Mick's Mountain

Blog Convergence

2012-01-30T22:14:00.000Z

Well, it's finally happened. I've done my first running painting. That represents a convergence of my two blogs, this one and SlappingOilOnCanvas. I painted this recently as a present for my mate and mountain marathon (KIMM/OMM, Saunders etc) partner Dave on his 50th birthday.

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This painting had an immovable deadline so that gave me the motivation to get my finger out and do it at last. (I nearly started it a year ago getting Dave's birth year a year early). I have an ambition to become a regular painter of mountain scenery, ideally with a race going on and this was my first attempt. Unfortunately there's are any mountains in view but I'm very pleased with the result. The race Dave was taking part in was the Really Wild Boar race up in the Pennines near Sedbergh.

Time for an Update

2012-01-30T21:57:00.000Z

So it's a new year (already!) and the first month is nearly over. This post is a brief look at what I've got planned for the year and what's happened so far.

Top news is that I didn't get selected in the lottery for the Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc (UTMB) 2012 which is a shame, especially as my mate Dave is doing the impressive La Petite Trotte à Léon (PTL) and would have been over in Chamonix at the same time. Hopefully, this means that I'll get automatic entry for next year's event but with the massive oversubscription the race could be almost full with just the carry-overs from this year. It wouldn't surprise me if they changed the rules on automatic entries.

On a brighter note I got into this year's Lakeland 100 so I've got that to look forward to. I'm also doing the Grindleford Gallop for the third consecutive year. I've done well in this so far, coming third and second in the club. Looking at the large number of club entries for this year I somehow don't think that this trend will continue to first place.

As consolation to the UTMB I will probably enter a new event in Switzerland the Baechli Sardona Ultra Trail being organised by my friend Umberto. I've also got the offer of going over in the spring to recce the course and hopefully help with planning if I can.

I might squeeze in the 56 mile Bullock Smithy in August. I've got a 12 hour target to beat there. Apart from that there's a weekend recce of the latter half of the Lakeland 100 in June but nothing else planned.

The first three months of this year is the 3Ss: Speed, Strength and Suppleness. Well that was the plan. I've had a couple of cold/flu spells and an aching flank (hopefully not my dead kidney playing up) that spoiled the first part of January. I'm getting back into the swing of things now by putting in 5 or 6 five milers per week in the last two weeks. I need to get into a more rigourous pattern of training though.

Well I've no doubt bored you enough now so, until the next time, get off your bum and go for a run.

Ridgeway Challenge Piccies

2011-09-04T11:32:00.000+01:00

These marvellous (well they do feature me!) photos are taken from Ian J Berry's gallery at: https://picasaweb.google.com/108308823179714482058/TheRidgewayChallenge2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIa2jJDfjrH8iQE&feat=email# I can't find out how to contact Ian so I hope he doesn't mind me using them.
Checkpoint 1

Approaching Wendover Woods near Chivery farm

Approaching Chequers

At Cadsden (after the downpour)

The lady just behind me is Sandra Bowers (friend/partner? of Ian the photographer) who went on to win the Lady's race (becoming UK Trail Running Champion (Long Distance) in the process). The speed at which she passed me going up Whiteleaf Hill was very impressive. Here is her blog: http://sandrabowers.blogspot.com/ I get an anonymous mention in her Ridgeway post as the local runner with walking sticks!

Somewhere on a road (near Princes Risborough?)

Man of Bronze

2011-08-28T22:44:00.010+01:00

This post could have a number of titles after a very mixed day (or two) on the Ridgeway Challenge 2011, which was also hosting the UK Trial Running Championship (Long Distance). Alternative titles include:

Less Rush, More Haste
Pride Comes Before a Fall
Slip Sliding Away
A Race of Two Halves

The Ridgeway Challenge is an 85 (some say 87) mile race along the Ridgeway long distance footpath starting on the top of Ivinghoe Beacon, along the Chiltern Hills to the River Thames, across the river and Goring then along the Wessex Downs to Avebury.

Less Rush, More Haste
I had little time to get ready with not getting home from a business trip to Moscow unitl 9:00 p.m. on Friday night. In the end I forgot to apply sunscreen and to protect my nipples from friction burn.

Pride Comes Before a Fall
Having recently completed the Lakeland 100 I decided to have a go at this race as it is local to me. I live a couple of miles from the start and I'd used the Eastern half of the route as a training run for the Lakeland so I knew it well. At 85 miles and 9000 feet of ascent (compared to the Lakeland's 105 miles and 24,000 feet) I thought it would be well within my means. I'd done little training in the month between the two events, having only got in 3 or 4 short runs. So, not giving it the respect it deserves,

At the due start time Anthony Taylor, the race organiser blew his whistle. I and a few other Ridgeway virgins thought he was attracting our attention for a pre-race brief but it actually the start whistle. I set off (No. 114) at a high pace (although not as high as the eventual winner who sprinted off into the distance).

I ran the hills, which I never normally do on a long run, and arrived at checkpoint 1 after ten miles in 5th or 6th place! This was enough to damage my calves and quads which ached badly for the rest of the event. Lesson learned.

Slip Sliding Away
The weather during daylight was very mixed and alternated massively. One minute it was a torrential downpour, the next it was hot sunshine. It was difficult to know what to wear. It had rained during the previous week and, being local, I knew the chalk paths would be greasy. I chose to wear my Salomon XA Pros which don't have the best grip but I didn't want to risk blisters by wearing my Salomon Speed Cross or Inov-8 Mudclaws on a 40 miles stretch. Our bags were being transported to the halfway checkpoint at Goring so we could have a kit change. The first few miles to Chinnor were better than I'd expected. It was easy to avoid any greasy areas on the path. The next five or more miles along the straight path past Lewknor and Watlington were a completely different matter. Imagine trying to run on a lumpy and rutted surface covered in axle grease and you have some idea of the soul (and leg) destroying experience we had on that section. On already achey legs it was utterly tiring and demoralising not being able to get a grip. That long, straight and flat section is not my favourite at the best of times but this was awful. It left me miserable and trying to think of reasons to pack but try as I might I couldn't. Aching legs don't count as an excuse.

