There are only 11 weeks to go until I ride and run coast to coast and back again. Eeek š¦.
This last month has been tricky in terms of fitting in enough training. There were two weekends away. A beautiful weekend in Queensferry and Edinburgh to visit a friend and another gorgeous weekend in Oxford to visit my son.
Pretty views in Oxford
On top of this Iāve had my first āfunny turnā aged just 54 š. Seriously though I was knocked sideways for a day by some anti-biotics I was on. I didnāt realise they could actually make the floor spin like that. All is well now though š.
Despite all of this Iāve managed to hike, run and bike 362km, working out for 42 hours over the last 4 weeks (including strength and yoga). Iām quite chuffed with this – all things considered.
Iām just having to cram in the training where I can basically. Iāve taken to commuting to work on my mountain bike once a week. I ran 8km on my weekend in Oxford and my son took me out on a 14km hike through stunning countryside (on the outskirts of Oxford).
Sunny day – Oxfordshire – we did laugh as this was the only hill we could find š
I work from home one day a week so tend to fit in a yoga or strength workout in my lunch hour on that day.
Despite the seeming volume of exercise – I do feel somewhat undertrained given how soon my āeventā is. Iāve only had two outings on my road bike and my longest run has been 23km. I will need to spend two days on my road bike and then transition and try and run 65ā70km the next day. Hmmmm. There is some work to be done in the next two monthsā¦
This week I had a bike fit done. Iāve been wanting to do this forever. For those of you not into bikes, this is where they measure you versus the geometry of the bike to make sure you are in the best possible position to cycle well and minimise injury.
So I had Simon from RYD CC come to our house for my bike fit. Incidentally he is very good and I can highly recommend him if you need a bike fit.
I was fully expecting him to put my bike seat up. My husband has told me numerous times its too low and I could also feel this if Iām honest. The idea though of not being able to touch the ground when Iām on the seat always unnerved me and so I kept it lower.
Of course having measured the angles he put it up as expected. What I wasnāt expecting is that it went up by a decent 3cm if not more. My leg angle should of been 145/146 degrees and was previously 126. Oops. This could be the reason I was a) struggling up the hill in the lowest gear and b) getting backache. He explained to me that being so low I would of been pushing the bike up hill with my quadriceps muscles (main thigh muscles) having to push and push. You will have less power this way and be wasting vital energy not to mention putting a strain on your knees and back. Oops š¬.
He also adjusted the handlebars up for me and the whole thing now feels good, although of course I need to get used to it. I managed to practice stopping by sliding off the seat and then putting my foot down yesterday (I cant just put my foot down from seated now as I used to). I went round the housing estate in my PJās, bike shoes and helmet with Chris accompanying me as I was nervous. I felt like a 5 year old taking her bike out for the first time! š. I managed it though – hurrah š.
I canāt wait now to take the bike out for a proper spin. Iām getting a new doohickey this week (chain set) so will have to wait until after that is done. Once this is done I should have more power from the higher seat and access to lower gears (based on the chain set). Theoretically I should be able to get up any hill then š¤.
My reasons for making all these changes is not so much to make the bike ride easier (although that will be a natural benefit) as it is to ensure my legs arenāt having to push so hard that I canāt run back from Sunderland to Whitehaven.
Quite a few of the hikes, bikes and runs have been oh so muddy this last month. Mountain biking when its muddy is quite fun – riding through puddles with it all splattering everywhere. Of course you have to make sure no one else is about when you do this. Iām always a polite cyclist.
The downsides of this fun are that my top resembles 101 Dalmatianās and its tricky to carry a water bottle – at least one you would want to drink out. This month I put a plastic bag over the top of the bottle to cover the drinking bit – nifty idea, why didnāt I think of it sooner š¤.
101 Dalmatianās lookPlastic bag on my drinking bottle
The muddiest run was this Saturday gone. Iām used to charging along stony muddy trail paths but this run was on another level. I actually followed a route my partner had done the day before and got him to send me the route. I highly recommend this. Having a route that you donāt know in advance is quite good fun, leaving you guessing where you are going until you see the arrow on your watch tell you where to go.
He did warn me before hand āoh its very muddy and its rained again last nightā. Still I took this with a pinch of salt – as I say – trail runs are generally muddy affairs.
A bit breezy up on Cown Edge
I should of taken note. There was one bog fest of a field after another and trails that had no ārunnable few inches at the sideā. You just had to slide along with it and occasionally watch your foot disappear in āsomethingā up to the ankles and hope your feet wouldnāt get stuck.
Todays hike was a āshortā 2 hour walk around and up Werneth Low to ultimately grab a yummy gingerbread latte and doughnut at the top at āThe Pick me up truckā coffee van.
Picture of Chris from todays walkMe on todays walk
I was chatting to my son recently about my upcoming adventure and he asked me āhave you thought about doing something abroad?ā. Itās a reasonable question given that last years run and this years bike/run are both in the UK. Honestly my answer was āyup yup yupā and I then listed all the hair brain ideas I have. Still those are for another dayā¦.
Iām raising money for Mind and for The Menopause Charity. Both charities mean a lot to me personally. Mental health is incredibly close to my heart, Iāve suffered from depression in the past and know how much the right help can make a difference. Iām also incredibly passionate about the Menopause Charity ā going through this myself now ā I can appreciate fully its challenges. Climbing the three mountains will also really test my anxiety, which is why itās so important for me to add this to my challenge. Iāve never done anything like this before so Iām really nervous but incredibly excited and grateful to have the opportunity.
If you would like to support me then please donate to my just giving page, any donations are hugely appreciated!
As an accountant the first week of any new year is always very busy. This last week was also the beginning of increased triathlon training. I didnāt do much towards the end of last year, what with illness, holidays and illness again. The end of December and Xmas saw a restart to exercise at at easier level. But this last week – it really and truly kicked in.
