Rest In Peace Deepen

I should pay tribute to Deepen Rai who was sadly killed on Friday in a plane crash in Nepal. This is the same crash that has been covered in all of the British press. Deepen was leading a group to Everest Base Camp.

Deepen was our guide last year on the trip to trek up Stok Kangri. He was an amazing guy. He taught us about the local Ladakh culture, about Buddhism, about how to look after ourselves on the trip. He also cared for us 24/7. The guy was up at 1am knocking snow off our tent so that we didn't get wet!

He also gave us some awesome coaching to give us the spirit and determination to get up the 6,150m peak. When we were looking at the peak one evening he said, 'It's tough, but not impossible.' To give us the right walking speed he would say, 'Slowly, slowly, catch the monkey.' He also affectionately nicknamed me 'Mr Pee' as I couldn't hold my bladder!

Rest In Peace Deepen Rai - your facebook page already has a flurry of touching tributes. You have made, I'm sure, a lasting impact with the hundreds of trekkers who have been lucky to have had you as a guide.

He leaves behind a wife and two sons and I pray for them to be comforted in this most difficult time.

Rest In Peace Deepen Rai xxx

Still running in 2012...

Hello all,
I've wanted to update this blog for a while.  Not that I've got anything major to say, but because a lot of people supported me in 2011 and just wanted to fill anybody in who was interested!

I've been fairly active still in 2012.  My running is actually going pretty well this month.  I've run 50 miles in September, and my pace is getting better which is a great feeling.  I fulfilled my one ambition for 2012 sports-wise and completed a triathlon (Coniston in June).  I've also done a duathlon (Parbold in March), a 60-mile bike ride (Manchester to Blackpool in July), the Great North (2 hrs 33 mins) and the Rainbow Ramble (11 mile walk).  I'm currently training for the Preston Guild Marathon with my sister and that has been great fun.  We're pushing each other and we did a cracking training run yesterday of 16.5 miles in 3hrs 5 mins.

There was no way I was going to do any running for charity this year - I think there's only so much you can ask people to sponsor you!

I've loved keeping going though and trying new things.  Swimming has been a blast - I've managed to swim a mile in the open water!  Cycling, I've not loved as much.  First there was the 4 months of constant flat tyres and punctures before I realised I needed a track pump.  Then, there's the fact that it's flippin' hard.  When it's flat, it's all good.  But, the slightest bit of uphill and it's horrible.  I don't know why running gets such a bad rap!

Saw this at the Great North Run and it seemed quite apt!