For infomation click hereWednesday, 10 December 2008
Friday, 7 November 2008
Hell runner up north
On the 2nd of November I "had a date with hell" as the organisers put it. So I headed off to the Delamere Forest in Cheshire for what was likely to be one of the hardest physical challenges of my life.
13.8 miles of mud, swamp, rivers and very rough terrain lay waiting for the 1870 people entered. So at 10.50 am we were herded into the starting area and given a count down. This being my first ever running event and first race on dry land since the age of 13, I was looking around and focusing on the people looking more nervous than myself.
BANG, we were off. The only advice I had received was to get ahead of the masses before the first swamp as this was a massive bottle neck in the race and would only get worse as people squelched through. So I went out at a brisk pace and pushed my way to the leading pack.
Once there I decided to try and match pace with a gent that looked very relaxed and settle into his stride. This was a mistake, after about 3 miles I was forced to slow to my own pace and the gent wearing no:1 left me for dead (not surprising as it turned out he was last years winner).
I plodded on at my own pace through waist depth stagnant water and freezing mud which engulfed my lower limbs.
After about 8 miles I noticed my left foot was starting to swell and my shoe had become very tight. No time to stop as I was now into the stumbling stage of tiredness, I knew I was over half way. So with my foot swelling and calfs burning I dropped into the last major bog section about 200m long, chest deep and full of thing placed to trip you face first into the black water. The last mile was the longest, being in sight of the finish but being guided over every hill on the way.
The finish was a massive relief staggering over the finish in 1hr 50 mins; a time I was very proud of having never raced before and not putting a massive amount of training in.
324th overall not bad but could be better (just like the school reports)
The swollen foot turned out to be 4 stress fracture which made me even more pleased with my time as I many people dropped out of the race with such injuries.
13.8 miles of mud, swamp, rivers and very rough terrain lay waiting for the 1870 people entered. So at 10.50 am we were herded into the starting area and given a count down. This being my first ever running event and first race on dry land since the age of 13, I was looking around and focusing on the people looking more nervous than myself.
BANG, we were off. The only advice I had received was to get ahead of the masses before the first swamp as this was a massive bottle neck in the race and would only get worse as people squelched through. So I went out at a brisk pace and pushed my way to the leading pack.
Once there I decided to try and match pace with a gent that looked very relaxed and settle into his stride. This was a mistake, after about 3 miles I was forced to slow to my own pace and the gent wearing no:1 left me for dead (not surprising as it turned out he was last years winner).
I plodded on at my own pace through waist depth stagnant water and freezing mud which engulfed my lower limbs.
After about 8 miles I noticed my left foot was starting to swell and my shoe had become very tight. No time to stop as I was now into the stumbling stage of tiredness, I knew I was over half way. So with my foot swelling and calfs burning I dropped into the last major bog section about 200m long, chest deep and full of thing placed to trip you face first into the black water. The last mile was the longest, being in sight of the finish but being guided over every hill on the way.
The finish was a massive relief staggering over the finish in 1hr 50 mins; a time I was very proud of having never raced before and not putting a massive amount of training in.
324th overall not bad but could be better (just like the school reports)
The swollen foot turned out to be 4 stress fracture which made me even more pleased with my time as I many people dropped out of the race with such injuries.
Monday, 27 October 2008
A long time without an update
Well allot has happened and I am not going to try to cover it all so here is my latest bit of fun-
For more infomation about what I am up to check out- http://www.flowfree.co.uk/ff-blog/
Friday, 23 May 2008
Where am I now????
I am down in the Verdon region just doing so pre alps boating and spending something getting to know Stuart Woodward, Will King, Becca Hernadez and Nick Pearce. Paddling some late season beautiful class 3 runs.
Hopefully heading up to the Canoe Control base on Saturday to set up the site and get settled in before the clients arrive.
Hopefully see you all soon.
Hopefully heading up to the Canoe Control base on Saturday to set up the site and get settled in before the clients arrive.
Hopefully see you all soon.
Sunday, 11 May 2008
Gorges de la Borne
High up in the Ardeche mountains just off the D19 there is a wonderful little river more commonly known to the canyoning community called the Gorges de la Borne or Borne Canyon. With it being early session and hoping for some water Myself, Steve Davies, Chris Gibbens and Alex Kerr made a very slow and twisty drive up to the put on at around 1300M altitude.
And this is what we found.............................
There will be more to come on the Bourne canyon as it was truly superb and with a little more water could be even better. (Ignoring the 350m very steep climb out)
Catch you on the water
Saturday, 10 May 2008
The drive down
I have arrived in france after stopping at the Square rock mansion (big thanks to Aaron and Rhona for everything thing). All is well as the sun has come out to play and the Central Massif is running well.
Massive snowpack in the Alps so it is looking good for the season to come.
Catch you on the water.
Massive snowpack in the Alps so it is looking good for the season to come.
Catch you on the water.
Thursday, 3 April 2008
Cwm Llan.......... Again
The top drop that is usually walked 
Awesome place to chill out
Launching for some air time
Launching once more
Not that way........
O dear....................
This is gonna start hurting really soon.............................
Uh?!?! It didn't. I still work..............
Wow that was amazing.....................
Lets go again.Monday, 24 March 2008
Little Update
There has been no water despite Wales being very wet, it's cold and the tourist are starting to block the lanes......... It's getting to the time of year that I like to leave the UK and find a warmer place in the world to spend this summer.
So I have spent the last week or so working on some one2one coaching sessions and rescue training with global rescue.
