Ben Nevis Baby.

Sometime last year my daughter mentioned that for her birthday she would rather like to climb Ben Nevis. So, Mother duly arranged it, as Mothers do, hostel was booked, confirmation posted on my notice board and well that was sort of it really. For most of the rest of last year we more or less forgot about it. As the New Year dawned Rissa and I started to get out and about in the hills more, actually this was mostly base training for Lakeland but useful for an assault on Britain's highest mountain too. As these things do,time marched until our little recce in the Lakes where we made good use of the shops in Keswick buying bits and pieces for the forthcoming adventure.

The great expedition weekend dawned and Rissa her friend Laura and I set of in the trusty Astra with
the sat nav plugged in for a basically uneventful journey up to Fort William (only got tooted at once).
Sat Nav took me through Glasgow, not a place I like, and when doing this journey again I will choose a different route.   Settled into Youth Hostel and headed into Fort William which was mostly closed as was after 5 p.m.   Never mind still managed food and a mooch around.

Next morning we were up bright and early, feasted on porridge, fruit and bagels all good carbs to sustain us LOL.  Then popped into the visitors centre to a look around.  Were instantly spotted as a trio of mumpties by the chappie there and taken in hand, hauled  to the map and given a blow by blow account of what we could expect, where to rest, where to avoid, where to step and where not to step.   All this information proved to be invaluable.  April is still technically Winter at the top of the Ben a fact which we were to discover in a few hours time.  

Here are a few piccies which sort of form a sort of pictorial guide of our day.

 A quick stop in Glencoe on the way. 

Tomorrow's destination.

 Setting off from Glen Nevis YHA in the smirly rain, almost straight up something they call heart attack hill.

 Levelling off from "Heart Attack Hill" and we thought we were high at this point LOL

 Marissa having a breather.

 Lunch with a wee friend.  He belonged to a couple from Lancashire who we met.  Chap and dog made it to the top, the Lady turned back when we hit the snow.  Very oddly we met them the next day at Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum.  It was lovely to see them again.

 Just look at that view - magnificent.

 Laura - the mountain goat -  I swear that girl has  natural affinity with hills.  Check out the "man leg".

 We were warned how quickly the weather can close in.  At one point we just had to stand still until we could the faint shape of the next navigation cairn.  They were a godsend.

 Me at the summit -  really chuffed but about to be blown off the top so didn't linger too long.

 Heading back down.

 Look at the weather now.  Still a long way to go though.

About to have a well earned slap up meal in the Ben Nevis Inn.

All in all a fantastic weekend. The girls really enjoyed it and it was so wonderful to see Laura taking to the outdoor life so enthusiastically too.   She can't wait for the next expedition and has given me several good ideas for adventures later in the year.

Legs were a little cranky for a couple of days, but I did manage to go running on the  Monday which astonished me.  Treated them to a little sit in the Spa at the health club though which I'm sure they enjoyed.

Plans for the next few weeks.

Women's 10 K in Glasgow - should be a good day the club are laying on a bus so that helps with fuel costs and parking in the dreaded Glasgow.
Run4Health in Dumfries -  a 5k which I am doing with a beginner from the club.  It will be her first ever race.
Moffat Gala run -  I've pencilled this in but it all depends on work really.
Challenge Walk for the local mountain rescue team - can't resist this as it's on my doorstep and among my favourite hills.  Also a grand opportunity to support a very worthwhile organisation.  One which who knows I may just be in need of some day.

So enough there to keep me busy for the moment.

Good Grief another month nearly gone....

Well really now, how time is flying.  What have I been doing, time to take stock.  Since my last blog I've been actually quite constant, just chipping away at the training steadily and concentrating on getting to grips so to speak with all sorts of terrain.  I've even started swimming again yaaay.

