EVENT REVIEW: Deerstalker 5km(ish) OCR / Trail Run

Last year was the absolute brutality of the Mighty Deerstalker. Officially 10km plus a little, it clocked in at somewhere around the 16km mark, a vast chunk of it either going up or down two of the splendid looking hills around Innerleithen. It hurt me, both physically and mentally, and I really fancied another crack at it.

But not this year. This year I thought I’d try and conquer its younger brother, the Deerstalker. A mere 5km (plus a bit) this is still not an easy event. Yes you avoid the massive second hill and you don’t have to do it with only the light of your head torch to guide you – but it is still plenty hard enough thank you very much.

I decided to do a separate review for this despite doing one for Mighty Deerstalker last year as there is enough difference in the event to warrant it. As always, the grading system is covered elsewhere on the blog archive but essentially, the higher the number the better. I’ve reworded some of the categories to more accurately reflect what is looked at in each section but other than that it is business as usual.

So I, once again, present Team MUBU’s “Seriously how good was that?” review.

DEERSTALKER

5km(ish) Trail Run

March 14^th 2015

Innerleithen

Lots of ascending and descending (often down very narrow tracks) coupled with river crossings and  muddy fields, this is not your typical OCR. Essentially devoid of man-made obstacles this is trail running with a bit of mud thrown in for fun.

Pre-Race Day Organisation (formerly “Event Organisation)

Rat Race events are pretty standard and pretty slick by this point. Easy to sign up for, plenty of information through the months and a good Essential Event Information leaflet via email a few weeks before hand. Nothing overly flashy but solid and consistent.

8 – Very Good

Event Facilities

A couple of food and drink stalls plus a large bar and a rat race shop (though I was a  bit disappointed they didn’t have all the old t-shirts cheap like last year). The campsite was big enough and there were plenty of toilets available. Throw in a manned valuables drop off (and unmanned bag drop) and you’ve got almost everything you need.

8 – Very Good

Registration and Race Day Organisation (formerly “Registration”)

Once again Rat Race is pretty slick and standard. There is a tent for signing your disclaimer (with free Red Bull for Rick!) and the actual registration process is pretty simple as long as you have your ID. No ID no race though. You get everything you need with your race pack (no numbers) and you even get your nice technical race T-shirt beforehand so you can get it filthy if you wish.

8 – Very Good

Location and Watchability (formerly “Location”)

It is a bit of a drive from Manchester but the setting is beautiful – in and around a stately home and through plenty of lovely scenery. There are enough spots for people to watch the action at various stages in the race and the view of all the headtorches making their way around the hillside once the sun has gone down is difficult to beat.

8 – Very Good

On course facilities

Lots of marshals and paramedics dotted around, though some sections are strangely devoid of people and in the dark there is the potential for accident and worse. It wasn’t a problem for us but the later racers might have struggled. No distance markers but there is one water station which you pass about 2km from the end.

6 – Above Average

Warm-up and briefings (formerly “Warm-Up)

Well there was a bit of a warm up and a bit of a safety briefing so I guess that is something. The warm-up was unfortunately done once everyone was in the start pen so there was no space to do anything and it was also done 3-4 minutes before the off, so you were cold before the race started.

6 – Above Average

Variety of obstacles

Despite the claims, this isn’t really an OCR. This is a trail run with a few dips into the river and a couple of other natural obstacles to navigate. You won’t need much (if any) upper body strength for this one but your legs will take a hammering from the hills

4 – Below Average

Obstacle-to-run Mix

Plenty of running, very few obstacles. There is enough variety in the running to keep you interested (elevation changes, different terrains etc..) but there is still an awful lot of running with very few obstacles to break the flow

5 – Average

Usage of Terrain and Nature (formerly “Terrain”)

Oh there is a lot of “terrain” on this one. Plenty of hill climbs (even more on the night race) and there are not many flat bits to negotiate. The river winds its way through the course and you dip in it a few times to cool off and get some respite from climbing. They couldn’t really do much more with what they have to work with.

8 – Very Good

Post-Race Pack

As always with the Rat Race events you get a decent post-race pack (thankfully quite devoid of the usual assortment of flyers and leaflets that some events throw at you). A nice chunky medal, better than the bottle opener affair they had last year, as well as a technical T-shirt (which you get pre-race), a curly wurly and a half pint of ale great you at the end. Plus you could pose for a free post-race photo this year which was a nice touch (most event photos are becoming too expensive these days). AND a nice rag appeared in the post today too :-D

8 – Very Good

Course Difficulty: 7

Obstacle Difficulty: 4

The course is tough, especially for those of you (like me) who aren’t natural trail or hill runners – or in fact natural runners. But it is quite short so you should be able to drag yourself round without too much hassle, and there are numerous spot where you can’t really run due to the terrain so a forced walk is required. Obstacle wise, there is nothing here – no upper body strength required and the odd river dip doesn’t really challenge anyone.

Overall Thoughts

Armed with the knowledge of what this race actually entailed this time I was able to enjoy myself a lot more than last time. The event itself (with the camping and after party etc..) is really good in terms of feeling like a proper trip away, rather than drive there, run, drive back. Everytime I leave the next morning it is with a sense of, “shall I do that again?”. I definitely feel that the Mighty Deerstalker is calling me back again soon, maybe not next year but we shall see.

Overall Score

7.0 – Definitely a different sort of challenge, but one that is always potentially on the “to do list” each year.

A reminder of the new system

10.0 Nothing will ever get 10.0, you should always strive for better

9.5 Sell organs AND children. And everything you own. About as good as it gets

9.0 Sell organs and/or children to do this event every single time

8.5 Highly recommended indeed, this gets booked as soon as it is released

8.0 A very good event, only money or illness would stop this being  a yearly thing

7.5 Definitely one to recommend. Not much would keep me away

7.0 On the list for another go, though not necessarily an automatic selection

6.5 Would do this one again if the stars aligned, but wouldn’t break the bank for it

6.0 Was fun but only a very cheap deal and a free weekend would tempt me again

below 6.0 Not for me for one reason or another.

EVENT REVIEWS SO FAR

8.0 Tough Guy

7.5 Reaper Day Race

7.5 Yorkshire Warrior

7.0 Tough Mudder North West

7.0 Survival of the Fittest Manchester

7.0 Spartan Sprint Yorkshire

7.0 Total Warrior Lake District

7.0 Avalanche - Chase the Yeti

7.0 Deerstalker

6.5 Mighty Deerstalker

6.5 Pandemonium Iced

6.5 Stockton River Rat Race

6.0 Ram Run

Next up is Yorkshire Warrior on 18^th April. Rick and I LOVED this last time and we can’t wait to take John and Natalie with us this time around. Hopefully I’ll have regained some semblance of fitness in order to give this one the respect it deserves. It is 16km, in the depths of the Yorkshire hills and a whole lot of fun!

