Despite the less than appealing race description (or maybe because of it?!) afforded to this race by Chris’ Hillracing website – I decided this wee race could be a fun intro to hill racing for my son, Calum, visiting from Perth, Australia. Ok then, it’s proximity to Manny’s provided a great excuse to go drinking
Inspired by Manny’s epic and with reports that Chas Campbell was headed for the Highlands and he might even run ;-) I dragged my lazy Lowcountry ass 5 hours upstate to our nearest hills, the Great Smokey Mountains – or at least their foothills….for my first race this summer, on Sunday 7th June. With maybe
A drizzly start saw a reported 11000 runners take to Edinburgh’s streets to try a flatter course over the classic 26 mile distance. Despite less than 30 miles running training in the last 6 months I decided to "give it a bash" as some kind of weird experiment to see what sort of "Residual Fitness"
With over 9000 starters and no seeded start pens, a PB to end the season was probably never really on the cards. Liverpool started their half marathon and their 10k at the same time beside the famous Albert Docks. The first 5 miles were common to both courses, which would have been kind of cute
Strathpeffer Games must be one of the few events on the calendar where you get to tie your number (on stiff card) on with a lovely piece of blue ribbon instead of safety pins… It must also have one of the steepest climbs on the circuit – rivalling that loopy descent off West Lomond in
I had to “work” the day of the North American National Snowshoe champs, so the second and final Pro Series race had to substitute. There were a few more ringers this time, trying to snag a few of the overall points on offer as this series (like the ski season) comes to an end. I
What an epic… Saturday 10th September… A mile swim in Ullswater, a 37 mile bike ride (climbing 4250 feet), taking in Kirkstone Pass and the infamous 1in4 Struggle, followed by a 9 mile run (climbing 3150 feet) up Helvellyn, England’s 3rd tallest peak. Although seriously un-swim-fit – I just had to tri ;) this event
Ok – now that it seems to be common knowledge, a couple of us Invernesians (Myself and Fran Williams of HHR) were planning on having a crack at the Bob Graham Round in May next year. Steffen having ridiculed the idea to start with, is coming round to the idea of having a go (Does
Short, stiff with vertiguous traverse and 300feet vertical scramble on all fives (yes, belly too..) through wet bracken and nettles to first summit. 1200 feet, 4 miles of pain – especially the descending. Why do my legs keep cramping up on the descents ? Finished about 10 minutes after leader at a steady hobble after
Ok – not so much a “multi-terrain” race as an undulating 10 mile road race with a token mile of forest track… Thought I had bitten off a little much during the first mile but found some kind of pace by half-way stage. Didn’t quite manage to hold onto a 7min mile pace, but reasonably