Jack Roberts has left us, by Stevie&Laurence Haston

Sad news today, Jack Roberts has left us, he died on Bridalveil Falls yesterday. He used to love his ice-climbing and big fishes, always smiling and ready for some adventures. We have fond memories of meeting him over the years in Boulder, Ouray... He will be missed, all our thoughts go to his wife Pam and his family.
Your smile will be enternal to us...

On Failing, by Stevie the Failure Haston.

Stevie interviewing Adam Ondra for Gripped Magazine (c) Lorenzo Belfrond

Yesterday I read two great pieces on failing or more correctly about trying and not succeeding. One is from perhaps the greatest climber of this moment and the other from Scott Jurek one of the most able of the Ultra long distance runners. They are basically the same and to find them on the same day seems almost more than the coincidence it is. If you are like me and have an interest in both activities please read both they are very interesting. Failing is part of succeeding, up to the point you succeed or finish there is always doubt and the chance of falling or a DNF (did not finish in running), it’s never over till the fat lady sings. At the top of this page is a great climb I failed on, it’s there to remind me about many things, there is the always unanswered question, could I have done it if things were different? Will I ever go back? Do I need to? Read what young Adam says about his failings, or read about what Scot says about his. There are many ifs, buts, and perhaps, there are so many things that can go wrong or right, conditions, attitude, physical and mental condition. Sport is the metaphor for life, because without being able to try, and chance a bit many of us would not get out of bed. Thanks Adam  and thanks Scot. I got out of bed today inspired at five, and started to train aiming to finish at 12, did I finish, did I succeed, for sure I tried.

Planet Mountain for Adam Ondras interesting chat http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=39015&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
Scott Jurek's Blog for his long chat about the very long TMB.
http://www.scottjurek.com/blog/
I highly recommend both.

Plans, Scams, and this Blog, Stevie Gollb Haston.

The Med is full of plastic and chemicals, we eat plastic...

New year full of promise, but empty purse, replete with woe.  I want to do some good stuff this year, it doesn’t have to be earth shattering, but it either has to be magical, or majorly monstrous, but always memorial. Bearing this all in mind and the empty purse, one would at first think this is all impossible, but the first step was yesterday. Let me explain. Yesterday I had a little run, I mean little really, it was 5kms! I have been injured since last October, a bad tear in my calf, anyway I been trying to mend it, but it has resisted, so yesterday I decided to Kill it! I signed up for a very long, nasty run, with 13000 meters of up & down, to concentrate my mind, and try and put some routine in. However being an idiot I forgot that I am going to go swimming and climbing for a few months in Malta - hardly the most mountainous place in the world. Still I am not cancelling Malta, which would be the sensible thing to do, I need the simplicity of the sea and a bit of sea cliff climbing. I want to go caving, and I want to spend some time with my wife, I also want to climb in North Wales, I also  think I need to suffer more, and try for a good time in the Tor de Geants. Lastly I would love to climb a very great route; but it is unfortunately a bit hard, not super hard, but with the running, it’s probably too hard. Yep, tall order and as usual, no money Still……
This Blog has also become a problem. It was started off as a diary, a bit of fun, and be a counterpoint to a lot of the normal dross for my mates- all two of them. However it is more popular than intended, and it now doesn’t really serve most of you well. So what to do with it? Bin it? Make it more popular? Lower the Stevie content, and opinion? It should ideally become a web magazine, something I have thought about, but am unwilling to commit to. To serve really well you must be independent of pressure, but to get money you begin to serve a master, and here lies a big problem. A lot of you want good gear reviews but obviously these are hard to get. I work for good people whose product is good or very good, but it is ethically dubious of me to review competitor’s gear. I also don’t really have the time, still and all, there is a need. I will try to do something …..maybe a monthly round up of news, well actually how I see the news! And a few interviews of great athletes and practionners, climbers, cavers, runners, skiers, snowboarders….
There is only one paper mag that I know which is independent and has unbiased opinion in it, and they struggle really hard. This mag for instance had the temerity to criticise Messner for doing a plastic water bottle advert, they have a really valid point, there are plastic bottles everywhere, and the young in Europe think that water comes in plastic bottles. When I have swum in the Med, often you will see thousands of submerged slowly decaying bottles, even in the Indian Ocean…slowly becoming part of the food chain; slowly turning us into plastic subhuman vessels.

