Ola!  My favourite outdoor-cum-fashion retailer, North Face, have kindly been in touch again looking for a foolhardy runner to test out one of their new products.  I say foolhardy because of the weather.

Summer looks like it might finally have arrived, but I bet my bottom dollar that when you looked out your window over the last 9 months it would’ve been a tad grey, probably a bit mizzly, and there

Check me out!

might’ve been a sad looking squirrel digging for all his nuts are worth. By cripes it was a hell of a winter and spring! But I kept up a punishing run to work series, for numerous reasons:  it gets my daily exercise out of the way, it means I miss the ruddy Underground in London. And, oh, I was training for the Marathon des Sables and a solid slog in the morning was a great assist in this.

So I’ve been cold, and by the time the good folk from North Face issued their latest long sleeve tee to me a couple of months ago, I was ready for some running inspiration and a good reason to post another blog

Hot / Cold, you decide?!

The North Face Men’s GTD long sleeve T shirt is described as thus:-

“A lightweight running shirt, The North Face Men’s GTD Long Sleeved is moisture-wicking with body-mapped ventilation for optimum comfort and endurance.”

It’s a thin long sleeve tshirt designed not to overly heat the wearer.   But if it’s hot, run in short sleeve right?  Shouldn’t a long sleeve be needed when it’s cold?  And if so then maybe it doesn’t need to be so lightweight?

And so the story with the ‘T’ began.  My previous forays into product review of North Face has been with the excellent North Face Hayasa Trail running shoe and the Stormy Trail Jacket.  Both were excellent, offering something which I hadn’t experienced before in their fields.  The trail shoe was far less clunkier than others previously used, and the trail jacket kept me dry and warm in one of the cruddiest winters ever!

But the GTD T Shirt.  Hmm, I took delivery of this in the first few months of the year and understood it was part of their Spring range.   Is Spring warm or cold?  Dunno.

Hmmm?

And that’s how I felt about the GTD.  Lovely to look at that it was, and as comfortable on the skin it felt, I’m not quite sure what its real purpose is.  If it’s cold, you wrap up with a proper long sleeve or a windproof jacket. And if it’s warm then you put a singlet or a standard t-shirt on and off you go on your merry way

So I gave this the full treatment!  It accompanied me on a session of British Military Fitness on a freezing morning at -1c.  Being very lightweight it was too cold for this.  So I took it out during BMF on a mizzly spring morning and yeah it did ok.   It followed me then to the Sahara desert for the Marathon Des Sables and performed admirably in my sleeping bag, tucked up a temperatures of just below 10c.  I used it on the last day of the Marathon Des Sables which was a 5 mile charity walk, and it was too hot! Not surprisingly I suppose…

So I had to roll the sleeves up and find out the real purpose of the GTD.  During April & May of this year, it’s done about 60 km of early morning run commutes and it’s been ok on those in the sort of <10c range.  Not too warm or not too cold, but I still wasn’t convinced it was a necessary piece of equipment.

However, I loved the feel of it, the fit at ‘Large’ was right for my frame and the length meant it didn’t ride up my rear from my running backpack shuffling about the place (this gets right on my goat!).  I’m told by the designers and marketing spiel that it will wick away sweat, but if it’s that hot I’m going to be wearing a short sleeve!

Parched!

I’m a touch confused this one unfortunately.  That might be my ignorance, because as a piece of running kit it looks stylish feels comfortable and I’m told the wicking is good.  I guess if you lived in warmer climes and were out running at dawn in a the cool air touched by early morning sunshine then this might do the job.  But running in Blighty just aint like that!  I’m either wrapped up like Michelin man or peeling off at the first hint of sunshine

Anyway, if you run hot on cold days or just want a bit of extra protection on cold mornings then it might be worth checking out.  Wiggle Online sell it and it’s currently at a reduced rate

I needed time from the finish line to reflect on this, for the blisters to heal, the legs to stop aching and the mind to unwind from what is a truly unique event.  I loved it.  But at the same time it was a week of purgatory – that limbo state in between heaven and hell.

I knew I’d leave with only the fondest of memories, but I’m determined to hold on to the overall experience, which included a fair amount of lows to go with the highs.    They say the body doesn’t remember pain; that was one of the things that I thought of during the many long hours of running and trudging during the Marathon Des Sables.  

It's even hotter than it looks!

