hpm reccy-the difficult bit

the lunar landscape of bleaklow is best served chilled, with a dash of compass work and a sprinkling of friends. the cold air made my teeth hurt but the frozen peat kept our feet dry...mostly

commuting

first week done and clocked just over 100m. a few things i've noticed....

*it's very different from the 3m downhill spin to my old job!!!
*rush hour riding is properly frightening
*big roundabouts raise my heart rate considerably
*mudguards are essential, why don't i have any?!
*public toilets are too small for changing in and i feel too guilty about using the disabled ones
*skool books are heavy but are also a useful ballasted
*apparently helmet hair is not cool or funny

*my legs aren't big enough for singespeeding up these humps...yet

day1 nurse skool

i arrived a little late due to a navigation error but i hadn't missed anything and could just join the back of the queue for uniform fitting. unfortunately this meant i was the weird one in lycra with a bad case of helmet hair. hmmmm...first impressions... got chatting to the student in front of me, who seemed really nice. we then discovered that we're both on our 3rd first year attempts, we decided it might not be a good idea for us to be friends!

strathpuffer + cairngorm= awesomeness

hmmm, i look down at my bike. i'm pretty sure that pushing the pedal down, should move the bike forward. the cranks shouldn't just spin, should they? i have to double check myself. it's dark and windy, the rain is falling and i'm on lap6. i probably shouldn't be feeling this spent so soon into a 24hr race but it's to be expected...and we wont dwell on *that* now.

yup, the bike is officially knackered. i hate to admit it but my first thought is 'oh, well and least that's a decent excuse!' but during the long walk back to the start line and potential assistance i decide that the worst case scenario is to change into fell shoes and jog round with the bike. i recon i can manage 2 laps and then stop, feeling like i've not totally given up. yup, my brain is officially knackered.

fortunately the lovely kilted mechanic was able to liberate the freewheel...using a massive hammer and a few mini chocolate rolls. i say fortunately...this meant not only swapping from an 18 tooth to a 16 but now i had no excuse not to push on. strangely at this point someone asked me 'why strathpuffer?' at that moment i couldn't really explain, it took a few more laps of thinking.

firstly the course is ace, whatever the weather. ice, mud, snow, wind and rain, it's still ride-able. but it's more than that. yes everyone involved is really friendly and there's a true sense of camaraderie on the trail but you can say that about a lot of events. i think for me, the reason i came back for more and the reason that i'll be back again, is because it's hard. it's really blimin' hard.

photo taken by aviemoron

i managed to keep going for a few more laps but in reality i spent more time drinking tea and scoffing ritz crackers. i just didn't have the legs or in fact the arms to do anything amazing. and there were some amazing efforts going on, just take a look at the results. everyone i spoke to had tales of big spills and bike failures, and pretty much everyone i spoke to offered me tea and cake. yes, strathpuffer is a brilliant race. i rode my bike, i pushed my bike, i smiled and sang to myself. i had a brilliant time and came away with some very generous prizes. for this i feel a little guilty, next time i hope to do the race justice and i hope to take up some of those offers of tea. is it ok to bank the, very much appreciated, offers of a brew and shelter for a year?!

...and so on to cairngorm recovery. on monday i swapped wheels for planks. the smell of cold air and hot wax is so evocative to me. takes me back to be being a fearless child, shooting off down mountains getting to the bottom, being told to put more sun screen on and refusing. getting on the lift and doing it all over again. this time my lips were already badly chapped, probably from the dehydration of yesterdays activities. there was no one to tell me to stop for lunch and only my mashed quads reminding me not to razzzzz too hard. up, down, up, down, up, down.... not a day for off piste but a fantastic day on the hill.

on tuesday i traded the skis for spikes and headed off to coires. feeling tired and lethargic i trudged up to coire an t'sneachda. approaching the amphitheater of dark buttresses and snow filled gullies a gush of excitement crashed over me. i found a 'second wind'. just look at it, how can you wish to be anywhere but here?

