If you haven’t been following you can catch up on previous news in 2024 review, then one in which
- I left Microsoft and corporate IT, and joined Ourea Events
- Pippa continued to build her Lakes Climber business and started a job with British Orienteering
- We renovated and moved into our new home in Kendal
So what went down in 2025?
Ourea Events
In September 2024 I joined Ourea Events, working alongside my friend (and mountain marathon partner) Shane Ohly. 15 months in, I’ve now experienced the full sweep of our major events: Dragon’s Back Race, Cape Wrath Ultra, Northern Traverse, and Skyline Scotland (as well as several others that aren’t returning in 2026: Great Lakeland 3Day, Tea & Trails Ultra, and the SheRACES Trail Series). If you’re curious about where Ourea is heading, see our 2026 Vision
My job title is “Business Manager”, which in practice means… well, many different things: HR, IT, contracts, finances, funding bids, helping launch our Shelter Stone medical and rescue services, and generally making sense of the chaos. It’s varied, challenging, and satisfying. After years in corporate IT, working in an industry I genuinely care about feels refreshing and energising. Redundancy turned out to be a very well‑timed shove in the right direction.
Orienteering & Running
The year began in Aviemore, where Pippa and I supported a GBR training camp—deep snow, beautiful forests, and good orienteering.
Unfortunately, February brought a less welcome development: Achilles pain, triggered shortly after starting training with Helm Hill. I was excited; my Achilles was not. Despite diligent rehab, reduced running volume, and careful management, it’s been a persistent companion ever since. Even so, there was plenty of orienteering:
- Lipica Open (Slovenia) in March – see separate blog post, including our train‑based travel adventure.
- British Orienteering Long Champs in May, where Pippa finished an excellent 2nd on a tough Grizedale course.
- WOC selection races & training camp in Finland in June, where I was team manager – great to support the athletes and sneak in some forest time myself.
- Scottish 6 Days (Deeside) in August: good courses and orienteering with Pippa finishing 1st overall in W45, and me 2nd in M45.
- Controller duties galore:
- British Night Champs in February (my first event as a Grade A controller)
- IOF advisor clinic in Finland, followed by becoming an IOF Event Advisor
- Controller for the CompassSport Cup Final at South Gare in September
- Currently controller for JK 2026 Long in Rannoch Forest, and my first IOF Event Advisor duties for both Long and Middle days
In the autumn I also took on the role of Lakeland Orienteering Club membership secretary, and I’ve continued my involvement with the Orienteering Foundation, managing the website and acting as an ambassador.
See below for charts of annual mileage and hours, but the headlines for 2025:
- Similar overall hours (a bit over 1 hour/day on average which is satisfying to reflect on)
- Continued focus on strength work, which feels ever more important in mid-life (aiming for 2–3 sessions/week, averaging ~1 hr/week)
- Fair amount of orienteering, but much reduced running due to Achilles rehab (sad face)
- Increased cycling – mainly through cycling to work and back 3-4 times per week (15-20 mins each way)
Climbing
I feel like I haven’t climbed much this year, but when I look back properly there have been some quality days out including:
- A weekend on Gogarth sea cliffs on Anglesey
- A weekend in Llanberis Pass and the Moelwyns
- A stunning cloud inversion day on Grey Crag, Buttermere
- The classic rock climb of Bowfell Buttress
- Aberdeenshire sea cliffs during the Scottish 6 Days
- A brilliant scrambling weekend in the Ogwen Valley
Not a bad list after all.
Pippa
Pippa continues to split her working life between two very different worlds:
Lakes Climber – Her mountaineering and climbing instruction business is now properly established, with 2024/25 being the first year to turn a profit after the previous significant costs of qualifying as an MCI and buying all the necessary kit. Work comes from recommendations, returning clients, people randomly finding her online, and freelance days for other instructors.
Most of her work is rock climbing – from complete beginners to advanced coaching and much in between – with occasional navigation days and orienteering coaching. It’s usually fulfilling and a privilege to spend days out on the crag, though eight hours in the rain with a less‑enthusiastic client can test anyone’s patience.
More on the Lakes Climber website and Instagram
British Orienteering Performance Program Manager – This role is… complicated. In theory it’s about strategic direction for the GBR performance and development teams. In practice it involves:
- Wrangling various issues
- Being the focal point for complaints (orienteers love to complain)
- Seeking consensus (orienteers are opinionated and don’t always agree)
- Endless selection‑related stress
- Working far more than her contracted two days per week
- Balancing a “working day” with interacting with many volunteers who are available evenings, weekends, or in the arena or event car park
- Keeping the performance program on the organisational agenda while other permanent staff obsess over participation, social media metrics, and Quid Games
The bright spots are her performance team and the athletes themselves – working 1:1 with them and celebrating their successes is genuinely rewarding.
Outside work, Pippa:
- Continues to enjoy playing in two orchestras:
- Cobwebs (Tebay) – amateur, friendly, fun
- Westmorland Orchestra – more serious, with 3–4 concerts per year, but still fun!
- Finds time for personal climbing and orienteering adventures in the Lakes
- Battles daily with stress (see British Orienteering job above), many symptoms of peri-menopause, and exhaustion from poor sleep (I could just sweep all this under the carpet in a blog post like this, but I’m not going to shy away from saying life often isn’t easy even if it can seem fun on the outside)
Other Goings On
- My mum celebrated her 80th birthday with a family gathering in Norfolk. My dad is up next in September 2026.
- We attended Jenny & Emma’s wedding in Tromsø (far north of Norway), combining it with rock climbing, walking, local orienteering and reindeers.
- We bought a new EV in March – an MG4 – which has been brilliant. Great to drive, great features, and range anxiety is easily managed with a bit of planning.
- I went to a Merton College reunion, catching up with people I hadn’t seen in over a decade.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Plans already in the diary:
- A rock climbing trip to Morocco in February
- Another trip to the Lipica Open in Slovenia in March
- Selected to orienteer for England at Interland, conveniently on the way home from Slovenia
Here’s to a better Achilles, more time in the hills, and whatever adventures 2026 brings.