Secret trails

Secret trails, no mobile phone signal, no Internet access : just quiet, just for a little while. Perfect.

I'm trying these...

I'm trying these for winter trails. They have a kind of gaiter attached in an attempt to ward off some mud.
So far, so good - comfy, good grip, dry, no blisters. Everything a pair of gnarled running feet would want in life.

Coping with a dnf

There's a very real possibility (well, 44%, according to this year's race), that I will achieve a dnf (did not finish) on my next race.
Most likely, this will be due to my error - inadequate training, incorrect kit. It may be due to circumstances beyond me - the weather may force the race to be pulled.
Either way, I'm not sure how a dnf would affect me. So far, I have managed to avoid one - although been very near. I've had a few dns- did not start: - due to circumstances or injury, :somehow, these have felt OK.

The bigger the race, maybe the more likely a dnf will happen.
But, this feels huge. Logic tells me it is only a race, a hobby, irrelevant in the grand scheme of life. I know this. But indulge me slightly. Months of thinking about, preparing, fretting over kit, have contributed to the build up to January. I have decided to attempt this race only once - I cannot imagine attempting this prep again. The race has its own psychologist attached, to offer support to competitors - I am starting to see why.

Coping with a dnf from this - I am already trying to prepare. Not because I am looking to fail, but I need a cushion for the fallout. So, I have been planning races for next year, to keep the running momentum going and become the subsequent focus. Working out how long, realistically, until I may be able to start training again. Hoping that I'll be able to say that I got to day X before X/Y/Z happened. Be able to put it in perspective for what it is - a hard, hard, event that I was lucky to even get a place for, let alone compete in. And believe that this is all part of racing itself.
Another reminder that long distance running so truly reflects reality - sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't : however much effort you put in.
And I certainly hope that nothing, no matter how disappointing, will stop future running and adventure.

8 weeks...

Just over 8 weeks until the terror.. No, Er I mean Adventure, of the big one.....

Endurance or just hideousness?

It is starting to become apparent, I think, that there is yet another category of endurance events. A category not necessarily named or officially recognised, but exists nevertheless.

Some endurance events are just gorgeous. Hard work, but gorgeous. Whether it's the scenery, the company, the feel of the event itself - they can be such a good experience to attempt. Every second, a pleasure.

And.... Some endurance events are just plain hideous. Maybe the terrain / weather / the challenge itself : you know from start to finish, that every moment is going to be a grind. There will not be a single euphoric glitter at any given point. Even worse, you may have entered the event with this knowledge. So you really only have yourself to blame.

Why are some endurance events more hideous than others? Part of the variety of life? Not all races of similar distance are the same.

Whichever type of event you're training for at the moment - good luck with that.

She's up and running

Thrilled to see a cycle-run friend back out there after a nasty fracture from a driver - blind - to - cyclists injury. She's brilliantly started cycling again after recovery, and even begun some gentle running. Luckily for me, she is prepared to cycle alongside me for hours whilst listening to much waffling chat- some running related, some not. Great way to get the miles in, thank you!