In 2013, my aim was to qualify for the World Age Group Triathlon Championships. Which I did! I made it to London in the sprint category (age 45 to 49).

In 2014, I entered the Artemis Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon with the G-Force and thoroughly enjoyed this longer style of event. We came second in the mixed team category and raised a lot of money for charity.

This year I have decided to stick with the longer distance, multi discipline events and take on two half-Ironman style triathlons. I have entered the Aurlandsfjellet Xtreme Triathlon and Wasdale Triathlon.

Aurlandsfjellet Xtreme Triathlon

Billed as the most scenic triathlon in the world (we’ll see, won’t we?!), this event includes a 1.9km swim in Aurlandsfjorden, a 98km bike ride with a total ascent of a head spinning 3050m (this section is described as “extremely hard”) and then a 21km mostly uphill run to a height of 900m above sea level. The race ends up high.

Someone asked me how we then get back down to where we started and I still haven’t found out. Something in me is resolved to ignoring the stats and simply focusing on some decent training in Scotland’s chilly lochs and cycling and running/walking lots of Scottish hills.

One reason for choosing this event is that I have not been able to run a great deal (or consistently) in the past year. I have stomach/nausea issues that stop me running too far or too fast. I can, however, walk and run uphill and downhill at a steady-ish speed.

I also like to race later in the summer because it gives me more months of fairer weather and longer days for training. The Aurlandsfjellet Xtreme Triathlon takes place on August 15, 2015.

Wasdale Triathlon

Taking place a month or so later, the Wasdale is famously tough. Friends took part in the northern England event last year and talked about how hard it was. It’s billed as the deepest, steepest, highest and hardest…

Swim 1.9km across very chilly Wastwater.

Bike 90km on a very hilly route and with a total ascent of 2200m.

Run 21.3km including England’s highest summit of Scafell Pike (978m).

See Wasdale Triathlon

More Munro bagging

I plan to try to tick off more Munros this year and I hope that my Munroaming group on Facebook will grow, too. My tally sits at 171 Munros so that means I have just over 100 to go. I will be walking and occasionally running Munros this year in a bid to get running fit for the above two bonkers events.

The G-Force informs me that I will be taking on the mighty and scary Cuillin Munros this spring. I’ll let you know how I get on but I expect to cry quite a bit!

There! That’s my events revealed for 2015. Now I have to get on and train and race them.

What about you? What outdoors challenges do you have lined up for 2015?