and handheld - before I eat, before I change, before I sit down. Even if I think they'll comfortably reach the next checkpoint.

Why? Because you never know exactly how long you'll be there, and once you leave, that opportunity's gone. Twenty or thirty extra minutes of charge can matter enormously later on.

It's also why I always carry a power bank with multiple USB ports. Charging your phone, watch and GPS at the same time is far more efficient than one after another - especially when every minute at a checkpoint counts.

Every year, competitors line up with a GPS or watch they've owned for a few days. The Spine is not the place to learn it. Before race day, you should be completely comfortable:

• Loading a route.
• Following the route.
• Zooming the map in and out.
• Finding your grid reference.
• Charging your device.
• Getting back to the navigation screen if you leave it by accident.

None of this is difficult - but none of it should be learnt between Kinder Scout and Kirk Yetholm. Confidence comes from repetition. Use your device on local walks, in poor weather, and in the dark. The more familiar it feels beforehand, the less you'll have to think about it when you're exhausted.

One thing I really like about the Spine is that you still receive the excellent Harvey Maps of the Pennine Way. Digital navigation is brilliant. Paper maps are brilliant. The strongest navigators don't treat them as alternatives - they use both.

A GPS gives you precise location and real confidence in poor visibility. A paper map helps you read the bigger picture, spot your escape routes and understand the ground you're travelling through. Technology should support your navigation, not replace your judgement.

Every Spine competitor finishes with a list of things they'd do differently: a lighter pack, better nutrition, different shoes, smarter battery management, a few tweaks to the navigation setup. But the biggest improvement rarely comes from buying a different GPS. More often, it comes from understanding the one you already own.

That's exactly what we help people do every day at GPS Training. Whether you navigate with a handheld, a GPS watch or your phone, the aim is simple - to help you become more confident, more self-reliant and enjoy your time in the hills even more. If you're already eyeing your next challenge, whether that's another Spine, the Winter Challenger, the right mapping setup, the Cape Wrath Ultra or the Montane Cheviot Goat, a little time spent on your navigation is one of the best investments you can make.

Because good navigation isn't about owning the latest device. It's about knowing exactly how to use it when it matters most.

See you on the Pennine Way.
Jon
GPS Training