FionaOutdoors

My TWO new websites

2010-07-14T04:54:00.000-07:00

I hope you're enjoying my new website at www.fionaoutdoors.co.uk

I aim to update my new blog site every day with all kinds of news and info about the Great Outdoors. You'll also find previous blog posts listed in easy-to-access categories, as well as a growing number of outdoor kit reviews. A portfolio details my press, magazine and on-line work.

My new web writing and blogging business website is at The Number One Writing Agency Find out more about my on-line writing skills - and what they could do for your company's success.

My blog is on the move...

2010-05-31T04:20:00.000-07:00

I have finally almost finished the www.fionaoutdoors.co.uk blog that I have been working on for some time now (er, maybe about 2 years!). Thanks to Duncan, my ultimate wordpress pal for his kindness and support in my new project (he has been a total star), and to Ramsay, who also helped me to make some finishing touches to the site.

And so I will now be writing my blogs at www.fionaoutdoors.co.uk (my own domain name!). In due course I'll be moving all the old blogs to the new site. The new site allows me to put blogs into categories (for easier access to previous post reading). Plus there are all kinds of exciting widgets, plugins and shiny gadgets that I have already/will be adding. I'm hoping to expand this blog site into a more useable fionaoutdoors resource and to add reviews of kit etc. You can still view all my published articles, on-line work etc here too but it will now be stored neatly in sections.

You can see my latest fionaoutdoors.co.uk blogs here

I have really enjoyed being with blogspot and it has offered an invaluable outlet for my witterings and for building up my work base. But I felt it was time to try a new platform and to use my own domain name (I bought it about six years ago so it's about time it was put to use!).

The new blog is still a bit of a work in progress so my apologies for any wee gremlins. In fact, if you spot anything really rubbish please do email me. I would welcome any favourable comments, too.

If you are currently a follower of my blog (and thanks so much for being so lovely) you can continue to keep in touch with my new blog by clicking on the RSS feed on the new blog. I will continue to add new blog links to this old blog for the time being. I'm very keen for you all to come with me if you'd like to. I'm hoping the new blog site will be just as good - but shinier and more useful. I do hope you'll like it.

Why Twitter has improved my "solo" work life

2010-05-27T23:53:00.000-07:00

Working on your own at home as a self-employed journo, writer, blogger etc can be a lonely business. I've actually grown to like spending most of my time on my own but there are still times when I long for some friendly office banter or a spontaneous exchange between colleagues. Still, the advantages (such as no commuter travel, wearing any old clothes, having no-one to tell you when you need to be in your office, being at home for Little Miss Outdoors, having coffee making and lunch making facilities just a short trip downstairs etc) mostly outweigh the disadvantages (no regular wage, no sick pay, no paid holidays).

And then along came blogging, Facebook and Twitter. Suddenly there was chatter in my office from people I already know and a growing number of new on-line friends/colleagues. While the chatter is "silent" it does fill the gaps when I need a break from my work (sometimes it takes over my work time to be honest!) and quite often it makes me smile. In particular, I've become a huge fan of Twitter. Quick bites of chat/info from a wide range of people has given a whole new lease of life to my solo worker situation. It does feel like a conversation, the sort I used to have at the school gates when Little Miss Outdoors still allowed me to walk her to school; the kind of chat I used to have over a coffee at work; the quick bites of this and that that make your life so much more fun and informed.

And today I woke up to a tweet from ProScot that really made me smile out loud. It came (unprompted and I believe with sincerity)

Now following @fionaoutdoors who also has a great bloghttp://bit.ly/9DeaXh she is full of energy and inspiration

Because the other thing that is all to often lacking from a life of freelancing is feedback and encouragement. Yes, there are some clients who are really good about praising your work but there are an awful lot of other people who forget that self-employment means doing a lot of hard work for no feedback whatsoever.

Today was also warmed by another tweet from RSKSports:

For expert help follow @WebsitesPerth @Fionaoutdoors@FirstForCopy @thefitwriter @debutmarketing

I've also had a FFs (Follow Fridays). While Twitter is mostly used as a great business tool for marketing etc it still does offer a place for generous and warming tweets. Thanks guys for making this sunny Friday morning even sunnier!

Wild Man goes even Wilder for charity

2010-05-27T02:59:00.000-07:00

Some people will do the maddest things just to get a fish supper. Last year, the Glasgow Triathlon Club completed their own crazy Big Long Chippy Run Triathlon from the west coast of Scotland to the east, where all participants enjoyed a fab fish supper at the famous Anstruther Chip Shop. They also raised lots of money for charity.

Now a GTC member, Rich Wild, is doing a solo event, again from coast to coast (this time in the north of England) and again it will finish with a fish supper. He's raising much needed funds for the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow. And this is what the Wild Man plans to do (he's clearly a bit nuts but obviously super fit):

His plan is to cycle from Walney in Cumbria to Whitby in North Yorkshire, starting on the Irish Sea and finishing on the North Sea. The total distance is 175 miles, which he hopes to complete in one day with the goal of reaching Whitby in time for a portion of its well-renowned fish and chips. The route is a very hilly one, reaching a maximum height above sea level of more than 500m, but the scenery should motivate him, as should the prospect of dinner.

He hasn’t chosen a specific date yet, but is going make a decision based on the weather forecast. Ideally a strong tailwind would help things along, but he will settle for warm and dry weather.

The charities he is raising money for are:

Help for Heroes

The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow

Click on the links to see his donation pages

This is going to be TOUGH so please make it worth his while and get sponsoring him – it’s for two very good causes…

My new business website

2010-05-26T06:10:00.001-07:00

I've been writing the content for websites for a while now. And I've a good range of clients that I blog for. I have completely embraced the world of Twitter and Facebook. And I have my own well-followed blog here. Now I have a proper business website for The Number 1 Writing Agency.

It looks good - but it also reads well (I think it does in any case!) So if you know anyone or any businesses that are looking for help to write the words on their new or relaunched website, or you want your blog to be written for you, or you want some help with social media, or you would like me to come along to give you some in-house training then please do pass this website link around. Thanks.

3 Scottish outdoors guides

2010-05-24T04:28:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you have seen these VisitScotland guides at local tourist centres or in accommodation providers around Scotland? They are filled with info about great places for adventure, walking and mountain biking/road cycling in Scotland. I was the writer for all three titles. It was my ideal kind of project as it combines two of my passions: writing and Scotland's great outdoors! You can order free guides or see digital versions on-line

Only the finest dining for Cal Chall hubbies

2010-05-24T02:37:00.000-07:00

Snack happy: Look what the men

will be eating on the Cal Chall!

The husbands of several friends are taking part in this year's Caledonian Challenge. The event involves a hike of 54 miles non-stop along the West Highland Way (the original in a stable of Scotland's glorious long-distance walkways) - hopefully in less than 24 hours. Teams are supported along the way by generous wives, friends and other relatives.

Having taken part a couple of times before Super-Sore-Feet-Craig (partner of JoYo) knows how important it is to make sure the team will be properly refuelled en route. This is aside from adequate training walks, all the right kit, comfy boots and a huge barrel of morale. Last year, it seems there were three too many bowls of chilli con carne (where one was more than enough) and so this year there has been a lot of serious talk about what food will be provided at each refreshment break.

Then in steps Top Entreprenurial Mummy, aka the blog writer of Feeding A Family of Five for Under Fifty Quid a Week. TEM's latest business idea is to cook delicious meals for busy people. She's a fabulous cook and she's already on the way to creating a successful culinary empire. So, it seemed like an obvious solution for TEM to create the perfect refuelling dishes for the hungry Cal Chall hubbies.

TEM has put some amazing meal options on the table (so to speak) but I would be going for several of these: Chicken Couscous, Rigatoni al Forno, Casserole and Mash, Chicken Paprika and Rice, as well as the good old Chilli and Rice. The key to sustaining energy levels over a long-distance walk is lots of carbs, lots of flavour, savoury, salt and not forgetting litres of water. The worst choice over such a long period would be gallons of energy gels and lots of really sweet stuff. (Believe me, I tried this on my first Moonwalk snacking on jelly babies and gels and by half way I felt extremely nauseous. The second time was far more successful thanks to a feast of sandwiches and sausage rolls).

One snack that TEM is insisting on, however, is her latest delish discovery: Schnecken Bun, now renamed by her as "Happy Cake". TEM recently enjoyed a Happy, Happy evening tucking into the high carb, sugary, fatty and nutty treat. And now the Cal Chall Hubbies will be able to look forward to a few of these amazing snacks en route.

I'm almost tempted to take part myself given the fine dining on offer - but then again I think my feet are a little delicate!

Even if you're not taking part in a big walking challenge TEM is happy to discuss all kinds of meal options, perhaps for a family tea, a Friday night supper or a Saturday dinner party.

Proud of my latest web writing project

2010-05-21T03:59:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to see the launch of the Glasgow Service with Style website. This has been my biggest copywriting project so far and I'm really proud to be able to show it off on my on-line portfolio. I enjoyed working with all the people involved in this project.

Early next week I'll also be launching my shiny new business website for the Number One Writing Agency. This will showcase the new direction that my journalism writing career has been going over the last couple of years. I'm really enjoying the new challenge of website writing and blogging work. The website will detail exactly what I can offer businesses who are launching or relaunching their websites and who want the copy and words to be as fab as the design.

Friday feels good - even if I'd prefer to be outdoors doing outdoors things rather than indoors at my desk earning a wage!

Fitness article for brides-to-be

2010-05-19T04:52:00.000-07:00

Here's one I wrote earlier for the Daily Record. A six week shape-up countdown to your big day.

A guest blog: Mountain rescue funds raiser

2010-05-19T02:59:00.000-07:00

I've known Simon Willis for many years as a journalist and latterly as a keen kayaker. He asked me if he could post a blog on my site because he believes the Kintail Mountain Rescue team are worthy of as much support as possible. I agree. Here's what he is blogging about.

A mountain rescue team would like your help

The old headquarters of Kintail Mountain Rescue Team is past rescue itself. The ancient barn and croft in Morvich is, like many a weary walker, struggling to stay upright. Especially in the teeth of a howling gale, ice battering its roof and sides, in the dead of night. Which is, of course, when the MRT need it most.

If you walk Scotland's hills, you might too.

The team are raising money to create a purpose-built centre. A series of fund-raising events are planned. The first is this weekend and you can follow it at KintailCompassChallenge.

Team members cycle from this base, in continuous relay, to the four cardinal points of Scotland.

North: Dunnet Head

East: Peterhead

South: Mull of Galloway

West: Ardnamurchan

They'll pedal 1,200 miles, climb 32,000 feet (yes, that's not a typo!) and pass through many of Scotland's villages and towns.

If you feel you can help them or donate a fiver (or more) to help keep a roof over their heads, then there's a PayPal Donation button on the bottom of their homepage.

* Simon Willis used to have a proper job as a BBC correspondent. He quit to make films and write about his outdoor adventures, and to live in a remote corner of Scotland. With three international awards for his first DVD, it's going pretty well. He blogs eclectically about sea kayaking and life in the Scottish highlands at SimonWillis.net

Nevis Range host the exciting Motorcycle Trials Champs

2010-05-19T02:33:00.000-07:00

Fancy a bit of exciting spectating? Nevis range, Fort William, is set to host the UK leg of the SPEA FiM Motorcycle Trial World Championships from June 25 to 27. And the event promises to be a stunning, thrill-a-minute show.

Just recently Red Bull two wheel athletes Dougie Lampkin (12 times motorcycles trials world champ) and Danny MacAskill (the talented YouTube Street trials guy from Skye) joined forces to mark the final countdown to the event.

It's been eight years since Scotland hosted a stage of this prestigious Wold Champs series and spectators will be treated to 60 of the world's best riders from 15 countries. The competition will see riders hoping to gain valuable points towards the 2010 World Pro, World Junior and World Youth titles.

Yorkshireman Dougie Lampkin has dominated the scene for many years and will be leading the UK's bid for a title win.

He said: "This is the biggest event for me this year. Fort William has some of the best trials terrain on the planet. Nevis Range is an incredible venue for this event and confirms why the region is regarded as the Outdoor Capital of the UK."

To book your place alongside an expected 8000-strong crowd check out the official website

The ultimate extreme pursuit on "death road"

2010-05-18T01:03:00.000-07:00

There will always be some people looking for that ultimate adrenaline rush. Whether it's the thrill of sky diving, free climbing, back country snowboarding, bridge jumping, burn bashing or whatever, you can be sure that there will be a group of daredevils taking a sport to the extreme.

Reading the latest exploits of cyclists on the so called "world's most dangerous road" in Bolivia just shows how far some will go to get that extreme madcap tick. Eighteeen people have now died cycling this truly bonkers descent on a road that is barely rideable and when it is it's life-threateningly steep, with ridiculous hairpin bends, and has ludicrous drop offs (600m cliffs) to avoid. It is difficult to understand the allure of such a risky rite of passage but we all have our individual aspirations.

The mind boggles! But then again I do take my life in my own hands every time I cycle Glasgow's busy and pot-hole knackered roads. I've seen my life flash before me more times than I recall.

Snap happy: A shiny new camera for my birthday!

2010-05-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

Birthdays in your 40s aren't so bad when you get to celebrate them like this!

* A weekend at the fabulous hotel The Lovat in Fort Augustus

* Divine dinners at The Lovat, too

* Lots of nice wine and whisky at The Lovat, as well

* A gorgeously scenic, 70-mile cycle right around Loch Ness

* A trip to the romantic and fascinating Urquhart Castle

* A hugely informative photography workshop with NevisPix

* A challenging run up the Munro Geal Charn (Monadh Liath)

* And last, but by no means least, the wonderful company of my boyfriend, the G-Force.

And thanks to The G-Force I now have a shiny new camera (to replace the last one that suddenly died during a hill walk last month).

In this blog I reveal some of the weekend in pics:

Finally we reach the top of the hill on the

east side of Loch Ness. Huge slog but great views

Urquhart Castle, on the west bank of Loch Ness

A scenic picture taken on a NevisPix workshop

Another scenic picture taken on a NevisPix workshop

Me (in the distance!) atop Munro Geal Charn (Not so sure the G-Force

was paying so much attention in the photography workshop!)

The G-Force clearly very pleased to be on the Munro top, too!

(Quite pleased with my pic taking skills!)

"Brick" an' that

2010-05-13T06:22:00.001-07:00

It's funny to hear what other triathlon friends think is the origins of the word "brick", as in "brick session"...

... as in training on the bike and then doing a run..

... as in this is what you'll need to be able to do to become great at triathlons.

The Flying Triathlete thought the term "brick" came about because the sessions are layered on top of each other like building block or bricks. Nice idea.

The Mighty Vickster simply imagined that "brick" meant "well hard". The MV commented: "Well it's really hard going from the bike ride to the run so I thought 'brick' was just another way of saying 'brick hard'!" I love this idea, too.

Another thought is that most people will be "bricking it" as they come off the bike and on to the run section of a triathlon. As in: "I was bricking it that my legs would turn to jelly!"

In fact, it seems that the term "brick" comes from the person who first coined the phrase for the consecutive training sessions, one Dr Matt Brick. The duathlete was an advocator of the bike-run, run-bike training sessions that all "brick hard" duathletes and triathletes have come to loathe.

Reckon I should be out doing another "brick" session this evening as the Peebles Triathlon begins to loom. Let's hope it stops raining and the wind dies down! May is a bit chilly...

I would run this... but!

2010-05-12T03:18:00.001-07:00

I would be taking part in this new event but... it's my birthday the day before and I might want to enjoy a couple of large glasses of wine, or more!

Anyway, it looks like there'll be more than a few eager mountain goats running the new OUTDOOR CAPITAL TRAIL HALF MARATHON AND 5KM FUN RUN on Sunday May 16 in Lochaber.

Get ready to run in gorgeous Leanachan Forest

The race (another from No Fuss Events) takes place on the stunning mountain bike and walking trails of the Nevis Range, near Fort William, and runners will be the first to test themselves on world famous mountain biking trails, used during the legendary World Cup, World Championships and Benromach Ten Under The Ben mountain bike events.

The 21.1 kilometre figure of eight loop follows forestry roads, disused narrow gauge railway line and cycling and walking tracks within Forestry Commission Scotland's Leanachan Forest. It also includes stages of the new Cour Trail that winds its way towards Spean Bridge offering stunning views of the Great Glen, the Grey Corries and Ben Nevis.

An excited Chloe Patterson, of No Fuss, said: "This is our first trail half marathon event and like our other annual events the emphasis is firmly on fun with a friendly atmosphere for runners of all abilities. Entrants can expect a challenging but manageable course of stunning beauty and a warm welcome at the finish!"

Runners can register their £20 race fee online at www.nofussevents.co.uk . Pre-race registration will take place between 17:00 and 19:00 on Saturday evening and from 07:00 at the saddlespan at the Nevis Range HQ on the Sunday morning. The Outdoor Capital Trail Half Marathon starts at 12:00.

