tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76637856654838421242024-03-14T03:02:03.630+00:00Tea & Cakewanna be fell runner, sometime mountain biker, every day cake eaterkatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.comBlogger427125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-49102313764675156712012-03-14T11:30:00.001+00:002012-03-14T11:31:36.222+00:00health & social care bill...... (no running or bikes)<div style="text-align: left;">help stop <a href="http://www.nyebevan.org.uk/">nye bevan</a> from spinning in his grave and keep access to health services free for all at the point of need.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Qc3cckAZcs/T2B21WQvn_I/AAAAAAAABLI/hJHtVamJUUo/s1600/aneurin_bevan_586.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Qc3cckAZcs/T2B21WQvn_I/AAAAAAAABLI/hJHtVamJUUo/s320/aneurin_bevan_586.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719702185641484274" border="0" /></a>our national health service certainly isn't perfect but it's certainly worth fighting for. it seems that the main purpose of these reforms is to commercialise the whole nhs. health care should never be about profit. this can only lead to greater health inequalities whilst opening up a system ripe for fraud and manipulation. how can planning care provision around market forces ever be beneficial to its users?! services will be cut and it will be, as always, the most vulnerable that will be at greatest risk. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">the 3rd reading in the house of lords takes place next monday. this might be the last chance of any meaningful debate on the health and social care bill. the link below is an easy and polite way to encourage the lib dem peers and mps to do the right thing. it's also just amusing laughing at their titles, lord charlile of berriew or baroness garden of frognal..... click <a href="http://eoin-clarke.blogspot.com/2012/03/your-complete-one-click-kit-to-saving.html">here</a> for more. or you could sign the <a href="http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/Protect_our_NHS_Petition">38 degrees petition</a>. or you could sign the <a href="http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22670">"drop the health bill" e-petition</a>. or you could write to your own mp, find them <a href="http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/">here</a>. or you could do all four.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">...sorry, but i'm posting this again....<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Dl1jPqqTdNo" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-16189658523007576202012-03-11T19:30:00.001+00:002012-03-11T19:53:53.461+00:00swapping<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6973461363/" title="sky high by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7062/6973461363_8a764c71fe.jpg" alt="sky high" height="313" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">it's been 3 weeks since jane busted her foot and unfortunately, i don't think she's going to be back on the fells for at least another month or so. fortunately though, she's taken to this cycling lark like an injured runner to, well cycling.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6973472367/" title="lucky by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6973472367_360bcb8f42.jpg" alt="lucky" height="240" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">swapping long runs for long rides. jelly babies for cake stops. compass for inner tubes and it would seem, drizzly bog for sun kissed tarmac.<br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-82665022323561312252012-03-05T19:08:00.002+00:002012-03-05T19:15:59.278+00:00white peak lanes<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6956395135/" title="shadow by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7179/6956395135_6a37cfe8ea.jpg" alt="shadow" height="500" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">rolling out from the front door with the sun in our eyes and the wind on our backs. quiet lanes and rolling hills. a lazy lunch stop with extra chips. heavy stomach and a headwind. a slow grind to the trig and an effortless freewheel all the way home. it's easy to forgot how lucky we are.<br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-1987630558468590062012-03-04T22:25:00.001+00:002012-03-04T23:13:55.121+00:00not running the high peak marathon<div style="text-align: justify;">they say that managing to get your team of four to the start is the hardest part of the <a href="http://highpeakclub.union.shef.ac.uk/hpm/index.html">high peak marathon</a>. with the nature of the training involved it's quite likely that someone will end up injured or even think better of it. unfortunately, this year for us it happened to be jane. she suffered a tendon injury/stress fracture/bloody painful thing in her foot 2 weeks ago, whilst walking to town of all things. after much deliberation we decided as a team it was more important to stick together as a gang than try and draft in new members at short notice. though i'm sure we could have found a willing victim. fortunately the organisers have allowed us to roll our entry over. which means a summer of bleaklow reccys!