Till next time,

DT

REVIEW: Arrows of the Queen (Heralds of Valdemar #1) by Mercedes Lackey

Another author who appears to have been missing off my radar for some reason is Mercedes Lackey. Prolific since the mid-1980s I’m slightly surprised it has taken me so long to delve into her work. At last count the Valdemar series numbers somewhere in the order of 20-30 books so it is going to take a long time to get through them! First up though is the Heralds of Valdemar series, and book #1 Arrows of the Queen.

**SPOILER ALERT**

Lackey’s Valdemar world is typical of the fantasy genre; with magic, tales from the time of legends, guardians, political infighting and other “standard” plot devices too numerous to name. But the first of these was written in 1987  and the fact that they are still relevant, interesting and enjoyable is testament to the skills of Lackey. Yes these are obviously first novels and there isn’t quite the depth of character or the layers of storytelling but this is still a fantastic introduction to the world of Valdemar and its Heralds.

Talia is a young girl from the Hold – a kind of uber-strict Amish community that eschews all contact with the outside world and has some very strange (what we might term “medieval”) ideas about woman and their place in society. Talia dreams of becoming a Herald, a guardian of good, but unfortunately that dream seems a million miles away. Until the day she is told she will be married off and she runs away.

From there her adventures begin; she finds a Companion, horse-like creatures who “choose” the Herald whom they will be bound to. The Companion Chooses her and before Talia knows it she is off to live out her dream in the capital. Obviously things don’t quite go according to plan and before she knows it she is involved in political intrigue, power struggles and the usual shenanigans that greet life at court.

Lackey’s world is beautifully created, and there is a refreshing innocence to the writing and the story telling that mimics the innocent way in which Talia initially sees the world and her situation.

Unlike large numbers of “coming of age” stories where the character meets opposition, mistrust and sometimes hatred at every corner there is a pleasant aspect to this book. Talia is welcomed (generally) with open arms into the Collegium and the focus is on her coming to terms with her new position, rather than having to fight tooth-and-nail to be accepted. This allows Lackey to advance the story quicker so that the “getting to know you” period at the start of the book is shorter and drags less than can often be the case.

Though not a long book there is still plenty of time for Lackey to develop her key characters and their interactions with each other, to the point that the loss of one of the main protagonists towards the end of the book is genuinely a downer. They might not be the most complex characters but they work within the framework Lackey has set out. Sometimes the character development and plot development can be incongruous but the two elements travel alongside each other nicely here.

The story itself is not terribly complicated or unique but that does not mean it is unenjoyable, far from it. Lackey generates enough intrigue and interest to keep you turning the pages and there is plenty to suggest that there is a lot more to come as her writing matures and we get further into the series.

As a starter for a series though, this is very good indeed. It draws you into it in a very uncomplicated manner and doesn’t overload you with information too quickly. Some may prefer to get all the relevant data upfront but I like how she brings in what she needs when she needs it, all the while ensuring that she retains continuity and without destabilising the story or the characters within.

Verdict: 4.5 stars out of 5 – A charming and intriguing entrance into the Valdemar series with good characters, a plot with enough about it and a genuine feeling of care and attention which gives you confidence that even better is to come.

Till next time,
DT

REVIEW: The Novice (Black Magician #2) by Trudi Canavan

“Swords and Sourcery” is definitely my type of thing. Give me a good magic system, a bit of political intrigue and a world similar to Middle Earth and I’ll indulge myself for weeks (if not years) at a time. Brandon Sanderson is my favourite author for generating these worlds but J.R.R Tolkein, George R.R. Martin, Robert Jordan, Robin Hobb and, now, Trudi Canavan are certainly up there on my list of “must-reads”.

**SPOILER ALERT**

I discovered Canavan’s “Black Magician” trilogy quite recently and hammered through the opening book in a very short space of time. The second one, The Novice, picks up from the end of The Magician’s Guild and takes the story of Sonea forward as she begins school and tries to become a magician herself.

The Novice is a classic example of the second book in a series; the initial introductions to most of the key people and the world they inhabit is complete and the focus is now more firmly on the narrative and the direction in which it is heading.

The world Canavan has created is not really different from the majority of the worlds on which this genre typically finds itself. There are power struggles at play, warring nations to worry about and a general sense of unease which indicates things are unlikely to remain as they are for a while. But this is not unusually nor unwelcome, and at least Canavan manages to keep things relatively simple and not try to do too much all at once. We learn snippets as we go along, enough to tantalise without giving the whole thing away.

Story wise, Canavan weaves several plotlines together very well here. While the bulk of the tale focuses on Sonea, the bullying she encounters from the other students and her ongoing attempts to control her abilities, I actually really enjoyed the sections involving Dannyl’s adventures trying to track down what the High Lord learnt on his travels.

This is going to play a much more significant part in the final book and Canavan always manages to pick the right moment to change tack with the narrative. She manages to build the story very well using these seemingly disparate elements. Dannyl’s burgeoning homosexual relationship with his assistant is another interesting facet of this thread of the narrative and not something which is regularly dealt with in this genre. Canavan deals with it sensitively and credibly and rather than being some kind of “gimmick” I feel it really does contribute to the storyline.

We start to learn a bit more about characters such as the High Lord Akkarin, Sonea’s teachers at the Guild and also Sonea’s guardian Rothen. The interactions between these people and others such as Rothen’s son, Sonea’s classmates and Akkarin’s old friend (who happens to be the old friend of the High Lord) help to further the web of intrigue that we feel as we get further through the tale. Sonea’s probable role in the denouement (her “destiny” if you will) is pretty well defined at this point but the nuances of how it will come about are still up in the air.

You get the sense that all the chess pieces are being subtly moved around the board ready for the final endgame which is coming. High Lord Akkarin particularly is a complex and very interesting character and one which you sense will play a fundamental (and perhaps unexpected) role in what is to come.

Overall this is a very enjoyable book, it builds really nicely on the first book and positions everything in place ready for the finale. There is nothing particularly special here, nothing which makes it stand out head and shoulders above other series in this genre but everything is still very good. The characters are engaging and intriguing, the storyline is interesting enough to hold your attention and the promises of what is to come and definitely sufficient to have book #3 very high up my “to-read” list at the moment.

