Day 122 - a third of the way!

Well, that's four months in, only eight more to go! 

I finished off 2012 with a five mile tour of Otley, probably my most well run training route. However, tonight's run included a detour to join the walkers (Pamela, Emma and Andy) down to the river to look at the Wharfe which is, once again, in full spate with very little drop over the weir. Quite spectacular but also quite scary in the dark.

Otherwise tonight's run was uneventful but takes the tally to 583 miles. Averaging 4.78 miles per day.

Happy New Year everyone and here's to a full calendar of running in 2013!!

Day 121 - back to pounding the quiet streets of Otley

Just three tonight and it was indeed very quiet out. Raining again as I type this, But just wet and blustery for my run.

Three more to the tally and after almost four months I've now run 578 miles.

Day 120 - back to Otley two

Back from blue skies, sunshine and snow clad mountains to a rainy, grey Leeds!

Still, no more uphill/downhill running, just the usual two mile Otley loop. Nice and easy.

Two more miles takes the tally to 575.

Day 119 - more snow!

Fresh snow over night and during the day made for some interesting conditions today, sticky snow and lots of moguls, so, a slightly more challenging day but another good days skiing.

Run tonight was up hill for 15 minutes to Roormoos Intertal, then turn around and back down to the apartment. The Kathoola micropsikes were as good in fresh snow as in the ice.

Another 3 miles, 573 now run.

Day 118 (Thursday 27 December) - Tobogganing!

Another leisurely day on a Tranter Tours holiday with another full days skiing in the sunshine followed by another 20 minute run (down the mountain and then back up), a quick couple of games of table tennis followed by floodlit tobogganing - which was very cool!

So, two more miles to the tally takes the total to 570.

Day 117 - snow is fallin'

Rain in the valley this morning for our walk to the ski station but snowing higher up. Some good fresh snow to ski on, though with temperatures changing as we skied down so did the snow conditions.

Good day though.

Early meal out meant fitting in today's run a bit earlier, so I took my running kit to the ski station, left it in the locker then changed as soon as we'd skied back down. Not sure how far the run back from the lift station is, but did a bit of a detour through the town before heading up the hill and had to finish off with a few laps of the hotel car park. Exactly 20 minutes, more than one mile, but probably less then two. Still, half of that was up hill! 

About 567 miles now run.

Day 116 - Christmas Day!

Well, a garunteed white Christmas with snow all around us making for a perfect Christmas Day. Another great days skiing, another three miles icy run and then an evening of skittles - with the Tranter/Jones team taking first and second prizes!

Day 116, 565 miles now run.

Day 115 - ski Monday

Well, tumbling down a mountain and landing on your head really isn't a good idea. Sore hip and a mild case of whiplash meant a rather in unresponsive body! Still, managed another good days skiing in almost perfect conditions - good snow, nobody about, sunshine, fabulous views, oh, and hot chocolate (with rum) and lunch.

Run was a reverse of Saturday, up to Rhoormoos on the footpath (lit by moonlight) then back down the hill on the freshly groomed piste (by head torch and moonlight). Nice run.

Another 3 miles taking the tally to 562.

Day 114 - tumble down mountain!

Well, that's what I did today! Ironic really, we bought skiing helmets for the first time this year, partly because last time we went skiing everyone seemed to be wearing them and Emma has always had one, mainly because its been compulsory for 'children'. 

So, then I go and do a massive wipeout, the first I can every remember, taking a huge blow to my head. Helmets, just as we'll then! Apart from that, a great days skiing.

Still had time to fit in a run,despite warm temperatures today, and even rain, it was starting to ice up again by the time I went out so, back on with the Kathoolas and more 'I'm so impressed by this bit of kit moments. Ran down into Schladming, then followed a waterfall route (floodlit) before the return, uphill journey.

So, about two miles, taking the tally to 559.

Day 113 - running on ice!

Half way up an Austrian hill in winter And running options are either up, or down and on ice! Ran a mix of icy/slushy pavements and skiing pistes. It was dark but a few people were skiing with head torches. Hard going uphill, even on piste and dodgy coming back down the road. Temperature was about 2 degrees C mid-afternoon but had dropped to frozing by the time I ventured out. About 4.30pm.

