Rather belatedly….photos from the desert (not of my toes)

18 months late – but hey, better late than never…..I was reminded today, that I never actually published the photos from the Marathon des Sables 2012….my apologies…upon returning to the UK from the desert last year the world of nursing took over and I simply never got around to writing a race report or posting up the pictures – to those of you who have been wanting to see them, here they are.  To have a race report, well you just need to come and stay with me in London and over a good bottle of red wine I can give you the race report in person! Sorry for the long wait…

Sunset across the bivouac

Runners gathering on the eve of the race

Looking clean and fresh as I head off on Day one

action shot 1 on Stage 4

action shot 2 on stage 4

running – cycling…so many ways to cross the Sahara desert!

morning organising

Triumphant, tearful, exhausted and dirty at the finish but very very happy!

with my boys from Chateau (tent) 67

Back on track

Well greetings folks, it’s been awhile since I posted a blog…but someone asked me today why I didn’t anymore and that I should…so here we go for what it’s worth!

A topsy turvy year so far on the running front with several races in first part of the year withdrawn from due to nursing induced back problems….but thanks to the awesome skills of my new physio Barry Walsh and my new trainer Luke Worthington I am hopefully coming back stronger and who knows…maybe a little bit faster (but don’t hold your breath!)  I have to say though, whilst Luke is phenomenal I still don’t get the obsession personal trainers have with press-ups, that said, I can now do them, and yes, more than one at a time.  Luke has however brought a new challenge to my training and I am hard pressed to say which exercise I like less, press ups or chin ups.  I can almost do one chin up and I was suitably mortified when my 18 year old nephew (also called Luke) took up his 18th birthday present of training with my trainer for a one off session and made chin ups look easy.

So, my race this autumn to ease back into marathons and hopefully bigger and better next year is once again the French Riviera Marathon…from Nice to Cannes in November.  Beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, running along the sea front….having run it the last two years I am becoming an addict of this elegant marathon, (and no it has nothing to do with the fact that I am accompanied by my wonderful parents who have excellent taste in restaurants!).

So 17 miles done this week on the road so far, and several in the high altitude chamber, with a long run on the books for Sunday….Regent’s Canal – the most beautiful place to run in London. Back in tact, ankles in tact, head clear, legs strong…bring it on!