Bring it on

I just noticed that the Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon (SLMM) is taking entries now for the July 1/2 2006 race. It seems the description and names of the race classes are a little different to the KIMM or the LAMM.

If anyone has any tips on how to reconcile the differences, or some sort of good weather comparison chart, then that would be worth posting.

I'm off for 8 days winter walking and training soon, so not much running and not much posting - see ya later.

Weekend sun

This weekend I got the chance to run in the Lake District - a pleasant change. I stayed in Great Tower, a Scout campsite near Windermere, but managed a run in Langdale. The weather was really good with bright clear skies and quite calm in the valleys. This week my tip is to not repeat what I did - forget to put your National Trust card in the window, when parking in a NT carpark. I didn't get clamped or anything, but I did run back to the car asap instead of going up the hill - shame, especially if you think about how you've paid for membership - card in window or not.

I shall really have to do more hill running in the Lakes. The scenary is so pleasant and the beer is pretty good too...

Success turns to disappointment

After the pleasure of seeing my name in letters almost 10 pixels high… Well, it’s the location that matters, not the size and my name was written next to Second Place (Mini Night Cup) after last weeks Night ‘O’. 27 points. Woo hoo. After that unexpected success, I failed miserably at this weeks Night ‘O’. There is no need to wait for the letters DNF (Did not finish) to appear beside my name – I know that already.

Actually, this could be a good thing, early in the Night League. Last year, in my first couple of orienteering events I was beaten by W12s (12-14 yr girls) and M70s (70+ yr men). It is the kind of experience that gives you determination to succeed or makes you quit. Well, I’m not going to get mad. I’m going to get even! I hope.

In case anyone wonders how you can do OK one week and rubbish the next – I have no explanation or excuse. I didn’t like the course selection and had never been to the area before, but then I had never been to Corsedarder before last week either. I’m going to treat it as a new thing in orienteering. I have experienced it, am learning from it and when I come across it again, maybe I’ll get round the course!

Loriston Country Park

I had a pleasant enough run today in Aberdeen to want to blog about it straight away...

Initially I didn't know where to start and drove around Tullos industrial estate for a bit before parking next to Doonies Rare Breeds Farm. From the car park there is an access path to the higher ground and it is only 100m to the coastal path access points. I found some photos of the area (Thanks Paul...).

Anyway, I ran up the hill and south west to a trig point. Heading north through what looked like an old landfill site and over the railway, I went left around the treatment works and across the playing fields to the corner of the golf course. Down the road toward the harbour, I followed the edge of the golf course, on the road. Crossing onto the coastal path I ran past the lighthouse to Nigg Bay and then up to the top of the cliffs. This bit and probably more is part of a BBC coastal walk (Thanks beeb). Photography Blog also has a good picture of Girdleness.

At the cliffs, the road diverges from the path, so follow the path. At the railway bridge by the traffic lights I cut things short and headed back to the car, but you can add an extra mile and a half by following the path to the next bridge. It took me about an hour, but I'm slow...

I'd recommend it to anyone in Aberdeen city who wants to get out and about for an hour or two, especially as it can be started from the Dee river path, which links up to the coastal path quite nicely.