The next section was back up the Chilterns escarpment and up and down a couple of roller coaster valleys past Swyncombe Church. This was followed by a run out of the Chilterns down to the Thames along a lovely path in the Grims Dyke. I found a second wind at this point and used the gentle downhill gradient to put my head down and cruise along the path. As the Thames was reached and the route turned south along the eastern bank of the river I passed eleven other runners in the space of five minutes. My plan was to keep going to Goring where there was hot food and a change of clothes waiting for me. Unfortunately I ran out of steam at North Stoke and had to walk/jog the rest of the way to the checkpoint to arrive at 8:23 p.m. just as it was getting dark.

A Race of Two Halves
Having had a hard and mixed first half and feeling very weary I was determined to make best use of my time at Goring to put myself back into some sort of shape to do another 42 plus miles. I first got washed (wet wipe) and changed. I decided that as I would probably be doing a significant amount of night walking that I would wear my new three quarter length Salomon leggings rather than shorts and a Helly Hansen long sleeved top rather than a t-shirt. We had a cool head wind all day (and night). I found a small blister on the side of my left middle toe but it wasn't bothering me so I left it alone.

One legacy of the Lakeland 100 was some foot damage. The tendon running under my right big toe was still sore and the front of the ball of my foot was sore to the touch but I couldn't feel it when walking or running. This area, on both feet, was now very sore at Goring and would prove to be my main area of concern in the second half. I knew that the paths on the western end of the Ridgeway were almost all wide smooth hard tracks so I opted to wear road shoes with trail socks, a combination I'd not tried before.

Feeling a bit better in my clean dry clothes I then set about refueling. I had 300ml of SIS Rego recovery drink, a cup of tea, a cup of Miso soup, a bowl of beef and veg stew with two slices of bread, a bowl of rice and fruit and a banana. The checkpoint staff generally were very good but at Goring they were excellent, running round getting the midway bags, drinks and food. I topped up my drinks bladder, filled my 500ml bottle with tea and set off at 9:17.

Out of the check point it was across the Thames into Streatly then up the gradual ascent back onto the top of the ridge. I tried running sections of this but kept feeling like I was going bring back all that food so I settled into a fast walk for the first hour. Along the top I was feeling fairly good so I broke into a jog and passed a few runners (walking). Coming down a slight incline I came across another competitor. As I was about to pass her she said something (can't remember what) so I stopped and we ended up joining up and doing most of the rest of the route together. This was Lindsey, a very experienced ultra runner. I did feel a bit guilty as I dropped into a fast speed walking pace, using my new Mountain King Trail Blaze poles (which replaced the Raidlight poles I'd snapped on the Lakeland 100), while Lindsey adopted her ultra jogging shuffle. It appeared to be relatively hard work. I was striding out, breathing nice and steadily while Lindsey was jogging alongside breathing heavily. However, she seemed happy enough, and I suspect that she'd done this for thousands of miles over the years, so this is how we progressed for the next thirty odd miles. I had to jog a bit to keep up with her on the downhills and she jogged along side me on the rest. A good combination. I think we kept each other's pace up much more than if we'd been alone. Leaving checkpoint 7 Lindsey was sick and told me to keep going, which I did, catching up with a couple of other guys. At checkpoint 8 Lindsey reappeared seven minutes behind us. I though she was still in the checkpoint when we left but we caught her up a mile down the road. It was then back up onto the top where the route turned southward to follow a loop round Ogbourne St George (where I pinched an apple from an overhanging tree (my need was greater than theirs)). The day dawned as we approached Ogbourne. The weather had been kind to us during the night. Apart from a couple of very light and quick showers around 10:00 p.m. the rain held off. The sun came out around six and started to warm us up.

From Ogbourne the route went up the final big climb, a long drag up onto Barbary Castle.

From here there were 5 miles of undulating track along the top of the ridge until a right turn led a couple of miles down into Avebury and the finish. The road took us between the massive Avebury Stone Circle stones and into the village. A final 100 metre jog to the waiting crowd outside the checkpoint and we were there. A long hard slog made so much harder by my foolish start.

Inside the checkpoint building (Avebury Social Centre) I received a pleasant surprise when race organiser Anthony Taylor awarded me with the bronze medal for the M50 category in the UK Trail Running Championship. I thought I'd blown my chances of getting anything considering I walked half of the route. A very nice end to the run. Provisional results are here.

Overall, the route (and event) are well worth doing. A lot of the competitors I spoke to had done the 145 miles Grand Union Canal run. This would drive me mad with it's unending tow path running, tiny gradients at the locks and running through the backwaters of towns. The Ridgeway, with it's miles of chalk drovers paths, has just enough variety in its woods and valleys to keep my interest. Anything less and I would find it drudgery. I'll be sticking to mountain and hill running. Time will tell if I have another go at the Ridgeway.

Mission Accomplished - Lakeland 100 in the Bag

2011-08-06T00:14:00.610+01:00

A mere 105 miles on rough tracks over 24,000 feet of ascent in 34 hours 51 minutes. I was 69th overall (with only two people older than me in front of me, although one of those was 67!) out of 116 finishers from 224 starters. I got to bed at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday having last slept at 7:00 a.m. on Friday. Two hours later I had to drag my carcass out of the tent to go for a pee.

Preparation
I entered the Lakeland100 on New Years Day as a "sod it, what's the worst that can happen, I catch the bus of shame" new year's resolution. I spent the next three months getting up earlier than usual to do a core session on the Wii and an intervals session on the cross trainer. I also upped my weekly mileage from 10-20 miles to 40-60. I also tried to loose a stone and a half (I started at 13st which is too much for my skinny six foot frame). The weight was a struggle to get off but the fat came off OK. I can only assume the weight stayed due to increased muscle mass. In other words I changed shape without losing much weight. I did manage to shift half a stone in the end. My dodgy knee seemed to have given up the ghost after I'd ignored it for the last six months, which was a relief. Overall, I reckon I did as much as I could in preparation, including recceing the whole course (I had no intention of having to navigate) and was pretty satisfied with my condition as the weekend approached.

