Scotland - Aviemore trip..

I have just returned from a holiday in Scotland, we were there me and Steph to run at the Baxters Festival of running, but that aside that we got to see some awesome sights on our trip there in between all the marathon and 10K running.....



We based ourselves at the Aviemore Bunkhouse by the River Spey. It was a good central location to explore the Cairngorm Mountain range and skiing resort.



Would we recomend the bunk house? if honest no, why well it was freezing and there was no lounge to socialise in, it had a kitchen (small) and was probably the worst hostel ever stayed in.



They were freindly and very helpful but it was not the best place to stay for 6 days, that being said the pub next door was awesome and the Caledonian Ale was exceptional.... Hic....



We ventured up to the ski station and hiked up the Cairngorm above the top ski station, normally this would be a standard jaunt but the weather was with us as in sun and against us as in a snow storm, which gave us a true Scottish experience, and some nice photos.



We also got to sit and chill at Loch Morlich which has in essence a beach where you can sit and admire your days sunset, and the mountains you have just descended as the backdrop. It was also out of season and so we were alone on the mountain and alone on the beach which always adds to natures theatre show.



The pictures say it all so enjoy, as a ski station it is limited and on our day looked like a closed russian ski resort of sorts, it doesnt have the Va Va Voom of Europe or Tignes in the Alps but it does have its own natural rustic charm. We enjoyed it and even got to see some reindeer in their natural environment.



It was also nice to see it with snow and the contrast with the lower greener slopes was a sight to enjoy, until the oncoming snow storm arrived and slammed us in the face with winds that had travelled all the way form Alaska. ha ha ... it got nasty and we got off the hill ASAP.



We also travelled the full length of Loch Ness stopping at the Urquart castle the weather was not good but this just added to the mystery of the Loch and the surrounding areas, we drove through the towns of Fort Augustus and Inverlochy and Invergarry, some of the areas were stunning.





We made our way to Fort William where if we had got up slightly earlier than midday we may have attempted Ben Nevis - but to be fair we were still aching from the marathon and the weather was exceptionally shitte....good quality scottish drizzle.



So we ended that day with a classic munch at the (to me) infamous Ben Nevis Inn at the foot of the Ben....including hefty sweet in the form of Sticky toffe pudding.



We also found an awesome rally track in the woods, shown here I will be doing a small video of the trip which will include the rallying route, we were given the racey Fiat 500 1.4i as our hire car....and this little car is awesome in this terrain and I spanked it big style around this single lane woodland track that we had checked out earlier in the day, in the high season im sure there would have been lots of cars coming through but not for us, I nailed it and nearly lost a few times. the other arf - just screamed as they all do. women !!....







We had a great trip and saw the rustic side of Scotland without the heavy tourist numbers ruining the day and the views, id recommend to go at this time of year to anyone.....





Scotland the brave....!!!

Loch Ness Marathon Completed.

Sunday 05/10/08

I made it just, I had not trained for this one and knew I would suffer big style..



I collected my race number on the Saturday which meant I got to see the finishing line in the stadium, it reminded me of my school running days when I was er fitter... The set up was good and the organisation seemed well up to par...



I met Karen an friend from the runners world forum and we arranged to meet at the mini Expo to run with a 10 min mile group (finishing in 4:20), to be fair this is a slow pace for me but due to the lack of training I was concerned that when I got to about 18 miles the lack of training would cause me real issues if I went out with at my normal pace, the plan was set.



We were based in Aviemore and so on the way home from Inverness we went on a mini adventure heading towards Fort Augustus and we accidentally came across the start line in the middle of no where on some small country lane, a couple of portaloos and the start sign. We then followed the route to the end back to near Inverness so I knew what was coming it was stunning and a bloody long way if I'm honest....I was nervous and wasn't convinced that id make it through the full distance.



We were up at 5am as we were based in Aviemore and the drive was about 50 minutes to Inverness stadium, we arrived and we were all put on a bus which would take us to the start which id seen last night about an hour away.



The atmosphere was good on the bus and I felt good, I felt for the first time in weeks that I could do this if I went slow, I was going to take my camera on route to take some pictures as when I did my first one in Edinburgh it all seemed a bit time based and I nearly forgot to enjoy the day and the event for what it was...this time I would stop and take a few pics and record the event. So I would remember it for the stunning and picturess event it is supposed to be and was not let down.



I finished the race in a respectable 4:17:07 secs. this is a good time for someone who had only trained up to 8 miles and had not committed in anyway to the training.

A Video of the race....good if you want an insite and plan to run it one year..



During the race I suffered severe cramps after 18 miles, it felt as though I had no cartilage at all, but some how I struggled home with the base fitness I had from earlier in the year, I do not recommend blagging a marathon ever !!! it hurt real bad near the end.



