Taking shape

2014....what will it bring? Well I hope it brings me a successful Munro round! This week has taken me a few small steps closer to realising that dream. Although I did manage my target of 7 hrs running last week, the main focus of my efforts has been getting people on board and keen to support. I have plenty of friends who are runners and have been blown away by how keen some of them are to be involved. It's a big ask to trek all the way up to the north of Scotland; it certainly makes supporting a BG leg look like small fry. Add in the fact that the age I am, most of my friends have young kids so it won't be easy for them to get away from their busy family lives. Nonetheless quite a few have committed already and I'm sure others will in time. My plan really is to get as much support as I can on the hills. I don't mind being on my own but I'd rather be out there with people, having a craic as the hills fly by (that's how it is when I imagine it anyway!) If you are reading this and fancy a few days out on the hills this April and May contact me and it would be great to have you along (whether you know me or not).
danmunro 2014 at gmail dot com

Another concern of mine has been the kayaking, particularly day 1 which involves 2 crossings on the same day - Sound of Mull and the Corran narrows. Very kindy, Tony from Sea Freedom Kayak based in Oban has offered to see me across both sections. I'm not a kayaker by any stretch of the imagination so this is great news as having expert help sorted so quickly will help put my mind at ease. Ominously he has advised me to practise in advance 'when it's choppy'! You can support their business here www.seafreedomkayak.co.uk

As well as getting help sorted, I have also done more work on the route. I have known the order of the hills for a while now but have finally got round to plotting the route on 1:50000 maps this week. As a self confessed map geek I can't claim that this is onerous; quite the opposite! Pure pleasure. However it has given me a real taste of what lies in store. Some of the days are HUGE and none are soft. Whether I can stick to the schedule I have set remains to be seen and I guess there's only one way to find out. Gulp.

Days 1 -5

Like I said the training has gone OK. I've still a long way to go to get to peak fitness but then I've got a lot of time to do it. Don't want to peak too early! This week was:

M: Rest

T: Rest

W: 1 hr 20 round Wansfell

T: 2 hr 20 Fairfield horseshoe plus a bit

F: 1 hr Potter Tarn loop

S: 1 hr Scout Scar

S: 1hr 40 Loughrigg Silverhow

Total 7 hrs running    9000 feet of ascent

None of it terribly fast. I'll try to up it a bit next week although being back at work will make everything that bit harder, as it does.

15 weeks to go

Fairfield summit on Thursday