I think that I'd cracked the biggest problem that a lot of my fellow entrants seemed to be struggling with, many years ago back in my developing years. Mentally, the thought of running 100 miles has never been an issue for me. My dad was a cyclist and he got me and my brothers on bikes not long after we could walk. I did my first 'proper' bike ride when I was 5 years old (6 miles to the local power station and back). I youth hostelled my way from Doncaster to Scarborough and back when I was 9 and did my first 100 mile bike ride as an 11 year old. I've since done 240 mile 24 hour rides with very little training. I know in my bones that any distance is possible if you just keep going. However, the price I paid is that I'm a tourist and not a racer. I don't mind the distance as long as I can choose my own pace.

My Good Run
After the last recce we had a presentation from last year's L100 winner Stuart Mills. He asked us to discuss what would make a good race for us. Stuart is a racer and not a tourist. He'd been racing since he was a kid.

I set out three objectives in the following order of priority:

To finish;
To enjoy it;
To get somewhere near 30 hours.

Race Weekend
I brought my family (minus daughter Lucy who's in the US) up to the Lakes with me to try and make a holiday of it. We managed to get a last minute cottage some 7-8 miles south of Coniston. I also put up a tent in the event campsite at Coniston High School as I was expecting to finish sometime after midnight on Sunday and wanted to crash out there.

Prior to the start I had to weigh in (so that they could detect hyponatreamia during the event) (at 88.1 kg) and register, collecting my race number (140) and Sports Ident dibber (for checking in at the 14 checkpoints on route) and having my kit checked. Here's a dibber:

We all attended the pre-race briefing to be given last minute route instructions and a pep talk by the one and only living legend Joss Naylor. He offered us advice on endurance running "keep the knees bent running downhill" and had a go at the 3-Peakers who clutter up Wasdale with their litter. Then we had a hour to relax before the start.

There were four of us from Goyt Valley Striders (Mark R, Paul H, Pete D and me) in the 100 and one, Will, in the 50. Others I knew were Colin W (Pennine), Simon M (Buxton), Steve F (Bingley) and Steve K(Manchester). We lined up at the start in the hot sunshine. The forecast had been for sunny intervals but this was no cool summer's day. It was probably in the low 20's centigrade but it feels a lot more when there's no breeze and you're heading over the hills. My two pre-race nightmares were hot weather and falling asleep on my feet. The first was already here.

Leg 1 - Coniston to Seathwaite (1h 27m)

Terry sounded the hooter and we were off. The first of around a quarter of a million steps!

Here's some early video of the first 40 miles from http://zacpoulton.blogspot.com/ :

Lakeland 100 UTLD 2011 from Mountain Zac on Vimeo.

The usual rush over the first mile or so was soon over before settling down into the climb up into Coppermines valley. I used my poles, which I'd recently acquired, on this climb. They help enormously with my less than average hill climbing ability. At 135g each they are extremely light but do the job admirably as long as you don't put all your weight on them. I was so glad to have them for the climbs, especially those in the second half when I'd be knackered. Unfortunately, that was not to be.

We went round The Bell then back down to the start of Walna Scar Road where Stuart Mills was taking photos.

Me and my poles 2 miles in Picture - Stuart Mills

Pete D and I to and fro in the sweltering heat up to Walna Scar then drop over the other side together down to the Seathwaite checkpoint. I dib in, top up my water and grab some food before leaving. Pete had disappeared. I though he'd pulled a fast one and dibbed and gone (he hardly drinks anything). So I set off expecting to see him him just ahead.

Leg 2 - Seathwaite to Boot (1h 32m)

Across the valley then up to Glassguards where I had to stop the first of several groups on this leg going off route. Around the farm then up the valley to the boggy stuff through the forest below Harter Fell (we pass both Harter Fells on this route). I'd come down this boggy valley in much much worse conditions on the 2000 KIMM wading through knee deep slurry, so this felt quite luxurious in the dry conditions. They'd even repaired parts of the path even since the recce in January, making parts of it runnable. Then it was over the fence and down through the gap in the crags.

Gap between the grags towards Boot Picture - Nick Ham

These valleys in the south western Lake District are some of my favourites. They are less visited than most yet are the most scenic. The Duddon valley in golden autumn sunshine is absolutely stunning. Along the wall then down past the farm (where an irate lady farmer was (quite rightly)ranting about gates being left open) then it was along the river and down a short lane to Boot. The two pubs in Boot were packed with evening drinkers who cheered and clapped us as we passed which was nice. Then it was onto the second checkpoint. There'd been no sign of Pete so I thought he'd scarpered off into the sunset. I obtained my first bottle of tea at Boot, having learned my lesson on the Bullock Smithy run last year when I lost loads of time trying to drink tea and move at the same time. This worked a treat. After letting it cool a bit I was able to drink it easily while on the move.

Leg 3 - Boot to Wasdale (1h 18m)

My strategy included not running up any hills in order to minimise muscle damage (and also because uphills are not my strength. Neither are downhills since I broke my face on a rock but that's another story), but I found my self jogging up parts of the climb to Burnmoor Tarn. Having seen it on the recce I expected a few people to follow the track up the hill when it turned sharp left instead of going straight on. I didn't expect everyone to do it. It made me wonder if I was wrong but I stuck to my guns and went straight on. The hardly existent path become more defined and my confidence was justified as I pulled back loads of runners who'd gone up the hill to the back end of the tarn and did two sides of a triangle instead of sticking to the route. I allowed myself a little chuckle of smugness.

There had been more footpath repair on this section since the recce, particularly on the tarn outlet and the path down to Wasdale. I remember it being particularly rough going down into Wasdale but a lot of this had been smoothed out. The route had been changed to avoid the stream crossing and followed the route that we'd conveniently taken in the recce. It was starting to get dark as I approached Wasdale checkpoint. It was still warm so I didn't put on any more clothing at the checkpoint apart from putting my buff round my neck. The headtorch came out at this point but I didn't turn it on just yet. Still no sign of Pete.

Leg 4 - Wasdale to Buttermere (2h 18m)

I set off on my own and dropped into Mosedale. It was now dark enough to use the headtorch but I chose not to use it as I could make out the path OK. It was a shame there was no moon. It would have been amazing in this valley with a full moon shining. Even so I managed to get to the top of Black Sail Pass in the dark without the use of a head torch. I only turned it on when others joined me and my night vision was ruined. The trail of head torches bobbing up the path to the pass was an incredible sight. What a bunch of nutters we were. We seemed to group up going down the pass. There we two women in the group (one of whom I later learned was the winning lady Gaynor Prior).