On Monday I did a 45 minute run as the sun was setting. Although it was a slow run, I was up against the clock as I ran down by the canal without a head torch, needing to make it out onto the road before I lost the light. Here you can see some beautiful views at the start of my run.
On Tuesday I spent an hour doing intervals on the turbo. Itās been a while since Iāve done indoor cycling and I had forgotten how much sweating is involved. It was hard but you definitely get that post turbo glow.
Wednesday was my first double day. An early rise to get in the pool at 6am before work and another hour on the turbo after work.
Thursday was an easy day with a 30 minute run and a 45 minute workout with my PT. Wait. Did I say easy? Emma never lets me off easy. It was hard work but I am getting stronger all the time.
I didnāt sleep well all week so on Friday I ditched my 2200m early swim in favour of a lie in and some much needed rest. Sometimes you just have to listen to your body.
On Saturday I dragged myself out for a really slow hour of running. It was a really cold morning and I was out early enough to come across some slippy patches of frost in the first half. Thankfully it all warmed up for the second half and I really enjoyed skipping (sorry jogging) along the canal.
Later in the afternoon my husband took me to his gym where we worked out for 1.5 hours. Below Iām lifting 6kg dumbbells for a chest press in my first set. By the third I lifted two 8kg dumbbells. Always aiming for more. No risk of developing huge muscles though. Look at those skinny arms š.
Today I swapped a longer outdoor ride in favour of 1.5 hours on the turbo. It was cold out and I was also recovering from a night out with my husband. We went to see the movie āOne lifeā, which I can highly recommend. We also had a few drinks before and after, which on reflection didnāt help with the sleeping pattern.
Iām still getting used to the increased volume of training but was pleased to follow a group on Zwift for their endurance ride. Apparently someone saw Mr Thomas at the front of the ride but since I was near the back I wouldnāt know.
Once I started wheel turning the noise disturbed the cats sleep and he was not impressed. Here he is wearing his favourite diva expression!
Iāve not written for a while. Iāve found myself in between goals for a while. After the coast to coast I decided I would concentrate on improving my eating habits and get myself into bikini shape for our holiday later in the year.
The crazy thing about doing a lot of endurance training is the tendency to both gain weight and lose muscle. When you spend many hours running and cycling you need to eat a lot and its easy to get into bad habits. Furthermore it can be difficult to find time to do strength work or do it well as you are too tired.
So with a gap between the last adventure and the next goal I decided to focus on strength and diet for a while. The difference has been quite significant. I do not have a six pack and donāt really want to tbh but Iām definitely stronger, have more muscle, less fat and my clothes are all feeling looser. Most importantly Iāve managed to get rid of most of my bad eating habits, well bar one.
Iām a lover of lattes. Iām keeping that one. I guess you have to have one vice and thats mine. Well the cake that goes with it is also appreciated. Ok and a Gin and Tonic doesnāt go amiss either. Ok, so three habits then. š¤
Iāve now reached a point where motivation is wavering in terms of my re sculpting progress. Iām pretty much where I wanted to be so Iām already thinking about the next endurance event and once again increasing the cardio.
Iāve trained in the past for an Ironman. Twice I think. Sadly I had to give up due to the pandemic and cancellations. I then decided to do the JOGLE thing instead and an Ironman later. So here I am and Iām looking at which Ironman to sign up to. Iām undecided as yet as it depends how long I need to train but Iād prefer something thats a little later on next year. This would also give my husband and I an excuse to go to Mallorca on holiday (āto trainā); something we are both more than happy to do. A complete hardship obviously.
The recent drop in lbs and increase in muscle has given me a bit of a power kick and I find Iām hiking and cycling faster. I could probably run faster too but I tend not to bother so its hard to say. Following all the long distance running training Iāve done Iāve developed a bit of a slow jogging habit thats hard to change. Itās just such a nice thing to do.
Iāll probably have to do some faster training though if I want to do an Ironman. I will admit that I would no longer want to just āget aroundā before the cut off. I would want to do my absolute best, the top time that Iām personally capable of. No idea what that would be yet but we will see.
My husband and I (gosh that sounds kind of royal doesnāt it) have recently done quite a bit of hiking which has been lovely. Weāve also been out on the mountain and road bikes together. Weirdly I find myself sailing ahead when we hike yet lagging behind when we run. I can keep up or even move ahead at times on a mountain bike (except on technical terrain) and yet find myself eating his dust on a road bike. What is all that about? So my goals have to be, to just keep up with him when I run and road bike. Thatās not a competitive thing, it would just be a good indicator for me that Iām improving. Iād also like to get better at low level technical stuff on the mountain bike. Thatās just because I really love it and it would give me access to more routes.
returning from camping in Edale – this is the top of Jacobs LadderTop of Jacobs LadderOut on a ārun walkā one eveningI think the Stile is somewhat unnecessary here?A comedy gate on the leftOn the Derwent valley trail
Iām taking a little bit of time out from long distance running. I still run āa bitā, cycle āmore than a bitā and do strength work āquite a bitā. For now though my focus is on carving out some kind of goddess like figure for myself for when I go on my hols. Not sure my goal is achievable but I always aim high š¤£. I may have been watching too much love island š¤.
At the same time Iām leaning towards the idea of an Ironman next year. Not completely decided, but Iāve trained for it twice now, so it would be nice to actually do one. If I could find one later in the year I could get away with waiting until Dec/Jan to start the training. This is quite a nice thought.