<br /><br />obviously it's been a bugger for poor jane. no pot but she's been advised to rest, for the obligatory, 4-6 weeks. hobbling around and generally feeling a bit fed up, she came to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe riding a bike might hold the answer to the non-running blues. a quick test ride last week on mine proved that she could pedal pain free. then a quick trip to decathlon and one new bike later saw the first proper smile on her face in 2 weeks.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6953616435/" title="riding not running by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7056/6953616435_62e360db88.jpg" alt="riding not running" height="263" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">so on saturday, the day of the high peak marathon, i met up with the remaining members of team marathon-schmarathon in edale. we decided to run the skyline route, which proved to be a belter of a day for it. our paths crossed with several hpm teams on their finishing stretch. it was really great to be able to cheer them on and secretly be relieved that we were just doing a 'short' 20 as a posed to a boggy 42miler.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6953622045/" title="not the hpm by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7046/6953622045_8ac37138d1.jpg" alt="not the hpm" height="316" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">and what of poor jane? well she too enjoyed the sunshine and had her first proper ride out. pedaling over from chezvegas into edale to meet us for tea and sustenance in the afternoon. and despite a horse trying to eat her gloves (??!!), it looks like we've got a new cyclist in our midst. every cloud and all that.....<br /></div><br /><br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-87916197749581389802012-03-04T22:00:00.001+00:002012-03-04T22:31:59.667+00:00the beast<div style="text-align: justify;">our mate <a href="http://shoeaholicsguidetorunning.blogspot.com/">gaynor</a>, the one who's very good at running for a looong time, is also pretty good at organising races too. we ventured south for a bit of heckling. sorry, i mean marshaling the other weekend at <a href="http://www.purepersonaltraining.co.uk/index.php?page=pure_corporate">the beast</a>. think we had the best seats in the house. our job, to encourage runners through the 'water feature'. i was so good at this that one runner even threw a clump of pond weed at me.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6807499512/" title="'water feature' by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7181/6807499512_88d3c9fced.jpg" alt="'water feature'" height="374" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">having never been this side of the tape before and i was surprised at how much fun it could actually be. possibly due to the fact that i didn't have to wade through stagnant, foul smelling, freezing water. having said that, i've never seen such a happy bunch of runners!<br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-60671641812328867002012-02-23T18:30:00.001+00:002012-02-23T18:56:46.586+00:00last sunday<div style="text-align: justify;">i met ros for the final piece of the <a href="http://highpeakclub.union.shef.ac.uk/hpm/">high peak marathon</a> puzzle. just the two us, for the short jog over from snake pass down into edale. it's a good feeling when you can start to say 13miles is a short run, albeit on a mainly downhill route. the car shuffle meant we'd set off slightly later than planned but we made good time to the top of the downfall. perfect crystal blue skies and what seemed to be the last of the winter chill. the few odd patches of ice but good running across the plateau. and for a change, we could see the rest of the route laid out before us. perfect, just a shame that the other members of team marathon-schmarathon weren't with us. (but that's another post.)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6777756992/" title="snake-edale by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6777756992_7d7bae8912.jpg" alt="snake-edale" height="236" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">the new slabs between jacobs ladder and brown knoll help keep the pace up. by rushup edge thoughts soon drift to the station cafe. i'd already planned my meal choice, cheese and onion toastie washed down with full fat coke. followed by a pot of tea and a large slice of carrot cake. then, as we jog up to my parked car in edale, the realiastion of my utter stupidity hits me. i've left my car keys in my jacket pocket, which is in the back of ros's car, which is of course at still at snake pass.<br /><br />it took a little while for ros to believe that i wasn't joking and then a little while longer to convince her that hot wiring my car wasn't an option. she passed me her keys and i headed off back over kinder. a lovely afternoon for it, if not an entirely planned 23 miles.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6923871751/" title=".....and back agian by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7207/6923871751_2592651df0.jpg" alt=".....and back agian" height="306" width="500" /></a></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-82773388920169604602012-02-11T20:51:00.000+00:002012-02-11T20:54:52.400+00:00spikers rule.