Im feeling good today, Ive hit 3 milestones this weekend, but I mustnt get carried away - it wasnt that easy and theres a little way to go! I made a determined effort to have a real rest day this week (as opposed to a rest day that I go dancing or climbing!) and it did me the world of good, the rest of the weeks training was much easier. Then on Saturday I headed out to the peaks to run a version of a route Id found on a mountain biking website; heading from Derbyshire Bridge in the Goyt Valley, up Shining Tor, along the ridge, round the reservoirs and back through Goyt Valley. A fantastic 15.8 miles taking in beautiful scenery, mostly off road on a variety of single and forest tracks. I have to confess to walking a little (probably the .8!) and there was a small amount of stopping and route finding but mostly I was on the move for about 3hrs 20 (according to the gps!). Much better than last weekend! Then yesterday I did 28.5 on the bike in just under 2hrs 30 and finally today I managed an hour run followed by an hour on the bike. Progress is being made... so 4 more miles to make up in the next 4 weeks. How hard can that be?!

Nairnshire Reflections - Ouch!

I completed the Nairnshire Challenge yesterday. I'd got this down as a tough combined training day/fitness benchmark. With a run/walk of 13 miles and a bike ride of 18, its somewhat easier than the Cross but a good test nevertheless.
I took it easy on the run - walking the hills and jogging the rest. Knee pains from 9 miles were a bit worrying and my ability to run at all gradually ebbed away. Still, I made it in about 2 hr 35 min. Slow but fairly happy. I was very glad to get on the bike and I had a much better ride than run - overtaking 20-30 along the 18 miles into Nairn. My ride time was 1:10 giving me a total time of 3:52. My target was 4:00 so I was happy with that.
The additional 7 miles on foot on the Cross are daunting but possible - must pace myself carefully though.
Time to get some sponsorship now. Mick

Training in Tuscany

Well the plan was great - early morning run followed by a tough ride in the hills. Wrap up the day with a swim and poolside yoga.

Unfortunately the excessive pasta, chianti, beer, and ice creams mitigated all that - especially when the runs faded after 2 days. Came back heavier but happier.

A few more days off involved riding out to distilleries and microbreweries - to show my american visitor the real Highlands.

Nairnside Challenge this weekend will test legs and lungs pretty severely. Gulp!

Yup, this is me... on a bike... in a forest! who'd have thought it? ;o)
Its been a weird weeks training, I added interval training into the mix and managed a 45 minute run followed by a bike ride on Friday but it all went horribly wrong on Saturday when I tried to use my time in Wales wisely by running up a hill. The path I was trying to follow dissapeared into Welsh marsh and round craggy outcrops and it was generally tricky walking let alone trying to navigate whilst running. I reached 450m and as I was stood there orientating myself hail started to fall from the sky and with the knowledge that I had another 450m ascent without a clear path I decided that the wisest and safest option would be to descend. I retreated through deep mud and marsh to a flat path I could run along; in the end I barely managed 9 miles in just under 3 hours, but I can assure you I felt every minute! Still any training is good training and I made up for it by going round the Marin trail on the mountain bike on Sunday. Anyone who had seen me on a bike prior to this weekend would appreciate the achievement of getting me there, let alone my getting round it without pushing the bike for more than a few feet on the single track. So it is with a weird twist to my training regime that I have to report that I enjoyed the biking more than the running over the weekend; Im sure it was just a blip!

Oh dear....set off for an 18 mile walk today and had to cut short at 14....feet really sore....a week wandering about in seaboots have done them no good at all. The plus is that I took 20 minutes off my time for the shorter circuit, so maybe thats another excuse for sore feet.

You would think that during week on a sailing cruiser in the Channel I would not get much training in, but I can assure you that in a force 8 gale there was plenty of exercise!!

Off on the Great Glen Raid on Saturday. Only discovered once it was too late to back out that the first leg consists of a 20k rowing race!! Thats got to be valid exercise, right?

Sara Christie
Originally uploaded by colinedwards99.

Well Font was very successful, I have managed to come back with no injuries this year! It is fair to say my ankle was feeling the pounding from all that jumping, but I got in a couple of runs whilst it was raining so I can say that it was a proper training holiday :O)
It looks like both Mum and Mick are off on their jollydays too now, I hope they've remembered their trainers - its only 6 weeks to go today. gulp!
Just got back from a 13.2mile run, did it in 142 minutes which is about 11 minute miles again, so if I can increase that distance to 15 next week then I should be on track... I just need to motivate myself to get back on that bike. Ive not been on it since before Font - but with all this wonderful rain I thought I would try out somewhere new and take it for a long ride tomorrow. Which reminds me I best go and buy a map so I dont get lost in the rain!
Thanks to everyone who has sponsored us so far - the total is rising which is great. If you've not sponsored us yet then dont leave it too late, we need all the motivation we can get :O)

Bonjour! I have woken up in the beatiful city of Paris and am looking forward to a rest day. I have done a mammoth weeks training and my legs are wondering what on earth has hit them! On Monday following the weekends acheivements I did a short run and a short bike ride just to see what it feels like getting on a bike after running, it was a good idea and I think I shall probably try and extend that once a week - though it does feel very weird running home and then leaving on a bike again. Other than that I managed to get out for a reasonable bike ride after work on Wednesday and then did about 11 ish miles yesterday running. I have to say that every bone in my body ached BEFORE i set out yesterday and I think I might need to adjust my bike (sorry, Mums bike!) but the good thing was that I still enjoyed the running despite the aches! It was a cracking morning for a run, a good brisk wind keeping it cool but the sun belting down between the trees. Lots of people out on the canal giving out cheery words of encouragement as I came down the home straight. I wish I could run midweek mornings more often. So now I am in France and I head down to Fontainebleau this morning. Im mostly there to relax and climb but I will fit in a few short runs through the forests too. Happy Bank Holiday. A bien tot.