Rather than spread myself too thin and keep up to date with several blogs,  I am now directing you all to one place   for latest blogs at my Aye CAN site and then the dreaded facebook will have info on up and coming events.

Thanks for bear with me.

Going for Gold

Follow Karen Darke as she goes for gold this autumn and find out what happened to other who took up the challenge to 'get up and go' this year.

Follow the River

Thinking about getting fit this year?  Check out the blog at Aye Can and join in the fitness challenge at facebook.  If you think you have missed the boat for new year - Chinese New Year - of the Dragon starts Monday 23 Jan.

The Chinese dragon  is said to be a deliverer of good fortune so here is to a year of good fortune for those who set out on the Chinese  New Year to improve their health and wellbeing.

Maybe one of the short courses offered through Aye Can will help you set your goals and stick with them.

Winter arrives and so does 'Hurricane Bawbag'

It seems that the weather will continue to throw all it can at us.  This week has seen snow, ice, winds and more flooding.  It certainly feels as if winter has arrived!





A sense of humour helped in enduring what has been referred to as 'hurricane bawbag' by some.....for us it meant power was cut off and with it the internet and the mobile phone network in the area.  Normally I would say - time to take some 'breathing space outdoors' and although I did venture out for half an hour to be lashed by the wind and rain - I'd think the wiser call was lighting the wood burner, toasting bread on it  and playing cards as daylight disappeared and night descended.


Enjoy more pictures taken locally in the calm before the storm.

Elemental

As the rain continues to pour down and the rivers swell I am glad, for once, to be indoors.  A walk earlier in the day confirmed that indoors is the best option today!  The rivers running through Comrie are all full to bursting with localised flooding, so on higher ground in the hills, the streams will all be in spate.

It reminds me of the first day of the recent mountain marathon that was held around Comrie. Wet - and higher up - very misty. A real challenge of navigation skills.

The start - incase you hadn't guessed - above St. Fillians.

The power of water is phenomenal.  In conditions like today it really is important to know how to read a map and be able to make choices about the route to suit the conditions.  Equally important is knowing that  the map will not show all the water courses, just the main ones so you can expect the unexpected.

The outdoors are a fabulous place to recharge the batteries however it pays to respect the elements too.  The hills and mountains will still be there tomorrow so I will enjoy them on a better day.  Meantime you can see from the pictures a little more of the conditions from the recent Mountain Marathon and be glad you are not out there just now. 

Something of a marathon.....

 So what were you doing when the clocks went back this weekend?  You probably enjoyed an extra hour in the land of nod, snuggly tucked up in  a warm bed.

Venue for the marathon - on a good day....

Loch Boltachan one of the marathon checkpoints of a good day

Me, myself, I......along with over 2500 other people..... had more than our fair share of breathing space in the great outdoors this weekend. For us it was a night of camping in the glens north of Comrie listening to the elements raining down on us.  To add insult to injury we were awoken at 6 am to the wailing sounds from a lone piper and a regular 'morning campers' from a megaphone.

Crazy?  Maybe.  But that is what happens when you decide to participate in the Original Mountain Marathon. This amazing event  held for the first time in hills around Comrie is a real challenge of fitness and navigation skills. The last time I undertook this event was some 25 years ago, so what possessed me to do it again?  As a fellow runner commented "it's good to do something outside your comfort zone at least once a year".  But I think it was more a case of 'just because it is there'.

Working in teams, you carry kit for an overnight camp at an  unknown destination and in our case, visit as many checkpoints as possible in a limited period of time.  First though, you have to register and confirm that you will carry the minimum kit list including tent, sleeping bag and food for 36 hours so choices have to be made as to what goes in and what stays out.

My brave team buddy exiting registration

My partner for the marathon contemplating what to put in the rucksack

All this ends up in the rucksack...

In preparation, I tried out various combinations of clothing to see what was warmest and lightest then weighed up the options on the food front to see what gave most energy for weight.  Meanwhile, my partner for the event  pitches up with hairbrush and other toiletries.  It was amazing to see how her kit eventually squeezed into her rucksack.  I must confess though, I was very grateful when we arrived at the half way camp for the cheeky wine she had slipped in. A little heavier than my choice of luxury item - yahtzee dice...

Lots of hard work goes on behind the scenes into making such an event a success so thanks to all the marshalls and helpers out there.  Maybe I'll seek them out again next year, then again, I might just seek to share some breathing space with fewer people.

How would you choose to get your breathing space?

Map reading for women

Research seems to suggest that men are better at map reading 

than women initially...but that women make better judgement 

calls and remember more about routes so are less likely to get 

lost.....

My experience, having tutored over 100 women is that confidence 

is often an issue.  This is where learning in a small group with 

other who feel in the same boat can help.  

So, come and join me on the next 

'Women CAN Read Maps' course 

running in just over a week from 1st-2nd Oct 2011. 

This two day course will give you some of the skills to use maps to

navigate in the hills.

It is set in the beautiful village of Comrie in Perthshire.

It is aimed at beginners and those who lack confidence and want

 to improve their hill skills.

The course is run on a friendly, informal basis with plenty of 

chance to try things out.  After a short theoretical input each 

morning ( and coffee) we spend the rest of the days outdoors 

put every thing into practice. 

See what previous participants have to say.

The cost for the two days is £80.

Contact me by phone or email to book a place.  

Tel 01764 670541 

fran AT breathingspaceoutdoors DOT com 

-don't forget to substitute the AT and DOT for the relevant signs.