<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6858240445/" title="bog surfin' by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7179/6858240445_356713a255.jpg" alt="bog surfin'" height="289" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />i think i'm running out of ways to describe snow. i'm certainly running low on words for ice. but i'll never tire of these conditions. another absolutely glorious day in the dark peak. another day of bloody hard work. another day of being thankful for snow accessories. without the spontaneous purchase of some microspikes on the way to the hills this morning, i don't think we'd have got out of the car park. maybe a little over kill on some trods but you can't put a price on the confidence they give in these now indescribable conditions.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6858233799/" title="ice cream grough by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7189/6858233799_8a83f7ae9e.jpg" alt="ice cream grough" height="335" width="500" /></a></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-42011644223805275232012-02-06T17:54:00.001+00:002012-02-06T17:57:23.994+00:00snow joke ride<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6830661083/" title="framed by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7143/6830661083_71f88c0161.jpg" alt="framed" height="282" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">back to nottingham and familiar trails. tagging along with <a href="http://rubyonone.blogspot.com/2012/02/extreme-snow-ride.html">chris</a> for one of his 'bike riding mondays', where you have to earn your cake. as usual i spent my time madly spinning behind, whilst chris pedaled along with a regal air about him. the only difference was the absolute concentration required by both of us to stay upright. we rode through hard compacted snow, dirty black snow, brown snow, yellow snow, soggy slush, icy ice, slushy ice, icy hard compacted snow and tarmac, blissful easy tarmac! it was a real slog of a ride but as <a href="http://rubyonone.blogspot.com/2012/02/extreme-snow-ride.html">chris</a> said "only people who enjoy this, will enjoy it". we both sat with satisfied smiles in the cafe, having our cake and eating it.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6830651343/" title="tea+cake+bike+snow=happy by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6830651343_636dbac3b1.jpg" alt="tea+cake+bike+snow=happy" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-14477230756432301492012-02-05T17:59:00.002+00:002012-02-05T18:18:41.604+00:00up lift running<div style="text-align: justify;">catching the bus outta chez-vegas this morning i was giddy with excitement. the snow had finally fallen on my door step. at last. letting public transport take the strain we alighted at baslow, with just a short up, the rest would be all downhill back to the house.....with a little bit of along too.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6823797381/" title="closer... by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6823797381_0d991ec7ba.jpg" alt="closer..." height="347" width="500" /></a><br /></div>birchen edge was busy with fellow snow hunters but from white edge moor we made fresh tracks all the way down to linacre reservoir. i don't think either of us stopped smiling all day. lucky to live where we do, lucky to have working legs and willing brains and so lucky to be able to share the snow and the miles.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6823783233/" title="racin' by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/6823783233_60336bd57f.jpg" alt="racin'" height="375" width="500" /></a></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-11834307590383859822012-02-03T18:00:00.005+00:002012-02-03T20:28:02.187+00:00hot chocolate aches<div style="text-align: justify;">buff rolled bandito style, thumb loops pulled down and everything tucked into tights. wind proof beanie on the bonce. three layers on top, two on the bottom, woolen socks and over shoes. sleeves tucked into lobsters, a sealed unit.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6812854259/" title="hotaches3 by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6812854259_b1d8faa9d6.jpg" alt="hotaches3" height="303" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">no traffic weaving today, just eyes peeled and ready for action. everyone is twitchy and nervous. warm water used to de-freeze, is now refreezed. yesterdays lunch detritus is now a fizzy pop frozen neve. avoid the the ice slicks and you're a winner.<br /><br />hot air pours from my mouth. uphill steam rolls from my nose, like a slow angry bull winching to the top. downhill and snot falls onto the cross bar, immediately frozen. car doors welded shut with ice, wipers scraping on the glass. everyone is twitchy and nervous.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6812855491/" title="hotaches2 by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6812855491_5e5e19b399.jpg" alt="hotaches2" height="309" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">normally a 30mph coast, today i plunge between the terrace houses with fingers hovering on the brakes. is that ice or just a trick of the light? mind games as splinters of sun break through the trees. the bike lock fumbled with and the hot aches begin. too early for the campus cafe and too late to go back down the road. i'll have to wait another 2hours before i can redeem my loyalty card for a hot chocolate....