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Riding the Portes du Soleil

July 2, 2011 //
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Last Friday, we rode 50km of the classic ‘Portes du Soleil’ linked trail system in 8 hours!

According to www.portesdusoleil.com ‘The Portes du Soleil is made up of 12 linked Alpine village resorts either side of the French-Swiss border. There are 650km of signposted MTB trails and 800km of marked walking trails all accessible via the summer mountain lift network’.

There is a marked Portes du Soleil route that you can follow which is 80km and uses lifts to cut down on the amount of climbing. The lift system is what makes this route great as you give your bike to the liftie who puts it on the rail or hook then you and your bike are whisked up the mountain. We chose to do 50km of the classic route which used 7 lifts.
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Categories Mountain Biking

Running, riding & sunbathing

May 24, 2011 //
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Well, we made it! After six months of soul destroying living in Milton Keynes we’ve finally got some payback. I’m sitting on the balcony with a view to die for, blogging on my iPad having just walked into Chamonix for some supplies and to drool over the latest running gear – what more can a girl ask for?

We arrived a week ago but Milton Keynes seems like a lifetime ago. It surprising how quickly we slotted back into Chamonix life – we literally unpacked a couple of bags and walked into Chamonix and that was that. I suppose it’s not actually that surprising as we’ve spent more time here since 2007 than anywhere else and we consider it our home. Chamonix has everything we need, from trails on the doorstep to welcoming coffee shops and stunning views.

We’re doing some different things this time though. As most of you are already aware from previous blogs and prolific tweeting we previously spent 6 months here in 2010 & 2008. This year is different – instead of giving up our place in the UK we decided to keep it on and only come for 10 weeks. It’s risky because 10 weeks is not nearly long enough to be ‘home’ but we get the advantage of not having to find somewhere to live when our time is up. We’ll see how it pans out but I suspect we’ll be back for 6 months again next year!

We’ve also come out with a lot less stuff – I’m down to 5 tee shirts and 2 running kits! Although the car was still full on the drive over least we could see out of the rear window and make it up the alpine passes to get here in one piece.

Our first ride was awesome. We were worried about fitness as you just cannot prepare for the rigours of the alps whilst working full time in the UK. But we were OK – we made it up the steep hills and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. My first run was also fabulous. I ran about 5k in the sunshine along the L’Arveyon river and up to Les Bois – scrambling over rocks and streams deep in the forest and taking the single track route to the bread van for the all important baguette.

Today is an enforced rest day as my legs are empty. Yesterday I ran 7k up through Les Bois to Les Tines and back down through Paradis de Praz. Then Mr R took his new bike out for a ‘proper’ downhill ride from Le Merlet while I raced him by car to pick him up at the end of the run – he won! So the rest of today will consist of some sunbathing, social networking and eating – heaven!

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Categories Lifestyle, Mountain Biking, Running

Countdown to France

April 17, 2011 //
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My training has ramped up a gear as there are only 4 weeks left until I leave the UK to spend 10 weeks in Chamonix running, riding, hiking and swimming in the Alps.  Last year I arrived with adductor tendinitis which is not something I’d ever care to repeat, so this year I have been gradually increasing my training to try to avoid injury.

As you will know from my previous post, I have been to see a running coach and we have totally ripped up my previous running style for a much more efficient, body friendly one.  At 43, I have to look after my body as I want to be running into a ripe old age, not bent over with bad feet and a bad back!  It’s been hard to change my running style but an invaluable tool has been video.  It turns out that what I think I’m doing is nothing like what I am actually doing!  I thoroughly recommend getting a friend to video you as it’s a great insight.  I made a rookie mistake of trying out my new style for the first time on my long run – stupid, stupid girl.  I came back from that run with a nice new hip injury!  Learning from that mistake and after a week of rest, I cut down the length of my runs whilst I got to grips with the new technique.  That meant only running for 20 minutes at a time and gradually building it back up.  Today, I ran 5.5k in 35 mins without any hip pain and I’m pleased with that.  I can now build on that distance over the next 4 weeks and will hopefully arrive in France in better condition than last year!

