Something different for a change!

Having been off the scene for a while due to health issues (more about that another time) I decided a visit to the local Donkey Sanctuary would be of benefit.

I've been staying with my parents in Devon whilst recuperating and Andrew has come down for a visit and to take me up to Yorkshire to continue my recovery there.

The sanctuary is just that; a sanctuary, and there is something highly soothing and relaxing about visiting it. It's free to enter as it is the spirit of the organisation to allow people free access to visit and see their work and achievements. They rely on voluntary donations and fund raising events for income.

We arrived quite early and had the pleasure of seeing all the elderly and more fragile donkeys resting in their stable, a large barn filled with clean straw. That alone was the most peaceful sight. The donkeys have collars with their names which are colour coded to show their particular needs, e.g. medication or extra feeds.

Donkeys are such gentle peaceful animals, and contact with them has a really soothing effect for anyone that feels in need of a bit of tlc. They all have different personalities, likes and dislikes just like us.

I particularly liked meeting the more sociable donkeys in the home paddock where they mingle with visitors and enjoy being stroked, patted and talked to - approaching people at their choice and resting in open stables if they prefered to be alone.

The sanctuary occupies a huge area with something like 460 donkeys spread around fields and paddocke, all guaranteed a safe and caring home for life. Andrew and I took a short walk to see the Poitu donkeys, as being a large hairy variety they appealed to our curiosity! A short walk for me is a bit of an effort but we were rewarded, as some of these donkeys were very confiding and came over for some attention - more lovely donkey therapy!

Love the lovely donkeys!

BGR 27th May Part 3 (final)

Andrew had everything ready, tea, soup, cous cous, hot dog, and my box with spare rations and medical supplies. Someone massaged deep heat into my aching anterior tibialis, both legs (Who was it please? Thank you, it worked). This muscle is prone to tightening, I think due to stiffness in my ankles, which has been the cause of shin splints for me in the past.

How was it that I forgot my food? I remember drinking the tea, it was just right, and trying and failing to drink the soup (it made me feel sick) – but the soup was there to be added to the cous cous to make it nice and sloppy. How did I forget about the cous cous? It was right there with the tea and soup. Idiot girl! The leg two crew had done so well to keep me fed, I let them down here.

I asked about Nigel and was told he was off the hill but that my waterproof trousers he was carrying hadn’t been sent on…..it didn’t occur to me to ask why. I’d been wearing Andrews since Threlkeld but they were too big, did not have an elasticated waist and they’d been falling down. A very funny sight I must’ve made with them tucked into my socks but repeatedly falling down to my knees! After the descent off Fairfield I noticed they’d come untucked from my socks and were half way over my shoes. A stop was needed to beat them back into submission; they seemed to have a life of their own! Bill generously leant me his OMM trousers to continue with. Thanks Bill.

The climb up Steel Fell was a little slow, I had been suffering from mild bouts of cramp and the tight tibialis was still aching. My feet were slipping and I think it was because I was being timid about pushing off on the cramping muscles. I drank Nuun and ate everything that was sent my way including more gels. I must’ve taken an hour to get down a peanut cliff bar and a piece of Yiannis crisp bread. That peanut cliff bar would normally act like rocket fuel, and maybe it did, but if so I didn’t notice and it wasn’t enough.

The aches vanished but I became increasingly fatigued as we made our way straight into the wind and driving rain over ground that was completely waterlogged. I was sinking up to my knees at times. I remember saying to Morgan ‘Why are we in a Bog?’ The reply was that this was the wettest part of the round; it certainly was on this occasion. I had no memory of anything that wet when I’d recced that section at Easter (but then Easter was a scorcher wasn’t it!).

The wind seemed stronger than ever and I was having fearful thoughts about how I’d stay upright on the more exposed rockier sections we were approaching. I’ve been blown off my feet before (during the Borrowdale OMM, the first time being carried by the wind for a frightening distance before diving for the ground to escape) and was only too aware of my vulnerability especially when amongst rocks. I’d almost crawled to the top of one of the Stickles as the wind was howling over it with force, although I did notice Stuart stood up; he’s braver than me!

It was a relief when Morgan and Yiannis gave me the news that I was now just over an hour off schedule, that the weather was showing no sign of improvement, that there were options, and what would I like to do. Morgan took Stuart back to Wasdale where he had family waiting for him, and to alert the road crew of the situation, and Yiannis led me down to Langdale with £25 slightly soggy notes supplied by Morgan.

Reality hit and I shed a tear or two as I followed Yiannis round the back of Rossett Pike and into the sheltered Langdale valley. I now had time to look around and notice how stunning the scenery was with white streaks of water coming off the hills all around, and bright green summer fresh grass contrasted with blood red shiny wet rocks under my feet. It was beautiful. I’d stopped eating and the fatigue increased. I plodded down distracted by chatting with Yiannis, but on heavy legs.

We stumbled into the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel reception (well I did, Yiannis of course managed something more dignified than that!) and explained our circumstances as briefly as possible. We were shown down to the drying room and discarded our wet shoes, socks and waterproofs. A breakfast table had been laid for us complete with white cloth. We sat sodden and shivering on the wicker chairs feeling like a freak exhibit for the hotel guests! The hotel staff were wonderful. There was no fuss, they refused to be concerned by our wet state and the effect it might have on the furnishings, and they looked after us as though we were booked in fully paying guests. We had pots of tea and coffee and baked beans on toast and when we’d finished we were shown into the lounge (the lovely smart lounge filled with comfy sofas) and the fire was lit for us. It was there that Andrew and Morgan found us, with socks off sitting on the floor toasting in front of a roaring log fire complete with more fresh tea and coffee. We offered to pay for the service we’d received but only a token amount was accepted. The hospitality and friendliness of the Lakeland people never ceases to warm me.

There is a further sad note to this adventure. Our friend Nigel who became separated from us on the parachute descent had had an accident and it was still not known what condition he was in. Andrew and Trevor (my very able and worthy road crew) had called mountain rescue when he didn’t appear in reasonable time. We knew he’d been air lifted to hospital and we knew he had a broken arm and head injury, but we didn’t know how bad it was. Yiannis gently broke the news over breakfast when I asked again what had had happened to him (meaning to discover how he’d managed to fall behind). My tears had to be suppressed for the sake of public decency but it was a painful moment and my heart was in my socks – cold wet socks hanging limp in the basement drying room. I can shed a few more now whilst I write this; there’s no one here to see.

We know now that Nigel is ok. He’s had an operation on his arm as it was broken quite badly, and has had stitches to the cut on his head. He has a fracture to his skull but makes little of this saying it is minor and will heal. He’d had the sense to put on my waterproof trousers and had managed to keep warm enough to fend off hypothermia, although I know he must have been very cold. Nigel, if you’re reading this, you were incredibly brave, still are, and I hope you recover quickly and fully. Thank you for your help and support. I know your BG plans have been spoilt but I hope that when you do go on and complete it, your victory will be all the sweeter for the suffering you’ve to tolerate.

I would of course like to thank everyone involved, including the mountain rescue team, the hospital staff that treated Nigel, and the hotel staff that welcomed Yiannis and I and made us comfortable in our moment of need. My crew, and all others who have supported me and contributed with advice and encouragement.

I will be back for another attempt, but next time I intend it to be a much quieter affair, and hopefully a dryer less windy one too. Watch this space.

BGR 27th May Part 2

As we made our way from Clough Head over the Dodds the weather became increasingly worse. We were fighting against strong wind with hefty gusts and driving rain. My crew were brilliant. The navigation was excellent in very challenging conditions and the support was undoubtedly the best I could have asked for.

I was struggling to eat and Andrew McC badgered me relentlessly feeding me his own gels at half hour intervals. At some point a banana was produced which went down much easier than I anticipated. It’s hard to describe running and climbing with a stomach that feels like mine did, all I can say is that it felt heavy and ached, and I dearly wished it would settle. It wasn’t going to!

At one point (I think as we climbed White Side) Martyn, Stu and Andrew Mc C (I think, but in the dark it was hard to tell and Tom R was there too) made a human wall to shelter Helen and I. Helen made a comment about the great view which I suspect was the only time I managed a laugh on that leg. Fit men in tights, I will say no more!