Anyway I want to run, I want to swim, and I want to climb and I have an itch to travel again. And I need money, so maybe I should advertise harmful things-oh shit I already do!

If I don't put my plastic into plastic I get fine and its not even recycled here...

Pete Minks is gone, by Stevie Haston

Peter Minks otherwise known as Minks, died of cancer on the 7th. He was one of the reasons I fell in love with the North Wales crew and had such a ball in the late 70’s. As a climber he had nimble feet and was Whillans like in his physique, he did the second solo of the Walker back in the day and was very proficient at all parts of the game. The game of course wasn’t just climbing it was about fun and carousing. I can think of alotta his mates dropping a tear into a pint or ten. He and I did a very memorable ascent of Central Ice Fall direct and he was straight off the couch, we shared a pair of sun glasses I think, cos we both had a black eye. We also had a chillum just to take the edge off ‘as you do’, before the last pitch, there is a photo somewhere. I have to say he got me in alotta trouble, but it was all worth it, don’t rest in peace mate reek Havoc. Many a tale and not enough ale.

Pete had another life in America where he settled in the Tahoe area, he had a family, and seemed more content. There is a memorial service at Alpine Meadows (I think in Tahoe) this is on Saturday the 14th, -please check this.
There are some great photos of the old crew and Pete on Supertopo, check them out.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1714804&tn=0&mr=0 

The biggest mistake, by Stevie, the accident Haston.

Hydrophobia attack

You know every body thinks they are unique, but there is nothing unique about most of us. Do you have a tail? What you don’t! What makes you good at something? Is it hard work, or that special something? Let me tell ya, that special something is just hard work, it aint your inherent genius, cos you aint special. Hard work is actually the key, try planting a field, try harvesting, try ffing anything for that matter. I love running not because it is exciting, or ‘extreme man’, but because it is lovely, how do you get good, ffing simple-60 to 120 miles a week, and don’t get injured. When you start to think it’s you, you make ‘thee big mistake’. Yes climbing is skilful, (actually veeery skilful)  but at the end of the day, you don’t have to be Nureyev or Nijinsky, and didn’t Mr Nureyev and Mr Nijinsky who were so  so talented work really hard for years. Most climbers are prima-donnas, ego maniacs, take the big step, and love your sport and not yourself. The belief in yourself that is so important in sport, should be a belief in your training, the training that you have put in the bank! Take this ‘belief’, look at it, and relax, you will do well. Marcus Aurelius the great  Roman leader reportedly  had a servant whisper in his ear from time to time ‘you are only a man’, and this kept him in line. I used this line in Italy at a couple of lectures and they appreciated it, but only I think because they are so used to prima-donnas in their climbers The climbing media sells stuff thru adoration rather than thru worth, the industry sells stuff thru colour and specs, climbs and mountains, and mountain races, on the other hand just test your metal. They don’t care about the uniqueness of you, on a simple level they care how much force you can apply to a given hold, or in running your 10 km time!

I have made zee great mistake many times, but not for a long time.

It's grey and rainy, did 2000 pull ups yesterday

10 of the best Long runs, by Stevie Slow Haston.

Tor des Géants, (c)Lorenzo Belfrond

Got alotta letters asking about great runs, and rather than keep wasting my time replying, and changing my opinion, I thought I’d set it in stone. There are many great runs, but there is only one that rules them, but more of that later. First this planet of ours is still incredible in its beauty and diversity, so we should as citizens of the world, take notice, take part, and do our best to keep at least. some corners of it immaculate, as mountain runners I hope we do that, and don’t drop those little energy wrappers around like I’ave been seeing lately.
It didn’t all start in Britain it started everywhere, but the list is going to start here. It's starting here, because I started here, and my image of mountain running and runners started here, because of people like Bannister and Brasher. Before Banisters historic run, the lads where in Wales doing the tops, to get some extra quad training in, and perhaps to clear the cobwebs of incessant speed work training. Anyway it worked. For this reason the list starts with the Paddy Round, the North Wales mountain loop. It is terribly scenic, terribly rough, and you have the terrible time of 24hrs to get under, it’s about 100 km with 8000m up and down. There is no organised race, but you cross five quiet roads, and it is relatively easy to sort out if you have a couple, or better 6 mates.
The second long jog has to be the ultra famous Bob Graham Round in the Lakes. This is a similar run to the first, mountain, more lakes and mellower, richer scenery, it’s the UK classic, and the pinnacle of many runners involvement in the sport. About 100km, 8000m up+ down, about an hour, or two faster than the Paddy. It’s Wordsworth country, so you wander like a cloud or dash like a little whirlwind, and don’t forget that the poet himself probably did as many mountain miles as anyone. Oh and as a last point when is someone with balls going to come and try to beat the course record, 20+ years and counting. Third race is the Ramsey Round in Bonny Scotland, rough, tough, mean, more grandiose scenery, a bit shorter than the first two, but around the same time as the Buckley.
I have to take an aside now and mention Helen Diamantides, who was the first to do them all in one season!