The Marathon Des Sables, as you might know, is entitled as the toughest footrace on earth, being approximately 150 miles over 7 days in the Sahara desert of southern Morocco.   Combined with that is sleeping each night in the most basic of accommodations, being a bedouin type village comprising 150 odd competitor tents of a simple rug and tarp construction under the most amazing of desert skies.  It is without doubt the most famous and iconic footrace / adventure race (call it what you will) going, and that forms part of its appeal.   It satisfies both the inner urge to test oneself, and also a level of vanity that many runners get as they progress in their fitness and the sport.

You carry your own food and any spare equipment and clothing in your

You'll share this with 7 others for a week. And without a shower!

backpack, which thankfully reduces over the week, as you eat your provisions, from a starting weight of approximately 8-12kg.  There’s a mandatory kit list which includes an anti venom pump, a signalling mirror in case you get lost (this has happened!) and a flare in case the shit really hits the fan.  This DOES happen!

If that’s not enough to make you wince, the temperatures will.  Being held in the desert, the weather certainly lives up to expectations and on one of the stages we had to endure temperatures of over 50c.  You might think this leads to balmy night time conditions, but not so.  The sun sets quickly at about 7pm leading to a speedy drop in temperature.  That, combined with a huge calorie deficit and a general malaise that prevails under such conditions leads to pretty cold evenings and nights sleep. Leggings and micro fleeces might be required… or not if you’re a tough sort.

A competitor slogs up sand dunes

But without a good night sleep, are you really going to perform well on the next run?  So do you pack extra clothing to keep warm and also a proper stove and stacks of food?  Seems like a good idea right?  Well, maybe, but then that extra weight is going to make your running during the day all that harder.  As if it wasn’t hard enough.  These factors all go towards what makes the Marathon Des Sables a fascinating and fantastic foot race.  It’s a full on assault on mind, body and soul.  I’m sorry if that sounds cheesy, but it is.  

The first 3 days were tough. Very tough. Between 20 and 24 miles and with varying levels of ascent and descent.  You might not know that the desert contains some pretty serious hills, as impressive as anything our Lake District can offer.   However, this is all a pre-cursor to what is the defining part of the MdS: Day 4 – ‘Long Day’.  It varies in length each year at +/- 50 miles and fortunately this year was on the lower side of average.  Still, miles of sand dunes and 50c+ made up for any shortage of distance.

Day 5 is rest day, although not for the poor souls who took a couple of days to finish Long Day and had to camp out at one of the checkpoints in the dark of the night.  And day 6 – just when you’re broken and mentally shot after Long Day…well, day 6 is marathon day.  But what gets you through that is the knowledge of it being the last full day in the desert.  Day 7 this year was a 7km charity walk with the thought of a change of clothes and shower being not far away. Bliss.

Ultra runner coach and 9 times Guinness World Record holder, Rory Coleman, was there for his 10th time and rated this year as the hardest of his decade of Marathon Des Sables running.  This year they upped the length of the first day from a customary half marathon to just short of a marathon length distance.   The last day was shortened to accommodate this, but by then the field had been stretched and exhausted to breaking point.   Rory reported that the terrain was some of the worst, and with a day time high of 54c, then the 2013 MdS will be remembered for some time to come.

I managed to squeak in the top 150 out of over 1000 runners, and I’m a bit ashamed to say I was more interested in my result than I had planned on being when I set out. But I guess there’s a competitive streak in most of us.   But really, finishing, making new friends, and forming bonds through shared adversity is what it’s all about (Hi tent 110!). 

So, 2 weeks on and the body is back in one piece.  The 50p size blisters are fading, and with all the physical evidence and pains slowly ebbing away, all will be left are the friendships and memories.  And I’m damn sure they’ll last far far longer.

I’m pleased to be back ‘on message’ after a while blogging about various stuff I’ve done and on products which have taken my fancy or been supplied to me for review.

The site has been developed with the idea of promoting the very worthwhile cause of  ’running to work’ and since then has widened onto other topics.

Mornings are better for a run

I’ve noticed the popularity of run commuting has started to snowball.  This site now has a healthy level of Twitter followers and Facebook ‘Likes’ from run commute exponents throughout all four corners of our planet which we need to look after.  And running to work is just one of the many small means and ways that we can do our bit. Oh, and it keeps you fit and healthy too!

