February 2011

[Sweder]

Despite a rather spiteful wind cutting in from the west I took to the muddy hills replete in shorts and vest this morning. A leisurely 5k to force warm blood through weary limbs, a systems check if you will, before the daunting prospect of Sunday's Steyning Stinger.

I've restricted myself to two 'stings' this time. In 2007 I joined Rog & Moyleman to take on the full 26.2 mile Beast. It was a step up in class for me, one I was happily equal to despite the foul conditions, being in the running form of my life just a month before the Two Oceans. Steyning Stinger report here.

I am, as regular followers here will know, horribly under prepared for this 'race'. I gave serious thought to skipping the slogging-up-muddy-hills part and moving straight to the full fry-up on offer from the boys at Steyning Grammar School. I mentioned this to Moylebird at spin on Monday and she (rightly) gave me short shrift. Easy for her perhaps; she's in fine fettle, as clearly demonstrated by her strong showing in Almeria a few short weeks ago.

Lack of coverage may well thwart attempts to tweet live from the Chanctonbury and Cissbury hills. O2 tends to morph into 'Oh shit' in most of Sussex. Should this prove to be the case I shall offer a post-race catch-up service via www.twitter.com/sweder