Blog, Two Stubborn Women.....

Well this is it.......'We are leaving on a jet plane' to quote the song but we do know 'when wel'll be back again' with anyluck we'll be back on the 12th of March having completed this amazing journey. It's very nerve wracking and slightly surreal as it's been such a long time in the planning but we are ready to go. We have all the kit and money is coming in for both our charities. We shall be sending some of you reports from the desert and will hopefully bring back lots of photos of or adventure. In the meantime thank you all so very much for supporting us over the last 2 years and we'll see you on our return to Hay. X

26th March
Sould and DJ Desmondo Lopez
This was our last officail fund raiser before the off next week. We had a good feeling about this one. We know most of the band as does the audience and the word on the street was good! As always Hay came up with the goods and it was a great party atmosphere and very little left in the way of alcohol to add to our drinks cabinets!
Our special guest of honour was Vera from The North Weir Trust who gave a lovely speech summing up what we hope to achieve both personally and financialy for both charities.
the sand dance had one last outing in full running kit though we kept the moustaches for the occassion. Sould were great a played a great set which took us right up to the bewitching hour. thanks to Des who kept the atmosphere going with some brilliant vinyl.

We've had so much fun during the last two years putting on all these events, though I have to say it was nice knowing we won't have to set up the staging again anytime soon. A big thanks to all who came.
Jo and Annie
Click here for photos

9th March
Ladies Night 2 at The Globe

Here we go again! Ladies night and Elvis, Tina Turner, Meatloaf............a realatively small turnout but a fun time had by all. I have to say this was one of the more surreal evenings we've had and initially plagued by problems, big thanks to Ian and his Dad we pulled off one of the funniest nights I've had in a while.

Dawn gave pole dancing lessons downstairs and Derek/Deidre manned (womaned) the door for us. Annie and I dragged it up as gangsters and Elvis (though I have to say my wig looked more like a dead cat! Thanks to all who turned out. X

Click here for photos

7th March
Wye Ultra 30 miles

This was our last long event before we go. Unlike alot of the long events we have taken part in there was very little navigation to do so we could concentrate on the running. This meant a harder faster run and we could really feel it by the end. A lovely cold sunny day and a great route though the finish was a little unusual having to negotiate Sunday strollers to get to the finish line. We still managed to go wrong, a bit to much entusiastic running towards the end. the field was pretty fast and we managed to run the 30 miles across varied terrain in 5.54, coming 6th and 7th ladies out of 17.

Hi to Liegh who kept us company on his forst Ultra for the first 13 miles, sorry we missed youat the end!
Click here for full report

4th March
Bingo Hay School
Thank you to Headmistress Fiona Howard and The PTA for helping us put on a very successful Bingo Night. Parents, Grandparents and pupils all had their eyes down for 10 games called by Mrs Howard.
Tea and coffee were served at half way. Everybody was very proffessional, arriving with an assortment of felt tips and dibbers.

We are now in our final stages of fund raising and have managed to involve most of Hay's community in our endevours.

Ladies night at The Globe on 9th of March and our final party at The Community Centre with local band Sould.

26th Feb
Film night at Booths Books 'Run Fat Boy Run'

Many thanks to Paul and Elizabeth for hosting our screening of Run Fat Boy Run. A full house and full tummys. Upstairs at Booths is a lovely intimate cinema surrounded by books with state of the art equipment, providing a fantastic setting for our film night.
Annie and I cooked loads of chilli and Paul and Elizabeth provided the wine. After a short film about our training exploits we all sat down to the film. We were suppoted by the Screen at Hay Committee and members www.thescreenathay.co.uk

The film was a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone
Our fundraising is going from strength to strengh. Thank you to everyone who continues to support us

We now have the flight times, ECG tests booked and medicals, and best of all all our kit (Iwas in heaven choosing it) We had a bit of a worry acouple of weeks ago with me having a suspected ulcer, however I was very lucky to get a quick appointment in Brecon for tests which came back clear so we have the go a head to compete pending medicals. The thought of having to wait another year was too much! We really are excited about the whole event, it's dominated our lives for so long now (sorry for those who have had to put up with it) Fundraising is stepping up a pace with 3 more events to go. We have had some very generous donations and will continue to take donations after we return.