Anyways, I was pleased to be contacted recently by the founders of the annual ’Run to Work Day‘, for which 2013 is the inaugural year.  These initiatives always take time to implement, but with a bit of focus and some social media viral help, I’m sure it will.   The idea is pretty much what it says on the tin:  Run To Work on that day, but with a charity slant.  You need to sign up and register and offer to donate your regular daily commuting fare to charity for the day, with the cause being ‘Right To Play’.  In their words:-

“Right To Play is a global organisation that uses the transformative power of play to educate and empower children facing adversity. It was founded in 2000 by Johann Olav Koss, a four-time Olympic gold medallist and social entrepreneur. Through sports and games, Right To Play helps children build essential life skills and better futures, while driving social change in their communities with lasting impact.”

I really expect the annual Run To Work Day initiative to take off. It’s a lonely place ploughing your own furrow to promote the Running To Work cause. I know run commuting is gaining popularity as the level of contact this site now gets from manufacturers, brands and entrepreneurs is on an upward spiral.  So, please have a look at the ‘Run To Work Day‘ website, and do your bit for charity, the environment and, just as importantly, for YOURSELF!

Run To Work Day: Friday 26th April. GET INVOLVED!! 

So the Marathon Des Sables training has meant a real upping of the distance, and running to work 4 or 5 times a week rather than 3 times a week.  However, I know that if I’m going to get around the southern Sahara in one piece, I’ll need some pretty serious mileage under my belt.

I’d eased quite gently back into training in January, with my long event, The Winter Tanners, cancelled due to the heavy snow.  Unfortunately I faced the Pilgrim’s Ultra with just a series of 10km morning runs into work, and I turned up at the start line of the excellent Pilgrim’s Ultra feeling seriously undercooked!

The event is organised by the super slick XNRG company, run by the affable Neil Thurbron.

Ouch!

They host a series of these Ultras through the year, and I had heard cruel rumour that they believe the first day of Pilgrim’s Ultra to be the hardest of the lot!  Well, being 33 miles over the North Downs in Surrey and via the punishing Box Hill, then it would come as no surprise.

I got there at early o’clock on a sunny Saturday morning. Believe me, if the weather for an event like this was all pish and wind, then it’d be a seriously unpleasant undertaking.  But bright and sunny it was.

For some reason, I had found myself in the starting slot for the Elite runners.  Having run only 2 marathons in my time, I found this revelation seriously intimidating.   However, during our pre race briefing I had it confirmed that the average age for the race was ’40′ and slipping (just) below that, I felt a touch more comfortable!

The event involves an out and back run over a full on weekend.  As said, this was 33 miles from Farnham to Merstham over the North Downs way, but a heck of a lot of ascent and descent to contend with.   There was no timing to think about (well at least not in my case), and I was more interested in getting round the course!   Some 5hrs 50mins later I was there, shattered, relieved, achey, thirsty and very chuffed.   But here’s the thing.  There was no going home for a warm shower and a glass of claret with a fat steak.  My normal race refuelling method.  Instead, here we were expected to camp cheek by jowl in a school hall and to turn around and do it all again on the Sunday.

Below is a map of what it’d be like to drive – at times over the weekend I wish I had!

View Larger Map

The evening, tho, was excellent. Like minded ultra runners chatted and drank the odd beer.  People shuffled into communal tables and discussed other ultras, shared tips on the Marathon Des Sables and generally ‘wowed’ with other tales of ultra endurance.  All fuelled with mountainous piles of pasta, steaming cups of tea, apple crumble and custard and a huge screen to watch the 6Nations rugby if you were too tired to hold conversation!   And at 8pm was a talk by Andy Mouncey, an inspiring Ultra runner who had the audience captivated by his tales and advice.  One particular highlight was the last 3 of the walkers entering the hall at 9pm to a rapturous round of applause which interrupted the speech.  This was real encouragement and provided an ear wide smile for all the tired faces in the hall.

Lights out at 10pm, with probably a few hundred runners in the 2 sleeping halls.  Ear plugs were put in and soon the room reverberated with the soothing sound of snoring!  Grrr.  Anyway, tiredness prevailed and a relatively good night’s sleep ensued.

The Sunday morning was an experience.  Creaky legs, sore back, achey achilles, general niggles.  And the prospect of having to run another 33 miles back over some fairly challenging terrain.   Half way through, the hip flexors were screaming and the stride length shortened to an ultra marathon shuffle.  I’ll admit also to the odd stretch of walking. But according to ultra Andy, this is not to be ashamed of. Indeed, the advice had been to practise how to walk during a race.  Music to my ears!