Verdict: 4.5 stars out of 5 – An intriguing and entertaining read with a great magic system, interesting characters and plenty of plot to keep you guessing.

Till next time,

DT

REVIEW: The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul by Douglas Adams

Having always been a huge fan of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (H2G2) I was slightly surprised with myself at taking so long to begin reading Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently novels. I guess part of me didn’t believe that they’d live up to the H2G2 and so I was loathe to try them in case they disappointed. The first one, Dirk Gently’s Holisitic Detective Agency was only “not bad” so it was with a slight sense of trepidation that I approached #2, The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul (hereafter referred to as LDT).

It has taken me so long to review this because, to be honest, I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it! Douglas Adams has always had a somewhat disconcerting effect on some people. Maybe it is his quirky sense of humour or his “grasshopper” mind which never seems to stay on the same topic for long. Or it could be something else. Usually I’m in tune with his method but I’m genuinely flummoxed with this one.

Sometimes I think it is pure genius and I can crack through page after page almost in tears from laughing. Other times I don’t really understand what is going on and find even a few pages a very hard slog. LDT is a very surreal experience, mimicking Adams’ own mind and the methodology of his creation. Gently is at times genius, infuriating and often just plain odd and the plot is similarly patchy.

Certain parts of the story don’t seem to fit, the overall plot kind of makes sense but elements of it just feel as though they aren’t in the right place or at the right time. I found a few of the storylines that are being wound together to be tight and coherent and others just seemed like they’d been copied in from elsewhere by accident. It was hard to really get into this book unless I was really concentrating – which isn’t really Adams’ style I don’t think.

The characters were similarly hard to get around. Having read the first Dirk Gently book I was at least prepared for him, but the others didn’t fire the imagination or really draw me in to the story in the way I like to be.

Overall it has proven very difficult to get a handle on this one, it is probably the most confused I’ve been at the end of a book in terms of my feelings about it.

Some parts of it I loved, others I didn’t. Sometimes the story flew by, other times it dragged and seemed to tie itself in knots that needed a rather large spade for extrication. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone, but curiously enough I would also say that everyone who likes Adams and his style should read it! 

Verdict: 3.5 stars out of 5 – Give it a go of you like Adams and the sort of irreverence his books bring. Just don’t be surprised if you get to the end and don’t really know how you feel about it!

Till nex time,

DT

EVENT REVIEW: Avalanche : Chase the Yeti - 10km OCR

After sitting and watching last time out (Tough Guy) it was time to get back into the saddle and see how far the fitness has gone. It was never going to be pretty but the first step is always the toughest and you’ve got to take it sometime.

No Rick this time as he didn’t fancy the travel, plus he has the brutality of The Mighty Deerstalker in a few weeks to train for. So just Nat and I braved the chilly air and biting wind of Avalanche - Chase the Yeti.

I’m going to spare you the suspense, we didn’t catch him. Nevertheless, here is the latest instalment of Team MUBU’s "Seriously, How Good Was That?!" Obstacle Course Race Review. The scoring criteria and categories are covered in a previous post which is somewhere on this blog (see bottom left in the Archive).

AVALANCHE – CHASE THE YETI

10km Obstacle/Mud Run

February 28^th 2015

Market Harborough

Avalanche Adventure is an outdoor adventure company based in Market Harborough. Think quad biking, clay pigeon shooting and that kind of think. Every year (usually very early in the year) an event is run on their land – this is Chase the Yeti.

General Event Organisation

Dead easy to sign up for and plenty of information via email in the run up to the event. Not brilliantly signed posted but, to be honest, the sat nav took us pretty much straight there. No complaints, a slick and efficient operation.

8 – Very Good

Event Facilities

A couple of eateries and some (not enough though) toilets on site. Plentiful free parking and a resident guy on the microphone keeping people abreast of timings and such like. It was a pretty small event contained in a small area so they were able to keep everything running smoothly

6 – Above Average

Registration

Really simple and pretty quick. Everything was inside the pack and there were no big queues or mayhem as there have been at some of the events we have done.

7 -  Good

Location

A reasonable drive from Manchester but it was pretty easy to find and get to. Permanent facility so it allowed them to work the course around what was there. Lots of spectator viewpoints on the early and late stages of the race too.

7 – Good

On Course Facilities

A water station around halfway, distance markers every 1km and plenty of marshals around to keep you pointing in the right direction and looking after the major obstacles. Everyone was exceptionally friendly and enthusiastic so it gets a bonus point for that.

8 – Very Good

Warm-Up/Pre-race briefings

Good solid warm-up which got us in the mood. Also the timing was good so we were still warm when we actually started!

7 - Good

Variety of obstacles

Pretty standard really. Things to go over, things to go under, things to go round, things to go through. Nothing particularly “signature” but enough variety to keep all parts of the body interested and warm.

7 – Good

Obstacle/Run mix

Some heavy running sections in the middle of the race but generally this was a pretty good balance. We didn’t see too many queues either so the mix must have been pretty good to keep it relatively clear.

7 - Good

Terrain

Pretty flat this one. A few sections in the quad biking area where artificially hilly but no real deviation from the flat. I did struggle massively in the ploughed fields as every time my foot went down on the uneven ground my ankle rolled. I know it is meant to be a muddy run but these can be a touch dangerous at time.

7 - Good

Post-Race

Nice clean white technical t-shirt but unfortunately no medal for this one. A can of lager/cider was provided though as well as a decent goodie bag with some supplements, a drinks bottle and a few munchy goodies. Oh, and a banana. I’m all about bling though so I’m afraid no medal is a disappointment,

6 – Above Average

Difficulty

This wasn’t actually a very hard race, my fitness made it feel like that but it is probably one of the easier ones I’ve done. The course won’t trouble anyone with a level of fitness and even the obstacles seemed “lighter” than some of the more brutal races out there.

Course: 5 out of 10

Obstacles: 6 out of 10

Overall Thoughts

I was (and still am) chronically unfit. I’m probably in the worst shape since I started these OCRs but I still managed to enjoy myself at this one. Having Nat around helped (though it was clear she barely broke sweat). This was a nice, small race that I enjoyed a lot and I’d love to tackle again when fully fit.

Overall Score

7.0 – As you can see from the rankings this was a pretty consistently “Good” race. It wasn’t very expensive compared to comparable length ones such as Spartan, SOTF and River Rat so I’d certainly recommend it. Probably as an “entry level” one, the top end of the community won’t find it too much of a challenge in it.

