Sand dunes and Spacehoppers - 17th - 19th June

The Jenkins family had a wonderful weekend of orienteering on the beautiful Gower Peninsula. Every year Swansea Bay Orienteering Club (SBOC) in our own laid back way put on this special midsummer event with a big emphasis on fun. But we always use quality areas and this year we were in the challenging sand dunes at Whiteford and Broughton and then out onto Cefn Bryn for a fast and furious relay. So not much opportunity for cycling but I wasn't going to miss out on speniding time with great friends, friends who has helped me through my treatment and besides all that running around with a map in your hand must contribute to improving overall fitness. The bike still came with us, just in case.

So on friday evening the weekend kicked off with a run around the magical Whiteford Point.

But it wasn't the weather you'd expect for midsummer. When we'd planned this event I'd imagined running in the cool of the evening of a hot summers day but instead it was cold with torrential rain, which was so heavy I could hardly read my map. But it was still great to be out running especially when the rain started to ease. If it rains for the bike ride you can't say I won't be prepared!

Here's my route (but only started watch 10 mins into run)


After the run dripping wet and freezing cold Hannah, Charlie and I went out hanging signs for the next days event at Broughton. This was a bit like torture all we wanted to do was get home and get warm and dry and eat and here we were trying to hang stupid signs on old telegraph poles and did these signs have proper string attached to them - NO!!! but anyway we managed to get the job done and it meant we wouldn't be rushing around putting up signs the following morning.

The next day we were in Broughton Dunes and as we drove down I was going to check that all our signs were present and correct. But they'd disappeared overnight - grrrr! we hastily put up new signs and all I can think that had happened was the over zealous organiser from the night before had collected our signs as well as his own - did he think they could breed or something??. The weather was much better today and I staggered round a blue course 6.7Km with 225m climb. In hindsight I should have done a shorter course as I stared to get tired going to #10 and lost so much time towards the end of the course but in truth I was just thrilled to be out running and to have finished the course, here's where I went:

As I was running in to finish all I could think of was food and spent a lovely few hours in the van having my well earned lunch and drinking tea with different friends popping in for a cuppa. Seren, the dog, also very tired and went into a deep sleep for the rest of the day!
Once the event was over and all the controls gathered in we headed for the campsite at Kennexstone. Again it was my job to put out signs for the following day which I did on my bike to get a bit of bike training in and covered about 15Km.



Back at the campsite there was a good crowd of orienteers staying and being British we still had our BBQ even though the weather was quite cold and very windy. After the BBQ we had spacehopper races, which is such a laugh and played rounders.

Sunday was relay day and I was paired with my darling daughter Hannah. I was off first and therefore in the mass start although not quite The Jukola our 2x2 relay mass start is still a bit of a spectacle when 44 orienteers race off in various directions - but it made me realise just how slow I've become as I got left behind the pack. needless to say hannah and I didn't win but there's always next year!!!!

This is me running into finish plese note my full arm cover Carol - Kay says I look like an ad for Persil!!!!

Late Evening Run 14th June

I was feeling tired because I hadn't got home until about 11pm the night before because of a SBOC committee meeting that had over run plus I'd spent the day in the office. But I remember the physiotherapist saying that when you feel tired probably the best thing to do is exercise. So once again Phil and I with dog went for run on hill behind our house. I didn't push it just enjoyed and ended up running a bit further than I'd planned !
Here's my route:

I want a Turbo Trainer!

I wimped out ...... I had planned to repeat last weeks 40 mile ride out in the hills but the weather was horrendous

Instead I headed for the relatively sheltered swansea valley cycle track - but I still had to cycle over a hill to get there! It was hard going cycling over the Gwrhyd being buffeted by the wind and riding straight into the driving rain and I was quite relieved when eventually I got over the hill and started to descend into Pontardawe. But give me the wind, rain and climb over traffic anytime I really had to battle with the traffic through Pontardawe, with a few scary moments :-S

But at last I got away from the traffic and into the tranquility of the cycle track.

Big drops of rain splashed onto the tarmac and there was still a faint smell of garlic as I bombed up the track. The rain was so heavy that not even the dog walkers were out which was great for me as it meant I didn't have to slow down or swerve around the odd labrador. However I did encounter a fallen branch across the  track, I tried moving it but it was too heavy.

