First southern training trip over

And all I've got to show for it are a few blisters and a newly perforated kayak hatch cover after a Kea found it irresistible.

Oh and a 4:15 run and a 4:00 paddle ... Let's hope the river is running over 100 cumecs on race day!
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Adidas sting in Stirling prologued

So the evening was spent hanging around Stirling castle, spectacular venue, pish weather! It had been lovely all day (which at least meant good light when channel 4 came to film us :-) ) and decided to rain from about 3 hours before the prologue to half an hour before. This left the cobblestones and off road sections a little interesting.

Our issues started before the race, when some little shits thought out was funny to chuck stuff at us when unloading the van. Andy Mitchell stepped back to look at where the missiles were coming from and fell over his bike, gashing his calf and bending his rear mech. A bit of fiddling and it seemed to be shifting ok.

I was first off on a 3k run around the base of the castle, my good start keeping me clear of people falling over at the 180 degree downhill left hander going from cobbles to stairs. Unfortunately i then went backwards, and was soon chicked. Thankfully so was everyone else but one speedy orienteer, and I came in about 8th or 9th.

Andy w took off on the orienteering leg closely followed by Fi McBride, and they had a good leg, coming back in together in about 5th.

Then it was our Fi's turn, heading out on a MTB leg that all the top British teams were sending their ladies on. Thankfully ours is better at navigation, so she came in about 4th having done a slightly shorter loop than some of the others, though she was also displaying gravel rash, a scuffed rear quick release, and a smashed shoe buckle. Thankfully she is the same size feet as Rachel, so a shoe swap has occurred.

So Andy m went out on his repaired bike in sight of the leaders on the longest leg. The tracking web site didn't show him making good progress, so there was some concern as running chick's team mate came in to take the win (the prologue was open to the public, so this team wasn't doing the whole range). This was alleviated a couple of minutes later when Andy rode up the hill with Ant Emmett from mountain hard wear to share the full racer's win.

Not a bad start :-)

I'm racing in team 17, FGS nectar.

Live tracking should be up at http://live.adidas-ar.com/

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Sorry about any Swype induced spelling issues

Racing again

So the adidas terrex sting in Stirling starts in about 82 hours, and the live tracking will be linked from http://www.adidas-AR.com/

I'm racing (without Rach or Sherlock) as part of team For Goodness Shakes Nectar. Fi McBryde is in FGS Superberry.

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"Things turn out the best for people who make the best of the way things turn out." -- John Wooden/ Art Linkletter

Champions of the wurldz!

The wainuiomata 6 hr wurldz that is!

Rach and i played pass the Sherlock today out at Wainui (ably assisted by jo, thanks a lot jo!) at a 6 hr MTB relay race.

These things are always hard work as you go from sitting around doing nothing to full noise for a lap or two, but at least we managed to win the mixed duo class with 14 laps, 2 laps down on the best male team ... Not bad for a couple of old multi sporters :-)

Pre-fueling for t walk

The wee Welly winkies prepare for 24 hours with coffee and pies in springfield

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Sorry about any Swype induced spelling mistakes