A reminder of the new system

10.0 Nothing will ever get 10.0, you should always strive for better

9.5 Sell organs AND children. And everything you own. About as good as it gets

9.0 Sell organs and/or children to do this event every single time

8.5 Highly recommended indeed, this gets booked as soon as it is released

8.0 A very good event, only money or illness would stop this being  a yearly thing

7.5 Definitely one to recommend. Not much would keep me away

7.0 On the list for another go, though not necessarily an automatic selection

6.5 Would do this one again if the stars aligned, but wouldn’t break the bank for it

6.0 Was fun but only a very cheap deal and a free weekend would tempt me again

below 6.0 Not for me for one reason or another.

EVENT REVIEWS SO FAR

8.0 Tough Guy

7.5 Reaper Day Race

7.5 Yorkshire Warrior

7.0 Tough Mudder North West

7.0 Survival of the Fittest Manchester

7.0 Spartan Sprint Yorkshire

7.0 Total Warrior Lake District

7.0 Avalanche - Chase the Yeti

6.5 Mighty Deerstalker

6.5 Pandemonium Iced

6.5 Stockton River Rat Race

6.0 Ram Run

Next up is Deerstalker on 14^th March. I just about survived the Mighty Deerstalker last year so this time I am going with the shorter version of the race. We are mainly going to cheer Rick on though, he got “diverted” doing the main one last year and has been absolutely chomping at the bit to get this one in the back. COME ON MUBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!

Till next time,

DT

EVENT REVIEW: Tough Guy 12km OCR

Fresh on the heels of Ram Run came what purports to be the oldest (and toughest) OCR on the planet, Tough Guy Original. 2013 saw a completion rate of comfortably less than 50% of starters and this year didn’t seem much easier.

The organiser Mr. Mouse takes great pride in the challenge that Tough Guy provides, and a field including the Spartan World Champion Jon Albon attacked it with something approaching gusto.

Unfortunately I couldn’t compete due to my poor level of fitness and some serious concerns regarding then lack of proper cold weather training. Rick however DID complete the course and he was ably accompanied by Nat until her ankle finally gave out after one too many rolls!

With that in mind, it is now time for the latest part of Team MUBU’s "Seriously, How Good Was That?!" Obstacle Course Race Review. The scoring criteria and categories are covered in a previous post which is somewhere on this blog (see bottom left in the Archive).

TOUGH GUY

15km Obstacle/Mud Run

February 1^st 2015

Wolverhampton

It is cold in February, especially on the 1^st! And Tough Guy is not exactly a forgiving course. A cross-country run is followed by a gruelling obstacle course featuring electricity, fire, ice and water – not all together obviously. Nearly 30 years of experience has honed the course so into a mature and well put together challenge, one I’d love to take on myself at some point.

General Event Organisation

Easy to sign up for (though not the cheapest) and fantastic communication pre-race. You get plenty of things sent through the post (or via email) to prepare you for the big day too. I had to pull out and it was quick, easy and seamless to transfer my entry to someone else. 

9 – Excellent

Event Facilities

Benefitting from a permanent site; there are plenty of facilities put on for both the competitors and spectators. From OCR stalls selling socks, shoes and other gear to merchandise stalls, food outlets and bars; this  the standard for others to follow. There were some, er, “rural” showers available afterwards too!

9 – Excellent

Registration

Considering the large number of runners taking part (and the variety of starting “groups” you could be in, this was efficient and well-manned. Plenty of space for everyone and simple enough to complete the switchover from me to Nat on the day.

8 – Very Good

Location

Pretty easy to get to and find from Manchester, helped no doubt by being a permanent venue. There were plenty of good spectator viewpoints dotted all over the course and, despite the large number of people, the site coped comfortably with everything.

9 – Excellent

On Course Facilities

Having not actually taken part, I’ve relied on fellow MUBU Rick to rate this one. Sound like everything was pretty typical, well-marshalled and with enough water stations to keep you hydrated. No distance markers that I could see but the obstacles were numbered so you had some idea how far through you were. Special word for the (heavily worked) medical staff – they did a sterling job with the huge number of dropouts.

7 – Good

Warm-Up/Pre-race briefings

Lots of different waves going off in a short space of time but it was well marshalled and generally well organised. Not a bad warm-up, if a bit short and also probably slightly too early for the majority of the field as most had cooled down by the time they started.

7 - Good

Variety of obstacles

I have it on good authority that this was the toughest race so far, with a huge variety of obstacles designed to test every mental and physical attribute.

9 – Excellent

Obstacle/Run mix

Plenty of running early on with the intention of stretching the field out ahead of the obstacle section. Possibly too much for my liking and it didn’t seem to work too well as I still saw massive queues at some of the earlier obstacles.

7 - Good

Terrain

Perfectly set-up for OCRs with lots of rolling hilly areas accompanied by plenty of flat space to pop some of the bigger obstacles on. Throw in some strategic lakes and a few very sturdy looking structures and you have to say Tough Guy gets it right again.

8 – Very Good

Post-Race

A (non-technical) but very good looking T-shirt and a chunky medal (even offered to those who couldn’t finish due to injury). Can’t remember what else was in it to be honest but Rick said it was pretty good!

7 – Good

Difficulty

Lived up to expectations by all accounts. A seriously big number of DNFs and even the big boys who do this essentially for a living reckon this one is about as tough as it gets. Certainly tougher than your average 10-12km race, the cold also added a huge level of difficulty to both the run and the obstacles.

Course: 9 out of 10

Obstacles: 9 out of 10

Overall Thoughts

Rick loved this. Nat loved this until she had to stop. They both want to do it again. I want to do it. It seemed to be everything it promised to be and more. A real physical and mental challenge, the original Tough Guy in every sense of the word.

Overall Score

8.0 – It’s not a cheap event. But in terms of value for money and sheer prestige, this goes on the list of events you have to do once in your lifetime. And once you’ve done it once, apparently you have to do it again!

A reminder of the new system

10.0 Nothing will ever get 10.0, you should always strive for better

9.5 Sell organs AND children. And everything you own. About as good as it gets

9.0 Sell organs and/or children to do this event every single time

8.5 Highly recommended indeed, this gets booked as soon as it is released

8.0 A very good event, only money or illness would stop this being  a yearly thing

7.5 Definitely one to recommend. Not much would keep me away

7.0 On the list for another go, though not necessarily an automatic selection

6.5 Would do this one again if the stars aligned, but wouldn’t break the bank for it

6.0 Was fun but only a very cheap deal and a free weekend would tempt me again

below 6.0 Not for me for one reason or another.

