Having arrived in the US without a tyre, my friends took me to a farm yard to choose a tyre. There were macho tractor tyres of all sizes saying "pick me, pick me", but they were not the ones. We were looking for a peace tyre. 

After looking thru a couple of barns, Richard picked out a wretched looking snow-mobile trailer tyre. A sport trax 20.5 x 8.0-10, 15lb tyre with a scar on one side. The other tyres told me they were better looking, but instantly I knew she was the one!

Erin removed her rim, scrubbed her up and cabled her. 

She was now ready for her make over and given the name Bisaniiwewin, which means Peace in the Ojibwey language.

February: The year was kicked off with the Enigma 4 marathons in 4 days challenge and the fastest time was completed by Rec (7:10:49) and our longest event so far.
March: Red was introduced to the world in the Daffodil Dawdle and by December she has finally accepted to being dragged!
April: We finally got a time in the London Marathon.

May: Landy was introduced to the world. Currently he is the highest tyre (15 kg) and is in a relationship with Red.
June: Had fun in the Hatfield McCoy marathon - this has the bestest, most excellent value for an event
July: Had a beautiful race in the High Weald Challenge

Aug: Rec did a reasonable time in Santa Rosa at 7:45:32 and stayed for the sunshine rather than return to the UK. He didn't want to have cold treads
Sept: Armani was introduced to the world and went to the top of Kilimanjaro. He is the highest tyre - 5895m.

Nov: Red was still sticking her treads into the ground, picking up mud and leaves in the Gatliff Challenge.
Dec: Red helped TG complete her 25th tyre dragging marathon and has decided to try to be a better tyre for 2012!

Tam has the ability to call animals to her and has been retired to a place in the garden to enjoy the animal scenery. All the tyres voted this photo as their photo for Christmas.

Thank you everyone for visiting this site.

More news on the way with the Christmas Marathon Challenge on the 27th Dec and then 135 miles in North Minnesota where the temperatures last year were recorded at -60 degs F. TG is currently researching into how to keep her feet and hands warm as she has raynauds.

Was I Tired?
I've decided to take my training a little more seriously, so intended to take Landy out on a 13 mile pull. We landed in Windsor Great Park and set off over a nice dirt track path towards the lake. The few people that were out there at that time of the morning either smiled or laughed at us and I was happy to be able to bring out so many smiles. There were a couple of stops to talk to inquisitive people.
One little girl who looked about 5 years old, saw me, put her hands on her hip and exclaimed "You must be tired!". I laughed and replied "not yet love, got another 11 miles to go"

Using Landy as a Carriage?
Being Sunday it was a sunny day and hotter than usual (over 20 degrees). I soon found myself diving into my second bottle of water and pulling up my t-shirt to expose my stomach to try to keep cooler. We got round the lake with a couple of walking breaks and then headed over to the polo fields as the route is normally quieter.  However today was a special day and it was heaving with people dressed up in evening summer wear. And if they thought I was crazy, I thought there were so many mad women wearing 4 inch heels on uneven ground and grass!!! Of course the pointy heels sank into the ground. So I asked a man called Giles with his entourage of 4 women about the polo who was playing today. He exclaimed "Yes there is polo but it certainly is not for the polo that we are here - har har" and shook his Sainsbury carrier bag of booze.  Keeping Landy very close to me, decided to check it all out and soon became enveloped with people all round. There were more smiles and curiousity about Landy. Thought I could easily set myself up as entertainment! Someone suggested that I take people for a ride and charge money!......If only I could drag a 60-80kg body on tarmac!!!

Sheep?
The road "Smith's lawn" had been blocked to cars and the fields had been set up for parking. One small area (0.5% of the entire field area) had been set up as a special picnic area that was completely covered in people. No blade of grass could be seen. I wondered why anyone would want to cram themselves in a tiny space when there was a fantastic park to spread themselves out over. Guess it's like a large car park. As soon as one person has parked themselves, all the other subsequent cars that enter the car park congregate around the immediate vicinity of  the first car. I believe this must be human instinct to behave like a pack......of sheep, easily herded into one area. Although there were some who decided to picnic by their cars.