Even so I had a sprint finish in which I over took 3 people, ohh how the youthful competitive spirit seems to still remain even though I am now 40 years old....yes -

I AM NOW A VET RUNNER AT 40....

The goodybag was awesome full of, well Baxters stuff really, and the medal was cool.

So my second Marathon has been completed in Loch Ness. I have already booked a third in Connemara in Ireland near Galway, but that's in 6 months time, plenty of time to train..



......... 4:17:07 at Loch Ness.

Cheers all........

Winterberg .... August 2008 (Mal's 30th)

I was invited to Mals 30th B'day bash in Amsterdam and during the weekend we went off to Winterberg in Germany to the epic Bike Park they have there.



This weekend was part of a road trip for me also seeing some friends from the GR20 on-route, but I have poasted about that seperatly.



I took the S Reg Brava, risky shes an old girl, but as it turns out she was legendry and even took on the might of Mals beast cometh the race day...in total running smooth for 1200 miles this tour...



There have been some awesome things happening to me this year but this trip has to be one of the highlights and I am going to struggle to find the words to authenticate the trip but for me it was mind blowing.



Whilst in Dam we also did the flow boarding at the 'Dutch Water Dreams' centre, what a name...one marketing slip and it would have been Dutch wet dreams ha ha ha..



This was awesome albeit hard, when you bailed you bailed hard well did anyway, whiplash comes as standard and I had the whiplash standard for sure, you need to practice this at least 3 or 4 times, but what a laugh its so wobbly, the smallest error is exagerated fully....but what a trip...we were in a small group of goofy people so we got more runs...a choice day, the we relaxed in the sun at the beach bar with real sand, but we knew the whiplash would revisite us in the morning and it did. Just in time for Winterberg NICE....!!!



Anyway as always the best way to show these things is through picture and video and there is all of that below.



But the thing id like to remember about the Bike trip to Winterberg is the sheer balls I had over the weekend in fact the balls we all had on the day, we basically arrived after a late night out on the beers and whiplah from hell from flow boarding an early start and a 300 mile drive (race), we then had to get the bikes sorted, I had an awesome downhill machine when we were ready we hit the practice jumps which to be fair were to me huge enough on there own.



After a wobbly start Mal then just took us off to the downhill berm run, you cant see anything from the top you have no idea whats coming if you did you just wouldnt bother!!!! but fuck me by the time you hit the bottom and youve emptied your pants out I was awake alright let me tell ya.......the fucking smile on my face was hurting it was that big....and my heart was in my arse....lost and confused but happy to be alive and still beating....



Struth the best safty measure they have there is by default the chair lift to get you back up as that gives you the break you need...seriously after the first run I was on the chairlift thinking what the fuck have I just done, coupled with the fact that when your a group of male buddies your all competing and looking to impress...its a mind blower let me tell ya. Just dont forget lots of spare pairs of pants, and that you have a brake....I was getting air before id even seen the fucking jumps....not good but woooooohhooooooo....awesome..



If that wasnt enough and Mal wanting us not to miss a trick, he sent us all down the bloody race track a at full pelt, what you forget though is that this is winterberg and whilst your trying your hardest to stay ahead of your buddies over the whoops you forget that they stick motherfucking massive table top or 4 in your way immediatly after the berms with no time to react, but you soon wake up mid flight normally way to late IMHO....using the brakes middair doesnt work??? !!!....but my word after a few runs your in the ZONE...and my riding days from back in the day came in to play...time to get serious, then he takes us to the park as if I hadnt had enough...my poor heart was thumping...drops? me, eh what...your having a laugh..your not, your serious....oh ok then....ride ride wobble....fall off drop land...scream!!! - Im 40 surely this will end in tears.....



Thats basically how it worked. by now id got to grips with it and that was only after 3 runs, then to make sure we'd not miss anything he took us down the World Class Black downhill run me what...im old..!!! I dont really remember much about this route except...that once your in your in for good come what may...and the drops and the slamming your wrists get as you drop thud thud thud down drop after drop again again and again...I mean you have a brake so you could use them, but I tried that and I didnt stop at all well not enough anyway...i was just whispering fuck fuck fuck...im gonna die fuck fuck....really im dead...and then you make it and flow out of the end off a little jump and after you check all your limbs work you sail to the back of the lift line, to lick your wounds and to empty and change your underpants for the 3rd time that day (and its not even 2pm yet)...phew...see its hard to put into words...but this is how I remember it.



we carried on untill the last run I even then got a cheeky last run on the practice jumps as they were calling for our bikes back....just couldnt let go could I, Nope guess not...



We all went out for a meal at the local hotel and we were alone, we ate well and drank well, too much for me I think. It was really nice to see James as well...



We camped on site and I slept under me Tarp by me car, I actually got a good nights sleep even though me inflatable mat went flat on me, and the french man had issues... but all good.



