Wednesday 27 January 2010

Kill or cure..?

Though we do a lot of good work for charidee (though we don't like to talk about it) apparently it isn't all about posing around in a 'Help for Heroes' wristband and basking in the smug glow of helping others...these profiles aren't entirely flat, so some training is in order.

To that end, I'm tempted to follow the example of all-round nutter and good egg Symes, by attempting to add a k a day to a run for the month of February; obviously, I'm not so daft as to do it in January where it goes up to 31k; 28k should be quite sufficient; it still makes week 4 a 100 mile run week...

Can I do it? Probably not. Will I get injured? Who knows? Am I going to try? Oh yes, at least for the two 'easy weeks'!

I'll have the chicken then please...

The other A-H

Friday 22 January 2010

Team PSOF......

as Team Leader, I recieve all the communication from the Transalping Run organisers, and yesterday the official confirmation e-mail arrived.

So, Team PSOF are confirmed as starters for the 2010 Transalpine Run, start number 63. Not sure how useful the start number will be, can't imagine chip timing for the event, and the associated ease of online tracking but you never know. maybe a gps chip, that would at least help if we got lost; though I'd prefer a potato chip.

As well as the welcome e-mail, they included useful stuff such as a press release, accommodation forms and stuff to pack in your emergency kit. guess I'll be off to look for an altimeter device to go with my Leki/Pacer poles (no, I still haven't decided which to go for!).

And they've updated their website to include the elevation profiles for the 8 stages, which was quite sobering on 1st look, and panic inducing on the 2nd look.

I'm covered in Bees

Atomic Hamster

Monday 18 January 2010

Leki or not Leki, that is one of many questions

So, gadgets; or should that be essential items to aid in the completion of the event. Cheating sticks.... I'm not too proud to admit that any aid that will help me get through this event should be investigated, and there seems to be a huge choice out there. Leki appear to dominate the market, and look quite 'comfortable', plus they provide sponsorship of the Run. But if I'm only going to be sold on a product because they are also the race sponsor, then I'll be restocking all my race kit, which seems a bit pointless. However, there's also Pacer Poles which look suitably hi-tech and gadgety to fit in my rucksack. Decisions, decisions.....

Or Death? That's not much of a choice.

Atomic Hamster

Friday 15 January 2010

We race you here...

Of course, we're not going to go into this completely undertrained; partially undertrained is the Pirate way, so that's the way it's going to be.

We will be running to and from Grantham on the weekend of 6-7th March; we've entered the Rhayader 20 on 20th March (because it's flat) and the Lightning 12 hour the next day; the Stratford 1/2M is on 25th of April and we'll be in it. In time, we may enter more; alternatively, we don't want to overdo it. Don't expect to come round and burgle us while we're out; the rottweiler wouldn't like it...

I see we have an option to 'Monetise' our blog. I suppose a few sunflowers wouldn't go amiss.

Well we're out of cake...

The other Atomic Hamster

Thursday 14 January 2010

We're In.....

You know how it is. Fill in paperwork, send off entry fee, start telling people your plans for the coming year, but it all seems so distant. Then you pop over to the website, as you've done religiously over the past few months, and find there's a new link... one that points to confirmed entries. You scroll through the list until your eyes rest on your names, and suddenly you get that knot in your stomach, that's it, in black and white, you're in and there's nothing you can do about it now; except keep training.

I'll take Cake please,

Atomic Hamster

Snow point moaning about it

Apparently there's snow in the Alps, even in September. Why didn't Crashie tell me this before I entered the run. Still it will only be on the tops of the hills so that will be OK; the slopes leading up will be lush green, flower covered meadows. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a singing nun or two.

Today will be spent running in the melting snow, and trying to avoid hypothermia.

On a side issue, music and running. I don't use an mp3 player whilst running, but I do have an internal music track playing as I run. Some songs are welcome earworms, and some are distinctly unhelpful. My least favourite during a long slow run is "I don't like Mondays" by the Boomtown Rats; closely followed by "Seasons in the Sun" by Terry Jacks. Which is why running with the Hamster is so entertaining. Over the coming months we'll be developing a playlist to take to Germany to entertain our fellow competitors with; bet they can't wait for that.

Cake or Death anyone?

Atomic Hamster

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Transalpine Run 2010, the start.......

Blog, day 1.

My co-runner, Mr Crash Hamster, and I have entered the 2010 Goretex Transalpine Run. We're still trying to come up with a valid reason as to why we've entered it; suffice it to say the best so far is 'because we can'. Our sporting (sic) background is as follows:

ATOM: 3x Ironman, 7x Marathon, 1x Ultra, and some smaller races as well.
Crash Hamster: 4x Ironman, 9x Marathon, 3x Ultra, and some smaller races as well.

We are members of the Pirate Ship of Fools and, when not out 'training', can be found in the forums of Runnersworld.

No doubt between now and race day, we'll pop by and update the Blog with stuff; however that's not guaranteed, and this initial post is in no way a contractual agreement that we'll provide useful, insightful or relevant posts in future.

Thanks for looking

Atomic Hamster