Passo Tonale

We're just back from a weeks skiing in Italy.

From PassoTonale-09

Last year our friends went to Passo Tonale. This year we accompanied them on a return trip along with another family, and so we were ten.

We flew in to Innsbruck which is a very picturesque airport the sun set as we set off on our 3 hour transfer so we had to wait until the next day to find out just how beautiful our location was.

Here's the scene from our hotel window.

From PassoTonale-09

From PassoTonale-09

After the usual arsing about with the Ski hire and lift passes we were ready to go.
Now just some 'credit where credit is due' here for Snowbrainer the online hire service, they were a pleasure to deal with and could not have been more helpful. The hire shop in Tonale was of a similar standard. There were no queues and we were asked if we were happy with the ski's that they had selected for us. I managed to snap my pole in a chairlift incident and they were replaced at no cost. One more bit of advice, DO NOT go to the Pharmacy in Passo Tonale, the guy is a ripoff merchant and I told him what I thought of his prices.

Pharmacy apart, Passo Tonale is a fantastic place. 100Km of runs, 6 black, 23 red, 12 blue.

We were split into groups as our family and the kids in the other family had signed up for Ski School.

From PassoTonale-09

From PassoTonale-09

From PassoTonale-09

Yes, the epitome of a dure faced jock is smiling in the photo !

After two hours of lessons we spent the rest of the day practising and exploring. We all quickly found our ski legs on the blue runs.

From PassoTonale-09

We spent some time trying out the mountain restaurants. A beer can help you relax when tackling your first red run.

From PassoTonale-09

Although I had none when I was taken away by my friends to PonteDiLegno. This was going to be a nice day out on blues and reds but we ended up at the top of a black. What the hell, let's do it.

From PassoTonale-09

I was genuinely looking forward to doing it although some of it was taken sideways and I had a couple of falls on the bumpy sections I loved it.

At the bottom we met up with the rest of my family and went up another chairlift to another restaurant with some stunning views outside.

From PassoTonale-09

From there it was only some bumpy icy reds to the bottom.

From PassoTonale-09

Our lessons were going well and to finish off the week the memberes of each group were to race each other in slalom. I had seen it on Ski Sunday and was looking forward to having a go.

In the kids group my daughter got sixth place and my son was third. The two kids from the other families we travelled with got second and first, what a sweep.

From PassoTonale-09

From PassoTonale-09

My wife was in the beginner adults and got a fourth place. I surprised myself and managed first.

From PassoTonale-09

From PassoTonale-09

That was the last day of the holiday. We had the 6 or 7 course Italian meal that night and after 4 days of sun, one day cold overcast and one day cold but sunny we flew back to windy rainy Scotland the next day.

Right, where's the brochures for next year ?

Ski Bum

This month we have been doing mostly... Skiing.

It seems my abilities have not gone un-noticed. Ski Bum magazine is featuring Team Mackay and myself this month.



Seriously though we have had some nice conditions down in Cairngorm which we had to take advantage of.

From CairngormSki Feb2009

Karen and I went for a private lesson to brush up on our skills, then a few days later Saunders and I Ski'd and Boarded all day. My knees were quite sore after going down the M2.

Last Friday we all turned up and had a great time.

Molly was eager to get going.

From CairngormSki Feb2009

The kids just started where they had left of last year, and progressed fast.

Karen reported imporovements too.

From CairngormSki Feb2009

I managed to have a few crashes and one particular high speed roll about which left me with a sore knee ! I just hope it feels better in time for our holiday.

From CairngormSki Feb2009

A few people I have spoken to are not thet keen on Cairngorm for skiing but I must say that it is good enough for me, you just have to get the snow and the weather and you are laughing.

From CairngormSki Feb2009

So get along to Cairngorm, you'll have a great day out and be flakers on the way home.

From CairngormSki Feb2009

Yearly Totals

Well I thought I would sum up the year in numbers and pictures.

Paddles, about two or three !

Running:

From MapsNstuff

Total distance run 399.67 Km
Total time 39hrs 54min
Calories Burnt 29,557

Cycling:

From MapsNstuff

Total distance run 1,188.13 Km
Total time57 hrs 53min
Calories Burnt 48,691


Fun ie Trail riding not included unless a first time visit where I would sometimes wear the GPS.

That's me checking out for this year. Off for a glass of wine and maybe an Indian for dinner....