Head to Head with Prince Phillip
Passing the main polo field, a retail village had been set up. I was tempted by the distraction, but in my heart I really wanted to get back moving to complete 13 miles and so continued to the barricade at the other end of the road where I met Paul who was manning the barricade. Waiting for cars to pass, had a chat with him, and got him to write me a peace message. As he got back to work, and I got ready to go, there was a black car in front of me. Opps it was Prince Phillip. Of course I smiled, did a quick wave of apology and moved to one side so that Paul could remove the barricade to allow HRM through as well as move the crowd to one side to allow his car through.

Cartier Day
Soon after I met a couple who came to find out what I was training for and thought I was still studying. I asked them what was the event all about. They cooly said that it was "Cartier Day".
"Cartier Day?" I enquired.
"Yes Cartier Day" they responded.
"Apologies I am an ignorant foreigner brought up on the shores of Singapore"

...and so they explained Cartier Day and followed up the conversation with their Singaporean experiences.

The Crown Estate
Heading out of Smith's Lawn I saw a big man with a baby girl sitting on the grass having a little picnic with her. It was strange to me as it was hot and the baby had no shade and he was a big guy trying to get this little baby to eat. As she stared at Landy, the man told her in a small voice that men do to kids "she's pulling a tyre". I wondered if he was undercover agent!

10 metres pass this man, I looked beyond the polo field entrance and saw a lot of cars queued up. I decided to call it a day at this point not wanting to be obstructive to traffic and turned off towards Saville Gardens. Saw some wardens and waved to them and  a man approached me. He was the head warden of the park and respectfully told me to get an agreement with the Crown Estate to drag the tyre in the park. Naturally he was concerned about me being obstructive and I understood that today was not the day to be dragging a tyre in the park.

And so now I await a reply from the Crown Estate with fingers crossed for a positive reply.

Red was a little annoyed with TG today and made it apparent. So Red will write her diary entry in by Sunday 17th July as TG's alter ego has got to go work now. Have a great week all.

Above photos, you can see Landy pretending he's a skirt. Can only think he might have a little bit of Scottish steel in him. TG might very well be wearing him up the grisly grassy Petersham Hill. The Hill of Doom will be a piece of cake compared to this hill. (there are 3 big bad hills on this route)

Landy is a 15 kg tyre, as big as a small truck tyre. Unfortunately (well really fortunately) the paths are not wide enough to accommodate a larger truck tyre and TG has to continue with her alter ego after the marathon, going to work immediately after pretending nothing has happened!!

Am to work in the States for a week in June. So I thought to myself this would be a great opportunity to participate in a US marathon. Got onto a website that lists all the US marathons and emailed many of them with something like:

"Dear Organiser,

I would like to particpate in your marathon and would like to take my tire along with me......<details of tyre given and my experience with dragging tyres and reasons for doing so>.

Would you be open to this and provide me with the opportunity to do so?"

.....yes I ensured I used the US spelling of tyre.

I did expect some rejections. After all there are UK events from the LDWA that do not like the idea of a tyre being dragged. Those that have said "No" have cited that I would either damage farmers' crops, cause land erosion, or get in the way of the runners and thus health and safety reasons. For all the US events that I have contacted, I have been rejected or event organisers have refused to respond to my emails. Those that have replied have given similar replies plus path ways being too narrow, the trail being too loose.

My tyres typically weigh 10kg, and slide on the ground, having less force impact on the ground compared to an average human-being weighing 60kg running along and "smacking the ground" with 2 times their body weight. My tyres are 60cm wide. I am 56 cm wide.........and I must accept that some worlds are on a very narrow path and some worlds are more embracing.

My mind drifts back to New York marathon, 2007. Had spectators yelling at me to take off the tyre and run the marathon properly. On the US runnersworld site, there were a good number of "runners" who were not only against the tyre, but also against the rhino, the lighthouse man.......and in fact any runner that was running for a cause in an outfit that would make the event harder for themselves. Quote from one forumer:  "That's a wasted place that a 'serious' runner could have had." ....and all other forumers on the thread backed him.

The London marathon in comparison is way more relaxed. Spectators are fantastic and encouraging. There are so many ciostumed characters who bring a smile to many and it really is one big festival with millions being raised. The UK events both big and small that have accepted me, have had fantastic organisers who have had a good sense of humour. They have all made me feel very welcomed. Singapore has also been very welcoming and will always be fantastic.

