I’ve just returned from my enforced holiday – I booked it months ago at the height of my Ironman training to ensure that I got one trip away that was not related to a racing or mountaineering. I did have a plan whilst in Istanbul to symbolically run from Europe to Asia and back, but it turns out the bridges than span the two continents have been restricted to pedestrians for a few years (with the exception of the Istanbul marathon). It’s been good to get a bit of downtime, and I have put together a modest race calendar for the rest of 2014….
A bike shop filled to the rafters in Istanbul
First up, the Great North Run in early September. It’s a half marathon distance event, which I PB’ed on last year, but I’ve improved my PB twice since. I don’t fancy my chances at improving my PB as it’s in less than three weeks and I haven’t done any serious running in several weeks. I may volunteer to pace a friend to their PB.
Secondly, I may enter a late season triathlon. I got a respectable position at the Nantwich-based Cheshire early season triathlon, so I thought I may push myself to improve my standing at the upcoming September Cheshire triathlon, though I don’t want to enter and have a poor performance. I’ve really missed a trick this season- it turns out that I am in great shape for sprint and Olympic distance triathlons after my first Ironman, and had I planned my race calendar better, I could be setting PBs on both those distances late this season.
Third, the Born Survivor marathon, also in September. This is a novel undertaking- I don’t take these courses too seriously so it should be a fun day out with a friend, beating ourselves round the course. My friend does adventure races at GB level- no pressure! I’m intrigued as to whether these long distance muddy obstacle courses will take off in a big way. Based on what I’ve seen over the last few years, the crowds who attend Tough Mudder style events aren’t the same who regularly do marathons.
Fourth, not a race but my first weekend training stint late September in preparation for Aconcagua. I’ll be somewhere in Scotland slogging round the hills with a rucksack and mountaineering boots, in the company of a hyperactive friend who’s in the Forces. Oh, the company I keep! Beyond that, my racing calendar intentionally winds down (two other events) as expedition preparation picks up, ready for Aconcagua in mid December!
Roll on the good times.
GeekintheHills
Geek in the Hills 