The Year of 2011

A year that I got addicted with Adventure Racing and Ultra's and knows how lucky he is to have a understanding loving girlfriend. The year started jobless and too much time on my hands and so not wanting to let the fitness I had built up from The Dablam trip go to waste. we were signed up to do a couple of adventure races. But, what else could i do. I do run a lot but not very far. So I went out in February and ran 20 off road muddy cold miles and rather than putting me off i wanted more and after pouring over the limitless information on the web on off road running i came across a term 'Ultra'. I have never considered running a marathon let alone further but, the thought of getting out of your own personal bubble and comfort zone and challenging yourself with things that will push you excites me. So I signed up to do a 30 mile run in April. Once completed and being wearily content i now knew that anything was a possibility you just have to put in a little hard work and the rewards will follow.
With the AR's and an Ultra done I now knew that setting myself a goal each month would a) keep me motivated and b) open up more possibilities. Next, pondering what to do in sunny May I just decided one day to get myself over to the Isle of Wight and bike off road around it. I completely underestimated how tough this would be but enjoying a beer and curry later that day, again, I had pushed myself out of my comfortable bubble and felt better for it.
June brought a team effort of completing the Welsh 3000's. I love North Wales and trips like this just confirm why this is one of the best places. Although the legs took a battering and took a week to fully recover. The South Downs were July's tempter 133miles biking the SD trail to Brighton and back. Pure stunning scenery and just on my doorstep.
August brought the highlight, a mammoth task of crossing the country using multi disciplines (kayaks, bikes and running) over 4 days. Great experience.
I had busted my ribs from falling off my bike in august and this took a couple of months to fully heal and with a holiday planned as well things had to go easy for a bit. September I completed 26miles over the Jurassic coastline in the Purbecks. A fine day out with the best views but I had missed out part of the coastline due to military closure. So, this will have to be fully completed next year. I cannot wait.
October I managed to run over a 100miles in a week. Tough going and hats off to people who do this amount of training regularly. The realisation of how hard a 100mile race will take to complete sinks in after this week. But the ambition is to do one of these one day.
With things winding down for the winter in November i took part in a fun muddy hell run with friends and then went wild camping, another first and to make this into a challenge I ran all the 22miles back home.
So, after all that what for December. Well, after that kind of year you gotta treat yourself so I will be going skiing over xmas and new year and hitting the slopes and backcountry hard and mulling over what to do for next year, more ultras, more adventure races, more wild camping, try mountain marathons.....

But that's for next year what have I done this year. I like looking at stats and so I put some in below and contemplate the task ahead in surpassing what I have achieved in 2011.

212 days of training managing to run 1326 miles in 217 hours. Biked 565 miles in 80 hours and completed over 172 hours of other activities.