Project Strava terminated

I wanted to have a picture with all my Strava activities. I suppose my main motivation was to keep anyone following my account entertained. But then I became a bit too aware of the environmental cost of data. Every picture you take, that ends up in the cloud, requires some server somewhere whirring away in a big water-cooled data centre. Not good! So I stopped. If it is a big exciting hike or a very beautiful run I still do it, but I have stopped taking pictures of every commute. I must say that trying to find something photogenic in every commute made me appreciate the route even more than I already did. But I can appreciate it just with my eyes from now on. And if any Strava followers are bored, then so be it. Maybe those who never uploaded pictures anyway were just very environmentally friendly!

The last commute picture I took

Infrared update

Three weeks after the installers of my infrared panels left mid-task, I finally got a message from the company about the way forward. They said they would come back and finish the work when the small panels, that fit between the ceiling joists, would be available again. The installer had said that would probably be December! So it will be well into heating season that I might get these panels wired in and functioning. That’s a bit of a bummer. It also means I can’t really remediate the damage done until then. And there are no guarantees, of course, that it actually will be December. Oh well. I will have to wait. So be it! 

The bedroom ceiling after I had tidied up 

Wires terminating in the little cupboard with my consumer unit 

Caernarfon half marathon

The time had come to improve my relationship with the Caernarfon half marathon. Last year I had run it, but about halfway along the course I had felt the need to put on two knee supports. My IT bands were playing up! They had done that for the first time that May, and I had hoped a whole summer of physiotherapy exercises would have meant that by September, I would be okay again. I was not. I really struggled with the second half. These knee supports restrict movement in your knees. It was uncomfortable, and I felt like I was running like a scarecrow. And the good thing is that I still ran a personal best, and a category win, but it nevertheless felt like a disappointment. All that physiotherapy, and still this!

This year I had run the Snowdonia half marathon without problems, so I had faith I could do the same in Caernarfon. I didn't even bring knee supports. 

At the start I saw some familiar faces. And I made sure to start near the front, but not too much so. My aim was run just under 1:40. The previous year I had done 1:40: 20. Surely I could do better now? And that, aiming at 1:39, required a pace of 4:41. And, of course, you're not going to run that at all times, as there are some undulations in the route. But it is a good number to hold onto. Soon I more or less settled into that pace.

The weather forecast has been horrible, but reality was so much milder! It barely rained. It was actually quite good running weather. I hadn't brought any water as I figured more than enough of it would be falling out of the sky, so when that didn't happen I accepted a bottle at the first water station. I had a pocket for it in my running vest.

I made sure to think about the advice from my running coach. And the physiotherapist as well. Run wide-legged, and when in doubt, make big strides! I was glad to run past a particular junction where I knew I had already started to feel knee problems the previous time. And I ran past the 7 mile marker, in the vicinity of which I had felt the need to put my knee supports on the previous time. So far so good! Unfortunately, it did not last. By the time I reached the 9 mile marker (I had missed the 8 mile one) my left knee was definitely protesting.

I hoped I would just manage to keep running until the finish. I did think it was likely. It was not that far anymore. And I also soon got some encouragement: a bloke on the side said I was in seventh position. That was so much better than I thought I would be! That cheered me up.

I did keep an eye on whether any women would be trying to overtake me, but I saw none. I did get overtaken by a few blokes in the last few miles, but I was okay with that. I wasn't very fast anymore, with that struggling knee! I was just trying to keep going, hoping no women would come running past. One guy overtook me towards the end of the bicycle path, and asked if we would have to run around the castle again. I confirmed that. He sounded like he wanted it over with by now!

When I was already in town, a race official on a bicycle came zipping past. He said I was undoubtedly on my way to a category win, again. How does he know that? Last year I didn't show up for the presentation. But I suppose he must be from Run Wales, and it's true I get a lot of category wins in their races.

I plodded my way to the actual finish. The last marshal I saw was Ian from the Thursday sessions. We enthusiastically yelled at each other. And then I was in. I wasn't really out of breath; I had spent some six kilometres not being able to run as fast as my lungs could carry me. And I went to collect my race T-shirt and medal, and then my bag. And I chatted with some other finishers. Then I made my way to where the presentation would be. This time I would stay!

Finishing pic

The official results were not publicised, but it became clear I had indeed run a category win. In a time of 1: 38:57. For that you need a pace of 4:41. Crikey! That was rather precise. And Emma, the Dutch lady who wins lots, had also won this race! That was fab.

Me with my loot! Pic by fellow runner 

As this race was in the Welsh Championships (like e.g. the Breakwater race), there was another presentation afterwards, where I obviously also had a category win, so I ended up with three medals around my neck. But then it was time to go to the toilet and head for my car. Time to go home, and shower!