RECCE'S  - POOLEY BRIDGE TO HOWTOWN AND HOWTOWN TO .... AH WELL....
At the end of March M. Kona  and I headed down to Keswick to stay in my favourite B & B,  Larry's Lodge, so that we could do the above recce's.   A great time was had in Keswick I recommend The Pheasant for a lovely and reasonably priced meal.  M announced the baby back ribs were the best she'd ever tasted.    Also did a bit of shopping an purchased a Last Drop 10l backpack.  

Day 1 Pooley Bridge to Howtown - Very  very hot almost as hot as last years race day.   Thoroughly enjoyable saunter across to Howtown and leisurely sail back on the steamer.

Glorious Ullswater and that's a heat haze as I said extremely hot for late March.

Late afternoon just after the steamer docked at Pooley Bridge.


Day 2 Howtown to - well it was supposed to be Mardale Head but.....

Well we got a little waylaid shopping in Keswick so only made it as far as the final push to High Kop, another hot day but an enjoyable one.




Did however have time for a short detour to Gowk Fell.   Now there's a view, splendid.

Must admit to being a little tired after our couple of days away and partly because of that, and partly because of the (so called) fuel crisis I cancelled my entry for the Coniston 14, in a way I was relieved but in another disappointed with myself as I had been looking forward to it.  Will enter again next year though.

This month has been mostly spent in the hills.   M, Kona and I have been exploring in our local hills at Durisdeer, getting to know them quite well now. 

We also had an excursion up to Green Lowther, now that was interesting, part of the way is home to a section of The Southern Upland Way, but it's also a Radar Station and has a private road running up to the masts and things.   So a mixture of hill and road very intriguing.

My running is doing what my running does, there have been some excellent runs and there have been some |OK runs and there has been at least one stinker of a run where I felt hellish, no mojo, sore legs, general CBA, but on checking my time it was actually not too bad so it must just have been one of those nights.

Dog walking on a Sunday has been continuing and we've had some cracking walks, some of which could become running routes for Kona and I very shortly.

Have also decided to stop lining Duncan Bannatynes pockets and getting nothing in return so have started swimming again.   Was amazed on my return to the gym to find that all well almost all of the machines have been replaced with new swanky things, on which you can play games eeek how amazing.  So will have to be getting back upstairs again to try them out.

Our next excursion was quite exciting.  I'll get cracking on that blog then LOL.





Update to 27th March.

Eeek having just written a blog about all this I pressed the wrong key and have just deleted all I wrote.  Very frustrating.  Suffice it to say End of February and into March have been busy.  So what I'm going to do is upload the photos again and write a few comments for each.

Training has been going along quite well, at my own pace and in my own way.  I've been walking, running and toddling up a few hills.  Hopefully you'll enjoy a look at the photos.  I will be blogging about our Lake District Adventure shortly.

Shortly after this photo was taken Josie bit Kona which resulted in an out of hours visit to the vet, hence we had one very expensive walk along the beach.   Brilliant beach for a training run though.   Added to must do list.  (Josie was "rounding" Kona up at the time, no nastiness intended.)

Club Run from Beattock to Ae.
The idea of this run was that the faster runners started at the bottom of the "Crooked Road" and the slower runners at the top.  The  premise was that groups would form naturally and everyone should finish is stages not too far apart.  This didn't exactly happen, I ran on my own expecting to be last back, but low and behold 2 groups got slightly lost and I wasn't last LOL.  Ran with full pack on for practice.

Garroch Recce
One very good thing about training for this run is that it's getting me out and about in my own backyard, exploring my local hills.   Here are a couple of pictures taken on a recce walk up Garroch.
Plenty of follow on routes to come from this one.

The first picture shows one of the many Burn crossings on the route and the second I call my very own Mini Garburn Pass.

Other Runs have included.
The Dent Run -  14 miles of undulations, but nevertheless a brilliant club day out.  Was slow as usual but not as slow as last year which was a relief.
The usual Monday night club runs which are slow and short, but I love going out with the beginners. It's great to see someone who didn't think they'd ever be able to run complete their first mile then their second and then their third.  The woman I'm taking out just now is entering her first 5k event and I've said  I will run with her.
One or two medium distance (at present) road runs around home.  Longest being approx 8 miles.  One was especially challenging as it's uphill for 2.50 miles, well it's actually longer but the darkness was falling and I thought it best to start heading back down before it got completely dark.  Country roads are not the best to be running on without some sort of Hi Viz or headtorch. 