It was here that disaster struck. I had intended to use my poles only on the uphills put they seems to offer some stability going down in the dark. I planted both poles into the ground when suddenly my feet slipped out from underneath me. This was too much for my ultralight poles and they both snapped in the middle. My heart sank. I still had 85 miles to go! I could picture the climbs out of Buttermere, Keswick, Howtown, Mardale and Kentmere all waiting to destroy my calfs and quads. I spent the next 30 miles trying to think of a way to fix the poles. I even considered raiding the campsite at Braithwaite to nick a tent peg or two but chickened out in the end. The last thing I needed was being chased down the road by a furious semi-naked camper!

So, I packed my poles away and got on with the job in hand (on foot?). Half way down from Black Sail there's a craggy bit with a tree next to it. I managed to remember that this can be avoided by simply going left where there's an easy grass path to the bottom of the crag.

Going past Black Sail youth hostel one of the hostellers was sat outside watching us troop past. I wonder how long he sat out there. Must have been quite a sight with the head torches coming down the hill. I was too busy watching where I put my feet to look back. We then mounted Scarth Gap. I missed my poles already but was pleasantly surprised that I didn't get passed. The horrid boulder strewn path down to Buttermere was thankfully navigated safely and I managed to run the rest of the way to the checkpoint. I'd hoped for six hours to this point which was a little ambitious considering it took seven and a half on the recce in January (although I was a lot less fit back then). I dibbed in at 6:36.

Leg 5 - Buttermere to Braithwaite (1h 57m)

Topped up the water and tea and grabbed an apple and a bag of jelly beans then I was off. Halfway through the trees I met up with the other of the two ladies of Black Sail (Gaynor had gone off ahead of her at Scarth Gap). She and another runner seemed to think I knew where I was going (which I did but don't things look different in the dark) and took my lead. Fortunately I chose the right paths and we headed off up towards Sail Pass. At the second stream before the proper climb started I came across another runner. He turned round and said "Hello Mick". It was Steve F of Bingley but how he recognised my with my headtorch shining in his face I don't know. It was weird as I'd just been thinking about him due to his warning me a couple of weeks previously (when we'd both been supporting a mutual friend Dave S on his successful Bob Graham Round) about a very deep puddle on this very path. We went up over Sail Pass (that path seemed ten times longer and harder than when I'd flown up it with my poles on the recce) and dropped down into Braithwaite together dibbing in at 2:00 a.m. I loaded up with pasta and rice pudding while Steve took off. The next time I saw him I didn't recognise him.

Leg 6 - Braithwaite to Blencathra (2h 7m)

Leaving Braithwaite checkpoint I didn't think that I'd be able to run another step. My legs were so stiff. I managed to start with a shuffle which turned into a jog and by the time I left the village I was cruising! I pulled back half a dozen runners and ran all the way up to Spooney Green Lane (can't help wanting to call it Spooky Green Lane), past a couple of sets of supporters cheering me on. One of these turned out to be friends of the aforementioned Simon M.

Between Braithwaite and Spooky Green Lane the route goes along a disused railway track. This passes the back of Crosthwaite Church graveyard. Several of my ancestors (the Borrowdale Wrens) from the 18th century are buried in there. I wondered what they'd make of their ggggggg-grandson running 100 miles for the sake of it.

I power marched up the SGL hill keeping my eyes peeled for a suitable stick to replace my poles. Didn't find one. I ran and walked the path from Latrigg up the wonderfully named Glenderaterra valley. As I approached the turn point at the end of the valley I could see a headtorch coming down from Skidday House (where I'd bunked in my youth when it was still a ruin). I found out later that this was Colin W (more of whom later). He'd overshot the turning.

It was getting light as I approach the Blencathra Centre. I managed to turn off my headtorch for a large part of the run/walk back down Glenderatta to the checkpoint where we were greeted by loads of balloons leading up to the checkpoint. At the check point they were handing out free socks. I certainly wasn't going to risk blisters by trying on untried socks so I didn't take them up on their very kind offer. Plenty of others did. As I was arriving Colin was leaving the checkpoint only to take another wrong turn and paying Threlkeld a visit before having to backtrack to the checkpoint.

Leg 7 - Blencathra to Dockray (2h 6m)

This leg proved to be my most weary. It should have been a good runnable section but I was going through a tired spell. I managed to run most of the railway line but trudged up to the coach road bemoaning the loss of my poles. The sun, a big round orange ball, groped its way into the sky as I shuffled along the coach road.

I could feel my water logged socks rubbing on the arches under my feet so at the checkpoint (which apparently had been organised with 4 days notice after the original group pulled out. Well done gents) I took off my socks, rang them out and applied liberal amounts of Vaseline to the soles of my feet. Maybe I should have tried the Blencathra socks after all. As I was getting ready to go Paul H turned up. I thought I'd see him at some point. He's not naturally as fast a runner as me but he's relentless and has perfected the art of passing through checkpoints without seeming to stop whereas I dawdle and pratt around wasting time. A real hare and tortoise pair we are (plus he'd managed not to break his poles. Not that I was jealous of course.)

I think it was here that Paul told me that Pete had retired with stomach problems. Apparently he'd not dashed off after Seathwaite but had gone to the toilet. No wonder I couldn't catch him up, he was behind me!

Leg 8 - Dockray to Dalemain (2h 39m)

It was sunglasses back on now the sun was up. It promised to be a glorious day, unfortunately.

A painful jog down the road to Dockray proper then it was the track round and up onto Gowbarrow Fell. A group of five or six of us had formed going up the hill. I led the first half but felt I was holding them back so I let them go. They soon disappeared leaving my to my own thoughts. I just saw the last of them entering the lovely Swinburn Park woods as I started the descent. I love this path through the woods. It undulates through shaded areas broken up by the sun piercing its way through and lighting up small glades. I first came through these woods some 20 years ago when I walked with my eldest daughter (she's 26 now) from our campsite at Watermillock to Aria Force. The trees have grown a bit since then.

