Wednesday 21 January 2015

Birthday Party

So, I'm writing this blog on the eve of my 40th birthday - just two and half hours to go before I leave my 30s and move on to the next decade.....

Number 31 on my #40before40 challenge list was to have a great big party to celebrate being 40.

The original plan was to have the party on Saturday 24th January, and make it a joint party with my brother-in-law, Dan, who turns 30 on that day.

We had to move it forward a week to 17th January as Dan is off snowboarding, but we decided a combined 70th party was the way forward.

I'd wanted to do a mini beer festival, so thanks to Mrs P's family's involvement with Truro Rugby Club, we managed to find a venue that would allow us to take our own beer in.

Once we'd got a theme in place, I set about ordering the beer and getting everything ready.

Invites were sent out, and as most of our friends have got children, we decided to open it up to save people the hassle of finding a babysitter.

As Dan works in Exeter a lot, I took responsibility for choosing the beer. A tough job.....

With numbers filling up I thought that four 18 pint polypins of ale would be the way forward.

I decided to contact Rebel Brewery, Skinner  Brewery and Firebrand and ordered 18 pints of Cornish Sunset (Rebel), 18 pints of Ginger Tosser (Skinners), 18 pints of Graffiti IPA (Firebrand) and 18 pints of Cross Pacific (Firebrand).

Once I'd arranged the venue, set up a Facebook event, ordered the pasties and beer, I handed over to Mrs P and the family to do the rest.

Mrs P made some amazing cakes for Dan and myself; the family provided the decorations and some embarrassing photos; and our friends and family turned up, celebrated with us, and drank 72 pints of beer in three and half hours and ate 68 pasties (we'd ordered 80, so my mother-in-law, Cathie, dropped the remaining 12 off to St Petroc's - the homeless charity).

As Dan and I had bought the beer ourselves, we decided to sell it for £2 a pint, with £1 going to the rugby club and £1 going to the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust

My selling point was to encourage people to buy more beer as they were helping to support the Air Ambulance and save lives.....

Anyway, here's a selection of images from the build up and the night itself.

Cheers!


Creaking Backs Beer Festival artwork designed by MPAD's Matt Hollands

Collecting 18 pints of Ginger Tosser from Skinners Brewery

Collecting 18 pints of Cornish Sunset from Rebel Brewery
Setting up the real ale
Amazing birthday cakes made by Mrs P

(L-R) Me, John (Mrs P's step-Dad), Frankie (Truro Rugby Club) and Dan

Me and Mrs P drinking Cornish Sunset
Happy 70th
A fine selection of Cornish cheese
Olivia (left) with her friend Alice propping up the bar - a sign of things to come
Bryher with her big cousin, Tegen
What's a Cornish party without pasties
72 pints gone by 10.30pm

Monday 12 January 2015

Christmas Day Swim

Number 16 on my #40before40 list was to enjoy a Christmas Day swim.

It was something I'd never done, despite the fact I grew up in Falmouth and lived just a stone's throw from the beach from the age of seven to 19.

I was joined in the challenge by Olivia, my mother-in-law (Cathie), brother-in-law (Dan) and the family dog (Sampson).

Luckily it was a sunny Christmas Day this year, so it made the prospect much more palatable.

We headed down to the car park by Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth where we met the family and changed into our wetsuits.

I know we should have done it in just our swimming costumes, but it was on the second time I'd been in the sea in Cornwall this year and I wanted to keep warm.


Gyllyngvase Beach, Christmas Day



Me, Olivia, Dan, Cathie and Sampson pre-swim



Testing the water



Dan thought it was a bit cold











What surprised me was how many people where in the sea, especially the amount without a wetsuit. 

I was impressed with their bravery.

After we'd got out we headed back to the carpark where Cathie's camper van was parked for tea, croissants and smoked salmon sandwiches. 

I could quite happily make it an annual event as it was a good way to start Christmas Day.

Thursday 8 January 2015

New Year's Day Fell Run

Taking part in a fell run was a late addition on to my #40before40 list.

I just happened to switch The One Show on one evening and found former 400m runner Ewan Thomas taking part in one and thought it looked like fun.

Knowing we were going to be spending New Year in Yorkshire, I Googled away.

The results took me to fellrunner.org.uk where I found details for the Captain Cook's Races, which was taking place on New Year's Day in Great Ayton on the North Yorkshire Moors.

There was no pre-registration, so I thought I'd keep it open.

So, we travelled up to Yorkshire on Monday 29 December to stay with Mrs Ps family ready for New Year.

With one eye on the fell run I decide to take it easy on New Year's Eve and stuck to water from 11pm.

Despite going to bed around 2am, I woke up on New Year's Day feeling pretty good.

Although I did decide to make sure I was okay by using one of the breathalysers that you have to have in your car when you drive in France.

I passed the test.

Just making sure I was okay to drive on New Year's Day

So, after scrambled eggs and porridge, I set off from Wetherby on the 50 mile journey north to Great Ayton (it was actually the furthest north I've ever travelled in the UK).

I did feel some trepidation as I got on to the moors driving towards large hills that were covered in mist, or about to be enveloped by cloud. I was also unsure what to expect race wise, and definitely felt like I was going outside my comfort zone.

I parked up, got changed in to my running gear and headed to the Royal Oak pub to pay my £7 entry fee and register.


The Royal Oak at Great Ayton



My race number 

Obligatory pre-race selfie


Waiting to start the race

At the start of the race I did feel like a bit of a southern wimp stood next to hardened northern runners who were wearing just running vests and shorts.

Unsure what to expect weather wise, I was wearing running leggings with shorts over the top; a training vest, long sleeved running top and a short sleeved vest on top; a running jacket; hat; and gloves.

The race set off though the village on the road, before heading on to a farm track and then into the countryside. 

Gradually the 5 mile course became muddier and muddier, and hillier and hillier.

As we headed up to Captain Cook's monument, a climb of 1043ft, it was walking and crawling pace only.

I reached the plateau to be welcomed by an amazing view across the North Yorkshire Moors, as well as being hit by huge gusts of wind.


The view across the moors 


Heading towards Captain Cook's monument 

Once we reached the monument, we started our descent.

To begin with it was on a stone path, which was a bit slippy, but this soon gave way to a mettled track where you could really get some speed up.

However, that didn't last long, and we were soon heading down mudding slopes.

It was at this point in the race where I started to lose ground and was regularly overtaken by fell running experts in trail shoes with spikes. 

While I in my normal running shoes descended like Bambi on ice. Quite how I didn't fall over or lose a trainer in the mud, I'll never know.

We then got back on to the road and I managed to pick up some speed again, as well as avoid posing for the official photographer.

Grrrr!

There was a point here that was brilliant. As we ran down the road, we passed a house where an older and very dapper gentleman, was stood in the road, ringing an old school bell and shouting 'Happy New Year' to all the competitors.

The race then back on to fields and through a wooded area before we reached the finish line.

My unofficial time was 53:32.


When I checked the website I found that I did it in 52:44 and finished in 205th place out of 271 runners.

I was actually a little disappointed when I saw the results and know that if I'd had some trail shoes with spikes, then I could have finished higher.

Also, if I'd checked in my boot a little more closely I would have found these, which would have probably done the trick....

D'oh!

On reflection it was my first attempt and it was one of the best activities that I've done, and I'd recommended it to anyone who wants to try something a little different. 


Slightly muddy trainers

Sightly muddy socks


Enjoying a celebratory mince pie and cup of tea