<br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-45774427715720094072012-02-01T11:50:00.002+00:002012-02-01T11:55:11.387+00:003 wainwrights, 2 ridges, 1 cheese & onion pastie<div style="text-align: justify;">the trouble with getting what you wish for is, it often leaves you hungry for more. after saturdays local snow show i needed something extra. something steeper, something higher, something with a little bit of added excitement. something like a winter ridge, an elevated crest running from peak to peak. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Wainwright">wainwright</a> describes striding edge as a "succession of jagged fangs ending in a black tower", with a sprinkling of the white stuff this was exactly what i was yearning for.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6800577743/" title="hello by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6800577743_e4c115a19c.jpg" alt="hello" width="500" height="267" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">a late night preceded the early start but reaching helvellyn's plateau catching the last of the sunrise was worth it. supping a brew and contemplating swirral edge while the thick cloud in the distance squashed the sun into a dirty orange streak across the horizon. i wish all days could start like this. spikes on, probably a bit over cautious but suddenly i felt very alone. slowly i made my way down helvellyn's northern arm. pausing every few steps to take in the view and take in a deep breath.<br /><br />the cold air was still and the heavy silence punctuated only by steel scraping on rock. looking around i couldn't believe that just 5 hours ago i was tucked up in bed. this was the stuff my dreams are made of.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6800572197/" title="at last by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6800572197_63e1f228f1.jpg" alt="at last" width="500" height="312" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">circling red tarn the full bulky mass of helvellyn comes into view. this is certainly its best side and like all good things it takes a little more effort to get. this might be the reason i love winter so much, views and hill tops are hard earned but the gains are immeasurably greater. everything looks more beautiful in the snow. everything.<br /><br />counting striding edge's jagged fangs i knew what was coming. the final rocky tower is negotiated down a steep little chimney gully. a little more exposed than i remember from our <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/5603931942/">summer</a> outing but over all too quickly. just a short bank of ice to gain the top once more. lunch was had in white out conditions. the day just kept getting better and better.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6800567509/" title="striding edge exit/entry by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6800567509_d4e850ef45.jpg" alt="striding edge exit/entry" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">a short stroll with map and compass in hand over to dollywaggon got me warm again. the snow was deep enough to run/slide straight down to grisedale tarn. another brew stop, another view stop. savouring the snow before the final descent back to the car, a cheese and onion pastie and a tired drive home.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6800564995/" title="striding edge #2 by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6800564995_e241a77a15.jpg" alt="striding edge #2" width="500" height="293" /></a></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-32528853439414010122012-01-28T14:55:00.002+00:002012-01-28T15:12:58.859+00:00winter teaseri went in search of snow. i wasn't disappointed.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6776154743/" title="thinking time by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7018/6776154743_3192636ec6.jpg" alt="thinking time" height="305" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">keeping on the edge, no point dipping into the valley, no view, no white stuff. just two toffees in my pocket, no map, no watch. feeling free, just myself and thoughts to follow. it was blimin' lovely out but would have been even better to share the miles.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">*not about hills but if you're interested in the welfare reform bill <a href="http://www.ukuncut.org.uk/blog">this</a> is worth a look</span><br /><br /><br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-37470102202207427592012-01-23T12:21:00.001+00:002012-01-23T12:21:00.058+00:00trench foot<div style="text-align: justify;">we ventured out on sunday for what started as a run and ended in a recovery walk. yes, it was still 'quite' windy.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6744137077/" title="wind ninja by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6744137077_35918d4f4d.jpg" alt="wind ninja" height="321" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">but we might have found the perfect mountain marathon training ground. there's a large piece of access land that's covered in small tussocky bogs, where the trods are few and far between, all just a 10minute drive from home. feeling lucky and excited that with a couple of road miles we can probably link up some footpaths and bridleways to get there. having dry feet may become very rare indeed!