When we reached the Helvellyn ridge the wind hit an all time high. I had Andrew McC on one side and Stuart on the other and between them they anchored me down but kept me moving. I remember seeing a dark abyss through the cloud; knowing there was a steep drop straight off the side with the wind blowing over it was a sobering experience. I didn’t see much of Bill and Tom P as they were up ahead navigating, with Bill sweeping for paths and trods.

The peak of Nethermost Pike is notoriously hard to find in the dark, not being particularly well marked and in a widespread sea of pointed rocks. It is even harder to find in low cloud but find it we did with no small amount of stumbling involved.

The descent off Dollywaggon Pike is grassy and very steep. In the wet, despite having the best footwear available, I slipped a few times and was glad to reach the bottom. It was sheltered there and I walked rather than ran to the foot of Fairfield relieved for a bit of respite from the wind.

I’d planned to take the grassy direct route up Fairfield but was feeling the toll of the effort so far and willingly followed the lead up the zig zaggy path. Looking at my times it was a slow climb and I remember being relieved to reach the peak. The return down was straight into driving rain, the sort that stings, making it very difficult to see. My eyes were red raw and stinging the next day.

I like the climb up Seat Sandal as it is a bit of a rocky scramble, steep enough to get my hands on the ground. It was very wet with water running down but it had the benefit of being sheltered.

The drop down to Dunmail Raise was another slippery affair and I found the going a little tricky. I was glad to see the lights below and even more pleased to hear Andrew calling me in.

BGR 27th May part 1

Having been cheated out of my first attempt at a BGR by a random stomach bug, it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I stood outside the Moot Hall waiting for the clock to hit 7pm.

I’d managed to assemble another impressive team for support and knew that I’d done everything possible to prepare for this attempt. I spoke to my pacers at the Moot Hall asking them to let it be known if any of them was falling behind or struggling to keep up; last time my pacer carrying my kit bag had been left behind, I didn’t want anything like that happening again.

I’ve always been a moody eater and any sign of illness or anxiety can switch off my appetite completely. It’s normal for me to struggle to eat on race days, I often forget to eat race day breakfast if I’m busy and distracted, and so far the only breakfast I’ve been able to get down on day two of a mountain marathon is custard (yuck but at least I can drink it). Out of necessity Lucozade gels, Lucozade drink and Nuun have been my primary fuel source. I knew this was not ideal and Andrew has taken pains to encourage me to eat solid food when we’ve been out training, which had gone well, but that was in training, not racing or a bg.

After two days of no appetite and forced meals, I set off with a stomach that felt like it had a rock in it. Here I was again climbing Skiddaw refusing offers of food, kidding myself it was only the first climb on leg one, my stomach would settle and that it didn’t matter I could eat later.

We were moving well despite there being a strong wind particularly on Skiddaw. Gav P lent me an arm and shelter against the gusts. Persistent rain set in and the cloud base was low. Despite the rain, the Caldew was no more than knee deep, but the ground over Mungrisdale Common was wet and my feet were numb. I didn’t notice the sun set but had my headtorch on as we climbed Blencathra. The visibility was poor and as we set off down the parachute all I could see of Yiannis was some reflective strip on the backs of his tights. This improved rapidly as we dropped below cloud level. At some point Nigel became separated from the group and there was much calling and waving of torches. I was getting cold and we continued, trusting he would follow.

I ran into Threlkeld 13 minutes ahead of schedule. I reported that Nigel had been left behind and after a rushed change of clothes I set off with my leg 2 crew.

I couldn’t eat my food at the road stop, but I’d anticipated this and had arranged for Andrew to send my crew with a cut up hot dog for me and to put my cous cous in a plastic mug so I could eat it on my way. Did I eat them? No, my tummy still felt like it had a rock in it, was concave with a cramp and hurt. What was that about? I don’t know but I paid for it climbing Clough Head as I lost 15 minutes.

Three hours to go

I'm in Skipton drinking coffee with Andrew. We have around three hours to go before heading up to Keswick

Because of my upcoming operation I am determined to succeed this time. The surgeon is number 800 on the BG completion list and I want to get on there with him. I want to do it for everyone who has helped and supported me too

I just need to get going now and am really looking forward to leg 1 with Yiannis and the crew!

Limbo

I've spent this weekend in limbo as I've been searching for a navigator for leg 2 of my BGR. Weekends are never a good time for finding people as they are generally too busy making the most of the countryside. With only a few days to go before I start my journey northwards and lose internet access I've been a bit anxious. Patience, patience!

This morning I took Sam out for our run along the cliff tops to Branscombe. He's having a niggle with his knee and had to turn back part way through. I continued alone and found myself mulling over troubles better left buried. It made for a rather sombre outing but the sun was out and the wind was up so a few cobwebs were blown away.

I've taken two days off work to travel and recover; a three day week means I'm going to be a very busy girl between now and BGR attempt 2.

Hard to stomach

Sadly my BGR attempt was scuppered by vile stomach bug. I had to bail out half way round leg two after completing leg one under schedule. I was unable to keep any solids or fluids in and was in real trouble.

My crew did their job superbly; they got me off the hill safely, and back to my accommodation.

I would like to thank everyone who has been involved directly and indirectly and for their continuing support.

The focus now is very much on another attempt. I've spent the last two days putting together a team and again am lucky to have a really strong one. Thanks to you all for signing up.

Setting off

Just a quick post as I'm late leaving thanks to a challenging day in the office.

My bags are packed and assembled ready to load into the car. Just a few last minute emails to send and I'll be on my way.

Next time I post on here I will have made my BGR attempt.

I'm looking forward to leaving my troubles behind for what promises to be a very special day in the Lakes.

Thanks to everyone who has assisted me, encouraged me, given advice, and signed up to help.

Counting down

This morning I took Sam for a run out to Branscombe. We went early and enjoyed a mostly dry and quite blustery outing.

Sam's joining me for the Saunders Mountain Marathon at the beginning of July so he needs to be getting some decent training in. I have to recover from my BGR adventure and be in a fit state to be able to try and keep up with him.

I have three days left at work before I head north for an early start to the weekend. I'm looking forward to assembling supplies, getting my bags packed and putting the final logistical touches in place.

I can't wait to stand for a moment or two at the green door then get started.

The Final Push

The journey north went much better than expected. I joined the M1 at about 9:30 p.m. to a rush hour traffic volume but it was moving well and I arrived in Yorkshire in good spirits.

We made an early start on Good Friday and headed up to my favourite stomping ground in Upper Wharfedale for a long hilly run. The weather was glorious; dry and sunny and we had one of the best days out in the Dales to date. We varied the route adding an extra climb out of Starbotton up to Buckden Pike and down into Buckden village. It would’ve been rude not to call in at the village tea shop, the cheese and tomato toasties went down well. We followed the Wharfe along the Dales Way back to the car. I haven’t walked this section before and was surprised by the grandeur of the parkland and ancient trees.

In the afternoon it was warm enough to sit at the back of the house and enjoy the sun. Andrew has a bird feeding station which has attracted a great number of visitors recently. We’ve been startled by the rate the food has been disappearing; a fair amount ends up on the floor where the chaffinches dunnocks and blackbirds feed. I was delighted when I spotted Mrs Mallard and seven tiny ducklings waddling down the driveway to feed on the spilt seeds. She had four yellow ducklings and three brown and yellow spotted ones; I’m fairly certain she is the same proud Mum who brought her new family to see me by the pond last time I was at Andrew’s.

Saturday was spent getting ready for our visit to the cottage at Cockley Beck and travelling there. Mrs Mallard and her brood arrived at breakfast time minus one brown duckling. I noticed she was struggling to swallow something so we put the bird drinking bath on the ground for her. As soon as we were out of the way all six ducklings clambered into the dish filling it completely!

We booked the cottage late last year as a base for a last big training push before the BG and for a holiday. I wanted to return during the lambing season and we’d been assured by Sandra who rents out the cottage, that there would be pet lambs to feed during our visit.

