Got to blog more !!

Right it is 13/10/14. I need to blog more.


Have been off running since the end of August due to the Achilles problem but more about that later.


Race wise this year has been difficult to say the least .




First run of the year was a 50k social run in the Cotwolds with some good friends from the ultra running community which was the first ever social run and bloody good fun to, me and Rich Cranswick were dressed as Musketeers , although there was only two of us we were joined at the turn a round by Nici Griffin who had set up an aid station for us all . And so The 3 Musketeers returned, well nearly, we quit a few miles short of the finish at a garage witch sold Costa Coffee (lovely Jubbly).

The Green Man Ultra was supposed to be 45miles around the outskirts Bristol but for me it ended up 49 and a half miles, as usual I took the scenic route (well that's my bloody excuse and I am sticking to it). will definitely do this again.



Next up was a training run with Rich Cranswick along the Kennet & Avon Canal , it was going to be a 100 mile run but turned out to be about 87 miles . Really good fun as ever with Rich.




Centurion Running Thames Path 100 in May was the next race and although my Achilles was ok I kept getting strange spasms in the muscle by the knee, which forced me to keep stopping to massage it away . This seemed to go on throughout the race. When I arrived at the 85 mile aid station I was in quite a dark place and really didn't think I could carry on . Luckily Phil , my bro-in law and trusty crewman was there as was Rich Cranswick .After a quick chat about how far was left Phil and Rich persuaded me to carry on . The following checkpoint I was so sick but with only 7 miles or so to go I had no choice but to carry on .  Finished in about 25 hours I think . That was a tough race for me compared to last years quagmire. Still another finish though. James Elsons Centurion events are absolutely fantastic from the organisation to the marshalls to all the aid station volunteers. Centurion races I will do again and again.




The week after I was booked into Hope 24 which was a 24 hour race in a 5 mile loop through the grounds of a lovely park. I was doing this race with a good friend and of course fellow stringer Kate Hayden. I really didn't know how the bloody hell my legs were going to be after the TP 100, but surprisingly they felt great. The route itself was great a few short sharp hills and all off road . We were going along quite nicely but I couldn't resist bombing down the hills each lap and at about 40 miles  my shin was so painful and just could not carry on so the race was over for me . Kate carried on with Avo her collie but was feeling quite ill so came back and had a sleep for a couple of hours then got up and carried on to about 80 miles I think which was amazing after the way she was feeling earlier. She slept all the way back and was still throwing up in her front garden when I left. She was ok though later. Another race for the diary loved this one.


Endure 24 was next , another race similar to Hope 24 but with many more runners involved and loads and loads of mud . I was still suffering with Achilles issues and shin splints so was not going to run..... much. I decided to run the first lap and then stop , but met up with Zoe Thornburgh who I did a few laps with and also paced Nici Griffin for a few laps at night to. So I ended up doing 35 miles, which I was not supposed to do any but hey ho didn't make it any worse . Great event but not one I would do again as I don't think there was much consideration for the solo runners from many of the relay runners barging past and I wasn't alone in thinking this.


Ultra 12 was another new race and very good to although I had to pull out early after slipping on a sharp left turn off a bridge and tearing my groin (ouch) that bloody hurt. Would do this again to and its a good race for the newbie to ultra running.