Good luck to you all. I'll likely be doing a walk-off-the-birthday-hangover Munro instead!

I won a race! And a box of choccies!

2010-05-12T01:08:00.000-07:00

I have won a few medals and trophies in my life but my only golds were during my childhood when I competed in judo. But my childhood is a very long time ago and I have come to the conclusion that judo must have been the one thing I was actually talented at. It's a shame I gave it up aged 16 but I've no real regrets. It was simply something I was good at as a child - and it kept me focused for much of my teenage years.

As an adult I have never expected to be good enough at any of my sports to win any prizes. I just don't have the time to train, nor the talent, but I do still enjoy what I do. I have been surprised a few times to win third prizes, twice for an off-road 10k and once in the Mighty Deerstalker. And I am usually in the top 5-10% for many of the races I enter but I had never actually won a first place.

That was until last night! Reluctantly I agreed to take part in the Garscube Harriers annual parents and kids 3k race. I was reluctant because I would normally avoid a race that I had no experience of running. 3k is definitely not a distance I'd choose to run at speed as I prefer longer distance events. And I'm not that keen on races anyway. But since Little Miss Outdoors was expected to run the race I felt it was only right that I should too.

To start with there didn't appear to be that many parents taking part, and especially not mums. So I thought I'd be safe simply jogging the course. But then the entry list filled up and there appeared to be some quite serious looking athletes. A large number of the parents were actually part of the adults section of the Garscube Harriers. Oh well, I thought, I could just get in the car and go home for fear of being truly hammered by the competition or I could just smile, run as fast as I could and enjoy the experience. Certainly Little Miss was delighted to see me lining up at the start of the race.

And so we set off. I had no game plan as 3k is not a distance I've ever ran in a race before. I simply ran. There was another woman in front of me - a fit-looking woman - and I just kept running behind her. I thought she'd speed off into the distance at some point but she didn't. A little way into the race a group of women overtook me but then I overtook them again a little further on. Some halfway round the course another lady came between the front runner and me. Really, I thought I'd never hang on and so I decided that a third place in the female section might actually be quite good. Much better than I'd ever imagined, in any case.

And then, with only about 20 metres to go to the finish line I suddenly realised I could overtake the two ladies in front if only I had a sprint in me. And I did! I passed the third place woman quite quickly and then pipped the second place lady with only about a metre to go. Okay, so I know it was only a small local club event but I felt really rather proud of myself for giving the race a proper go. I'm not sure what my time was but I did win a box of choccies!

I never actually got the chance to pick up the prize as I had to dash off to a swim session at the tri club. Instead Little Miss Outdoors proudly collected it for me. She had also enjoyed her race and although she was as reluctant as I was to run it she came home smiling and clearly pleased with herself.

The race had the best ever attendance of parents and everyone seemed to enjoy the occasion. It was great to see some really awesome junior runners, too. While I might have been first lady, there were a fair number of youngsters ahead of me. (Loads of men, too!) It's encouraging to see so many kids and parents out running when we're forever being warned about the poor health of Scots. Not all of us are couch potatoes it seems!

40 miles on a bike without getting lost!

2010-05-08T06:21:00.000-07:00

The Crow Road is so much longer!...

I have the navigation skills of very sick and horribly disorientated homing pigeon. Ie. None. So I was very pleased with myself this morning when I managed my longest ever solo cycle without the need for a map. I had actually taken the precaution of printing off a map from mapmyrun.com but that must have flown away with the wind when I took off an outer layer of clothing quite early on in the ride.

My 40 miles from Bearsden took in Killearn, Balfron, Fintry, the ever-so-long ascent of Crow Road, Lennoxtown, Strathblane and back home to Bearsden. There were quite a few road turns to remember but for once I kept it all in my brain and only once needed to check with a pedestrian in Balfron to make sure I was about to take the correct back road to Fintry. I had been, and I was chuffed I had actually known where I was going.

This is great progress. I have quite often found myself travelling 20 miles down a motorway in the wrong direction. This is a motorway I know well and so it should be apparent that I am passing major buildings and landmarks in the wrong direction. I get lost while running just about every time I veer off the few routes I have imprinted in my navigationally challenged brain. Little Miss Outdoors even has her version for "Is mum lost again?" She'll ask instead: "Oh, are we on one of our adventures again mum?!" We get lost all the time in the car, even when I'm heading to places I've been a dozen times before.

I have tried navigation courses. They seem so straightforward at the time and I can see exactly how to read the map and the landscape. But when I'm out on my own, and need to make a decision to turn left or right, I somehow always guess incorrectly!

So you can see why I'm so delighted with my excursion this morning. It is the same route that I followed with the Mighty Vickster last weekend and I managed to complete it a little quicker. This time the ride came after a 1hr 40 min "brick" session on Thursday and a fast 5 mile run on Friday (not to mention a late night with friends and wine!). So despite having slightly jaded legs and not quite enough sleep I still felt quite strong for most of the outing. Thanks to the glorious weather I really enjoyed the training session.

Now all I need to do is build on the miles over the next four months - and capitalise on my new-found map reading bravery!

Cycling, Bealach Mor and the Mighty Vickster

2010-05-05T04:29:00.000-07:00

There are some very fit people in Glasgow Triathlon Club and I can only dream of being able to keep up with most of them. In particular I wish I was as good as them on a road bike. With my entry in for the infamous Bealach Mor (that 90-mile cycling sportive that includes the UK's longest Alpine-style hill climb at Applecross) in September I need to put in some serious pedalling miles of training.

So on Sunday I got my act together and set out with the Mighty Vickster (world age group triathlon champion and fabbie cyclist) for a two-and-half-hour ride. Various people have been in contact since spotting me to say that I must be really fit just now if I was keeping up with the Mighty Vickster. The truth is that the MV had cycled 115 miles the day before and so I could just about keep apace with her and her very tired legs!

To be honest the MV's dedication to her friends went well beyond the ordinary call of duty on Sunday. I'm sure the last thing she wanted to do was join me for more cycling but she knew I needed the bike miles under my belt and so she very kindly led me on a really pleasant country road cycle out to such places as Balfron, Killearn, Fintry and back over the dreaded Crow Road.

We even found some nice smooth tarmac to cycle on instead of the usual pot holes.

Perhaps it was the girlie chat, or perhaps I am a little fitter than I thought, but I managed the full outing without too much hassle. I now need to up the mileage a little every week to reach the goal of managing 90miles of ridiculously tough terrain come September.

I will forever dream of completing the distance in as short a time as the tri club cyclists. In reality it will be a slog - but hopefully a rewarding challenge. Read my progress on two wheels over the coming months.

Conic Hill: My favourite family walk

2010-05-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Outdoors and her hill walking pal on top of

Conic Hill with Loch Lomond stretching out below

Conic Hill, at Balmaha, is the perfect family walking spot. I've walked this hill more times than I can recall and every time it has been a success. From children as young as six to a mum with a baby on her back, from small dogs to impatient dads, and from the reasonably unfit to the really rather fit, everyone I've taken to this beautiful location over looking Loch Lomond has been thrilled by the outing.

On Sunday I enjoyed another trip, this time with the G-Force, Little Miss Outdoors, a pal of LMO, plus the family Arnison/Seel/Lowry (including two boys, mum and baby on board).

Here are a few reasons why it's such a good hill:

* With a summit of only 350m the total outing adds up to enough of an adventure for the average child or adult - but not too much of an exhausting expedition.

* The effort to reach the top is far superseded by the wonderful views across Loch Lomond and some of the grander mountains of southern Scotland.

* While there are a couple of steepish sections few people will be daunted and at times there even helpful steps created to make the going easier.

* There is an "over-halfway" point that offers fabulous views along Loch Lomond and a hint at the promise of even better views from the top.

* There is enough of a view of the "almost-summit" to con the children that "we're nearly there now".

* The almost-summit is in fact very close to the actual summit and requires only a few more minutes of uphill plodding to reach.

* There is plenty of mud for keeping little boys happy.

* There are trickling rivers for cleaning off little boys on the way back down.

* Sometimes, if it's quiet enough, you'll glimpse exciting wildlife, such as snakes.

* The car park at the bottom is huge (lots of people come here) and there's a good children's play area. There are also toilets.

* The trail up and down Conic Hill is on the West Highland Way and so you often meet and pass friendly hikers with big packs on their backs. It makes your smaller pack filled with chocolate, sweeties and juice seem oh-so-nothing in comparison.

* You only need a few bars of chocolate/sweeties to bribe the kids on a short hill outing such as this.

* Finally, but in most people's eyes, most importantly, The Oak Tree Inn opposite the car park offers a great range of cakes for a post-walk snack and also a reasonable lunch and evening meal menu. Plus pints of refreshing beer! They welcome folk with muddy boots, too, which was helpful seeing as we had two mucky boys with us by the end of our lovely afternoon hill stroll!

Mums-who-run take part in Highland Fling

2010-04-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

Fantastic finish by running mum Debs of the local Garscube Harriers. I knew her from my Herald days and I still occasionally bump into her while out running. Debbie, who is mum of baby Cairn, took part in the Highland Fling, a 53 mile race along the West Highland Way. It's often used as a training run for the West Highland Way race later in the year. Anyway, Debbie came home a brilliant 3rd and helped the Garscube ladies team to a 1st place. Read about her Highland Fling race here

Another mum-who-runs Rachel, aka the Running Potter-turned-firefighter, also took part in the Highland Fling. Read about her race here It sounded painful but rewarding... in the end!

I have a lot of respect for these women. I just can't imagine where they find the time and the energy!

Running on post-bike jelly legs

2010-04-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

So I've entered the Peebles Triathlon. I've been swimming once a week with Glasgow Tri Club and finally I'm seeing some improvements. I'm not quite "dolphin" yet but I am less "clothes in a washing machine". Sometimes I even enjoy a length or two when I feel I'm getting the pull of the stroke just right.

And I've also been trying a couple of "brick" sessions. That's going from a bike ride straight to a run. Today I cycled for almost an hour and then ran for 25 minutes. The problem with running straight from the bike is jelly legs. I also had very tight hamstrings.

So to keep my mind from the pain and frustration of running on jelly/tight legs I started thinking about why this session is called a "brick". I wondered if it was because your thighs, hamstrings and calves feel like bricks? Then I tried to work out the words for a B.R.I.C.K. acronym. Bike Run Is Copiously Krap. That was the best I could manage in my weakened state.

It turns out that it was a duathlete Dr Matt Brick that first coined the phrase after becoming an advocator of bike-run and run-bike training sessions.

The advantages of this type of training for both duathlete and triathletes is obvious. If you're going to have to do something in a race to the best of your ability then it is best to train for it. Brick sessions have the benefit of specifically training muscles and, psychologically, it helps to know that at some point your running legs will come back again.

Today I felt tired for almost all the run. But last time I felt tired for all of the run. There are six weeks left until the race so I hope I have left enough time to toughen up my jelly legs. "Bricking it" comes to mind!

Jo's yoga to thank for my super plank

2010-04-27T04:14:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the annual Glasgow Tri Club training weekend. As usual we enjoyed two days of excellent coaching across each of the three disciplines and a lot of fun and socialising. Also, as usual, we took part in a hilarious Mini Olympics.

This year events included "how many Rolos can you get in your mouth at once" (fantastic effort from Nick who managed to squeeze in a stunning 32 Rolos!), "high jump over a rope of elastic bands" (top marks went to the bloke in the flowery pants) , "fastest transition", "50m swim" and "the plank".

Again, as usual, the latter event was won by Super Plank Holder Ray who held his super straight position for more than five minutes. (His record is eight minutes, I believe). But in second place came... me! It did come as something of a surprise since the last time I held a plank was some two years ago. Back then I think I squeezed out an agonising two minutes.

While I do keep cardio fit I do not do sit ups, nor indeed do I ever really focus on my core muscles at all. So the only explanation for my four-minute plank on Saturday is Ashtanga Yoga. It seems that thanks to two years of Jo Lockhart's Ashtanga-style Yoga classes (once a week for 90 minutes) I have developed a strong core. In fact I've developed the strongest core I've ever had - and muscles that helped me to beat all but Super Plank Holder Ray. (This is some feat given the number of fit folk in the GTC!).

I guess I knew that Jo's Yoga class was a tough workout but I hadn't realised quite how good it's been for my core strength. My improved muscles also explain why I rarely suffer from back ache anymore, and why I have been much less prone to general injuries from running over the last 18 months.

So perhaps you might now be interested in giving Ashtanga Yoga a go. Jo runs a number of classes in the Bearsden and Strathblane areas, and has recently started a new beginner's class. I'm hoping to make a real challenge on Super Ray at next year's tri club training weekend (I just hope he doesn't read this blog and join Jo's class in the meantime!)

New safe kids cycling campaign

2010-04-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple but hopefully highly effective message to drivers about keeping our kids safe on their bikes on the roads. The new Cycling Scotland campaign spells it out on the tarmac in great big letters. And, no, these pics have not been photoshopped.. they really exist. Great work guys.

Review: Reebok EasyTone trainers

2010-04-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

I didn't do any exercise this weekend - but strangely I woke up on Monday morning with tired leg and glute muscles. Now I'm aware that folks who know me will find it hard to believe that I spent a whole weekend relaxing and not bagging a single Munro, cycling or running somewhere. But sometimes FionaOutdoors likes to totally chill out.

The campervanning adventure seemed to put me in a wonderfully relaxed mode and so while I'd planned to do a run or a cycle it never actually happened. Instead I ate lots of food and enjoyed a few drinks with friends and family.

However, I was wearing my new Reebok Easytone trainers, courtesy of the nice people at Greaves Sports in Glasgow. To be honest I wasn't really aware that these trainers, which are meant to tone your legs and bum as you walk, were doing anything much at all to my muscles. But now it seems they must have been because I am definitely aware of "worked" muscles at the back of my thighs, my calves and a little in my butt.

If you've seen the adverts on the telly then you'll know that female bottoms play a big - or hopefully a smaller (?!) - role in encouraging us women to buy a pair of EasyTones.

Here's the theory from the manufacturers. EasyTones have a built-in patented sole technology that aims to emulate walking on sand. Ie, barefoot walking, which is the same as the claims for MBTs, FitFlops, Chung Shis and, er, well walking without shoes on. Barefoot walking on sand is meant to be good for our bodies because it improves posture and forces the muscles in our legs and bums to work harder simply by walking.

In reality the EasyTone soles, with their spongy "pods" on the forefoot and heel, make it feel like you're walking in soft, marshmallowy shoes. And because every step feels rather wobbly your leg and bum muscles are forced to work a little harder to keep going in a straight and stable line. The effect is not over-powering but if you concentrate hard it's definitely there.

Reebok claim that walking in EasyTones produces a 28% improvement in muscle tone in the hamstrings, calves and glutes by up to 28%.

And while I can't say for sure that my legs have had a 28% better workout than simply walking around in normal trainers, I do think there has been some benefit to the "marshmallowy" EasyTones. I walked around the campsite, to the shops, around a supermarket and generally spent two days wearing my Reebok EasyTone "Reinspires". And the following day I could feel I had worked more of my leg muscles than normal. Indeed, after a weekend of doing very little indeed except walking, eating and drinking I feel I've had more than my fair share of toning up!

Another benefit of the EasyTones – priced between £75 and £90 (a flip flop version is £45) – is that they look acceptably normal. While MBTs have become more mainstream in their style, they can still appear a little goofy. And they are not ideal if you were to suddenly need to break into a run, either, as the MBT sole is very inflexible. Instead, the Reebok EasyTones look very similar to ordinary trainers and come in a range of reasonably funky styles and colours. The trainers will also accommodate orthotics.

While I reckon that a toned physique takes time and effort to acquire – through a combination of exercise and good diet – I can't see any reason not to wear the Reebok EasyTones. If you are walking somewhere, then why not pop these on? It's, aherm, as Easy as that!

Greaves Sport in Gordon Street, Glasgow, have a good stock of Reebok EasyTones – and you'll be sure to have specialist advice on fitting and style.

My sea kayak adventure in Scotland

2010-04-19T04:29:00.000-07:00

Sea kayaking is a truly amazing adventure and has become one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in Scotland. Find out about my first sea kayak trip with the National Kayak School in Oban as published in The Herald.

Campervanning is definitely the new cool

2010-04-19T01:34:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Outdoors and Nephlet Outdoors

on a campervan adventure

It's not only the travel and tourism stats that reveal a new trend for campervanning holidays in Scotland – Little Miss Outdoors also thinks that this type of family break is the height of cool.

According to industry insiders the Staycation has prompted a revival in camping and caravan-type holidays, with campervans being an increasingly popular choice, especially for families. Several campervan hire companies confirm that bookings were up in 2009 and continue to be strong in 2010. Campsite managers have also seen a rise in the numbers of campervans – including VW, Toyota and Mazda – taking pitches on sites across Scotland.