I’ve been suffering from stress and anxiety for many weeks caused by pressures at work and health issues. I’ve been relying increasingly on the weekends away visiting my family and Andrew, and finding respite in the peace and beauty of the countryside and from the exercise from my BG training. I badly needed a holiday.

This was our third visit and on arrival the cottage it felt like home. We moved in and sat out a brief shower (as it happened, the only rain we saw all week) then headed out for a stroll down the lane to stretch our legs and check on the lambing progress. Lambing had only just begun and the fields were full of expectant ewes. It couldn’t have been a nicer start to the week as we were treated to the sight of a brand new lamb, eyes still closed and still covered in mucus stood on wobbly legs being washed by one proud ewe. By the end of the week most of the ewes had lambs and it became a bit of a ritual to stroll down the lane each evening and check on them.

We’d planned three days of training at the beginning of the week which would take in all of leg three in sections then a rest day on Wednesday.

Sunday: The first half of leg three with an out and back route from Dunmail Raise as far as Rossett Pike.

Monday: From Wasdale to Mickledore via Hollow Stones, up to Scafell and back to Wasdale. The plan was to choose a route from Scafell Pike to Scafell. There are three routes generally used by BG contenders; Foxes Tarn, Lords Rake and Broad Stand. Also to include some steep climbing and descending on scree and rocky ground.

Tuesday: From the cottage over to Langdale via Wrynose, up Rossett Gill to join the BG route below Bow Fell, then leaving the BG route at Scafell and returning to the cottage via Slight Side and Moasdale. The section from Wrynose to Langdale passes between Red Tarn and Pike O’ Blisco, with a long descent to Stool End by Oxendale.

We woke on Sunday morning to bright sunshine and the sounds of lambs. We drove to Dunmail via Langdale as this is a particularly beautiful route through alpine scenery with the rugged fells as a backdrop. We left early to avoid the bank holiday traffic and were rewarded as the warm orange glow of the morning sunshine lit the landscape to perfection. We got off to a good start as we ascended Steel Fell strongly and well inside schedule. At this point we should have put the watch away as I became increasingly obsessed with the time and forgot to enjoy the running. On the return we chose a route avoiding the peaks which took us through grassy terrain over the shoulder of High Raise. It was hot and heavy going so we stopped for a dip in a beck, and filled our bottles with the cold water; this would be an ideal spot for a summer bivvy.

On Monday we met Paul in Wasdale. He’d joined us to help with our route choice up Scafell and had brought gear to rope Broad Stand; it’s an easy scramble for a seasoned climber such as Paul but with a dangerous drop, hence the need for the rope. Above the roped section of Broad Stand are some sloping rock shelves with a huge drop below. Lords Rake has a tough scree ascent with a perched boulder at the top which will eventually fall, although the odds of this happening in my lifetime are pretty remote. We’ve chosen the Foxes Tarn route as the safest all weather option. I found the day challenging but very rewarding as by the end I was able to run downhill on scree and had made the necessary route choices. Thanks to Paul for a great day out; we enjoyed the company and appreciated his time and patience.

On Tuesday Andrew set off up Wrynose like a rocket and I struggled to keep up initially. It was sunny but there was a strong wind blowing down the valley. We’d arranged to meet Ian (Fellgazelle) in Langdale and were concerned about arriving late, but after such a good start there was plenty of time to ease off and enjoy the lovely views of the Langdale Pikes. Having met Ian as planned we set off up Rossett. We bumped into Rachael from Bingley Harriers as we neared the top. She was suffering from a virus and had abandoned her run as she was feeling unwell. Rachael is an inspiration and has completed many long distance challenges including the BG; despite her present condition she gave encouragement and wished me luck with my attempt. One of the most memorable things about the BG training for me will be the people I’ve met at events and on the hill and the friends I’ve made along the way.

From the top of Rossett we climbed well up the rakes to Bow Fell. The route from there is rocky and we were able to find some good lines between us. It was really useful to be able to compare notes with Ian and split up to see which were the quickest routes up and off some of the more rocky peaks. On the final climb from Broad Crag Col up to Scafell Pike Ian and Andrew called me over to climb up a central path but I’d already dropped down to the start of a scree path which I’d earmarked as my chosen route. I retorted ‘well I’ve started now’….this caused some amusement for a few lads close by who commented ‘I’ve started so I’ll finish’. The rat bags raced up that climb and left me for standing despite my best efforts to beat them and prove them wrong! I was handed some chocolate as consolation and a peace offering at the top!

Monday’s efforts were proven as I ran off Scafell Pike onto Mickledore, and straight down the screes on the Eskdale side with confidence, not stopping until I’d begun the ascent to Foxes Tarn. Happy days! From Scafell the route over Slight Side was mostly grassy and downhill and we all enjoyed the easy descent. The head of Moasdale is beautiful, remote and quiet. The view of the Scafell ridge from Lingcove Beck is stunning as the rock towers above giving a feeling of awe. We had two miles left on runnable grass and trails and finished this racing back to the cottage. Ian stayed for a bite to eat which rounded the day off nicely. I did switch off for a while as the guys chat turned to East Midlands footie; yawn yawn!!!

Wednesday was my birthday which is why we’d planned a day off. The wind had dropped and we were able to sit out in the sun and enjoy a lazy morning chatting and watching the birds in the cottage garden. Sandra took us down to the farm for lamb feeding as promised. She had two tiny Herdwick lambs (one male and one female) tucked away in a barn waiting for their lunch. The lambs were surprisingly strong and wiry, but were very tame and I was able to hold one as I fed it from the bottle. It was a lovely treat.

We went to the Newfield Inn at Seathwaite in the Duddon Valley for lunch. It was warm and sunny and we ate in the garden. The portions were generous and the food tasty. The bar has a Walna Scar slate floor which has a striped grain through it making it highly attractive. It’s well worth looking out for. We stopped on the way back to the cottage and climbed an inviting looking rock for a cheeky post lunch snooze in the sun.

We had champagne in the evening and were about ready for bed when our friends Linda and Jackie arrived after a long day out in the hills. Linda is joining me for the BG attempt and we’d arranged to meet up for a recce of leg one with Yiannis the following morning.

Thursday was the highlight of the week and felt like the culmination of all of my training and preparations. Yiannis is a very experienced fellrunner and knows the BG route intimately; he devised and fine tuned the parachute route off Blencathra. He’s the only person to have completed a sub 24 hour 60 at 60 extended BG round. He will be navigating legs one and four on the day of my round and I consider it a real honour to have him involved.

I hadn’t expected to be nervous for a social recce so was a little surprised to find myself struggling to eat breakfast. We previously ran this leg in very wet conditions about a month ago and although I’d had a great day out and enjoyed the route, I had struggled with the final descent into Threlkeld off Blencathra. I’d set myself the task to make the parachute descent with Yiannis and time it to see if I could get within the scheduled time.

Linda wanted to try the route off Doddick Fell, so Andrew knowing it well, took her and Jackie leaving me with Yiannis.

Yiannis gave me some wise words at the start of the descent. He said run as quickly as you can but comfortably so you won’t risk a fall; or words to that effect. I set my watch and followed him down the hill. 23 minutes and 30 seconds later we arrived at the car. I couldn’t believe how well it had gone; I’d almost halved my previous time and was about six minutes under schedule. Yiannis and I sat down in the shade and were chatting and taking bets on how long it would take the others to arrive.

Afterwards Andrew said we were sitting there looking like a pair of Cheshire cats that had stolen all the cream. I guess that’s pretty much how we felt. What a transformation; I’m now looking forward to my round.

A test or two

After my disappointing loss of nerve on Blencathra last weekend it was clear to me that a big effort would be required to restore confidence for tackling the rougher steeper lakeland slopes. The reccee of the BGR leg four scheduled for Saturday would be good practise and a test.

Andrew and I met Linda and Geoff at Honister. It was a lovely sunny morning, and marked the start of the sun cream and ice cream season for me! We set off at a steady pace climbing over to Great Gable, skirting round it and dropping down into Wasdale on Moses Trod (Leg four starts in Wasdale and ends at Honister Pass).

