Maxine's Walk

Almost ready

Have been spending today getting ready to leave for Derbyshire, there is camping stuff all over the house as I type this! Need to organise it now so that I have stuff on the bikes for me and Kez and then the rest of the stuff in the car for Tim and the boys. My bike is currently being repaired - a bit last minute I know. Hopefully by this evening all will be organised, we are trying to keep equipment to a minimum so that we are not weighed down too much so one small tent, our twister gas stoves and lightwight sleeping bags. I just hope the weather stays warmish but not too hot. I estimate we have 350 miles to do and aim to take 8 1/2 days to do it. Hopefully I will be able to update the blog as I go but it depends on internet access en route.

11 miles through the Cheviots

Had a great run today in the Cheviots, the weather forcast had been for rain but the sun was shining and there was very little cloud - could easily see the top of Cheviot. I set off from Wooler Common carpark and went up and along the bridleway to Broadstruther, I chose to go this way as it is the first part of the Ultramarathon course so I thought I would test out some of the route. It was an easy to follow track all the way along with a great downhill stretch in the middle, then up to the cottage in middle of nowhere at Broadstruther - I wonder if anyone lives there! After the cottage the bridleway turns south and eventually meets the road at Langleeford. I wanted to carry on up Hedgehope Hill but it was already 2.30pm so I decided to climb as far as Housey Crags before turning south back to Wooler. It was a really steep climb up the hill, at the top I sat and looked at the path ahead clearly visible going straight up the side of Hedgehope Hill, I can't imagine doing that in a months time - it's going to be a really hard climb and right at the beginning of the day will take everything out of my legs! Still once I get to the top there will be a great downhill stretch on the other side and hopefully that is the worst climb of the day. The path from Housey Crags to Langlee Crags was only just visible and was very wet and boggy, once up on Langlee Crags I had to use my iphone compass to find the path off down to the track. I had a great run down the track all the way to Carey Burn where due to the footbridge being rebuilt I had to paddle accross the river! Luckily my shoes have holes to let the water out as well as in. From Carey Burn bridge I ran back up and over to Wooler common and back to the car. I was a bit disappointed in the time as I was out for 3 hours 15mins and only did 11 miles but some of it was very steep and also I couldn't run all of it as it was just too wet and boggy. I am hoping that in the actual event I will get some good downhill runs to increase my average mph otherwise I might be struggling with the time.

Plans for the summer- the end is in sight

It seems ages since I last wrote on this blog but things have been a bit busy. Now the summer holidays are nearly here and it is time to finish my challenge of getting from Berwick to Helston. The plan is to travel by bike firstly from Edale to Derby to fill in the gap and then from Witney to Helston, which should take 7 days - it's about 350 miles. We are going to visit the Eden Project while we are down there, somewhere I've wanted to go for a while and you get in cheaper if you arrive by bike! At the same time I am also training for my first Ultramarathon - the 62 mile Northumberland Ultra which takes place on August bank holiday weekend. I have been doing lots of long runs along the Northumberland coast and also through the Cheviots which is where the race takes place. I am looking forwards to it, my biggest worry is getting blisters so I am trying out different socks and plasters to see what works. Today I took the bus down the coast and then ran the 12 miles back to Berwick which I did in a time of 2 hours which I was really pleased with - now if I can just keep that up for another 50 miles...!