EVENT REVIEWS SO FAR

8.0 Tough Guy

7.5 Reaper Day Race

7.5 Yorkshire Warrior

7.0 Tough Mudder North West

7.0 Survival of the Fittest Manchester

7.0 Spartan Sprint Yorkshire

7.0 Total Warrior Lake District

6.5 Mighty Deerstalker

6.5 Pandemonium Iced

6.5 Stockton River Rat Race

6.0 Ram Run

Next up is Avalanche:Chase the Yeti on 28^th February. Looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and to test my cold weather gear out again. Only 10km but this is the real start of the build up towards Yorkshire Warrior and, ultimately, the 20 miles that is Dirty Weekend in May.

Till next time,

DT

64º North

Situated between 63ºN and 67ºN lies the world’s Northernmost sovereign capital city – Reykjavik. Home to a mere 120,000 people (about the same as Bridgetown, Barbados) this is not your typical bustling metropolis.

Although tourism is becoming increasingly significant in the country (and with it the associated construction boom) Iceland is still essentially a fish-driven economy. You won’t find towering skyscrapers or 24 hour metro systems here – but what you will find is a city of charm, history and great food.

Iceland is a unique European country, essentially isolated for years until its strategic importance towards the end of World War 2 led to the US building the main airport at Keflavik. This made it easier to get to and from Iceland and from there we have arrived where we are today. It still feels like a lot of catching up needs to be done, and is being done, to bring Iceland into the 21^st Century.

In some respects though there are a lot of Icelandic qualities that we should be striving for ourselves; 99% of their power comes from Geothermal or Hydroelectric sources and nothing is wasted. The steam that drives the turbines will end up being used for your daily shower (complete with aroma of sulphur!) while the only litter we saw on the trip came from lazy tourists.

With only 330,000 people in the country there is still a real sense of community here too – everything is done for the benefit of the masses and the Icelanders have a real sense of pride in what they believe is the fairest democracy on the planet.

Reykjavik itself is relatively small, nestled on the bay and winding its way slowly up towards the geothermal spas that are now mostly redundant. There are a couple of decent museums (the Maritime Museum is a must for those with an interest in fishing and history) but essentially you can probably walk around the main tourist area it in a day.

Downtown Reykjavik from the cathedral

However, there are a few things slightly out of the centre that might be worth your attention (particularly in the summer months). The Pearl observation deck and Botanical Gardens are two that spring to mind as being “on our list for next time”.

When judging most capital cities I tend to stay with the confines of the city rather than stray out – but in this case I think it is difficult to look at Reykjavik without considering what is easily within your reach from the city centre base.

No doubt tourism has exploded in the last 5 to 10 years. There are endless companies offering endless different tours – from a few hours up to a full week in a cabin. We managed to get ourselves onto two of the most popular day tours – the Golden Circle and the South Shore.

I don’t want to go into too much detail as to what was on the tours – other than to say that they are both definitely worth it. The scenery on both is stunning but interestingly varied, it’s definitely not a case of doing the same thing twice at two different parts of the island.

The Golden Circle takes in gorgeous waterfalls, the geothermal geysers at Geysir (including the fourth biggest in the world which erupts every 5 minutes or so) and some stunning rift valley scenery with views to die for. The South Shore is longer but you encounter glaciers, more waterfalls, volcanoes, black sand beaches and a really nice little folk museum on the way.

Waterfall at Faxi

One thing I would recommend is to go with a slightly smaller tour company that does tours of maybe 10-15 people. There is a lot to get round and if you are waiting at every stop while the guide rounds up 50-60 people then it can get a bit draining and tiring.

Glacier at Myrdalsjokull

We didn’t manage to get to see the Northern Lights or go to the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa for various reasons but that just gives us more reason to come back again! That and the stunning varied scenery which I can’t wait to see in summer!

After a long day sight-seeing the last thing you want is to struggle for food options. Thankfully Reykjavik is one of the greatest food cities I have ever been in – though you do pay for the privilege. A typical 3 course meal at a good restaurant with a bottle of wine is £100 for two people, and there don’t appear to be any real budget options either!

But the food is stunning. You can expect local fish and meat all cooked to absolute perfection. Over the course of the week we had (between us) Icelandic lamb, horse tenderloin, roasted duck, lobster, pork belly, shrimp risotto, octopus, squid, rotten shark (not as bad as it sounds, though not everyone would agree!), tuna and more that I can’t even remember.

Every single dish was cooked perfectly and I challenge anyone not to fall in love with the food. They cook it their way (none of this “how would you like it cooked”? malarkey) and I’ve not eaten so well in a long, long time. If I was to recommend anything I’d say to check out the lamb and the horse (yes horse!). I haven’t seen two dishes cooked as well for a while, stunning.

Reykjavik feels like a city of two halves though – if you’ll allow me to explain. Daytime is tour guides and tourists (the majority of whom where certainly late 30s and above) whilst at night time the locals come out to play. They play hard, fast and not cheaply mind!

The city’s nightlife is growing very fast and you can find trendy bars (cocktail bars are a particular “new scene”) mingled in with local microbreweries and late night cafes where you can pick up a slab of cake and a hot drink to warm the fingers up.

Most Icelanders don’t come out to drink until gone midnight (preferring home drinking at cheaper prices) but most clubs are open until the wee hours of the morning. I suspect in summer the only two hours a night of darkness are spent drinking in a club somewhere.

Overall

Reykjavik has long been on my list of must-see capitals and it didn’t disappoint. While the city itself is small, it is growing and evolving into a modern capital without losing too much of the charm which draws people here in the first place.

The food and nightlife is fantastic (but expensive) and the abundant options for exploring the island make this a very good destination for a week or so. We’ll definitely be returning again in the summer months as it is supposed to be a completely different city then and different options open themselves up.

I’m not sure I’d recommend a city break here simply as there isn’t much to do in the city for more than a day and a couple of days isn’t enough to get out and explore properly. It’s not that it is a bad place for a weekend, just that it isn’t cheap to get there and I feel you wouldn’t get the value for money over a weekend compared to a Lisbon, London or Budapest for example.

Verdict: 4.5 stars out of 5

Small city itself but plenty to do on the island with the stunning sights and scenery. Fantastic food and drink and lovely people. Definitely should be on everybody's must-see list, and we'll be back for more.

