Category: Latest Adventures and Thoughts

Me vs The Bighorns

My first 100 mile race

Bighorn – (as per their website) a tough contender in the ultra-world boasting its name on the top 10 most difficult ultras in the nation. We met with Mother Nature to custom design a challenging course: full of steep climbs, difficult down hills, shoe sucking mud, and relentless technical terrain leading you to spectacular views with a possible wildlife encounter here or there.  Participants, be prepared to endure extreme ever-changing mountain weather conditions and temperature variations. Mother Nature provides over 20,500 feet of ascent and 20,750 feet of descent testing the most seasoned ultra-runners with 76 miles of technical single-track trail, 16 miles of rugged 2-track jeep trail road, and 8 miles of gravel road. Continue reading Me vs The Bighorns

#greecelightning and 100 miles

After successfully completing my first marathon, the Athens marathon, I set my sights on the next most important thing in my life…my approaching 40thbirthday and the celebrations that would ensue. I travelled around the world from Hong Kong to North America, onwards to Europe and Argentina, celebrating with best friends and adventuring in new parts of the world.  Of course, I continued running, as this was now part of my lifestyle, but with no particular goal in mind.  Once I had safely transitioned into my 40thyear it was time to take some action and decide where I wanted to lay my hat. Greece was still pulling me but this time back to my hometown, my heart, my Crete.  A small business opportunity helped with the transition into my new life and so it began in a small fishing harbor called Chania on the west side of the island.  From the moment I stepped off the plane, a wave of peace and joy swept over me, together with the hot summer air of course.  I was home! After a few weeks of settling in, I started asking around about where to run, and I was soon introduced to the local running community.  Shy at first, I was very nervous about running with actual runners…who was I after all?  Such a newbie, only trained by myself up until now, how would I compare?  Continue reading #greecelightning and 100 miles

How I got into running at the age of 39

  • From the Corporate World
  • To Runner

I was never into running growing up.  I played football when I was little and then Judo in my teenage years, but really from the ages of 14 onwards sport had very little to do with my lifestyle.  In my mid-30s I was depressed about my weight and my looks and I saw a personal trainer for a couple of years, but then I moved to Hong Kong in 2012 and the demands of my job and the lifestyle there pretty much threw that out the window.  I valiantly tried to go on small jogs, but nothing outweighed the continuous lack of sleep, long work hours, travel, eating out and drinking.  After 22 years in the corporate world, culminating in a position of Chief Financial Officer looking after the Asia region for a global consultancy, I decided to quit to find some balance in my life and pursue a journey of self-discovery. Continue reading How I got into running at the age of 39

My Arizona Trail Adventure – Part 1

Type 2 fun….. possibly type 2.5

Background

I only discovered my passion for running later in life.  I was working in the corporate world for 22 years, at the age of 38 I decided to quit in order to pursue a journey of self discovery, wherein I found running and haven’t looked back since.  In July 2017, I came to Flagstaff, Arizona for Rob Krar’s ‘Trail & Ultra Running Camp’, this was my first experience of running on trails. I fell in love with trail running, Flagstaff and the community and decided to move out here a month later.  Continue reading My Arizona Trail Adventure – Part 1

My Arizona Trail Adventure – Part 2

Type 2 fun….. possibly type 2.5

…… This would have been bad enough in the day time, searching for cairns in amongst the other rocks, sometimes upstream, sometimes ahead of you, sometimes obliterated by fallen trees, but it was downright scary at nighttime.  As you can imagine, these miles were SLOW.  With only a narrow stream of light from my headlamp, I was scanning up and down, left and right, looking for these piles of rocks on top of rocks!  I cursed myself for not bringing my super duper Petzl headlamp and only bringing my lightweight headlamp with me (Lesson no.6 – always carry the super duper headlamp).  Continue reading My Arizona Trail Adventure – Part 2

My Arizona Trail Adventure – Part 3

Type 2 fun….. possibly type 2.5

…I was making progress, albeit slow when I suddenly find myself with a stretch ahead of me where the snow had fallen and completely obliterated the trail and was effectively an ice wall on the side of the mountain.  The trusted footsteps that I was using to keep myself safe were nowhere to be seen until about 10 feet ahead of me.  There was nothing but the sheer drop off and one lonely tree to the right of me.  I willed myself with all my might not to look down as I knew this would finish me off. I had to get across this section somehow.  Continue reading My Arizona Trail Adventure – Part 3