In the meantime Iāve started going swimming with my step daughter, once a week. It gets me back in the pool and is a reminder of how much I enjoy it. Iām still not keen on the water sloshing around in my ears. But I do enjoy that feeling you get, when you are gliding through the water with ease. When the stroke is good and you feel like you are cruising and rolling along like a speedy yacht. On an off day it feels more like you are fighting with the pool whilst not getting anywhere quickly. but when it goes right its awesome.
Similarly with strength sessions, you have those where you feel great, feel strong and imagine you could sign up for the next instalment of SAS who dares wins grrrrr. Then there are those sessions where you are grunting like a tennis player, feel like you are going to puke onto someoneās shoes and sweating like a wrestlers jockstrap.
Iām sitting outside under a brolly enjoying the warm weather and (immanently) an ice cream. The joy of just being able to sit here and do absolutely nothing – priceless.
Last week I cycled from Whitehaven to Sunderland and āranā back again. Iāll get around to explaining the ārunningā bit in a minute.
I was incredibly nervous about the bike leg. It wasnāt a large distance each day for your average club cyclist but for me it was a massive increase on the distances Iād done in training. Iād also never cycled that far alone before. I always get anxious before going out on my road bike and generally settle down once I get going. The navigation was playing on my mind the most.
I had a pretty good idea before going that I couldnāt read my wahoo equipment (on board mini gadget that shows you the route) whilst riding. I could see the little moving blobs (just about) but I couldnāt read anything else on the screen and I worried about going through towns and busier places using it.
Before I set off Iād also uploaded the route to my wrist watch. I can read this very well but only if I pull the glasses down my nose because they are prescription for distance.
Very early in the journey I confirmed that I wasnt going to be using the wahoo at all and would be lifting my arm up on regular intervals to look at the watch. This did indeed prove tricky whilst going through Keswick and Penrith and I even had to stop a few times just to check and memorise the next section. It wasnāt ideal but I managed and thats the main thing.
For the start of the coast to coast itās tradition to dunk your wheels in the sea by going down a ramp. Unfortunately a) it turns out I was at the wrong ramp and b) the sea was out anyway. So wheels undipped, Clover and I set off heading for Sunderland.
Top left clockwise: The sea is out, smiling at the start, Clover settling on the train on the way up, Whitehaven local wildlife
The weather was more than fine. It was hot and most of all incredibly muggy. I had a few tracker issues in the first 20km. I knew that it has to see the sky but had thought my thin upper front pocket of my rucksack would be fine. I was forgetting that when you ride a bike you lean forwards. Once Iād moved it to the back of my rucksack it could see the sun and work effectively.
The start of the C2C is easy riding along fairly flat lanes. After that you start to undulate up and down before coming to the Whinlatter Pass which takes you up a steeper climb. Admittedly it didnāt look steep (an optical thing) so I was dumbfounded as to why I was in a really low gear and sweating a lot. I later found out that long stretch was 17%. Once I reached the top there is a lovely visitor centre and cafe although I chose not to stop there on this occasion.
Top left clockwise: Not sure, High Lorton, not sure, top of Whinlatter Pass (this chap was raising money for Charlies Wings), wee country roads heading for Keswick.
Where there is an up there is a down and a few wonderful km of downhills led me to Portinscale for my first cafe stop. I had some yummy vanilla French toast, enjoying some extra carbs whilst I could.
Apart from the ride through Keswick which involved a lot of getting off and walking (the traffic was nuts – I was forgetting that Saturday is market day) – the rest of the ride was beautiful country lanes and little villages. I had a brief stop in Langwathby for a cola and a cheese and chutney sandwich before heading up the Hartside climb to the summit.
This was an easy climb with a gentle gradient on switch backs. It did go on and on though.
Top left clockwise: Happy at the top of Hartside Summit, the sign š, the views and the start of the descent.
Finally at the top I had a lovely 9km of descent to Alston where I was staying for the night. My back started to feel sore in this section and I had to stop once or twice to straighten up before getting back into a low positions again for the descent. 110km done on the first day hazaah.
Alston is a pretty town nestled between hills, with a few pubs, shops and absolutely no signal (a feature of the trip).
After some downtime in the B&B I headed out for a pizza and returned for an early night.
The second bike day was harder (in my opinion). Although it was shorter at 97km, the climbs were all in the first half of the day and were much steeper than the day before. In particular the climb out of Stanhope to Parkhead station felt like a 20%. The joy of reaching Parkhead however, is to know that all the hills are behind you and you will be cruising downhill from there in, all the way to Sunderland. The rest of the journey was easy riding but I was held up by a dicky tummy and a short diversion just before the end.
All: lots of beautiful nothing on day 2 š„°
I arrived on Roker Beach just before 4.30pm, much later than Iād expected, but none the less early enough to meet my husband at our hotel for a coffee and a double helping of brownies with ice cream :-).
Top left clockwise: The last trek to Sunderland, the finish photo, getting closer to Sunderland and entering County Durham. Photos are in reverse order of ride.
The anxiety of doing the bike ride was of course all behind me now and was replaced by a new worry. I knew this next leg would be so much physically harder. The plan was to do the run in just 3 days averaging 70km a day, something Iād never done before.
Waking up on day 3 and day 1 of the run (at 4.20am) I had two porridge pots before waving goodbye to hubs and setting off walking down the coast before heading inland.
After two days of cycling my thighs were like rocks and this in turn had led to a sore IT band and tight hip flexors. The result of this was that I wasnāt sure if I was going to be able to run at all. I decided to power walk for the first hour and see how it went.
First day of the run. Setting off from Sunderland early doors, beautiful bridge, little stop for a scone.
After a while my legs started to feel a little better and the gradient although uphill all day was only ever 1/2% so I started to jog. Itās a very slow jog when you are carrying 10kg and I would find myself wondering if my power walk be the same speed. I decided I was still a bit faster jogging and in any case it was simply a more comfortable rhythm.