Out of the woods and along the path then the route left the fells and took to cultivated fields and roads to Dalemain. In the middle of the first field there's a small footbridge across a tiny stream. On the recce we had just crossed this when a cow, thinking we were a threat to its calf, took a lunge at Paul who jumped back and cracked his knee on a rock. The calfs had long gone this time. Three fields later and we were out onto the roads. I'd nearly caught up with the group that had dropped me by now.

I'm not sure how but I managed to run most of this road section to Dacre, past the still inhabited castle (windows need a wash) and along the farm track to Dalemain and past about eight other runners in the process. It was just after 9:00 a.m. Time for breakfast.

Leg 9 - Dalemain to Howtown (2h 28m)

Picture this, a sweating and haggard looking 53 year old bloke sat on camping chair in a field wearing just speedos and a pair of compression socks. Nice eh? That was me for a while at Dalemain. I had an almost complete change of clothes and shoes. The checkpoint crew were marvellous, providing a waited service for the drinks and grub. I washed myself down with wet-wipes and reapplied sunscreen and insect repellent before getting dressed into a much cooler white shirt.

Paul turned up 12 minutes behind me but was in and out in a flash but not before spotting our clubmate Mark R laying down at the back of the marquee. He told Paul that he'd retired. I didn't want to disturb him as he seemed to be sleeping but we found out later (and in Gaynor's blog (where she calls him Marc)) that he'd been throwing up for miles. He is prone to this having done it in the middle of his successful 50 at 50 Bob Graham last year. We'd expected him to be miles ahead by now. He'd arrived at Dalemain three and a half hours ahead of us! I think I'd have been sick running at that pace.

After a good half hour or more of my pratting around I set off into the increasingly hot day for the second half. As at Braithwaite it was hard to get going again but the legs soon freed up enough to shuffle along the river to Pooley Bridge. This 2 mile stretch to Pooley Bridge from Dalemain was the only part of the route that I hadn't recced but it was hardly a navigational challenge.

I walked almost all of the section from Pooley Bridge to the top before the right turn. We'd spotted someone taking a short cut across that corner and we met him as he came off it (not much of a short cut then). I checked his number later and he retired at Howtown so maybe he'd already decided to pack it in.

The downhill into Howtown was nice with gorgeous views down Ullswater. This western view along Ullswater has to be one of the best in the Lakes.

Down to Howtown Pic - Andreas Mayer

A simple jog down into the checkpoint where I met Paul on his way out. Colin was in there having a few minutes rest. As I came out one of the checkpoint marshals was seeing to a guy laying on a bench and wrapped up in a blanket. I didn't know at the time but it turns out this was Steve F. He'd fainted from the heat and clearly had to pack. I didn't recognise him although I didn't look too close.

It was then out of the checkpoint and up Fusedale. I'd recced this stretch twice before so I knew what was coming next.

Leg 10 - Howtown to Mardale Head (3h 32m)

I wasn't feeling too bad at this point. Some walkers asked what event we were doing. I explained, showing them the race number on my rucksac like a peacock showing his feathers. So suitably puffed up I trotted down the farm track to the bottom of the climb.

The climb out of Howtown Pic - Andreas Mayer

I could see Paul about half a mile ahead plugging away on his poles (not that I was fixating on them). This is one of those climbs that just gets harder and harder as you ascend. Just before Groove Gill it gets really steep. This is where I had a unique experience (for me anyway). I got shin cramp. How do you get cramp in your shins? Don't know but I did and it was agony. I had to stop and turn round away from the slope. I was also in serious risk of heat stroke.

Looking back down from Groove Gill Pic - Andreas Mayer

I made it to Groove Gill and promptly stuck my head into the clear cool water, taking several gulps as I did. That helped cool me down but there was still a way to go uphill. It eases off just after Groove Gill before rearing up again to meet the High Street path. I could hardly move up this section with my shin cramps and had to keep stopping.

The top at last Pic- Andreas Mayer

I finally got to the top and cross High Street at Wether Hill. From High Kop I could just see Paul at Low Kop well over a mile away. I managed a jog along here, found the right path down to Haweswater, unlike many others judging by the paths hacked through the bracken, and caught up with Paul part way along the track along the northern bank. It was here that I finally found a stick suitable for use as a pole. Gandalf would have been proud of it. I certainly was. I'd been 50 miles without the aid of my poles and there was no way I was going up Gatesgarth Pass without some sort of support, not after my experience on Wether Hill.

I ran out of drink alongside Haweswater and was beginning to overheat again. Having passed a couple of streams that might have been suitable for a dip I was determined not to miss out at Randale Beck so I stripped off down to my shorts and compression socks (a reoccurring theme starting here but if I took off my compression socks I was afraid of my calf muscles exploding) and got into a nice cool pool. I spent a lovely 5 minutes splashing around much to the amusement of a lady walker just downstream. I hope she wasn't disappointed to see I was wearing shorts when I got out (although I'm sure the compression socks were a major turn on).

Me and my Gandalf staff at Mardale Head just after my dip

A steady jog took me round to Mardale Head checkpoint to clock in at 2:54 p.m. (Just 34 minutes before Terry Conway finished over in Coniston! Mind you, he had been practising.)

Leg 11 - Mardale Head to Kentmere (2h 30m)

I met up with Paul at the checkpoint (where one of the Army guys there had clearly neglected the sunscreen) and set off up to Gatesgarth Pass suitable armed with my staff. Partway up I decide to customise it and snapped off a foot or so to make it a more suitable length. Mentally and physically I found this a lot easier than the previous hill. Going down the other side into Longsleddale the conditions under foot were horrendous with crudely cobbled tracks and loose rocks. As we approached the turn at Sadgill the first of the 50 milers came speeding past. "Well done lads" he said as he disappeared up the track followed by a huge gap until his pursuers turned up.

Over the Sadgill track and onto the road we went to be confronted by a pair of fiendishly high stiles. They were 8 foot high drystone stepped monsters which were very painful to negotiate. It wouldn't have taken much effort to fall off one of those after 80 odd miles. As it was we made it over them and down the lane to the Kentmere checkpoint just inside 24 hours, and 85 miles.

I felt no worse, or better, than you'd expect in the circumstances but I was in for a bit of a surprise.

