Week in Review...

Morning on Calton

Sickness and Snow
It's been a strange week - sickness, snow, stress at work. Last weekend I wasn't capable of training at all after developing some kind of noro virus like lurgy. I had to cancel my first heat training session at Napier (it wouldn't have been pretty) then a group run in the Pentlands.

This week I'm relieved to be back on track, and managed 3 days of hilly morning and afternoon runs, albeit plodding pretty slowly. Its official, I'm obsessed with running up Calton Hill as the sun rises and sets.

The treads

After the first day of snowfall, running on the soft powder was so much fun, using the snow treads my friend Andy Cole gave me - they are amazing, once you get over breaking your fingernails trying to stretch them round your trainers. Basically snow tyres for feet. Once the snow began to melt into a slush they just ended up cutting through and clicking down hard on the pavement though, so it was time to take them off. The looks from passers by due to the sheer noise coming from my feet was too much!

Speyside Way
We are heading up to the beautiful Cairngorms later on to stay with friends and I'm planning a day long run tomorrow on the Speyside Way, with maybe a bit of hill walking thrown in on Sunday.

Later on this year in August, I am signed up to run the 36-mile Speyside Way Race, so it will be good to scope and re-familiarise with part of the trail for this. I had a brilliant experience there in 2011 and was registered last year but had to defer due to the post-West Highland Way achilles injury. Lets hope I make it there this year after the Western States!

UltrAspire Surge Review
I also recently wrote another gear review for UltrAspire, this time for the Surge hydration pack, my first foray into hydration packs and most definitely a positive one. See the review on the Ultrarunning World site.

Next week I try again - Thursday brings the first Napier session and speed intervals will resume!