Pictures en route including a rest stop š
After a few stops at cafes, shops and parking my backside up on benches, I found myself on the Waskerley Way for the last 12km. The gradient picked up a little and the day got hotter. The way is beautiful and I saw many mountain and gravel bikers going up and down. Sometimes I would see the same person coming down who had passed me coming up, enjoying their speedy downhill and grinning.
The last 5km to Parkhead station took forever. I could see it in the distance and it never seemed to get any closer. I began counting to 100, singing songs, doing the A-Z game, anything to keep me distracted from the tired legs and mind.
Getting closer and closer to Parkhead Stationā¦ā¦!
Finally I got to the B&B and I knocked on the front door for the lady to let me in. She kindly got me some dinner and a drink and after lots of discussion on whether I could wild camp on the local moorland it was decided I could camp on their little patch of garden at the back of the house.
Her daughter took me out to show me the spot. It was a little bigger than my tent and there was sheep shit everywhere. I hope you dont mind the sheep droppings she said and please dont use a lighter as the fuel tank is just under there. Of course not. I confirmed I had no lighter or matches on me and I would simply kick the sheep poo out of the way.
Actually kicking the poop away was the easier job. The harder job was putting the tent up. I really hadnāt realised it was that windy but of course I was up on a hill in an exposed area. Every time I put down one end and put a peg in, the other part of the tent would fly up and wrap itself around me. I must of looked such a novice if theyād been watching. I bet the residents were looking out from their comfy bedrooms laughing their heads off.
In the end I placed some of my belongings on the tent to keep it down whilst I got enough pegs down to secure it. Job done I crawled inside and immediately wanted to fall asleep. It was only 7pm! It was still really hot though and the tent felt like a greenhouse inside. I couldnāt sleep in that heat so just lay there like a star fish chomping on wine gums until it cooled down a few hours later and then fell into a deep sleep.
Even on a bad day the beauty of waking up in a tent to thisā¦.sigh gorgeous
My second day running was my worst day. It would be great to say it was wonderful and amazing and be really positive but Iād be lying. I had stopped on day 1 at 59km instead of the 65km Iād wanted to do so I was already behind on my original plan. Iād intended to do 80km on day 2 and already knew that I was unlikely to run that far let alone make up the difference Iād lost on day 1. With that in mind I was running along thinking about my route and where I would stop for the night as I was no longer going to stop where Iād originally planned.
Unfortunately I had no signal all day. Itās amazing how you might think this is great, away from everyone, peace and quiet yada yada but when you need to replan your route, know this will impact on your ability to get food and water and dont know where you are going to sleepā¦ā¦suddenly lack of signal feels like the loss of a vital life line.
I ran the first 9km well along a lovely trail path and carried on with a decent power walk for the next 10-12km uphill.
Despite the mood that day the views were utterly stunning
I ran through a village called Allenheads, which excitedly had a cafe and disapppointingly was closed. I saw a man outside a pub doing the garden and asked him if I could get some water in the pub. He said he only worked in the garden there and it was closed but he lived across the road and would pop back and get some water for me. Water topped up and feeling better for this kind gesture I set off for Nenthead, the next place with a possible cafe stop.
Arriving in the next village I found the cafe closed (this has been a theme of my JOGLE run and a theme of this run honestly). The village shop was open, however, so I ran in thinking about all the goodies I could buy to eat. Hmmm, tinned beans or entire loaves of bread, envelopes (it doubled up as a post office), staplesā¦ā¦.. In the end I found nothing that was useful to eat immediately and settled for an additional drink, which I put in my waist bag.
Immediately outside the shop a guy was stood there drinking his cola and asked me where I was hiking. I explained what I was doing and he was interested to know more. He used to run and his girlfriend was a mountain leader. We stood there for a while chatting. It was so nice to have some company and conversation. I was busy explaining how I hadnt been able to get signal all day which meant trying to decide where to book in for the night was tricky. He said it was hit and miss around there and I should get signal once Iād dropped down the other side of Alston later in my journey. Ahhh right then. I could really do with using it now, I just need to check my route. It was at this point he suggested I could borrow his wifi as he lived a few doors down.
I know you are all thinking eekā¦.riskyā¦ but honestly it was me pushing the point and I have fairly good instincts. So in desperation to know where I was going to be heading next and perhaps for the evening I followed him to his house and stood at the front door whilst he brought his wifi code across to me. Once I hopped on it was clear it was going to be another 20km to an expensive hotel or 30km to Langwathby where there was a pub/B&B. I quickly sent off a text to Chris whilst I could and decided to keep going for now and book somewhere later.
I set off again feeling quite happy, despite the exhaustion. You see so many bad things on the news and on social media and yet my experiences on adventures is that people are 99.99% lovely and want to help. Itās comforting and Iām not a naive person. I think its just you do realise how anxious you can get in this modern world and whilst being cautious is important so much of the anxiety is unnecessary.
7km later Iād climbed another hill and just as āKevinā had told me, it plateaued and I found a bench I could have a rest on. It was at this point I took off my shoes to have a look at my feet. Iād walked over some pathless bogland earlier and my feet/socks had become wet through. To my horror my big toe nail was raised and bloody. Hmmm. With certainty that was coming off at some point. Madly it hadnāt hurt until that point but donning some clean socks and pulling my shoes back on I was now aware of it and could feel some discomfort.
The next part of the day was the toughest mentally. I still couldnāt get signal and I was getting extremely tired. I simply hadnt had enough calories and a few snack bars here and there werenāt cutting it. Between that and the sore toe I was getting royally fed up and for the first time ever in a run/adventure or race I thought about giving up.
