Not quite missing in action

I may not have been writing but I have been running. And the following is a fair checklist to some of the best places to run in the UK and further afield.

April - Norfolk coastline. A gorgeous jaunt from Gresham through Sheringham Park to the coast and along the beach to Overstrand. Ice cream never tasted so good.




Easter - Putting Mike Atter through his paces running the Gower coastal path from Llanmadoc round to Oxwich Bay.




May - In the Lake District introducing another Aussie, Gerard, to the delights of Leg 1: the long slog up Skiddaw, the hidden trenches in the heather on Great Calva and the majestic views from the top of Blencathra looking down Leg 2 to Helvellyn before the sharp descent to Threlkeld (first pic below).




On the second day he flew round most of Leg 3 from Dunmail raise to Bowfell and down to the pint of Old Speckled Hen at Old Dungeon Ghyll.

July - Some proper mountain running with Nick Williams in the form of the Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido (nearest town Bielsa).

And December - A half marathon round the end of the Gower with (from left to right: Ian, me, Kev, Sarah, Nathan) on a crystal clear day which began with ice on the ground and ended with flames in the sky.

The lack of shorts was a regrettable, if liberating, experience. The red socks were a moment of genius. Ideal for staying warm, lowered to cool off, provided a red rag target for Ian and gave me my first real understanding of how compression can help squeeze a few more miles out of tired muscles to place a credible 17th.

And they had Match of the Day on in the bar.

Back in the game... again

As is probably evident from the lack of posts, a 2008 attempt didn't materialise either.

But inspired by this man, this man and this lady, I have resolved to update the blog, get back on the trail and quicken the pace attempting to build the mileage to put in an attempt next year.

Today's resting heart rate is 48, so that's a marker for starters.