Then this weekend, during a short campervan adventure along the East Lothian coast, Little Miss Outdoors added her voice to the story: "Campervans are just so cool. They are like mini houses on wheels and they can transport you to the best places. I don't want to go home now." I imagine there are a lot of holidaymakers who share her opinion.

Certainly we loved the freedom that our Big Tree Campervan offered during a two-night break. With the can loaded up we were able to drive our "mini home" in any direction that we fancied. We decided to go where the weather looked sunniest! We were also thrilled to discover how little hassle a van is compared to a tent. There was a lovely moment when we turned up at the campsite – the friendly Belhaven Bay Campsite, near Dunbar, East Lothian – picked a pitch, parked up.. then did nothing much but sit for a while, chatting, relaxing and making a cup of tea. If we'd had a tent with us there would have been hours of setting up, potential arguments, anxiety about the weather etc. But with a campervan you just pitch up - and, well, enjoy yourself.

The campervan – a roomy Toyota that sleeps four people – also came with a range of mod-cons including a cooker, sink, running water, fridge, heating, plug sockets, a big double bed and a bed in the roof for two more. We even hired a chemical toilet (to avoid night-time dashes to the campsite toilet block) and a gas barbecue (easy to light and cook over...)

The barbecue also meant we could throw an inpromptu outdoors dinner party when some of the Extended Outdoors family joined us one afternoon. (Nephlet Outdoors then decided he wanted a sleepover in the van, which we were happy to oblige!)

While the van provided the ideal base for cooking, sitting, relaxing and sleeping we also discovered that the campsite offered easy access to some of East Lothian's beautiful beach. On Saturday evening we set off for an atmospheric walk along sand dunes and out on to a great expanse of beach.

Bruvver Outdoors and Little Miss Outdoors

get their feet wet on Belhaven beach

While the weather was reasonably sunny during the day, come the evening it turned chilly. While the kids took over the van getting ready for the sleepover, us adults were determined to enjoy the outside life for a little longer. All it took was a sleeping bag each! Looking good Bruvver Outdoors!

Again, the advantages of a campervan over a tent became even more apparent on the Sunday when we awoke to rain. Instead of having to pack up wet kit to return home we simply stayed "indoors" cooking breakfast on the stove, drinking endless cups of tea and generally taking it easy... before turning on the ignition and driving back to Big Tree Campervan base.

In the end the only way to persuade Little Miss Outdoors to get out of the van was to promise another campervanning adventure this summer. Bit of a no-brainer really given the fun we had this weekend.

Dumgoyne conquered non-stop at last!

2010-04-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

So a couple of months ago I blogged about being very proud to have run the notoriously steep Dumgoyne hilll (1400ft, 427m), near Strathblane, with only a five stops to catch my breath and rest my legs. A few weeks later I tried again, this time with the G-Force by my side, and I stopped only three times from bottom to top. He kept me going ... by keeping going himself!

Then today I finally did it. I finally pulled off the feat I'd been aiming for, for years. I managed to run the whole hill without stopping once. It was very hard on my calf muscles and at times I thought my lungs would burst but I kept on jogging upwards. There could easily have been times when I was simply slow jogging on the spot but I was still moving. And I did this with a warm-up run of three miles from Strathblane along the pipe track followed by a rather tired run back the same way after summitting the hill.

I am very pleased with myself! To say the least. (I did this in my trusty Inov-8 off-road runinng shoes.)

But I'm not sure I would ever have pushed myself to achieve this feat. This is a feat I'd long ago decided was almost impossible. Then two things happened. The first time I took the G-Force to Dumgoyne he managed to pull off a jog all the way to the top stopping only a few times to catch his breath. I'd always imagined that walking was a necessary part of this oh-so-steep ascent. And then I got chatting to Super-Fit Dave at Little Miss Outdoors' running club and he questioned why I ever needed to stop for a a rest. "Just keep on jogging, even if you feel like you're going nowhere," was his advice. "You can surely keep on going up Dumgoyne," he added. Like a red rag to a bull... And that was what it took to push me to push myself to get to the top of that tough old ascent without stopping once. As I said, I'm really pleased with myself.

If you've no idea what I'm talking about then why not go and take a look for yourself.

Ali and Sue's Big Bike Ride for charity

2010-04-15T06:40:00.000-07:00

Two "we must be crazy" sisters are taking on their biggest cycling challenge yet. Sue and Ali, from Edinburgh, plan to ride 1000 miles from Land's End to John O' Groats (I hope the prevailing winds are with you that fortnight girls) in 14 days to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Ali and Sue's Big Bike Ride sets off on May 23rd, and will see the energetic pair cycling 60 miles a day for a total of 100 hours over the fortnight. I reckon this is a great effort and well worth a little sponsor donation.

And if you fancy joining Sue and Ali for part of the ride then check out their route here. I'm sure they'll welcome the encouragement..

Good luck girls!

Midnight Walk in Glasgow for charity

2010-04-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

It'll be pretty. It'll be great for your health. And it'll help raise much needed funds for a very worthwhile charity. The Midnight Walk on Saturday May 15th takes place in Glasgow in aid of The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice.

Glasgow's first ever Midnight Walk, sponsored by Slumdog Bar & Kitchen and supported by Glasgow City Council and SECC Glasgow, will see hundreds of fundraisers taking a midnight stroll under a sky of stars. There are two distances, a 5k or 10k, which head along the Clydeside and cross six of Glasgow's famous bridges. Both distances start and finish at the SECC Glasgow and follow a well-lit and safe route.

Going the extra mile for Glasgow's Hospice: Fundraisers will be walking as individuals or alongside friends, family or work colleagues. Everyone will be walking to raise much-needed funds for The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice, a special place that offers care and support to people and families coping with life-threatening illnesses. The sponsorship money that you raise by taking part in the Glasgow Midnight Walk challenge will enable the Hospice to help terminally-ill patients face their own personal challenges and make the most of the time they have remaining.

To enter the event see here

Are you a French speaking walks guide?

2010-04-13T00:24:00.000-07:00

Glentrek, a guided walking and holiday company based in the Angus Glens, Scotland, is looking to hire the services of a French speaking walks guide. Glentrek has been in talks with a French walking company that is very keen to explore the possibilities of Glentrek's "Easter Highlands Trek" but they are requesting that the guide speaks French. So if you are a walks guide based in Scotland and you also speak fluent french – and you would like to hire your services to Glentrek or even just discuss your rates then please do get in touch with Janey at Glentrek. You can check out the website or call 01307 469 536/ 07934 443557 or you can tweet at "Glentrek"

Review: Test-walk of Hi-tec trail boots

2010-04-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

Eleven-year-old daughters are notoriously difficult to please. Little Miss Outdoors is no different and she knows what she likes, especially when it comes to clothing.

"Funky, black, pink and purple are good," says Little Miss. "Brown, blue and boring are not."

Right!

Thank goodness then that outdoor clothing has come such a long way since my childhood when brown, blue and boring were about as funky as it ever got. These days jackets, rucksacks, fleeces - and even socks, gloves, hats and walking boots come in bright colours, pretty patterns, trendy designs and with a great deal of child-appeal.

Over the years I have been known to bribe Little Miss Outdoors into walking a hill by buying her a flowery fleece or a bright pink kagool. There was a beautiful lilac and purple rucksack that did the trick, too.

Then with the Easter hols looming the kind people at Hi-tec decided to pop a nice new pair of girls' walking boots in the post. The Junior Renegrade Trail Walking boots were timed well on two counts: firstly Little Miss had grown out of last year's boots (children do that annoying growing thing a little too often sometimes!) and secondly I was keen to get Little Miss away from the computer and up a hill.

At the same time those nice Hi-tec people also sent me a new pair of leather V-lit Altitude walking boots.

And so one one warm-ish and not too wet afternoon Little Miss and MumOutdoors set off to summit one of our local hills, Conic at Balmaha.

Said Little Miss of the boots: "Yeh, these look kinda cool. Not too boring and the pink is nice, especially on the bottom of the boot (she meant the chunky, grippy sole).

"They don't slip on my heel, either, and they are comfortable and I've tied the laces tight. All those things I know you're going to ask," she added, cheekily.

During the walk itself Little Miss answered my further quizzing: "Yes, they are light enough. No, they don't feel too heavy. Yes, they are gripping the ground. No, I'm not getting wet feet even in the puddles. No, I don't mind if they get muddy because I'm now 11 and not a baby who worries about the pink getting splashed. Yes, they make walking downhill and uphill easy. Yes, I definitely like these. I really do. MUM! Are there any more questions?"

So, I'm thinking, that if the boots are pleasing to an 11-year-old girl who can be short on patience and big on style then they must be pretty good boots, eh?

And mine? Surprisingly I found the leather boots to be really comfy, too. I'd memories of those leather walking boots from my teen years that took months of blisters to turn into something vaguely comfy. The Hi-tec V-lit Altitudes also felt light on my feet and despite having long, thin feet they remained snug for the full hill walk. In particular I thought the padding on the tongue and the inner sole was really generous. The soles were good and grippy. And the leather kept my feet really dry even when I joined Little Miss in a bit of mud wallowing and puddle paddling (well, any excuse really!).

If you want to read all about the technical attributes of these Hi-tec boots - and there are plenty of great details for the very reasonable price tag of £35 for the junior boots and the reasonably reasonable £100 for the women's leather boots – then click on the links above.

I prefer to talk about outdoor kit in terms of comfort and practicalities (and, of course, looks). Both these boots scored well if you're looking for comfortable, no-need-to-wear-in footwear that will handle spring and summer walking on good-to-better trails (puddles and mud included). For stockist check out the website

Sun and fab views on three Glenfinnan Munros

2010-04-12T03:08:00.000-07:00

The G-Force had been "saving" the Munros at Glenfinnan for a spring or summer's day. He wanted to be able to savour the gorgeous surrounding scenery in nicer weather. As luck would have it he chose this weekend – and sure enough we were able to feast our eyes on some of Scotland's finest views over two days of remarkable sunny and warm weather.

On Saturday we headed from Glenfinnan village, in sight of the railway viaduct made famous recently thanks to the filming of the second and third Harry Potter movies, to summit Sgurr Thuilm (963m) and Sgurr nan Coireachan (956m). To reduce the length of the day of walking we decided to mountain bike the first few miles along a track to the base of the first Munro. This was a smart move, especially when it came to the end of the long and challenging walk.

Pretty much from the outset, the views were every bit as entrancing as we'd hoped for. (In fact from the moment we left Glasgow in the morning and headed via Glencoe to Fort William and then Glenfinnan the sun cast a magical light on Scotland's scenery.) And while the walk took in a challenging amount of ascent and descent with numerous "non-Munro" summits to negotiate along a long ridge before ticking off Thuilm and Coireachan, the landscape that spread for many miles in all directions was wonderfully distracting. The fact that the whole scene basked in warm sunshine and beneath a deep blue sky only added to the stunning sense of "Scotland surreal".

Summit of Thuilm

The G-Force on the summit of Coireachan

This weekend, too, we met more people than we have during all our months of winter hiking. It was fantastic to find that the sun had warmed many more people towards the idea of a decent hike and so we met several groups of people and a fair few solo walkers. It seemed that spring had raised everyone's spirits and during passing conversations we found that every walker was as thrilled as us to be walking through such amazing countryside in such equally amazing weather.

Even the long, hard descent from the final Munro did little to dampen out spirits. I admit, though, that the terrain and taken a toll on my leg muscles and feet so it was with undisguised glee that I jumped back on the bike to whizz the final few miles back to the car. Sorry to any walkers who we passed at speed. I can only imagine how tough it was to walk those final few miles on a road perfectly fit for a car – and then to see two cyclists delightedly riding past.

Due to a lack of organisation (yes, Mr G-Force, you know who was to blame!) at 6pm we still did not have any overnight accommodation. Thanks to the wonders of the iPhone and Google, however, we quickly located a spare room in a B&B a half hour's drive away. When booking this way you can not be sure of the quality of accommodation but there was little choice – and luck was clearly on our side because the B&B turned out to be good. In fact, if you want a room and breakfast for £30 per person then I'd thoroughly recommend Coire Glas.

Amazingly, Sunday turned out to be even warmer and sunnier. Wearing less clothes and even more sun lotion we headed off again on mountain bikes from Glenfinnan to reach the base of a beast of a steep climb to the summit of Gulivan or Gaol Bheinn (9787m). Cameron McNeish describes the ascent as "relentless" and I wouldn't disagree. Thankfully, though, the views were again spellbinding. Because of jaded legs I needed to make frequent rest stops but at every stop I found myself in utter awe of the landscape. Lucky, lucky us!

The G-Force atop Gulivan. And, no, this is not

some fancy camera magic but a

clearly knackered gadget. Time for a new one..

The "relentless" up also included a false "south" summit, some frustrating descent and then further ascent. But the opportunity to bask in sunshine at the summit while eating lunch made the hard work more than worthwhile. "You could never ever tire of such amazing views," commented the G-Force. So true.

And then came the "relentless" descent. After two long days of walking my legs and feet were aching and so the descent felt every bit as tough as the ascent. Again it was a huge bonus to be able to hop on to our bikes to cycle the final four miles back to the car. And, again, I can only imagine how hard it was for walkers to see us whizzing by as they tramped back along the trail to the car park. Really, the bikes were a stroke of genius for both of these Munro bagging expeditions.

It comes as no surprise to find that this beautiful area, and including the historic viaduct, has been the location of several films and is also known as Monarch of the Glen country. No doubt the TV and movie producers were as transfixed as any walker.

Let's hope the weather is as good as we set off for a family campervanning adventure in a Big Tree Campervan this weekend...

Loving the fitness buzz at Arthur's Seat

2010-04-09T11:38:00.001-07:00

With half an hour to spare after an Edinburgh meeting and before sunset I headed to Arthur's Seat for a quick jog. I have run up and around Arthur's Seat a few times over the years but never on an evening. So I was amazed to see how many people come to the iconic hill for their post-work keep-fit session.

There were walkers, runners, cyclists and a group of BMF style addicts. I saw all ages, all fitness levels and a pretty even split of men and women. While I normally enjoy running away from the madding crowds last night I loved the up-beat atmosphere of being out with lots of folk doing the same kind of thing. Then again, perhaps my brain had been cooked by the unusually warm and bright evening, or maybe I was just a little dizzy after a day of mad driving and lots of business chat?!

I'd recommend Arthur's Seat for a nice countrified-but-still-in-the-city run/cycle, for the wonderful views and for the fun of being out and about keeping fit with lots of other likeminded folks.

Most of the seasons in one day on Drumochter Munros

2010-04-08T02:39:00.001-07:00

The day started with pouring rain, then headed through snow, low cloud and mist - before finally turning into a gorgeous, sunny afternoon. It was warm, then cold, then freezing, then cooler and then really quite hot. The three of us – the G-Force, Top Sandwich Man and I – first donned heavy duty waterproofs, then peeled off layers, then added on fleeces, then took off our layers before enjoying a good couple of hours of only light baselayers and sunshine.

When you walk in Scotland's great outdoors, and especially at this time of year, you become familiar with days that can often feature several seasons in the space of just a few hours.

Our hike on Sunday began at a car park on the Drumochter Pass (that fearfully long road of ascent that I once had the misfortune to cycle one hot day a few years ago. It's 13 miles of neverending climbing, if you want to picture it.) Since the G-Force had previously summitted one of four Munros in the area (being forced to return to his car due to poor visibility that day) we had a grand plan to complete the other three in one go.

The outset, following a reasonably easy-going trail, did not seem that promising, however, as we tramped through the rain. It wasn't cold though so we kept on with the ascent, cheerfully chatting and trying to keep our eyes focused on the fast disappearing summit of A'Mharconaich (975m). Around half way up the clouds enveloped us and we spent the rest of the climb navigating by compass and wondering if we'd ever arrive at the top. Then, all of a sudden the cairn was in front of us. Stopping for a while to eat our first snack, the G-Force and I looked on in envy as Top Sandwich Man (TSM) unwrapped amazing-looking home-made seeded rolls stuffed full of salad, crumbly cheese and baby tomatoes. We'd managed only a few hastily prepared buttered pancakes. Hmm.

Top Sandwich Man, the G-Force and FionaOutdoors

in the clouds on A'Mharconaich

Just as suddenly as the cloud had arrived, so it disappeared as we made our descent of A'Mharconaich and then another gentle ascent to the summit of Munro number two, Beinn Udlamain (1011m). (More tasty sandwiches for TSM, and a chocolate bar for me.) Having expected to spend the whole day in rain and cloud and with only a compass to guide us, the change in the weather really lifted our spirits. Now we began to take in the wonderful views of the surrounding mountains in the stunning part of Scotland. There is something so special about a landscape covered in snow yet lit by bright sunshine.