After my run I put on my Kathoola micro spikes for the first time just to try them out. They are amazing!! Not a slip over the sheet ice on the car park and the grip on the compacted piste was amazing. Looking forward to tomorrow's run already!

Ran for about 40 minutes today and covered about 3 miles, but I did ascend over 500 feet.

So, tally keeps rising, 113 days and 557 miles.

Day 112 - just the minimum two today

It's the holidays!! Packing, cleaning, tidying, so only time for the minimum two miles. Very uneventful, it wasn't even raining. Hoping to try out the Kathoola micro spikes over the next week.....

Have also signed up for another challenge, Marathon Talks 'Jantastic' as part of the West Highland Way Race team. Google it!

Right, that's 554 miles run and time to eat. Or put another way, wine o'clock!

Day 111 - even wetter!

Just two miles today, at about 9:45. A long day! Early start off to the station on the Brompton in the pouring rain. Train to Newcastle then gales and more rain to the office. Same on the way back! Straight off to Leeds museum for the school celebration evening. Exhausted!

I need a holiday. Only the running will be continuing!

552 miles now run.

Day 110 - five miles of speed work in the rain

Wet, wet, wet. Usual five miles loop, only in the rain. Rather amusingly there were lots of runners in town, armed with head torches and maps and running hither and thither, seemingly all going in different directions. Hilarious!

So, another five miles and the milestone of 550 miles reached.

Day 109 - five fartlek

Definitely more of a spring in my step today so did a bit of fartlek - speed work! Felt good. Usual five mile circuit around Otley but noticed there is not one, but two train hedges in Otley! Unbelievable. Not only that, but someone has been painting the lamp posts on North Avenue black. Lovely smell of paint in the night air....

Another five miles ticked off, 545 now run.

Day 108 - five to the hoot of owls!

Just the usual five mile loop around Otley today. Not too cold, but dull, wet and damp. Still, the atmosphere was lifted by the hoots of owls in the woods around Ellar 
Ghyll. Spooky!

Five more miles takes the tally to 540.

Day 107 - TEN

Longest run for a while so took it easy. A new route, mixing a 7 and 8 mile loop to make 10. Included Old Pool Bank, a steady climb that rises 300 feet over 1.2 miles.

So, 10 miles takes the tally up to 535, bang on 5 miles per day on the 365 challenge so far.

Day 106 - Bradford parkrun

Bradford parkrun again today, 5th time running at Lister Park and not sure where to get some extra speed from! Felt like I was running much harder than last time out but still finished in 19:20, two seconds slower than last time though I did coast over the line today as a PBn wasn't on and there was no one in sight behind - the 'Teeny, Tiny Hill' is great for over taking and 'dropping' the opposition!

So, must try harder. Though I did come in 3rd place, so quite happy with that.

Day 106 done, 525 miles now run.

Day 105 - day of two halves

Day started with sub zero temperatures, freezing fog, black ice. Slippy! It finished with rain, more mist/fog and temperatures soaring to 6 degrees C, but dry for my run and no longer any ice danger.

5 miles this evening, usual Otley circuit. Takes the tally to 524 miles run.

Day 104 - two cold!

Freezing today, with Otley staying shrouded in mist all day. Cycling back from the station at the end of the day my hands froze solid, took some warming up under the hot tap!

So, just two miles tonight. Cold, but ground was drier today, much less ice about.

Two miles drops the average below five a day, 519 miles now run.

Day 103 - happy 17th birthday Emma!

Celebrated Emma's birthday with lunch at Betty's in Ilkley today - very nice! But tonight she's out with her friends so it was back out onto the cold frosty streets of Otley for a gentle five miles. Unsurprisingly it was very quiet out.

103 days, 517 miles run.

Day 102 - two chilly miles

Back from the freezing northeast to an equally cold Yorkshire. Just the minimum two tonight on frosty and occasionally icy ground. Took it fairly steady!

Tally now up to 512 miles, only just above 5 miles per day. Might need to start upping the mileage again.

Day 101 - two miles too early, again!

Two strategy 'away days' on Teesside so decided to get today's run out of the way early (5.30 am), rather than take running kit, headtorch etc to try and find somewhere to run from a hotel/conference centre next the A9 in the middle of nowhere.