I limped home some 6hrs after starting off.  It’s a real experience being out on your feet and in pain for that long.  If you think about it, 6 hours is a real long time; it’s almost a full work day.  It’s a long time to mentally contain yourself when in pretty serious pain.  You need to shut it out and think of something else, and NOT clock watch.

A respectable finish around about the top 30 out of the best part of 200 runners was very satisfying.  My first ultra and it went fine. I was hungry as a grizzly bear for the next few days and ached like never before.  But if this is a taste of the Marathon Des Sables, then I felt encouraged and capable.  Only there’d be another 4 days to go over in Morocco…that ain’t no weekend jaunt!  

Thanks to all at XNRG – I’ll be seeing you again

Running a marathon in December is either commendable or foolhardy to the extreme!  I usually take a 3-4 week break over December and travel to warmer climes. Last year it was Mexico and Belize.

This year after a break between jobs in the summer, I had not enough holiday to take a long break so faced the prospect that many office workers know about, and that’s the assault on the body (i.e. liver!) that the festive season brings.  My running to work routine was hampered by all this and I approached the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon feeling jaded and partied out.  I figured George Best made a career out of it and Serge Blanco, the legendary French rugby star, didn’t do too badly for his 40 a day Gitanes habit!

Anyway, I knew this would happen staying in London over the Yule period so I figured I’d need something to kick my backside at Christmas.   So I had entered the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon as a detox and to teach myself a lesson as much as anything else.

Sunday the 23rd was like much of the rest of December:  wet and wild and windy.  Grey, overcast and not too cold.  I prefer settled and bright and cold, some sunshine to bring the best out of the vistas on a winter run.  But it wasn’t to be.

Portsmouth Coastal Marathon Route

I found myself on the start line with a serious bunch of runners.  I figured if anyone wants to run a marathon 2 days before Christmas in an intimate field like this, it must be more than casual marathon and more like a hobby. Well, running is a hobby of mine, but I figured much of the rest of the field hadn’t had the lead up to the race that I had.

So I set off at a steady pace; I knew I wasn’t going to beat my last marathon of 3:34 and didn’t want to injure myself in advance of the 2013 Marathon des Sables which I’m training for.  Setting off at a 4:00 hr marathon felt nice and gentle and I soon got into my stride running along the seafront with the wind buffering us along.  But by mile 9 I was getting a bit bored.   My body always takes a while to get loosened up, generally about 30 minutes into a run and I feel ok.  So I pushed on.  Getting to the half way point in 1 hr 50 I was 5 minutes behind the turn when I ran my 3:34 time.  But happy.  The interesting thing about this race, and other ‘out and back’ races, is the way the front runners go back past you with some distance to go to the turn.  Quite dispiriting!

All was fine and dandy until about mile 16 when I felt my legs tighten up. I’ve suffered from cramp before and know the signs.  At about mile 19 which involved a

Cramp Hurts!

run on the actual sea shore, the right hamstring cramped up and I was over like a shot buffalo.  2-3 minutes of hard rubbing and stretching saw it good again and I was able to set off again.

The next 7 miles were pretty much a gentle plod.  The party season had taken its toll and I knew my body was dehydrated.  Usually cramp gets me on the calves and I’m able to run it off after a few moments.  But the warning signs off the hamstrings twitching kept coming and I was being forced to slow down and stretch out against a lamp post every few moments.

I crossed the line in 3 hrs 49 mins, hobbling wooden legged like one of the Thunderbirds puppets and crashed onto the floor of the leisure centre in not some inconsiderable pain.  But hey ho, I’d dumped much of the rubbish from my system that I’d consumed the few weeks before and made room for the rest of Christmas.

I wouldn’t advocate the office party season as a time to train, as much as George Best might have done.  But I was pleased with a good year, pleased that I could put forward a half respectable time with little proper training, and pleased to have kick started my Marathon des Sables training.  Bring it on :O)

Who here remembers the film ‘Falling Down’ with Michael Douglas?   The hapless anti-hero who finally snaps when life and modern society’s absurdities finally prod him in the ribs too much and he goes on the rampage.  I think most people who live outside an ivory tower has had or can imagine having a Falling Down moment…

Falling Down

Having a deep interest in health and fitness, I’ve been a member of a few gyms and sports clubs in my time and one of the more memorable ones (for the wrong reasons) has been the Energie Fitness in Fulham.  It was near my home, it served a purpose, and it gave me a place to stretch and lift weights when I wasn’t out running.

