Termessos/Guluk Dagi

The wind in Egirdir forced a return to Antalya a day earlier than planned. Not a problem though, as there are plenty of interesting day-trip options. After much consideration, I decided Termessos would work best - but not as part of a £100 tour! Instead, I headed back to the Otogar and got a cramped dolmus to Kortukeli, asking the driver to drop me off by the Termessos road junction. The weather was perfect - although still very windy, sunny, very clear, but cool. It is a 9k uphill haul to even gain the lowest point of the ruins, and without a car I had to walk. This worked well though, as it was the most practical way to get into the mouthwatering mountains that are so obvious from Antalya. The road was extremely quiet, no more than 2 or 3 cars passed. I jogged small sections and reached the ruins in reasonable time, heading through the collonaded street to the spectacular Pisidian theatre, in an unbelievable location at the top of the Gulluk Dagi plateau (just over 1000m). Above, an impressive crag, then the valleys stretching down to the coast. An incredible place, and I had it to myself. Near the agora, I saw a superb black-eared wheatear (and lower down a semi-collared flycatcher). I jogged all the way down, stopping at a little food shack for wonderful home made tarhana soup and cay. At the junction, I stuck out my arm and the first dolmus took me back to Antalya.

Sivri Tepe

Peaks: Sivri Tepe (1719m)

Area: Isparta/Lake District, Turkey

A classic 'signature peak' that dominates the lakeside town of Egirdir, where I was staying. Sivri Tepe translates as 'pointed spire', which is an apt description, albeit hugely exaggerated when approached from the other side (which is the only real route up). I arrived in Egirdir, the heart of the Turkish lake district yesterday afternoon after a really enjoyable eight hour journey from Goreme, very scenic after the big city of Konya. The lakes are all enormous, and there are some very big mountains in this area. Sivri Tepe is certainly not one of them, but it was the only realistic option without a car (and at this time of year). The wind throughout was remarkable - very strong crosswinds continually raking the narrow peninsula on which I was staying. Sadly, overnight the weather generally deteriorated and I had a very tight itinerary in the morning, with my next bus to Antalya leaving at midday. After breakfast at the top of Pension Fulya with stunning views over the Egirdir lake in all directions, I commenced battle with the crosswinds. I jogged up the road, flat at first, and then up towards the village of Akpinar. A continuous series of heavy showers barreled in from the south-west, some quite torrential. At times, they were of sleet and hail although there were also occasional easings. At Akpinar, the route veered north along the St Paul trail, a new long-distance path. This helped but the path was boggy and indistinct in places. I passed a couple of old shepherds (possibly Yoruks - this being something of a stronghold for them) sheltering under trees, and higher up branched off towards the peak itself - still impressive from this southerly angle. The remaining path was narrow and occasionally indistinct but became clearer for the final ascent up slabby limestone and scree. At a vague neck, the wind howled through: very strong, upward progress to the summit a real struggle particularly as a hailstorm blew in at the same time. However, I did get views from the summit down to Egirdir and the vast lake: memorable in this weather, my face raked with the hail. I didn't hang around, and scampered down: once beyond the vague neck/col the wind eased, as did the hail, and the rest of the descent down to the shepherds huts was easier although boggy, with annoying cloying mud, reminded me of the Wychavon Way ultra! It continued soggy, so I took a diversion to a gravel track. This led to Akinpar, after which a clap of thunder and a very black cloud sent me running back at 4 minute kilometre pace all the way back to Egirdir. Once back on the peninsula, the sun came out! I just had time for a shower and a borek/ayran lunch before getting the midday bus to Antalya.