Boxing Day Bash

We decided to go on a wee cycle with some people who really know what they are doing.

Team Fyrish

These guys have a winning reputation just look what they achieved last year.
Quads@ 10 Under the Ben '08
Quads@ Dawn Raid '08
Quads@ 10 at Kirroughtree '08
Quads@ 10 More in Moray '08
Quite stunning.

Gordy Mac has written a wee bit about the cycle which I will link to. Save to say that there was an abundance of skill on show, none of it coming from me !
















Pic by Gordy.

I did have an early (sideways) dismount and a couple of walks.
I also had a problem with my chain when one of the links was badly twisted. Gordy rescued me with a new one. We made it to the top for cookies cake and whisky.















Pic by Gordy.

The descent was different too with a range of terra or should that be terror to deal with.
I had my usual puncture and David gave me his pump when my old one disintegrated before our eyes.


Pic by Gordy.

I was having an interesting day which was capped off by a stunning "somersault and roll down the hill" crash on Fridge Ridge.


Pic by Gordy.

What a great day out. Many thanks to Fyrishbikes and all the best for 2009.
See Gordy's report and read more about Team Fyrish.

Perhaps The Craziest Thing I have Ever Done.

We have had a wee run of nasty weather recently. This week we've had snow which is sttill present on the hills around us. Last week we had rain and gales, this lasted for the whole of the 'tatty holidays' the last week I was off work but did almost nothing because of the dire conditions.

On Saturday 25th I did do something, something I will remember for a long time and something for which my body is still hurting.

The Charmer

Saunders decided we were entering several months ago, as it is a two person relay I decided to go first as I am the slower one.

The 4 mile downhill run, 4 mile cycle and 4 mile run back up look like this with just the cycle gradient shown.

From Charmer2008-10-25

Lets get the nitty gritty out of the way first. I finished a disgusting 151st out of 182. Saunders had a respectable 44th which gave our team a 47th out of 91.

The first thing I must say about race day was that the wind was quite strong. Here is an extract from the official race day report:

"Winds in excess of 120 mph on Cairngorm did not deter a record number of 91 teams (out of a total of 105 who had pre-entered) turning up for the second staging of the Cairngorm Charmer ...
which is a challenging enough route even without the 120 mph winds thrown in!"

In fact the wind was so bad that:

"a number of broken car windscreens which had been damaged by the wind"
It was blowing in the windows in cars !

It was chilly at the start and I was glad to be going first.

From Charmer2008-10-25

I was off downhill with my starting group of five. We went five at a time at one minute intervals.

From Charmer2008-10-25

Down we go...

From Charmer2008-10-25

Look at the heart rate data for running downhill, it should be quite low but when the 'run' is actually someone trying not to be blown over it's a different story.

From Charmer2008-10-25

The cycle was quite easy although some of it was into the wind so at 4 mph !

After the cycle it was time to run back up the hill. I don't look well :)

From Charmer2008-10-25

I did make it back up, having to walk the last 2 miles into the wind.

Saunders made it too in a much more respectable time.

From Charmer2008-10-25

We received a goody bag at the end and in light of the exceptional circumstanes they included a printout from the Cairngorm Weather Station's annemometer.

From Charmer2008-10-25

I will actaully be doing this again next year just because it was so crazy. Hoping for a lot of snow next year, we only missed it by a couple of days this time.

Oh, once again BIG thanks to the support team of Karen, Jean, Sol, Molly and Hollie.

The CAT. I paddled !

The CAT is the Cairngorm Adventure Triathlon.
3k paddle, 20k cycle and a 5k run.
It's another thing that seemed like a good idea at the time. Once again I have been quite busy and unable to donate enough time to training. Although I have paddled a wee bit over the last few years I have never set foot in an open canoe.

The day started off dry but cold and windy. We were to set off in four groups, me and Todd were in the third group so we had to hang about until 1130 hrs. We drank and ate.

From CAT

As the start time approached the wind increased and it began to rain !

We ran from the start point and jumped into the boats, it was a hectic start with plenty of collisions and water pouring in and on. That was the exciting bit, the rest of the paddle was a shock. We simply could not get the thing to track straight, the 3Km paddle was probably 5 or 6km for us. I was in the back desperately trying to paddle forward but could only manage three strokes before having to rudder.

