With views like this and an understanding companion, training isn't all pain.
This was taken 6miles into a 10mile circuit of our local hill....glorious.

Managed a very hilly 20 on the bike yesterday. A nasty shock to the system changing from the easy gears of the winter bike to the big gears on the road bike...still its all miles under the belt...or something.

To be or not to be....

There are many questions I seem to be asking myself lately. Mostly around what on earth I am doing?!! However the particular question that is bothering me this evening is whether I should be proud or panicking after my acheivements this weekend, let me explain...
I have set myself this training plan to try and make sure I get up to the target distances for both bike and running and I am very proud of myself because I am a couple of weeks ahead of myself and mostly feeling good about it. The problem is that though I feel great at the end of a run, and not as bad as I used to at the end of a bike ride - there is still no way I could get on a bike straight after any of the runs Ive done and do an equivalent distance. Sigh. More training I guess.
Anyway trying to be positive about it I ran just over 10 miles yesterday and I dont think I ever trained that distance when I trained for the Great North Run and though I was knackered at the end of it, I did recover reasonably well and was out on the bike doing another 17 miles today. Biking was painful, time faster than last week but legs much much sorer! Oh well at least I know my weak point :O)
All in all a good weeks training and the nice weather is helping keep the motivation up and what's more this time next week Ill be in Font - running through french forests. Tres Bon! Hoorah.

A View From The Breach

Having stepped into the breach here I am. Still think I'm only 29 when the reality is somewhat different. This could be problem on this event.


I'm training hard and appropriately following Norna's briefing about the Cross and its social aspects. I'm delighted to have the chance to take part (apart from the pain and discomfort) as its THE place to be for sporting Highlanders.


Nice to have the chance to help raise dosh for such worhwhile charities too.
Both mine and Jan's families' have been touched by cancer and Jan is a palliative care nurse working at the Highland Hospice as well as helping out at Maggie's.

Cheers, more carbo loading next.

How the mighty are fallen

How the mighty are fallen. There was a time when I would put on my trainers and lope off for 10-12 miles without even thinking, arriving home with a knackered dog.
These days I put on my boots, hirple off for 2-3 miles and the dog arrives home with a knackered Mum!!
Having completed the "Cross" 10 times, usually in a reasonably acceptable time, it seemed like a nice round number to finish on.
Then anno domini came along and for some reason I wanted to prove to myself that I wasnt old...YET.......we had often talked about a family team, so why not. Sadly Martin couldnt make it, but Sara seemed enthusiastic, and old (sorry...I meant former) Pink Panter team mate Paul made up the 3rd member.
Paul managed to wangle out of it by getting a job abroad (a bit drastic) but Mick stepped into the breach....so there you have it...the Pink Panters are back in business.
This year is to be a triple whammy. I have already done the Swimathon, next is the Highland Cross and at the end of the summer I hope to cycle the 4 compass points of the British mainland (Lizard, Lowestoft, Ardnamurchan and Dunnet Head) Growing old disgracefully or what.
Watch this space.

Introducing Saz.. the family part of the team

Saz Tahoe Queen
Originally uploaded by Sazonroad.

Hi. This is me, skiing in Lake Tahoe in March - trying to convince those thighs that 30 miles cycling will be nothing after a week on the slopes. It failed! I seem to have signed myself up to this mad duathlon in a flash of family solidarity without thinking it through properly. In November I got on a hired mountain bike and rode round a Welsh forest - it was probably my 5th time on a bike in a decade. Im terrified of them. On Sunday just past I got on the 'road bike' my mother has lent me for this race and cycled for 17 miles - this is progress right? Hmmmmm... under 9 weeks to go.... what have I done????