28th Jan - 4th Feb
Club La Santa Womens Triathlon Training Camp
I was very lucky to have the opportunity to train in Lanzarote with 3 running friends, Emma from Hay Hotfooters and LIza from Croft Ambrey. We have all dabbled in
Triathlon and had the amazing chance to be coached by some of the best in their field including Tanja Slater who organised the course and put us through our paces. It was great to get some sun and my only regret is that Annie didn't get the chance to run in the good weather with us. I really feel I've benefited from not just running distance. The running sessions really pushed me, I learnt to swim properly (Thanks Rose) and the cycling was amazing (very fast decents).

Click here to read more and see photos (The link will take you Hay Hotfooters website reports are in order of dates)

www.clublasanta.co.uk

22nd Jan
Alex Valentine, Christian Pattemore and The Black Mountain Bluegrass Band
Another fabulous night of Hay generosity. We sold all the tickets for this event and Hay drank us dry. This was a really good fund raiser and well worth all the effort. It's hard work to put events on but we had so many people helping out, both playing on the evening and working with us on the bar and waitressing, clearing up and especially the next day, turning out (with hangovers!) to move all the staging.
Annie and I did our sand dance (with our new rucksacks) wondering if our supporters were getting fed up of it, but apparently not judging by the applause. THANKYOU EVERYONE!!
Click here for pics

Running with Hay Hotfooters
We both train with hay Hotfooters, I've been out on some fabulous long runs and races and Sunday dinners with the gang. This Sunday 17th we are off up Hay Bluff and round various trails, next week a run from Talgarth to Crickhowell over The Black Mountains. Have a look at The Hotfooter site to see what we've been up to hayhotfooters.co.uk/hayhotfooternews.htm

Time is now ticking on. We've both been out despite the snow, making the best of the weather by running up deep snowy hills. Our rucksacks arrived this week and we are now going to start running with them fully packed.
Time is mainly taken up with the last push for fundraising with a night of music at Hay community centre on 22nd Jan.

6th Dec
Beacons Ultra
Jo and Annie took to the hills again to run in The Beacon Ultra 45 mile race. A very early start and very little sleep saw us on the start line at 7am with105 other hardy souls wondering what we were doing. Likeys had added an extra 500 ft hill in to the mix which we had to go up twice as this was a 2 loop course. The heavens opened on the second loop and it was very difficult under foot coming down the gap trail all rocky and raging river like terrain. (In the dark and cloud just to make it all the more fun!) We made it in 12hrs 40 min with a sprint finish which turned out not quite to be the finish as it was round the corner. Awaiting Photos from the organisers

12th Nov
3 weeks until The Beacons Ultra. A whole year since we dipped our toes into ultra running! The course has changed this year so we went to have a look and run the first loop. It's much much harder than before with a massive hill quite near the beginning which we nearly got blown off. The views were stunning but I suspect by the second loop we won't care. The weather was appalling and we staggered back to Talybont and the pub wondering if it was possible to do 2 loops. On the day hopefully the weather won't be so wild, but this is Wales after all! Tarn (dog) still had the energy to chase ducks after 23 miles, at least one of us is getting fitter. Joking aside both of us are feeling pretty good at the moment so hopefully we'll pull it off on the day.
Thanks Likeys for making theven harder than last year!!

3rd 4th Nov
Hay to Hereford on the Wye Valley Walk
We decided to take the plunge and do a back to back run, getting up the next morning, kit on and up and at it again. It's about 25 miles on the WVW across undulating and sometimes hilly country side following the river as it winds it way to Hereford. The idea was to try out our desert packs but they didn't arrive in time and so we had a lesson in minimal packing instead.

