Category Archives: Colin Blackburn

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Brass Monkey Half Marathon

York Racecourse, Sunday, January 19, 2014

Colin Blackburn

  Striders who know me will know that I am not usually one for the roads but that I have been turning up for some of the club’s classic road races over the last couple of years: GNR, Brampton and the GNR again! This year I decided to tick off the Brass Monkey, though given … Continue reading Brass Monkey Half Marathon

Marathon de Bessans 10K

France, Sunday, January 12, 2014

Colin Blackburn

I was over in France and this 10K caught my eye. Bessans is a beautiful little town nestling in the Rhône-Alpes. It’s a wide valley surrounded by snow-covered alpine peaks. The 10K started shortly after its sister races, a marathon and a half marathon, and shortly before the children’s races of 5K and 2.5K, there … Continue reading Marathon de Bessans 10K

Not the Ellesmere 10K

Shropshire, Friday, August 23, 2013

Colin Blackburn

On Sunday I didn’t do the Ellesmere 10K. In fact I didn’t know the Ellesmere 10K existed. But I was in Ellesmere. Not Ellesmere Port but Ellesmere, Shropshire. Ellesmere is pretty. Ellesmere has a mere and so Ellesmere is flat. Ellesmere is pretty flat. The Ellesmere 10K has 31 metres of climb. That’s 3 metres … Continue reading Not the Ellesmere 10K

Compass Sport Trophy

Slaley Forest, Sunday, February 17, 2013

Colin Blackburn

The Compass Sport Cup & Trophy is the nearest thing in orienteering to what the Harrier League is to NE cross country. One key difference is that it is a national competition with regional qualification rounds; another is that, as some orienteering clubs are very small, the competition is divided into the Cup for big … Continue reading Compass Sport Trophy

Hillforts and Headaches

Rothbury, Tuesday, January 1, 2013

AS / 3M 1020'

Colin Blackburn

Despite sending out an email letting people know about this option for New Year’s Day I hadn’t planned on doing this race myself. When, late on New Year’s Eve, Elfie saw the weather forecast for Tuesday she suggested a trip up to Rothbury just to get out of the house after being pretty much housebound … Continue reading Hillforts and Headaches

Great North Run

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Grand Prix Race. Endurance Champion Race.

Colin Blackburn, Pam Kirkup and George Nicholson

Colin Blackburn … As a runner I’m happiest when I’m orienteering. At even the biggest orienteering events such as the Scottish 6-Day I can still find myself completely alone in a forest with the sounds and smells of the woodland all around me. So what was I thinking when I entered the Great North Run … Continue reading Great North Run