Till next time,

DT

REVIEW: Neither here nor there by Bill Bryson

Travelling has always fascinated me, ever since I was young. Being born and growing up abroad will do that to you – it gives you a greater sense of awareness of the size and scale of the world. I didn’t return to the UK to live permanently until I was nearly 7, and by this time I had already seen the USA, Australia, Far East, Europe, The Pacific and South East Asia. That kind of travelling at a young age almost always a great desire to do more as you get older.

One thing I love almost as much as travelling is reading about other people’s travels. I love reading and hearing other people’s opinions of places I’ve been to – but I also love seeing new places and different takes on things. Not everyone travels for the same reason and hence not everyone experiences the same things at the same places. This variety has always held an interest for me.

Bill Bryson is one of my favourite travel writers for a number of reasons.

I love his style of travelling first and foremost. I’m very much what I would call a “big ticket planner”. I like to have the big items like travel and accommodation sorted in advance. Part of this is due to the fact that, whilst I’m not exactly travelling on a shoestring, I don’t usually have the funds or time to risk pitching up somewhere and not being able to find anything except a £200pn room and a £1000 flight home!! I am then a bit freer to explore the sights of somewhere, safe in the knowledge I know where I am sleeping and where I’ll be heading next.

Bryson doesn’t do this. He has a vague plan but he travels very much by the seat of his pants. Or seems to at least. Neither here nor there was written in the early 1990s and since then there has been an explosion of backpacking and the like, maybe that was the way people travelled back then and it simply doesn’t happen that much anymore.

Regardless, his travel style allows him to see so much more than the sights of a place – he can really get under the skin and understand how places tick. The culture and the traditions of a place are often even more fascinating than towering domes, huge gorges or architectural masterpieces.

This comes across in his writing style too. I find my travel reviews tend to be very factual when I read them back, Bryson’s ebb and flow and give you a real sense of what it was like being there – not just a list of what to do and not to do. It is, I think, a difficult skill to master and one I admire greatly and strive to emulate.

Neither here nor there follows Bryson as he recreates (in his 40s) a journey he made when he first arrived in Europe some twenty to thirty years previously. From the north of Sweden down through Europe to Istanbul he follows his nose as he makes his way around the diverse continent.

Part of the interest in this book is seeing how the different parts of the continent have evolved at different speeds. This book is probably 25 years old and yet, for example, Florence sounds pretty similar to how I remember it (though I enjoyed it more than Bryson evidently did)! Yet other places are unrecognisable compared to what they are now like.

The way Bryson shifts through the varying landscape, people, languages and cultures is very symptomatic of how Europe used to be. The Eurozone has, to some extent, created much more uniformity throughout the continent – yet this book harks back to the “good old days” of having to change currencies every time you crossed a border and having a passport full of stamps.

Maybe that is some of the appeal of this book, a bygone era unsaturated with the internet where if you wanted to see a place you had to go and see it. Nowadays you can drop a little man into a street and see exactly what the front door of your hotel looks like whereas 25 years ago you might turn up in a city and have no idea which country even you were in.

The end result, for me, is a joy. From the many anecdotes, some good and some bad, through some more sombre political and socio-economic commentaries this book has everything a good travel book should have. And by that I don’t mean a Rough Guide or a Lonely Planet (which have their merits I’ll grant you).

I mean a REAL travel book, a book actually about travelling the world and seeing the many sights and sounds it has to offer. Bryson does this better than anyone and, 25 years on, this is still funny, insightful, relevant and interesting. I can’t give much higher praise.

Verdict: Everything a travel book should be about. 5 stars of out 5

Till next time,

DT

REVIEW: Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Got a nice spurt on in the first month with the old reading - unfortunately that means I've fallen behind with my reviews as a result. Swings and roundabouts eh? So without further ado, I managed to get around to reviewing Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch.

***SPOILERS***

I've always had a little bit of a soft spot for those books that are "superficially supernatural". By that I mean books which involve some kind of magic but still manage to retain a world or a universe which is essentially our own. "Hidden Worlds" I guess would be a good way of describing them. 

The most contemporary example of this would be the Harry Potter books, which layer a whole new world on top of the one we know and love - but in a way that makes you think, "it couldn't be, could it"? 

Don't get me wrong, I love sweeping epics and mounds of swords and sorcery. Sometimes a bit of intrigue and subtlety is no bad thing though. Rivers of London is one of those stories, set in a world that is at once familiar but slightly twisted at the same time. 

I thought I'd be lazy and quote the Wikipedia entry for this book - simply because it sums everything up pretty well without me having to do too much thinking!

The novel centres around the adventures of Peter Grant, a young officer in the Metropolitan Police; who, following an unexpected encounter with a ghost, is recruited into the small branch of the Met that deals with magic and the supernatural.

Peter Grant, having become the first English apprentice wizard in over seventy years, must immediately deal with two different but ultimately inter-related cases. In one he must find what is possessing ordinary people and turning them into vicious killers, and in the second he must broker a peace between the two warring gods of the River Thames

Does it work? Well, kind of. Sometimes it feels as though a bit too much is being attempted in one story - and I'm not sure the two strands are woven together as well as they could have been. Also, the plot seems to move with a strange sense of pace, it feels as though we are taking our time getting going and then rushing a bit towards the end. However, this is often the case with the first book of a new series and it's not by any stretch a poor book because of it.

I do love the style it is written in (first person with a nice helping of sarcasm) and the main characters are three dimensional enough to hold your attention through the story. Plus the twist in the tale is quite ingenious and there is plenty here which is different and clever enough to lift it above the crowd.

The balance between the mundane and the supernatural is portrayed nicely and the level of research, particularly into the geography and layout of London, deserves praise. This is a person who genuinely enjoys and cares about what he is writing and it shows. 

I'll definitely be reading the later books so there is obviously something about this one that has intrigued me. Certainly the world of Rivers of London is bigger than this single book so it will be interesting to see how Aaronovitch evolves his universe and the characters within it.

Overall this is no instant classic nor towering epic. But there is definitely enough here for an enjoyable read and to whet the appetite for what my be to come in the future.

Verdict: A decent enough read on its own but with the hint of more to come - 4 stars out of 5

Next on the reading list was Bill Bryson's adventures in Europe - a topic close to my heart with all my travels recently. Hopefully I'll cobble something together for that tomorrow, but then again I always say that!!

Till next time,
DT 

A sense of something lost

There is a strange feeling running through me at the moment. For the first time that I can remember in a long, long, long time I feel like I'm being left behind with something.

