Monday 28 December 2009

2010 - Explore your limits!

This will be the motto for my New Year. O.k. I have “borrowed” it from the UTMB website, but only because I have in fact applied for a place in the CCC! OMG! I must be as crazy as my husband! But admittedly this was my idea.
We have already booked a week’s holiday near Chamonix for the time of the UTMB to soak in the atmosphere and explore what looks like stunning scenery. And we were talking about walking the Mont Blanc Circuit one day. So I thought, why not entering the CCC and try to walk/run half of it together in the allowed time. We would be part of the race and could make good use of the aid and feeding stations. And if we happen to be timed out (i.e. if I am too slow) we would try and walk the rest together on our own. So it is about a big joint adventure on beautiful mountain trails in hopefully good weather!

If that is not enough to test my limits, I have also entered the Devil O The Highlands again. Rather than trying to improve my time to near 9hours I might just take it easy as the CCC will only be a few weeks later.

Then I also find my name on the Fling’s entry list. I am not sure if I will be ready for it but it gives me something to aim for. I would like to do it “unsupported” with drop bags.

For May 2010 we have planned a 3-day run/walk along the WHW. This will coincide with being the last long training run for Thomas before the WHW Race and it also happens to be the weekend of the Edinburgh Marathon. So he will definitely have no chance to run that one! We have booked 2 overnight stays and will use the drop bag service from AMS. This 3-day run will also be to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. When we walked the WHW in 2005 for our honeymoon, we had said that we should do it every 5 years as we both enjoyed it so much. Little did I know then that only 3 years later I would practically live on the WHW, spending hours on it, day and night, either waiting in some lay-by or even running half of it myself! So the usual 5-7 day walk was no option…

I have not entered any “shorter” races like marathons, HM or 10Ks yet. I do tend to get caught up in training plans for weeks or months and I want to try and avoid it next year. I’d rather see how my running is coming along and maybe enter one or the other race on the way, but I don’t want to focus on these. Although I was quite pleased with my HM and Marathon times for 2009, I did not achieve my targets of getting under 1:50 or under 4:00. I was close and the courses/conditions were difficult so I was happy with what I achieved, but I’d rather not focus so much on these times.

What else will be happening in the crazy German’s house? More crazy Germans are due to arrive in July for 2 weeks! They are Tom’s sisters and cousin and families – 12 altogether! We have booked a nice converted stable near Glen Affric. We are hoping to get enough “free time” away from all the crazy kids to run up and down those Munros!

For now though we are looking forward to a week’s skiing in Austria, in Obergurgl, at the end of January. Let’s hope all bones and joints will be fine afterwards!
I wish you all an exciting New Year and happy & injury-free running!

5 comments:

John Kynaston said...

You've had a great 2009 Silke and 2010 looks to be even better.

I look forward to seeing how it all works out.

John

The Sunday Adventure Club said...

best wishes to the Crazy Germans for 2010, it's shaping up to be a good one!

Kaz said...

Sounds like great plans. Run the fling for me please - I will be 7 months pregnant by then so no repeat of last year for me.
Your anniv run sounds great fun, my hubby and I were going to do something similar last year but decided to go to Harris, Lewis and the Uists instead. No matter how fast you do the ccc you will love it - it is gorgeous. Al and I have done parts of the tour as a result of doing the chamonix - zermatt haute route and half the GR5 and i just love the alps as I practically grew up there. My goal for 2010 - deliver a healthy bambino in June and cope with being a new mum!
Kaz

Anonymous said...

Hi Silke, we walked the TMB circuit in September 2009, just a few days after the UTMB. Walking or running, you will love it. I won't see you at the Devil this year, but have a fantastic year, I'm sure our paths will cross again at another ultra - it looks like one wasn't enough for either of us!

Brian Mc said...

Have a great 2010 Silke. I hope to see you in Chamonix come August!

If I were you though, I'd drop the Devils and run the Fling and CCC. Running the Devils and the CCC will be a tough call as they are so close.

:-)