Another thing I did was order knee supports that are, as far as I can tell, better suited to IT band problems than the ones I have. They should not limit your movement so much. So they should be a lot more comfortable. And hopefully, at least as effective. Next year I want to run this race again, and preferably faster than this time. I might need some strappy aids to help me do that!

Marshalling the youth fell running championships

At the end of the Caernarfon 10k, one of the Eryri Harriers legends spotted me, and asked if I perhaps available to marshal some youth races on the Great Orme in early September. And I said I was. And when I phoned him about the details, after returning to the Netherlands, he asked me to be at the Great Orme summit café at 10 am. I could do that. And even better; Neil, who lives nearby, was happy to come with me. 

The races were the North Wales Junior Mountain Running Championships, under the umbrella of the Welsh Fell Runners Association. There were six age categories, from under 9 to under 19.

We rocked up and immediately found Mike, who was the one who had roped me in. He told me where he wanted me to be stationed. It was really close by. I had to point the kids down the hill. And the first race, starting at 10:30, had only six runners. So that was over in no time!

We went back to race HQ as Mike had said we weren't needed now until the races that started 11:50. He changed his mind, though, so we were also put to use in some races in between. This time we were on the other side of the summit. That was actually a better position! Better views, and a better shelter from the wind. And the course looked quite nice. And something I would consider running! The short races, that didn't go past where we were initially stationed, didn't seem to have any steep downhill in them. But that was an academic question, of course, as these were youth championships. Still nice to appreciate the routes!

The scene: Bishop’s Quarry on the Great Orme, for the shorter races. In full screen you can see a race going on in the distance, on the left. Mike (in hi viz ) is walking past the tape indicating the funnel to the finish.

When even the longest races, for the oldest kids, had gone past we were told we could stand down. We took some route markers with us and went back to hand in my bib and radio. Then we decide to actually take down all the other markers on ‘our’ side of the summit as well. And lastly, Neil wanted to have a little look at how the repair of the broken cable was going. One has an interest in electricity or one doesn't! And then we could return home. We may have watched the future of North Wales off-road running! 

Neil official

Even slightly less observant readers will have noticed a certain enthusiasm for Neil om this blog recently. He made his first appearance in late July, when we started exploring the Penmaenmawr quarries. From then on, we saw each other regularly, and a fair few of our meetings were reported here. 

By now we have decided to officially be a couple. And Neil is quite private, so I will be conservative in what I say here about him. I have, by the way, permission for this post. 

I hope he will maintain a long and enjoyable (be it restricted) presence here on the blog. And a more unrestricted one in my life. Time will tell! 

Neil and me on our camping trip

Back home

All went well with my travels back to the Netherlands so I was home on time! That was great. I popped into the shop on my way to my car. And soon I was snuggling the cat again. 

Back home! 

I had happened before, the house was cleaner when I got back then when I had left. I suppose I wasn't the only one who wanted to make a good impression. The cat sitter would also benefit from a good review on the house sitter website, and she sure deserved to get one. (The day after I came back I wrote one.) And the cat was relaxed. I couldn't ask for more!

She had also left some foodstuffs in my house. A full box of eggs, and a bottle of milk with a tiny bit left in it. I don't normally buy eggs, nor milk (although I have oat milk), and I saw my chance. The first evening I was home I just cooked something very quick, but the second one I decided to make pancakes. You can have these with spinach and cheese and then it's a meal! And if you end up with more pancakes than you can eat, you have leftovers for lunch. What's not to like.

The most important thing is a happy cat, of course, but it's also nice to find your beloved house in good shape when you come back from a trip. And if it ends in pancakes it's even better!

Heading home

I had booked a rather early train from Amsterdam back to the UK. And by chance, I would wake up in Amsterdam, so that was convenient. I would spend my last night at Viking’s, and sleep there. In the morning, I could just quietly do what needed doing, and slip out of the house. And that worked out. I spent a short but nice night in the guest room, even joined for a while by Simba the cat, and woke up at 6:15. I had a brief shower, I filled my hot and cold water bottles, and had a bit of time left for a small breakfast. Then I snuck out the door. 

It was a beautiful morning. I walked to the quay where the ferry departs, and had a lovely sunrise trip over ‘t IJ to Central station. There I brushed my teeth. The Eurostar would depart from a regular platform. I think only the one directly to London departs from the Eurostar terminal. 

View from the ferry 

Travel to Brussels went well, and getting through customs and security as well. The train to London departed on time. And in London I caught the earliest possible train to the northwest. All went well! There wasn’t even any issue with the train from Chester to Bangor. I think this may have been a record! Only 9.5 hours from Amsterdam to Bangor. Better than I could have hoped!