<br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-92187791601070801562012-01-22T11:46:00.002+00:002012-01-22T12:09:21.993+00:00calderdale ldwa- the hebdena team building/cake eating exercise for marathon-schmarathon#2<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6741517177/" title="wind assisted running by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6741517177_1fa950132c.jpg" alt="wind assisted running" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div>22 miles<br />4000 ft ascent<br />6 food stops (checkpoints)<br />2 coconut slices<br />a handful of jelly sweets<br />1 peanut butter cookie<br />some malt loaf<br />a cheese sandwich<br />a piece of stollen<br />numerous cups of squash<br />and in the community centre at the finish; a bowl of veggie stew with as much tea as you like and a glass of mulled wine. followed by apple crumble and custard, in proper bowls with waitress service!katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-48959967956706489042012-01-14T22:23:00.002+00:002012-01-14T22:41:19.226+00:00...bleaklow...hpm reccy<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6697289513/" title="hidden by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6697289513_8e1770e89b.jpg" alt="hidden" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">minus 5 in the car with the sun still rising. a warming jog up onto the edge with hoar frosted grass crunching under foot. finally, a proper winter's day. perfect for the bogs of bleaklow. the racing lines still not quite found but we weren't far off. shattering of thick peat ice as i take myself and teammate into the dank mire of hydrogen sulfide, with bruises to prove it. counting the stakes and climbing the groughs, jelly sweets were hard earned today. more of the same please.<br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-89844489872765884082012-01-12T13:05:00.002+00:002012-01-22T17:47:38.032+00:00strathpuffer 24<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tBDnX35yMwE/Tw7WZjTasQI/AAAAAAAABKc/gjBoiY_yErI/s1600/IMG_0383.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 220px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tBDnX35yMwE/Tw7WZjTasQI/AAAAAAAABKc/gjBoiY_yErI/s400/IMG_0383.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696726313132011778" border="0" /></a>i'd already been driving for 2hrs before the sun started to rise. this is my favourite time day, anything is possible and when the colours are right it makes me feel invincible. passing the snow dusted fells of the lake district, with the dark orange sun creeping up into the sky, it was a glorious morning. was this a sign, it felt like a sign and what with my usual 'race preparation' i needed something. feeling just as under prepared and under trained as usual, i decided to take comfort in this familiarity. i made a promise to myself. this year <a href="http://www.strathpuffer.co.uk/home">strathpuffer</a> would not beat me, i would ride until the end. i would ride until the sun came up. i knew i wouldn't be fast or even smooth over the technical ground but i would keep going.<br /><br />having spent my hotel budget on ice spikers i was camping on site this year. as it turned out the snow and ice also had other plans. this year the air was moist and warm, the course rocky and muddy, no excuses. i was woken on the saturday morning by <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0071mxr">the adventure show</a>, they want to get the perspective of solo racers and asked the question i'd been dreading, "how do you train for an event like this?". after much laughter i headed to the start line.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">the first fire road climb went for as long as i remembered, the rock section just as tricky, the singletrack just as twisty, the mud, well this was a first but not nearly as bad as it looked. and the views, the views were beautiful. you'll have to take my word for it, as in the interest of 'pushing on' and not making excuses i left my camera in the tent. keep on spinning, keep on moving.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3C7mZzanRcI/Tw7XWkHX4UI/AAAAAAAABKk/R3Is6YQbBEY/s1600/meee.tiff"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 222px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3C7mZzanRcI/Tw7XWkHX4UI/AAAAAAAABKk/R3Is6YQbBEY/s400/meee.tiff" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696727361321951554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">still taken from this ace little <a href="http://www.dirtcam.com/strathpuffer-2012-24-hour-mountain-bike-race">video</a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">and so it went on, slow grinding lap after slow grinding lap. but i was enjoying myself, i was riding my bike, the company of fellow riders was great and the marshals ever cheerier. lap 6 was ridden by the light of the moon. it was stunning, nearly the best lap of the whole ride. then it was time for lights. again, i just pottered on in my own little world. aware that i'd been lapped by both the men's and the women's solos but it really didn't matter. another tea cake and a sip of coke and some more up hill grinding.