Surprisingly quiet on the streets. A bit frosty, and black ice on Birdcage Walk, which was useful info for my cycle to the station.

510 miles now run.

Day 100!

Wow! Day 100 already, that has gone very quickly. I think I'm beginning to enjoy running everyday.

Day 100 was completed with the Epilepsy Action Reindeer Stampede at Roberts Park in Shipley, right next door to Saltaire which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Perfect day today, record entries, well over 200, nearly all in some sort of fancy dress. Blue skies, no ice, sunshine and a really good atmosphere.

As ever decided to take it easy and romped home in 3rd place in 20:38. Amazingly, all three of my reinder runs have been completed within 6 seconds of each other.

So, 100 days consecutive running, 508 miles run, 265 days to go.

Day 99 - three easy

Just three easy miles around Otley today with Pamela. Very dull, grey day, but not as cold as recent days. Was scheduled to do 10 today, but after Friday's dash to Coventry to see Mumford and Sons at the NEC last night, and then the mad dash back this morning to get Emma to work, we both felt a bit tired! Great concert though.

And tonight we are off to the stunning venue of the local parish church to hear Otley Choral Society sing the Messiah. Cushions compulsory.

So, that's 505 miles now run, 266 days to go!

Day 98 - slip slidin' away!

Three miles up into the forest at lunchtime. Muddy to start with, then icy. A few impressions of Sully from Monsters Inc. (baby steps, baby steps!) then into downhill skiing mode - mud, leaves and ice on a steep downhill forest track are not a good combination.

Still, made it home without going for 6, unlike India's bowlers(!) and, just like England 's batsmen, 3 more miles takes me passed the 500 mark. 502 miles now run and Sunday's Reindeer Stampede at Roberts Park in Saltaire will mark day 100!

Day 97 - 'twas a dark and stormy night...

Day of real weather contrasts today. Set off for work on my Brompton in the freezing cold, sun starting to climb into the sky colouring it that lovely winter pink and ochre. Lots of ice about too, but made it unscathed to the station.

By the time I got back from York it was dark, raining, windy, still cold and just plain grim.

A few hours later and exactly the same conditions for my run - so just did 5 instead of the scheduled 7. Roll on the Wild Coast Ultra in February - average temperatures about 25 to 30 degrees C!

5 more miles takes the tally to 499!

Day 96 - freezing five

Thermometer was hovering just above zero tonight and it felt like it! Still icy at the foot of Silver Mill Hill but elsewhere fairly dry, apart from outside a house on Leeds Road at the bottom of the hill who had clearly been washing their car this evening.....

Otherwise an uneventful run, five more miles taking the tally up to 494 miles.

Day 95 - four fresh miles

Actually it wasn't fresh, it was freezing! Not as cold as yesterday, but raining, into the wind, brrrrrrr!

Four miles takes the tally to 489 and the 500 mile mark looms ahead of the 100 day mark.

Day 94 - Cold three

Icy day in Otley today, but apart from a few remnants on our hill, the balmy four degrees C had cleared away all the slip hazards. Just three today, but hopefully will now start to build a few bigger mileage weeks.

Running total, 485 miles.

Day 93 - (2nd December) five more miles

Cold still not shifting so did 5 instead of the planned 10. Still very cold, first half of the run was milder than expected, but then I hit the parts of Otley that hadn't seen any sun all day. The ground was still frosty and my head began to hurt!

Still, job done. 482 miles now run as we approach 100 days!

Day 92 - month four, Bradford parkrun

Despite the dire warnings of wide spread ice Lister Park was hazard free today. There was ice on Silver Mill Hill but the new winter tyres coped with that without any trouble. I had offered to guide Helen again today but she had decided not to risk the conditions. Good move, although there was no ice to contend with the very low, bright sun would have reduced her vision to zero at the start.

My PB at Bradford is 19 mins dead, so that was my target, but given this lingering cold I wasn't sure how it would go. However, I had a good run, very consistent pace and moved from 11th place on lap one up to 8th at the finish thanks to two bursts of speed on the 'Teeny, Tiny Hill'.

Finishing time, 19 mins 18 secs.

So, total miles run now 477 as we embark on month four!