Swimming, Run for Rich and 12 hour challenge hike

In a moment of enthusiasm, and encouraged by a colleague who does triathlons, I signed up for some swimming coaching.  10 weeks to be precise.  The first session was yesterday evening.

Fortunately I'm not the only "beginner".  Don't take that wrong everyone there is a competent swimmer, beginner just means you've not had any formal coaching on technique since you did your 200m badge aged 10.   The session was good with plenty of variation on the drills and individual input from the coaches.  It's the first time I've swum with fins since the dreaded rigid plastic things I had aged 10.  It's a bit weird at first and the fins rub a bit on the top of the foot but it was ok.  

Even weirder is swimming on the surface while using a snorkel.  Despite having a cold all week and not being able to breathe through my nose as soon as I tried using the snorkel I had lots of water up my nose!  A nose clip definitely helps.  

I went to my first park run of the year in Cheltenham today to remember Rich who died unexpectedly last week aged just 33.  Rich was a keen ultra-runner, member of the core park run team at Cheltenham and all round good guy.  I ran the 9-2-5 event with him last summer - or to be precise we were both running in the same place at the same time but he'd lap me every two or three laps.  Despite the heat he didn't slow down all day, not even when he was eating his lunch.  I spoke to him just a few days before he died.  Rich was always happier talking about your goals than his achievements.  He could run a marathon in just over 3 hours yet he'd rather talk about how your last 3 mile training run went than his achievements.  

There was a record turnout at Cheltenham Parkrun with 723 runners, many wearing peaked caps - I'd never seen Rich without a cap so it was a good tribute.  There were some lovely tributes read and a minutes applause for Rich.  Run in Peace, Rich.

Today was the Scouts 12 hour challenge hike, which I joined at lunchtime once I'd got back from Cheltenham.  Compared to the last time we did this they set a cracking pace only slowing down in the last hour or so.  They walked from Chipping Campden to Sudeley Castle - a total of 19.1 miles and 599m of ascent.  So well done to Aidan, Amelia, Archie, Ben, Cameron, Egan, Emilia, Isaac, Issy, Izzie, Lily, Luke, Sarah, Thomas, Tom, Toby, Will, William as well as Leaders Kerry, Sharon and Darren, and parents Ben and James.  And thanks to David for being the support vehicle driver and keeping us supplied with drinks and goodies.

Running Lesson #1

Before leaving home it's a good idea to check that your trainer insoles are actually inside your trainers. 😟

Gloucestershire Rice Paddies

With so much rain recently the field paths are like rice paddies.  At least today was warm (very warm for January) so it was shorts weather - legs wash and dry quicker than running tights.