It’s a logical circuit I’ve had my eye on for years but somehow (despite having run just about everything else you can run in this area) never got round to doing as a whole. (more…)
20 March 2010
27 February 2010
Round the Loch and Forerunner altitude readings
After running off-road every night this week bar one (Wednesday’s road run) and finding Thursday’s and Friday’s efforts severely snowy struggles, I decided I deserved a long, ‘easy’ run for some cheap mileage and headed out this afternoon to run round the Loch. (more…)
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3 February 2010
MICROspike weather and stir fry spiders
It’s MICROspike weather again! With this evening’s fresh snow at village level obviously extending to cover the icy paths higher up, I’ve been wearing the spikes again instead of just carrying them. Which is fine, really, because the running’s quite simply easier when the routes are either clear or properly covered than somewhere in-between.
On quite another note, I removed a live spider from the wok while cooking my ‘co-operative vegetable stir fry’ and suspect (since the spider wasn’t there when I put the wok on to heat up) that said spider came with the vegetables! :-/
emoved a live spider from the wok while cooking his ‘co-operative vegetable stir fry’ and suspects (since the spider wasn’t there when he put the wok on to heat up) that said spider came with the vegetables! :-/
30 January 2010
Forerunner 310XT
While I’ve been very happy with my Garmin Forerunner 305 as a training/pacing/recording aid for three years, I’ve just bought the new 310XT with this year’s West Highland Way Race in mind. Mainly for the increased 20-hour battery life (which should be enough to see me home if all goes to plan!), although its ability to use British Grid as well as just lat/long for navigation could also be useful for further adventures away from the beaten path. (more…)
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9 January 2010
Buried paths and Abalakov threads
This afternoon, the Ciaran Path to the Blackwater Dam started crisp, delightfully icy and ideal for spiking along at speed before becoming buried by snow, heavy going and almost impossible to follow (too easy to be misled by the deer tracks despite having run it scores of times before) above the frozen lochans. (more…)
2 January 2010
Running on a patchwork quilt
Today, frustrated in my attempts to land a partner to climb the frozen Steall Falls, I took a run along the road to Caolasnacon to look at another fair-sized cascade I’d been told could give good sport before looping round the back of Garbh Bheinn and down to join the Penstock track at the ‘wee’ dam. (more…)
29 December 2009
Running crampon review
Something I’d been thinking about for quite some time (like years!) before this winter’s prolonged cold spell sent me researching seriously and posting some questions to the UKC Forums. Which saw my initial list (based on Needle Sports’ stock) of Kahtoola MICROspikes & KTS, Charlet Moser Spikys and Grivel Spiders augmented by recommendations/suggestions for Yaktrax and various types of studded/spiked shoes. And (to cut a long story short) resulted in me picking up a pair of locally-available Spiders from The Ice Factor to try while ordering a pair of MICROspikes online as well. (more…)
6 December 2009
Mind over matter
A very satisfying run over the Devil’s Staircase to Altnafeadh and back this afternoon… (more…)
8 November 2009
Fraochaidh
Standing between Glen Creran and Glen Duror and being the final hill after Beinn Maol Chaluim on my truly local ‘why have I never done that?’ hit-list, the fine Corbett of Fraochaidh was a much coveted summit. So what better way to spend a clear, cold November Sunday afternoon than running into it from Ballachulish and out again? (more…)
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3 November 2009
Wet, wet, wet!
While I wouldn’t normally bother to report a ‘routine’ training run round a course so short that I rarely run it on its own, tonight’s little outing up past the Grey Mare’s was just a little bit different. (more…)
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