Challenge Stu

Let's be clear from the start - the Three Peaks Yacht Race is a bizarre event. Many aspects of it just would be very different if you designed the race today, but then you probably wouldn't do that anyway. It's a wonderful event, run by a group of really dedicated and hardworking organisers, but it's a serious undertaking: It's a long way, there isn't much sleep to be had, and if you're not standing on the walls and hanging on while using the toilet, you're going slowly. And if you're going slowly, you're about to be rowing. That all makes it sound like it's not fun, but that isn't true: It's amazing fun! This year I was racing with skipper Paul Jackson (father in law), navigator Nick Ridgeway, sailor Craig Williamson, and running with Dave Robinette. This was the team assembled for the 2020 race which finally took place last week. We were racing as many times before on Wild Spirit. WS is a very solid and pretty heavy boat and really ...

As part of the Dig Deep race series at Whirlow Hall Farm last weekend, I gave a talk on Friday night. I was in stellar company, speaking between Sally Fawcett and Nicky Spinks! At our weekly Friday morning strength and conditioning session at Accelerate, I was given a great piece of advice... A talk like this must aim for inspiration, not information ... I can certainly deliver a lack of information, but the first half?! Hmm... Sally spoke first about training for and competing in the World Trail Championships in Tuscany, and then training for the Bob Graham round and the serendipitous week she spent at altitude a couple of weeks before. Sally Fawcett Nicky spoke later about her journey through life and running, culminating in her amazing double Bob Graham round. Nicky Spinks It was great to hear both talks and I left feeling very inspired (and informed!), as well as very proud to be part of Dark Peak Fell Runners, as both Sally and Nicky are too. My talk was titled ...