After a so-so Scottish summer the invitation to attend the blue water of the Canary Islands, sparkling in the hot sun alongside the white stony seaside cliffs for the inaugural Half Marathon Des Sables in Fuerteventura sounded like too good an opportunity to pass up. 4 days later, 270 runners that took part could all … Continue reading Half MdS Fuerteventura, but not half as hard!
Something for everyone! Run for fun, race for time, challenge yourself with a multi day event, or simply walk & explore the beautiful trails of a stunning and mystical country that is close to my heart, Morocco. Morocco Tizi n Trail is a race each year consisting of 3 stages between 20 and 28km between … Continue reading Morocco Tizi n Trail
Running has given me a great reason to travel the world and I’ve been fortunate to run in locations from South Africa to America to Turkey to all over the United Kingdom and whilst every race has given me many rewards and enjoyment none have been as great as the reward of everlasting friendships. This … Continue reading Running’s Greatest Reward
The mystical shifting sands of the Sahara beckoned and lured me back for a 2nd time to compete in ‘The Toughest Footrace on Earth’ Marathon Des Sables (MdS). A 257km, the longest MdS distance in the 31 year history of the race, gruelling multi-stage, self sufficient race in one of the most inhospitable climates on … Continue reading The answer lies in the journey – Marathon Des Sables 2016
“Never again! Never EVER again!” Those were the words uttered by my husband Dion and I back in 2014 after our first Marathon Des Sables as we trundled back to the bus, mentally battered and physically exhausted after running 250km through the Sahara desert. (read my blog on the experience here) Fast forward to 2015 … Continue reading Never again….or maybe just once more
Here's a piece that I wrote for Run ABC for the June/August 2015 publication about getting into ultra running which might interest some of my readers. I hadn’t heard of ultra running as I started my first ever marathon on the streets of my city of birth Amsterdam in 2010. As I was slowly churning … Continue reading Running Hard – Going That Little Bit Further
This time last year it was me out there running Marathon Des Sables (check out my story here) but this year it was up to hubby, Dion Leonard, to go and run the 'Marathon of the Sands' again whilst I sat back and watched, and watched and watched! There wasn't a minute that went by … Continue reading Couch Endurance – MdS from afar
Need a great way to flush out the excesses of the festive season? Then look no further than Extreme Energy’s Pilgrims Challenge. 66 miles over 2 days on the North Downs Way with 2,364 metres ascent is enough to scare off the most stubborn mince pie! The format is to run 33 miles from Farnham … Continue reading Pondering about Pilgrims
There is something truly unique about the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon (KAEM)-250km self sufficient race through the desert over 6 stages/7 days that brings you back time and time again. The Kalahari didn't fail to deliver another exceptional week of stunning beauty, stiff racing competition and fabulous camaraderie. After finishing KAEM in 2013 and having learnt … Continue reading It Never Rains in the Kalahari
Runners run, right? But what about strength training? I have come to realise through my own experiences with strength training and research into how the top runners train that it is an integral part of a runners training plan if they are to succeed. I dabbled in crossfit last year for a few months from … Continue reading Incorporating strength training
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