Summer fun and back on the road

It was a great summer, one of the best I can remember. For one thing, there was actually a summer here in the UK, something that is apparently not at all a given. I also enjoyed the longest vacation I have had in many years (three full weeks!!!), a nice long recovery after the Vitosha 100 km (Bulgarian version) and a gradual progression of training aimed at breaking into the 2:30s at this weekend’s Chester Marathon.

Here are some photo highlights from the last three months:

 

Hiking with my family in Pirin and only running when I felt like it!

But then the first race was a bit of a shock to my unfit body.

I still managed to have fun and finish fourth
(way behind the first three) – if you need a new
challenge, consider Skyrun Maliovitsa in Bulgaria!

I am certainly going to take another crack at it at some point.

Back to Wales and running on the beach
(Borth Beach 10k, 36:29, third)…

then through the bogs (Nant Y Moch Skyline, 2:14, sixth),...

…and finally back on tarmac (Aberystwyth Parkrun)!

But with one last escape to a bigger mountain ...

 ...and watching a long-term race project (UTMB).

You can follow me live at Chester Marathon through my Facebook timeline or directly here.