Moses Trod was the first (and unexpected) challenge for me. It was narrow, steep, clung to the side of the mountain with a drop off to the side and was covered in loose gravel and rock fragments. I struggled down it as best as I could manage at the head of the group, trying to take Linda's advice and trust my studs but quietly grateful that the trod wasn't a feature of the round. Mayhem seemed to break loose just as I was approaching a walker who had stopped to one side making room for us to pass. All I remember is seeing a look of horror on his face, hearing a warning, and noise from behind that sounded like Linda must have tripped and be falling; I expected to be catapulted off the mountain by an impact from behind. I took a step sideways to try and escape whatever calamity was occurring behind me but as I did so I was hit on the ankle bone by a falling piece of rock. It turned out that I'd dislodged some loose rock and gravel causing a mini (very mini) avalanche to start. Linda had tried to kick or step on the piece of rock to save me but it had evaded her attempt, took a curve and headed straight for me. The rest of the descent was taken on extra wobbly legs with one stop for a bit of cringing as the pain hit me, feeling similar in scale to a badly stubbed toe post marathon. As a precaution to stop any swelling I took some ibuprofen and made use of a stream for icing. The pain quickly subsided to a dull ache and I was ready to proceed with the recce.

The rest of the day went smoothly enough and although I was slower than the others on the more exposed steep ground I was able to make good progress. In an odd sort of way I think the incident in the morning helped me; I'd had a scare and nothing terrible had happened. I felt strong and confident on the ascents. Great Gable and Steeple are probably the most exposed sections and these passed without fuss.

Andrew and I paid our respects to the Dog n Gun and Lakeland Spice in the evening. I was mentally and physically tired and needed an early night. I fell into a deep untroubled sleep.

To be continued....! Leg 2 on Sunday.

I've been through a busy spell and have had to let my blog take a back seat for a while. I'll recap Sunday's run as best I can from my poor memory!

Andrew and I had planned to recce the second half of the BGR leg two as an out and back from Dunmail. The weather was good; sunny and hot, as I recall applying plenty of sun cream. We took a line straight up Dollywagon Pike across grassland and a large boggy area, which was heavy going but we found a good fast flowing spring to dip water from which refreshed us nicely.

Along the way we met some lads with mountain bikes. How anyone can cycle over the terrain with steep technical ascents and descents and enjoy it, I'll never know. We sat down and watched them descend off one of the peaks, I forget which, we'd run down it but it looked pretty suicidal for a bike to me!

My strongest memories of the day are the route from the summit of Dollywagon Pike, via Fairfield, Seat Sandal and back down to Dunmail. This section offers some significant descents and climbs in a concentrated area and Andrew and I attacked it with enthusiasm. We raced up Fairfield, Andrew taking the tourist track, me taking a more direct but steeper line to see which was the quickest. The direct line came out tops and we made use of it on the descent too.

We took a line off the side of Seat Sandall far too early and dropped down on very steep grass, leaving us with a stony and not very pleasant track to finish the descent on; oops!

Ducklings Dog n Gun

It feels as though my training hasn't been going at all well lately with the weekday plans frequently being disrupted, but when I look at my mileage and climb summary I can see that I'm getting along just fine regardless. This week has been much the same. I took Friday off work, headed northwards on Thursday evening, and missed the weekend traffic for a change.

Andrew left early for work on Friday, but despite the lack of his company it was a relief to wake up and find myself in Yorkshire with a day of relaxation to enjoy. Knowing me well, he'd saved up some bread for duck feeding; I was off to the pond as soon as the rain stopped. Numbers were still down with only eight male ducks, no females, and no sign of my cheeky favourite last seen with a limp. I'm a terrible shot and it was a bit windy so I had some difficulty getting the bread in the pond; the ducks had more exercise than normal!

Bread dispensed, I was heading towards the village centre for a bit of retail therapy when I encountered Mrs Mallard complete with fourteen tiny ducklings in the stream that runs below the pond. She brought them right up to meet me chatting loudly as she came. I felt terrible; no bread left to give her. Of course I did rush home for more bread and my camera but I couldn't find her when I returned.

We'd booked a B&B (one I'd recommend; the hospitality was unbeatable http://www.dollywaggon.co.uk/index.html)and had arranged to meet fellow fell runners for a weekend of BGR recces and socialising. The weather forecast was wet and windy so I packed plenty of warm layers.

When we stay in Keswick it always feels like a holiday however brief and the visit wouldn't be complete without a meal in Lakeland Spice and a drink or two in the Dog n Gun. The chip shop opposite the Moot Hall is also becoming a bit of a regular.

A week has gone by and I haven't found time to complete this post; the weekend has lost it's freshness, I hope I can still do it justice here.

Saturday was spent with friends old and new checking out leg one. This leg starts in Keswick and ends in Threlkeld, we parked at Threlkeld and ran to Keswick to start the route. The ground was wet and boggy from an over night downpour which made the going tough at times. We made a chain to cross the river as the water level was high; to the top of my thighs, eek it was a smidge chilly!

We split up at the top of Blencathra, there are at least three route choices down. I made a cautious attempt at the parachute route but this seemed to be slow going for me and we were last down, so I made the decision to climb back up and test the Doddick descent. Auld Ken (madly) agreed to escort me but knew the Halls Fell route best; Halls Fell it was then.

Try and picture the scene, me happily ascending on tiring legs chatting away to Auld Ken, we get near the top and reach a bit of rock, Ken skips over it, I scramble nervously round it, we reach a larger rock, Ken again skips over it and I climb bravely up it, to be met face to face as I pulled myself up with a sheer drop; ok it was only about 5 feet down but it took me by surprise and caused me to retreat back down the rock in a hurry. Apparently the look on my face was priceless!

From then on it was a battle of will to complete the ascent finding every piece of grass there was, never mind how steep, with the occasional pause to gather my nerves and steady my shaking knees. Auld Ken had the patience of a saint, helped me choose routes I could stomach and seemed to find nothing unreasonable about my reaction. There was a moment when we'd had a discussion about how we'd get back down (he would have had to blindfold me and drag me back down Fools Hell, I mean Halls Fell) when we'd looked across at Doddick, seen how steep and exposed the upper section was, I suggested the only option might have to be to return down the parachute....that would be the parachute that most normal folks would consider too steep to attempt!

We did eventually reach the top of Blencathra and went to inspect the start of Doddick. I'd pulled myself together and decided it didn't look so bad; the decision was made. Doddick wasn't nice but it wasn't terrible. I timed it and will have to return and repeat the parachute in the hope that I can manage it much quicker, it really did seem the least unpleasant choice to me. I'm very glad it's near the beginning of the round when I'll still be reasonably fresh and it'll be too dark for me to see how far down everything is!

After such an eventful end to the run there was plenty to talk about in the Dog n Gun later, and a curry washed down with Bacardi and Coke in the good company of friends seemed a suitable reward for my survival!

Sunday was a slightly tamer affair checking out leg 5, with just a bit of scrambling coming down off Robinson. Again we ran with friends and the good weather we'd been treated to on Saturday held out giving us another thoroughly enjoyable day. We ran to Honister via Catbells and returned along the bgr route, starting and finishing at the Moot Hall. The next time I touch that door I should be setting off on my round, yikes!

Time to take five

Just when I think work can't get any more stressful it always does. How does that happen?

I've always stuck to the advice 'listen to your body' when training and this week has been one of those occasions when the body says no. I'm not sure how much of it is stress and how much is physical, but whatever the cause, I've backed off temporarily and allowed myself a rest.

Last week I continued with my stairs and ten mile runs but was finding them tough. On Friday work got in the way of any training so I had an involuntary rest; not a bad thing as I had a 20 mile run planned for Saturday morning.

There was a traffic jam caused by road works on my way to Devon which added an extra 40 mins to my journey; a shame as I'd been looking forward to a reasonably long and relaxing evening catching up with my folks.

