Postcards from a tired man

Summer Spine Challenger North 2024 Prologue After resoundingly failing to complete the Winter Challenger South earlier this year due to an inability to leave the Mason’s Arms in Gargrave, I quite logically entered an even harder race, the Winter Challenger North in January 2025.  I figure if it hasn’t got Gargrave in it I’ll be alright yes? With this shaky proviso in place I decided I needed a recce of the Challenger North route and rather than faff around with complicated travel logistics I thought that doing the Summer Challenger North would cover off all that recce nonsense in one go.   I have actually finished the full summer Spine twice, so what was in store wasn’t exactly all new, but I figured that seeing the northern section before January 2025  would be welcome revision nonetheless. What has changed since my last full finish in Summer 2022 is that I have leaned heavily into the strategy of not really training, and I have become rather good at it. I avoid running at all costs,