The next day we rose early (due to french man again)and knew a more mature approach was needed as injuries my be coming to hunt someone down, well that what I was thinking anyway, we headed off and did some nice Northshore stuff on wooden bars and see-saws, loved this stuff but some of it was high and tricky, but it was all a bit slower, we did do all the same stuff again and I went off many more drops on routes and went faster on things my speed on the berm runs was matching Mals which was a bum twitcher for an old boy for sure but I was there on his arse, next time Mal..next time..



Theres not really more to say except that its something that must be done again and again and again...as Mal siad he was amazed but so happy that we had all -

'STEPPED UP TO THE MARK' on the day.

But then so did he as he went off the highest drop, I guess giving himself a Private Birthday present...awesome Mal.

lastly Thanks for inviting me.....what a memory. TC...

I think I need a Labotomy after that....

Video to come....TC style.

Trans Peak challenge...(Completed)

On Sunday the 21st of September 2008 I was amoungst a team of 6 athletes from Amscott hoping to complete and even compete for the first 3 places in the Trans Peak Challenge. This event was for the British Heart Foundation who work in the office below us. The event covered no less than 30 miles approximatly and 8 miles of that would on bike on tarmac roads (albeit very hilly) and ending with steeplchase of sorts at the finish at Chatsworth House.



Am I awake....not sure, but somethings glowing..!!!

We (I) awoke at 3am, to get ready and pick up Liza at 4:50am...simply wrong..just too early..we drove to meet the rest of the team at heath and headed off to the start location. it was still dark at this point but we would get to see the sunrise as we ran on the first stage, an awesome sight and experience. it was all very exciting I thought and couldnt wait to get going...we were Team 8 out of 13 and started each stage in that position 8th...



The team getting ready at the start....

Off we went and within 2 miles were huffing and puffing as expected on these hills well I was anyway.....we then went the wrong way, but not as bad as team (1) as they were never seen again ha ha...we readjusted and did a very respectful first stage all ran well and we cruised passed one team...the veiws and the exposure added to the experience but as always only the pictures will show it as it was. I landed in some deep bog at times and the going underfoot was the main challenge.



On our way Stage (1)

The funniest things was the team back at the office hoped theyd do this section in 45 minutes...oh how I laughed at that ha ha ...we did it in 1:30 min...not the same on that terrain.



We finished the stage to mini applause and then in the truck sort the bikes out we were off. for stage two....this was the operation stage after stage, i did all stages except the ride through Ladybower which was stunning this time in the morning with the steam rising off the waters as it was...really stunning.

The Machinery.....



Belted around this corner and just like the shot...



Suffice to say the best way to see this challenge is through the lens and the video and so you should take a look below at the pics and the video. The challenge was tough and although I escaped having to run at full pelt as the girls were slower and only the slowest persons time counted it was still tough....the most enjoyable thing for me was the veiws which were stunning with that hot sun on our backs all day and the water run at the very end of the steeplechase...loved that.



The competition, it was close...he looks a bit serious though eh..



Liza catching him up...

If im honest it was a team event, a style of event I was not used to and I had to control or real in my competitive spirit for the good of the team, I tried to help and give tit bits of advice and felt that i did my bit....but at times I felt like whizzing off...thats me though...



As challenges go this was a good one, in the end we finished 5th, in a time of 2:54:00 if we had had a stronger bike section we would have competed for the 2nd or 3rd place, as it was it was a team event and thus making it all about the slowest person in the team not the fastest, the winning team were all men....probably with small penises as they seemed to be the type that needed to win, every team should have to enter a girl at every stage to make it slightly fairer.



Navigation needed near the end....

I didnt use the camera on the bike sections which was a real shame as the veiws were exceptional but you cant win em all, also at the end but i am sure i will post them if I can get hold of them.

A great day out though and one of which I am duly proud of. There will some aches and pains...and we were gifted by an exceptinaly rare blistering sunny day....a day I will remember.

Well done Team Athletico Amscott. !!!!

Video of the day...

Loch Ness Marathon

Why oh why am i doing this?????

I enetered this whilst doing the training for the Edinburugh Marathon which i completed in May of this year it has its own blog, but i was told that after a marathon you need a new challenge and the best way was to book another one....so i did.

I am regretting this now, as i have done little or no trainingat all, i am knackered when i get to about 8 or 9 miles and struggle to do a half marathon.... this is going to be murder and even if i finish it i will be in alot of pain....why do it?

A good Q - my only answer is i have paid and the entry fee is non refundable or exchangable and i want the medal ive heard its very nice....not really the best reasons to put yourself through such a trauma but even so flights and accomidation is booked so im going now.

I ran Edinburugh in 3:50....respectable first attempt, this one could be alot slower possible an hour slower coming in with the old ladies in about 4:50....3 min a mile slower....mmm

i'll post on completion its in 4 weeks and i havent ran for about 3.....what have i done.

laterz.