A round up of the final month of 2024 where I had three events on three stormy days with yellow weather warnings: the Punk Panther Christmas Cracker in a named storm (Darragh) on the 7th, a ‘Run like a Haggis’ navigation course on a ‘standard windy day’ on the 15th, Read more…
Or how 2023 has not been all rainbows and unicorns I ran the CCC race, a 100km trail ultra from Courmayeur to Chamonix, on September 1st. The previous six months have been filled with training, with running many races, but also with two operations and subsequent recoveries. I wanted to Read more…
Another splendid Punk Panther event The Six Dales Trail, an established and signposted 38 mile walking route from Otley to Middleham, was devised in 2010 by the Otley ‘Walkers are Welcome’ group. It takes its name from the six dales that are traversed as it makes its way across the Read more…
The Dales High Way (DHW) is a Punk Panther (PP) ultra event along the long distance walking route of the same name, which roughly runs parallel to the Settle and Carlisle Railway. 90 miles and 14,600 ft of ascent take you from Saltaire to Appleby-in-Westmorland via Skipton, Settle, Dent and Read more…
With all to play for in mile 49….. The Welcome Way is an existing way-marked circular long distance walking route here in West Yorkshire, connecting Otley, Burley in Wharfedale and Baildon, with an optional loop around Shipley Glen and Bingley. Not only is it local to me, the route actually Read more…
Dewsbury: another crack at a 10k PB In December I wrote a post about breaking 50 minutes for the 10k after running 49:32 at Ribble Valley. The Dewsbury 10k, always held on the first Sunday in February, offered a good opportunity to try and shave a few more seconds off. Read more…
Some thoughts about training High time to update my blog, in particular with reference to the 2 race entry ballots I wrote about in a previous post. On January 1, whilst I was running through the mud on the North Leeds Greenway Ultra, the email arrived to say I had Read more…
North Leeds Greenway Ultra Another month, another Punk Panther event! I began 2023, on New Year’s Day, with the North Leeds Greenway Ultramarathon, a 34 mile/3600 ft circuit of North Leeds from Otley. Starting off with the steep climb up the Chevin to Surprise View (650 ft ascent in the Read more…
The Christmas Cracker is a handicap race and is the final race of the year for Otley based endurance event organiser Punk Panther. One of the run directors sets off first on a 32 mile / 3700 ft route and each runner is given a handicap based on times achieved Read more…