Why am I doing this? How is this fun? Why didnāt I just run 30km a day? Why didnāt I bring some bags of rice? What is the point of this adventure? The negative mind is a horrid thing and my mind kept spinning around and around in dark places.
During this time I came across a path I was supposed to go down only to find it completely overgrown. This is not unusual at the moment. Increasingly the last few years paths that used to be passable are no longer, not unless you have a machete in your backpack. Sadly Iād left mine at home š. I turned back and onto the road. Without signal or google maps, I was left to make decisions the old fashioned way. I saw a sign for Alston and although I knew I was supposed to bypass it on my original shortcut I felt I had no choice now but to go there and decide what to do. Iād stayed there on the bike leg and knew there were cafes/pubs. I could get something to eat and get WiFi.
Setting off up the hill I was also aware that this diversion was going to add another 6km to my day and I really didnāt have the mental or physical energy to get to Langwathby. As I took one slow jog shuffling step after the other I thought again about giving up. In this moment a car came by, stoppped and wound down the window. āWould you like a lift?ā.
I dithered. Um, hmmmmm. In truth I really thought about it. I knew though that if I did, it was all over, as this would be cheating. Iād covered half the country already why give up now? I said no thank you and off the driver sped.
I then had a new thought. I will get to Alston and see if I can find somewhere to stop for the night. This will definitely mean Iām going to take 4 days to cross the country on foot rather than 3 but its still doable. The only real issue is my foot and how I feel tomorrow. I can always stop tomorrow if I simply cant go on. Hopefully though, tomorrow is better than today. Iāll decide later.
Arriving in Alston I found a room at the first pub hotel I walked into. I sat down to have some tuna sandwiches and phoned my husband. We had a good chat about the situation and he handled the matter of me stopping or carrying on with absolutely perfect responses. He didnāt push me to continue nor did he say its ok you can give up. He let me talk it out and make my own mind up. As we carried on chatting I was moving away from I want to give up to I might see how it goes tomorrow. Mindset adjusted – sorting out my toe seemed the remaining obstacle.
Just then the lady came by with my room key and I got up to be shown where my room was. As I stood up, a female hiker in the corner said āSorry for eavesdroppingā¦I didnāt mean to listen inā¦..but I kind of didā¦.I just want to say that what you are doing is amazingā¦.stay strongā.
How nice is that? I wanted to stop and chat to her about where she had obviously hiked that day (since I could see her hiking boots under the table) but the pub owner was waiting for me to follow her. So I expressed my gratitude and carried on upstairs.
Once in my room I discovered the cause of my pain was a blister that had formed under my toenail. This was forcing it up and off. Reading up on it on google (as you do) I set off (now at a hobble) to the local spar to try and get TCP and a sterilised needle. Of course I couldnāt find the latter but I did get the tcp. Back at the hotel I was able to pop the blister, clean it and bandage up the toe. The relief was instantaneous and a few paracetamol later I knew was going to be able to carry on the next day.
Get in.
Day 3 was a massive and wonderful surprise. I woke up after a great sleep and lots of food feeling really good. The toe felt manageable also. The first 9km out of Alston are all uphill but its gradual and takes you up to the summit at Hartside. I knew the views there were stunning having stopped there on the bike on the outward leg. It was early in the morning and I got to the summit by 7.30am, parked my bum on a bench and ate some brioche whilst enjoying the views all around.
A second visit to Hartside Summit
The run down from the summit was glorious. I let my legs go and enjoyed a bit of faster jogging around the hairpins. I never sprint when Iām doing a long day as you will pay for it later but a faster jog was still doable and thoroughly good fun. Just as Kevin from Nenthead had said my 4G was back and I felt reconnected with the world. I could now look up how far away the next cafe was and what time it opened. Such a luxury! I found one in Melmerby and should arrive there just in time for it opening at 9am. Please be open!
It was!! I wanted to do a little jig and go and hug the people behind the counter but they would have thought me completely barking mad. I decided a big smile would do instead. I ordered a few rounds of toast and a pot of tea. Delicious.
The next 16km took me through Langwathby and onto Penrith where I had lunch and another rest. It was a hot day and getting hotter all the time. Leaving Penrith Iād covered 32km and had just 16km to go to a bed and breakfast Iād finally managed to book in the lunch hour. Iād tried contacting various campsites and had wanted to use the tent Iād been carrying all this way but irritatingly none of them would answer the phone or email. Pitch up also seemed useless as they either werenāt on it or only had large pods I couldnāt book.
A long bit in the hot sun but a stunning day
I had a long lunch stop that day and so it was early afternoon when I left Penrith. I have no idea what temperature it was but it felt sweltering and my 16km run to Troutbeck, near Scales, was all on one country road that had zero shade. With 10km to go I started to feel slightly light headed. With 5km to go I was back to counting to a hundred and had to keep stopping and putting my hands on my knees to stretch out. It was tough but at last I made it and I lay out on the bed in the B&B with no desire to move for the next week. Sadly I had to get up at some point to shower and get food. Thankfully the pub was literally over the road and I headed over for a well earned vedgy burger, chips and pint of shandy.
On my last day I was up eating breakfast in the B&B at 5.30am. The lovely man that worked there got up early to get me some toast, cereal and a pot of tea. I had 54km left to go and I was focussing on the fact that I wouldnāt have to get up early tomorrow. I decided to celebrate every 5km of the day with a little dance and woohoo moment.
Top left clockwise: Early in the morning 1&2, pub meal out, last bit of day 5, the mad running socks with toes, the comfiest place to be!
The run, my mood, my body. Everything felt right that day. Sometimes it just all comes together. I knew I had quite a few places to stop also so didnāt have to carry quite so much food on me. I settled into a good pace and got to my breakfast cafe after 18km. I even felt good enough to jog up the hill of Whinlatter pass to yet another cafe (you make the most of them when they are there!!) and after a large slice of cake enjoyed sailing down the other side.
