Virtual Spine Day 2

Distance Covered Today – 15.67 miles

Total Distance covered – 26.42miles

Virtual

Very cold and sunny with a gentle breeze

Another cold but clear day today with a sharp frost and -3 degrees to wake me up this morning. Not as tough, or as scenic, as yesterday as the compelling journey through the savage beauty of the Peak District’s gritstone moors is mostly flat walking followed by a long but enjoyable descent into tiny Crowden. It’s undemanding, mostly moorland running and often on stone flagstones but with the moorland vistas and some invitingly picturesque valleys, the walk has stacks of charm. The days running takes me to a marathon in just 2 days as I reach Standedge and I’m 9 miles ahead of my target

Reality

Very cold & sunny start at -3 degrees turning to heavy snow by lunchtime

RUN 15.67 miles – From Briercliffe myself and Ed Lee set out towards Catlow bottoms where we joined the PWIAD route. It’s really cold and very icy underfoot but we make steady progress. We head down towards Walverden Reservoir and through very boggy fields before climbing to Nelson golf course. From there it’s down through Reedley, alongside Pendle Water and then on towards the Crossroad of the Pendle Way and Burnley Way. From here it’s a 1-mile climb up to Higham before turning round and heading back down the hill. Up to Ightenhill then down to Crow Wood and along the greenway where the snow became very heavy. It was a slow plod from there back to Briercliffe in a blizzard.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider sponsoring me for this mammoth challenge, it’s for an incredible cause and inspired by an incredible person in Laura Nuttall 🙂

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gd20in20

My motivation for this has come from a very special person called Laura Nuttall who in late 2018, was diagnosed with terminal multiple brain tumours at the young age of 18. Her determination and positive attitude to not only live her life to the full but also to help others as an ambassador for the charity is just incredible and I’m proud to join the fight in whatever way I can. You can read Laura’s story at the following link. Please be generous and help this great charity to raise much-needed funds for researching a cure.

https://www.facebook.com/DoingItForLaura/

The Brain Tumour Charity is the world’s leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally. Committed to saving and improving lives, we’re moving further, faster to help every single person affected by a brain tumour. We’re set on finding new treatments, offering the highest level of support and driving urgent change. And were doing it right now. Because we understand that when you, or someone you love, is diagnosed with a brain tumour a cure really can’t wait.

Well, 2020 didn’t go to plan did it lol. As some of you will be very aware my plans to do 20 half marathons in 2020 reached 4 before a nasty little virus firstly got us stuck in New Zealand and then ruled out all future races for the year. The challenge came to an abrupt pause in February after 4 races and with £65 raised. 

So I’ve been thinking over Christmas about what to do about it and an email from the Charity with our friend Laura Nuttall in it kicked me into action. It coincided with another email from Montane about the annual Spine race which is a mammoth non-stop slog up the 268 mile Pennine Way. One day I would love to be able to do this but I’m a long way from that level yet. Interestingly though I spotted they were doing a virtual event. Basically, you run/jog/walk the 268 miles throughout the month of January which works out at a very challenging 8.64 miles per day. Not as brutal as the actual race but I’m sure you’d agree is still a huge challenge in the depths of winter (and a pandemic).

That’s me sold. So there you have it, my fundraising will continue with a different challenge because Covid-19 WONT beat me.

 I’m also planning on doing another huge event in June which is ‘The Wall’. Basically, I will be running and walking the length of Hadrian’s wall in one day. More about that once I’ve worked out all the logistics, I think I’ve got enough on my plate in January though 🙂

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider sponsoring me for this mammoth challenge, it’s for an incredible cause and inspired by an incredible person in Laura Nuttall 🙂 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gd20in20

My motivation for this has come from a very special person called Laura Nuttall who in late 2018, was diagnosed with terminal multiple brain tumours at the young age of 18. Her determination and positive attitude to not only live her life to the full but also to help others as an ambassador for the charity is just incredible and I’m proud to join the fight in whatever way I can. You can read Laura’s story at the following link. Please be generous and help this great charity to raise much-needed funds for researching a cure.

https://www.facebook.com/DoingItForLaura/

The Brain Tumour Charity is the world’s leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally. Committed to saving and improving lives, were moving further, faster to help every single person affected by a brain tumour.We’re set on finding new treatments, offering the highest level of support and driving urgent change. And were doing it right now. Because we understand that when you, or someone you love, is diagnosed with a brain tumour a cure really can’t wait.