Ouch

 Yep its that time of year when every run you do off road leaves you with a scratch or a rash. Fear not as its all part of the seasons that we run through. How much does it hurt though when you plough through some thorns. Its just the worst thing. Every night I must get some kind of cut or graze or rash which results in another night of itching or patching up. Roadies dont know what they are missing. 

Great Hucklow Fell Race

More about the Tour De France later. I arrived back and decided to do the Great Hucklow Fell Race. After riding 20 odd Cols my running legs felt very strange. I think I may have managed 6th which I was happy about. What a lovely registration sign. I think it may have been a fiver actually. The race was a tough one and I didnt use fell shoes which was a mistake. A good turnout and a banana and a flapjack after.

Finally I pay my respects

I have wanted to climb Mount Ventoux for more years than I can remember. On the way down to the Tour De France I headed over to Bedoin and cycled up the famous mountain. Everyone knows the story of Tom Simpson. He was a brilliant rider who tragically died on the slopes of the Ventoux. The mountain indeed lived up to its reputation. It was over 30degrees and very windy on the top. I purposely climbed it pretty quick wanting to get a feel what it was like on that fateful day in the tour all those years ago.

I found it pretty tough but managed to climb it in the 39x23 gearing. Its a hard pull up and goes on forever with the heat like a furnace coming first off the road and then off the rocks as you come out of the forest. Ten minutes on the top then I freewheeled back down to Tommy's memorial stone. ( There is now a Pete Bland bumbag there). I then blasted back down to Bedoin at crazy pace. A couple of hours riding on the flat roads around Carpantras and then I called it a day and started the drive down to the Pyreneese.

Its that way Badger

Badger seems to have an inbuilt compass in his head. All Border Collies have this I am sure of that. You only have to take him on a route once and he will remember it months and months later. So If your planning on doing lots of recces just show your dog the map and off it will take you. Forget the quickest lines. The dog will happily guide you around. All for just a few dog treats.
Seriously though he is the perfect running partner.

Can you think of anywhere better

The Screes above Wasdale overlooking Wastwater
It does not get better than that

Fed up with it yet

So tonight I set off on the bike. 54miles later after having done a few big climbs and clocking just under 19mph I arrived back at base totally soaked. I think I have had only two nice weather rides this year.
Can we actually have anymore rain.
Tonight I was riding in possibly the worse rain I have ridden in for 10 years.
Roll on August

When you need that little bit of

Inspiration

I very often will think of the people that inspire me in our sport. Joss Naylor the Wasdale shepherd has through his exploits possibly been responsable for more runners getting into fellrunning than anything else. I first heard about him years ago and his achievements never fail to amaze me. He is in his seventies now but still out there doing it. If I am struggling to motivate myself I very often will read a chapter of Joss's book or a tale about one of his massive days out on the fells.