Training ......................

I am back on plan I hope..........................

I now have several goals and a training plan to achieve them.

I have struggled since last year, with a niggly knee, general laziness and lack of motivation, not so sure why but I have been busy changing jobs and getting into a new routine, weekends seem to have been filled with other things and planning my training and getting out has just taken a back seat.

The other week on Bill's Ramsay reminded me though that I can still do it and I still enjoy it, so, with renewed vigour and glucosamine I am back into the groove I think. I am now running in the morning before breakfast, this fits in better and then hopefully getting a few evening sessions in with Gem as well.

We have both entered the Edinburgh Marathon in 2011, Gem really fancies doing a marathon so I said I would run with her and help with her training, this will in turn hopefully give me a bit of a chance to do some tempo/speed work to supplement my training.

I have also entered the OMM, 'A' Class with John, the last one I did was the Elite course in 2008 when the weather went completely wild and the event was cancelled (As shown on the BBC, I was on the news!) Looking forward to this and currently my training is geared up to compete well at this event, or at least beat Ben and Sam. Just need to sort out my kit now and get my weight down as much as possible including my own weight as well !

Future plans for this year/next year are to try and complete several long walk/runs, I would really like to complete a couple of long distance paths in a mountain marathon style, like the Coast to Coast, Dales Way, Ribble Way etc. and increase my endurance. With a long term goal to try and complete an ultra a month next year, culminating in the UTMB in August.

I'd like to do the Wuthering Hike (Haworth Hobble), Calderdale, Fellsman (although this is the week before the Edinburgh Marathon, no PB for me!), West Highland Way Race & the Lakeland 100, I think with a solid 12 month plan like this I can get back into the swing of regular training.

Got a couple of weeks climbing in France coming up so will try and get a bit of running in there as well, before really getting stuck into the diet and training when I get home, including giving up the beer!

Does anybody else keep getting strange comments in Chinese, by the way, on their blog ?

On a sad note, an old caving and walking friend of mine, Dave Ridout, from the scouts who taught me a lot of navigation and mountain craft skills, as well as taking me on my first caving trips, has died aged 63. He had been a scout leader for nearly 30 years in Preston and an article appeared in the LEP last week. Happy memories of exploring underground on the Karl & Karl, Dave & Dave trips will always remain with me. Thoughts go out to his family at this time.