Roving Box and Team Beach Body

(The first time I visited the roving box - without the wind and rain but with snow!)

After success at the open5 last weekend, I couldn't wait to get out for a long day again this weekend. It was decided that me, Nick JC and Rach would head out from Edale at 10:30am on Saturday (as I needed a lie in) and do half of the Edale skyline/part of the HPM, then if there was time, head for the 'January Roving Box'. The box is an invention of two rather competitive DPFR runners who spent 2010 running to and from an ammo box on kinder in order to be the one who visited it most in a year. As this seemed repetitive they have planted a 'roving box' that will be at a new location each month, and the only way to find out where it will be next month is to go to this months location!

The weather was rather windy and, after heading round from hollins cross to brown knoll and grindslow, the rain set in.....the north edge was even more exciting, requiring some low crouch running to run away from the edge. The wind made me look like a very fast runner when it picked me up and pushed me (entirely in control of course) along the path....so we made a quick retreat after reaching the roving box, covering a total of just over 16.5miles, at least 16 of which was into the wind (or it felt that way!). Excellent fun!

On Sunday we had biomechanics testing with Holywell health. Thanks to the new orthotics they have made me I am no longer wonky! My legs still need a bit of getting used to them (running over 2hrs leads to an achey ankle), I'm using muscles I've not used for years! JC also introduced us to 'Team Beach Body' extreme plyometric workout thingy - I can confirm eating a sandwich just before doing it is not the way forward - I made it through the warm up.....however made up for this with a nice run through rivelin in the dark later in the evening - a good end to a fun weekend :-)

Next weekend will be my first fell race of 2011 - the kinder trial. I've done plenty of distance in preparation this year, hopefully I will anticipate where Andy has hidden the controls and I won't spend too long searching under rocks for them....