Energie Fitness, in my opinion, seem to want to guilt you into visiting them.   Whatever you do, don’t give them your mobile number!  You’ll get fairly regular texts telling you ”We Miss You! It only takes 3 sessions a week to get healthy” (or yada yada yada, words to that effect).  And these might turn up when you’re out for dinner with your missus or having a cheeky pint with a mate.  Aaarrgghh!

But woe-be-tide should you want to leave them and do it apparently not in the correct way! So I left work in June and took off for a few months.  Cheesed off with the London grind I took 2 months of unpaid leave to forget it all and cancelled my gym membership with a move away from Fulham to the countryside imminent.  And I was off on holiday to Califonia! Woo hoo!!

Here’s where it’s time to cut a long story short:  I returned from my hols a few weeks later, feeling pretty fine, to a few voice messages from the caring Energie team.  No longer was it “We miss you!” it was more “We want your money!”.  And subsequent similar red inked letters to that effect, “otherwise it’s the debt collection agency for you my son”.  So I sent off my cheque for the month of July, representing a months notice.

But apparently this isn’t good enough: apparently, for some head scratching reason it needs to be ‘in writing‘ (I wasn’t sure if they wanted Quill and Ink, Calligraphy or were happy with crayon?).

By simply cancelling your direct debit and following up with a months cancellation cheque, this isn’t enough of a message that you don’t want to be a member anymore.  By the arrival of mid August, a subsequent email turned up confirming that I actually owed up to the end of September.  Hmm, that’s 6 weeks into the future, and still more payment was apparently needed. I hadn’t used the gym for 3 months by this stage and they were well aware I lived miles away and would never use it again!

You know the feeling?

This was a real head scratcher.  Somewhere in the very weasel worded small print they tell me they are technically right and I am wrong.  And the red letters came and the voice mails threatening the kind services of the debt agencies continued.  So I’ve done a bit of research on this and apparently I’m not the only one who has been pursued by them. Check this post out for more examples.  The answer to that post is correct, of course: whilst they insist the letter of the law is in their favour, it’s a shame that they care so little about keeping their customers or potential customers happy.

In my mind the health and fitness industry is synonymous with a holistic approach to life and do not make happy bedfellows with an unwavering capitalistic approach.  It should be about de-stressing, nurturing, and helping people out. Not all smiling and welcoming and then trying to take you for every penny by letter of the paperwork.  It transpires that earlier this year the Office of Fair Trading signalled an enquiry into gym contracts and unfair cancellation policies.

There’s an interesting article here on the BBC.  Read it and if you have any comments, then I’d be interested to hear if you’ve been similarly stung under one of these contracts?

Sure, paying my months notice for cancelling my membership I can live with.  And for good order I can pay another month to reflect the fact I was away and out of touch. But what really prompts my Falling Down moment is being told to pay from mid August to end of September or “we’re sending the dogs in”.   Steady on old chaps.

If you’re anything like me and prone to feeling the cold, then you’ll not relish the onset of winter and how it can render the old crown jewels a touch nippy on the early morning trots to work

I’m always on the look out for decent answers to any running to work niggles and I’ve stumbled across this recently in the shape of the excellent Under Armour brand.

I’ve recently moved out of London and my new route to work means I have to take a train in from deepest Surrey to South London and an onward run to Soho from there.  This is all fine and dandy and I’ve got my routine sorted, but what it means is a ruddy cold walk to the station of about 10 minutes at 06:30am!  There’s no point me running it and then sit there on the train honking like a rugby forward. So a brisk walk it is.  But cripes on a bike its cold at the moment!

So warm leggings are required and this has recently lead me to purchase some more kit from Under Armour.

I’ve reviewed some of their gear before in the shape of a decent running tshirt over the summer.  Here it is if you want a reminder. The thing I like about UnderArmour is they’ve got the perfect blend of serious technical kit alongside excellent branding.

Under Armour: Natty Logo!