I am lucky that I have 2 countries who accept and tolerate my madness to challenge myself.

Perhaps one day I might find a US event who would be amenable to the Tyregirl! ;-)

An hour after publishing this post and having given up (after all I have written to about 10 events).............one organiser has responded with a Yes!..... Hatfield and McCoy WOO HOO!

Recently I have had dreams about running with my tyre! Yes dreams that have occurred over a couple of nights.

I am running with my tyre in a marathon and at some point I begin to speed up and run faster. I look behind me and my tyre has disappeared. I stop and look back perplexed and then return back in my tracks to look for my tyre.  I am unable to find it. I want to continue the marathon regardless but I continue looking for the tyre and then that out of body experience.....I am telling myself to carry on running but my body continues to look for the tyre!

I wonder if this means I am bound to my tyre forever?

I am excited, because Tyre Girl (TG) has cleaned me up and her father has seated me on the back seat of the car! I am normally placed in the boot to keep the spare tyre company. Don't get me wrong, the spare tyre and I have a lot of common interests but sitting in the car with a person is rather exciting! Perhaps TG's family think I am special....Although Box did have a better view than me....

Reminder: have to persuade TG to remove Box off me for our next outing.

Ok let me get the sight seeing out of the way. The Southern Ridges route is a series of parks that are seemlessly inter-connected by bridges woven into the natural surroundings, so that visitors can experience the ecosystems from the ground to the top of the trees. It is a "hilly" route but very pleasant and has a lot of lighting for night time walks/runs. Below are some photos of the route. Click on one of them to view better images and see if you can read the graffiti on each photo!!!

Today I was to train Balasing to run with a better posture, of course all in line with the pose methodology. He was a little nervous for me to train him, calling me girly! How dare he! TG told him off "This 'girly' tyre is going to improve your running! So please respect Tring".  Balasing apologised.
Balasing runs with a small k-bend, which makes me jittery. So to remind him to push his hips forward and use his hamstrings, I complain by bouncing up and down. He tried to correct himself but he still wasn't quite getting it, until TG pushed his hips forward. He finally got it on a downward slope. Balasing ran with a perfect posture and so I happily glided down with him, until he got to flat ground and then bent forward again.

However my complaints soon tamed him, although he did have a small dilemma when he saw a sign about "no motorised vehicles allowed on the bridge". For a brief moment I was worried he was going to leave me behind. However there was reassurance from TG. She would never leave me looking abandoned :-).

After running 5km with me, I let Balasing off the rein. His running was quiet and looked effortless.

Now Balasing is considering how to ask his "missus" for his own power tyre. :0)

In Summary
For those learning Pose technique, any deviations from Pose will make your tyre bounce. If you are running efficiently and are within the Pose standard, your tyre will glide along/will have very minimal bounce.

One day on a cool Sunday afternoon, Tyre Girl (TG) wanted to explore a trail run between Bukit Timah and Macritchie Reservoir. She called some friends to join her, but unfortunately they cried off sick or were busy running an ultra marathon. So I piped up and asked to come along. After all, how many tyres get to watch water monitor lizards, monkeys swinging from branch to branch and who knows...... I might even get to see one of those mysterious Pangolas. After all the Bukit Timah Nature Reservejoins with the Central Catchment Nature Reserve providing just over 3K hectares dedicated to storing water and housing wildlife.

So Box climbed up on top and got "lidded" to stop the monkeys from stealing the food, water and extra clothes TG would place into Box.

We set off on the Kampong trail. It is called "Kampong" as once upon a time the indigenous people used to live in zinc-roofed houses in villages, keeping chickens and growing their own crops.

We meandered initially over crude bridges made of solid wooden doors placed over drains before reaching the main trail. Looking carefully in the plant overgrowth, one could see foundations of houses and low crumbling walls locked in battle with vines and creepers. Singapore has left this part of the island to be wilderness and for this moment, nature is mostly victorious. "Mostly victorious" because the trail through is kept clear and maintained by Singapore's highly efficient gardening machine. The same gardening machine that keeps the entire island looking manicured and pristine. Though they failed me today, as I got stuck on debris that had fallen from the night's storm. TG gingerly picked me up a couple of times, and didn't seem too enamoured by the task. Okay so I had a bit of mud and leaves on me......"it's the jungle TG, and it's damp from the night's downpour!"

