Going long and staying strong

Isn't it funny how time flies when you are busy. I can't believe it has been so long since my last post. It seems that since Grantham and the 50 miler with Helen, everyone has been in touch and seeking advice and guidance with their training.
I get so inspired by peoples enthusiasm and hunger for knowledge, and their impatience to get on with their goals.

Urgency has been the theme from most of those going into the Sahara for this years Marathon des Sables, and last minute challenges from injuries and rethinking food strategies has been the regular theme of those seeking advice.

I had a pleasant surprise when an old school friend got in touch having been inspired by posts on Face book and having heard of our exploits in Cumbria helping Helen to do her 50 miler.Tony Hoskins was always a good runner in his younger years and I remember running a half marathon with him in Germany too long ago! He finished ahead of me I recall. Anyway I got a call from him after hearing of Helen's exploits on the local radio station, and he is now on his way to regaining his fitness, and full of determination. It seems she has inspired many people. Keep it up Tony, you can do it!

Mike Shakesheff was responsible for the greatest challenge though. An invitation to consider a long run lead to us doing a 42 miler with a twist.

We met at Helmsley at 01:00 on Saturday morning and after a conversation with some bemused local policemen who thought we were "Going Equipped"... we set of for the night section of our run across the North Yorkshire Moores. It was a moonless night and after the great weather on Friday it was going to be very cold with no cloud cover. 5 and a half hours later we hit Osmotherly where we intended a quick food stop.

No sooner had I stopped running... I started shivering in the freezing cold frosty morning. The sweat was beginning to chill on my skin and as the blood began draining back to the body core my teeth began chattering much to Mike's amusement... until he started doing it too...we just laughed, and couldn't heat the water quick enough to get the hot food inside us. Fleeces were pulled on and teeth were still chattering 20minutes later having eaten and set off on the return run. The sun was up but not yet reaching down into the valley as we headed back up the valley to the tops..Mike was looking strong, and the pace was well balanced, so we reached the tops and into the sunshine for what became that best part of our run, back along the edge of the valley to Sutton Bank.

The views were stunning and the banter was great, as we discussed our up-comming challenge in Namibia
We burned 5280 Calories during our 42 mile run, a very challenging outbound night section and a very enjoyable retrun section in warm spring sunshine, saw us cover a total of 5807feet of ascent over the distance.

So we worked hard until the final 3 miles where we coasted back down into Helmsley and off home to a hot shower and some sleep.

I often get looks of amazement when people ask, "So what did you do this weekend?" And I often think...shall I just say "Oh nothing much really" but then again I think to myself, "Whats wrong with living outside your comfort zone? and I tell it as it is.

Life's little surprises and greatest senses of achievement lie just on the other side of your comfort zone, Life's too short not to experience it in full...push your boundaries a little... you never know what you might find, or who you might meet...you might meet the person in you that you learn to become proud of.
more later...see you soon