The One Show Sport Relief Mile.
A couple of club mates and I did our bit for Sport Relief by taking part in the above.  Must say it was great fun, the banter in the mini bus was amazing.  Not sure why I always bite my lip when getting photos taken.  I may look like I've no teeth.

So that basically has been that up until now.  I pulled out of the Coniston 14 mainly because of the fuel crisis, but also it's been a very hectic month workwise.  Also was just back from recceing in the Lakes so also probably tired and easily persauded.   

Blog about recce days to follow.

Valentine's

The Sunday before St. Valentine's Day saw myself and several club members descend upon the tiny hamlet of Glenmidge, for Frank's annual Valentine run and get together.  As usual a number of routes were available to run depending on how many miles you wanted to do.  I opted for 5 as this was the off road one, and one I know very well which as I thought I'd be myself seemed the best choice.  As it happened Donald and Satay joined me.  This was Satay's first off road adventure and she really enjoyed it.  Donald not so much as he doesn't relish off road, but as he felt the others were in the Gazelle category it was safer to stay with me and not get lost.  I have been doing this route for a couple of years and I rather think this was the quickest time to the ruin from the start I've ever done, must be getting fitter.  Some day I'll run from the start right to the ruin without stopping (some day lol).  I've put a couple of pictures on below just to show the view.  If I could build a house anywhere in the area I think it would be here.  A bit isolated perhaps but my what a place to live.  From the ruin the route snakes down through some pine trees to the Lag Tower, then on road for a while until a sharp right through an old farm steading and up a lovely steep grassy lane to some fields, across the fields and then down onto the road for the final half mile or so back to Glenmidge and a blissful hot shower.  Frank and his wife laid on such a spread, soup, rolls, pudding, drinks hot cold and alcoholic. We even had our youngest member V & P's baby girl,she was very good and had every one enthralled with her cuteness. Our oldest could have been Frank's Mum who must be well into her eighties not running of course but making sure we were all well fed and looked after. Much banter and club talk of races, runs and folk all in all a great day out.

Training for the rest of the week.
Monday Running club "Bring a friend" week, this is another thing which seems to have become an annual event.  Lovely to see new people, some of whom want to start running and some who are just curious about what their friend sees in this running lark.
Tuesday - rest.
Wednesday - Headtorch run at Mabie with Kerry.  4 miles.  Fastest yet, so getting better. Changing route and upping by a mile next week though.
Thursday - Speedplay - not a good night, since getting my new set of road shoes I've never really felt comfortable in them specially when I try to run faster, they just feel heavy, foamy and totally unresponsive.  Each footfall feels like I'm thumping down and the energy is going nowhere.  So after having a chat with one of the speedy guys I decided it was time to try something new.     Hence a trip to town next day to buy new shoes.   I am trying out an adidas pair which don't look too different from my Kanadias just a much brighter "pink" how girly.  Will be trying them out on Monday.


Several of daughters friends have booked into this "Tough Mudder" extreme adventure race at Drumlanrig Castle.  I've looked it up on the website and it looks awesome and very very tough.  Not for me with my lack of spatial awareness the potential for injury is quite high, but Riss and I have offered to guide Jax through my beloved Castle Woods, plotting the route and getting her familiar with both it and the terrain.    First outing planned for Sunday piccies to follow.

Hills,Hills and Hills.

Training is stepping up a notch now.  Running is going well, continuing as usual with Monday nights, not much mileage here at the moment because I am taking out a couple of new beginners, this suits me because it makes a nice recovery after the weekends.  Wednesday nights have now become Headtorch Run nights at Mabie Forest.  Still on the same route but will hopefully be branching out (get it) when Kerry rejoins us.  She is an orienteer and knows the Mabie trails very well.   Trying to get to speedplay when I can on Thursdays.