Leg 12 - Kentmere to Ambleside (4h 8m)

I decided that I was sick of drinking isotonic stuff and just use plain old water from here on. I downed a couple of glasses of water but couldn't face the food on offer: pasta and rice pudding, although I did drink one of their marvellous fruit smoothies. The marshals at the checkpoint were clearly on the lookout for signs of heatstroke, hypernutremia and dehydration (hyponutremia). Two of them didn't like the look of me and were clearly concerned. I'd stopped sweating (how long ago I don't know) and my resting pulse was 110 bpm when it should have been about 40. Paul said that the colour suddenly drained from my face and he thought I was about to have a heart attack. I didn't feel too bad in the circumstances but I'd decided myself that I wasn't going anywhere until I got some food inside me. So, they decided that I was dehydrated and insisted on me drinking more isotonic. One of them, Phil, said that I should have been doing this that and the other with my fluid intake, all of which I had been doing so I don't know where I'd gone wrong. I told Paul not to wait for me and he set off after five or ten minutes. Anyway to cut a long story short I sat around at Kentmere sipping my isotonic for about 40 minutes until I felt like eating. My appetite returned and I had two bowls of each. During this time Colin had turned up. He's a trained first aider so he kindly offered to watch me (make sure I drank and started sweating) over the next leg. I reciprocated by offering to guide Colin (his legs were giving him jip and I couldn't bear to let him go off course again).

By this time I'd realised my third objective (to finish somewhere near 30 hours) was long gone so I was determined to achieve the first two (to finish and enjoy it). I had loads of time on hand so was in no great rush to wear myself out.

So, we set off and strolled up the Garburn Pass. I thankfully started sweating again but Colin's legs were getting worse. Coming down the other side we were caught up by Will who was doing the 50. He stopped to take our picture then took off down the hill.

Colin and me after Garburn Pass Pic - Willis Meredith

He then caught up with Paul and they finished together. Meanwhile Colin and I took our time down into Troutbeck. The 50s were coming by in a steady stream by now. One of them came past as I was strolling along and said to me "You're looking in good form" to which I replied "That's not what they said an hour ago!". Colin's injuries got progressively worse as we went. Coming down through the woods above Ambleside he was reduced to a very painful shuffle and decided that he would pack at Ambleside. I made sure that he was on the road into Ambleside then took my leave. I'd enjoyed the rest but was now itching to get going again, especially as my family were waiting down in Ambleside. I ran the mile or so to the checkpoint. The clapping and cheering along the high street was unexpected but very nice if not a little embarrassing. I ran the last couple of hundred yards with my youngest daughter Polly and our dog Phoebe. My eldest daughter Vicky was videoing my approach just as the battery ran out!

This checkpoint was in the Lakes Runner shop and it was roasting inside. I was certainly sweating now.

Leg 13 - Ambleside to Chapel Stile (2h 4m)

It was head torch time again. Still no need for an extra top though. I left the checkpoint with my family who came as far as the cinema / last road crossing. Vicky took my picture. This is what you look like after 90 miles and being awake 40 hours.

"Look into my eyes"

After leaving the park I joined up with Nick Ham (the man in Union Jack shorts, who also went on to do the Long Tour of Bradwell the following week) for a while. As I passed Skelwith Bridge Hotel who should be stood outside with a pint in his hand but the elusive Pete. After blinding him and his lovely wife with my headtorch we had a chat for five minutes before I set off again along the river. It was along here that I experienced my only episode of sleepiness. For ten minutes or so I found myself dreaming of all sorts of weird stuff (none of which I remember but something about witches rings a bell). I came out of this at Elterwater and soon (30 hours in) found myself in at the Chapel Stile checkpoint where I got a seat right next to the chimnea.

Leg 14 - Chapel Stile to Tilberthwaite (3h 1m)

I availed myself of two bowls of their wonderful stews, a coffee and a top up for my camelbak. I also swapped my t-shirt for a long sleeved top, largely because I knew I'd be freezing after sitting next to the fire.

I'd recced this section twice before but was glad that I could just follow someone up to the climb at least. I ended up in a group of 50 milers. I think it was a mixture of 3 teams. Blea Tarn came and went and we set off through the bracken. I knew something was wrong routewise when we started going downhill rather than contouring. I was committed by now so followed them to the road and sure enough they'd cut the corner. I told them but they ignored me and set of down the road. I went up the road to the corner where we should have come out (partly to ensure I'd done the whole route but also to make sure there wasn't a secret dibber there checking for cheats). I caught the naughty ones up on the hill. They'd taken a left on the Tilberthwaite track and were coming back as I passed the turning.

So, down into High Tilberthwaite and along the road to the penultimate checkpoint where on spotting I was a 100 miler they gave me special treatment with a seat away from the crowds and waiting on me with food and drink. Thank you Darwen Dashers.

Leg 15 - Tilberthwaite to Coniston (1h 42m)

The 50 milers I came down with had gone by the time I left Tilberthwaite. I went up the steps lit up with blue glow sticks (the steps not me) and up past the quarry. I got a phone call from Paul going up here. He'd finished and was going to wait for me. On putting my phone away I saw my first sleepmonster. There was a rock and I was sure that there were two sheep sheltering next to it but they kept changing. One minute they'd have two heads then they'd turn into dogs complete with spikey collars. Weird. I went on my way. The recces proved useful here. I managed to stay on the right path but was constantly plagued by more sleep monsters. The shadows and dark puddles turned into buildings. Near the waterfall and tree I looked across and was sure there was an entire derelict village across the stream. This stuff continued until I hit the coppermines track above Miners Bridge. The descent was rough but not as bad as I'd expected. I started running once onto the Miners Bridge track, ran by the 50 milers from earlier and kept running to the finish to be greeted by cheers and claps. It did occur to me then that I was glad I wasn't trying to sleep nearby. That thought soon disappeared as I dibbed in for the last time.

Objectives 1 and 2 met! Pic - Harshan Gill

Leg 16 - Coniston to Land of Nod (1h 15m)

I'd lost a mere 3kg in weight, got no blisters or black nails and all things considered felt pretty good. Paul sorted me out with food and drink before I went for a shower then crawled into my tent. It was too warm for the sleeping bag so I just used my sleeping bag liner. Two and a half hours later and I was up and dressed as I was bursting for a pee. I stayed up, clapping in the tail enders, until my family turned up from the cottage.