I have also managed to get out on a couple of interesting rivers. The Ceirw, Gorge section (500m long section which is near impossible to scout and drops roughly 80m in a variety of slides and falls) and my local river which has a perfect 8 foot ledge drop for throwing hammers and things off. Both are steep, narrow and rocky.
Other than this just the usual runs of tryweryn and stuff to relax and keep the fitness up.
So I have spent the last week or so working on some one2one coaching sessions and rescue training with global rescue.
I have also managed to get out on a couple of interesting rivers. The Ceirw, Gorge section (500m long section which is near impossible to scout and drops roughly 80m in a variety of slides and falls) and my local river which has a perfect 8 foot ledge drop for throwing hammers and things off. Both are steep, narrow and rocky.
Other than this just the usual runs of tryweryn and stuff to relax and keep the fitness up.
Monday, 10 March 2008
Canoe Control Rescue Symposium
The first river rescue symposium in the UK for over 12 years, Stuart Woodward had a mountain to climb in organising some of the UK's top name kayaking coaches and enthusiasts to be in one place at one time but through lots of hard work he did it and the River Rescue Symposium 2008 (RRS) was born.
The event kicked off at 11.00 when the clients came flying through the doors ready for a weekend of rescue and safety based fun. Franco Ferrero kicked the event off before handing over to Bob Timms for the first mini lecture of the day. After Bob's lecture on the principals of safety and rescue it was time for the clients to scrum down at the whiteboard in order to secure their place some of the many courses running over the 2 days.
With afternoon workshops starting at 13.00 by Franco Ferrero, Bob Timms, Dave Rossiter, Jon Davies (me), Lowri Davies, Alli Marshall, Peter Knowles, Jules Bernard, Dino Heald, Ray Goodwin, Dave Luke and Dave Manby. There was a wide and varied choice of courses so there was something to suit all levels and interests. After two afternoon workshops you could see the client's brains whirring with questions. By a stroke of genius Stuart had accounted for this and first on the agenda after dinner was a paddler's question time. Which was controlled very well by Franco as it got a little heated as opinions differed.
With everyone winding down from the debate Allen Ellard stepped up to do a presentation on his many adventures and travels, which was well received by all as it proved very interesting.
After a long day of workshops and presentations most were grateful for seeing the bar for a drink and to talk through everything that they had heard and seen through the day.
Day 2 saw people taking to the water in all sorts of ways. Some of us swimming, some in boats and some bank based but all very well received and building on top of the day 1 theory. With the names above providing a range of sessions based around rope work, first aid, awareness and furthering paddler skills.
I was working on sessions about rope rescues, broaches, pinnings and entrapments with Dave Rossiter and Bob Timms. Since we had such a wide range of skills to cover we broke each session into two groups. One which would focus on entrapments and another looking to build good core throw rope skills. I worked with the people looking at entrapments and spent the vast majority of each session sat in the river with the group using various techniques to save me. Which was very productive as it highlighted how fast and accurate these rescue skills need to be to effect a potentially life saving rescue.
With the clients brains full again it was time for everyone to melt away into there corners of the world hopefully having learned a lot and having had an entertaining weekend.
Big thanks to-
Stuart Woodward for organising us all- http://www.canoecontrol.com/
The rescue team I am a member of- http://www.globalrescueservices.org.uk/
The event kicked off at 11.00 when the clients came flying through the doors ready for a weekend of rescue and safety based fun. Franco Ferrero kicked the event off before handing over to Bob Timms for the first mini lecture of the day. After Bob's lecture on the principals of safety and rescue it was time for the clients to scrum down at the whiteboard in order to secure their place some of the many courses running over the 2 days.
With afternoon workshops starting at 13.00 by Franco Ferrero, Bob Timms, Dave Rossiter, Jon Davies (me), Lowri Davies, Alli Marshall, Peter Knowles, Jules Bernard, Dino Heald, Ray Goodwin, Dave Luke and Dave Manby. There was a wide and varied choice of courses so there was something to suit all levels and interests. After two afternoon workshops you could see the client's brains whirring with questions. By a stroke of genius Stuart had accounted for this and first on the agenda after dinner was a paddler's question time. Which was controlled very well by Franco as it got a little heated as opinions differed.
With everyone winding down from the debate Allen Ellard stepped up to do a presentation on his many adventures and travels, which was well received by all as it proved very interesting.
After a long day of workshops and presentations most were grateful for seeing the bar for a drink and to talk through everything that they had heard and seen through the day.
Day 2 saw people taking to the water in all sorts of ways. Some of us swimming, some in boats and some bank based but all very well received and building on top of the day 1 theory. With the names above providing a range of sessions based around rope work, first aid, awareness and furthering paddler skills.
I was working on sessions about rope rescues, broaches, pinnings and entrapments with Dave Rossiter and Bob Timms. Since we had such a wide range of skills to cover we broke each session into two groups. One which would focus on entrapments and another looking to build good core throw rope skills. I worked with the people looking at entrapments and spent the vast majority of each session sat in the river with the group using various techniques to save me. Which was very productive as it highlighted how fast and accurate these rescue skills need to be to effect a potentially life saving rescue.
With the clients brains full again it was time for everyone to melt away into there corners of the world hopefully having learned a lot and having had an entertaining weekend.
Big thanks to-
Stuart Woodward for organising us all- http://www.canoecontrol.com/
The rescue team I am a member of- http://www.globalrescueservices.org.uk/
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
No Water
As the tittle says there is no water in wales and I am bord so here is a few photos from the last week or so....
Just drying some kit out ready for next time.....
The dog look rather bord as everything comes out the van......
and last but not least a classic piece of welsh parking at a friends house.
Thursday, 10 January 2008
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