<br /><br />things got a little harder during the night but it's the same for everyone and it's that sense of camaraderie that gets you through. that and the fact that the light charging guys let me stand by their heater whilst i ate cold pizza. back on the course and back to chatting with anyone willing to slow their pace for a while. this is the unique thing about 'puffer you get all sorts and everyone has a story for their reason to ride in circles for 24hrs. from the proper racing snakes to folks riding in wellies.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">by 6am i was really flagging. an extended pit stop nearly ended it all but i remembered my promise and climbed back on my bike. i kept thinking, 'just one more lap'. i managed to trick myself into doing another 3. by 9am the sun was up but too cloudy for anything magical. just one more lap. and this was the best one. back to riding the rocks after my loss of confidence during the night, views of snow dusted hills, everyone was smiling. i'd bloody done it, i'd kept going. 17 laps and i could finally stop and sit down and not worry about having to get back up.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oaky6pPv7OA/Tw7YBsG3MeI/AAAAAAAABKw/rLVZVDdbnuQ/s1600/IMG_0410.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oaky6pPv7OA/Tw7YBsG3MeI/AAAAAAAABKw/rLVZVDdbnuQ/s400/IMG_0410.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696728102201668066" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">and to top it off i'd managed to ride into 2nd*. totally unaware that <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/jojoa1">jo</a> had been asleep for a few hours and was now chasing me down. she finished just 4mins behind, i'm glad i didn't know!! i can't recommend this race enough, the course is great and the atmosphere is fantastic. well worth the drive.<br /><br />oh, and happy new year folks!!<br /><br /></div><span style="font-size:78%;">*out of 3 women but sounds better than 16/50 overall. </span>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-83834307792776577182011-12-19T10:30:00.000+00:002011-12-19T10:31:48.685+00:00pass the brandy<div style="text-align: justify;">final piece of skool work handed in today. barring alien abduction i should pass year1 of nurse skool, wont find out until the end of january though. i guess that kinda makes me a third of a nurse...anyway, time to start thinking about christmas! as usual i have yet to buy any presents, but i have made some mince pies. jane has excelled herself again with her cake decorations. penguins were so <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/17024032@N04/sets/72157622895979439/detail/">2009</a>, this year it's all about the 'nativity owls'!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6536889273/" title="OWL CAKE by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7162/6536889273_d850b3f7c2.jpg" alt="OWL CAKE" height="320" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">merry christmas fellow bloggers! hope there's hills and snow for everyone, if not at least a few slices of cake.<br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-72512409897168450092011-12-17T19:10:00.000+00:002011-12-17T19:13:59.535+00:00wish you were here...<div style="text-align: justify;">i'd like to dedicate this fine john shuttleworth number to the other half of team marathon-schmarathon#2, who were stuck the other side of the hill today.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9Ufc8bnD8DE" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">our choice was simple, a character building jog over bleaklow in whiteout conditions or a beautiful run along the edge. we chose to weave between the snow dusted grit stone boulders. you know it's been a good run when you have to add a little bit on the end, just for extra snow time. more pictures taken than miles trod but i think it might have been the most fun-est run of the year. a totally unexpected smile-a-thon, just a shame we didn't get to share it with everyone. days like today make you remember those early mornings pavement pounding are all worth it. happy running everyone.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6526816537/" title="351/365 by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6526816537_cae70aae0a.jpg" alt="351/365" height="296" width="500" /></a><br /></div></div></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-22508906536166986332011-12-11T18:27:00.002+00:002011-12-11T18:50:47.043+00:00soggy blog jog<div style="text-align: justify;">isn't running just brilliant?!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6493830087/" title="soggy blog jog by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6493830087_e38bb4d5ed.jpg" alt="soggy blog jog" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">surely alarm bells would sound if you'd arranged to meet two blokes off the internet for a run around the moors. but no-one was murdered, even when the 'navigator' got a little 'confused'. it's soggy jogs like this that make me feel all warm and cosy. i'm reminded of how lucky i am, able to do these hobbies of mine and meet some lovely like minded folk along the way.