Click here to read more

3/4 October
Longmynd Hike
Unfortunatley Annie wasn't able to join me on this adventure and was sorely missed. However I had a brilliant companion and navigator, John from Hay Hotfooters who got me round the 50 miles up hill and down dale. Starting at 1pm we finished at 4.30am after gales, rain and a perfect moonlight sky. It was very hard but a brilliant experience and just what I needed to get some miles in before next year.

For a full report click here to go to the Hay Hotfooters site.

30.9.09
2 days away from The Longmynd Hike, Annie as had to pull out due to family commitments but I'm still going with John from the running club. Getting my maps etc together and batteries for my head torch..feeling slightly nervous. We are planning some long winter runs with overnight stops in the near future and another school run up to Ewys Harold. The MDS gets ever closer and running seems more and more difficult to coordinate with work and fund raising. There will come a point when we have to focus soley on the runs. Went on our first dark evening run for a while, along the back roads to Hay Bluff and back down, a good 2 hours, it was really noticable that we ran up the whole way and didn't stop to walk, except when Tarn (dog) had a call of nature! He's getting pretty fit too.

26.9.09
Supernatural Sound
Family and friends helping us dance the night away in true Hay fashion raising more money for our adventure. More Alice the ostrich helping out with sand dance...more utube coming watch this space.
Click here for pics

18.9.09
Final forms sent off and second installment paid.this is now officailly happening!
17.9.09
School Run!
We decided it would be a great idea to involve the local schools in our adventure. Anyone can follow our progress during The MDS via the official site and send emails. We thought what a great opportunity for local children to learn about The Sahara, running, Africa etc. So with the help of Fiona Howard, Hay School Headmistress, who organised the other schools for us, we set off. I forgot to mention we took Alice the ostrich with us taking it turns with the reigns! She was quite a handful but loved the kids and most of them were quite taken with her, (apart from one little girl who was trying to proove she wasn't real by kicking Annies legs!) An exhausting but brilliant day. We shall be returning to all the schools to give a talk when we get back. Thanks to al the staff.
Photos Click here

15.8.09
Arabian Nights Fund Raising Night
My house and balcony was transformed into an Arabian Souq, complete with Hubble Bubble pipes, music, Mata Haris kitchen and belly dancing (of sorts!) Again thanks to all those who sat under the stars and drank the night away. A lovely chilled evening surrounded by friends and more funds to add to the kitty.
Both Annie and I had family with us which made it a special night plus Paula and her Mum and Dad celebrating her 40th. Unfortunately we didn't have any candles for the cake so had to revive the 'Two Ronnies' sketch with 'Fork 'andles' instead!

No one was willing to done the costumes, so Annie and I took to the floor for an unrehearsed rendition of the sand dance.
To see photos Click here

8.8.09
Bent Clees Challenge
A part from all the Hotfooter races I've been doing, Annie and I have been clocking up the miles on various challenge events. This one was organised by Ludlow Runners and run a long simular lines to the LDWA events. Again you had to navigate and run at the same time and get used to the sometimes interesting directions. A very friendly event with a very welcome bar open at the end. Click here to read on

31.6.09
Mad Cows Slaughterhouse and Warped vinal Disco
Great night, thanks to all who came....see the events page for a report

5.6.09
A bit of a delay since my last entry...just been really busy and having had enforced injury time off not so attentive to this site! Having said all that I threw myself straight back in with Man V Horse (fab but extreme) a couple of fell races and this weekend with Annie The Caerphilly Summit Challenge 32 miles, only we did nearer 35..
click here to read on

We are also very busy organising up and coming fund raisers, Mad Cows Slaughterhouse 31st July.

