Having set myself a weekly 20 mile target I've not yet worked out my own 'rules' about how the 20 can be stretched, bent or flexed. I ended January 25 miles ahead of my target mileage but now find myself 4 miles behind and only 2 weeks in to February. Clearly I blame the most wonderful week we have spent skiing in France.
Simon's Father moved to France 20+ years ago and now lives just over the French border from Geneva. It's a brilliant location to base yourself for a short skiing holiday. The 800 mile drive, 17 hours door to door, is a little challenging but needs must, especially when visiting family!
Over the years we've taught ourselves to ski - not a lesson between us. And it shows!! Ben and Rosie were introduced as babies to mountains and snow, being dragged up the Voiron in the off road buggy, strapped into a sledge and launched downhill, through to having mini ski's strapped to their feet. This year both of my children skied passed my comfort zone and became the encourager's and enablers to their, far more cautious, parents.
I did fully intend to run whilst we were away. Running tights, trainers all packed. We drove down to Dover Friday night, spent a night in a travel lodge and caught the 10am ferry to Dunquerque. Drove all day (French motorways are really very dull but the service stations decidedly more pleasant than the dross we're used to) arriving in Feigere about 10:30pm. Sunday morning dawned, I read a chapter or two of 'Feet in the Clouds' (very inspirational must read) and, regardless of how awful my legs felt, I was absolutely up for a run.
It was about -11c outside, possibly colder. Off we set planning on a 6 - 8 mile trot around the local area. Less than half a mile out and my shins were on fire. Every step I took felt like red hot pokers (not the flowering variety) being drawn across my shins. We walked a bit, I loosened my trainers - new ones, could it be these that were causing the problem. We ran a bit but no better. Less than a mile and a bit out and we turned round, giving up. 800 miles and being fit to ski had to take priority. I only hoped that my legs would be good on the slopes.
When I say 'ski' - this is a relative term. We are a bit of a motley crew from appearance through to application. Si's Father has a bit of a collection of ski gear from various children growing up, donations / acquisitions etc... We have, for years, never had to hire any as there would always be something that fitted. Style is irrelevant - last years colours? No, they're last decade!
Can we ski blacks? No, not on your nelly. For those of you that haven't skied - the grading on runs goes from Yellow - nearly flat, Green - nice gentle beginners slopes, Blue - steady, Red - steeper and more technical, Black - had fear sensors removed and no sense of self preservation left. I ski Blue. I like Blue. Blue is a good colour!
Do Ski miles count in my running total? I don't think so. We did do a 'sports tracker' on an afternoons skiing - in only a few runs we'd clocked more than 10 miles but many of those were sat on lifts to get back to the top!
The highlight of our week had to be the fortunate catching up with family friends who,coincidentally, were skiing in Morzine, just down the road. Stan and Chris are very capable skiers who shared a couple of days with us, in between their milk tray black runs and 'off piste' adventures, giving us massive confidence and an opportunity to try runs we would never have dared on our own. Most importantly it was the time we shared together, reinforcing old familial bonds and building new ones. A very special opportunity that I will cherish.
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| Ben, Simon, Chris, Stanley, Rosie In the middle of the mountains at Morzine |
Skiing is a really inclusive and family orientated activity, at least in France it is. Children from being able to walk through to their Grandparents all swish their way down runs suited to their own abilities. I watched with massive admiration as a Father and his son skied down a run alongside us. His son was in a chair on a sled. He had downs syndrome and, judging by the size of the smile on his face and his woops of glee, was having the greatest adventure swooshing down the slopes with his hero Dad.
We had one or two 'experiences' - finding ourselves up a mountain with the most black looking blue run ahead of us - but the whole week was a brilliant experience. Very physical and using different muscles to running but hopefully that will be of benefit in the longer run.
The views, feeling and experience of being very high up in the mountains, clear blue skies above you, cloud below you, is really quite something beyond words.
17 hours and 800 miles home, Sunday morning and I donned my old fell runners and set off for a few miles to test my legs. They felt great. None of the pain from last weekends horror and 6 miles later I arrived back home to set about the cleaning and washing inherent of being a mother!
I have no doubt I'll catch-up my 4 miles - the skiing was well worth it!
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