Wednesday 29 August 2018

Never Give Up!




The organisers of the Ultra Trail World Tour have posted this in honour of the UTMB races this week. Oh wow. Go, all runners in Chamonix right now!

Saturday 25 August 2018

Plodding




The wind down towards the end of the school holidays has prompted a kick start to long runs, in anticipation of the next few running months. A slow, steady, staggered 17 m today, some of them absolutely glorious. With a refuelling break at a coffee shop too - I couldn't ask for better in life.

Thursday 23 August 2018

Relief




Relief and delight to find that the trails have reopened in a favourite local training area. The whole expanse had been closed during ongoing moorland fires related to the recent heatwave. Some greenery is coming through the charred and devastated land. Pleased to be out running there again, as I'm sure many other trail runners are.

Monday 13 August 2018

Lucky bits and bobs?

Is it just me that does this? It cannot be, surely.

Waiting in line for kit check at the last race, I realised that two of the front pockets of my running pack are stuffed full with lucky items. Certainly not items that would necessarily get you to the finish of a race.
We're talking a lucky troll, lego brick, lucky gingerbread man, even lucky painkillers. I think there's a particularly well decorated and loved lollipop stick in there somewhere. All given to me by people who genuinely wish me well in an endurance event.

Being ever so slightly superstitious, I cannot bring myself to clear these pockets out or throw these bits away. Seriously, I know that doesn't make any logical sense. But I would be bereft at not completing my next big event and realising it was due to lack of said tokens.

In an emergency, I will not be picking flares and gels out of my bag. No, no: not me. I'll be looking at stuffed toys and things covered in fluff.
It's OK, there is actually space for essential kit as long as its folded over and squashed down. No problem, really.

It certainly makes my running pack more interesting.

So, I will continue to keep the whole lot packed in those pockets. They only weigh less than half a kilo or so anyway.

Plus, I cannot forget to wear my lucky sunglasses, necklace, lucky socks....

Hmmmm.