Namaste Snowmen...

Delighted to have survived a wintery lap of the Cavey. Three weeks since cankling myself.

Rehab report
'Rehab is for quitters' as brother Monty reminded me.
Most grateful for Andys advice. Alternative training has ranged from bizarre ninja balancing, jogging on the nursey slopes avec mon baggette. After week at 1800m with a stunning view of Mt Blanc I was itching to get back running.
House completely snowbound. Lane full of snow.. passat hibernation for the next four weeks. Nephews kindly helped us to break trail over four fields to get to house. Using kids plastic sledges to manhaul luggage, groceries, and rubbish in and out...bit of craic but such a hassle.
 

My gentle return to running planned for Ballyboley forest became a 45 min stepper work out in two foot of snow... cankle was well iced and so were my hips as headed off trail and fell into a sheugh. I now seek forgiveness from the mother superior of trail runners as I was seen running.... on a treadmill... I have not succumbed to dreaded tarmac yet.

Inspired by Ralph's Divis mountain run where he inadvertantly ran over the roofs of two snow burried cars it was time to get up and at it.

Between the sick, the lame and the coffee shop a depleted team was summonsed to Belfast castle. Pastoral visit as RG called with big G... great to see him out in his shed MOT prepping a car... hope to see him out with us in the future.

Five copies of the Irish News...hilarious to see Roberts neb on pg32. Humble apologies to A + RK being relegated to the Vauxhall conference of healthcare professionals... aka dentists. Delighted Michael PR is widening Stand by Me audience via this wee project.

A was a late withdrawl due to work hassle...left R and RG who was going with full kit test of shorts, lycra+leggings. Just a canklet now which RG attributed to an allergic reaction to last nights treadmill shame. 100yrds in and we hit 'nam'... track littered with fallen trees, huge ones uprooted under weight of recent snow. Blood hound R was over trunks, under boughs, through folliage with the allure of snowy trails. Packed crisp snow under torchlight was great fun.

'Time to test the ankle' as RG called the route over stile. With no trail visible we made a best guess through the crust... heavy going in places... we made the transmitter mast. R's scorching descent left RG for dead. Next climb no sign of sherpa feet as were both into knees and even a tumble for mountain goat R. RG wheezed up the hill... to find R with his 'Godsent' taxi...we knew it was for R as it was a tasty choc coated wafer. The taxi RG ordered was motorised... preferably with an orthopaedic bed and oxygen... that would be an ambulance then.

Cracker night view from McArts. RG declined the red for the longer but safer track home. Hard packed with a few steeple chase snow drifts kept R amused. RG thought it and R said it 'not sure what Andy would say about this for a cankle rahab route'. 'A wiff of sheep?', suggested RG, as he was cagey on the descent.

Orange eyes startled R...a gruffalo?... no it was one of the cavehills wild horses. Mistaking horses for other animals seems to be flavour of this months burgers. A solid pace to home. Delighted to report no drama but plenty of interest on tonights run. 4.7miles 71minutes... no records. Great to be out running together again.     

A later than usual start ...

With RG continuing rehab (on the ski slopes…) from his career-threatening ankle injury, and RK maintaining an admirable loyalty to his coffee shop training routine (oh, and the daily visits to the gym!!), the average age was halved as R and A took to the Cavehill.

A later than usual start ensured that, despite the "great stretch in the evenings" these days, head torches and reflective gear were essential as the young pups started out for the snow-capped peak.

Ambitious goals were set for the night - the main one being to remain upright at all times, on a track that in numerous spots resembled parts of the Total Wipeout course! (Minus those enormous greasy spheres that every contestant comes a cropper on - obviously….)

Job interviews, R's new wheels and bank holiday training runs covered, the conversation tailed off with the increasing gradient. Once above the tree line and past the caves, the push was on to the stile, R leading the way with his usual consummate ease. The formation of a new gravel track (sacrilege to some!) helped in the pursuit of an historic first - for us anyway! - continuous running from carpark to summit. From there it was off to the stile - the "recovery route" in reverse. But for the crazy rabbits and some even crazier mountain bikers the track would have been invisible, and with each stride into snow and ice-cold water the feet became more and more numb. A fast descent from the stile back down the gravel path took us to the caves from where, in the faint head torch light we could just make out our next monstrous challenge - the Black Run…. Uphill.

It started at a run, slowed to a jog and for A, at least, quickly became a painful walk with calf explosion imminent.  R seemed to skip, nay dance to the summit, later admitting that he "may have walked in a couple of spots".  In any case McArt's fort was once again reached and stunning views across the city enjoyed briefly before the descent began.