Trail to Keswick, Whinlatter pass (again) and Whinlatter pass cafe
After 30km of good jogging and great country lanes and trails I started to notice a pain in my knee. As time moved on, it became more prevalent and I had to take some painkillers. At this point I started to send my husband little videos of me doing my 5km āwoohoo momentsā. There was the 20km to go woohoo then the 15km to go woohoo etc. In all honesty the last 15km seemed to take forever and it was once again very warm but there was increasingly a nice breeze which made it far more manageable than the day before.
The last 15km
With just 10km to go I stopped for one last coffee and a piece of cake and tried (so hard) to enjoy the last stretch along the coast down to Whitehaven (despite the pain).
And then I arrived. I made it woohoo! The finish line was somewhat uninspiring with no one there and me just standing there going āhurrahā to myself. (Note this is my own fault for telling my husband not to come).
After a few minutes a couple walked past me and took my āfinishing pictureā. Well thats that then. I started hobbling (amazing how once you stop running your body just goes ānope iām brokenā) to find my B&B for the night.
Nearly there and arrivee!!
Just as was I setting off a man came up to me. āSorry, I couldnāt help but overhear. Well done on your challenge and everything but did you know that ramp where you are standing is not the official end of the C2C anymore. There is a new ramp now. Just thought youād like to know.?ā
Do you know what? I really didnāt want to know thanks!!
Still it counts! I saw the sea on one side of the country, then saw it on the other and back again. Ffs. š
Well what now you might ask? Well for a while nothing. Iām taking a break from endurance and have even cancelled my upcoming Ultra. I need some time out. I am going to focus on strength/gym and getting bikini ready for Barbados later in the year.
So this last week was my final ābuildā week and should of included my longest run and longest bike. Instead I spent half the week in bed and the other half on the sofa. A lovely bout of sinusitis hurrah. Its all been very frustrating but I have to look at the upside. At least this didnāt happen in 3 weeks time.
Today I managed to go for a walk (ta dah!) and actually felt quite good once I got going, despite initially feeling like I was breathing through a straw.
At night you would think I was dying to hear me coughing so thats quite a turnaround from the day. I will hopefully get into see a doctor soon to get some evil but necessary antibiotics. After that Iām keen to get back running and cycling at some moderate level and hopefully just keep up some form of exercise until a few days before my event.
After my last blog I mentioned that I would apply for an FKT (fastest known time). This I duly did but unfortunately my request was turned down. I do understand it though. They have to consider whether anyone else will want to do the same thing and beat the time and then it gets set up as a known route and people can try it out. Theyāve said mine is a bit niche and I guess they donāt feel there would many others wanting to do it. Ah well. Iāll be doing it for me.
So last Friday before the bug set in (thankfully) we managed to attend my nieces wedding, which was a really beautiful day in every way possible. We travelled home on the Saturday and were back quite early so I went out for a 20km run (as you do) in the afternoon. It was only an hour or so after that I ended up bed, where I stayed for the next few days.
This Saturday hubby and I went to an ice therapy/meditation workshop. It had been booked for ages and I wasnāt sure whether to go with blocked sinuses. Would it cure or kill me? In the end most of the 4 hour workshop was about sitting and listening or meditating so I figured why not give it a go. It was actually excellent and we learnt so much about the benefits of cold water and breathing techniques. At the end of all the learning they ask you to step into an ice bath thats probably 1-3 degrees and you have to sit down immediately and then stay there for two minutes. Before hand you are prepped by doing various breathing exercises.
I was amazed that we both got in no problem and it really wasnāt bad at all. My hands were extremely uncomfortable but the rest of my body was ok. After we were advised to do some slow warm up moves and we finished off by getting into dry clothes and doing 10 minutes of very basic yoga focussing on breathing. We both really enjoyed it and I would definitely do it again.
Initially I have to say I thought āwow Iām curedā as I felt amazing after. Then the night cameā¦..ok maybe not better yet. Still we are both keen to carry on with the cold water therapy and meditation. Itās really very good for the mind and body and Iām sure it will be even more enjoyable once I can unblock these sinuses. I wonder if a sink plunger would work??
The last two weeks have been pretty full on. Last weekend included a 16km run to work and back on the Thursday, a long hilly road bike ride on the Friday, a long faster paced (for me) trail run on the Saturday with my husband and finally a 30km hike with full kit on the Sunday.
On the long hike last weekend
This was great training and I felt good too but by bank holiday Monday I was walking around like robocop with very stiff legs and sore muscles. Between that and the rain, my plan to do a lovely long mountain bike ride went out the window. Instead I spent a valuable day chilling out, recovering and writing a little bit more of my book (which I think I will still be writing when Iām 70ā¦).
This week was my easier week in the month so I had three rest days and only did one run. I did however, go and camp in Edale and hike home the next day over Kinder Scout.
It was good to practice putting up the tent again and ensure all my kit was in working order. It was supposed to be a nice 16km back to the train station but the trains werenāt running so it turned into a 27km hike instead. All good practice though.
Important to fuel the next days hike šEarly morning mist in EdaleOn the path to Kinder ScoutTop of Jacobs LadderTop of Jacobs Ladder
Today I went out on a beautiful long mountain bike ride. There were some bits that were too technical for me so there was some walking/bike pushing going on but for the most part it was a very enjoyable ride in the sunshine.
Out on the mountain bike today – coming out of Coombs
In other news weāve been using the ice barrel quite a bit and I can definitely say it feels really good to get in after a long run/hike or bike. Whether it actually does help recovery – who knows. Itās hotly debated (although most consider it does). Either way it feels really therapeutic so who cares.