Once we crossed the Rifle Range road, the trail narrowed, and I don't think TG got the trail quite right 'cos I'm sure I caught a glimpse of a wider trail deeper within the jungle that looked more like the trail we were on initially. Anyway after getting caught on roots and rocks and woman-hauled over fallen trees,  I began to feel a little worn. Thankfully, TG decided to break away from the trail and head out onto the road (Rifle Range Road). I was kind of glad as my poor rubber suffered a bit of abrasion.

It was along this road when we would see our first group of humans plodding along in the mid-day sun. They gawked at me and I threw them a chapped lip kiss whilst TG wished them season's greetings.

Anyway I was now happy, gliding along the sunny road until we had to leap over a barrier to enter Macritchie Nature Reserve. More stones and roots to bump and grind over....my poor rubber treads.

A sweaty man walker looked at Box longingly...."Do you have any drinks in your box?". TG replied "Yes, it's $5 a sip.  All proceeds to Acres". The walker laughed and walked on.

Another lady walker looked at Box longingly....."Do you have any ice creams in your box?". TG replied "Only drinks and sandwiches. It's $5 a sip. All proceeds to Acres". The walker laughed and walked on. Oh well, TG could only try!

A family came walking by and the 8 year old son yells...."Hey what's in the box?". TG replied "It's a secret and if you are good, you will see good things inside". The parents stopped and talked to TG, then took a couple of snapshots. The young daughter seemed scared of little ol' me.....although I blame that on Box. Box was really getting all the attention.

As the parents continued to talk with TG and check if I was a real tyre, the boy's curiosity intensified, firstly repeatedly asking...."What's in the box?", and then began to repeatedly demand to see the contents of Box.

TG replied "If you really want to see what's in the box, then you will have to pay $5 to see its contents".

The boy immediately turned to his father and asked him for $5. His father laughed and said "Wait until we get to the car, son".

The boy looked up at TG and asked "so how?"

TG responded "Sorry kid. The secret has to remain"

Suddenly the boy tried to lift the lid off Box, but TG had secured the lid so that the "monkeys" would not be able to lift the lid. The lid stayed on guarding Box's contents. The boy's parents told him off for being so rude. TG told him gently "Sorry kid, the box does not want you to see its secret. Just be happy that you couldn't open it, otherwise it could have been bad!" The parents laughed and said goodbye and as we parted company the boy demanded one more time "Tell me what's in the box!"

Am sure there is a moral to this tale.....

Finally we got onto a broadwalk that belonged to the end of the Macritchie treetop walk and passed many walkers. I felt TG was a little rough with me as I got bounced down multiple sets of steps as she tried to hurry on, and was happy when we finally reached the trail after 1km. There was an ultra marathon going on in one direction, so TG went in the opposite to avoid blocking runners.

The trail appeared to be deserted and I was able to see monkeys playing and a 1 metre water monitor lizard.  Soon we entered a golf course and were stopped by an American couple Dan and Emily who were curious about me. After a conversation they made a donation to Acres.

Note to Dan and Emily
The charity website is http://www.acres.org.sg/ and for more Asian adventures, speak to Jack or Jo from Ace Adventures http://www.aceadventure.com.sg/

After 3 hours of trail from Bukit Timah to Macritchie, we ended at the Macritchie Park Cafe: me for a wash down; TG to catch up with some friends doing the ultra and of course food.

It soon began to rain and TG shied off returning back through the jungle. We instead took a bus home. Thank you Mr Bus Driver for your patience, as TG had to angle me  and Box through the door to get us in and out of the bus.

Summary
Overall, as a tyre that is game for anything, this was a hard track to cross especially when crossing into the Macritchie Nature Reserve. For runners, trail shoes and strong ankles would be recommended. The track from Bukit Timah to the start of Macritchie is easy as long as you follow the trail which is a wide path! If you are concerned about the path, do as TG did and use the road instead. It is a fairly quiet road with very little traffic. Could do this part in normal road shoes but be prepared for undulating hills.

Next week, I'm looking forward to checking out the Southern Ridges with TG.