Down the red we went with Mudclaws and Talons working overtime to keep their respective owners upright on a treacherous descent - "the worst yet" R was heard to cry (quite a claim!).  R managed to stay upright despite resembling a contestant on Dancing on Ice at times, while A lost it on one bend.  Full face plant looked on the cards but somehow was avoided with a "knee slide" that bore an uncanny resemblance to a certain post-goal celebration Steven Gerard……….

The carpark was reached without further incident and a new descent record (for some of us!) of 17mins set.

Great night, great craic and, thanks to the wonders of hot water, limbs and feet have finally thawed!!

(If you would like to leave the team any comments you can do so by clicking 'comments' below).

Numb below the shin.

Namaste Folks.

Numb below the shin.

Thanks to Andy's recovery regime, staff reckon I have lost it. One leg balancing is attracting storky RG or a senile Karate kid thoughts.

As for squatting in a bucket surrounded by ice... how very Nepali. Reminded of Monty's 2008 sismic movement with a high altitude evacuation on the Mera Peak glacier resulting in a remapping the Himalayas to include the new giant Makapoo.

Today things have progressed to an outbreak of blue toe. Cankle is subsiding and not progressed to thankle as Andy quipped yesterday. Saturday's review with our team psychic... will doubtless have me doing further bizarre activities next week.

Cankles : where calfs run untapered into fat ankles... not a great look.

Namaste Folks

Cankles : where calfs run untapered into fat ankles... not a great look.

Buoyed by reports of RK hitting the trails on Cavehill... or have Costa opened a shop on McArts? A prompt start we were Mournes bound for our first longer session. Muppetry started as RG hit the west link rounded Carlisle Circus and retracked braving the non rush hour stampede. Andrew graciously overlooked the navigation debacle. 10mins early at Carryduff and Ralph was still ahead of us.

 

Plenty of new kit on display with the montane minumus men (A+RG) both sporting new backpacks. Good work as we struck out on trail at 8.03am. 10 dry days winter vegetation, we have never seen better trails. Hare's gap was in sight 29mins as we crossed the snowline. Steady up Bearnagh onto the permafrost... 'backside may need care' R+RG commented. A cough reminded us of his brush with last week’s flu... real flu, but moving well we summitted 7mins ahead of schedule.

RG recounted the legend that is now Ninja Ralphs banzai headband and his kamikaze Bearnagh descent 2011. Resulting in RG ten toes up eyes on stalks in the afterwash. RG/Baldrick plan was for Ninja R to stop below for some video footage of the Montane men (MM)  descending. With sticks a flurry RG started like a granny knitting, foolishly began to gain confidence on the double black diamond, tacked in for a showboat video moment... until a nasty roll of the left ankle. (attached not for the squeamish) 'Looked sore' was R comment...no reply RGs guts were in his mouth. Much to learn from our grandstanding master..big Garthy.

A cut a good safe line to the bottom. Roving reporter Ralph stowed the outside broadcast unit and still hit the col 50yards ahead of us...how does he do that. Two jelly babies and Mr Bump plaster and on we went.

 
MM motorwayed up on the wall to the Meelmore icehouse. Biting cold pushed us across the wall heading for Meelbeg. RG moving like a big Jessie lost 75yrds to the happy valley col before engaging low box, dif lock, twin stick drive and rallyed up Meelbeg...now whose sticks look daft?

Sticks swapped to A for a test drive. R sniffed out a perfect line to the river. A minor ankle roll in the soft followed by 2 bigger rolls on the rocks left RG 100yrds adrift and air blue with some unprintable words. Mint conditions, the green light read +5mins and R+A were into a Kenyan rhythm...what a bummer. R+A spotted RG floundering more than usual. Dr A opened the tardis first aid kit. Brufen od,Crep + elastoplast strapping and RG was uprightish. Sticks became crutches...the lengths folks go to get their toys back. Bail out strategy agreed and blood hound Ralph had us heading for the jolly green passat.
 

Fascinating chat about helicopter rescue docs in Oz. Our 4hr day became 3. Good to all get safely back. 'Jangbu' hot choc and currant slab helped revive before hitting Mauds for IV Panini + caffeine. New kit worked well. Expecting R to join the montane minimus men soon.  Missed call from Andy while out on the hill... freaky... was he watching Ralph’s video nasty?

RG met Andy at Maxol station for a boot of the car consultation late afternoon. Just fantastic to have such expertise with the team.

I email with my left cankle submerged in icewater...much to my colleagues amusement. The MEM today seems like an even bigger ask. Yesterday was good training 8.6miles 3hrs 3mins+a good teamwork learning experience...thanks to A+R+A for patience and help.

Kindest regards

 

RG