Heading onwards towards Munro number three, Sqairneach Mhor (991m) the sun really came out to play, while the wind dropped, and we found ourselves walking in wonderful spring-like weather. We couldn't believe our luck having started the day in such dreary conditions. It was so warm that I was able to shed my gloves, which, for anyone who knows me, is quite unbelievable. Even on summer days I quite often wear a thin pair of gloves because of very poor circulation in my hands, while on a winter's day I'll have a base glove layer plus a pair of thick and/or heated gloves on top! Sometimes even that is not enough to stop my fingers going numb.

FionaOutdoors on Sgairneach Mhor

As you can see from the photos there was still a fair amount of snow around although it wasn't too deep. (You can also spot TSM tucking into yet another delicious sarnie!) In fact, instead of hampering our day's hike, the snow actually offered a fast and effective way to descend the last Munro. Ensuring that we were on "safe" snow – and not about to walk on an avalanche-prone snow field – we were able to utilise the slushy snow to bound/slide down the slope at considerable speed. With the snow covering a lot of bumpy terrain we avoided a lot of tiring up-and-down walking over rocks and heather. On some steeper sections we could sit down on our waterproof trousers and whizz downhill as if on a huge slide. This was a big bonus after six hours of walking.

The only thing that would have improved my Munro bagging day out with the G-Force and TSM would have been - a batch of those tasty TSM sandwiches. Next time I'm going to pay him to make mine!

Adventure on the island of Jersey

2010-04-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes, Scotland will always be my number one country for adventure. But sometimes it's good to head off overseas to discover what other places have to offer. While I would never have imagined Jersey scoring highly on outdoors pursuits and adventure I now know I was very wrong. Read my recent travel article in The Herald to find out more

Stunning ski touring in the Cairngorms

2010-04-06T02:55:00.000-07:00

The G-Force and FionaOutdoors on their first ski touring adventure

I had never tried ski touring before. I'd imagined it to be a duller version of downhill skiing, and certainly nowhere near as thrilling as snowboarding. But after Friday's outing in the Cairngorms I am hooked.

Indeed, according to various people in the know - including the very friendly and accommodating chaps at Mountain Spirit in Aviemore who hire the skis – ski touring has seen unprecedented growth this year in Scotland. Of course, this new trend will have a lot to do with the amazing snow conditions (the best in decades, say many). But it could also be due to the fact that on touring skis you need only your own energy and direction to head off into the mountains. There is no requirement for lifts, funicular trains or even groomed pistes.

What you do need as a novice, however, is an experienced ski touring leader. Heading off into the winter mountains can be extremely dangerous (as I recently found out while Munro walking). Which is how the G-Force and I found ourselves following in the ski tracks of friend and fab skier Super Stu MacBroom (and his girlfriend) on Good Friday.

Having spent many days this winter trudging through knee-deep snow to bag a few more Munros, it felt utterly enlightening to be gliding over the top of the snow. But there was a weirdness to this activity that took a while to embrace. Thanks to the "skins" that are attached to the bottom of the skis it's possible to glide uphill. A certain amount of technique and rhythm is required to fully master a smooth progression up different angles but in only a short time both the G-Force and I were happily skiing, well, uphill. I had never imagined it would be quite so simple but there we were heading out of the lower car park at the Cairngorm Mountain Centre and upwards towards the first summit, Cairn Gorm (at 4084ft the sixth highest peak in the UK).

This is not to say that ski touring is easy. It does require a good level of fitness and it certainly gives the muscles in your legs, bum and hips a huge workout. Because you also use poles to help with the propelling motion I found that my arms and shoulders were given a good pummelling, too. But on skis we did manage to cover a lot of miles in just one day.

By lunchtime we'd reached the summit of Cairn Gorm and then a couple of hours later we skied up to the top of neighbouring mountain Ben MacDui, the second highest peak in the UK.

Thanks to gorgeous clear blue skies the views of the surrounding mountains, including many over 4000ft, were out of this world. In fact, it is hard to imagine views more stunning than the snowy landscape that lay for many, many miles before us.

I was also fascinated by the way that the wind had created a snowy landscape that looked akin to sand dunes made of caster sugar. As Super Stu reminded me (he knows masses!) this is know as Sastrugi. For much of the adventure I felt as though we were skiing across a fabulously large "iced cake". How very fairy tale!

A picture of Sastrugi

And then it was time to head downhill. While we had removed our skins a few times during the day to descend short sections of the Cairngorm plateau, it wasn't until the final hour that we could truly appreciate the amazing opportunity to ski off-piste in such wonderful wild surroundings. The only problem was that as a snowboarder my skiing experience is limited and so the downhill became something of a challenge. Skiing downhill over a landscape of windswept "icing" is a lot trickier than I ever imagined.

While I watched in envy as experienced skiers Super Stu and Super Jen carved beautiful tracks over the snow, the G-Force and I were forced to plod a less than pretty and only just effective route back to the bottom of the mountain. We were so much slower and so much less relaxed than the Super Skiing Couple! By half way I found my thighs were screaming with exhaustion, by three quarters of the way down I thought all the muscles in my body would explode and during the final few hundred metres I thought I'd never ever reach the car park again. But eventually I did – and then I suddenly felt a huge burst of exhilaration at what I'd achieved. (I think, too, that my skiing had suddenly improved immeasurably thanks to the many challenges of off-piste snow!)

During my first ski tour adventure we'd summitted two of Britain's highest mountains, enjoyed a day of great chat, seen Scotland's landscape at its best and had a physical workout to beat almost anything else I've done. You can understand why I'm now hooked!

Surf paddle for charity

2010-03-31T02:43:00.003-07:00

Paddle surfing is great fun for all ages and this event, being run by Belhaven Surf Club in East Lothian, aims to raise a whole lot of cash for charity, too. So what are you waiting for? Now is the time to sign up to an Easter holiday adventure...

Talking, walking and talking in Aviemore

2010-03-30T01:11:00.001-07:00

So while many parts of Scotland – and indeed my house in Glasgow – were drenched in rain on Saturday I spent the day in Aviemore walking in "mostly" sunshine during a weekend of chatting, eating, laughing and walking with great friends Little R and Big M.

Aviemore has recently charted as one of my favourite places in Scotland and Little R and Big M, who had memories of "that huge big concrete hotel thing and that oh-so-disappointing SantaLand from their childhoods", seemed to be as taken as I am with the vastly improved outdoors town.

We arrived at our house let – see here, it's fab! – on the Friday evening and managed to stay up until 2am talking and talking. Sometimes the pleasure of getting away from normal life and partners and children is the simple act of actually being able to finish conversations and see topics through to the end without being interrupted. Clearly we had a lot to talk to the end about!

Since the forecast was for heavy rain we were prepared on Saturday to pull on waterproofs for a brief outing into the wonderful outdoors around Aviemore. Amazingly, however, we awoke to sunshine and only a few threatening looking clouds. With a range of fitness levels (well, Big M ain't all that big on walking and active stuff!) I chose a flattish walk via the Speyside Way. The beauty of this section of the Way is that you can take a delightful steam train from Aviemore to Boat of Garten then alight and walk back along the Way to Aviemore.

The trail is well marked and undulating - and the views of the surrounding Cairngorms are truly wonderful. We had a bit of a head wind to walk into during the six miles but as Little R stated: "Walking into the wind means there's a bigger calorie burn so that means we can eat more cake (or whatever) at the end." Ideal!

Only twice did we feel a few spots of rain – and the walk did indeed give us a huge appetite for lunch. Check out the fab cafe Ski-ing Doo next time you're in Aviemore if you're looking for great service, good music and a range of freshly made dishes. The curly fries were a real treat!

The rest of the afternoon equalled a "nice lie down" for weary Big M and another three miles of walking and talking for Little R and I. Having heard a lot about Rotheimurchus estate, Little R was keen to go for a stroll - and I knew I could bag another castle (from a bit of a distance as it's in the middle of the loch!). We walked a complete circuit of the gorgeous Loch an Eilein following an easy-going trail through pine trees. There's a map available that details a host of walks and cycles on this stunning estate. Or why not simply get a download from the fab website Walking Highlands? See here

By now the rain had decided to move in on Aviemore and so Little R and I headed back to the holiday let. We'd thought about going out for our dinner but ended up drinking sparkling wine, ordering a takeaway and, you guessed, it talking a lot!

By Sunday Aviemore had joined the rest of the country under one big rain cloud. But that just made us feel all the more smug having already been treated to a whole day of perfect walking weather the day before. Sometimes luck is on the side of walkers in Scotland - and I even noticed a few freckles that had been brought out on my face by the spring sunshine!

New ashtanga yoga class in Bearsden

2010-03-30T00:18:00.000-07:00

I used to think that yoga was a flimsy sport. I imagined it was an excuse for doing exercise. But once I discovered ashtanga style yoga all my ill-conceived notions disappeared. This is an amazing form of yoga and one that offers a fab workout for the body and mind.

I have found that regular yoga helps to prevent injury caused by my other sports - and keeps me calm. Having started out with the tight muscles of a woman more likely to be in her 80s I can now hold my head high in a class of intermediate yogis. And the poses I imagined I'd never, ever be able to do I now can!

My progression has been thanks to the expert tuition and encouragement of Jo at Jo Lockhart Yoga in Bearsden. Boy, can that lady bend and stretch! Her classes are very popular - and she's now decided to start a new one on a Tuesday evening. If you have the chance to fit this into your diary I couldn't recommend it more highly.

If you want to know more about this style of yoga here's an explanation from the experts: Ashtanga Vinyasa style yoga is a dynamic form of yoga that focuses on posture (asana), breathing (vinyasa) and focus (dristhi or gaze point). The practice moves through a systematic sequence of postures, co-ordinating breath with movement and forming a moving meditation that helps to purify the body, nervous system and mind.

Regular practice builds up strength and stamina, improves posture, cleanses the body of toxins, improves circulation, and lets the energy (prana) run efficiently throughout the body. The regular deep breathing required for the practice, calms the mind and the nervous system. The focus required lets us forget the mental chatter we all suffer from.

The practice is suitable for everyone who is healthy and fancies a wee bit of a challenge and postures can be modified to suit all levels of flexibility.

I'd recommend you check out Jo Lockhart's website – and then why not sign up to her new class? You'll need t be fast though as her classes are very popular.

Why sporty girls won't want to bounce into spring

2010-03-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

When it comes to your boobs, it turns out that too much bounce is bad for your health. Whether you’re small, large or somewhere in between, a sports bra is an essential piece of kit for every sporty woman. And this season there’s a budget-friendly trend for wear-all-day sports bras. Find out more by reading my new article on the female magazine website sofeminine.co.uk

Review: Hi-tec walking boot

2010-03-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

The nice people at Hi-tec have sent me a pair of walking boots to test-drive on the hills around Aviemore this weekend. It's the first time for more than 20 years that I have owned a pair of leather boots. But with so much wet weather around I'm thinking that leather will be a huge asset.

The technical name for boots is: V-Lit Altitude Ultra Luxe WPI in a size 8. They look lovely and the feel very light.

According to the website features include:

Waterproof nubuck leather upper
Ion-mask waterproof technology
Fully gusseted leather tongue
Soft-padded leather collar
Moisture-wicking lining
Rustproof hardware
Stabila-Flex contoured bi-fit board for support without the weight
Lightweight compression-molded EVA midsole
Exclusive Vibram® outsole
Comfort-Tec contoured sockliner

The test will come when tramping through the bogs and on rough trails over the next couple of I'll blog my report on these Hi-tec boots after this weekend.

Little Miss Outdoors has also been sent a pair of Junior Renegrade Trail walking boots. We'll be testing these on a hill near Glasgow sometime over the Easter hols.

Scotland's new off-road half-marathon run

2010-03-25T04:38:00.000-07:00

The world famous mountain bike trails of Nevis Range, near Fort William, are set to be the focus of a new off-road running event this May. The Outdoor Capital Trail Half Marathon and 5k Fun Run are aimed at trail running beginners, through have-a-go intermediates to all those mentalist mountain goat types.

Runners will be treated to a stunning race course on forestry roads and tracks in the iconic Leanachan Forest. (This is where some of the events in the Mountain Bike World Cop are held each year.) Views will be just as amazing as the route, and with May so often a fantastic month for Scottish weather you'll likely feast your eyes on the eye candy offerings of the Great Glen, the Grey Corries and Ben Nevis.

The event on May 16 is being organised by No Fuss Events. (These are the guys behind a whole host of exciting events in Scotland including the Big Triathlon, the Glen Nevis River Race, and the Ten Under mountain bike series.) The Outdoor Capital Trail Half Marathon and 5k Fun Run costs £20 to enter here

I really fancy taking part in the half-marathon but since it's the day after my birthday I've not yet convinced myself to do so. However, the race does start at a runner-friendly mid-day so really there should be no excuse...

A fitness website written by FionaOutdoors

2010-03-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a shiny new website written by me for a fitness and health client, Dynamic Core Solutions. The site was designed by WebCreation UK

The rise and rise of ski touring in Scotland

2010-03-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

Ski touring is the big news this winter in Scotland's great outdoors. According to various sources, and including the nice chaps at Aviemore shop and hire emporium Mountain Spirit, the number of people enjoying our snowy mountains on touring skis is "unbelievable".

Rob, who owns Mountain Spirit, says that despite buying a large new stock of touring skis for hire he still hasn't been able to keep up with demand in recent months. "These next few weekends and especially over Easter are even busier," he told me when I phoned to reserve four sets of skis for a forthcoming ski tour adventure.

"The slopes around Cairngorm are just covered with ski tour tracks. People are really keen to make the most of the great conditions out there. We have been overwhelmed by the number of enquiries for tourer skis, especially as we're the only place that hires these skis in Aviemore."

Luckily enough, though, it looks like there will be enough skis ("just") for our trip, although one of the chaps might need to take female skis ("with a flowery design"!). Having never ski toured before I am heading off with an experienced skier, his girlfriend and the G-Force. We're planning two days of touring, hopefully taking in a few of the higher mountain summits in the Cairngorm plateau. I'm expecting the activity to be a lot of hard work – but I'm also hoping for some fabulous views and a lot of fun on the descents.

It'll also offer a chance to "bag" a few more Munros. I'll be writing about the ski touring on this blog, and I'll blog about the Munro "bags" on the new Bagging Scotland website.

21 natural wonders of Scotland

2010-03-22T05:07:00.000-07:00

Received through the door today: The award-winning Scotland Outdoors magazine - including my latest feature about Scotland's most inspirational places to visit. It looks good. Thanks guys.

Mighty Deerstalker was muddy, mad but fun

2010-03-22T04:22:00.000-07:00

What's wet, slippery, longer than average and dirty all over? The Mighty Deerstalker of course!

I have competed in the madcap Mighty Deerstalker 10k three times now. Twenty minutes into every race I have cursed the agony in my thighs, my mud-squelching trainers, my soaked, chaffing shorts and my bursting lungs. I have doubted my sanity.

But I have also found this unique adventure run that takes place on the beautiful Traquair estate in the Scottish Borders to be enormously rewarding. There is a fantastic atmosphere, the obstacles are bonkers but fun and I have totally loved the bizarre and extreme challenge.

At the end of every Deerstalker event I always have a massive smile on my face – and I just know I'll want to enter again next year.

The 2010 Mighty Deerstalker, which took place on Saturday evening in half light and then darkness, was even better (and crazier) than I can remember. The bogs were boggier, the obstacles were more slippery, the hills seemed steeper, the river crossings seemed longer and the scree seemed less firm. But the participants seem to be having more fun.

This time I had a grinning G-Force running with me (well, mostly slightly ahead!). This was his first go at the Mighty One and despite the scratches, scrapes, rubs and tiredness he crossed the finish line and immediately commented that he wanted to do it again - and faster - next year.

With some 2500 people lining up for the Mighty Deerstalker - and also the sister 5k Deerstalker race – this event just gets bigger every year. The first time I entered there were only 600 people in both races.

The after-race entertainment is also even more impressive as the years go by. The "Beerstalker" party tent was full of happy, but still mostly muddy, participants and a host of friends. Beer, bands and lots of banter. Perhaps I'm getting old, but I couldn't last the pace of the after-race event and had to pull out before the final stages.

Still, I had an excuse for my tiredness. I ran a faster time in the Mighty Deerstalker than ever before and scored a top 20 result in the female stag category. But my 1hr 50 mins was nowhere near as impressive as the first lady stag Mhairi Brown, 28, of Edinburgh, who came home in 1:34. Meanwhile the first male stag was local man Darin Dougal, 38, of Innerleithen, who finished in 1:21. Awesome stuff you fellow stags.