On Saturday I was up bright and early at 4:45 for a 20 mile road run. It was still dark but the local bird life was up and in full swing with the dawn chorus. I'm not sure what happened but after about 5 miles I just ground to a halt. I tried to make myself carry on but couldn't and walked home feeling the cold. I'd been thinking about work and the sea gulls were making a din, a noise I would usually enjoy. I noticed my head was aching when I got back to bed so maybe I just had a low grade migraine.

Apart from the bad run I had a nice relaxing weekend which involved plenty of Mum's wonderful cooking and baking. We went for a walk to the seafront on Saturday afternoon; it's always fascinating to see how the pebbles have shifted (they shift a long way) and watch the water flowing into or out of the mouth of the Axe depending on the tide. A certain amount of pebble hurling to see who can make the most pleasing sounding splosh is an essential part of the experience too!

On Sunday I skipped the morning run but I took the boys to the City of Exeter HASH (I had planned to do both). The HASH was on Woodbury Common, the sun was out and there was a big group so we had a great time. It was a good opportunity to get a bit of running in but with no pressure and plenty of stops.

The 4 Lakeland Passes and the new Heptonstall Fell Race

I'm writing this between yawns; it's been a frustrating and challenging day at work and I'm tired from that and a weekend of fresh air and exercise.

One of my favourite dishes is ratatouille with some feta cheese stirred into it. Andrew cooked a big pot of this and had it ready for my arrival on Friday, bubbling gently and filling the kitchen with mouth watering aromas. We ate it with cous cous and a glass (or two)of Australian Shiraz. Mmmm!

The Four Lakeland Passes is an informal LDWA event which takes a route through some stunning valleys and passes in the Lake District. Andrew and I ran together with friends we encountered at the start and also managed to make two new friends. It was a lovely day and with great company thrown in and plenty of chat I thoroughly enjoyed it. This has to have been one of my most special experiences of the lake district; one I'll remember for a long time.

I ran with a relatively heavy pack and felt a bit slow and sluggish to start with, but that soon wore off. I struggled a bit on the rocky descents but felt strong and comfortable on the climbs. The stair reps are working well.

The race organisation was informal but very well put together. There were no race numbers and no start or finish times and no stress. This suited the event perfectly and we just formed an informal group outside the event headquarters and set off when we were ready. There was tea and toast at the start, food/drink stations en route, and tea sandwiches and cake at the end. Everything was just perfect.

We arrived home at tea time. For our post race/pre race dinner we had more ratatouille this time served with sausages and freshly baked baguettes, oh and we finished off the Shiraz.

The Heptonstall Fell Race is a new event which I believe was set up as a warm up event to the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. The proceeds are going to the local church. The start was outside the church on a steep and narrow cobbled street. Some of the local residents were watching from windows above which for me added to the great atmosphere.

There was a great turn out of 202 and plenty of fast runners present, not so many middle to slow participants. It was a very runnable course with plenty of strength sapping rough grassy tussocky terrain and a healthy scattering of short but steep hills. We passed through some beautiful deep ravines with clear rocky rivers flowing between banks that will soon be covered with a carpet of bluebells and wild garlic.

I managed to sink in bogs on two occasions, the second time going in over my knee. That reminds me; I still have a muddy pair of fell shoes to deal with!

Andrew and I ran/walked/stumbled round, me on legs heavy from the effort in the lakes and again loaded up with a fairly heavy rucksack. We were mostly on our own but the route was marked well and we were happy just to enjoy the scenery and finish. I would like to return and try this race on fresher legs, so I'm hoping it won't share a weekend with the lakeland passes next year!

What was for dinner? A very naughty portion of two jumbo sausages and a chip butty, followed by a Tunnock for pud.

There was still some daylight left after we'd eaten so we nipped out to visit the village pond to feed my friends the ducks. Ok I know it's childish but I love feeding them. There's one that used to come up onto the footbridge we feed them from, if I didn't give him any bread for a while he'd get my attention by stepping on my foot. Last time we visited he had a nasty limp, and this time he wasn't there. I hope he's ok. There was a noticable absence of females so I'm hoping they're tucked away somewhere safe sitting on clutches of eggs.

Andrew sometimes takes me out at dusk before I leave for Hampshire, to see if the little owl is on one of his regular perches and to look for dippers on the Wharfe. I'm yet to see the little owl and the dippers had gone to bed, but we did see a goosander standing out brightly against the darkness of the water, and there are plenty of lambs now for me to ooh and aah at!

It was just a glitch

Today I saw my consultant about the pain I suffered last week. It would appear that I've had a virus that got into my spine. The good news is that I've recovered much more quickly than would be expected which has been put down to my high level of fitness and current good health.

So boo schucks to all the people at work who accused me of over doing the training and making myself ill!!!

And so it was that I hobbled round the Hobble!

After three days of complete rest I felt sufficiently recovered to return to work and to make the journey North. I needed to get out in the countryside, and I needed to see Andrew. I was achy at work on Friday afternoon and was surprised at how fatigued I felt after such a good rest, but I took some ibuprofen and muddled on.

For Saturday I'd organised a BGR recce in the Lakes with some of my team. I was worried about heading off into remote areas knowing my condition could return with a vengeance. The MWIS weather report on Thursday evening showed low cloud, rain and a front of snow passing through. I took advice and decided to bail out.

Plan B was to do the Howarth Hobble; Brett, the organiser, kindly agreed to a last minute entry. I bought a map at lunch time on Friday, marked out the route after work (thanks to Steve for the prompt assistance), packed, shovelled down some beans on toast and set off for Yorkshire. It was 22:00 by the time I left and around 02:30 when I arrived. When the alarm went off at 06:00 I groaned!

This is not the way to go about preparing for an ultra event and I hadn't really given any thought to the toughness or length of the course. What some people might consider the highlight of their running year, I was treating as a training run. It wasn't until I finished and was taking stock of my painfully blistered feet, wondering why they'd suffered so much, that I registered I'd just completed my third ultra marathon(billed as 32 miles, 4400 feet ascent). An achievement in itself and one that I'm proud of especially given my state earlier in the week.

The Howarth Hobble: 32 miles of heavenly countryside with breathtaking views and plenty of variety. The organisation was faultless and included food and drink stations and a post race feast. I now know I can eat a hot dog (no onions) and still run after, yum! The weather was kind, not too windy and some sun. Thanks to Brett, the Hobble team and everyone else who helped out and supported on the day. I loved this event.

I was lucky to be able to hook up with a fellow runner who I've met at races before. He knew the route and kept me company for the majority of the day, putting up with my endless drivel; the perfect gentleman. If you're reading this Tussockface, thank you so much; you turned a fraught and anxious girl into a happy smiley chatty one.

There was one moment well into the event when I was climbing a set of stairs and felt my legs tire a little. As I ascended, to urge myself on, I chanted the words Bob and Graham in time to my feet. The amused question came from behind 'have you got names for your legs?' And so it happened that my right leg has been named Bob and the left Graham!!!

Andrew was at the finish taking down the results (he's been away and couldn't get back in time to take part this year). I'd had a blister pop right on the end of my little toe as I descended to the last half mile and limped in, probably with a grimace of pain on my face. That hug was definitely one I needed!

We had chinese takeaway for dinner (I was still feeling the loss of the one I went without last weekend) and a hard earned glass of Bacardi and coke. I only just managed to stay awake to eat then stagger up the stairs for an early night.

I had a lie in on Sunday then after a breakfast of hot cross buns, Andrew and I headed for Wharfedale. This area has become one of my top favourite places as it never fails to calm and restore me. It is also where I first met Andrew.

We did the same hilly route of mid February and added Great Whernside. This time we had a dry day with sunny spells. My feet were still sore but tolerably so, and my legs were strong and only mildly fatigued by the ultra.

There was a nursery field with four ewes with the tiniest lambs (only one each rather than the usual pair), they looked small enough to have been born that morning. Awww!

The curlew are properly dissipated over the moors now and it's a real treat to hear them call. The lapwings are displaying which is something I haven't seen before. The grouse are numerous and the meadow pippits are back. The oystercatchers are growing in number. I heard a sky lark again on Saturday.

How long until there are ducklings?