With only four weeks to go to my coast to coast adventure Iām starting to feel ākind ofā ready. Iām starting to believe I can do the distance on the bike and that I can hike/run a long way/day if I just set off very early in the morning. I also know I will be very very tired but that comes with the territory.
Iāll be doing this C2C self supported. JOGLE was mostly self supported where this will be entirely so for the duration of the bike and then the duration of the run. Iām having help with the logistics of collecting my bike and bringing my rucksack up (thank you hubby).
So there will be no support vehicle and I cant accept drinks, food, route advice or anything else from anyone I personally know. I can fully accept these things from strangers however. If I come across a group of cyclists I donāt know I can sit on the back and draft for example. I will definitely look out for this! I will be stopping at a bed and breakfast for the bike ride (one nights stop) and camping for the run back (two nights stopping). Iāve ordered a tracker again. For one thing it was kind of fun to have one and for another it means I will have a recording of my bike/run as I may upload it to FKT site afterwards (Fastest Known Time). This is a website that people use to record their āeventā if they know they are the fastest person doing a particular thing. I donāt think anyone has done a C2C duathlon so Iām guessing I will be the fastest if I just complete it.
This week is supposed to be a build week i.e. lots of training but Iām off to a wedding next weekend so training will take second priority around that. Weather is looking good for the day, the dress is hanging up and Iām debating trainers over high heels as I have a blister on my big toe! The downsides of hikingā¦..š
Iām sitting in with my feet up on one of those nice armchair recliner thingamys and wanting to write something inspiring, clever and interesting. My brain is a complete blank.
I will just start writing and see what happens. It cant go that wrong surely. Apologies if I get waffley. Not the tasty kind with ice cream and sprinkly bits.
My training week was so much better than the week before. I managed a decent four hour hillyāish road bike ride. It wasnāt fast but it doesnāt have to be. I got around, that is the main thing. I still suffer from ādont want to go syndromeā when it comes to road biking. I get up on a Fri morning (I donāt work Fridays) and think āOh I wish I was going mountain bikingā. I then spend the first 30 minutes of my bike ride thinking āI wish I was on my mountain bike out on the trailā.
Iām not quite sure what makes me think this. I recently got my bike adjusted both for comfort and fit and also for easier gearing. Itās great and I can ride for ages without any aches or pains. Itās also a lot easier riding on the road bike in reality. At least its quicker and its lighter. And yet that voice is still there in the back of my mindā¦ā¦.āyou want to be on your mountain bikeāā¦ā¦mountain bikeā¦ā¦.m bikeā¦ā¦..
Iām still hoping I will learn to love road biking as much as the MTB but we will see. For now Iām getting around. Thatās all I need to do.
To my surprise I was met with fog on my road bike ride
I did a shorter run on Saturday this week. When I say short – 15km is short now. Itās all relative. I wanted to have the energy to focus on my hike.
Brief respite even on my short run š
So off I went on Sunday to Chinley and hiked up South Head and over to New Mills. It was 18km, which Iām happy enough with for now. I was carrying my backpack with about 7kg. I need to pack it properly next time to practice walking with the full weight. I also need to know what that weight will be. At the moment I tend to just throw things in the rucksack before I set off, to approximate the effect.
South HeadOn way down from South Head
Going uphill 5km an hour would be a very decent pace with the full rucksack and weight. On the flat I can manage more but uphill thats probably a realistic limit. I will need to stop to eat, get water, pee etc. So that means it may take me 14hours plus stopping time to do 70km (if I walk the entire thing). Thatās doable if I set off at 6am. However, since stopping time is generally around 2 hours (not kidding it adds up quickly) I wouldnāt be pitching my tent until 10pm. Hmmmmmm.
On way down from South HeadNear the millennium Walkway
This is the kind of uncomfortable maths I find myself doing as I hike or run on the weekend. It makes me think, donāt stop for breaky/lunch/dinner, or run uphill or set off at 5am. Or perhaps I just shouldnāt pee šš¤·. I probably shouldnāt ponder these things. š. Any other suggestions are welcome. A time portal?
We have a new bosu ball in the gym. Itās a large dome shaped thing, like a large ball someone cut in half. You can sit on it to do your core workouts, balance on it with your tum, stand on it to do single leg squats. We are both discovering more and more workouts you can do with this one single item. Itās a lot of fun and a good way to build strength.
Now Iām feeling a lot better about the bike this weeks focus will be on running and hiking further with the backpack and ensuring its fully packed. Iām also starting to focus in on my nutrition, making sure to eat well to support my hard work and my recovery.
In other news my husband has bought an ice barrel for the garden. Apparently its very good for your health to have the occasional dunk. Some of you may have seen that series last year on the TV with Wim Hof.
Thankfully hubby has yet to insert a mini step in the barrel, before I can use it as currently I could get in it but would struggle to get out. We have both booked ourselves onto a cold water workshop in May; so Iām hoping they teach us the breathing techniques for getting in the icy water. At the moment Iām thinking hmmmm can I wear my wetsuit, a woolly hat and bring a hot chocolate with me?
Itās been a hard weekās training and mentally tough too. I felt really tired at times this week and do wonder if Iām suffering from a bit of over training. Itās hard to know. I tried my best to create a plan that was progressive but also had rest days and recovery weeks. However, Iāve also been under a time constraint for this āeventā from the beginning.
Training up for 70km day runs back to back (carrying all the kit and weight) plus training up to road bike further than I personally have in a few years and with quite a few burrmps on the way (as Peter Sellers would say) – well it sometimes feels like an impossible task.
