I could hardly write anything in a blog about running if I hadn’t run could I? (No, I could not).
Well, now I’m running. And cycling. And swimming. And if that combination of things sounds familiar, that’s because they are the building blocks of a triathlon. Just not in that order.
So why has it been so quiet around here? Well, like I said, no running = no posting. And I fell out of love with running a bit. Just a bit, but enough to not be motivated to go out and do much of it.
Anyway, as New Year came and went (it’s always New Year isn’t it?), it was time to get the running shoes out again. So I signed up for a night time, 25km trail run near Rotterdam which was categorically the most horrendous thing I have ever undertaken. It was snowing heavily that night, which you’d think would have added to the charm of the run. Unfortunately it did no such thing other than making the mountain bike trails we were running on slippier than expected. That and lack of practice meant I had an absolutely awful time. (The same can be said for Matthijs, who ran the 15km race, and Catherine who also ran the 15km race, but ended up doing a loop twice and running 18km+. Whether this is just out of sheer bad-assery, or due to a failing sense of direction we will not comment).
Full details here: https://www.strava.com/activities/863054533/embed/c9770617012d07b7f454084ee2503a502487c849
In the meantime, other fun things that have been happening:
Went to Winterberg with my work team for a day of skiing, and trying my hand at snowboarding (pretty good at it, if I may so myself).
https://www.strava.com/activities/854921850/embed/e9725defa7e740aeab3556d47ec954fef1574c38
https://www.strava.com/activities/856601961/embed/40d112a3f926fcd210927734e9b224c4740226f6
Returned to Winterberg in April, without the snow for Downhill mountainbiking (including crashing out of a corner and twisting my thumb). Was absolutely epic.
https://www.strava.com/activities/962922880/embed/db68517d26c476dfc0f7b70db32e15eeeded073d
I also did a week-long sailing course, went to the Alps with Matt and Tashi for a few days of skiing in Méribel (and the associated sunburn), churned out a lot of kilometres on the bike with Arjen (inc. Winterberg).
https://www.strava.com/activities/894869162/embed/6dd00ce6ac304e5eae5ae1c418e6f304
https://www.strava.com/activities/896009431/embed/ef711c532dd20630ae95a7a3e73f0eb48b86b0586b604cf6
One thing I need to improve is getting a few more decent pictures. Work in process.
B
benjaminruns 