The snow fell heavily as we journeyed up the M6. Turning into Kendal, it seemed to be settling more and more. We were lucky to reach Ambleside in time before the roads became impassable.
Happy to be in a snow capped Lake District for the week.
We had booked a few days in the Lake District in mid-February, a welcome spring break after the long dark Irish winter. Little did I expect this mountainous place to be covered in a foot of snow.
Posted in Running around the World | Tagged Ambleside, Far Easedale Gill, Helm Crag, Lake District, Mountain walking, nature, outdoors, Snow, Wansfell Pike, Winter | 3 Comments »
When I was growing up in Derry, there was a limited selection of sporting things to do. Sure, I was part of the school netball and athletics teams, but that was all that was really available. Since moving back to the North of Ireland this year however I’ve noticed an explosion of sports and associated events, with the local masses participating.
Many happy runners in Derry’s Waterside Half Marathon. Courtesy of donegaldaily.com
It all started last month when I saw more and more runners out on the roads. Running was for the few elites when I was young and so there’d be one or two events in the calendar. But just last Saturday morning I was driving into Derry only to see around 60 bodies decked out in florescent gear running towards me on the road. There were all shapes and sizes, ages and abilities, both men and women, spread out across a 2km stretch. It seems that there is not only Spartan Athletics Club still around but also Foyle Valley AC in addition to the BOLT running club for beginners.
Posted in Running around the World | Tagged Derry, Donegal, FERMO, Foyle Cycling Club, Northern Ireland, nwoc, Orienteering, Road cycling, Running, sports | 4 Comments »
2012 was quite a year. A little over 12 months ago, I was living and working in Cambodia. I visited Burma for a week in February, getting to run around the famous Bagan Temples and the capital Yangoon’s streets. In early March I was off to Thailand to compete in the River Kwai Adventure Race. A bit of trail running in Hong Kong in late March prepared me to run Spain’s Camino de Santiago in April and into May. In June I was in Africa, doing dusty early morning runs in Tanzania before work. And by July, I was back in Cambodia, packing up my belongings for wherever my next adventures would take me.
Quick break in my jog between Burma’s temples of Bagan.
By July, I was also tired of travelling. So I was glad to head back to Ireland, where I was born, for a hint of normality. And though my travels were less, I still managed to fit in Ireland’s longest and toughest adventure race, the 36 hour Beast of Ballyhoura at the start of August.
Posted in Running around the World | Tagged 2012, Adventure Racing, Asia, Burma, Cambodia, Camino de Santiago, Ireland, Tanzania, Travels, USA | 1 Comment »
North West Orienteering Club (NWOC) celebrated its 40th birthday in December. To celebrate, it laid on a score orienteering event in Limavady’s Roe Valley Country Park. Little did I know that it was going to be a “Back to the Future” experience.
Map of Roe Valley Country Park from 40 odd years ago… some details have changed a bit since then.
We had 45 minutes to visit as many controls as possible, with scores for each ranging from 10 to 30 points. The only difference was that we had not one but two maps to work from. That would have been fine, only one of the maps was from 2012 and the other was from the 1970s.
Posted in Running around the World | Tagged Limavady, north west orienteering club, Northern Ireland, NWOD, Old maps, Orienteering, roe valley country park | Leave a Comment »
“It’s the biggest race in Africa. You have to run!” my colleague said. I had just arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city. In less than a week’s time, the Great Ethiopian Run was to take place.
The Great Ethiopian Run in 2011 taking over Addis Ababa’s streets. Photo courtesy of ethiosports.com
I didn’t jump at the idea. It is a 10km road race through the crowded streets of Addis Ababa. And I’m not a road runner. Addis Ababa is also at 2,300 metres altitude, making racing hard on the old legs and lungs. But to make matters worse, 36,000 people were meant to be turning up. I can’t remember the last time I entered a race with more than 100 people.
Posted in Races, Running around the World | Tagged Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa Hash House Harriers, Ethiopia, Great Ethiopian Run, Road Running | 1 Comment »
I’ve never felt so guilty about having a race entry.
Back in October, the Art O’Neill Challenge started to sell race places. The Challenge itself consists of 55km of terrain, 25km on road and 30km deep within the Wicklow Mountains. What makes it all the more difficult is that it starts in the middle of the night, in the depths of Irish winter.
The line of Art O’Neill participants in 2011.
Despite it sounding a total torture fest, people rave about the Art O’Neill. So much so that last time over five hundred people entered the challenge. The vast majority hiked the route, taking between 12 and 17 hours to complete it. A few brave souls ran it, with the record now standing at 6 hours 45 minutes.
With last year’s popularity, I thought there must be something to it. So, when the Art O’Neill opened for business, I logged on and registered. It was quick and simple. And I thought nothing much more of it. All I needed to do now was a bit of training and a few recces.
Posted in Running around the World | Tagged Art O'Neill Challenge, Challenge Walk, Ireland, Ultra Running, Wicklow Mountains | 1 Comment »
“I see it is proposed to hold this years AGM in Clonmel (in County Tipperary). Who decided this and why? This to me is a recipe for a poorly attended AGM and is consequently undemocratic. 90% of IMRA’s activity and members are based near Dublin/Wicklow and the AGM has been held there for as long as I can remember – why change now?”
Enjoying running up Slievenamon, Tipperary’s “Woman’s Mountain”. Photo courtesy of Gerry Brady.
Such was the post that was left on the Irish Mountain Runners Association’s (IMRA) forum back in September 2012. It was a reasonable concern. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is usually held in Glencormac Inn just south of Dublin, with a run around Powerscourt Ridge as a warm-up. Now they wanted Dublin-based people to drive two hours down to Tipperary and join their Munster mountain running compatriots. Little did they know that the enticement of running up and down Slievenamon would result in a decent turn-out.
Posted in Races, Running around the World | Tagged AGM, IMRA, Ireland, Mountain Running, Slievenamon, Tipperary | Leave a Comment »
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