A temporary glitch I hope

Monday saw me in good spirits so I upped my stair climbing from 25 to 30 to celebrate and went out for a brisk five mile run after work. What a great start to the week. I went to bed with plans of getting up early to fit in my 10 miler before work and to do stairs at lunch time giving me an evening off to relax and catch up with emails.

At about 3 a.m. I woke up in terrible pain, the whole of the upper part of my torso hurt and I couldn't turn over, sit up or use my arms without the pain increasing unbearably. It was a muscular pain, not internal so I wasn't afraid, but I was distressed by it and had a bit of a dizzy attack when I eventually made it to the bathroom in search of pain killers and the ibuleve.

I spent Tuesday in bed sleeping flat on my back for most of the day trying not to move, and also slept through Tuesday night. This morning the pain had eased a little, and the situation has improved throughout the day. I've also stayed awake today which I guess is a good sign!

The pain has lessened sufficiently I think to allow me assume I'll be ok by Friday so I'll be able to keep my plans for a trip to the lakes at the weekend.

I've wracked my brain to think of a cause but can't come up with one. I have made an appointment to get myself checked out but I don't anticipate anything being found; sore muscles never killed anyone and always get better as far as I'm aware, even if the cause is a complete mystery.

Sitting typing this has made the aches increase. Time for another rest me thinks.

It's been a long couple of days so I thought a long old favourite would be fitting for this post!

A week of grafting

Monday was bad news day, received after much anxiety and phone and email watching. I was so out of sorts I didn’t run or climb the stairs and went home after work to sulk.

Somehow, to be told the feedback from the job interview was excellent, but that none of the candidates got the job because it went to a temp, didn’t seem adequate reward for the loss of a day’s holiday, loss of a significant amount of sleep, and a whole load of extra pressure and stress. Still, I don’t really want a new job in Hampshire even if it is a much better one than the one I have now, for more money plus a car. I should be in Yorkshire. Grrr, bother and humph!

I managed to do the stair reps on Tuesday, but it was freezing cold with a biting wind and I was still too tired and grumpy to run in the evening. I pulled myself together on Wednesday and was out every day playing catch up as best I could. This did have an impact on the weekend as I ran on Friday evening, didn’t arrive in Devon until 1:30 a.m. then couldn’t manage my early morning run before picking Sam up at 9.

My folks are away on holiday and Tom had other plans so it was just Sam and I this weekend. None of Mum’s lovely cooking!

Plan b for Saturday’s training was to take Sam for a coastal path walk from Lyme Regis to Seatown and back. Thankfully he agreed to this so I packed a picnic lunch, snacks and drinks, and promised him fish and chips by the sea from my favourite chippy in Lyme, or a bag of chips from the chippy to tide us over and Chinese takeaway later.

We had a great day out; it was cold and overcast but not windy and although there was a bit of a haze in the distance, the views were good. The section of coast we were covering is particularly beautiful, hilly, fairly remote and lovely and peaceful. We ate our lunch sitting on the pebble beach at Seatown, with our backs against rocks looking out to sea over fishermen at work.

We arrived at the chip shop just before 5pm but it was closed, there was no sign of life inside, and no notice saying if and when it would be open. There’s a fudge and ice cream shop opposite so I suggested ice creams as an alternative treat and sent Sam in to get them (mmm rum and raisin for me please) whilst I ran the car engine in an attempt to warm up. He came back looking rather miffed as the freezers had been emptied for cleaning, so no ice creams either! We headed home and finished the chocolate buttons on the way.

Later in the evening we ventured down to the Chinese restaurant to get our takeaway, but as I pulled up outside I could see the restaurant was dark and looking very closed. It was closed; there was a notice in the window announcing it wouldn’t be open until 10th March. Poor Sam was hungry and really looking forward to his dinner; words failed me! Fortunately he does like Indian food so although I hadn’t tried the local restaurant and didn’t know whether it’s any good we decided we’d risk it.

The food was tasty, just spicy enough to enjoy without being too hot and the meat was lean. Sam had a dish I wasn’t familiar with, which caused much amusement and a little concern when we arrived home and unpacked the food parcel; the hand written note on the lid read ‘chi tk shit’. It would appear that I’d given him chicken shit for dinner (the chef’s words not mine)!!!

We struggled to run this morning but did manage to complete our cliff top route to Branscombe. As I reached the brow of the hill at Branscombe and looked down, I was filled with a reassuring peace and could forgive the fact that my legs ached and didn’t want to go.

Lake Ridge and Wainwright

This weekend was meant to be a long one as I’d taken Friday off; I’ve been under pressure at work since Christmas and needed a rest. I received a phone call on Wednesday for a job interview on Friday. Not only did I lose my day off as it was spent attending an interview and driving to Yorkshire, but it also added to the stress and pressure as I had a report to finish which meant I was already committed to working long hours as well as having the interview to prepare for. My training on Thursday and Friday had to be sacrificed, and I went without some sleep.

I was up at 6 on Friday morning. The interview was at 9:30 and lasted nearly two hours. I left for Yorkshire at lunch time and arrived at tea time. So much for a nice relaxing day! It felt as though the interview went well and I’m now waiting for feedback; they’re intending to make an offer today. Needless to say, I’m sitting over my phone feeling more than a little bit anxious right now! I hope it wasn’t a useless waste of time.

In the evening Andrew and I joined friends for a delicious Thai green curry dinner followed by an evening of entertainment at a local village pantomime. It was a mad dash to get there on time but I soon calmed down and settled into weekend mode after a couple of glasses of wine. I’ve never been to an event like it and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The hall was small, the stage large and the cast were clearly enjoying themselves and really connected with the audience. These Yorkshire folks know how to enjoy themselves and put on a good do!

By 10 pm I was completely shattered and had no trouble getting to sleep. When I woke up at 6 and Andrew suggested we abandon our trip to the lakes I almost agreed! We did manage to rouse ourselves though and made it to Borrowdale just in time to squeeze in our run in daylight.

We followed the route of the Lake Ridge and Wainright event which gave us about 22 miles (including getting to the start and back from the car) and 8000 feet of climb. It was a clear day and the sun came out at times, we had stunning views across hills and dales. There were two heavy but brief hail showers and one longer heavy hail/snow shower; these arrived suddenly without much warning and tested our skills at speed dressing in waterproofs!

I experienced some trouble part way round the route. As we started the descent into Buttermere I had stomach pain and felt a bit sick. I wanted to eat but we’d been eating on the ascents so I put it off. I twisted my right ankle descending on grass but recovered well; it actually felt looser and more comfortable than the left one once I’d recovered from the shock and the pain had gone. It was a lovely long runable descent which I should have enjoyed racing down, but I suddenly felt very sleepy and grumpy and although the nausea had passed I ended up walking it (dare I admit this?) in a bit of a sulk! I watched Andrew disappear down the hill with no will whatsoever to join him in the fun. He was waiting for me at the bottom wondering what could possibly be the matter, and thinking I must have twisted my ankle again!

I couldn’t explain what the problem was except to admit that I’d just become tired and grumpy. We decided I needed to eat, and after a warm never mind kind of hug I gobbled my way through an energy gel, a finger of fudge, and a couple of Jaffa cakes. By the time we’d made our way around the back of the lake I’d recovered. Valuable lesson learnt; if hungry eat immediately!

I found the next section a real challenge as I stumbled clumsily between rocks and stones. Andrew has suggested that I focus my Lakeland training to some very specific technical work including some rocky traversing and descending. I’m not looking forward to that but I know conquering this will be key to my getting round the Bob Graham Route. It was a relief to get back onto the more grassy slopes.

I’ve not seen the Honister slate mine before although I’d heard and read much about it. It was getting near to the end of our run when we arrived there. I was focusing mainly on the descent into it and the next ascent, so I didn’t really pay much attention, but I have a lasting image of gravel and dinge and memories of mechanical noise that haven’t left me. It seems to me that no effort has been made to soften the impact or make the public access areas attractive which is a real shame. It’s a place to which I would gladly never return….but for BGR purposes it will be unavoidable!