I prefer retailers that do the job well, and also look pretty decent rather than those that look the mutt’s nuts but might let you down on a serious run.  Under Armour fit right into the proper category. You know their heart and soul is in the product, but they’ve paid just enough attention to the branding.   Please don’t sell out and keep the focus on the brand. Thanks

Back to the leggings.  Well its difficult to be too descriptive over these.  They do what they say on the tin. In some wet and dreary runs, they’ve kept me dry and warm and feel that bit thicker than the normal, perhaps not quite as ‘stretchy’, but they’re definitely warmer and kept the water at bay.  They’re not waterproof, but took a shower ok without feeling like a soggy blancmange sloshing over my leg.

I’ll let you read about them on the Under Armour website, as there’s little I can add really. Except that if a brass monkey wore these on a cold morning, they’d probably have little to worry about

Scratch your head, try hard, and wrack your brains and you may remember my post about the North Face Hayasa Trail shoe a number of months back. Possibly my favourite off road number yet.   Well, the good folk at North Face asked that I cast my beady eye and sweaty torso over their autumn series running clothing.  And, encouraged by their Hayasa running shoe, I was more than happy to oblige.

AK Stormy Trail Jacket

North Face have been one of my favourite outdoors brand for years, but I had feared a recent mad dash of their’s towards major commercialism: it was getting a bit loose for my liking, and I wondered if they’d branch out into differing lines such as car insurance and aftershave. Perhaps ‘eau de sweaty sleeping bag’..

The North Face Hayasa reconfirmed my affection to North Face and their commitment to quality over numbers.  Roots, they ARE keeping to their roots

I digress:  unfortunately the Summer came and went; I think I sneezed as it past me by in about one nano-second.  Anyway, I’m not that gutted ‘cos Autumn in Blighty brings its own charms:  crisp morning runs, halloween, bonfire night, autumn rugby internationals, red wine, roasts and frothy ale.

There’s nout better than a cold, dank, run followed by a cuppa and a warm shower.  But don’t get squished on route or pick up pneumonia.  Wrap warm and bright and set off sorted!

So, back to the AK Stormy Trail Jacket.  My hitherto reliable Haglof running shell has been on its last legs for some while so when the package turned up from North Face in conjunction with some seriously dodgy British weather I was counting my blessings. A running jacket, as far as I am concerned, should: a) keep me dry and warm(ish); b) not weigh so much as to be a burden; c) not cost as much as a season ticket on British Rail and d) look pretty up-to date and not like a moustachioed 118 runner would suit.

Well I’m pleased to say the North Face AK Stormy Trail Jacket delivered.  For certainly a large part.

The jacket is put out there for ‘maximum protection on runs in the foulest of weather’ and running to work this year has seen plenty of that!  So lets see how we got on…

At 6’2″ and a 40/42″ chest I flirt between a medium and large fitting, and the latter here was just right.  Maybe the North Face loyal customer is a slender soul, but the large was definitely on the cosier side of large, but I guess there’s not much call to put a jumper underneath, so extra space may not be required.

The colour wasn’t quite to my liking: a pretty unimaginative yellow and black, a bit like a dirty wasp, but I know this has been done in the name of safety so I’m prepared to bite my lip and say ‘ok’ to the colour.  There’s sufficient reflective silver piping on the trim to reflect off car headlights without making you bling like an extra in a Snoop video.

The material is very cleverly thought out, with a good ‘stretch’ to move with the runner rather than rub against your running motion.  North Face describe this as FlashDry technology.  I don’t know about you, but I tend to turn off and tune out when confronted by strap lines such as this:  I feel like I am being ‘sold to’ and have  ’mug’ written on my forehead.

Anyway, the jacket is comfortable and malleable and after a while you barely notice it’s on.  Which in my books is a pretty good thing.   It feels rugged without being cumbersome. The material which might come into rough contact – such as on the outside of the arms – feels tougher and more resilient than the softer material on the inner arms. I can only think this is done for durability and comfort sake and feels like a pretty slick addition.

So far on half a dozen outings its lived up to its waterproof status, so I’ll be interested to see how that performs into the future.  As opposed to my shell running jacket, I’ve noticed this is breathable and I certainly don’t have to peel off my clothes post run.  I have a feeling it won’t be in my lifetime where a totally waterproof AND breathable jacket is produced, but given the technology available to-date, I think this does a very good job.

Thumb Loops: Useful

It’s warm for a thin skin jacket and has a good size hood with soft peak to keep the rain out of the eyes without being intrusive.  There’s one chest pocket which is sufficient for storing running gels, keys, or such like.  If I had a gripe on the design, I might prefer sleeves with thumb loops to keep the sleeve elongated and more waterproof and not ride up the arm.

