Going off-piste...
Not written much about running recently.
Or indeed run as much as I'd have liked.
Partly because I've had lots of work on. Partly a lack of time.
But mostly I've been feeling the need for inspiration, a change, something different.
The good news is that I think I've found it.
Last week I was inspired by this tweet that came out of The Do Lectures
"The definition of an adventure = when you're in the middle of it, you wish you were safely back home" Richard Askwith
Which I read at the same time as the opening of the ballot for the London Marathon next year
So I signed up, remembering with some pain, the torturous last 6 miles of my only marathon to date.
When I really did wish I was back at home...
With the race taking place virtually on my doorstep, and having pulled out at the last minute with illness at previous attempt, this is the one itch I just want to scratch.
Reading "Feet in the Clouds. A story of fell-running and obsession" then fired me up further.
It made me think that pounding the roads is all well and good as part of the training to run long.
But the stories of fell running and mountain adventures stirred something much deeper in me.
A feeling that running to the hills is the way to go to really harden up for longer distances.
Which is why I'm now planning to have a go at The Original Mountain Marathon in the Autumn
It's a bit like this...
Which means I need to learn 2 new things
1. how to move a bit faster over the hills - fell-running
We went to Coniston last year on a trip to the lakes and did this amazing day walk.
It was 9 miles and took about 6 hours.
The winner of this did it in just over an hour....
2. how to get very sharp at navigation on the go...orienteering
I've done quite a bit of navigation before, but not recently. So need to get out and get practising.
A bit like this..
It looks so easy on these nicely shot films.
The reality is going to be much tougher.
I'll be keeping some sort of record/diary about it all on here. So watch this space.
And wish me luck!