If this sounds like your kind of thing and you can't wait until next year why not check out another event being held at Balfron, Stirlingshire, in May? The Marie Curie Whole Hog Challenge 2010 promises six miles of mud, waterfalls, countryside trails and general madness. You'll also be raising money for a worthwhile charity. To find out more see here

Mighty Deerstalker promises more mud and madness

2010-03-19T02:04:00.000-07:00

The Mighty Deerstalker is usually mad - and wet - enough! But listening to the rain battering against the windows last night it occured to me that this year's event (taking place tomorrow evening at Traquair in the Scottish Borders) will be even wetter – and therefore even more bonkers.

I'm thinking of the descents on various slippery trails, and the numerous muddy "slides" down forest embankments, not to mention the dice-with-your-life wet log walks and those mental killer climbs, first in the forest and then up that scree slope. The more I think about it the more I know it'll be carnage. But, you know what, it will also be a huge amount of fun for those who are up for it.

My worry is how much tougher it will all be dressed in soaking Tweeds. Yeh, you have to take part to believe how silly this unique adventure run can be. I can't wait!

Competitive? The tri club? Absolutely!

2010-03-19T02:02:00.000-07:00

Tri club coach Captain McKay decided last night that we'd have a "fun" running session. Well if that meant a break from punishing interval training then we were all happy. But, of course, "fun" among a group of competitive triathletes was always going to end in a fierce competition, wasn't it?

And the concept was perfect for pushing our competitive streaks to the limit. Two teams, four slower runners and four faster runners each. Team A first ran the shorter loop of 550m as a relay, while Team B ran the longer loop of 900m as a relay. Then the teams swapped. Team B did the shorter loop and Team B did the longer loop.

But it was only when the final few runners were setting off that we all realised just how close the relay was going to be. The final runner in Team A was Ross-I'm-getting-too-old-for-all-this. The final runner in Team B was FionaOutdoors!

But Ross-I'm-getting-too-old-for-all-this was doing the longer loop. And I was doing the shorter loop.

But Ross-I'm-getting-too-old-for-all-this had a head start because the penultimate runner in his team had made it back to the start line before the penultimate runner in my team.

But then our runner came around the corner, crossed the finish line and gave me the ok to start running.

I knew it was going to be close run. I felt my legs wobble dangerously with nerves. I could feel my stomach churning. But I was determined not to let my team down.

But then as I turned my final corner I heard the rest of the teams shouting and cheering. I thought Ross-I'm-getting-too-old-for-all-this was closing in on the finish after doing his loop.

But still I ploughed on. Heaving and pushing myself to the edge of my ability (gosh, you'd think this was the Commonwealth Games or something) I willed myself on. And then I saw the finish line. And I saw Ross-I'm-getting-too-old-for-all-this closing in too. And I kept sprinting for the line. And I thought my lungs would explode and my legs would give way.

And then there was huge cheering in my ears.

And, yes, I'd done it. I'd beaten Ross-I'm-getting-too-old-for-all-this to the finish - by about two metres. Team B were victorious!

It was an amazingly close race and a huge amount of fun. But boy are my legs killing me today!

Great session Captain McKay!

A reason to run to Arnison Crag

2010-03-17T06:36:00.000-07:00

My sense of direction has never been a strong point and this weekend it failed me again. However, as so often happens when I get lost I found myself enjoying a mini adventure. This time I ended up running for about 70 minutes through lovely, undulating Cumbrian fells. But that was Sunday's outing. Let me rewind to the beginning...

Last July, my good friend Ellen's brother Nathan died suddenly. Last weekend friends and family (including is wife and two young children) gathered in Cumbria for a memorial weekend/celebration of his life. Nathan had set aside a sum of money in his will, and his closest friends and family members had decided to organise a tribute weekend, which included a beautiful walk to the top of the perfectly named Arnison Crag, near Patterdale, and a hog roast party at a nearby hotel.

The weekend, based at The Inn on the Lake at Glenridding, was one of mixed emotions but almost everyone I met and spoke to said it would have been the kind of weekend that Nathan himself would have really enjoyed. That was the point really, I guess. Someone said it would have been so typical of him to have organised such a weekend and then for a joke, not bother turning up.

I felt extremely privileged to be part of this tribute weekend to Nathan and to meet so many of his closest friends and relatives. While there was sadness, the two days were also somehow spirit lifting, too. Nathan had clearly lived life to the full and was described by everyone as one of the happiest people they knew. He had loved his friends and family and he had always been up for some madcap adventure, a party or a bucketful of beer.

I had known Nathan as a friend of his immediate family and I had always greatly enjoyed his sense of fun and his chat. I will never forget the hilarious moment as he left Ellen's home after one drunken night in pitch black to cycle to a camp site some miles away.

Part of the tribute weekend walk plan was that everyone would bring a stone to build a cairn atop Arnison's Crag in memory of Nathan. I'd packed mine in my bag but on the day I'm ashamed to say I forgot to pop it in my walking rucksack. I picked up another stone along the way (as did others, some managing to haul boulders up to the top!) and placed this among all the others stones on the summit. But I still felt as though I'd let Nathan down a bit.

Elvis "rocked" up, too. Well, a whole Elvi, in fact. Apparently

Arnie needed little excuse to dress up! And nor did his friends.

So on Sunday morning I set out to take my stone to Arnison's crag. Despite a hangover and tiredness (a late night of partying!) I decided I'd run the route. I figured that a two-hour saunter/walk the previous day should take me only 40 minutes at trotting pace – and I'd heard that some fell runners race to the top of Arnison's Crag in just six minutes.

All this would have worked out nicely if I had not have got lost! (I'm sure I would have managed the top in 10 minutes!) I set out from the hotel and found the start of the crag walk behind the Patterdale Hotel. I only had to ask for directions once! But after this I very quickly seemed to get lost. I've no idea how but that's just typical of me.

Oh well, I thought, at least I will try to enjoy myself. Some 20 minutes later and after a hard slog up a steep "other" hill I came across two walkers with a map. They told me that I was climbing the neighbouring Birks Crag and that Arnison Crag was over there (they pointed).

Yes, I could see Arnison Crag was the next hill along and I realised that if I followed a zig-zagging wall across the fells I might actually navigate my way there. Amazingly I did this. It was a long way round and really blowy but I was on an Arnie Mission and so after almost an hour of running and plodding I got to place my own stone on top of the Arnison Cairn. I'd also managed to head off my hangover.

So Nathan, thanks for some great Arnison family memories. Thanks, too, for a weekend of walking and partying with your friends and family. (You would have love the Elvi!) And thanks for giving me a reason to run two beautiful hills in a part of the world I have rarely visited.

PS. Sorry for the poor picture-taking quality but I discovered my camera no longer has a picture display.

Another website written by FionaOutdoors

2010-03-17T04:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm not really one to go on about my day-time job as I normally like to blog about my stuff Outdoors. If the two coincide then that's a bonus but blogging about my "Indoors" work doesn't always seem so, well, bloggable. However I know that sometimes it pays to do a bit of showcasing/networking. Actually, I should be doing a bit more of this so that I end up with more work (which would then lead to me being able to afford to do more Outdoors stuff!)

So, here's a link to a new website that I have just finished writing. While the designer did the design for KidiCare Nursery, I did the words. It's becoming increasingly common for a designer to work with a copywriter to create a website that is both appealing to look at and an engaging and informative read. I hope you'll agree that this one does both.

There, that's my website work promotion done. Now back to writing about the Great Outdoors, this time for the Herald.

Couldn't resist the Mighty One – again

2010-03-15T07:31:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I can't resist a bit of madness. With just a day to go before the entries close I decided I'd give the infamously nutty Mighty Deerstalker a go again. And I've persuaded the G-Force to take a break from the Munros this Saturday to find out just what this bonkers adventure race – which is set at Traquair, in the Scottish Borders – is all about. He's already heard me raving about it but he has no idea just how silly - or challenging - the event will be. Hee, hee!

I'll be writing about my third go at this addictive event in the Southern Reporter and here on my blog. In the meantime I need to find last year's antlers...

Anyone else fancy giving it a go? There's a 5k race for anyone who wants to take it a little easier... Yeah, right?!

I've entered the Bealach Mor – and now I'm scared

2010-03-12T06:48:00.000-08:00

I've been threatening to take part in the challenging Bealach Mor Cycle Sportive for some years. Last September I even made it as far as the Kinlochewe based event in but I chose to help with marshalling and writing up news reports instead of cycling. This year, I have finally convinced myself to enter the 90-mile challenge.

This is tough event with masses of hills, including Britain's longest Alpine-style road climb (2053ft of ascent in6 miles). I witnessed for myself last year just how punishing the Bealach Mor can be as cyclists fell by the wayside throughout the route and those that did finish came home shattered. The weather was almost as punishing as the event.

But, then again, what is the point in setting yourself a challenge if it's not going to test you? A couple of years ago I trained and ran my first ever marathon and although it was tough the sense of achievement at the end was incredible.

I'm hoping that the G-Force (an experienced road cyclist as well as an obsessed Munro bagger!) will be helping me along with the seriously daunting task of training for such an event. He says he'll even help me in the first stage of the event. (I'm sure he'll leave me for dust within a couple of miles but it's the thought that counts.)

I'll be keeping you posted over the next six months about the cycle training – and no doubt the agony of a buildup to such an event. And if you're feeling inclined towards a little pedalling madness later this year why not enter yourself?

The dilemma: Shiny Mac or Matt Mac?

2010-03-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

I'm having a dilemma. While I am in love with My Gorgeous Mac I am wondering if I should trade him in for another model. The problem is his lovely shininess.

You see my new MacBook Pro comes with a shiny, glass screen (as opposed to a matt screen). While this does offer an amazing clarity of screen viewing, especially while on-line, it does sometimes act like a mirror. So when the light is bright or the sun is shining through my office window I continually catch sight of my mug in the screen.

My formerBeautiful Mac was a matt screen version and so I am finding the mirror thing a little disconcerting. Frightening even.

This afternoon I came face to face with myself yet again and I noticed that I have deep lines around my mouth and my neck is starting to look a bit like a chicken's. This kind of clarity of viewing is not nice at all.

Yeh, yeh, I know that the lines are what happen when you get older but until this point I've managed to reserve looking in the mirror to a) darker rooms b) times when I'm not wearing my glasses c) very quick glances from a cleverly judged distance..

Perhaps it is a good thing to face the reality of ageing once in a while (although I'm struggling to think why this might be). Or should I simply exchange My Gorgeous Mac for a Gorgeous Matt Mac? I have another week left to decide thanks to the two-week no quibbles exchange rule at the AppleMac store.

Anyone found the same problems?

The guy who can just keeps on running

2010-03-09T05:44:00.000-08:00

I've met this guy and interviewed him several times and he seems plausible enough. Almost sane in fact. But then you find out what he gets up to in his spare time. Based on the tiny island of Sanday, in the Orkney Islands, William Sichel has become over the last decade one of the most talked about British ultra-distance runners.

When this guy, who is 56, runs he just goes on and on and on. He holds all kinds of records including the all-time Scottish record for covering 857.07km/532.56 miles in six days.

William will tell you that he believes he is ideally built for ultra-running. He's just 5' 5" tall and weighs only 9st 2lbs (58kgs). He also says he has a unique physiology being "extraordinarily adapted for fat burning requiring only tiny amounts of energy (less than 100kcals per hour) and fluid to produce optimum performance on long ultras".

Other interesting William facts: he's a cancer survivor, he runs a mail order thermal clothing company with his wife , they harvest fur from Angora rabbits on Sanday and has developed his own weights vest so that he can cover less distance in training for the same development potential.

Now William is taking part in a 1000 Mile World Cup event in Athens. He describes the event, taking place on Monday, as a “step into the unknown”. (I'd describe it as truly bonkers!)

William said: “This will be the pinnacle of my 16-year ultra-distance running career. The event, which is rarely held, is really taking me into foreign territory, as I have never run more than 532 miles in one go before so it is a mammoth step up in distance for me.”

William has prepared meticulously for this formidable event and has also spoken to other Brits who have completed 1000 miles in under 16 days during the past 30 years.

So think of William at mid-day (UK time) on Monday March 15 as he lines up in a field of 24 athletes, representing 12 nations, on the site of the former Athens International airport. He'll have 16 days to complete the miles. What an awesome thought!

And if William manages this, he will be the oldest British person ever to have done so.

Photo is courtesy of Alan Young

You know you're getting old when...

2010-03-08T06:18:00.000-08:00

...You do not recognise any of the headlining bands at a major UK music festival!

Writing copy for a forthcoming Explore Scotland guide for The Herald I decided to include T in the Park as a must-do festival. But who are these headlining bands? Huh? Muse and Kasabian. I'm not sure I've even heard of these band names although I expect I have listened to their music (since Little Miss Outdoors is all too often in charge of tuning the car radio these days.)

I think I maybe need to get with the 21st century trendy music programme - or perhaps I should focus on other more worrisome aging features, such as a the sudden proliferation of grey hairs, the appearance of cellulite on the back of my legs, the sadly wrinkling hands, the puffy bags under my eyes. Oh it's too depressing to go on.

Thank goodness I still feel about 25 in my head (and when I avoid looking in the mirror, at the back of my legs, at my hands etc!).

My very own Ikea Unit Nightmare

2010-03-07T02:03:00.000-08:00

There can be few people in the world who have not been directly badly affected by the assembly of an item of Ikea furniture. Whether you were the unlucky constructor or the unfortunate by-stander (listening to someone else's Ikea Construction Nightmare is also extremely painful) the scene of confusion, disarray, frustration and blind stubbornness must surely have been played out in so many livings rooms across every country in the western world.

And so last night I found myself knee-deep in my very own three-and-half-hour I.C.N. The unit in question was the Besta Jagra (forever more to be known as the B*stard Jagra). Now I would consider myself a reasonably intelligent person (I bet all those who've lived through an ICN say they same). In the past I have actually put together a number of other Ikea units without too much trouble. But I swear the instructions for the B*astard Jagra were intended to be deliberately misleading and incomprehensible.

(At one point at around 10.50pm I began to wonder if Ikea had signed a deal with all those small businesses that offer to put together your units for you. It struck me that Ikea could be deliberately writing instructions so as to confuse the average punter, which would give more work to these We'll Do It For You companies. Hmmm. This is, of course, a totally unfounded suggestion but after almost three hours of ICN I could hardly keep a lid on my cynicism - and swearing.)

Anyway, back with the B*stard Jagra. It was the runners for the drawers that had me completely flummoxed. I was so confused as to their positioning that I had to take all four runners off at least twice each. One runner went on and off a total of five times. Surely a special "runners" panel would not have gone amiss Ikea? Show the poor assembler which way up they go and whether the grey or the white wheel sits at the front or the back of the unit...

Half way through the whole ICN I also found that I had put the base on back to front. Then upside down. Then back to front again. Every time I made a mistake I had to removed a ton of screws and those amazing but very annoying curly joint screw thingies. (In the end I found I was four short of the curly joint thingies so I'll need to go back to Ikea to get those. Everyone says this happens to them, too.)

After 3hrs and 25 mins I finally had the B*stard Jagra unit together. It looks okay from the front, but I wouldn't be keen on anyone taking a look from behind. I've no idea why there are gaps between the joints back there but I can't face taken the blasted thing apart again. I also have a screwdriver wounds - a nasty blister in the palm of my hand received due to excessive screwdrivering of excessive screws (for some reason I thought that Ikea units were held together with only six screws, and amazing amount of Ikea magic and negated the use of any screwdrivers instead being affixed by a special fix-all-screws Ikea allen key. In the end I used two sizes of Philips screwdriver, two flat headed screwdrivers, a hammer and a ratchet screwdriver.)

I was also exhausted by the closing stages. Having spent hours in Glasgow's Ikea in the first place (it's a total maze), lugged the unit in two heavy boxes into the car, lugged the same two boxes out of the car and into the house (this is when I need a man to live with), spent more than three hours wrestling with various parts of the B*stard Jagra unit and screwdrivered and hammered until I could weep. So it's no wonder today that I find that my back, core muscles, shoulders, arms, hands and thighs ache.

Oh well, I guess all the Ikea Unit Workout will have burned off the calories consumed in wine over the three hours – it was for medicinal purposes obviously and without it I would surely have become so stressed that I would have given up on the ICN and phoned one of those multiplying small businesses that put Ikea furniture together for you.

Mountain scare ends in helicopter rescue

2010-03-06T05:52:00.000-08:00

My most recent Munro bagging hike ended just two hours into the outing – when the G-Force and I were helicoptered off an avalanche prone snowfield by a Mountain Rescue Team. The situation was extremely scary but the call out was not made without a great deal of thought and consideration.

Indeed, there was a 30-minute delay during which the G-Force and I sat stranded but in reasonable safety in the middle of the treacherous snowfield and spoke to other experienced walking friends on our mobile phone. We also discussed our situation with two members of the MRT and considered the possibility of making our own way off the mountain.

But in the end it was decided that the safest option was for an MRT helicopter to rescue us. In retrospect, and having read about a number of avalanche incidents in the past few weeks, as well as two deaths, I believe the G-Force and I made the right decision.

