Middle Pack

The view from the middle of the pack

Not really much going on for me. Training is slow, but at least I have started running a bit of milage. So instead I am putting out a few things I have been reading this week.

The biggest thing for me that I have read recently is that Steve Birkinshaw is attemping the Lakes 24hr record. The current record set in 1997 by Mark Hartnell is huge challenge that takes in the Bob Graham 42 tops plus another 35 lumps bumps and tops. Steve hopes to at least add one more to this round.

The date set is May 23rd.  If anyone at the moment is able to do it at the moment then it is Steve, with fast times in the big 3 rounds and winner of the Lakeland 100 not to mention multiple elite mountain marathon winner. Good luck with that one Steve and the offer of help is there (if I am fit enough to be of use).

Next is the Virgin Global Row. Madness! Thats the only way to describe an attempt by Ollie Hicks to row round the antarctic.

Maximum respect to this guy, he is obviously built from a different mould! His previous adventure being the youngest person to row across the Atlantic.

The adventurer is expecting this solo row to take up to nearly 2 years! Ollie set off in early January yet due to the seas and the wind has spent the majority of the last 6 weeks rowing forwards then getting blown back therefore making hardly any ground at all.

I am hooked on his blog entries just to see if he has managed to actually get anywhere.

The other thing that has caught my eye is watching the new look Saab Salomon Adventure Racing team website take shape. An eyepopping display of UK talent all pooled into one group of racers. A list that includes Robb Jebb, Angela Mudge, Rob Hope, Natalie White, Ricky Lightfoot, Tom Owens etc etc. The strength and depth is amazing. These will be one to watch this year in both running and adventure racing.

Loads of cool stuff already happening this year and people plans for 09 are already taking shape. I reckon this year is going to be a good one for a fair few people.

A sneak preview to some of the google mapping  I have added to the site.

Maps page

It is not all finished yet and I will probably play around with the size of the map, add images, and change the layout of the page. I wanted to initially just get some things up there on the site as this will give me a bit of a kick start to keep moving with this.

I have finally accepted what I already knew but was not  listened to. I am injured. It is not a niggle, a slight sprain, or something that I can run off and it will just go away. This is a proper bona-fide injury that requires NO RUNNING! 

I have injured my peroneal tendon on my left foot. To be honest I think this is very much related to my bad sprain last March. General wear and tear of a season and eventually it got worse and worse until I finally had to take notice. I am just hoping I have got it before surgery is needed. 

It is obviously serious as I even splashed out on a private physio, which is a big deal to a Yorkshireman. She hummed and arrghed, prodded and poked and was actually quite concerned. More concerned than I was at that point and she pointed out that if I continued to run on such an injury then the tendon was liable to tear or snap (if it hadn’t torn already).

So the start of the 09 season is going to be a slow one. I have joined the gym and going at the stepper and cross trainer like a man possessed.

I have already told my team I am unlikely for the High Peaks Marathon in March as I didn’t want to let them down by turning up unfit and more likely to re-injure myself.  I am also a bit concerned about other goals I had for the year. There was a lot of long races in the first half of the year and my goal for the Runfurther series may take a knock as well.  

We will just have to wait and see?

The government have just released today a response to the petition with regards to the proposed charges for the Radio Frequency license.

highlight of the response is:

The Government currently has no plans to change these arrangements, nor does the Office of Communications (Ofcom) have plans to impose a charge directly on mountain rescue teams for the use of these channels.

A great result and the only sensible solution to the issue.

A long year for me! In some ways great, in some ways I am glad it is over.

I have had some great times over the year. Here are some of the sporting  highlights:

Best Fell Race: Ennerdale Horsehoe

A great route, great scenery and felt good all the way round. A really good result at the end of it. Weather was perfect. My only regret for this year is not being able to do this race due to other commitments but 2010 I will be there. Pendle has to be up there as well as another cracking race where I left smiling despite struggling to walk the next day through ankle trouble.

Best Adventure Race: Dark and White

A bit unfair as I only did 2 Adventure races this year. Both of them late Jan / Early Feb but I like the Dark and White races as the organisation tends to be very smooth (so are open Adventure) yet low key. I also liked the little twist of an ‘O’ course and a proper fell course. Dates just been released for 09 so must see if I can get these done again.

Best buy: Inov8 Mudclaws.

Despite the fact the first pair went back, depsite the fact the second pair are showing wear and the stitching is coming undone. I cannot see how these shoes can be bettered? I may try the X-talons next but they have a lot to live up to.

Best Mountain Marathon: Rab Mountain Marathon

The OMM was a debacle that promised a lot and failed to deliver. Maybe its just too big now? Saunders I was too slow to get entry in. Lamm I had no interest in and the Highlander just too cold. The Rab was great size, great course, great location. Oh and I won! The mini MM’s are also great fun. A real shame that I could only do one this year.

Best training session: Run to work

A strange one here. Probably my most beneficial training session over the year has been my tempo runs to work. Exactly 4 miles there and 4 miles back. A reasonably hilly run and a great set up to the day. Best time 23.48 A great way to get your milage up with 8 free miles. The bus takes over an hour! This was a close run thing as I also did a two day weekend run of over 60 miles mountain marathon style which I think helped me a lot

So these are the highlights. I did 2 Adventure Races, lost count of the fell races, 2 Orienteering events, no road and no trail races.

So the lowlights:

Worst Injury: Ankle Injury

High Peaks Marathon and a cold windy night in the peak. Me rolling round in a bog grabbing my ankle after going over on it for the third time. Game over for me. X-rays showed a previous break and a misformed ankle. 2 months in pot and a seasons goal ruined and still lingering problems from the same injury.

Worst buy: Watch

This is the worst buy mainly because it was an un-needed buy. I turned up at the D&W Adventure race with no watch. A bit of an issue in a timed event. I bought one at the event for £40 gone. Set off and somehow managed to stop the timer on it mid-race. Won’t mention the make as it is an okay watch. Just a bad buy at a timee when I was skint.

Worst Race: Duddon Valley

A great course but in bad conditions for me. A really really hot day and me being a bit enthusiastic meant I struggled badly for much of the race. Deyhdrated and sluggish and the toys went out of the pram early on. I will be back to banish the demons of this race but not till 2010.

Worst training Session: Track

Its flat, short and running on hard ground. A real way to show my weak area of running. Suppose that is why I have only shown my face twice this year at track session. Will do it more this year.

So a quick summary of the year. A busy one for my first full season running. Just hope that 09 is even more productive and i get a few more wins under my belt.