Capaddocian valleys

After arriving in Goreme around 2.30am yesterday morning, I had got my bearings with a walk/jog up towards Uchisar, then down Gullicinlik (Pigeon) Valley, just trying to absorb the famously extraordinary landscape of Capaddocia. This morning, after a stupendous breakfast at the Shoestring cave hotel, I embarked on a longer outing, mostly taken at a gentle running pace. Towards sword valley initially, then through terrain ruined by quad bikes (a total blight on the landscape and ambience). The signage was appalling, and the terrain very complex, so I just followed my nose as the whim took me. This led to what I assume was Rose Valley, with its deep pinks and oranges stretching up towards the high plateau of Hagri Dag. A cave church was at the end of one of these hidden valleys, along with blossoming cherry trees: it was exquisite, and I had it all completely to myself. Down this valley, then up another, before taking the tracks to the village of Cavusin. I bought and drank a bottle of water below the remarkable 'cave city' that towers above the village, then headed down to the main Avanos road. A left turn, then a short road section before branching off towards Love Valley, which I then followed in its entirety, all the way up to Uchisar, the remarkable cave village I had already reached yesterday (it is dominated by a 'castle' formed by a giant pinnacle, a useful navigational aid). This valley, with its phallic 'fairy chimneys' is perhaps the most extraordinary of all, albeit a little less enclosed. Again, blossoming cherry trees added to the ambience (the weather was perfect throughout - deep blue cloudless skies, warm with little humidity. Again, I had it to myself: it has a remote feel in its upper reaches, which is completely deceptive because the road is never far away. The pillars fade, and the top sections reminded me of Utah, 'slick rock' and white canyon walls. I emerged at a pomegranate seller's stall, and then the Uchisar road. Miles away, across the plains, loomed Erciyes Dagi, a giant 4000m isolated stratavolcano peak above Kayseri. Later visited the open air museum with its ancient cave churches, then refuelled with the local speciality claypot kebab.

Wigan half

Race: Wigan half marathon

Time/Position: 1.21.43 (18th from 583 [1st V50])

This was something of a 'range finder', my first half since running 78.02 at Vyrnwy in September. It was also highly opportunistic, just breaking the journey from home to pick up EE from York. As such, I was pleased to feel pretty good and I really enjoyed the varied, interesting course. I struggled with the pace initially, on flat roads out from the pleasantly Victorian Mesnes Park towards the industry around Marsh Green. After looping the DW stadium, I began to feel much better and really enjoyed the next long section alongside the Leeds and Liverpool canal past Wigan Pier. I knew a climb was coming up, but still, the haul up to Haigh Hall was much tougher than I'd expected: steep, long and hard. I kept it going fairly well, gaining a place or two. Then, after looping the hall, you get to enjoy the long descent back to the woodland park gates (all very pleasant, lovely woods) before a very fast finish back to Mesnes Park. Finished first V50 in what I felt to be a reasonable time given the nature of the course and my current lack of speedwork. Then, straight into the car to continue the drive to York!

Phoenix parkrun

'Race': Phoenix parkrun

Time/Position: 18.57 (2nd from 84)

Runcorn doesn't sound the most attractive location, but actually this is a really nice course, and seemed the most likely local (ish) option this morning after much snow and ice. Last night saw one of the most memorable ever Collie Classic runs, up Famau in stunning conditions of deep snow as the sun set. It was  a bit tiring wading through the snow, but felt truly Nordic at times with branches weighed down by the volume of snow and the eastern sky purple. Today was a sharp contrast, mild and sunny in Phoenix park - the course involves two and a half laps with three climbs, almost all tarmac, and a nice lakeside/canal blast. The young lad up front was literally a kilometre (3 minutes) ahead of me in 2nd place, as he beat the course record.

Pipe Dream

Race: Pipe Dream (6.8k/420m)

Time/Position: 41.42 (28th from 148 [3rd V50])

I last did this way back in 2007, and at that time the route didn't follow the actual line of the pipe - instead it headed up the zig-zags in the Dolgarrog woods. Now, it is a unique outing: going up the steps right next to the pipe, at a gradient of 55%. This is all as brutal as it sounds, and as a championship counter there was quite a sprint for places, as the steps are not really amenable to overtaking! Where the gradient eases, jelly legs need to solidify for the familiar track towards Llyn Cowlyd. This is left quite quickly so the route can maintain its religious devotion to the pipe. I felt sluggish here, not really able to regain any sort of pace after the climb. A short extra climb to a vague summit, which I vaguely remembered from last time, before a fast descent, tricky in places, over field paths and down steep woodland. Simon caught me on the descent, and stayed ahead on the final steep track to the school. I was then able to pull ahead on the manic 600 metre dash through the village back to the hall. A nice walk round Conwy to stretch the legs, then an ultra-flat 18 miler from St Asaph (with no steps at all!) on the Sunday.