But the question that keeps coming back at us is this: Should we have been on the mountain in the first place? It's something we have seriously asked ourselves and it is also a topic that we have discussed with a wide range of walking friends and MRT members.

Of course, a number of people have also accused us of "wasting tax payer's money" by making a call-out that they considered would not have been necessary if, in the first place, we'd stayed put at home.

So this is what happened. Setting off from near Bridge of Orchy we had planned to summit the Munros, Beinn Achaladair and Beinn a' Chreachain. We were not alone. We walked in the trail of two other experienced-looking hikers, and later we saw at least five other pairs of walkers in this area. Perhaps all of us could be considered foolhardy being out in Scotland's mountains during the winter but this is not my opinion.

We were adequately prepared for winter walking carrying a long list of safety kit. Both of us are fit and experienced walkers, in particular the G-Force, but still we chose a route we deemed to be the safest. We picked a line of ascent that was both sheltered and appeared to have the least snow cover. We were aware of the risks of avalanche in the area but walking in snow always carries a risk of avalanche so we chose the route we felt was the safest.

And, indeed, for much of the ascent the snow was so thin that we could see grass and rocks below. We felt satisfied that this was as safe a route as was possible.

But then we suddenly came across a snowfield just a few hundred metres below the summit. It was the kind of snowfield we'd encountered many times before and so we did not feel terribly alarmed. However, we did take out time to stop and assess our route up. What gave us a great deal of reassurance was a line of obvious boulders and rocks some 100m above us, which we felt offered a safe enough target.

Putting on crampons and armed with our ice axes we started to move up the steep slope. Progress was quite slow and tiring but then the sun broke through the clouds and lifted our spirits. This mood was short-lived, however.

For half way up the slope I heard the first dull cracking sound. Not familiar with this sound – and believing that it was some distance away – I didn't immediately mention it to the G-Force. He tells me later he was in the same situation. Apparently these cracking sounds can appear to be some distance away even when they are within a few metres of your feet.

And then we heard the sound again and this time it definitely sounded much closer. Like right below us.

Things happened quickly after this. We heard several more cracking sounds and then began to see huge cracks suddenly forming right across the snowfield. The situation was extremely scary and very alarming.

With great composure given the potentially lethal situation (this snowfield was well over a metre deep and if it avalanched it would have plunged us more than 500m down a fairly steep ascent) the G-Force looked quickly around and saw we were now within just five metres of a huge boulder, situated to our right. Having completed an avalanche awareness course (as well as a winter skills course) I knew that traversing might only make things worse but it was a case of reaching the boulder or finding ourselves stranded, or worse still being flung down the mountain in an avalanche. Thankfully we made it to the boulder and "relative" safety.

It was from here, hunkered down close to the boulder at ground level, that we began to discuss our predicament. To begin with we thought about simply sliding back down the snow that we had ascended but then we noticed that the cracks were the entire width of the snowfield and directly below our boulder.

Going further up would have meant a walk into the unknown. It was only when we'd reached the line of boulders that we realised there was a further few hundred metres of the snowfield to tackle to reach the summit ridge. Unfortunately, this had been out of our line of sight at the base of the snowfield.

And so we spoke to friends and then the MRT. If we had still been stranded in the middle of the snowfield the MR chap would have suggested a very quick, but potentially risky, descent. But since we described ourselves as being in relative safety and hopefully not in immediate danger he said he would prefer to take us off the mountain by helicopter. "We'd prefer to come out to rescue two people who are still alive than to find we're rescuing two injured, or at worst, dead bodies later," he said starkly. "In any case," he added, "we're about to airlift two skiers who have fallen 2000ft in avalanche in your area so we'll get you guys on the way back."

For the next hour or so we drank warming tea, put on all of our spare layers, huddled together for further warmth and considered rather numbly (both physically and mentally) trying to take in the enormity of the situation. Certainly it felt surreal but it also gave us both some time to reflect on how potentially dangerous winter mountain walking can be.

We agreed that this experience would not put us off our hobby. We both felt that if you were to worry excessively about all the potential dangers of mountain walking, whether winter or summer, you would never get off the sofa in the first place. The key, we believe, is to be prepared and to use commonsense at all times. And, if you do spend a lot of time on the hills, then there is a chance that at some point you will find yourself in a tricky situation.

This was out tricky situation. Thankfully we had the wherewithal to take the appropriate action to make it to a safe-ish place. There is an argument that we should perhaps have avoided walking into the snowfield in the first place, and that the second I heard the first crack we should have descended as fast as possible. But that is in hindsight - and without having been in the tricky situation in the first place we might never have learned to listen for the ominous sound of an avalanche crack.

Being winched off a mountain and returned to safe land was a very sobering experience. The MRT guys were highly professional and we did discuss with them whether we had done the right thing in calling them out. "For sure," they said. "This is what the MRT are for." One team member went on to say that while all walkers should be adequately prepared for the winter mountains – and experience enough to cope in a variety of situations – they were not there to discourage walkers.

And so when relating our experience to friends there have been two definite camps. One group are adamant we are taking too much of a risk being out in the winter mountains. Full stop. The other camp are with us. It's vital that weather reports are checked, that you have the right experience, knowledge and kit, and that you take due care and attention before and while heading into the hills. But, like us, they do not think we should stop walking in Scotland's mountains, whether it is summer or winter.

Mystery of the missing piano lid

2010-03-05T05:10:00.001-08:00

I had owned Beloved Piano for five years. In all that time I believed it was missing the lid to cover the keys.

Just after taking delivery today of the BP my French Class Mummy Friend called to ask how she should retrieve the lid that seemed to have disappeared into the piano. I was confused because I hadn't ever seen the lid. I told her I thought it didn't exist but she said she'd seen it when the removal guys delivered the BP.

And, now, for the first time I have seen the lid. FC Mummy Friend has sent me a picture. I have to say I'm delighted for FC Mummy Friend and her family - but I'm a little gutted that I never got to use the beautiful lid. Well, that's one mystery solved!

Sad goodbye and an excited hello

2010-03-04T09:45:00.000-08:00

BP1 leaving home..

Not so such outdoors life but indoors these last two days... Today Little Miss Outdoors and I had a tear in our eye as we said goodbye to our wonderful old piano. It's strange how you can become attached to pieces of furniture – and our Beloved Piano has been a big part of our life for many years.

In fact, Beloved Piano, while an upright, is huge and heavy. It used to be a pianola (my uncle removed the mechanism some decades ago) and so it's very big and very heavy. It first arrived with us about five years ago when my cousin moved to Australia. Before that it had served her five children, and before that it had been the piano that my cousin, her two siblings and her dad had played for many years. Before that it was owned by my late grandfather, a piano tuner, and father of my mother. So it has history!

It's not a piano of great distinction in terms of sound and tuning but it has enormous character and it's been part of our family for a very long time. It has moved twice with us and in this house it was necessary to build an extension to fit the piano because it would not fit into any other room!

For three years Little Miss Outdoors has been learning to play on the BP. I occasionally sit down to bash out a few rudimentary tunes.

So why have we said goodbye to it? Well, while downsizing home my mother decided to give me her Better Piano. BP2 arrived a few weeks ago – and since then I have been trying to find a new home for BP1.

The Salvation Army, which has a second-hand furniture shop, came and took one look at the BP, said it was way too heavy and then disappeared! Various enquiries via a second-hand piano for sale website came to nothing after people realised the size of the piano. Then a chance mummy chat found a potential new owner. I am giving the piano away but it did require someone to pay for delivery.

And so, this morning, West End Removals arrived to take away the BP. True to form the removal gaffer took one look, shook his head and retreated back to his van to the mummy who is giving the BP a new home. "Too big and heavy," said Mr Removal. "We'll get it out of your place but it's getting it into the other house, which has stairs, that will be the problem." Further big intakes of breath, much shaking of his head and quite a few derogatory remarks (I stopped these when I told him how fond I was of the BP) and his removal men (five of them) finally decided to take the piano away.

They made seemingly light work of the job – and now I have a huge space left in my living area. (BP2 fitted neatly into another downstairs room.) I'm thinking, nice flat-screen TV and bookshelves for the new-found space... Well, I need some retail therapy to get over the large hole that has been left in my heart now that our beloved piano has gone to a new home.

And the "excited hello"? That took place yesterday after finally realising that my work life could not continue without a new computer. For more than a year I've struggled with a tortoise slow system, a keyboard with 90% of the letters erased and at least four keys actually missing. The final straw came when both the "I" and the "O" needed to be hit repeatedly to work. I could not go on.

And so I am now the proud owner of a beautiful new MacBook Pro. (In fact, The G-Force should be concerned about my new rival, Mr Gorgeous Mac!) If you're an AppleMac user you'll know why I had to spend at least four times as much on this laptop as compared to a PC. If you're not a Mac user then there is no point in explaining my expensive purchase.

Perhaps I need to get out more?!

Why it's not going so swimmingly

2010-03-03T02:29:00.000-08:00

Little Miss Outdoors will thank me in the long-term. I'm sure of it! Every week from the age of 4 to 9 I insisted that she attended "proper" swimming lessons. She couldn't see the point of getting wet and cold and having to do numerous lengths of crawl, breaststroke, backstroke etc. She hated getting out to get dried. She moaned and whinged and even had tantrums at the side of the pool on occasions. But I insisted. Because I think that learning to swim is really important.

Yesterday at a Glasgow Triathlon Club swim session I wished I'd been forced to do the same. While I learned to swim at a young age I did not attend "proper" lessons and our school didn't have a pool so I have always been simply a "for pleasure" swimmer. My swimming ability has also been sufficient to allow me to take part in a wide range of enjoyable water-based activities including wake boarding, water skiing, wind surfing, sailing and even canal boating.

But then I joined Glasgow Triathlon Club – and realised that I'm actually a hopeless swimmer! I could manage a few lengths before I collapsed. Literally. At that time one of the coaches described me as "similar to a jumper splashing round and round a washing machine". But I listened to the coaches, I watched cringing underwater videos of myself swimming, I did lengths, I attended sessions week after week – and slowly I improved.

But then I took a year off! This was because a) swimming is not my favoured sport b) I hate getting cold and wet c) I hate the getting out and drying yourself bit d) I prefer to run and cycle e) my new-ish status of single mum doesn't make it easy to attend evening swim sessions with the tri club.

However, I now have a plan to do a triathlon or two this summer and so I need to do a bit of swimming. Which is how I came to be at the local pool last night. (Little Miss Outdoors was being babysat.) And while I have not returned to the days of looking like a jumper in a washing machine it was pretty clear that after just a few lengths I am certainly not swim-fit.

You see swimming is a whole lot to do with technique. Despite being running fit I have lost a lot of the swim technique I learned a year ago. According to last night's coach it would also have been very beneficial if I had learned to swim properly as a child. I think it's rather like driving. If you were required to sit your test again you would have to break all the nasty driving habits you've picked up over the last two decades.

And so you can now see why Little Miss Outdoors may well thank me for her enforced lessons in years to come. Watching her swim is just so lovely as she has learned the right technique from the start. She is oh-so-graceful.

Meanwhile, her mum is attempting to convert from woolly jumper to sleek dolphin. And I've only got a few months to make this transformation. I'll keep you posted as to how I go. Glug, glug...

And finally there is light...

2010-03-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

Something great happened during my usual Monday evening run (while Little Miss Outdoors goes to a French class) - it remained light for the entire outing. While this new occurence (for 2010) has obviously been creeping up on me over the past few weeks it was most noticeable this evening. I ran until 5.55pm and still it did not get properly dark. "Woohooo!" - that's what I thought to myself (I may even have let out a happy squeal but hopefully not too loud!)

So finally I can look forward to warmer days and longer evenings. Being a female runner the lighter evenings are a true bonus. For too many months I have been forced to stick to lit-up street areas for evening runs, sometimes going round in circles, or find the time during daylight hours (there aren't that many some days) to go for a run further afield. But now I can begin to stretch my evening outings into the more peaceful and interesting country roads and off-road. I don't mind running alone but I'm careful not to go out in the dark in unlit areas unaccompanied.

The same is true for cycling. The lighter evenings offer greater opportunities for an hour or so of riding without having to worry about bike lights and an inability to see on dark, unlit roads.

I can imagine there are many runners and cyclists like me feeling a little more positive about the prospect of spring and summer training outings. Time for a collective "wooohooo... spring is in the air" moment! (Bet it snows tomorrow just to prove me wrong!)

Gold in them there Munros?

2010-02-26T05:37:00.000-08:00

Oh, oh.. here's another great reason become a Munro bagging addict... or even just a Munro bagger. For a gold mining company is bidding to restart an old mine beneath Ben Lui, in the Scottish southern Highlands

Scotgold Resources, which owns the only working gold mine in Scotland near Tyndrum, is hoping to restart work at the old mine at Cononish.

It seems that the southern Highlands area is rich with gold and silver seams – but the mine is also within the boundaries of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. It's highly likely, therefore, that a landscape impact report will be a major part of the decision-making process over whether this mine will again be worked.

A thick covering snow hampered any chances I had of spotting a few bits of the precious elements (if indeed that is possible!) while walking Ben Lui in January. The Munro (3,707 ft, 1,129m) was a still a gold star winner as far as I was concerned though!

Speed running in the sleet

2010-02-25T13:21:00.000-08:00

While 20 or so of our fellow Glasgow Tri Club athletes headed out to the warmer climes of Club La Santa on Lanzarote today, eight of those left behind in Scotland braved a chilly and sleety run session tonight.

Led by Major Tom, aka the Captain of Communication and one of our fab coaches, we completed a 30-minute speed session, with one minute of fast running followed by a minute's recovering. Now I know that doesn't seem like a long time to to be running but speed intervals are always tough.

The session is as much about gauging pace (ie starting at a pace you can manage for the whole set) as it is about mental resolve over physical pain. These sessions are always the same for me. I set off thinking that the first three reps are really quite nice, then by the halfway point I start to think I'll probably puke. By the time we get to the last few reps I am close to actually puking ... and then on the last two reps it's mind over matter that always wins and I find I can just about make it to the end of the last rep before my legs give way.

Ah, and while it is painful, these sessions do work wonders on overall speed. We're starting to build up for the triathlon race season – and the aim for many will be to pull off a decent run time at the end of a triathlon event (swim, then cycle, then run on wobbly legs).

Thanks Major Tom for keeping our motivation up tonight - while we all tried to forget about the warm weather training our fellow members will be doing this week in the Canaries. Hurumph!

1000 miles of free-running and obstacles

2010-02-25T08:09:00.000-08:00

This guy is clearly a little bonkers – but it's bonkers in the name of charidy so that's alright then. Go dude!

See his blog here

And the Observer article here

But what about Scotland's cycling epics?

2010-02-23T05:40:00.000-08:00

Hmmmmmmmm. Just read Susan Greenwood's article in the Guardian about the best cycling challenges for 2010. While it's obvious she had to do a bit of a worldwide round-up and so couldn't cover all epic events the biggest oversight appears to be the 24-hour Stathpuffer, held at Strathpeffer, Inverness-shire. Voted by a top bike mag as one of the toughest MBT events in the world this surely should have got a mention? And then there's the road cycle sportive, the Bealach Mor, that heads up, up, up and over the UK's biggest road climb. Hmm, I feel a lot better now I've blogged about that!

FamilyOutdoors slope off to France

2010-02-23T01:07:00.000-08:00

FionaOutdoors, Little Miss Outdoors and the G-Force take to the slopes in Flaine, France. Yes, yes, I know the skiing and snowboarding are fab in Scotland, too, but sometimes we crave a little away time. It was good for Little Miss Outdoors' French education, in any case. No, scrap that, I don't need any excuses for a fabulous skiing holiday in the stunning French Alps! Read about it here:

"i" really, really want one!

2010-02-22T04:03:00.000-08:00

So I didn't really want an Apple iPhone. Not really. I could appreciate it was a thing of gadgetry beauty and that it offered all kinds of nice apps. But I thought I could get by without one - and that I didn't want the expense.

But now I've changed my mind! On Sunday the G-Force showed me how he'd tracked his cycle ride via the app, MapMyRun. Now I've used MapMyRun and MapMyRide a few times via my Mac and I know how useful it is to be able to plan a route or to check the mileage covered during a run or cycle outing.

But with the iPhone app it's possible to actually track the exact route covered, check out your speed, and also discover overall pace and time thanks to the in-built GPS. And I am now very jealous. I know there are other gadgets out there, such as Garmins, that offer a similar tracking facility but do they a) look as good as the iPhone? b) combine as a mobile phone? c) have a music player? d) have the facility to integrate with Twitter? In short, no.

Oh, and I've just noticed that it's also possible to download a Nike+ app to turn your iPhone into some kind of personal coach. I really, really want an iPhone now.

PS I'm wondering how many brownie points I'll to need to earn before the G-Force lets me borrow his iPhone for my next run or cycle ride.

Finally, I ran to the top!