Sunday marks the first time when I will be going to an OCR/Challenge event and not taking part myself. I've ALWAYS been taking part, either with the original MUBU Rick or more recently with Natalie and/or the whole host of other friendly faces who have joined me for one or more event.

And the most frustrating thing of all is that it is a completely avoidable situation, I WAS signed up but an inability to focus on the task at hand has lead me to this situation. Which is unlike me - I'm usually like a dog with a chicken bone once I get my teeth into something. So what has caused it? Why have I found it so difficult to keep myself fit for these races when I find them so intoxicating and enthralling?

It is a puzzle that I don't currently have an answer to. But I guess that the fact that I'm unhappy about it is a least a good sign. It is evidence if nothing else that I still have the drive and the desire buried away somewhere - if not the application! Sometimes it needs a jolt like this to remind us of what is important and why we shouldn't make excuses. Especially when I see how hard Rick has been working to get fitter and better.

So Sunday will be a strange experience. I'll be cheering Natalie and Rick on with all my might, though a small part of me will be disappointed I'm not there too. But I know I'll get back there, the fire still burns inside and the spark feels ready to ignite again.

Wish them luck, they are definitely going to need it!!
Tough Guy

Till next time,
DT

REVIEW: The Iron Jackal (Ketty Jay Tales #3) by Chris Wooding

It's been a while (nearly six months) since I visited the world of Darien Frey and his rag-tag bunch of misfits aboard the Ketty Jay. But it really doesn't feel like they have been away.

*SPOILERS*

Plot wise, Wooding's third tale in the Ketty Jay Tales follows a pretty similar pattern to the first one; the crew (or in this case the captain himself) manages to get into a spot of bother which they need to extricate themselves from. And off they go, hell-for-leather while trying to avoid the attentions of Darien's ex-fiancee, a couple of Century Knights and seemingly most of the Samarlan population.

There is nothing in Iron Jackal which sets the world on fire but it is another solid story in the Ketty Jay canon. Wooding is slowly developing his characters one at a time and on this occasion it is the quiet engineer Silo who receives most of the attention. Not much has been known about this engimatic character but Wooding takes us through his past and, I feel, does a nice job of it. In addition there are a few new characters introduced but nothing that really upsets the balance of the crew and the story telling.

We are starting to learn more about the world that the Ketty Jay inhabits and setting the story in Samarla rather than Vardia helps to add an additional unfamiliarity which plays well within the confines of the type of plot Wooding has brought together.

I found this one a touch harder going than the first two. The story didn't seem to rattle along with the same intensity as the previous installments. It feels like Wooding has settled into this series a bit and knows he can take his time more than with the first couple of books where he is trying to establish a fan base and make sure there is demand for the later ones, It's not a bad switch but there are occasions where the plot gets a bit bogged down and bloated - this book could have been 25% shorter and I don't think it would have been any worse for it.

Overall this was another enjoyable romp through a universe which is exactly my cup of tea. It wasn't quite as good as the first two but it retains a certain charm, witiness and sense of recklesness which is no bad thing sometime, The characters remain engaging and, in some cases, likeable. Certainly I'll be enjoying Book #4 at some point in the short-to-medium term future!

Verdict: 4 stars out of 5

Till next time,
DT

REVISED EVENT REVIEW: Ram Run 8km OCR

****REVISED THIS A WEE BIT BASED ON A RETHINK - MAY HAVE DONE RAM RUN A SLIGHT DISSERVICE ****

The Christmas “rush” is over, all the mince pies have been eaten and the cupboard is empty of chocolate – except in our house but I try not to open that cupboard if I can avoid it!

The first OCR of the year has been and gone, and a cold one it was too. Hard to believe it is almost a year since Rick and I embarked on Pandemonium which was our first OCR together. He has got fitter, I have not – work must be done to catch up!

So anyway, it is now time for the latest part of Team MUBU’s "Seriously, How Good Was That?!" Obstacle Course Race Review. The scoring criteria and categories are covered in a previous post which is somewhere on this blog (see bottom left in the Archive).

RAM RUN

8km Obstacle/Mud Run

January 2015

Warwickshire

January isn’t the best month for OCRs – particularly for someone based in the North West of the country. Ram Run was the only one that we could find that was less than 4 hours drive away! A couple of OCR newbies joined us (and hammered it) but this wasn’t one of the better ones.

General Event Organisation

It was pretty easy to sign up and go through the online process. Plus the t-shirts were sent out in advance so you had them if you wanted to run with them. Nothing was sent through the post but to be honest when we turned up we didn’t need anything so that wasn’t a real problem. A point has been lost though for the shambles on the day in terms of starting the race before the advertised start time while some of us where having a pre-race wee!

7 – Good

Event Facilities

A single stall selling bacon sandwiches and soup but nothing else. The base was a permanent structure so there were toilets and places to stand to keep warm but very little else.

5 – Average

Registration

Considering there were less than 1000 runners the registration was painfully slow and badly organised. Some people were running in the trophy race at 11:30am but nearly missed the start as it took so long to process. Once you get there you didn’t need anything except your name so I have no idea why it took so long.

4 – Below Average

Location

Pretty easy to get to and find. The park at Stoneleigh is perfectly set up for OCRs but I feel they could have made more of it and had a few more stalls and a better organised “finishing” arena. Just felt a bit undercooked.

7 – Good

On Course Facilities

A water station after a few km and a coffee station after you climbed out of the River Avon kept you hydrated and warm-ish. Plenty of marshals around but no distance markers and in some places the route wasn’t too obvious.

7 – Good

Warm-Up/Pre-race briefings

Didn’t see them.

0 - Absent

Variety of obstacles

A decent mix of going over things and under things. A few signature ones but this felt like what it was, a small race realising that the bigger ones are pulling out all the stops and this is falling behind a bit.

7 - Good

Obstacle/Run mix

Too much running to be a classic OCR. I know you have to run at these things and the running sections are a good way of stretching the field out, but the early bit was full of queues and the middle section just a variety of hills and fields.

6 – Above Average 

Terrain

Not the hilliest place but they managed to use the terrain well enough. Good use of the river and the general surrounding areas.

7 – Good

Post-Race

The t-shirt arrived beforehand which was great (and it is a nice t-shirt too) but there was no medal for the 8km racers (nowhere in the sign-up pack or anything did it mention that) and I didn’t see hide nor hair of a post-race pack. No-one greeting you at the finish line, just felt like they didn’t really have any interest in the 8km racers.
**UPDATE** - apparently a medal is on the way!