If you think three are two to many for a tiny island you are probably right but it reflects how I think of mountains and running.
Fourth is the Mont Blanc round, totally classic, a well run race, the only thing I don’t like about it, is it varies year to year, and of course there are way too many people in it. These two things aside you cant go wrong with it, its majestic, and if you are of elite standard unavoidable, because it’s the big one in terms of quality of field.  160-180km, up to 9000m  of up and down.
Fifth is the Tor de Geants, this is the one that rules them all, and in the darkness binds them. It shares the Blanc with the last race but goes higher and stays higher for longer. In fact, length it has in plenty 330km, and 24000m of up and down. And it really is up and down. Many ascents and descents of 1000m +, its unbelievable. The contrast of different kinds of scenery gives breath to this race, as if it needs it! Wine and beer at rest stops, expect to see tears of pain and joy, very emotional, its Italy after all. This race is won in the dark watches of the night when others falter the brave strong and bold forge ahead.
Sixth is the Rond del Climes a mountain round in Andorra where I live, super rough, most of it is at over 2000m, true mountain running only just started it’s a cracker, small field, all good. Possibly the hardest 100 miler, go and try it and tell me.
The Spartathlon is Seventh, the oldest and for some the most important. 150miles only one big hill, all unfortunately tarmac. Jannis has run it on paths and small roads, and has done a there and back, but what would you expect of the worlds hardest runner. Its pedigree runs back to Classical times, and reminds us of the old Pros, the military couriers and postmen, of ancient, forgotten times. I like this one, because it always reminds me how soft we all are compared to old Infantry of less mechanical times, try a double march with full kit, and then a battle, as was common in Wellingtons time, or the time of the legion! No thanks, I’m a pacifist, just a little 10km for me, and no sharp swords!

Eight is the Diagonal de Fous on the French Island of Reunion, a combo of sea, Jungle and mountains. Its supposed to be unforgettable and I believe them. 160 km, rugged terrain, and fairly engaged as you can be along way from aid.
Ninth is the Sakuri Michi in the Land of the rising Sun, you will have to go with me on this one ; I know its all tarmac and probably boring, but it’s the spirit of who its dedicated to that wins it, and its on our way to the tenth. 150 miles,  and Cherry blossom and traffic. The other reason for its inclusion, is you have to have a couple of races where real speed freaks can stretch there legs, and show the mountain goats what its all about.
Tenth is the Hard Rock in Colorado, the best 100 miler in all of America, it’s tough, and similar to the British runs, but goes up to 14000 feet, altitude acclimatisation is compulsory for this, and unfortunately there is a ticket lottery to get in.
Ok there’s my list, I left out lots of really good ones, mainly in the Himalaya, which has the most gobsmacking ones of all. If any body completes these 10, I think they can call themselves a runner, as there are fast runs in it, not just plods, good luck. I have a few French mates who did the so-called three poles, the South pole, the North Pole and Everest. When I asked them what they where like, one replied, ‘White and boring’, so its kinda for that reason I have left the 300 miler out in Alaska, but you can have it if you want, I am not picky. The last sentence is for Beat who is going to do the Big White, good luck mate ,have a good one.
 If you want to make your own list subscribe to the French mag Ultrafondus it has the most comprehensive list of Mountain and road Ultras I have seen and it’s worth checking out.

Happy New Year by Stevie Haston

Keep Real

Keep Safe

Happy New Year 2012