It's Monday 3:20am and I'm lying awake with my mind buzzing from the weekend. Thoughts flying in from all directions about the course, the highs and lows, the people and my achievement. My body feels sore with the DOMS rearing its head as a reminder of quite how much I battered myself. Even while typing … Continue reading UTS (Ultra-Trail Snowdonia) – 2nd attempt
Category: Events
Tamalpa Headlands 50KM
Plane passenger - “Nervous?” Ted Striker - “Yes” Plane passenger - “Your first time?” Ted Striker - “No, I’ve been nervous lots of times” The day breaks Pulling into Santos Meadow in my rental car those quick lines from a scene in the film, ‘Airplane’, surfaced to the front of my mind. It always brings … Continue reading Tamalpa Headlands 50KM
UTS 50KM (Ultra Trail Snowdonia)
I’ve written about failure and learning from it in a previous post for my first attempt at the Swiss Alps 100. Unfortunately, I need to return to this theme again based on my DNF at the recent Ultra Tour Snowdon. As is the trend now to preface lengthy e-mails with TLDR (too long didn't read), … Continue reading UTS 50KM (Ultra Trail Snowdonia)
Experiencing the Double Dipsea
A little background The Dipsea Trail race captured my imagination in 2020 when my colleagues presented me with a gift, a book entitled, "Epic Runs of the World" published by Lonely Planet. Of the many races described this one intrigued me. Located just north of San Francisco (a city I enjoy exploring), the entry process … Continue reading Experiencing the Double Dipsea
Chicago Marathon 2022
This was to be an opportunity to grab a 3rd star for the Abbott Marathon Majors journey I'd indirectly found myself on and, to add to the anxiety it was also to be run on my birthday. No pressure on myself then. I'd arranged with my employer that I could work from the Chicago office … Continue reading Chicago Marathon 2022
Swiss Alps 100 (50KM) – 2nd attempt
In the days that followed my DNF at this event in August of last year (first attempt blog post here) I couldn't help but notice 7:13 on the digital clocks in my house. The significance of this was nothing more than it was my race number but, I couldn't shake the reminder. I was pretty … Continue reading Swiss Alps 100 (50KM) – 2nd attempt
Tenerife BlueTrail 2022
In the shadow of the UK's airline disruption, I was reminded of how the same time last year travel was only just vaguely beginning to return. In 2021 I walked into the airport with papers anxious for the approval to proceed, yet, this year the terminal appeared to be no different to pre-2020. Less than … Continue reading Tenerife BlueTrail 2022
Paris Marathon
The pandemic has provided everyone with many learnings and experiences, both good and bad, resetting ideas and expectations. Personally, I used running in 2020 to try and remain sane and with the promise of travel restrictions lifting in 2021, I looked outside of the UK for running events. I have a preference for trail terrain … Continue reading Paris Marathon
Valencia Marathon
Purely by chance, I discovered the Valencia marathon from my Instagram feed. It wasn't a city I'd considered before but then again when I think about it every city is likely to have a race of some form, it's good for tourism and promotes exercise. I pulled up their website only to discover the entry … Continue reading Valencia Marathon
Berlin Marathon
The Brandenburger Tor or as we non-native Germans call it, the Brandenburg Gate. I found this picture on the wall inside a Lidl supermarket near my hotel the day before actually having the chance to pass through it as a runner. First & third time lucky I couldn't quite believe it when I received the … Continue reading Berlin Marathon
A Runner's Highs 