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Outrunning cancer

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It's been a busy 10 days: the Yorkshire Three Peaks and two of the most demanding fell races I've done, for different reasons. It was the second time I'd walked the 24 mile route up Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. I actually found it a bit easier this time, largely because my preparation was better. I took - what looked like - too much food. It turned out to be just the right amount. I loaded up on carbs in the days before and filled my body with fluid and electrolytes during the hike. We weren't too concerned with the time but I think it was about an hour or so faster. A few days later, I had a 7 mile fell race along some of the most difficult terrain I've encountered. We set off from Edale and did an incredibly scenic loop, with 2,464 feet of elevation gain. It was brutal. I felt broken afterwards. On Bank Holiday Monday, it was the Bamford Sheepdog Trials Fell Race. It was also 30 odd degrees. I somehow managed to survive the steep climb up to Win Hill a...
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Wait and hope?

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I've had a relatively quiet spell since cross country season ended and the fell running calendar started to open up. I've still been running a few times a week and getting out in the Peaks as often as I can. It was Cressbrook Crawl fell race on Saturday. I'd been warned it was a tough one. It's 6.5 miles with around 1,200 feet of elevation gain. The first mile lulls you into a false sense of security before a brutal second mile. I felt like I was walking for most of it. Some of the downhills are exhilarating and the river crossing is fun, especially with the kids on the banks of the river spraying their water pistols at you. I came 46th out of 127 finishers and I was more than happy with that. It took me an hour. The guy who won completed it in a superhuman 44 minutes, which is roughly my flat road 10K time at the moment. Unreal. I'm doing the Yorkshire Three Peaks at the weekend, followed by another couple of fell races, one next Wednesday and one on the late May B...
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Just keep going

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The Trunce is a somewhat legendary trail race that started in 1968 as a training run for a Steelworker's football team. They would have been tough Yorkshire blokes and, accordingly, it's a tough (but enjoyable) route. It's one I've been meaning to do for a while and I experienced it for the first time on Monday. We set off from the Trans Pennine Trail above Oxspring at around 18:45. Conditions were perfect. I was reliably informed the stepping stones on the River Don crossings were "like glass" and best avoided. The advice was to plough through the river instead. I sometimes question my decisions to enter fell and trail races, usually when I'm struggling up a steep hill. But the exhilaration of the downhills quickly cancels out those negative thoughts. It's like being a kid again. Bombing down a hill, trying not to trip over a root or a rock and go flying. Your mind is completely on the task at hand. Your problems are elsewhere. I came 60th in a field ...
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Surviving to thriving

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20:01. A respectable 5K time for any 44-year-old, but one agonising second away from my sub 20 minute target.  My initial reaction to my chip time at the Donfaster 5K on Friday was disappointment. Could I have given a little bit more? It didn't take long for me to gain some perspective though. I felt strong throughout the race and paced each lap evenly. I didn't come last in a wave of impressive runners, some of whom finished the course in around 15 minutes. I didn't throw up. What's more, the physical act of running a solid race opened up a psychological door to the belief that, with consistent training and effort, I could achieve a lifetime PB and potentially even break 19 minutes. I am still recovering and I am still healing. What awaits, what feels tantalisingly close, is a new era where I switch gears from surviving to thriving. It feels good to be running fast again. Last push towards the finish line.
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You're quiet

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I sat in the Doctor's waiting room this morning reading Murakami's 'What I talk about when I talk about running'. It's described as equal parts travelogue, training log and reminiscence, as the author reflects upon the influence running has had on his life. I'm not far into the book enough to form any opinions, but I'm already struck by the similar character traits I share with Murakami who describes being the type of person who "doesn't find it painful to be alone."  I've always been quite introspective. These days that's not seen as the negative character trait it once was. It's almost fashionable to be an introvert and it's not as socially acceptable for the more brash among us to blurt out: "you're quiet." I've always hated that.  While I do enjoy socialising with the right people, running - especially in nature - provides a breathing space from the business and noise of the modern world. I started reading ...
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Thank you Cyril

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It's approaching a year since we lost our Mum. It's approaching 12 months since I had my last round of treatment. In recent times, I've strived to focus on what I have and what I've gained, rather than what I've lost. It might sound strange but I have developed a sense of gratitude for what acute promyelocytic  myeloid leukemia (aka Cyril) gave me. Cyril critically injured the person I was in early 2025.  Grief killed him. Salman Rushdie said: "To be born again, first you have to die." And I do feel like I have been born again. My experiences have changed the way I think about life and reinforced my priorities. I live a life of genuine gratitude. The aim is not to be happy all the time. It's about being at peace with all of life's inevitable ups and downs. This next phase of my life is about prioritising what matters to me and not doing things to please other people. This means more time for family, friends, loved ones and the activities I'm pa...
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Mountains to climb

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I've got the Winter Olympics on in the background while I tap away on the keyboard. I've always been fascinated by normal people doing super human things. If you've seen cross-country skier Johanes Klaebo in action, you'll know what I mean. There's something slightly unsettling about watching him charge up an 18% incline like a Viking Beserker. Speaking of super human, I was reading about Jasmin Paris recently. I was vaguely aware of her breaking the 268 mile Spine Race ultra marathon record in 2019. I didn't appreciate the enormity of her achievement until I read "Dirtbag Dreams." Paris smashed the previous record by 12 hours. She became the first woman to win the race outright. She did this while expressing milk for her 14-month-old Daughter. Training? 4 am runs in the dark before juggling full-time jobs as a Vet and a Mother. I am in awe. But we all have our own mountains to climb. Mine has been simply to get back to a level of fitness I'm happy...
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