Summer Plans

It doesn't seem two minutes ago that it was new year and i was planning what i was going to this summer, well it is june in two weeks so i had better get my act together!

I'm pretty happy with the shape i'm in at the moment and its now that my summer racing plans are falling into place. I will be running my favourite local fell race this sunday at Saddleworth and then have a few long races to get round that will hopefully set me up for Sierre - Zinal in August. I will be running the Ennerdale and Duddon Valley races on consecutive weekends at the beginning of June, this could be interesting! Following this i am planning to run the Kinder Trog race at the end of June and then the Arrochar Alps race on the 7th July. Then its off for a brief trip to the Dolomites to run in the Dolomites Skyrace before Zinal on the 12th August. Then its onto bonny Scotland again for the season finale at Ben Nevis, which will be my last race of the year.

My intention between these races is to just keep the legs ticking over and get out climbing alot more aswell, i don't really see the point in putting any serious running in between these races as experience tells me that it will just leave me stale and tired. So really the plan is to keep up the cycling to and from work and college with some extened trips on the way home to turn the legs over and some easy 30-60 minute runs when i feel like it.

I'm getting excited now!

Busy Bee

It has been a few weeks since i have wrote anything here, this is mainly due to the fact that i've been super busy with college of late. I have been putting alot of effort into all the work being set as i want to make sure i get the grades. Having only got one offer from Huddersfield Uni its shit or bust so the running has had to take a bit of a backseat since coledale. Having said that i have been getting out and doing something pretty much everyday, and i've been running between 30 - 40 miles a week, with around 7000-8000ft of climb, which although i'm pleased with i would like to push it up to about 50 and 10000ft if my body and time will allow. I have also been cycling pretty much everywhere and climbing when the weather suits. As i've said before though, my mileage has always been very different from week to week, if the weather is good i may climb instead and some weeks i just feel like running alot, i dont want it to get too intense, i mean life is stressful enough, this is my way of relaxing! My aim with my running has always been to do what i feel like and if i'm not enjoying it then i just dont do it. I'm really enjoying just getting out when i feel and if anything i seem to be getting better! I decided on the day last week to do flower scar fell race and didn't really give it 100 % having already ran in the morning but still came 6th, so very happy with that.

Anyway off to Northern Ireland for the weekend tommorow to race Slieve Bearnagh, which is the second race in this years British Champs. After Coledale I am 6th Under 23 so hopefully i can push on and get a podium place after this and Arrochar Alps. But if not then i'm not going to lose any sleep. I have been over the water twice before and its always nice to go back and get together with club mates who i dont see that much of, the guinness is an important factor aswell!