Our run finished as the sun set and it was dark when we arrived back at the car. I fell asleep on the way home and was relieved to crawl into bed after a shower, dinner of pasta, hot baguette and tomato sauce. (And a glass of Bacardi and coke of course!!!)

On Sunday we had a lazy morning then headed up the Beamsley Beacon for a few rounds; enough to bump up the weekend climb to 10,000 feet. I was surprised at how strong I felt on the hills on both days, and feel reassured that I’m still steadily gaining fitness.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

After a tough week with several sleepless nights I seem to have regained some inner peace; for now at least.

'Hush, my darling, don't fear, my darling
The lion sleeps tonight'

I seem to have been permanantly cold since Friday. It doesn't matter how many layers I put on, my hands and feet are cold and are refusing to warm up. I've increased the heating in my flat and am sitting writing this with a hot water bottle stuffed up the back of my jumper. There are no radiators to sit against here, only night storage heaters.

The weekend seemed to pass by very quickly. We celebrated Tom's birthday (my eldest son) on Saturday, which involved lunch in the pub (mmm feta and tomato salad and baguette, and two glasses of white wine and soda), followed by a walk and ice creams on the sea front, birthday cake in the afternoon, and Mum's home cooked mexican dinner, yom yom! In the evening we watched Shakespeare in Love; a great film but rather too many sex scenes for comfort given the presence of my sons. Andrew missed the rude bits as he'd nodded off!

Andrew and I had been out for hill reps at Branscombe at 6am and managed to squeeze eight climbs into the two hours we had spare. The first couple of reps were done in the dark. As the sun rose the low cloud formed an inversion in the valley which gradually sank away to nothing as the sun gained height and warmth. It was a beautiful sight.

The hill starts as a gradual slope on short grassy pasture, then ramps up a bit through a second field to a style and a flight of steps. The steps are pretty big and are rough cut into the earth with wooden retaining faces that stand proud above the treads. It had rained a lot overnight and the treads were full of water. After the steps its back onto a short but fairly steep section of pasture to a low earth wall which marks the top. Interestingly, it's the least steep section of the ascent that I find the hardest. Descending I find the steps require a huge amount of concentration as they're quite big and its really easy to allow my knees to lock up giving a tendancy to pitch forward; I'm wary of tripping over the wooden faces and hurtling downwards head first.

Mum had made us a picnic breakfast of sausage baguettes. There was something really special about eating these by the sea under the canopy of the not yet open tea shop. There was noone else around but we had plenty of company as we shared the cover with a colony of chirpy sparrows.

On Sunday we were up early again for a 6:30 start. Andrew, Sam and I ran to Branscombe along the cliff path and back. We started with headtorches but didn't need them for long as it became light soon after we set off. The run went well and at a faster pace than last time; I was proud of Sam for keeping up without complaint, even managing a sprint finish with Andrew!

Tripped again!

The weather was much kinder to me for the drive to Yorkshire than it was last weekend and I arrived achy but in good spirits.

On Saturday I ran/walked/stumbled my way round the Wadsworth Trog with Andrew. I can honestly say it's the worst start to a race I've ever had; within 5 minutes my left calf had locked up painfully and I couldn't push off with my left foot. By the top of the first hill we were at the back, rapidly getting left behind, with the sweepers chatting as they trotted comfortably behind us. I was in despair as I just couldn't move any faster. The ground levelled out and became boggy, and the muscle pain eased, but we were well behind and the sweepers remained on our heels.
I was in fear of being timed out and losing the valuable training the race offered.

On the descent that followed I was able to push on properly and by the reservoir at the bottom the sweepers were out of earshot, presumably dismantling the checkpoint we'd just visited. The runners ahead were back in sight ascending a very steep hill. Andrew and I threw ourselves at that hill and I was thoroughly chuffed and much relieved to catch up with the group ahead at the top. My calf pain had gone and I felt strong.

As for the rest of the race; it was an amazing day. The sun came out, the ground was boggy and challenging and the scenery was lovely. There were even some tussocks thrown in for good measure! There was a navigation section that had us reading the map and we found our way reasonably well despite some initial uncertainty.

Thanks to the organisers, marshalls and supporters for putting on a great do, oh and the soup and cake at the end were yummie!

I lost count of how many times I tripped and stumbled. I fell over landing heavily on all fours with my right foot under my left knee squashed between a pair of tussocks. This hurt a great deal; Inov8 studs are not to be recommended as landing cushions! The resultant bruise is pretty impressive, much larger than the occasion deserves, and is very tender. I'm booked to see Suzi my chiropractor on Friday to assess the damage, check for popped ribs (yep you read it correctly!), get my pelvis straightened out, and hopefully get to the bottom of the calf trouble. Suzi is amazing, no matter what kind of mess I get myself into she always manages to squash me back into shape and get me going again. It seems that miracles are possible after all!

On Saturday evening Andrew and I celebrated valentines early with dinner and a lovely bottle of brut rose champagne mmm!

On Sunday we woke up to rain and Andrew, knowing how tired I get, let me lie in until mid morning. He'd planned a 10 mile hilly route crisscrossing the ridge between upper Wharfdale and Littondale, Starbotton and Arncliffe. This gave us four big climbs and descents with no flat running between. We started at lunch time and had three and a half hours of quality training. It was an ingenious route through beautiful countryside and I loved every minute despite the persistent rain and wind.

Of course now I'm back on my own in the south again. I can still call up images of the countryside and wildlife we saw over the weekend though. We heard our first skylark of the year wharbling away above and to the left of us. I saw a grouse up close for the first time in full breeding plumage with a traffic light red cap and rich rusty red feathers. There were two new flocks of lambs, looking tiny and vulnerable in the rain, sheltering behind walls or close to their mums. Another sign of spring were the Oystercatchers we saw dotted along the floodplane of the river Wharfe.

Just a bit of wind!

Another action packed weekend.

The drive to Yorkshire was the hardest I've done, with the wind buffeting my car all the way.  After Sheffield the rain started and passing trucks became really hazardous.  At one point I could see nothing but a wall of water and could only keep parallel to the truck, put my foot down and hope for the best.  I arrived with aching hands, wrists, neck and shoulders from gripping the steering wheel constantly for 5 hours.

Andrew and I did our shorter run on Saturday afternoon.  It had been raining all morning but we were lucky and managed a mostly dry run.  We arrived at the car park to find I'd left my waterproof jacket behind.  I put on my spare warm layer and was preparing to set off without the coat but the wind was blowing through the layers and I had a sudden doubt.  Andrew took me home to fetch the coat and a head torch; we were going to be a bit late.

That was the best decision we could've made.  About half an hour into the run I tripped and fell forwards into shallow water soaking my arms and legs.  I would have been very cold and miserable, and possibly in trouble without my jacket.  Later on we lost the light and the last 20 minutes or so were run with the headtorch and compass.  We had a large reservoir to aim for and were pleased when it loomed out of the gloom below us.  The ground was wet and quite boggy in places so it will have been valuable strength training for me.  I had a stiff calf and felt rotten for the whole run.  More whinging I'm afraid!

In the evening, after a warm up sitting against the radiator with a hot water bottle, we went to Ilkley for an Indian.  It was a lovely evening, the food was good, the restaurant was warm (very important for me), and I enjoyed a Bacardi & coke and a large glass of red mmm!

On Sunday we were up early and running by 8:30.  It was wet and blustery but we had a good long hilly run planned and weren't going to be put off by the weather.  We had a full set of kit and I headed up the first hill with determination not to let my stiff calf get the better of me.  I felt much so much stronger than I did on Saturday; it remains a mystery to me how my performance can vary so greatly from day to day.  However, this run was not meant to be. 

As the morning went on the wind picked up and was so strong climbing Gt Whernside that we couldn't communicate properly as we couldn't hear each other above the din.  Andrew had said something about changing the route and I'd agreed not knowing really what that meant.  On the summit he had to hold on to me.  The wind was very strong blowing from behind us, I was afraid, and had tried to duck behind a rock to avoid being blown away.   As we turned to retrace our steps (avoiding the planned ridge route) Andrew said 'now keep close and don't go running off'  I laughed as the only running I was in danger of doing was going to be backwards!  We had to force our way against the wind back down the hill. 

