The Grizzly

Went skiing in France on 27th until Saturday 6th March. Next day I had stupidly entered the Grizzly. A 20mile tough cross country course down in Dorset. Still, good for Jurassic training!

Start gun went at 10:30 in Seaton & we had to run 0.6m along a pebbly beach. OUCH!!! A real struggle. Couldnt believe that I actually had to start walking before I had even run a mile! Then onto the roads for a short time & up over the fields towards Branscombe & down into Bere. From there it was just plenty of ups & downs steep hills (well steep for me), through streams & copious quantities of sticky gloopy mud! YUK! Eventually back along more pebbles before the "Stairway to Heaven" steps up to the top of the cliffs, & back down onto Seaton pebbles & cross the finish line. Beautiful sunny day with stunning views but boy was it freezing cold! I was very pleased for my ear warmer & woolly gloves. Could have done with another layer on the old bones though. When you run as slowly as me, you tend to feel the cold. Some of the racing snakes were in vest & shorts! Hmmm. I took my camelbak full of water, plus my marmite sandwiches & chocolate flapjacks incase I got lost!! Everyone laughed at me, but I still ate them & enjoyed them. Took me 5 hrs 11 mins to complete.

Hips & knees a bit tender Monday morning & thighs very stiff! Bloody heck, got to do 78 miles of hilly coastal path in 3 weeks time. Eek! Better start training!!

Tough Ten Challenge

Last weekend, Tanja (who I met on MdS forum) came to stay. We had both entered the Tough Ten Challenge in WsM. Had also arranged to meet Kerry (also doing MdS next year) at the race. Gorgeous sunny day albeit very cold. Made the start line as the gun went off. The organisers had sent me the start time for the fun run & I hadnt noticed! Still throughly enjoyed the race although didnt do it very quickly. Felt good at the end which goes to prove I ran too slowly!!! Still I was never going to win!!!

Navigation Training - Lake District

Running going OK I suppose. Managed over 80miles in January despite a cold & snowy days. My diary is getting stuffed full of challenges. I had better be fit & thin by the end of the year!!!

29 January I went up to the lake district on a "Navigation Training" weekend that was being run by one of the guys from the MdS forums. Myself & 8 blokes I had never met in a bunk house in the middle of nowhere! Lucky girl I hear you all say!!!

Could have been but with temperatures of -2.5 deg, no hot water, no shower, no heating (bar a couple of small portable rads Tintin brought), I was not looking my best! As you will see, in every photo, I have no make-up, woolly tea cosy on my head & the pilsbury doughboy outfit! Nice!! Still, I was warm out on the hills. All good fun & lots of alcholic fuel each evening. I think I can now compass read! Well I hope so anyway!!!

Last weekend we had so much snow that it was impossible to do any running. Instead, I donned my warm weather gear, backpack & walking poles & did 3 brisk walks. One to Langport & back to do the shopping!!! 11.7m return but the back pack weighed 17lb on the way back & nearly killed my back. At the weekend, walked 5.6m on Saturday with Rachael & 11m with Rach & Murray on the Sunday. Difficult on the uneven hard ground, but lovely in the snow & sunshine.

Snow now all thawed, so amongst the madness of packing to move house, I hope to run 5m tomorrow & 10m on Sunday!! We shall see. Alfie not too keen as we have soooo much to do & pack prior to the big move out :-( next weekend.

The day has arrived when I start my training proper for MdS next year! How scarey is that? Freezing cold day with thick frost everywhere. In true Henley form, none of the roads have been salted so it is like an ice rink outside! Thought best wait til some of the watery sunshine had thawed things out a bit so I dont slip over like my Auntie & break my arm!!!

1:30 ish set off for a planned 4 miles. Managed to get all the way to High Ham hill without a stop. That is 3/4 mile up up & more up. Was very chuffed with myself albeit rather out of breathe at the top! Felt good so managed 5.2 miles in total. Home for hot shower, soup & continue with the never ending packing of all our stuff. We move into a rented 3 wks today. EEEK!

Well it has been a very cold & icy December! Have run around 55 miles all month, so not going to break any Forrest Gump records with that, am I. Couple of weeks ago I ran to a friends house & back to deliver Christmas presents & cards. Probably would have been better wearing ice-skates it was so slippy out. Perhaps I wanted to break my ankle to get out of further runs! Still managed 8.5 miles total that day (with tea break in the middle). Furthest I had run since the Medoc in September.

Christmas Eve was pretty impressive though! Woke up with a raging hangover from a tad too much wine & champagne on Christmas day! The Stoke Stampede was running its 20th race so in true spirit, my step-mother, sister & I all decided to run.

Felt a bit sick at the start line, but armed with Santa hat, I completed the 10k in exactly 1 hour, so was pretty pleased with my wee effort!

New years resolution however, is to give up the wine etc from Sunday - Thursday and only indulge sensibly Friday & Saturday. All for MdS prep of course!!!!!

December 09

I thought I should probably explain why I decided to enter the MdS! Most folk know that I am usually up for a challenge & albeit lazy will always have a go & not give up! Loads of people asked me (tongue in cheek) when I was going to attempt MdS & I always said that although I was crazy, I wasnt that crazy!

April 2008, there was a documentary on C4 about the MdS which I watched. I was fascinated & realised that not all the competitors were super human, just super mad!!!!! After the programme, I ambled onto the MdS website, spent ages reading all the information and before I knew it had emailed them for entry details!

June 08 I was informed of the date & time of entries opening. I was late for work as I had to sit in front of the computer & fill out the entry form. Completed it all in super quick time & came out of it 2nd on the wait list. They accept 225 UK entrants for main race & 100 onto the wait list. I understand that the first 25-30 or so waiters generally get a confirmed place. Eeek! 2nd on list.

Although the race is still 13 months away, I am getting quite excited.

I have joined the MdS forums & met a couple of like minded ladies on there, one of whom is doing MdS same year as me & another, Tanja, who is hoping to do it in the future! Tanja & have been very busy cajoling each other into lots of adventure races for 2010, so watch this space for our antics!!!