2010-02-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

The first time I took the G-Force to run Dumgoyne hill, near Strathblane, I was fairly confident that I'd at least keep up with him. After all I've summitted this 1400ft scenic icon several dozen times and almost always as fast as I can go. Never, though, have I managed to run All The Way.

I believe that the G-Force was aware of this Dumgoyne Holy Grail but I didn't think he'd actually go ahead, on his first attempt, and tick it off. Of course, he was the perfect gentleman runner for all of, erm, about 10 minutes, before he made a bid for the top, running all the way - and, yes, you guessed it, Totally Trashed FionaOutdoors.

Surprisingly I wasn't really that bitter about it. Fair nuff, I thought. He's a fit bloke, he's an obsessive Munro bagger and he's very determined. I just posted away the memory with a wry smile in the part of my brain that is labelled "I'll Get Him One Day".

And yesterday was the day! I wasn't feeling particularly fit and I didn't feel that energetic but I was going to give Dumgoyne my all. To begin with I actually thought I was going to be able to run the hill (and there is a very steep, long section for most of the hill) non-stop. But even the G-Force had not done this. While he'd run it all the way he'd had to stop a number of times for a breather. I think I took five "breathers" in total and I can't describe my running as anything more than jogging very slowly at times but I still did it. I ran all the way from the top to the bottom without ever slowing to a walk.

Better still I had started at Strathblane and take in a two or three-mile undulating warm-up run before even getting to the bottom of Dumgoyne, followed by the same run on the way back.

I have to say that the G-Force took the news well. Although, when I causally mentioned the run from Strathblane first he did splutter a little. I can't see it being long before he's missing a day of Munro bagging for another go at Dumgoyne.

A little healthy competition certainly ups the training regime!

The thoroughly modern guide to buying trainers (for kids, too)

2010-02-21T03:37:00.001-08:00

You don't just pop into a high street shoe shop to buy a pair of trainers on special offer these days. Especially if you're planning to do even the tiniest bit of serious jogging. The 21st century road to trainer wearing heaven is to find yourself a specialist sports shop and to then spend at least 45 minutes having your gait assessed, your foot analysed, your mileage accounted for and your goals considered.

After this you must then try on an eye-opening range of "running footwear" each with their own special piece of hi-tec gadgetry. This could include hexagon-shaped cushioning to better protect your joints, an improved support system for your arch, a wider/narrower front foot, plus support to deal with over-pronation or under pronation (this is what happens when you foot either rolls inwards or outwards when it strikes the ground). It's even possible to buy "customised" trainers that can be created to almost perfectly fit your own foot shape, running gait and desired level of cushioning.

And if you think this is all a bit OTT even as a grown-up wannabe jogger, then imagine your incredulity as a parent of a child who needs a pair of new trainers when they are treated to almost the same level of attention.

While the ubiquitous slip-on black gym pumps will "do" for school, they most certainly won't cut it at the local running club. Nor will any kind of lighting up trainers. Which is how I found myself at my own favourite specialist sports shop, Achilles Heel, inquiring about trainers for Little Miss Outdoors, who is a member of the excellent Garscube Harriers (a club that is somehow bucking the "kids-are-horribly-lazy" trend and boasts a waiting list for junior members).

And if I'd expected there to be a choice of a couple of pairs of mediocre-looking, scaled-down adult trainers for kids I couldn't have been more wrong. In the 21st century just about every sports shoe manufacturer offers a range of trainers to suit different activities and different foot shapes and running gaits.

Even Little Miss Outdoors, with her long, thin feet and very narrow heels (just like her mum) had the choice of no less than six different pair of very-smart-looking-indeed trainers.

The Specialist - and very attentive – Footwear Fitting Assistant at Achilles Heel also dedicated an unbelievable amount of time to ensure that Little Miss Outdoors chose exactly the right shoe to suit her running style and ability.

* First the Very Attentive Assistant looked at how LMO walked barefoot and then ran barefoot. This is to assess one's gait and to see how the foot strikes the ground.

* Then she carefully measured the length and width of her foot, and added on a small thumb's width of space to the length. This extra space allows for the forward force and movement of the foot each time it strikes the ground.

* Then she asked about LMO's running. Off-road, on-road, track, cross country, for fun, for competition, mileage?.
There are off-road trainers, cross-country shoes, cheaper trainers with less cushioning, more expensive trainers for more mileage with extra cushioning and support. As well as trainers for the gym, aerobics, indoor football, netball etc.

* Then the VAA went off to the stock room to select a range of trainers that might perfectly suit Little Miss Outdoors, her feet and her type of running.

And, boy, did my daughter love the attention. Carefully assessing every pair of trainers LMO paced and jogged up and down the shop, even trying out a different brand on each foot "just to see the differences," suggested the VAA. The VAA also had LMO trying trainers with an additional cushioned insert in a bid to find the absolutely perfect fit. And added a nice pair of supportive elastic laces.

But why all the fuss, I asked? Well, it seems that just like adults who can incur injuries and strains to muscles, ligaments and tendons in the legs, hips, backs etc because of the combination of the repetitive action of running and ill-fitting trainers so, too, can children. It is unlikely that potential injuries will be as severe in youngsters because they should never be running as many miles as the grown-ups but the damage/pain could still occur.

And so it came down to just two pairs of trainers that LMO was "almost definitely sure about". A pink pair and a blue pair. While both looked amazingly pretty (if trainers can ever be described in such a way) there came a final lesson from the VAA. "Be sure about the fit, not about the colour," cautioned the VAA.

Hmm. Well, I knew that was going to be a tough call for LMO who has always had a very strong connection to all things girly, fluffy and, above-all, pink. Quite incredibly, however, it appears that she'd been taking the whole trainer buying experience rather seriously. For in the end (this bit did take several tedious minutes) she pointed at the blue pair. The Mizuno trainers are a mixture of bright white, navy blue and baby blue and the laces are white-and-sprakly-blue striped but they were definitely not pink. Or fluffy looking. Or flashy and lighting up.

The price also took me by surprise. While proper running trainers for adults can cost between £75 and £120, the Mizunos for kids were just £35. I felt I'd not only got my money's worth thanks to the time and advice from the VAA but also because for once in her life LMO had been able to choose a pair of trainers from a wide range and come away with a pair she felt looked "really nice and trendy". She says she can't wait to go to the running club on Tuesday. "How marvellous and healthy!" I thought.

You want to come on a trip to buy school shoes to find out how different the whole experience normally is. Let's just say that long, thin feet with narrow heels never, ever fit into pretty, attractive or vaguely trendy shoes. They only ever fit into the one pair of horribly sensible looking, lace-up shoes that most shoe shops stock only for those crestfallen-looking children with very, very narrow feet. But that's another story.

Bike and wine diet Part II

2010-02-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

Following on from my blogs about my new bike and wine diet I hear from one of my Twitter followers walkscotland that he's been following the whisky and walk diet for some years now! Of course, we're all simply trying to justify our love of the hard stuff and we're aware that less booze and a bit more keep-fit would make us healthier for longer. But where's the fun in that?

Now I doubt that Glasgow Bikeathon would want to promote their 2010 event as the ideal way to see off a few booze-charged calories but I imagine they won't mind a bit of publicity. And cycling either the 13 or 26 mile courses during the May 23rd event does have the bonus of blasting away around an average of 400 calories and 800 calories respectively. (That could be calories consumed as glasses of wine, Mars bars, pizzas or nice healthy salads. Whatever.)

Taking part in this family-friendly event will also help raise funds for the newly named Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, formerly known as Leukaemia Research.

Last year, more than 400 people got on their bikes to take part in the inaugural Glasgow Bikeathon and this year event organisers are hoping to increase participant numbers to help raise even more money for the charity.

The Bikeathon offers two predominantly rural routes to riders. Both courses start and finish at the historic country park in Drumpellier, on the Glasgow/North Lanarkshire border.

So whether you’re looking for a physical challenge, a fundraising challenge, a fun day out, and/or a chance to burn some cheeky calories why not sign up to the event now.

Real-life meeting for social media folks

2010-02-18T03:11:00.000-08:00

And so, last night, I got to meet a group of not-normally-seen-in-the-flesh social media addicts. There were politicians, professionals, experts – and some folks who were just plain interested in the whole social media networking phenomenon.

Curiously for a bunch of self-proclaimed "media networkers" the start of the Social Media Dinner (organised in Glasgow by social media whizz Craig McGill) revealed a fair proportion of worried faces. Many looked rather startled and somewhat nervous to be coming face to face with other real-time people.

Indeed, one of the most enlightening things about social media networking is the ability to connect and network with thousands of other people - but without having to leave your desk/get out your pyjamas/brush your hair/meet anyone in real-life. Ever.

However, it was heartening to find that as the evening at Mother India Restaurant developed, most of the group revealed themselves to be personable, convivial and really quite "normal". (Well, as normal as politicians and media types can ever be!) Thanks to good food and a drinks bill that left poor Craig gasping (especially as he'd brought his own no-alcohol Becks) the chat and discussion flowed.

Craig had invited four politicians to speak about how they had embraced the social media outlets of blogging, Facebook, Twitter and the likes. They gave an insight into the advantages and some of the pitfalls of this fast-growing media forum and offered their views on the future of social media in Scottish politics. It was all extremely interesting – and the questions that followed were well articulated and mostly insightful and informative.

As a newspaper journalist who has now moved into the web copywriting, blogging and Twittering arena I was pleased to discover that social media is being taken so seriously at such a high level. For ages now I've worried that it was all too much fun to be proper work. But writing and content is not so easy to do – and so good journalists are well placed to provide great on-line content.

Only, I didn't have the nerve to ask out loud how it's possible to make lots of money from the whole social media thing. I might have revealed my true colours after all – and it's not likely to be the biggest concern of politicians who are already earning a decent crust. But sitting here now, in my dressing gown and my daughter's pink, furry slippers, sans make-up or a hair brush and with only the computer screen in front of me, I do want to ask: How the hell do all you social media folks make your dosh?

PS. Wine consumed + plates of delicious Indian food ≠ calories burned by cycling. Shame on me!

The bike and wine diet

2010-02-17T04:47:00.001-08:00

Some years ago I recall the Herald's flamboyant wine writer Joe Fattorini waxing lyrical about his great new weight loss plan. Rather than deny himself all his favourite treats, Joe told me that he'd save up enough calories every day to allow him to enjoy a large glass of fine red wine every evening. His theory was pretty sound (although not all the health experts would agree) in that he realised that total denial of all things tasty and calorific would only lead to desperate cravings and an inevitable caving in. The plan certainly worked for him as Joe seemed to lose half his body weight over the space of months.

Yesterday I wondered on Facebook about whether I'd worked off enough calories cycling over recent days to justify a couple of large glasses of wine. The idea was that my cycling endeavours could cancel out a slight excess of wine.

It seemed that my Facebook pals agreed. Replying to my Facebook poser one came up with the calorific facts: One bottle of wine = 500 cals consumed, while half an hour of cycling = 200 cals burned.

Another Facebooker stated: "One bottle of standard red wine would provide about 28% of your total daily calorie count but since nobody drinks standard red wine it probably has 50% extra alcohol so maybe 40% of daily calories." Gosh!

So I reckon that the fact that I've cycled for a total of more than three hours in two days means I could allow myself a couple of large glasses of vino.

Now, I'm not for a minute suggesting that wine is packed with lots of health-giving nutrients and to be honest I'd be a whole lot fitter and healthier if I carried on cycling and running and ditched the wine. But, then, where would be the fun in that?

Does anyone else have the same ideas about balancing keep-fit and booze?!

Get on your bike to get fit

2010-02-16T08:06:00.001-08:00

It's lighter, ever so slightly warmer (on some days) and there's the faintest whiff of hope in the air as finally we all allow ourselves to look forward to spring and summer. So there's no better time to embrace your shiny new 2010 Get Fit for Summer campaign.

Whether it's walking, running, swimming or cycling that's your chosen activity why not give yourself a little momentum by aiming for a race? There's a host of mass participation events taking place across Scotland this year and there's sure to be one to suit your aspirations and location.

Better still, why not get fit – and raise money for charity? One new event that provides the ideal goal for women is the Pedal It Pink women-only cycle event. Coming to Scotland for the first time on Sunday May 16, the event aims to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Campaign – and get more women on their bikes.

Organisers are predicting hundreds of entries for the event, taking place in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh. There will be a choice of routes from a family 5k lap to a half marathon (13.1 miles) to a full marathon (26.2 miles). All routes will be traffic-free on the day and are suitable for a wide range of cyclists.

Cycling offers a great all round, cardiovascular fitness. The average person will burn around 200 calories per 30 minutes cycling at a moderate pace. Pedal a bit faster and you'll burn more cals and also work your leg muscles just that bit harder. So, ladies, cycling will give those wobbly bits – the thighs and bum – a good work out.

Another great thing about cycling is that it can be done socially. Why not get out for a ride with friends or with your family? Scotland has a wealth of safe cycling routes, too, including many, many miles of Sustrans routes, both on-road and off-road, and more mountain biking trails than you could ever imagine. Scotland is Europe's number one mountain biking hotspot, don't you know?

All this cycling will have you aiming for the full marathon distance in the Pedal It Pink event, for sure. Entries are now open.

No such thing as pot luck on a bike

2010-02-15T09:45:00.000-08:00

Something doesn't quite tally here. A week or so ago it took me around 1hr 20 mins to cycle from Bearsden to Falkirk. A leisurely trip of around 24 miles. Today it took me 1hr 10 mins to cycle only 12 miles. So, perhaps I've got a lot slower. Maybe that's true. And, of course, it does depend on the terrain and the number of traffic lights.

In fact the terrain was similar but there were a lot of traffic lights and some did seem to be against me.

No, the real reason why it took me almost as long to cycle half the miles was the number of pot holes. Regardless of council area – I cycled through East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow City and East Renfrewshire on my trip from Bearsden to Newton Mearns (for my third tattoo removal treatment at Ab Fab beauty salon, if you're interested. You know how I like to combine keep fit with going somewhere..) the pot holes were just as bad.

Every pot hole (and there are more than I can count) required a different form of navigation, including such techniques as "veering around", "forced through", "down and under and nearly over" and "brake, stop, wheel through on foot". Some holes were almost the length of my bike and spread right across the lane. It was tedious and frustrating and added at least 15 minutes on to my journey time, as well as up to about half a mile in extra "veering" distance.

We know that councils are skint but surely there's enough money to re-surface the outer edges of the road for cyclists. This way it might encourage many more people to cycle, therefore reducing the number of cars on the road, therefore reducing the wear and tear of the roads and so making a happier all-round city.

I also note rather enviously that East Ren has more miles of cycle lanes than East Dun. The lane stretches almost continuously from the city centre to Newton Mearns. Why not the same in other council areas, I ask?

Hey walkers, what's in your bag?

2010-02-15T03:05:00.000-08:00

The strange thing is that only a week or so ago I had been discussing with a fellow mountain walking pal that it would be great to set up some kind of specific Munro Bagging logbook website...

Yes, I know people can keep a checklist of their own Munro bags (normally by crossing off the Munros in the index of SMC Munro bible or on Harveys' fab Muno & Corbett map) but I'd thought it would be great to see a site dedicated to offering a place to diary and write about Munro bagging. Kind of like an on-line travelogue for Munro baggers.

And then, on Friday, someone sent me a link to a brand-new site that aims just to do this.

While I'm a tad jealous that Bagging Scotland has got there first – I'm still very happy to blog about it.

Munro Bagging has become a hugely popular pursuit, especially over the last decade and it's fantastic to see so many people walking to the summits of the 283 3000ft-plus mountains in Scotland – as well as keeping themselves fit in the process. I've written about some of the more extreme Munro bagging rounds in the press. Some people aren't happy with simply bagging all the summits over a number of years, instead they want to go one better, doing a continuous round, playing the bagpipes on every summit, walking the round in winter. And like bagger extraordinaire Steve Fallon, doing multiple rounds. Fallon has almost finished 14 rounds.

So this new Bagging Scotland site gives people the ideal platform in which to write about their "Bags". The site also suggests that people could bag Scottish castles, whisky distilleries and islands. I'm sure there will be more categories added in due course, but for the time being it looks like a great website to keep tabs on.

Double awards win for kayak film

2010-02-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

So delighted for friend, meeja colleague and fellow fan of Scotland's great outdoors, Simon Willis, for his exciting double film awards scoop. Willis, who runs Sunart Media, won the "Best Instructional Film" awards at two separate Canadian film festivals for the full-length production, Sea Kayak - An Instructional Journey along the coast of Skye.

The film was honoured at the 5th annual Reel Paddling Film Festival in Toronto, as well as Paddle Canada’s Waterwalker Film Festival in Ontario.

