Loch Leven Cycle

Hannah and Colin headed out to Loch Leven for a 14 mile charity cycle for Scottish Cot Death Association. The weather wasn't great but it stayed dry and was a pleasant enough 3 hour cycle.

It was a there and back event to the RSPB reserve at Vane Farm.

Pedal on Parliament

Hannah and Colin joined a large crowd cycling from the Meadows to Parliament to ask for better facilities for cyclists.

PHOTOS TO FOLLOW

Mountain Bike Orienteering - Glentress

Second attempt at Mountain Bike O got off to a bad start. Really struggled with the map at first and the challenge of spotting the car trails from the one way single track routes. Got some help from another cyclist who was interested in the sport. Eventually got into it and made some ground although still a few mistakes. Just got back within the allowed 3 hours in 5th of 6th at the time of finishing. Full results not in yet.

British Champs - Coledale Horseshoe

Travelled down to the Lake District for the first British Championship race of the season. This was a Medium distance race of around 8.5 miles and 915 m of climb. The weather was a bit mixed with conditions ok at the start but there was snow on the first climb to Grisdale Pike at about 790 metres. I started slow near the back of the field and pretty much stayed there the whole way round. After a descent to the head of the valley there was a very steep ascent which was a scramble in places. Then decent run along the undulating ridge on the way back. Descent strong finish managed to pick up a few places and beat a few of the people I'd been running beside earlier in the race.

A time of just over 2 hrs which was about what I expected.

JK Day 3 - Craig a Barns

Another day orienteering at Craig a Barns just above Dunkeld. Another tough day in the forest with lots of windblow trees and slow movement through the forest. Max was again 4th but Colin was a lot further down the finish list this time.

JK Day 2 at Dunalastair

Max and Colin headed off to Loch Tummel and Dunalastair forest for the first day of the JK and some tough orienteering. Huge crowd of people here for the event from all over the world.

Both Max and Colin did pretty well. Colin was 6th in the M45S and Max came 4th in the M18S.

Hannah and Cherry headed off to the Loch of Lowes to see the Osprey and other wildlife and then walked around Dunkeld.

JK Sprint - Livingstone

Max and Colin headed off to Livinstone for the JK Sprint. We arrived early to help out with the set-up. An hour spent creating the tape grid and then another hour pinning numbers to a string ! Then 2 hours setting off the runners and finally a 20 minute sprint race. Both did reasonably OK.

In the evening we all headed off to Dunkeld for two nights at the Hilton and for the next two days of the JK.

Pentlands in the Snow

Colin headed out for a walk in the snow covered Pentlands. After temperatures hitting 20 degrees a few weeks ago the temperature in April had dropped down to freezing and the hills near Edinburgh covered in snow. Not great weather for 2 weeks off work.

Kilomathon (half)

Colin got up early to head down to Leith to run in the kilomathon (really a half kilo). One of the nicest courses I've ever run on going along the various cycle paths in North Edinburgh. Very cold to start off but the temperature rising throughout the day. Good strong pace throughout - although the time not brilliant compared to my historic best. Still - it felt good to be pushing along quite strongly throughout. The finish was in Murrayfield stadium so very nice end to the race.

Came 136 of 516 runners.

Jogged home afterwards and later on cycled down to Leith with Hannah to collect the car.