He was with me for much of my training and has a reward I would rip him to shreds on my blog.
I never forget the time when we set off to do the first 2 legs in under 7 hours. It was foul winter weather and he bailed out on Clough Head and went down to the car and drank my tin of coke.
I got to Dunmail and my car was there minus the coke!!
During a 4 hour fell run he would be on his arse at least 5 times and on the day of my BG there's a good photo of him sliding on his arse down Seat Sandal!
He could never get it into his prehistoric skull how important it was to take it easy on the climbs and would often run them which made me run them too - quite a good thing for getting hill fit for racing but not for a 24 hour challenge.
He was always great company and in fell races we would always try and beat each other which would often spill over in our training runs.
So why am I reminiscing about old times?
I got a text of him last night asking if I was up for a bike ride.
I know he is quite useful on a bike but with me doing well over a 100 miles a week since Xmas I figured that I should be OK.
WRONG!!
He friggin murdered me and had to wait for me on every climb!!
60 miles that included Kirkstone and Shap Fell.
I was glad when he got a puncture, for it gave me a small rest.
It was a horrible ride with the wind in our faces for most of the ride. We had a blizzard and hailstones too.
I have no doubt at all if he was doing the Fred Whitton he would get round in 7 hours....easy.
Me? I be glad just to get round.
One thing it has done is let me know just what I have let myself in for.
I'm having troubles with speed wobbles too. Had one today coming off Shap Fell, but I think this was caused by the side wind.
Thats 5 in the last 5 months though and they bloody terrify me.
Another problem I'm having is my weight.
When I was doing 50+ fell miles a week in training I could eat what I liked.
The problem I'm having is that I'm still eating as if I'm doing fell miles and has a result I'm well over 13 stone now!
Injury update- just the same and STILL waiting for a ultrasound scan. I'm fairly sure if I was a drug addict or someone obese I would of been seen to by now. Rant over.
Stevie B on his arse- again |