I managed to bomb up and down the track three times, last time I'd only managed it twice - hopefully I'm getting fitter!!!!

On the way back to the house I met Phil and got him to take this  photo of me it doesn't really show how wet I was!

Oh yes the turbo trainer lets you train on your bike without moving i.e. indoors and in the dry!

Summer's Evening Run - 6th June

It was a lovely evening for a run so Phil and I with our little dog headed out onto the hill behind our house. Nothing too strenuous even chatted with farmer for quite a while.

Here's another photograph of Seren out on her run

Ummmm ......... Beetroot Sandwiches

This was the perfect day for a bike ride. While most were bemoaning the loss of brilliant sunshine, the cloud cover and light breeze were very welcome to me out in the hills on my bike. Time to up the mileage a bit! Last week the Trecastle Road had looked very inviting and I planned a new route which took in this road and the Black Mountain climb (Pen Rhiw Wen) a total distance of just under 40 miles. Phil agreed to drive out and meet me at the Usk Reservoir (about half way) with some lunch. However, I'd learnt a few weeks before that its probably best to be self sufficient when you're out on the bike and so packed a few beetroot sandwiches into my saddle bag just in case.
So at just after 10am on this beautiful day I set off on my new route. I headed out on the Brecon Road eventually turning off the main road and into heaven! This Trecastle Road is very beautiful and peaceful it runs between the hills, next to a babbling brook and today it was so atmospheric as low cloud swirled across the hills. There were a few sharpe climbs but nothing too testing and then a wonderful long downhill stretch - yahooo. Through the tiny village of Pontar Hydfer and then a good climb up and out onto the moorland and across to the Usk Reservoir and lunch. But no sign of Phil at our agreed meeting place. I sent him a text to say I was carrying on and he should come and find me further down the road. Wow this road was glorious to cycle along I was now at the back of the Carmarthen Fans and the familar ridge and peaks were just visible above the clouds.

Eventually I came to the Red kite Pub and thinking this was a good place to have lunch with Phil I stopped and checked my phone-guilt here was I having a wonderful time and the message from Phil said that he was in Tesco getting some food plus I'd left him cleaning the bathroom!!!! I press on and before I know it I've joined the A4069 between Llangadog and Brynamman. This is the road that takes you over the Black Mountain and I knew this gentle climb I was now encountering would soon be getting very steep. I decided to have a beetroot sandwich. There was still no sign of Phil. I continued on knowing this road was only leading to the big climb I passed a man out walking he smiled and wished me luck, I passed another man cutting the grass outside his cottage he also smiled and shouted well done - I began to get nervous but there was no going back. I could now see the road winding up the side of the Black Mountain and cars that had whizzed pass me minutes before were now chugging up the hill. Well lets see how far I get I thought and I clicked down to my easiest gear. Slowly slowly I climbed up the hill being overtaken by racing motorbikes and cars until yes I made it to the top! I relished the ride down the other side of the hill - double yahoo and just as I was getting to Cwmllynfell about 2 miles from home met up with Phil.

This was a brilliant route and I'll be doing it again eventually combining the two routes to get up to the daily mileage I'll have to do by September.

Here's my route and statistics.

Good day for Kayaking - 30th May

You know those days when the weather looks horrible but when you get out in it isn't half as bad as you thought and you're glad you made the effort to get out as its all quite enjoyable - well this wasn't one of thoses days. Today looked nasty from my snug bedroom window and when I was out in it it stayed nasty. I was soaking wet and cold before I even got out of the village but I was determined to get some training in, afterall if its wet and cold on the weekend of the bikeride I still have to be out cycling.
 For a change I headed up towards Brecon and the up the Trecastle Road. I only had 2hours so decided to just cycle out for an hour and then head back on the same route. The rain was so heavy and the wind so strong that it was all a bit mad really. I passed some kayakers just about to get on the flooded Tawe - at least they were happy. But as I turned off the main Brecon road and headed towards Trecastle things quietened down and the smudgy hillside looked so beautiful. But phew I checked my watch and had been out for an hour and could head for home for a hot shower and a nice cup of tea. When I got home Phil still fast asleep in bed.
The Trecastle Road looked like a good bike ride -  next week I'll explore it a bit further.