Fun guy out for a stroll

Had a great stroll out with my Bec today 3.8miles, wooded lanes and then onto the top of Denton Moor along Lippersley Ridge to the Cairn for a cup of coffee and a snickers bar. It was blowing today but this made it all the more interesting as the terrain changed and it went from sheltered wood to open moor with a panoramic view. I came across this place a few weeks ago on a 25mile run from Ilkley Moor back to Otley via Beasley Beacon and I thought this would be a lovely place to come for a stroll, especially as the woods just after Timble ponds have a vast array of toadstools and mushrooms at this time of year with the backdrop of mossy green evergreen woodland it looks somewhat magical and you half expect an elf or a fairy to pop out.

These are just a selection and there were many other varieties and with a little bit of exploring just off the path there were some untouched clumps that just needed a picture.

Coffee at the cairn although it wasn't a long walk was welcome, and we were able to get out of the wind and peaking over the wall of rocks to take in the view of Beamsley Beacon, Round Hill and beyond. Running seems to take you places you didn't know existed and open you up to the wonders of nature in your own back yard.

Getting back the legs after holiday running!

The Summer holidays are well over, and those new routes and unexpected views are a long car journey away. Memories of hitting new trig points and having my own back yard run everyday in Wales, a 1.8mile fell run with around 600ft climbing through the farmers fields (with permission) to the trig point, where every day there was different light and conditions, just awesome. I even got to run with some foxes on one day. This run unexpectedly prepared me for the Burnsall Classic Fell race better than I could have planned where I came in 40th position in a respectable 22:09.

Well I'm back in Leeds and on this Saturday morning when writing this and it was back to normal...raining! I'm was conscious of races coming up fast.

The Dales Trails DT40 trail marathon which was to be in 3 weeks time...a race which has been extended to full marathon distance will be my first marathon distance race since the Kielder marathon last year. The DT40 would be closely followed by the Coastal Trail Ultra marathon in the North York Moors a week later, and possibly a charity marathon a week after that with Brendan Randell who did the #RunMalawi recently. I must be mad, the prospect of 3 marathons in 3 weeks is daunting but I believe I have done the training this year and it will be more the mental endurance required to keep on going, perseverance in the face of physical and a willingness to recover in between.

I just need to get the legs back after holiday running and too many chips and burgers. when I got back to work 2 weeks ago... I was determined the first day back at work was a lunch time hill repeat session 3.5 miles of about 1000ft, its amazing what you can squeeze into life when you want to. I have put in some longer runs and one of my own #EastChevin10 hill repeat sessions which is 4200ft climbing (x10 reps of about 400+ft ) in Otley with a distance of 13.5ish miles. This prepared me really well for the Round Sheffield Run in June.

Come on legs!

Boom! (Poem)

Pouring over the ordinance
Surveying the possibility
Of a cracking run,
Measuring short or far?
There is no question,
Fuelled, so go on, go long.
Time to go...laces tied,

Fire at the ready, 

Pull the trigger,

Boom! 

New Life... New Routes

I'm away on my holidays and I am at a campsite for a conference called 'New Life' not too far from Dartmoor so there's a plan! I love the moors, there is something about the bleakness that I like, with the rocks sticking out on the horizon, there always seems to be a craggy oasis in the wilderness that draws you on.

New routes coming up, I'll probably get lost but hey ho, I might as well go for an early run than queue for the showers.

I think the week will involve much running about as I help sort purchasing for the event, just how far can I go.

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us

Running the race with endurance... my first ultra marathon will be this October, the North York Moors Coastal Trail series 55km...my trail running school has been the Dale Trail Series and still is, loving the DT20, 30, and the 40 is still to come.

This blog is to be my endurance running journey, somewhat bound to the rest of life as it needs to fit in with faith, family, friends. learning to take time out, but squeezing in hill repeats for lunch at work and enjoying the long runs on the moors to keep me sane. Seeking out local urban elevation and using it, because I don't live with moors on my doorstep.

Jesus ran his race and endured the cross, I run the hills, sometimes I get a medal, a mug, a meal... mostly just the enjoyment of accomplishment and being outdoors, meeting others, navigating the hills and getting lost a bit so that I can find my way again. This running needs faith, faith that there is more to us than meets the eye, meeting people who run further than I can ever imagine and when you meet them you would never have guessed, because it is inside. A willingness to go beyond, go long, endure and not taking yourself so seriously that you can't enjoy the journey or take in the vista as it passes you by.