Too low for Zero - Elton John

Before I looked at the temperature in my car today, I knew it was cold. The Minus 10.5 degrees only confirmed to me that it was not only cold, but downright bloody freezing. In a scene from the inside of a deep freeze icebox (my Mini), I made a clear commitment to myself that any future cold desert expedition was just pure stupidity on my part.

Even though it does seem a shame as I always fancied walking to the North or South Pole…

Please don’t try and convince me as, I know there are some remarkable fabrics and layers out there that can even keep a Salter warm (although I doubt it somewhat) but it seems that I am getting just as bad about the cold as the rain, and that ain’t good.

You see, I need sunlight and warmth coupled with some good long runs in the warm countryside… and that just isn’t happening right now.

Australia, seems light years away and I only hope our central heating boiler can keep up its Smelting Iron Ore temperature output as the ULTRArace office is the only warm place in Britain right now…

We’ll be burning old trainers and kit if it packs up…

More tomorrow… now where’s my big slipper?

Progress - Take That

It's all progress as I head towards the end of 2010... and start to really plan for the 2011 season ahead. I have been looking back at my marathon year. I don't think that I really did my best and looking at this positively, I will have clocked in 32 marathons or ultra-marathons, clocked up a ten year marathon PB and beaten the 10 hour barrier at The Round Rotherham... Yet somehow, I know I can do a hell of a lot better if I really try my heart out...


So, I am going to get my arse into gear and set some goals for next year. Top 150 at MdeS would be good and a sub 3:30 marathon would be amazing to do again at this stage in my career.


Maybe I am not the only one thinking this way about 2010... if you do too... let me know.


More tomorrow...

Wow - Kate Bush

Kate Bush sums it up so well about my run out on The Cardiff Ultra course... WOW, couldn't be a better word for it. This course is simply A M A Z I N G! From the moment I joined the trail just south of Pontsticill, I knew this was going to be one of those magical runs that you only get every so often... I was just in the right place at the right time today.

Tunnels, Ice, Snow, Viaducts, Lakes, Dams, Hills, Downhills are just a few things that spring to mind. Going under an Isambard Kingdom Brunel viaduct added icing to a magical iced cake!

It was an extremely hard workout actually... Neck breakingly slippery just doesn't describe how dangerous it was in reality, however I think that added to the run if I am being honest.

If you were thinking about entering The Cardiff ULTRA... make sure you do as it's going to be brilliant... I can't WAIT to run on it again.

31.2 miles just wasn't enough!

Row, Row, Row your Boat - Charles Kelly

Amazing this morning watching the 'Welsh Indoor Rowing Championships' in Cardiff. The quality of the young athletes pushing themselves through the pain barrier to complete distraction in some cases was quite amazing to watch.

The best competition by far (and of course I am biased) was the Womens Lightweight U23 final which had an extra Ladies 35-39 entry... one Jen Salter. Looking very lithe Jen was amazingly relaxed and had done all of one six minute row practice last week and promptly ended up second beating all but one of Wales U23 finest rowers. It was most exciting I can tell you, with all the times and positions displayed on a screen at the front of the arena.

Of course she was mildly pissed off that she was first in her category out of one but then who cares as she is the Champion... might drag up myself next year and have a go... might struggle with the sub 60kgs weight limit though!

More tomorrow from the Cardiff Ultra course...

Student Driver - Stellar Kart

In these days of high vis jackets and health and safety when will we notice that the current way of teaching people to drive is more than just risky ... it's downright dangerous! Take the weather for instance... minus 8 degrees C in Breaston this morning (with it being so cold that my doors froze solid with me still inside the car, with a Dukes of Hazzard style window entry and exit system, I kid you not) there were still learner drivers out on the road. An 'L' plate on the back of a car in fast traffic in bad weather without experience is just madness... and not pleasant to be behind I can tell you.

For heavens sake someone please change this outdated process... From what we saw today people who have passed their tests seem unable to drive in a straight line at a sensible speed and they have driving experience, or you would have thought.

We are down in Wales this weekend and on our journey down the M42 we saw a chap reading the Yellow Pages whilst weaving and trying to dial a number as he did 70+ on the inside lane... what a nutbox!

I hope son of mine, Sam (17) who has just passed his theory test will not be letting his fingers do the walking whilst driving along... or anything else for that matter that distracts him, I dread to think. Loads of young, inexperienced drivers get into loads of crashes and near misses. No wonder elder son George's (19) first quote on his insurance renewal was over £3000, his demograph has the worst road safety figures it seems..

IMO it's time for a re-think on the learner and bad driver front... make 'em take a few tests in lots of different conditions including the motorway, that's what I say and our roads would be a safer place. Best of all though, stay at home and keep warm...

If not come to Wales it's tropical against Derbyshire, I might get my trunks out and get down the beach tomorrow as it looks like it might get above zero... Although I'll be running there though as Saturday morning is a popular time to get the 'L' plates on and I don't want to get behind another Learner Driver...

I'll belt up now and more tomorrow...

World Cup Willlie - Lonnie Donnegan

Dressed in red white and blue
That's World Cup Willie
We all love him too
World Cup Willie
He's tough as a lion and never will give up
But for some of funny reason...
We didn't get the 2018 World Cup.

I wonder how much our World Cup bid cost the UK's economy today? Getting Prince William, The PM plus all the hanger's on, Seb Coe - (The famous centre forward) et al out to Zurich has to be a huge waste of money no matter how close/far away we were with England's pitch.

You see we always struggle on this type of thing... take Eurovision for instance we never seem to do all that well do we... Cliff Richard was robbed when he came second in 1973! And we were robbed today both by not getting the bid and by putting so much into something that we knew we'd never win.

England and World Cups just don't mix nowadays it seems...

Eve of the War - Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds

My my, Christmas does seem to be more of a battle these days than a celebration... As we head deep into Christmas season , yes it's only the 1st of December, there is a bit of added panic in the shops it feels. At ULTRArace we are trying to fit a month into the next 27 days as we are off to Australia on the 28th and we have Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the Breaston Beast on the 27th to fit into our busy schedule.

This time of year it seems that the public are unaware of things are going to happen and just panic. Bad winter weather and that old chestnut Christmas most of all... The recent bad weather illustrates just how we can't cope with cold weather in the UK. You thought we would have been used to this as it happens every year!

Ah well, it all gives us more time over the next few days to work and prepare for the 2011race series and with any luck we will have ULTRAstore up and finished in the next few days and the snow will have been and gone as I don't think that I will be at the Luton Marathon this weekend.

Maybe if it is I can go Christmas Shopping?

Think not eh? More tomorrow...