2018 Year

2018 flashed by but with it left some special memories.

We started the year with a trip to Whistler, Canada. Full off optimism of some great backcountry skiing slightly scuppered by the constant wet flurries. We got one day backcountry in the others were spent enjoying the resort on big powder skis..what fun and not forgetting the magical day XC skiing at the Olympic park. Once you get the hang of this sport it feels magical skating through the forests at speeds.
The start of the year also got me together with a lot of local runners who enjoy trails and running as much as me. So running doesn't have to be a solitude affair.
Cold February began with a trip to devon and the SWCP#11, wonderful weather, wading rivers and stunning scenery again spoiling us on our adventure. Running began in earnest with a good foray around the New Forest Marathon, a good one to repeat to kickstart each year.
A busy March, a rare one. We got snow, a lot of snow. If only we got more of this as it was fun to run in the snow. A planned trip to Wales was scuppered and ended up doing a mini micro on the ridges around Highclere with snowdrifts as high as hedgerows!

The snow melted to mud but before winter pushed on the weather had one final say whilst we were on SWCP#12 and the mini beast fully hit us. We scurried the storm defenses around Dawlish and were snowed in by the time we got to Torquay but a good place to R&R - our only hotel night of the entire coastal path.

The remainder of the month was picking up the running miles in mud and floods and picking up a calf strain a week before my first race of the year!!
A couple of acupuncture sessions later and I was ready to race. A technique i was fully dubious about but now sold on it.

Planning, like most races, to take it easy then go easier I got to the Coventry Way 40miler and sauntered off. Not long after i started Sarah caught me up and after initially getting us lost we enjoyed a good chat and motored through the course yoyoing with Graham, someone i was to meet up in 2 other ultras this year! Two good fast runners and i was puffing by the end but in a small way was pleased to actually be pushed a little rather than taking my usually easy pace.

With no hills to talk of around Coventry I ventured to Gods Country and did some ascents in the Black Mountains to get me ready for my first big race of the year. A slight hiccup with my other calf straining!! I think jumping up and down waiting for my dog may not be a good exercise. More acupuncture and I got to the start line 50/50 on whether i could finish. Keep the belief and take it one CP at a time.
And what a race. Madeira (MUIT). An amazing island in the middle of the Atlantic with volcanic mountains coming out from the sea to over 1800m. We slogged our way up and over these for 120km and 7400m in elevation. Torturous, treacherous, and tremendous. A few days after to relax and enjoy the islands fabulous scenery and food. Belissimo.


Back home and spring is in full bloom and there is not much better than outdoors amongst the bluebells. Doing something leftfield we headed up to London with a sleeping bag and spent the night in the Natural History Museum in the great hall. An amazing experience.

Hot damn, June was a scorcher. We got ever closer on the penultimate SWCP#13. Blessed with weather and not bad being next to the coast was we could have a dip as and when it took our fancy.
Getting closer to the SWCP finish i decided i should get the first part of this done beforehand. When this started 3 years ago I meet Greg a couple of days in so this has always nagged me that i had not done the start. I left early got to Minehead, ran to Lynmouth and back via Exmoor for a 40miler one day trip. No more nagging thoughts.



I feel as though i've already done enough in June but sandwich between a Stones concert, where due to train problems we ended up staying up all night in a London casino. We headed to North Wales to show some of the boys their first taste of outdoor climbing. We climbed with owls, swam in lakes, wild camped up high in the mountains after a days climb and a stunning sunset. And no sign of rain - in North Wales!! Loving our time.


The other part of the sandwich was my yearly pilgrimage running the Jurassic coastline. Tasty in the summer heat but such great training.
The summer brought us the World Cup football and a good run by the boys allowed us back home to relax in pub gardens and remember good times with old friends.

Easing down refreshed me for my next big race.
The Lakeland100. 105 miles around the lake district taking all that is good about the area. The atmosphere was more akin to a large european race. A buzz in the run up, excited volunteers, nervous runners took to the start. A humid start as we sweated our way into the first night, cooled by the rains and then the downpours, cruelly warmed for an instance before the sun was vanquished for another downpour. The hills kept coming but into the second night the satisfaction of the finish. An endearing race which has everything to give and take.
A restful August, best to chill out whilst the whole world trys to get somewhere. In the end i had to as well and headed to my final big race.
The UTMB TDS. This is 120km around Mt Blanc taking in 7200m of elevation. Meeting up with Peter and Claus we have run before but always doing a different race with different outcomes this year we were all to do the same race and were all to complete it. Happy times with these wonderful guys from Denmark.
The race itself was more emotional than usual. Still tired from just running 100miles I certainly had no extra gears when needed and struggled as i never ate enough due to not taking a food bowl with me. The mid day sun whacked me for six and my struggles turned to an uphill slog. With luck i meet Zac who was similarly struggling and we hooked up and pushed each other on in our low moments.
Whatever people say about the UTMB I love it, the atmosphere, the races, the landscape. It is different and to be embraced. Having now done the trilogy i can move away from collecting their points and pursue other adventures. But this has been one helluva adventure. 6 years since my first ballot, nearly 400 miles and 90 hours on 3 races - CCC, TDS and UTMB.

             
September took us down to cornwall to chill out and let Lola loose on the sand dunes, her favourite place. Although coming home she took an unknown turn and began refusing to want to go out. A few vet bills later nothing could be found. But slowly slowly she began gaining confidence and is now back to her normal spoilt self. Very worrying and very confusing time. If only we could talk to them!!

A bittersweet moment was finishing the SWCP#14. What a journey over 600miles over 3 years in all weather conditions, over 30 wild camps in remote beautiful locations all along the South West Coast Path.
Most of the boys made this (sadly Lola didnt due to be unsure if she would want to do it). But true to this whole adventure we packed it in with laughs, drinks, miles, swims. And it wouldnt be right if we didnt get all the weather with glorious sun to howling winds and rain.


With Autumn closing in I got my trainers out for one last Ultra on the Founders challenge in the Surrey Hills then took a mate, Phil and his son, Max out on their first micro adventure. Blessed with weather we were spoilt camping high on the Tors of Dartmoor and spent a couple of days yomping around hopefully fueling their appetite for more adventures like this.



Winding down the year we headed up to the Peaks with more magical weather and enjoyed some dog walking (yes, Lolas back) on the Kinder Scout and a surreal walk up a near empty reservoir. A beautiful place and not quite as far as North Wales so a nice option to have.

All in all a pretty pretty good 2018. Lots of adventures and running. My appetite still seems strong with the hiking and running so no need to change much for 2019.
I didn't get into the Western States 100 (well i got in the waitlist which i will reject). Unsure on what to do my thoughts were go big or go home so I will try the ballot - yep another ballot!! for the Tor Des Geants - a monster 200miles in the Italian alps. If i get into this it will be all i think about until september so hopefully it wont get boring to all around me.

To keep me sane until the ballot i'll also buy a new ski set up. The last trip proved that big planks work and with an added bonus of being such fun to ski. So I cannot wait to buy and get out into the mountains to tour and hit those powder stashed descents.

Here's to 2019.

2018 Best of Photos

2019 Workout sheet - amassing 1265 miles in running.