Paul (still asleep) and me

Would I do it again? Of course. Still got to meet objective 3.

Two Birds with One Stone (BGR and L100 Training)

2011-07-22T19:48:00.003+01:00

In an excellent piece of timing my mate Dave decided to join his clubmate Andy in his attempt at the Bob Graham Round (BGR) two weeks before the Lakeland 100. This was an ideal opportunity for me to support Dave and get some last minute training in across Lakes terrain at the same time.

I was working away from home in Liverpool so, rather than go home to work on Friday, I went straight up to the Lakes on the Thursday evening and camped at Castlerigg Hall campsite. This was no random campsite choice. Castlerigg Hall is the ancestral home of the Wren family. My ancestors, who moved to Borrowdale in the 17th century came from here.

On Friday I worked from the campsite kitchen and dining room which was very conveniently equipped with free wi-fi. I had a view across Derwent Water to the Cats Bells ridge, a vast improvement on staring at a wall at home.

Dave and Andy's BGR attempt was to start at 7.00 p.m. on Friday at the usual start point, the Moot Hall in Keswick. Coincidentally, there was a special BGR attempt taking place a few hours later. Fred Rogerson, who founded and ran the Bob Graham 24 Hour Club for many years had died recently. He never did the BGR himself but friends and family had arranged to take his ashes around the route in a relay to make him a special member. We jibed Dave and Andy to hurry up if they didn't want to beaten round by a dead man. I didn't know Fred but I'm sure he'd have laughed at that.

I'd agreed to do the pacing for Dave on leg 2 from Threlkeld to Dunmail Raise via Helvelyn. I'd done this before on another BGR attempt but it was in the dark and rain and it was an area I didn't know well (I'd last been on Helvelyn in daylight over 30 years ago) so I couldn't promise to help with the navigation. I then thought that I might continue for a couple more legs to make sure I'd got the whole night in.

The evening came around and it was time to go.

The weather was kind to them on leg 1 (Keswick to Threlkeld) with just a little mist on the top of Skiddaw. As we were waiting at Threlkeld wondering which of the sets of head torches we could see making various routes down of Blencathra was them they suddenly appeared out of nowhere and there was a mad rush to hand over pacers and to refuel Dave and Andy.

We were soon off up the road towards Clough Head. As we climbed up to the Old Coach Road below Clough Head we could see the tops being covered by cloud. By the time we arrived the weather had taken a turn for the worst. It was just like the last time I'd done leg 2. Howling wind, rain and low visibility. Great. I'd gone up in a windproof (but not waterproof jacket (although I was carrying my waterproofs). Andy was doing a great job in navigating us. I was following our route by thumbing the map along with my compass. As we reached the summit at Great Dodd, Dave asked for his camera which I was carrying. I passed him the camera and looked down to find that I only had the compass in my hand. The wind had whipped away the map out of my hand without me feeling it, just like that trick where the guy pulls the table cloth out from under a set table without disturbing anything. We had other maps and Dave's GPS so we weren't in trouble.

The rest of the leg was a case of deja vu for me as we zig-zagged across the Dodds and up over Helvelyn. By this time I was getting very cold and fearing hyperthermia. So, we had a short stop at the shelter on Helvelyn where I put on an extra top, my waterproofs and gloves. After Dollywagon Pike Andy took us a different way to where I'd been on my previous leg 2. We went round the eastern side of Grisedale Tarn then straight up the side of Fairfield over a large amount of scree which slowed me down (as well as the fact I was carrying mine and Dave's gear). I lost contact with them on the way up and Dave was waiting at the top.

I'd probably cost them a two or three minutes (which is a long time when you're standing around in a gale) but fortunately soon had chance to redeem myself at the top of Seat Sandall when they continued following the wall after the bend at the top. I knew the summit was straight on at the bend and brought them back.

It was then a quick drop down to Dunmail Raise and our 5 hour adventure on leg 2 was over. During the run along the tops I'd felt that I couldn't breath to bottom of my lungs. I assumed this was somthing to do with the strong winds literally taking my breath away but a couple of days later I developed a bad cold. Either way I knew I was in danger of holding them up so I didn't continue.

I got a lift back to the campsite from Sarah Rowell who was driving round to Wasdale to support leg 4. After waking up Dave's son Jack at 4:00 a.m. as he had my car keys I grabbed a couple of hours sleep then got ready to go round to Honister to support Dave on leg 5 (assuming they hadn't packed in the night due to the continuing foul weather).

I went with Jack and his girlfriend up to the Honister slate mine where we parked in their car park. Dave and Andy were still going so as we waited we prepared various foodstuffs. They came charging down the hill and straight through the car park without stopping. I was chasing them with a panful of spaghetti hoops which I passed to a random stranger as I ran out of the car park.

Leg 5 is perhaps the easiest of them all. Following a stiff climb up Dale Head it's an undulating ridge run via Hindscarth and Robinson before dropping down into the Newlands Valley (another Wren stronghold) and through Portinscale to Keswick. As we ran along the top we could see through gaps in the cloud down into Keswick where the sun was shining. Andy had gone ahead partway along the ridge. When we eventually reached the valley bottom the weather played its last trick on us by waiting for us to remove our wet weather gear before pouring stair rods on us. The sun then came out for the last couple of miles as we ran into Keswick and up the high street.

Dave reached the Moot Hall after 23 hours and 23 minutes, the latest member of the Bob Graham 24 Hour Club.

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Post Script: As we were sitting in the pub having a well earned pint later that evening the Fred Rogerson party turned up at the end of their BGR. Here's some video footage of their round. Dave appears right at the end (2m 54s) on the right hand side.