16.5.09
Quick update. We are having an enforced break at the moment...mainly down to a series of injuries I've been having. Hopefully getting on top of it but will be very careful from now on about over training and making sure I do more than just running. Luckily they are all reversable and thanks to the fabulous Roy Minter our local sports therapist I'm on the mend. We are holding several running sessions during the Hay Literature Festival for visiters....8am at The Clock Tower Sunday 24th, Monday 25th, Tuesday 26th and Saturday the 30th May. This will help with our profile and also raisesome money along the way.

3.4.09
Supernatural and DJ Desmondo Lopez = a great night out in Hay. More fundraising from 'Two Stubborn Women' U tube Sand Dance video click here. Not the best lighting but you'll get the gist!
Click on Events to see pics etc. TheMDS 2009ers are at this moment racing across the desert. We've been watching the videos on the Darrabound site. It looks pretty bleak this year, wet to start with and cold. I think for the first time it's really hitting home that next year it will be us. Fundraising is for ever on our minds and all though we have a good base to build on training wise we need to step up a gear. Here we go........


24.3.09
Starkholme Stagger
This was a Long Distance Walkers Association event 30 miles across the Derbyshire Dales, 6000 ft of total ascent. The weather was amazing, clear blue skies, cool breeze and wonderful countryside. I originally applied to start with the runners at 9am but as I was there early decided to go with the walkers. (main reason being, the walkers looked like runners so god knows what the runners looked like, and I wasn't confident with my navigational skills).........read on. Click here.

2.3.09
Trans Gran Canaria
Well we are back in the rain having not only survived, but won prizes in our categories in Trans Gran Canaria. It was the hardest thing I have ever done but pretty much the proudest. 60 miles 1900 metres to the highest point from sea level, 18 hours of hard slog. Big thanks to the organisers (mucho gracias!) There was so much cameraderie amongst everyone who completed (including a dog who won his own category!) Thanks to Michael, my brother for sticking with us despite being a faster competitor....makes me feel quite emotional thinking about crossing the line all three of us together.
Click here for full report

Click here for pics.

10.2.09
It's official we've lost the plot! Training run sounded like a good idea on Monday night.' Lets try out the Hay Hotfooters new race course I said. I need to check the distance anyway' 'Ok' said Annie so dog attached to lead off we went. It was raining in Hay, however by the time we'd got up to Hay Bluff it was snowing. Very very heavily, the road disapeared, our footprints started to disapear......lets turn back we both thought with some relief. Struggled back down a very slippery hill but still clocked up 11 miles. There's always next week..providing I survive The Muddy Woody on Sunday. Nearly ready for Trans Gran, new shoes, socks shorts, energy bars...will look the part even if I don't make it round. Only joking, we are determined. Two Stubborn Women..... PS can you believe it, it's snowed in Gran Canaria!

5.2.09
Another muddy muddy race 'Mayhill Massacre' very apptly named, good for strenghthening the quads! But more importantly another succesful fundraiser. The fundraising is a lot more stressful than than the running. Both of us losing sleep, will anybody come? Will they enjoy it? As always they did come despite the snow and look at the pics to see if they enjoyed it. (events) Still along way to go so please keep coming out and having fun to help us reach our target and beyond.



11.1.09
Just done the Rough and Tumble 10 miler up hills squelching in mud! Not the same as the desert I know but good for the quads! We have two fundraising events happening soon. 3rd Feb Ladies night at The Globe and beginning of April two bands at The Community Centre. Fundraising is imperitive now and still got lots of running to do. This is going to be a very busy year.

31.12.08
By tommorrrow we can say next year we are doing the MDS! Our thoughts are mainly about Trans Gran Canaria at the moment, having looked at the Google Earth map it won't be easy. Tickets booked so no turning back. We are going to try to get a couple of long runs in, plus all the races with Hay Hotfooters, which although not endurance are very testing in their own way...mainly mud. www.hayhotfooters.co.uk/racediary to check out the next few months running.