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6493831715/" title="345/365 by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6493831715_366dc88b44.jpg" alt="345/365" height="276" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">despite the wind and the rain and the lack of snow (and sprightliness on my part) a few hours in the white peak was the perfect start to a sunday morning. so, thank you <a href="http://sbrtrfr.blogspot.com/">steve</a> and <a href="http://fellmonkey.blogspot.com/">simon</a> for coming out to play.<br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-84297548640913032912011-12-04T15:00:00.002+00:002011-12-04T15:15:59.528+00:00it's that time again<div style="text-align: justify;">still talking in hushed tones, entry is yet to be announced but we've gathered a team together. yes, it's time to start thinking about bleaklow again. team marathon-schamrathon#2 had its first <a href="http://highpeakclub.union.shef.ac.uk/hpm/index.html">hpm</a> reccy run out yesterday.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6452620153/" title="337/365 by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6452620153_2b4482d025.jpg" alt="337/365" height="314" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">due to injury and house moves we've 2 new members, so started with the 'easy' bit. the first 3 ups and the long drag of a road section. a few showers gusted over us, stunning breaks in the cloud with bright green light spots highlighting the fields. hopefully a good introduction to the 42miler.....<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6452625715/" title="wind blur by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7019/6452625715_4ef5c58417.jpg" alt="wind blur" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />*knee seems to be healing, it's just the downs that niggle a bit.</span>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-88317661002560931212011-11-21T18:59:00.000+00:002011-11-21T19:58:23.096+00:00whatta week<div style="text-align: justify;">it all started with an agency shift on a mystery ward and end up with me puking on my own shoes, whilst trying to source breakfast in london. these things were not at all related by the way and the later was very much self inflicted. in between, i had a birthday and celebrated with a lovely jog along the edge, some indoor bouldering and a huge slice of cake. another shift, another ward, this one had a bone densitometer. several winter sun bicycle commutes. some lectures about the importance of inter-professional communication, we were given the wrong time and room on our timetables.... we saw a musical about judy garland, grayson perry's exhibition and stewart lee stand up, not all on the same evening though. meals in and meals out, mexican street food and a chocolate ganache hangover. too much booze and too much food and not enough sleep. fantastic.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6378067427/" title="319/365 by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6047/6378067427_dfbd90d2a8.jpg" alt="319/365" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div>a preemptive christmas detox started today.katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-91097230748601162292011-11-13T10:04:00.002+00:002011-11-13T10:14:39.780+00:00*that* knee again<div style="text-align: justify;">old lefty has started playing up again. jane has also been suffering with knee niggle, the omm has a lot to answer for. but we both managed a pain free 2miler this morning, followed by half an hour of stretching. i'm now back in bed and continuing to nurse a slight hangover. normal service has resumed.<br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-60136823189004027262011-11-07T19:48:00.004+00:002011-11-07T20:12:48.193+00:00last shift sunrise<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6322952349/" title="last shift sunrise by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/6322952349_f321f0aac9.jpg" alt="last shift sunrise" height="226" width="500" /></a><br /></div>finished my placement yesterday all signed off and passed. i have to say it was actually quite emotional leaving. i suppose it has a lot to do with the type of work that goes on in rehabilitation wards. often providing the most intimate of care whilst having a laugh and a joke, and watching patients gain in their independence. it's been the most rewarding job i've ever had.<br /><br />dear <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl1jPqqTdNo">mr lansley</a>, if the nhs still exists by the time i qualify i really wouldn't mind a job in nursing.<br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-35137992156863439322011-11-01T18:53:00.003+00:002011-11-01T19:16:58.488+00:00original mountain marathon: perthshire<div style="text-align: justify;">i have a love/hate relationship with the <a href="http://www.theomm.com/event-series/omm">omm</a>. there's a subtle undertone of masochism about it. held the last weekend in october the weather is very likely to be wet and wild, the clocks go back gifting you an extra hour in a small damp tent and the size of the event means there are long muddy queues for everything*. the fact that this year's base camp was stationed at an old prisoner of war camp only added to atmosphere. with this in mind fast forward to saturday early afternoon or death march as i like to call it.