Sorry for the delay in publishing my latest blog, due to many reasons mainly to do with Operational Security I couldn’t just blab about where I was and what we were doing.
Eventually we left the fine shores of Crete, we had one final weekend after a brief period at sea to get us back in date for flying, and I spent some of it driving around the beautiful but scarey mountains as me and some of my work friends went looking for a beach. It was worth the road trip! An adventure in it’s own right.
Off Cyprus doing some flying with the RAF Chinooks |
My running took me back to training on the ship, the many laps of the upper deck isn’t with out it’s monotomy, but with the good weather it makes it much more bareable than running on the ship’s treadmills which are just about useable.
As I plod around the upper deck, it does allow me clear my thoughts of work. As it currently is so unpredictable right now it doesn’t do morale much good. I think that is something I’ve learnt to do during my still short running career. To use it as a way of focusing, clearing my head of the negativity that I may be surrounded by. Even at sea, at work I am lucky to be able to continue my running in some form.
Laps of the upper deck as the sun went down |
We made our way to Cyprus and we sat off at Anchor in the bay just off Akatori. From here the place looks promising, and I await hopefully to spread my running legs along parts of it when I eventually get ashore. We eventually made our way alongside in Limasol. Sadly due to the political issues with another nation, we had very strict resitrictions on going ashore. We weren’t allowed to go ashore by ourselves and were only allowed in certain areas. The restrictions weren’t just due to political issues but also as the area was out of season the locals have a tendency of getting pissed off with tourists and they have been known to frog march people to cash points with guns to get money out for them as well as beatings and muggings.
So I kept my training to on board, and only went ashore for a bimble with people from the mess.
Our programme has gone from a 5 month med deployment supporting NATO to a pretty much 10 month programme, as we were given the kind words of your going through the Suez and now heading east. How Far East, we still didn’t know but what we did know was we were heading to far warmer climates. Were we heading to the Arabian Gulf or Further East? At the time of writing this blog we still do not know the plans the UK Gov have for us. All I know is we won’t be back until the end of Nov and it’s going to get much hotter! Not the most idea training for the next year's Arc of Attrition. Training in the hottest places in the world for the UK’s pretty much nails Winter 100 mile foot race.
Our position at the time of writing this blog waiting in Port Said |
Some of the goodies sent to me by my sponsor Tailwind Nutrition UK |
So where will be my next leg stretch? Dusty deserts of the Arabian Gulf or further East in the humid Asian lands?
Well by the time I publish this you will now the answer to this.Until the next blog.
Owain
#tailwindtrailbazer
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