hot blackcurrant from a flask only tastes this good, when the sheltering behind a rock whilst cold fingers fiddle with crampon straps, munching a chocolate bar and trying to ensure your map doesn't blow away. pretty much perfect. a quick scamper up the goat track reminds my legs of the previous days efforts. onto the plateau and the cloud comes in. not quite a white out but enough for me to realise that i need to concentrate.

suddenly the wind stops, total silence. i can see a boulder behind me but nothing else. no horizon but more importantly no cornice. a few deep breaths, trust the compass, check the watch and count the contours. slowly but surely i make way around the coire rim and up onto cairngorm summit. there were fleeting breaks in the cloud, views snatched between map fumbling.

then all too soon i'm back at the car. a car that's filled with adventure potential. shall i stay another night, i could camp out or even bike over the other valley. or maybe one more day of skiing but there's something missing. actually two things, obviously i've no energy left what so ever but i miss jane. all this fun without her, just doesn't seem fair.

so, 9hrs after getting off the hill i'm back home. tired and happy.

i may be some time...

i've had literally all year to prepare for strathpuffer...today i have decided to change the freewheel, fit a new chain, bed in 2 sets of pads, fit mud tyres and generally faff about with my bike. followed by some frantic packing. a mild panic as i'll be jane-less and having to look after myself-i can barely manage normally! i like to think of myself as the anti- rob lee. but i guess that's why he's so good at this kinda thing! yes, it looks a lot of stuff and it is. but hopefully, if the weather gods are on my side, i'll be spending a few days in aviemore before heading home....ROAD TRIP!!!

may the force be with you to all fellow 'puffers. and thank you trio, jumbly, richpips and oneblackdot, for sight and traction.

crunch.click.creeeeek.

goes my knee, as i ease down the stairs. crunch.click.creeeeek. goes my knee, as press the clutch and change gear. crunch.click.creeeeek. goes my knee, as bend down to help old ladies put their slippers on. but wait a minuet, it's the same crunch. click. creeeeek. that my knee has been making for the past 6months, only slightly worse. which considering i spent a good few hours jogging round the peak last saturday isn't too bad.

i just couldn't say no. we, 'team marathon-schmarathon' (myself, jane, vikki and jo), have got an entry for the hpm. which is notoriously difficult to do. so, i couldn't say no. our first reccy was planned, the weather looked potentially snowy but definitely cold and windy. i couldn't say no. meeting up with friends and the promise of shared cake, i couldn't say no.

the running was slow and a little painful on my part. but it was so good to be on the hills with friends.

**offical knee update
to cut a long and very boring story short, i did get a referral to an orthopedic clinic but due house move and post redirection i missed my appointment and now have to start again. totally fed up i gave up but having just remember how much i love running, i've registered with a new gp and will start again. however, having had such a gap off running, and nearly a month of just booze, it would seem the 'rest' has done some good.

B update

i actually rode my bike today! i know! nothing like a bit of last minute training. this time next week i'll be somewhere on the a9 on the way to strathpuffer. in typical style i'm some what under prepared, but i can assure you this is the most 'under prepared' i have ever been. exciting.

it was the fresh snow that actually enticed me outside today. enough to make everything pretty again and to give just enough grip on the frozen/thawed mud. i got lost twice but discovered two new downs, not sure if i'll be able to find them again. at least 'puffer is on a marked course. also, there's going to be some baking later (photos tomorrow) and if 'puffer doesn't completely break me, then the first bivvy of the year isn't far off.

happy '11 ya'll

last year kinda fizzled out for me. what with a house move and job change, knee failure, somewhere along the way i lost my outdoor fun mojo. only for it to be replaced with a seemingly never ending bottle of booze. it's strange looking back, it almost feels like a different person that ran over fells and rode twisting trails. but i do have photographs to prove it! and the move has given me a whole new play ground, while the job change will allow me to go back to skool. exciting times ahead.

it's been brilliant and inspiring reading others blogs over the past year. seeing folks complete their goals and challenges. crossing the land from coast to coast, ticking off peaks, riding in circles for as long as they can, over coming injuries and just generally getting out there and doing it. i've been vicariously living though their tales. so here's to an adventure filled 2011 for everyone. for me it's all about the B, baking, biking and bivvying.....and a knee caps crossed, hopefully a little bit of running.

see you on hills!