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6301949398/" title="301/365 by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6220/6301949398_2c74107f9a.jpg" alt="301/365" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">grim faced, head down, rain finding its way in between the layers, almost every step is at least ankle deep in cold boggy water. i am struggling to find anything enjoyable about the experience. jane is doing a brilliant job at navigating, visibility is as low as my morale. apparently we're in the hills of perthshire, we could have been anywhere. anywhere that's cold and wet and soggy under foot. it wasn't until i started chatting to another team that i realised quite how grumpy i was feeling. they were both smiles and laughter. it was their first mountain marathon. they'll learn**.<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6301943954/" title="soggy by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6038/6301943954_f29b008534_m.jpg" alt="soggy" height="240" width="180" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6301944516/" title="trod by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6301944516_898cbf6678_m.jpg" alt="trod" height="240" width="180" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">strangely we didn't seem to be climbing much, or descending much for that matter. just monotonous grassy knolls with the odd waist high burn crossing and bog extraction to keep things interesting. did i mention it was raining and the water cold? i began to worry about having enough food, jane began to worry about reaching the mid camp before dark. we both silently began to worry about actually finishing the bloody thing. not quite survival mode but it was jelly babies every fifteen minutes. a real effort made to see the funny side.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />eventually we made it to the mid camp. pitching up in the gloaming, some 7 and half hours after setting off. at this point jane got cold. very cold. unable to stop shivering. two sleeping bags and many, many hot drinks later hypothermia is staved off. we settle down to an evening of david sedaris and rehydrated noodles. it's still raining by the way. every time i leave the tent i'm unable to remember which tiny green shape is ours. wandering around in the dark calling jane's name, waiting for her to signal me towards my bed. the third time this happened i could hear other folk laughing at me. i would have been laughing too, except i was wearing jane's only dry piece of clothing and it was getting wet. a late night toilet trip reveals that somehow we've made it into the chasing start, being less than 1.5hrs behind the lead female team. ours spirits are lifted but it may have been the whisky. exhausted and physically drained sleep came easily.<br /><br />woken by bagpipes at dawn, feeling almost refreshed but concerned about what we were going to wear. everything was still sodden but it had actually stopped raining. after much faff we made it to the start. just. my turn to navigate, fortunately the cloud was low rather than down. no cockups, a few big ups and a few craggy views snatched. day2 was shaping up to be a real mountain marathon of a day.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6301411025/" title="303/365 by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6301411025_3ee5cec3a9.jpg" alt="303/365" height="325" width="500" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">i think it started to rain again, it was certainly a little windy. routes to check points were now 2 person wide sloppy trods. half an hour wouldn't go by without one of us falling over. concepts of dry and upright were being altered, the boundaries of pleasure being pushed. another 7 hour + day on the hill, did we bite off more than we can chew? i'm not sure. scores on the doors, 60/96, out of 120 odd starters and 5th female team in b class. over recovery peri-peri chicken jane was already talking of 'next year'. personally i think she is confusing a sense of satisfaction with a sense of fun!***<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br />*considering the number of teams involved the organisation is impressive.<br />** sadly they retired after day1. i recon they'll be back!</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">*** jane has proof read this for me, her first comment "but it makes it sound like you didn't enjoy it"!!!! exactly. but i loved the nandos in sterling.<br /><br /><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodhank/6301945138/" title="302/365 by Good Hank, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6117/6301945138_96c31534a7_m.jpg" alt="302/365" height="151" width="240" /></a><br />me, enjoying my hobby.<br /></div></div></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7663785665483842124.post-53555575477323471252011-10-27T22:44:00.003+01:002011-10-27T23:03:30.665+01:00omm prep.<div style="text-align: justify;">there's been a few kit changes since the <a href="http://teacake-kate.blogspot.com/2011/09/rab-mountain-marathon-snowdonia.html">rab</a>. lemoncello has been substituted with whisky, the cryptic crossword swapped for the quick. we've decided to take an ipod loaded with david sedaris short stories and old desert island discs. could be a lovely relaxing weekend. also, i've been trialing a new training regime that involves no running what so ever. <br /></div>katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15181895420538192368noreply@blogger.com6