From CAT

The rain came down.

We got around in under 50 mins and ran up the the transition. Changed into dry socks and cycling shoes and sped off. We had a wee hill to start us off and I tackled it at a moderate speed so that Todd would keep up but he wasn't having it. I waited at the top but when a couple of other cyclist apeeared I assumed Todd had punctured or given up, I took off.

The conditions were very wet and slippy and a marshall warned us of the descent from an slugan down to croftmore. The cycle was very nice though and I enjoyed it. I managed to overtake six people on the cycle and was not passed.

From CAT

From CAT

Cycle over, and it was 26Km according to my GPS ! My wife and kids were at the transition and helped me pull off one of my top layers which was soaked. The soaking cycle shoes and socks came off too in favour of some trainers.



I started the run. I immediately got cramp so cut the pace back a wee bit. I got the cramp under control and ran by three other competitors who looked like they had cramp too.

I pushed a wee bit more with a Kilometre to go and the lurking cramp came back. I crossed the line in 82nd place !

From CAT

Todd arrived soon after in 117 th.

From CAT

I would consider doing it again next year but I would need more open canoe practice.

The Guy From The Sports Shop

Haa, I found a photo of myself on the 360 Sportive !
Found on the MFCC website I am behind the guy from the sports shop from whom I bought my running shoes.

Cycle Sportif

I had never heard of a Cyclosportif or Cycle Sportif, hell I don't even know the correct name for it.

Saunders and Jean pointed me in the direction of the Loch Ness 360 website as they were doing the 360 MTB and the 180 MTB, I then saw the bit about the road cycle and decided I wanted to do it.

I wish I had taken my camera but I didn't want to carry any more weight than I had to.

All I can say is that it was an amazing experience for me. I had done a few 10 mile time trials years ago but had never ridden in a group of riders. The first 2 miles were in a neutralised zone as we were led through Inverness by a 'pace' car.
I soon noticed cyclists in front of me pointing this way and that and soon realised that they were pointing out drains, hydrant covers and pot-holes. When we reached the Holme roundabout the horn sounded and we were racing. Well some were racing I was just trying to keep pedalling !



I spotted someone in front of me and decided it would be easier to be with someone else rather than alone. I caught up and realised that this was the guy who had sold me a pair of running shoes in a shop in Inverness a month earlier, small world eh ?

We soon caught someone else and became three, then four. We continued 'chaining' along for about 20 kilometres. We then joined another group who then speeded up and our wee group got strung out, I was alone again. I then knocked my pump of when returing my water bottle and had to go back for it.

At 33km in there was a short hill climb and at 40Km a nice big downhill I reached speeds of 73.7 kph ( 46 mph )




I felt great at Fort Augustus but when we turned around and I started to climb back up the hill that old devil called cramp came a calling. I had to dismount. I had several attempts at climbing but the cramp wouldn't go away. I eventually topped out but I had wasted valuable time, I still felt great though.




So here we go. I got down to Fort Augustus in 01:44 but it took me 02:33 to get back with my crampy legs.

Important bits are as follows
Dist 94.15Km
Time 04:17:04
Av Spd 21.9 Kph
Av HR 80%
Max Hr 101% Ouch
Calories 3609
Total Ascent 2063.5m

Oh and here's the profile with that scary hill.


More strength training needed for next year !

7 Stanes Tour 08. Glentress.

Glentress please please us !



Oh boy, the 7 stanes hadn't set the heather on fire yet and this was going to be our last chance to get a buzz.


Sol, Saunders and I had a go at the shortened blue route and I was immediately aware that these trails were a considerable cut above the other two.

The Blue trail had switchbacks, something they forgot about on the Ae blue, and jumps BLOODY loads of jumps. Sol was very impressed.


Things were looking good for when Saunders and I returned to do the Red the next day.

Well they've done it. The trail seemed to have everything but the kitchen sink, two features I didn't even do, a nasty root section and a big chute. The Glentress Red route beats Golspies Red for shear scale and variety, oh and nice views




The highlight would probably have to be the Spooky Wood. You can tell something good is going to happen with everyone congregating at the top and savouring the building excitement of what is to follow.









Oh yes we shall return, but only to Glentress to do the Black, and Red and the Blue. OK we'll do the Green too !

It was a bit messy though.



Glentress only 9/10 because I'm saving that extra point for when I go back.