6.12.08
BEACONS ULTRA Once upon a time ... (last Saturday to be precise) Two stubborn women chipped the ice off their car and rather nervously set off to Brecon Rugby Club. Once they arrived a friendly welcome awaited and non existent toilet queues! (very important)..............
This is a novice Ultra runners account of their first Ultra race................For full report Click here

26.11.08
We went out today to run the first loop of The Beacons Ultra. Lovely day and stunning scenery. The first part along the Taff Trail and up the old track that transported coal in about 1820. The dog went mad and was a bit tired by the top! We made good time despite stopping to look at the view...everthing going swimmingly! We had a large scale map and the laminated instructions and map curtousy of Likeys. Bit of a problem when we turned off in to the woodland and had to retrace our steps (at least we know the right way now)

On to the second half which was very difficult running especially with a dog who'd perked up and was pulling me over the edge to the nearest sheep! We made another wrong turn by running too far down the tarmac road and had to climb right back up the hill (we won't do that on the day) What followed then was I think a joke on behalf of Likeys....a totally un runnable track which tested the ankle ligaments to the full!
Once out on the road and one more wrong turn and we made it back to Pencelli. Looking forward to the full race and hopefully making it all the way round.

11.11.08
Having been on tenterhooks for a few weeks (having realised we hadn't got a guaranteed place for the Beacons Ultra) we are now both in! Juggling work and long runs isn't easy but tonight we are off to test out a night run with our new lights and maybe on the 29th The Sleepwalker race in Talybont. My main problem is never having done any night navigation I'm not that confident to do it on my own....trying to convince some Hay Hotfooters it would be a fun thing to do. As soon as the route arrives for the Ultra we are taking the day off work to run the first lap. Off this weekend to Jersey for a break and to sneak in a quick half marathon.... It will soon be possible to say 'Next Year we are off to the desert' it is now feeling very soon and still loads of fund raising to do!

13.10.08
Ankle and calf feeling much better and I've started to run again. The application has gone in for Brecon beacons Ultra so we've got to start working hard.In a couple of weeks we are going to run the first circuit of the race and see how we feel. I've been browsing various sites and have looked up the Long Distance Walkers Association who put on and support all kinds of events, open to runners as well. I first heard of them whilst climbing up a very big hill on the Black Mountain Roundabout Challenge in April and started chatting with a group who told me all about it. It's well worth checking out their site, in April there's a 50 miler in The Forest of Dean and not for the faint hearted 100 miles over 48hrs at the end of May, The Wessex 100.

4.10.08
Well Annie is back to the rain from her holiday and is up for the challenge in the mountains. We are hoping to run the first loop sometime in October to get a feel for the course. I myself am still being treated for my ankle which has caused a few problems with my calf muscles (gastocnemus and soleus), very frustrating! I've done a couple of Triathlons which went OK, but I'm missing the off road running, with luck the Sports massage should sort it out. Meanwhile Annie is running with out me (which is very confusing for my dog as he sets of with her) and I'm in the swimming pool and on my bike for a while. We've also made a start on applying for sponsorship for equipment etc.

13.9.08
Just when I thought our training was in hand for the next few months, Martin Like threw in a little race for us to take part in. Martin is a veteran of Ultras and now organizes his own events as well as running a great equipment and clothing site (www.likeys.com).
The Beacons Ultra event on Dec 6th 2008 (www.beaconsultra.com) promises to be tough and fun and all on our doorstep. 45 miles across the Beacons and starting on The Taff Trail, with an option to retire half way. They have also laid on a seminar the next day and a chance to meet other MDS competitors. Providing my ankle improves (another story...15 miles racing horses in Herefordshire on a permanent camber ...see www.hayhotfooters.co.uk for a full report) Annie and I will be heading for the hills, and hopefully getting round the full 45 miles. PS Annie is on holiday so she doesn't know yet! PPS any injuries that need sorting I know a fantastic sports therapist in Glasbury, email me and I'll put you in touch.