Somebody told me once that Birmingham has more miles of canal than Venice. 

I've been never been to Venice so I will have to take their word for it, but I can say that the Canals around the Midlands provide an excellent haven for the ultra distance runner.  

Although we are restricted to daylight hours, it also provides a terrain that is softer underfoot for mt training partner Codi. 


With that said, every weirdo who lives in the Midlands must have decided to take a walk along the canal at the same time!! 


I saw one rather strange older gentleman fishing, wearing a Tesco carrier bag on his head. 


A few hundred yards later, a guy was paddling a gondola with a young  lad (who I assumed was his son), fast asleep under the guy's feet. 


I was however, entering Walsall, and having worked in this area before, three-eyed locals are a norm so the sights I witnessed did not come as a surprise.  Codi and I completed an out-and-back route covering around 20 miles



Training at last is becoming more consist ant.  I always cringe when I read or hear the training that some athletes  are doing at this time of year.  I have read on one forum that some athletes training for the Enduroman Double Iron next year are already going out for 5 hour bike rides.  Training needs to be progressive.  A 5 hour bike (regardless of ability), takes a great deal out of the body.  If they are doing 5 hour bikes now and their training is progressive, what will be the length of their rides next June?  I understand that athletes enjoy their training, but I find it frustrating sometimes when I know that these athletes will be able to perform to a much higher standard if they applied a different approach.