6 - Above Average

Difficulty

This wasn’t really a difficult course, just a bit tedious. Certainly the running bits should cause no trouble for anyone with a decent level of fitness and the obstacles were easy enough for the most part.

Course: 5 out of 10

Obstacles: 6 out of 10

Overall Thoughts

Well it finally happened, after over a year of OCRs I finally found a which was a bit disappointing. I didn’t like this from the shambles at the start and it was difficult to get into the groove and find some enjoyment out of it. Yes I’m not fit and that meant I struggled to get round but there was nothing driving me on and wanting to make me complete it.

Overall Score

6.0 – A small event that is going to struggle to compete with the big boys of the OCR world – both in terms of the organisation and the challenge it offers. Glad I did it as it has been on the radar for a while and I’d always wondered what it would be like, but doubt I’ll go again.

A reminder of the new system

10.0 Nothing will ever get 10.0, you should always strive for better

9.5 Sell organs AND children. And everything you own. About as good as it gets

9.0 Sell organs and/or children to do this event every single time

8.5 Highly recommended indeed, this gets booked as soon as it is released

8.0 A very good event, only money or illness would stop this being  a yearly thing

7.5 Definitely one to recommend. Not much would keep me away

7.0 On the list for another go, though not necessarily an automatic selection

6.5 Would do this one again if the stars aligned, but wouldn’t break the bank for it

6.0 Was fun but only a very cheap deal and a free weekend would tempt me again

below 6.0 Not for me for one reason or another.

EVENT REVIEWS SO FAR

7.5 Reaper Day Race

7.5 Yorkshire Warrior

7.0 Tough Mudder North West

7.0 Survival of the Fittest Manchester

7.0 Spartan Sprint Yorkshire

7.0 Total Warrior Lake District

6.5 Mighty Deerstalker

6.5 Pandemonium Iced

6.5 Stockton River Rat Race

6.0 Ram Run

Next up was supposed to be Tough Guy on 1^st February but I’m not fit enough for that one and can’t do the cold weather acclimatisation training in time. So instead I’m taking a 7 week break and returning at Avalanche – Chase the Yeti on 28^th Feb. Hopefully fitter, stronger and with my enthusiasm back.

Till next time,

DT 

Tempus Fugit

The Romans had a phrase, “Tempus Fugit” which simply means “time flies”.  They weren’t wrong were they?

Another year has begun and I don’t know why but they seem to come thicker and faster as you get older. I remember waiting what seemed like an eternity for the next birthday to come along, now they turn up almost before you’ve recovered from the previous one!

Everything seems to happen quicker, with less time for recovery in between. You look down at your calendar to find a spare weekend and there isn’t one. You can’t find the time for 30 minutes in the evening to go for a run.

In truth though, the time IS there. We just fill it poorly. Every person’s life is a combination of positive endeavour, responsibility and futile procrastination. It is the balance between these elements that is the difficult thing to strike.

How many times have you said to yourself recently, “I’d love to do that but I just don’t have the time”? And how many times has it that actually been the case? By that I mean a genuine lack of time not, “I need to procrastinate on the sofa tonight” or “well I could do this but I need to have a look at Facebook for an hour”.  

This is where the time goes I think. It gets frittered away on things which in all honesty don’t excite us or drive us on. We just do them because they are there and they don’t require any “extra” effort. You COULD go for a run tonight, or you could not. So you don’t. Because it is easier. Then you blame “lack of time”. The cycle can actually be quite devastating.

Obviously I am making sweeping generalisations here, based on a life which is relatively free of the burden of responsibility at the moment. I do appreciate that there are some things that do make real demands on your time; I know as I’m slowly learning myself how much time helping to raise a 6 year old takes up!

But ask yourself, deep down, do  you make full use of the time you have available to you? Should they take up as much of your time up as they do. Or can you use the time better?

There are times when I know I am wasting time, times when I could be doing something but choose not to under the cover of “there isn’t time. And I’m pretty active in terms of using my time to see and do things compared to most. There is still more that can be done, and you’d be amazed at how much time there actually is if you are determined enough to see it done.

It can be scary to get out of a comfort zone, and it can be difficult to get out of a rut. Having adult responsibilities can be draining and exhausting. However, you owe it to yourself to push yourself. Just that one extra thing a week that you don’t think you’ve got time for? Try and make the time.

Because time does fly. It also waits for no man, so you’d better get a move on and track it down.

Till next time,

DT

Beginning afresh

I seem to do a reboot like this every so often, usually every few months or so when I realise all I've been doing is book reviews and I haven't volunteered an opinion for a good long while. And I have SO many opinions that it would be rude not to share them all with you. So I'm back. Just like Spiderman, rebooted and (I hope) improved,

Last year I didn't set resolutions, merely goals to achieve. For those of you who are interested they were the following (I'm claiming 2 and a bit out of 5):

1) Write something on this blog every day - FAILED
2) Read at least a book a month - PASSED
3) Get my short stories published - FAILED

4) Tick 4 more European Capitals off the list - PASSED

5) Complete 14 Friends of Serenity challenges - FAILED (barely though, I did 13 and I'll do 14 from 10th Jan 2014 to 10th Jan 2015 inclusive)

It has been a crazy, strange year from start to finish - looking back at where I was twelve months ago to where I am today it feels like a lifetime ago. Those five goals don't seem to even scratch the surface of the adventure that was 2014. It's been a rollercoaster; emotional, psychological and physical and there have been both  unimaginable lows and breathtaking highs mingled together.

Looking forward 2015 looks to be no different; with 12 races booked so far, more books on my shelf than you can shake a log at and 31 european capital cities still requiring my attention. Not to mention a fantastic new relationship, complete with a new 6 year old "daughter" who I am sure is running rings around me for fun!

I'm sure you'd agree that this is shaping up to be one of the best years I've had. It'll be interesting, challenging and eye-opening but I can't wait for every single minute of it.

So without further ado I present 2015's goals to achieve;

1) Beat last year's total of 24 books (I'm aiming for 30)
2) Complete 15 Friends of Serenity challenges
3) Get a publisher for my kids stories
4) Start at least two new hobbies (one of which must be out massively of my comfort zone)
5) Spend more time with those people who matter

6) Enjoy every moment

I don't think I'll have any problems with #5 or #6 but I do welcome any and all suggestions for #4!

Have a great 2015 everyone and take care of those you love.
Till next time,
DT