Following news of the accolade, Simon, a former BBC newsnight correspondent who seems to have achieved an idyllic work-life balance at his home in gorgeous Strontian (I'm too jealous!), said: “Whether it’s teaching people to kayak or helping businesses produce a cost-effective training video, the principles are the same. Mind you, it helps that I’m passionate about sea kayaking”.

Released on DVD, the film features exciting and practical instruction from one of the world’s top coaches. Gordon Brown (not our PM! Obviously!) delivers coaching sessions designed for beginners and intermediate sea kayakers. These are mixed with a beautifully shot four-day voyage along the west coast of the Isle of Skye where Gordon lives and from where he runs Skyak Adventures.

You can take a look at extracts from the DVD at SunartMedia.com

Shiny new bike bit

2010-02-12T07:06:00.001-08:00

I'm very happy indeed with my shiny new bike gear cable. As I blogged before I have spent a week or so stuck with use only of one front cog on my bike so I've been dong a lot of leg "spinning". But action needed to be taken and with the sun shining I decided to cycle over to my favourite bike shop, Solid Rock, at Balmore. (They will have a new website up and running in the next few days.)

Once more these guys proved that they offer fantastic service. Within a few minutes of arriving at the shop my bike was up on the work stand and the cable was being stripped out and replaced with a new one. I was admonished a little for cycling so much on dirty winter roads on such a nice racer bike but I don't have much choice as this is my only bike. (People in bike shops talk about winter bikes and summer bikes. I don't have that much money!)

Anyway, just 10 mins later – and at a very fair price of £5 – I had a shiny new gear cable, as well as smooth, working brakes again. Thanks Dave.

Ah, and the cycle home felt so good. Having the full range of gears to choose from is a delight after the limitations of the past six days.

More walkers – more places to walk

2010-02-12T02:36:00.000-08:00

More evidence that walking – and outdoors life in general – is climbing to new heights among the general public. A recent announcement from the National Trust revealed that the number of walks being downloaded from their site had doubled in 2009 as compared to 2008. To be specific there were 250,000 downloads of the Trust's 130 walks last year. Which is just great to hear about.

At the same time, a huge sales growth at one of the UK's biggest outdoor clothing stores, Go Outdoors, reveals an ever growing attraction for outdoors clothing and presumably (or hopefully) a desire for more people to get out and enjoy the countryside. Comparing an eight week period over the 2009 festive season to the previous year, sales of clothing, boots and equipment rose by 25.1%. These figures come on the back of amazing growth over the last year as the brand opened seven new superstores across Britain.

And, there are plans for almost 600 miles of new paths in the the Cairngorms National Park, one of two such parks in Scotland. The Scottish Government has now backed a proposal to develop and upgrade 579 miles of new pathways, including new and existing roads and tracks, that will open up the stunning area to even more walkers and visitors.

The scenic River Spey is to be the setting for the first designated core path in the park, which includes five of the six highest peaks in Britain and more than a dozen Munros.

David Green, convenor of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, believes that the development will offer "a more integrated network of paths for a wider range of people and abilities to enjoy the special qualities of the Cairngorms National Park".

So that's more walkers, more walking kit – and more places to go walking. Roll on Spring.

One thing I know about injuries

2010-02-11T09:37:00.000-08:00

Something that one of my triathlon pals once said about Amateur Athletes and injuries has stayed with me. While most of the general public will happily take the advice of their doctor to completely stop exercise (seeing it as an excuse to lie on the couch and watch the TV for months) so as to allow the body to recover from an injury, whether to the foot, calf, knee, hamstring, glute muscle or whatever, in contrast the Amateur Athlete will look aghast at such a suggestion and immediately and vehemently question the merits of a recovery period of anything more than a few days.

I have so often seen this complete lack of ability to take the advice of doctors, and physios or podiatrists come to that. In fact being told to rest and recover for the good of your body seems simply to act like a red rag to the Amateur Athlete.

So the injured AA tries to train through the pain, or gives it a couple of days before heading out for a "light" 10-mile run or eases their pace from sprint to just-less-than-Kelly-Holmes-style-speed.

The strangest thing is that most AAs will also tell you that they know all about listening to their bodies and being "in the know" about their physiques. But when it comes to injury and recovery they just don't seem to know when to stop.

I know this, too, because I've been there myself trying to keep going through the pain of an injury. In truth I trained through a hamstring pull for months in the run up to the Loch Ness Marathon. I just wouldn't give in - but then with only six weeks to go to the big day I was forced to seek advice from a (costly) physio, a masseur and a coach. I was told to go only short runs and train on my bike instead. I'm still convinced that I could have gone sub 3.30 (instead of 3.35) if only I'd taken a recovery break at the time of injury. I'll never know though will I?

Currently I know of at least three good friends who are training through an injury. They just can't stop themselves!

I think a major part of the problem is the addiction to exercise that sees the AA putting on their blinkers the minute they feel a pull in their calf or a pain in their hamstring. They'll blame their trainers, their cadence, the tilt of a pavement they were running on, last night's glass of wine. Whatever. But few actually address an insistent injury until they have trained on it for too long or too hard.

And I know from experience how difficult it is to give up the daily fix of running. But I also know how slow it can be to recover from an injury when you continue to push yourself through the pain.

So next time you feel the first twinge of an injury, stop the exercise. Rest up for a while (and longer than a day!) and seek the advice of a physio, sports masseur or podiatrist. It pays to get to the root of the problem before the problem eventually roots you.

You know who you are you AA super heroes!

Ditty to The G-Force!

2010-02-11T04:47:00.000-08:00

I wish I could claim to have written this hilarious verse myself. Let's just say it comes thanks to the witty imagination of a mutual friend, from now on to be known as The P-Force! So pleased I have sparked your creative side!

A tale of The G-Force

He used to be a site agent with an iron will,
Now he's evolved as a force on the hill.
He goes cycling on Iona,
with a blogger called Fiona.
Ahead he will steer,
As they share cycling gear.
And we'll all shout til we're hoarse:
"HE IS THE G-FORCE!"

Priceless work from The P-Force. Keep them coming!

All a load of spin?

2010-02-09T07:45:00.000-08:00

Just a few miles into a cycle ride from Bearsden to Falkirk (to meet with my ex-husband's father.. you must know by now how I like to slot a run or a cycle into my everyday schedule) I suddenly realise that one of my gear lever cables was on the verge of snapping. I can't think how I had not noticed this before as it sits right in front of my face while cycling but there it was, a severed cable sleeve and an almost slashed cable. This meant that I dared not force the lever to change the front cogs and so for the rest of the 30-odd mile trip I could use only the smallest front cog.

I reasoned that it was better to be stuck in the smallest cog with access to eight of the easier gears, rather than left only with the eight hardest gears as there was a fair number of hills to tackle. So, I found the going up was just fine but when it came to the downhills I quickly ran out of gears. In this way, I ended up doing a whole lot of pedal spinning.

This got me thinking (you do a lot of thinking when you're out cycling solo) and I recalled being out with a cycle friend recently and noticing that his cadence was a lot faster than mine. At the time I didn't have the energy to ask why (I was trying to keep up and so I was out of puff) but with my limited gear span on Saturday it did give me the chance to try out my own form of faster cadence cycling. What I noticed was that there was less requirement to think about changing gear (mainly because there were fewer to choose from!) and that my spinning legs felt a lot smoother in terms of momentum.

The strange thing was that the journey seemed to speed by much quicker than I'd expected and before I knew it I'd come across a sign to the Falkirk Wheel, where I was to meet my father-in-law.

So this had we wondering further. On further investigation I have found out that "spinning" can bring some benefits to cycle training (and, boy, do I need all the advantages I can get). It seems that while casual cyclists have a cadence (ie pedal turn) of around 60rpm (revolutions per minute), the pros are up there at 110 to 120rpm. Apparently, as an aspiring (or perspiring?!) amateur, my cadence should be somewhere in the middle.

It seems that it is a good idea to get used to cycling at a faster cadence because it is less stressful on the leg muscles. If you think about it, cycling in difficult gear at 50rpm is much more work for your legs than cycling in an easier gear at 80rpm, assuming the same overall speed.

Technically, cycling in a low cadence is called "mashing", while high rotation is called "spinning" (ah, so that's where the concept for spinning classes came from). Also, cycling at a low cadence uses "fast twitch muscles fibres", while cycling at a high cadence with less force utilises "slow twitch muscle fibres". Fast twitch fibres use locally stored energy (glycogen in the muscles) that will tend to run out over a long ride, while slow twitch fibres use fat, which is more readily available in the body and much better at coping with endurance rides.

Of course, there will still be times, like on hills, when slow pedalling is useful (and also over short time trial style events) but it seems that from a longer-distance point of view it's better to aim for a cadence of 90 to 100rpm.

I guess, if I'd thought about it, this is a similar theory to running. Only I just hadn't thought about it until my gear cable decided to give up!

The "fat burning" potential offered by my almost snapped cable also meant I was able to scoff a whole lot more tea and cake in the Falkirk Wheel cafe. Ideal!

1,576 steps to madness!

2010-02-05T05:32:00.000-08:00

I found my jaw dropping as I watched competitors in the annual Empire State Building Run Up earlier this week. See here The bonkers event sees almost 300 runners racing up 1,576 steps – and a total ascent of 303m – to the Observatory deck on the 86th floor of the iconic New York skyscraper.

Now in its 33rd year, the race, which is by invitation only from the New York Road Runners, claims to be the world's most famous stair race and the oldest of its kind. (There are others?!)

This year the men's race was won by 25-year-old Thomas Dold, of Germany, for the fifth year running, in 10 minutes and 16 seconds. His enlightening post-race quote told us that his training for the event was important so that he could climb stairs as fast and hard as possible. Well, you don't say!

Meanwhile a woman aged 40 (yes 40!) took first female place in 13 minutes and 13 seconds. Talking after the event New Zealander Melissa Moon, who is a former successful mountain runner (that will explain the win then!), said she was delighted to have come first (possibly over the Moon?!) – and reckoned she'd be talking about it when she was 90, sitting in a rocking chair and surrounded by all her grandkids!

Anyone want to suggest a building in Scotland that could serve as the perfect place for a similar event?

It's all in the detail: Part 2

2010-02-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

As I've blogged before, sometimes it's the small things that make the biggest difference. See It's all in the detail: Part 1

This time a discovery of something seemingly small but mightily significant came about after a 20-mile cycle on Sunday afternoon. As usual, for a winter bike outing, I had on my padded cycle shorts with a pair of running leggings over the top. This time it was the favoured Skins leggings.

While I did feel a little chilled to begin with, just a few miles into the trip around the Campsies I was contentedly warm and thought nothing more of my legs, and definitely nothing about my knees.

But then something new – and not very nice – happened. Having completed the ride and then jumped into a hot shower I felt my knees becoming extremely itchy. I looked down to see that my knees had turned a horrible red/purpley shade. Fearing some kind of blood clotting nightmare I called on the advice of the G-Force (not only a force to behold in the hills, but also pretty dynamite on a bike!).

"Chilblains," was his immediate answer. "Aaaargh, but they are sore and I've never had this before," I whimpered.
"So get yourself a decent pair of cycling leggings," retorted the G-Force.

But I had no idea there was anything much to compare between a pair of running tights and cycle leggings, except perhaps the butt padding. Now I know better.

After rummaging around in one of his outdoor clothing drawers (he has a few!), the G-Force found an "old" pair of his cycle leggings. Although a little loose on my girlie frame, his Assos (apparently the best – and most expensive cycle clothing make a rider can get) leggings offer more than a little attention to the smaller details.

The first thing I noticed was the extra material over the knees (to prevent cold knees, and therefore chilblains). These extra special leggings also have loops that go over the feet (to keep them in place and prevent chilly ankles?) as well as a bib that keeps your back, stomach and, importantly, your kidneys cosy.

Here's the technical stuff: Apparently the newest Assos tights "feature an almost genius knee solution. Whereas in the past, any incorporating of Airblock material always meant a reduction in elasticity and hence fit, the Airprotec’s kneezone is designed to make you forget that your knees are Airblock protected. Assos has also redesigned the patternzone behind your knees. The ASSOS solution is pretty sharp, eliminating the overlock seam on the back of your knee which can cause irritation. This tight is designed for high frequency, no restriction pedalling'". So now I know! And oh-so-very different from my plain old, straightforward running leggings!

I tried these ultra special leggings out for the first time today (and, boy, was it a cold day) but for the first time in winter my legs, ankles, knees, bum, back, stomach and kidneys felt amazingly snug.

As I said, it's sometimes the smallest of details (although sometimes at a big price) that can make the biggest difference. I guess I might need to buy my own pair of "proper" cycling leggings sometime soon!

It's all gone dark

2010-02-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Is it me just back from a dazzling white ski hol? Or was today just too black to believe? Out for my usual 50-minute run while Little Miss Outdoors attends a French class I couldn't get over just how dark and bleak Glasgow felt tonight. Perhaps Scotland has grown more accustomed over the last month or so to the lighter shades of snow and ice but even so today seemed blacker, darker, more overcast and far too dreary to be true.

Ms Outdoors and Little Miss Outdoors,
Flaine, with Mont Blanc
in the background. Awesome!

Anyway, back to the recent ski hol...in the French Alps! While I'm always keen to extol the virtues of Scotland's great outdoors – and I have waxed lyrical in recent months about the joys of winter walking – I would by lying if I said the Alps are anything short of amazingly stunning.

Last week they were even more amazingly stunning than I've ever seen them, with masses of snow covering so many valleys and peaks in the Grand Massif.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to fly off to Flaine on a press trip, courtesy of Crystal/Thomson ski (see there are still a few perks left in the world of journalism). (And, yes, I did take my primary school aged daughter out of school for a week. Naughty me!)

Just a 1.5-hour transfer from Geneva and with a huge choice of graded slopes on offer, Flaine is made for families. While I headed off-piste for some challenging snowboard fun (and more falls than I could count), Little Miss Outdoors was entertained by miles of blue and flattering red runs (and only one fall in six days of skiing!).

The family focused hotel, the Totem, was also of a much higher standard than I'd expected. The package price for the all-inclusive meals and accommodation holiday seemed to be on the cheaper side of budget conscious so I'd expected the Totem to offer basic but adequate rooms and food. But both were better then average and the three-course dinners (with free wine) were superb.

It's not usually possible to find a budget-friendly ski holiday (and especially while the pound remains weak against the Euro) but the up-front, pay-before-you-go deal, with flights, transfers, accommodation and all food included has to be a good value way to go if you want to ski this year. Just one meal out in a French ski resort for two people can easily cost €70-plus so to have all the food included in the holiday price is a huge bonus. Book your lift pass, ski hire and lessons in advance and you'll likely save even more money.

My only wish is that I'd taken two weeks off work instead of the one. The day we left for home there had been at least a foot of new snow and two hours spent gliding through fresh powder on and off-piste only left me hankering for more and more snowboarding.

So maybe it's high time I tried snowboarding in Scotland again? The last time I headed north with my board was many years ago and it turned out to be very windy, very overcast, very cold and way too busy. I've heard it's so much better this year. Anyone want to tell me the best slopes to head to?

Inspiration – or designed to make you feel guilty?

2010-01-22T09:09:00.000-08:00

I came across this website, which offers an amazing resource for finding out about running events. One glance is sure to inspire you to get out and do more races – or make you feel guilty for not even entering one this month! Scottish Running Guide

Running in the rain

2010-01-22T07:47:00.000-08:00

It might have been wet and puddley underfoot but at least the ice and snow had gone. And it might have been heavy rain but there was a great turnout and lots of new faces. Last night's running session at the Glasgow Triathlon Club was tough but fun and all-inclusive.

Led by Captain T, we all took up the challenge of a pyramid set of speed intervals. Each pyramid had a 30-second sprint, followed by the same length of jogging recovery, then a 60-second sprint, followed by a recovery, then a 90-second sprint and recovery. At the "top" of the first pyramid we then proceeded to complete the set in reverse. We did this five times in total.

It was possible for all participants to complete the pyramids according to their own ability and with some time for jogging there was the chance to enjoy a few snippets of chat in between the sprints.

I pushed it and found the training session hard-going but at the end it felt good to have completed something that wasn't my ordinary comfort-zone outing.

These sort of sessions might just get me in shape for having a go at another sprint triathlon sometime this year. I know I should!

A diploma in what? Eyelash extensions, that's what!

2010-01-21T04:23:00.001-08:00

Trawling the internet looking for a possible course in massage therapy (maybe holistic, maybe sports) I began reading through a list of qualifications obtainable in the beauty therapy industry. One that made me laugh out loud was an Eyelash Extension Diploma.

I know that academic achievements have changed a tad since I was choosing my post-school college/university avenues (English, maths, geography, politics or the likes) but even so, I don't think would ever have imagined that one could follow a course in such a bizarre activity – and pass a test!

Apparently the course also covers "semi-permanent individual eyelash extensions". And the "intensive training course" last for a whole day. The mind boggles that there is so such to learn about this beautifying treatment!