After my last entry pondering all things ultrarunning related after my week at Trail Running Magazine, I wanted to share a few more links and stories.

One run that really got me inspired lately was Andy Jackson's Coast to Coast in 3 days, which culminated on my first day at Trail Running. I haven't met Andy but heard of his run through his other half Rachel, and his connections with Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA), and that's why it caught my imagination.

As a regular walker, (occasional!) trail runner and particularly now as a walking leader, my local fell and mountain rescue teams (MRT) have become a vitally important reassurance personally, and in planning to deal with emergencies when leading in the hills. Perhaps I should reiterate that this is a worst-case scenario reassurance, and never an alternative to good planning and incident prevention! 

It just can't be stressed enough, over and over, that these people are highly skilled, highly trained, highly experienced, and 100% volunteers. Even team leaders like Andy who've dedicated not just years but decades of their life to the cause. In the Dales, our rescue teams have to deal not only with incidents on the hills (walkers, climbers, runners, cyclists, animals & more!), but under them - our limestone hills are riddled with miles of exciting caving routes. What many people might not also realise is the urban input of MRTs - at a major incident or large search, volunteer MRTs are often called in to help, working just as tirelessly as paid Police and other services, yet with perhaps with the most specialist search and rescue techniques. MRT teams throughout the country are, of course, pretty close to my heart as far as charities go.

So it's seriously impressive that somebody who clearly already gives so much for his team was willing to take it one, pretty extreme, step further. To raise funds towards UWFRA's much-needed extension to their Grassington base, Andy decided, following a series of successful ultra races including the Ultra Tour de Mont Blanc, to up his mileage in a more personal challenge. Alfred Wainwright's famous Coast to Coast route is around 190 miles long and walkers should allow around two weeks to complete it. Or, you could just run it in three days with around 3 hours' sleep per night!

Following the live tracker and Rachel's Facebook updates after a day spent researching and reading about various other ultra challenges, and consequently with the armchair ultrarunning fascination running pretty high, it was pretty exciting to see he'd successfully completed a mission I can't even begin to comprehend. It wasn't easy on the support team either and their achievement should be noted too!

How does it feel to run 190 miles in three days? Well, for that I'll have to hand over to Andy, warts and all: visit Andy Jackson's Running Blog

If you're feeling the MRT love though, for whatever reason, or you've just read Andy's write up and feel it's worth a bob or three, please follow this link to donate to Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association:

Andy's JustGiving page

Alternatively, if you fancy a challenge yourself, why not try UWFRA's Wharfedale Three Peaks Challenge on 28th June?!

Dales Rescue Teams

Of course UWFRA isn't the only rescue team out there in the Dales - click the following links for more information on our amazing teams, all of which require our support:

Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team

Cave Rescue Association

Yorkshire Air Ambulance

Mountain Rescue England & Wales

More crazy runners

If, like me, you find all this long-distance running stuff a bit intriguing and/or inspiring, here's a few more blogs to check out: some well-known runners and some just ordinary guys and gals :)

Steve Birkinshaw - crazy, crazy attempt to run all 214 Wainwright peaks in the Lake District in 7 days, this is what I spent my first afternoon on Trail Running researching!

Janson's Bob Graham Round - a fellow 'Rocktart Runner' on his journey towards the iconic Bob Graham Round - a week to go as I type and I'm looking forward to following the adventure! Go Jans!

Lizzy Hawker - the name that introduced me to the concept of ultrarunning when I saw her win a 24-hour challenge on telly a couple of years back, not long after her UTMB success. I began working at a women's sports shop shortly afterwards but none of the ambassadors they chose came close to seeing Lizzy wipe the floor with the fellas she beat by miles that day. Guess trail running was just too muddy for that particular brand.

Scott Jurek - possibly one of THE most famous ultrarunners in the world. News came in while I was at Trail Running that he was in the UK and looking at the Bob Graham. Bouncing with excitement for editor Claire when she got to go and run with the legend himself!! As for the BGR? I believe the verdict was 'Even tougher than Hardrock!'

And for even more inspiration, give Trail Running Magazine a try :)

Last week, me and my mate Nikki climbed the highest mountain in North Africa.

Before I launch into that adventure though, the last few weeks have been pretty epic too…

In a nutshell (albeit maybe one of the larger species), I’ve learnt basic Italian, passed the HF Holidays three-day assessment to lead in their Italian resorts (yippee!!), spent a weekend in Ribblesdale leading the Yorkshire Three Peaks on a freelance basis and launched the first few Feet in the Clouds walks on Ingleborough and closer to home in Nidderdale, more on which another time.