The jacket has an RRP in the order of £160  which isn’t cheap, but I guess only serious runners will make use of a jacket that’s designed for foul weather.  Shop around on t’internet and you should be able to pick it up for about £145 or thereabouts.  And for something you’ll get a couple of seasons out of, I reckon that’s pretty good value.

Well done guys.   A cleverly thought out foul weather running jacket that does what it says on the tin.  As I say, I’m not wild on the colour, but that’s just me.  In fact, I better quit it there, cos only recently I’ve been thinking of them a triumph of style over substance. And in this case the opposite certainly is true, which is got to be good, right.

Keep up the good work

Ok, ok, so the heading of the post sounds a bit extreme, but that’s the title of the course we signed upto, so don’t blame me for sounding like James Bond!

Wild Camping Scotland

The girlfriend and I both love spending time in the mountains and the more we’ve explored them the more we’ve ended up in remote locations.  We’ve done some multi day backpacks through remote Glens in Scotland and week long hikes in the Pyrenees.  It’s easy to get caught up in the scenery and the peace and quiet but, on occasions, we’ve both been reminded of just how hopeless the situation could be if the mountain God’s decided to turn on us.

I’ve had to abandon the late run into base camp on the first day of a Scottish Mountain Marathon and abort a 2 day route through the Highlands when snow set in over night and made map reading almost impossible.  I’ve pretty much shit myself with a storm brewing whilst wild camping and thinking the Force 8 guests were going to pick my tent up, with us in it, and transport us across country like a scene from ‘Twister’.

So there’s no harm in getting clued up and increase your ability to look after yourself as well as others.  And learn where to park a tent (out of site and out of the wind!).   And besides, if we ever have enough of this London malarkey and want to run a B&B in the Lake District, well, being a Mountain Leader would add another string to the bow.  One of us could charge to take stressed out office workers up the hill, whilst the other cooked bacon and eggs back at home base.

glenmore lodge

I digress.  Anyway, the MLTA course can be signed up for in a handful of centres throughout the UK, but we chose ours at Glenmore Lodge.  This spectacular place is the national outdoor training camp for Scotland.  You can almost smell the history and witness the thousand-yard-stare amongst some of the workers there.  Make no mistake, when Scotland gets going it kicks arse as an outdoor pursuit mecca.

The course was amazing.  Anyone with an interest in the hills of the UK should consider this.  It wasn’t just wandering aimlessly through craggy peaks, it was learning how to do this under times of stress.   We learned ‘confidence roping’, whereby you attach yourself to freaked out walkers and guide them down with a short rope.  I can now also abseil through either the South African

south african technique

or Classic Tecnique by just using a boulder and a length of rope.

Many of you will remember the opening night of the Olympics for its fan-fare and spectacular ceremony. We’ll remember it because we were being guided up Scotland’s 2nd highest peak, Ben Macdui, at 1am in the morning in a howling gale.  I know almost as much about weather patterns than Michael Fish, and can tell you all about how to cross a river near breaching.  I also now know what the best products available are to ward off the fecking Scottish midge!

I could navigate across a bleak moorland with little sweat, and tell you a bit about using the sun and the wind to help this process.  I don’t say any of this with a smug smirk about me.  Because I’m not a natural at this. I really am not. But with the help of the Scottish outdoor centre I feel more in tune with the great outdoors and able to look at the scenery without wondering how far off the path I am. I’d like to know where I am on the map the whole time and just how far the nearest escape route is. And the nearest pub.

Check this course out if you have more than a passing interest in the hills. It might not make you James Bond, but it puts you up there with Ray Mears. And thats pretty cool in my books!

Here we have a welcome guest post from ‘The Running Outlet’.  Read their take on night time running. It’s getting chilly out there, Brrrr!!

As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, outdoor runners have to make a few adjustments if they are going to continue to run in the shorter daylight hours.

It is important for runners not to give up their outdoor running just because it’s a bit colder.

It is refreshing to run in the cold weather; it will be great for boosting energy levels and will banish those winter blues, not to mention chasing all the high calorie winter comfort food right off the hips. Come bikini season again, you won’t have the stress and misery of having to embark on a crash diet, and head out to a strenuous boot camp to banish the sins of winter!