Hello all.
Right. That bit took ten minutes thinking about, now what?
Ok, name's Dave, been running every other day or so for the last seven years. I like the off-road stuff; rape-seed overgrown footpaths and nettles rather than pounding the tarmac. Its harder on the skin but easier on the joints!
Just got a Garmin 305, and so at the moment I'm obssesed with Apollo astronaut style graphs, charts and data that is easily available from it. Fascinating stuff, and an amazing bit of kit. I almost feel guilty using it; it seems rather like cheating. No denying the performance improvement though. I'd recommend it to anyone.
I don't run far; about four or five miles is my max these days, shorter runs are more practical to fit into my life and leave more time for a beer in the bath afterwards.
Congratulations on the look and feel of the site, by the way. It does look very friendly and reassuring!

Welcome to RF Dave....look forward to hearing about all your off road adventures.

Have to say I'm a tarmac man myself...just do XC out of club loyalty!!

__________________
Get it sorted...and get it sorted early.

Welcome to the forum Dave

Thanks fellas. X-C stories? Actually, it does have its moments. Ok, once upon a time...

I'm doing one of my usual circuits round the village, and I come up to this hedge and I hear a tinkling. Funny, doesn't sound like a cow bell. So I get closer and then bursting out of the foliage comes what can only be described as a fiend from the bowels of hell. Ok, so I exaggerate. But lots of claws and wings. And a beak. Enough for me to back off. Anyway I could see it was a bird of prey of some sort with its jesses (the bits of leather falconers use) wrapped around a barbed wire fence post.
Course of action. Retreat back home.
I get home and relay the tale to my wife. "So what is it?" she asks.
" A pterodactyl. Or a vulture. Definitely."
"So why didn't you catch it?"
"Why didn't I catch it? 'Cause its got claws. And a damn great hooked beak. And let me tell you, its not happy! I make a point of going nowhere near things with yellow eyes.."
Anyway, I made a few phone calls and eventually got hold of a guy who runs a local bird sanctuary. He came to the rescue and it turns out it was a saker falcon. He collected it and returned it to the owner. My kids got their photos took holding it. 'Course, I would have held it if I'd had his big leather glove...
Never did finish that run either..

That was an exciting run by the sounds of it

Welcome to RF Dave. I prefer off-road runs too, I love em all that fresh air and stuff

Hi RM

Welcome to RF.

TT

__________________
A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots

Welcome!

I do prefer trail/XC, but mix it up - don't have a car so running out of my suburb and into the countryside bit/woods is part of my route naturally!

__________________
My Running Blog -

Welcome to the forum... love the story too... feel free to post any more 'experiences' lol. Best of luck and I hope you enjoy teh forum.

__________________
www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - 'Stratford Summer Six' Race Report Added