On top of all that though, and pretty damn exciting in itself, I spent a week in Peterborough on ‘grown up’ work experience (‘internship’?) with Trail Running magazine, and got to dip my toes into the wider Bauer Media pool of Country Walking and of course my old favourite, Trail. The three all sit together in a corner of the HUGE open plan offices holding around 80 of the UK’s most well-known glossies and special interest mags.

I’d been familiar with Trail Running for a while and while I’m not the world’s most motivated runner I do love whizzing (OK, shuffling) along the top of the moors, I’ve done my share of Lakeland Trails and I'm doing Kielder in October – my first marathon!

And in a similar fashion to armchair mountaineering, I’ve become fascinated with tales of insane trail and fell ultramarathoners, with Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, Scott Jurek’s Eat and Run and, unsurprisingly, Richard Askwith’s Brit classic Feet in the Clouds (and yes, I got his permission!) all recently adorning my bedside table.

It’s a ‘sport’ of almost mythically superhuman proportions in comparison with glorified popular disciplines. It’s also unbelievably accessible in that these people are just ordinary lads and lasses who work all week then just happen to run up and down 42 peaks or so on the weekend for fun. And it’s all through commitment and love of the hills. Anyone could do it. I know regular hillwalkers and runners who’ve decided they might just do a bit of trail running, then a few more miles, perhaps a marathon… could chuck a few slopes in now I guess… Oh! I appear to be doing the Bob Graham!

Not me, you understand: I don’t have the motivation. True, I’m also not super fit, I don’t have a healthy physique, I’m not long-legged and I don’t skip up and down hills like they aren’t there... but those are not the issues. The beauty of ultra and fell running (after the scenery of course!) is that it’s about Keeping Going. Who cares if you can’t sprint? I know that if I run regularly, I get better, I put in more miles, and my limits lie not with ability but at the point where complacency inevitably, for me, overtakes dedication. I know that when I keep training, I never get faster, but I do go further. And further. And throw a couple of long distance walks into the mix and my stamina goes through the roof. So I’m addicted to ultrarunners’ adventures because, in those moments with those guys, I honestly believe: that could be me too. Even short-legged, slightly overweight, asthmatic, anaemic me. 

So. Anyway. Wasn’t this post about working on a magazine?! 

My first day was spent primarily proof-reading and editing text – and although it might sound monotonous, I’m afraid I’m one of those red-pen people. I love proof-reading! It’s also kinda fun as a newbie to get a first read of all the new stories, gear, events, features, and really get under their skin. If you like the subject you’re working on – great! It’s like reading the magazine for free! At the end of the day though, my first assignment was go: some chap called Steve is doing a big run, will you interview him? Ah – the ultrarunning digression was relevant, you see!

Joss Naylor, the legendary Lake District fell runner and shepherd, ran all 214 Wainwright peaks in a little over seven days. 28 years ago. He still holds the record and nobody else has been daft enough to try it. Oh yeah? Meet Steve!

In June, Steve Birkinshaw is going to launch an attempt on Joss’s record. Surviving on 4 hours’ sleep a night, eating on the go and with a streamlined route plan, can he top his Dragon’s Back win (a 5 day mountain race from north to south Wales) and change the fell-running history books? This normal guy from Threlkeld who works and supports a young family? It’s all incredibly exciting and you can read about it in the next issue of Trail Running magazine! ;)

What struck me throughout the week at Bauer was how easy it was to feel at home in a large office again when you have the right people. Subject matter makes a monumental difference - we might have been sat at computers in the flatlands of Peterborough, but when all day is spent living and breathing running and mountain talk, with runners and mountain folk, it’s about as good as it gets without physically being Out There. And they’re a great team too, which I genuinely enjoyed being part of for a brief few days. Even the crazy week of constant running/walking/pilates and even swimming with the Stamford Tri Club (excellent coaches!) that happens when you try working with Claire, Trail Running’s editor! 

I’d also been sort of expecting the whole ‘stuffing envelopes’ side of work experience, so as a slightly older-than-average intern it was brilliant to launch straight into actual editing, interviewing and writing – and to get the feedback and advice required when you’re interested in the outdoor media but don’t really know much about working in it. 

All in all great teams, great experience, great advice…  and I never thought I’d say this, but: a great week in the office!!

The next issue of Trail Running is out 8th May.

You can catch both Joss Naylor and Steve Birkinshaw - along with TR Editor Claire Maxted - at the Keswick Mountain Festival from 15-18 May 2014: www.keswickmountainfestival.co.uk