Coastal Challenge 2014- The Full Monty!

For the last two years I have run the 22km version of the Coastal Challenge, no, that's a lie, I  walked most of the first year and ran quite a lot of the second year! I was inspired to do so by Carol and the team at North Shore Hospice, who had supported a couple of work colleagues.                This year I decided to attempt to run the Full Monty version- 33km including two considerable tidal river swims.                                               I had been running 4-5km, once or twice a week, over the past year and decided to step up my training regime about three months ago.              My training went well until I fell victim to shin splints. This reduced me to cycling, rolling my foot around on a golf ball and using strapping tape and ice to freeze and depilitate my shins for 2 weeks.                                             Luckily the golf ball worked and that left me two weeks to get back on track.

Here is a video flyover of the course.


And here are some pictures to prove I made it!

Relatively happy having swum two rivers, traversed bouldered beaches and navigated treacherous shallows.

This was a relatively easy section!

Is it really still 11km to go?

Finishing line in sight.

Made it!

Rehydration is an important part of post-run recovery!

Some pain was endured.

But soon put right!

Would I do it again............ we'll see!

The challenge is for a great cause and setting out to complete what seemed to be an unachievable goal and making the finish line also gave me a huge amount of satisfaction.

If an old, bald, pom can do it- anyone can!