Yesterday, we also christened the mountain bikes for their first off-road ride of the year.  We tried to do it last weekend, got everything loaded on the car, all the gear on but the car wouldn’t start.  Yesterday, £350 worse off – we managed to do it.  Whilst I’ve not been riding my mountain bike at all this year I have been riding Matilda to work and back for 6 months (4 miles a day) and it must have helped as I didn’t feel too out of shape.  I’m sure my heart will feel like it’s pounding through my ribs at the first site of an Alp from the saddle but at least I have a base level of bike fitness to start with.  My bike has had some modifications over the winter including shorter crank arms to stop me grinding into rocks etc.  I’m hoping to be more graceful on the bike this year as I’m a bit of a clutz on it normally!

Swimming and hiking are the other two passions in the alps – neither of which I’ve done over the winter.  I do have a spangly new Adidas bikini for swimming though and am looking forward to trying it out in the open air pool in Chamonix.  It’s amazing there because when you do backstroke you can see Mt Blanc just like in the picture above but closer –  stunning!  I still have some bits and bobs to buy before we set off – new running socks, a swimming cap and a new water bottle but hopefully all the big purchases have been done now and I can get on with the exciting prospect of toughening up for the mountains.

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Categories Health, Lifestyle, Running

Cycling to work

February 2, 2011 //
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There aren’t many things I like about being back in the UK to be honest but cycling to work is one of them.  I bought my bike ‘Matilda’ on eBay for £9.99 and fell in love with her immediately.  She is a Raleigh and was tucked away in a garage somewhere enjoying her retirement when I plucked her out and spruced her up with a set of bike lights and a lock.  We haven’t looked back since!

I live in the centre of busy city in an apartment block with bike storage that is about 1 mile away from my work – all on cycle paths.  It takes me 15 mins from door to desk which includes a stop off in the loos at work to tidy my hair and remove my waterproofs.  I can come home for lunch which is a luxury I’ve never known in my working life until now.

To summarise why I love Matilda:

  • I arrive at work/home refreshed rather than drained
  • She costs nothing to run & has next to no impact on the environment
  • I get some ‘free’ exercise

I used to drive to work and back.  In the winter with the dark evenings, I would arrive home with very tired eyes, generally annoyed and frustrated with all the other cars that were in my way.  If someone had parked in my allocated parking spot they’d better be ready for a fight!  But riding to work and back is a pleasure, I feel the office being blown away from my face and I leave the stress at the office door.  No petrol costs, no parking costs and because I service her myself, next to no running costs at all.  The ‘free’ exercise I mentioned above is because I feel it’s not a planned exercise ‘session’ and therefore is free!

Here’s my advice for aspiring commuters:

  • Buy some cycle clips
  • Buy some waterproof clothing
  • Buy a wooly hat that covers your ears
  • Don’t leave your lights in your bag and forget to put them on
  • People on mobile phones may go off in any direction without notice
  • Watch out for dogs on stretchy leads
  • Use lip balm & moisturiser
  • Snot can be a problem – so learn how to snot rocket without getting it on your clothes!

 

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Categories Gear, Lifestyle, Weight Loss

New Horizons

January 30, 2011 //
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I hate procrastinating!  It drains me, makes me miserable and unproductive.  So, I’ve finally made some important decisions about life…

  1. I need to run every other day
  2. I need to ride my bike every other day
  3. I want to spend summers living in the Alps
  4. I don’t want to be ‘normal’
  5. I need a home
  6. I want to work for myself
  7. Time is more important than money
  8. I like being fit, slim and healthy
  9. I need to exercise my brain as much as my body
  10. I will be who I am – not who people want me to be

Yeah!  This might all seem a bit high in the air but I have made some serious decisions.  I have booked a trip back to the Alps for 9 weeks this summer to enjoy the mountain air, get plenty of running, riding, hiking and swimming in.  I have decided that I need a home.  No more moving to the Alps and back to new places each time – now I’m looking to move to a ‘home’ in the UK where I can be happy for a few years, return from the Alps to, hang a picture or have a plant!  I have a business idea that I’m working on that will allow me to work for myself, giving me the time and freedom to live my life as I want to.

Come on 2011 – I’m ready for you now – here’s to new horizons!

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Categories Lifestyle
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