Hillwalking have managed out into the hills on a couple of weekdays with Kona and Rissa.  Wearing plenty of layers as both days were bitterly cold, but not too cold to be out and about.   The first expedition saw us up among the Durisdeer Hills, Kona always has a great time up hills, I just wish it was as easy for me as it is for her, she's a born mountain labragoat.


















Second Trip we headed up to Morton Castle and walked up to the Roman Fortlet on the top of the hill, as you will see from the photos it was a bit blustery up there and the hills further on were well covered with snow.  I saw a route which would make a brilliant run, perhaps I can persuade some of my running club buddies to come up for the day.

Week 2

Well it's began, the training and no I didn't skip week one but used it as a sort of lets get going week
So what about week 2.

Monday
Club night ran 2 miles with a new beginner, one who has only just started to come to club, she did very well.  I always  hope that I've helped them and that they have had a nice time and want to come back.  Most do and then within a few weeks they're all running faster and longer than me LOL.

Wednesday
Headtorch run in Mabie Forest, black dark so a good night to try out the headtorches.  I had a bit of a moment about 1 mile in when I realised that there was no way I could keep up with the others, not only can I not run like them, but my eyesight isn't great so I need a bit of time to take in what I'm seeing.  Anyway when I caught up with them I just said that I wouldn't be able to do this again.(perhaps a little peevishly when I think back)  Maggie bless her stayed with me while the others went on.  Once she had calmed my fears about holding every one back and boosted my morale a bit I started to get into the way of it and really enjoyed it.  That's the very first night run done, obviously I've walked in the dark quite a bit, but not actually ran. Here's a piccie of Dumfries lights from Mabie, not good quality but it was dark and it's only a camera phone.

   

  Since then a fellow Lakeland 50 competitor has come back to club.  We both run at about the same speed so we are going to team up to practice night running.  We'll set off with the other Wednesday night runners, but just do our own thing.  So that's brilliant, couldn't be better really.  She's someone I know quite well not just from club but from taking part in some of the Lakeland Trails series, no doubt there will be a lot of planning and comparing of plans done on the runs.

Thursday

Speedplay 3 half mile efforts with jog recovery in between, and yes I did jog them.  The night was bitterly cold so it good to keep moving.  

Sunday

Dog walking group, 6 miles through Mabie Forest, yes Mabie again. A lovely frosty morning, bright and sunny but cold.   All dogs and humans had great fun.  I had to rush off at the end to come home for work, all the others disappeared into "The Shed" cafe for yummy cake and hot choc etc.,    

There then that's the first full week done, and as far as I'm concerned a good start.  Hopefully the rest of the weeks will go a bit like this, with increasing mileage for both running and walking.  Speedsessions and practice in the dark and on varied terrrain.    

And so it begins.....

Plans are made and work has started on my journey.   As part of my training I have entered a few hilly 14 milers and a nice flat marathon as I really need to get my running back on track.  I have also invested in a treadmill, yes I know, but a friend was selling his very cheaply and I couldn't resist.  I intend to use it to do intervals and walking practice.  It will also be very handy for other members of the family.

So what is the planned training.

Running increasing mileage week by week and attending speedwork sessions regularly.   One of the girls has also arranged trail running? by headtorch in a local forest.  Why the question mark, let me explain this person
has no experience of the dark and when I mentioned this last year she was horrified, so to begin with I'm not sure how much running will happen.  Have registered for Parkrun and fully intend to attend.  
I must note that at the last handicap I was knackered, really knackered and am waiting to see the results to find out if I was worse than this time last year, certainly felt like it.

Walking going to continue with my dog walking group as often as possible, we do some great walks in the forests etc.   Will also be hill walking with my daughter and her friend.  Daughter has a big plan for her birthday, more of that later.
The photo is of Kona and her friend Sooty at Great Hill Trig point near Loch Ettrick.  It was very claggy not much of a view today.

That's the first week in then, let the mayhem commence.