This week felt like that. I ran with the backpack for the second time on Tuesday and pushed myself to run a bit faster and more āupā. I should add to this that when you have 6-12kg on your back – its hard to do a normal run (the greater that figure the more true that is). Your upwards momentum just isnāt there without physically feeling like youāre doing a crazy hard HIIT workout, being asked to jump onto a bench carrying a large kettlebell.
Taken during JOGLE but a reminder of āthatā bag!
So instead you resort to keeping your feet low to the ground and jogging with minimal up and down movement. This results in a considerably slower speed I might add but it does minimise hip pain, knee pain and any discomfort to your back from the rucksack.
So there I was on Tuesday and I thought to myself. Today is supposed to be the one day a week where I work harder/go faster, get my heart rate up more. So it seemed logical to try and actually ārunā with the backpack rather than doing the shuffle jog thing. It was really hard work and I could definitely feel it. By the end of my run my hips and glutes felt every bit like they had been pushing me around the hilly trail 10km route Iād planned.
I was so glad to see this downhill on my run
On Wednesday I did my slow recovery jog in the lunch hour at work. Phew that felt much easier! After work I went to see my PT (personal trainer) and she gave me a really hard workout to do. I mean thats what I pay for of course. At the time though I do sometimes think, just 20 mins more to goā¦ā¦because yes its just that hard.
She tends to interweave HIIT movements like mountain climbers, jumping jacks into low squats with heavy weight workouts. I also do a lot of balance work. One memorable one is where I balance on the Bosu ball on my bottom with legs off the floor outstretched and leaning back slightly. At the same time as holding this balance with your core I have to throw a 5kg medicine ball at a trampoline and catch it. I do so love her creativity – it keeps it interesting.
On Thursday I ended up having a second rest day of the week as Iād not slept well and simply didnāt have the willpower to bike to work (and back). I figured this would at least enable me to be fighting fit for my crazy weekend of long runs and bikes. Hmmm.
On Friday I threw the idea of my road biking session out the window as it was forecast to rain quite a tad. For me rain just screams āmountain bikeā. So off I set on a hillier route than usual although it was only 36km. I puffed my way around finding the hilly bits harder than usual although I did massively enjoy myself (got to love the MTB).
Out on the mountain bike heading onto the Sett Valley Trail
On Saturday I once again moved the idea of my road bike session back a day as once again the weather was forecast to be bad and Sunday looked great (they got it wrong by the way). Not having the time to do a hike this weekend I decided in my absolute wisdomā¦.sorry insanityā¦.that if I run with my weighted backpack and go a bit further then thats like doing my run and my hike together. Hmmm.
I can honestly say I was not feeling it right from the beginning. I am much slower with the rucksack as explained above but I was only managing 6.5km an hour. Honestly on a good day I could probably just about hike at that pace. On top of this I just felt tired despite the slow pace. By the end of my 25km I felt quite depleted of energy and it didnāt do my confidence much good either. How can I cover 70km in a day when 25km is that hard?
These little lambs did cheer me up on my long run
Finally today I was up early and ready for my 4 hour big hilly road bike. Only I wasnāt physically in the right place at all. My tight hips and glutes had returned and I felt so tired I could of quite happily just gone back to bed. I dithered for a while, frustrated at the situation and eventually decided I had to at least do an hour on my road bike. So I went and did our nearby āup and overā as we call it. Itās pretty hilly for such a short ride. Ride done I punished myself with a gruelling 50 minutes of core and arm work in the gym.
So yes I did do 11.5 hours this week but it wasnāt the 15 hours Iād planned and moreover Iām just feeling quite behind in terms of where Iād like to be at this point. Iād ideally be riding 100km a week and running 50km a week. But thats just not viable given where I am now.
I need to psyche myself up a bit. I did JOGLE off the back of just 4 runs a week and the longest was only ever 30km. So anything is possible, its just in my mind.
This coming week will be another build i.e. hard week. I intend to focus in on the road bike as a priority, even if it means sacrificing the long run. Iāll then focus on the long run the following week. See how that goes. Now then weather be kind š āļø
Iāve had a really good two weeks running and cycling.
Iāve taken my new remodelled road bike out twice now and managed 67km and 1500m of ascent on my last ride. Thats a pretty hilly ride and I felt really chuffed to manage it. Iām starting to feel more confident that I can get through the 120km I need to on the first day of my coast to coast challenge.
Gorgeous views out on the bike
The main difficulty with riding is reading my wahoo computer navigation as I go. This is on a very small screen which sits on my handlebars.
Through my chromatic prescription glasses (basically sunglasses) I can only see the rough arrows Iām heading in but canāt see where my blob is on the map relative to those arrows or how far it is to my next turn. So to help with this issue Iām also wearing my watch, which has a different type of map and routing on it. This is easier to follow but I can only really look at it if I stop. Iām hoping if I keep practicing with both I will start to find it all easier. Currently the whole art of navigation is definitely slowing me down.
Lamaload Reservoir
Now Iām starting to gain more confidence on the bike my main concern is the running. I intend to try and run 60-70km a day during the coast to coast and my longest run this year is only 28km. Iāve also yet to run with my weighted backpack and havenāt done a long hike in a while.
I intend to spend the next month working on these issues. I will start this next week by doing my Tuesday run with the weighted backpack.
My long runs will get longer but will also start to incorporate some walking, running intervals. Finally I will do a long hike next weekend with my backpack and make that a main stay either every weekend or every other weekend (yet to decide on that point). I really love mountain biking at the moment and would like to fit it in somewhere.
Recent long run Mountain bike ride on a rainy day – notice same way as above run
Next week is my recovery week so I will have to ensure a reduction in running and cycling mileage despite the inclusion of the backpack and hike. After that there will be a new four week building block which will be designed to get me to the āalmost readyā stage. š¬
Lorna Runs 