I became cold on the descent.  I was soaked to the skin despite wearing full waterproofs and my hands were frozen.  I asked Andrew for a plan b;  I needed to abandon the run.  We arrived in Kettlewell and paused to get food out of Andrew's rucksack, but this was enough to reduce me to a shaking fit and he agreed readily to use my emergency first aid kit money to get a takeaway hot drink.

The small cafe cum bed & breakfast across the road from the car park drew the short straw.  We arrived sodden and dripping, and shivering in my case, in the entrance lobby, and despite our wet protests we were encouraged to go in and sit down.  There were no cushions on the chairs and we were told we would do no harm.  What more of a friendly welcome could we have had?  We had tea and shared a big steaming bowl of vegetable soup.  I'd reccomend this place to anyone  http://www.kettlewelltearooms.co.uk/ .

Warmed from outside in and inside out, we set off to climb over the ridge back to Arncliffe.  The wind had not dropped but the rain had eased and we returned in good spirits despite being disappointed at losing half our run.

We still had half a day to enjoy so after another warm up by the radiator with hot water bottle we set off for shopping in Skipton (for outdoor gear of course) and fish and chips in Bizzie Lizzies (spelling?).  Did you know you can get champagne there?  It's on my list of things to do now....champagne and fish and chips in Bizzie Lizzies overlooking the canal!!!

Oh, I almost forgot to mention....we saw LAMBS hurrah!

Last week I increased my stair climbs to 15 flights and despite being really under pressure at work managed 4 days of these and three 10 mile runs.  The Monday runs in my schedule are not happening; some rescheduling is necessary there.

This week I have increased the stairs again to 20 flights, yesterday they went really well.  Today I'm not going to be able to fit them in but I'll be out for a 10 miler later on.  I got on the scales this morning, I've lost half a stone.

Where does the time go?

After a hectic week last week it was a relief to drop into weekend mode, and a special weekend it was.

It was Mum's birthday so my usual car load of clobber was increased by one freshly baked coffee and walnut cake filled and decorated with coffee flavoured fresh cream.  Needless to say, my driving was a little more sedate than normal!

I planned my training to cause as little disruption to the weekend as possible, which ment getting up and running at 5:45 a.m. on Saturday and 6:00 a.m. on Sunday.  Saturday morning was a two lap road run with head torch, and I had the honour of hearing the dawn chorus from the ducks and waders on the river Axe.  It was a great way to start the day.

We walked into Seaton in the morning and had a pub lunch (I was good and had a tomato and feta salad and baguette).  The cake was cut in the afternoon, then we had a fondu in the evening finished off with Mum's home made meringues...mmmm!  A day of lots of yummy treats.  We watched Robin of Sherwood in the evening; a good film that I hadn't seen before.

Early Sunday morning I took my youngest son Sam for a cliff top head torch run.  It was absolutely freezing with a biting northerly wind but we'd wrapped up warm and watched the sun rise over the sea.  We met a gentleman of senior years on our way back who was running in shorts.  He must've been numb as the cold was biting my legs through my tights.  We soon warmed up after showers and a cooked breakfast.

By 11 I was back in a fresh set of running kit and at the City of Exeter Hash with my eldest son Tom (Sam had gone off to paintballing with his mates).  It was a good long hilly hash with few stops and I felt I ran strongly despite the morning run.

We had roast beef for dinner and, perhaps not surprisingly I struggled against tiredness in the afternoon.  By tea time I was fading rapidly and didn't put up a fight when Mum said I should head for home and get an early night!

Monday morning should've seen me up early for a 5 mile morning run.  I was so tired I switched the alarm off and went back to sleep.  That's one run I won't be able to claw back but I obviously needed the rest.

24th January 2011 and Shattered!

It's all very well hot footing it northwards and westwards at the weekends, but the travelling is definitely going to take it's toll.  Today at work I've been at best a partial zombie which isn't really good enough.  Note to self; try and get up early enough to at least get some brekkie down on a Monday morning.

What a weekend! 

Arrive Yorkshire c 23:00 friday night, gobble down a generous portion of pre race apple crumble and custard then off to bed.  Up at 6 a.m. for another pre race fix of crumble and custard yom yom!

It was ideal running conditions this weekend; overcast, cool, and not too windy.  A bit of sunshine would've been welcome but a girl can't have it all! 

The Hebden on Saturday went well, we took it steady and I was able to run the whole route, all but the steeper hills.  My lasting memories of the day are the welcoming checkpoints, yummie race food and the vast number of gates and stiles I encountered, with at least three garden crossings including passing under washing lines!!!  We even clocked a bit of extra mileage, as getting lost seems to be par for the course and we managed it twice.

My heart goes out to the partner and family of the gentleman walker who passed away en route.  It saddened me greatly to hear of it, so much so that I couldn't eat the post race nosh.  I hope they come to terms with this soon and are able to focus on the happy times.

Saturday night was a social one, with dinner in a micro brewery with friends and their gorgeous wee boy who is just learning the joys of eating and sneezing.  I'll leave that to your imaginations!  Anyway, I had some mini fish and chips and garlic mushrooms for starters and followed that up with  local sausages, mash and gravy....mmmm.... I love gravy but they let me down; it had a wierd bitter taste :(

The Stanbury Splash was very different to Saturdays experience.  Hilly heathery moorland with some steep ascents and descents, some water crossings and a little bog thrown in for good measure.  I started off at the back of the pack and quickly regreted it as we set off at a walk jog pace.  The field soon spread out though and by the second half my legs woke up and wanted to race.  I don't know what Lara Croft feels like, but I felt like I was Lara Croft when running through the heather and down stony tracks and grassy slopes overtaking several people as I went.  If only I could feel like that all the time!

The weekend was topped off with a session sorting out my training schedule followed by an indian meal, prior to hitting the road home.

Now it's back to the trudge until next time :)

16th Jan 2011

Last night saw me running with Andrew from Lymington to Keyhaven and back along the Solent Way coastal path.  We set of at dusk with headtorches but didn't need them for much of the way, as there was a reasonable amount of moonlight and the path is light in colour.

There was a strong head wind which made the going tough on the way out.  The noises of the sea, the darkness and the eerie and lifting sounds of sea birds roosting on the mud flats made it an enjoyable run, taken at tempo pace. 

This afternoon we set off on the Meon Valley Plod race route (which we shorten slightly to cut out the start loop which passes through private land).  It was grey and windy but not cold so ideal for a long run, although the ground was saturated and several sections were muddy, weighing our shoes down with sticky clods.  I struggled after last nights effort and never felt good, but I managed to keep going and finished reasonably strongly.  We knocked off a few minutes from our previous best time for the route. 

Andrew deserves a medal for ignoring my whinging but got a yummie hot dinner and a beer instead!!!

Off the starting blocks!

The stair climbing has commenced and is going well; ok it's not the same as climbing a big juicy hill and I get a few odd looks but it'll have to do for now.

The diet is underway and I've lost my first pound.  Already I feel better for cutting out the junk and today I didn't hit the wall half way through the afternoon.  Normally I'm struggling to keep my eyes open by 3!

Training is a little behind but the virus is still well and truly with me.  The aim is to try another run tomorrow and see how it goes....fingers crossed and watch this space!

The beginning

Hi and welcome to my spanking brand new blog spot. As you can see it is still in it's infancy so please bear with me whilst I finish setting it up!

At the start of 2011 I find myself in a state of permanent anxiety and under the weather.  I've had a cold since November that I can't seem to shake off.  I've allowed my physical fitness to slip, have put on weight, have allowed clutter and dust to settle at home, am unhappy at work, and have somehow become isolated from friends and family.  I desperately want to re-locate but despite a year of job seeking have failed to do so.

On the positive side, in no particular order, I have a challenging job that pays my way, a wonderful partner, a supportive family, many widespread friends, and two lovely sons who are growing up fast.

I cannot continue as I am, so I've set myself the challenge of establishing a stable routine and putting into place every reasonable measure necessary to establish a healthy and happy state for 2011. Given the positives above, this really shouldn't be that difficult should it?