This weekend

I`ve been to Skye for the weekend with the Ochils Mountaineering Club. Eight of us went all together, arriving at Glen Brittle Campsite in 2 camper vans and 2 cars - having the Friday off work and needing some cycle training I set off from Stirling on my (new!) bike and made it to Morrisons in Fort William - 102 miles - where I met Nige and travelled the rest of the way in the van - before we set off I had just enough time to treat myself to a couple of bottles of organic cider - any excuse but it seemed liked a good one.

On Saturday 7 of set off to do one or 2 of the Munros on the Cuillin Ridge - I wimped out at the scrambly bit - not big at scrambling at the best of time and the rock was damp so rather then hold everyone up I bailed out - don`t think I will be finnishing my Munro`s - however it was still a good walk and, surprisingly no aches and pains after yesterday`s ride.

On the Sunday I again cycled - this time from the campsite, over the Skye Road Bridge and then on to the Cluanie Inn in Glenmoriston - 70 miles and I was completely pooped when I got there but I managed to get my wearie body to the bar and force down a half pint of cider while I waited for Nige who arrived shortly after with the van. Not long before I got to the Inn a couple had pulled over in there `van, they flagged me down and offered me a couple of tea and checked that I was ok - they had seen me earlier in the day and were concerned as I was by myself - they were really friendly and it was very thoughtful of them - unfortunately I have never aquired a taste for tea and coffee so I declined.

Today my brain tried to tell my body to have a rest but I decided I needed a run - it`s a week since I last ran and I know if I don`t keep it up I will just get out of the habbit and stop altogether - it was hard going but I manged my "super market run" without stopping.
Personally I think that is quite good going for 4 days - 170 miles on the bike, nearly getting to the top of a Munro and then a 9 mile run!

So why all the training??? Apart from the fact I`m mad!!! and have a fear of getting less fit.

Well firstly in just under 5 weeks time I am going to attempt to do the "Trossachs Ton" - this is a circular cycle race - not that I will be racing - completing it without having a heart attack is the plan. It starts in Stirling and, being circular ends in Stirling. As the name suggests it is one hundred miles - I have no concerns about cycling 100 miles but this is going to be a particular hilly 100 miles and I have not done nearly enough training but things are improving so hopefully I will make it to the finnish line before everyone else has packed up for the night.

In October I am going run Edinburgh`s first Kilomathan - as opposed to 26 miles it is 26km (16 miles and 273.9 yards) so this is why I am running as well - I`ve only got back into running in the last couple of months but so far this seems to be going ok but need to improve on 9 miles!!

Finally - if that is not enough I`m going to run the London Marathon next year!!! Why??? God knows - in the words of Mallory - "because its there". Now getting a place to do the London Marathon is like finding hen`s teeth - I applied last year and (luckily) did NOT get a place. But it is something I have also wanted to do and at the end of April (this year) I decided that I would apply again - ideally I would like to do it before my 40th birthday - now that is almost 2 years away but to do the marathon before my 40th birthday I would have run it next year!!!

Hence I had a bit of mad conversation on the phone a few weeks ago with one of my best chums, Linda. Linda has to travel a lot with work and when I`m not at working I`m usually doing exercise of some sort so we don`t phone each other as often as we used to and when we do it`s quite often at some ungodly hour of the morning while we are on our way to work. This time it was no exception - it was approx 7.55am - Linda was still at home but getting ready to leave - I was walking quickly up hill and was late for work but had decided it was now or never and I need a place for the London Marathon and the phonecalled went something like this:

Me - "Hi Linda - have you got time to talk?"
Linda - "getting ready for work but got a couple of minutes"
Me - puffing as I speak (partly from going uphill / partly from excitement) - "you know how I want to do the London Marathon, and you know it`s not that long till I`m 40, and if I`m going to do it I want to do it before I`m 40 and if I do it for charity can you get me a place?"
Linda - having more sense than me said - "are you sure"
Me - "yes"
Linda - "do you want to think about it for 24 hours"
Me - "NO - it`s now or never!"

And that was my fate kind of sealed - I still have to apply direct for a place with the London Marathon but if I don`t get a place and I agree to raise a minimum amount of money it is quite likely that I will get a place for the Aprill 2011 London Marathon - I will be raising money for Hearing Concern Link.

So that kind of explains the epic cycling / walking / running I did this weekend!