Snowbiz/Run Rabbit Run

I don’t wish to perpetuate the myth that the UK is always cold and showered in rain. But it is looking a little something like this right now

<< "The blue symbolising: "Go outside today and you are going to freeze your feckin peculiars off"

(I believe you will find that is the official meteorological term for this level of coldness).

The temperature has lingered around zero Celsius all day like young teenagers by the top shelf magazines, daring each other to sneak a look. This is something that is apparently not going to change until Wednesday lunchtime. (The temperature that is, you’d have thought the teenagers would have been kicked out after ten minutes rubbing their grubby little paws over pictures of topless women).

I like the cold, and I like snow; moreover, I like taking photos of the landscape transformed by snow. This made today annoying. Old Jack Frost got a little excited and came early…then tried to hide it. So by the time your weary narrator left home for his morning stroll to work, he had nothing but sludge and ice to navigate through. Looking the other way, like the English do – pretending he hadn’t seen the embarrassing love stains that Old Frosty balls could not hide.

To my surprise he came back for a second go, but I only caught a fleeting glimpse of the White Stuff from my office window – as Jack flaunted his wares burlesque style before vanishing, leaving the city covered in one giant slippery coating. So no wintry photo shoot for me today, fingers crossed for tomorrow.

But today was about more than snow, today saw planning commence on this years mini adventures! In which I will push my mind, body and soul to the limits, and possibly kill a friend (But don’t worry about – they knew the risks when they take the job). To explain – after a rather eventful three-month holiday around Europe a few years ago, I developed an addiction for pushing myself to the point of collapse, or just planting myself firmly in deaths vision. So when I got home, I naturally attempted to coerce my friends into joining me. Despite almost killing them on a training climb, in preparation for a Three Peak Challenge attempt, a few minor injuries, and getting lost in the wilds they have come back for more.

I have decided that 2010 shall be the year I attempt the Le Marathon des Sables (Sahara Marathon), which; as I have discovered, is a 150 mile trek/run across the Sahara, to be completed in six days. Sounds awesome, but as eager as my friends are for action I get the feeling it will be just two of us attempting that little beauty.

To this year, after a brain storming session the following events/ideas have caught my eye:

Charity/Organisation Run Events
Caledonian Challenge – A 54 mile trek from Fort William to Loch Lomand (Scotland)
Rob Roy Challenge – A 55 mile course, 17 mile trek followed by 39 miles cycling (England)
The Original Mountain Marathon – 36 hour Adventure Race (England)
The Carpathian Adventure – 3 Day Adventure Race (Romania)

Our own Ideas
Climb Slieve Donard (Highest Peak in Northern Ireland), then drive down to Cork and climb Carrauntoohil (Highest Peak in Rep. Of Ireland) and the other two peaks in that particular range which are over 1,000m – Beenkeragh & Caher)
Munro bagging (Scotland)
Climbing/Rafting in the Alps (Austria & Switzerland)
I have no doubt that the list will grow over the next week until we put our serious hats on and work out which ones we can all do this year. Fun times ahead! :)