Trail | Obsessive Ramblings

Obsessive Ramblings » Entries tagged with "Trail"

Follow me live

June 14th, 2013 | 7 Comments

Less than a day to go now before the start of the race – my first 100 miler in nearly 3 years, the Petzl South Downs Way 100 I been resting most of this week, mainly through having a lot of work on (deputising for most of the IT senior management team at the Bank who have all picked various times in the last two weeks to be off, will have that effect!) – Still, every … Read entire article »

Filed under: Blogaday, Psychology, Running

Shoes Sorted…. Nearly

March 13th, 2013 | 2 Comments

When I get to the desert in about a month, someone mentioned there may be a touch of sand. Not a problem as such, but sand in your shoes while you are running is a recipe for disaster, with the certainty of blisters ensuing, and with the soft sandy dunes I am likely to be having to run on, the feet easily sink down so that the sand comes up over the top of the feet … Read entire article »

Filed under: Blogaday, Discussion, Equipment, Running

Frozen Toes and Cramps – Thames Trot 2013

February 2nd, 2013 | 12 Comments

By the time I had my last foray through the flood waters of the Thames just before Check Point 5, I was past caring about having wet feet, after all the first ‘puddles’ we had to negotiate were within about 200 yards of the start line at Iffley, south of Oxford, and 6 hours later, I had realised the sensation does come back to your toes after a few minutes, even though it feels like … Read entire article »

Filed under: Blogaday, Discussion, Events, Running

Trails and Hills

July 29th, 2012 | Add a Comment

After being on a rollercoaster ride with my foot for the last few weeks, I have finally made the decision to pull out of any attempt to get to Leadville this year. It was only a small hope that I might have been able to run it but after I had run over marathon distance a few weeks back it seemed like all my training was coming together. Even though I had ramped up a slowly as … Read entire article »

Filed under: Running

The Wild Place

July 4th, 2012 | 4 Comments

Today was another mixed day, mainly because I only worked half a day, then had the afternoon off to spend a couple of hours with Savannah at school. American independence day had for some weeks had a greater significance for me, and my team at work, as a long planned internal governance committee meeting was planned to decide upon the priority of my larger projects for the rest of the year. Having provided all of the … Read entire article »

Filed under: Blogaday, Playing, Projects, School

The Battle of Wounded Hip

August 22nd, 2010 | 16 Comments

It was bound to happen, but at least I am now in good company. Many, if not most of the top ultrarunners in the world have suffered defeat at the hands of their instrument of success – Scott Jurek, Dean Karnazes, Anton Krupicka……. It has to be expected and accepted as a normal part of such an extreme sport that not everything will go right all the time. I had felt no more nervous about this race, … Read entire article »

Filed under: Events

Born to Run

August 20th, 2010 | 2 Comments

Just met Christopher McDougall. What a surprise and honour to meet the author of the now famous (if you are a runner) ‘Born to Run’ story about all sorts of things, such as the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico’s Copper Canyon, barefoot running, pinole, chia seeds and a band of ultramarathon runners, including Scott Jurek and other characters like Caballo Blanco (The White Horse) and Barefoot Ted, and their exploits both in Leadville at the very race … Read entire article »

Filed under: Discussion, Running

Bogs, bracken and the night of a thousand steps

July 25th, 2010 | 7 Comments

I had lost count of the number of times I wanted to abandon this race. In fact, I could hardly believe, after suffering exhaustion in the early hours of Saturday morning, such that I was falling asleep as I was running (not advisable) and also after later in the afternoon lying down on my own in the middle of an exposed fellside for forty winks as it was starting to rain (definitely not advisable!), that I … Read entire article »

Filed under: Events, Running

Fear and loathing

June 18th, 2010 | 3 Comments

One week to go. My last couple of weeks have been easy by comparison to the peak of my training schedule, but there is nothing better than having reached and passed that point without having sustained an injury. Nevertheless I have to keep telling myself it’s alright to have a rest, as I feel a bit lazy, a bit of a ‘slacker’ having only completed a minimal 50 miles last week and with only a paltry 30 miles planned this week I will need all the rest I can get as the races I am attempting are only four weeks apart, so with a recovery week after each (to let feet and legs, body and mind recuperate) and a taper week before each race, that does not leave … Read entire article »

Filed under: Psychology, Running

Practising the Downs

June 5th, 2010 | Add a Comment

Speed running for dummies! There is nothing quite like it, nevertheless my already substantial admiration for the likes of Gabresalassie, Tergat and Radcliffe, has been increased by my recent run DOWN Beachy Head. On an team retreat with work, we had been invited to go to Eastbourne and then after a morning of work, the ‘team building’ exercise was a walk up the start of the South Downs to the sheer chalky cliff edges that make up the imposing Coastal landmark. A strange choice you might argue, but with jokes of reducing headcount abounding, we duly fulfilled our obligation prior to a pleasant but rather slight meal and evening’s socialising. I declined the offer of further refreshments and a kebab early on Saturday morning, as I already had my eye on an alternative … Read entire article »

Filed under: Running, Training