Looming Large - Lakeland 100

2011-07-09T22:22:00.000+01:00

So, dear reader, the end is nigh. Just three weeks to the Lakeland 100. Am I ready? Well I've not quite finished my preparations but more of that in a mo. First a reminder of what I've got in store. The route:

Map (c) http://www.cheaptents.com/

My original plan was to get my weight below 12 stones (76 kg) and increase my power-to-weight ratio. My battle with the weight has been intersting. I noticed that if I lost weight after a few decent training sessions then I'd put it back on even faster. It was as if my body was a sponge which would over compensate for the enforced weight loss by sucking up everything it could. I started out at the beginning of the year at almost 13 stones. I've managed a gradual downward trend with a very fluctuating weight between 12 st 2 lb and 12 st 9 lb, with a norm of around 12st 5lb. However, this is not as bad as it first appears as I've definitely lost the excess fat around my waist. I think this weight loss has been countered by a weight gain in muscle mass on my legs. I'm definitely stronger on the hills than I used to be. My leg muscle definition is much more pronounced than it used to be. So, overall I feel and look to be in much better shape than I've ever been. This is backed up by my recent performance on the Lakeland recces and recent local runs. No complaints there.

Other changes I've made to help improve things is to get fitted with contact lenses. The glasses were a major hindrance in wet or humid weather (classic Lakeland conditions) with steaming up and being covered in droplets. I did consider getting laser treatment but that seemed a step too far. The run will take so long that daily lenses are good enough. I've had to resort to monthly lenses. I've also had a couple of wobbly moles removed from my back. They were getting sore from wearing a rucksac for several hours so my GP kindly whipped them off. They've just healed nicely.

I've also invested in some lightweight poles. They are amazing. As soon as I start using them it's as if the hill flattens out. I drop my friends and zoom off up the hill reaching the top feeling much fresher than without them. I'm going to be very grateful for them in the second half of the event. I'd recommend them to anyone, but if you do get some make sure you can store in an easily accessible place. My rucksac is brillant for this. I can reach back into the side pocket to store or retrieve the poles without stopping.

I've also noticed some interesting phsycological changes. A 'short run' now is around 15 miles. A longer training session is of ultramarathon distance. I've probably done well over a dozen runs between 25 - 30 miles or more and thought nothing of it. I noticed this last year when I did the Bullock Smithy run. With 13 miles still to go I felt that it was all but over. It's amazing how the mind works.

So, with three weeks to go maybe I should start tapering. Or maybe I should support my mate Dave on his Bob Graham Round attempt next weekend. Sound like a good idea to me. I can't resist the chance of a last minute trial (and trail) run so I've going to start with supporting him on Leg 2, (they're going clockwise so that's Threlkeld to Dunmail) at around 11:00 pm and then seeing how far I can get. I intend to go all the way to Keswick (target time of 17:30 p.m. the next day) but will happily drop out if I feel it's taking too much out of me. That will give me a good idea of how I cope with an overnight run and will allow me two weeks to taper/recover (and, if I'm honest, it gives me another excuse to get up into the lakes). My only real concern is getting some sort of injury but that's a risk I'll have to take.

Physically and mentally I feel that I'm in the best place I could hope to be. The recces have been invaluable. I reckon that I can get round without having to refer to the map or route guide. So, wish me luck, and I'll be reporting back on how I got on.

Watch this space.

P.S. If you haven't sponsored me yet, now's your chance.

Are we born to run? Christopher McDougall on TED.com

2011-07-09T20:10:00.000+01:00

Are we born to run? Christopher McDougall on TED.com

Mick-ar of Dibley

2011-06-06T20:53:00.000+01:00

....or Mickey Mickey Bang Bang.

Did a mini tour ofthe Chilterns yesterday, taking in the village used in the Vicar of Dibley and the windmill used in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which are within a half mile of each other.

The village is called Turville and the Windmill is directly above it on top of the ridge.

This route was further west than my local Chiltern runs but I fancied seeing somewhere new. I parked up near Princes Risborough and headed off up to Bledlow Ridge where I picked up the Chiltern Way. I followed this up and through Radnage to Stokenchurch (where every other building seemed to be a pub). Coming out of Stokenchurch the route took me under the M40 motorway.

Coming out of the tunnel I found myself in Red Kite central. There were a dozen or more riding the wind that was blowing up the hill. I left the Chiltern Way here and dropped down a long winding path through woods in the bottom of a valley which brought me out below the windmill on the other side of the ridge to Turville. A quick walk up the hill, using my new ultra lightweight poles brought me out at the windmill.

A very steep drop down into Turville (past the vicars house from V of D) then straight out the other side only to turn right up to Turville Heath. I then turned north up to Ibstone from where I dropped down into the valley containing Worksley Park with its cricket ground in the middle of nowhere. Then picked up a lovely bridleway through the woods round the back of Christmas Common that brought me out next to a bridge over the M40. This bridge is at the top of the M40 cutting that's in the opening scenes of the Vicar of Dibley.

Over the bridge then down the escarpment to pick up the Ridgeway path at one of the few drinking water points in the Chilterns. I discovered this a couple of weeks ago when I ran the Western half of the Ridgeway. It was about 50 yards from where I'd stashed a water bottle for my Ridgeway run. Needn't have bothered if I'd known the tap was there.

I soon left the Ridgeway and head back up into the Chilterns. I picked up a long slightly downhill bridleway that brought me back to Radnage where I more or less followed my route out through some lovely spring flower filled fields.

All in all a very nice 25 miler. I must get into this part of the Chilterns more often.

Edale Skyline - Tourist Mode

2011-03-23T23:24:00.002Z

Spring has arrived! After a miserable February, March has more than made up for it. I managed to get a few days away up in Edale. My youngest daughter Polly has been doing some work experience at the Chestnut Centre near Chapel en le Frith and staying at Edale Youth Hostel. So, having a few days off, I took the opportunity to go and see her and get some training in by running the route of the Edale Skyline race, which takes place this coming Sunday (27th March). This is about 21 miles (34km) long with 4,500 feet (1,500 m) of ascent. As its name suggests it follows the skyline of the Edale valley taking in moorland, ridges and bogs. I ran a slightly modified route by starting at the youth hostel and hacking my way through the heather up to the path along the edge of Kinder Scout, rather than starting at Edale.

Southern Skyline from Kinder Scout

The weather was stunning. The few clouds around in the early morning soon burnt away leaving gorgeous blue skies for the whole day. Fortunately I had some sunscreen with me. I carried a whole two litres of water in my Camelbak bladder and also had a litre stashed halfway round at Mam Nick. I was going to need it. The temperature was only around 14 degrees centigrade but it felt much warmer after the freezing weather we had over winter. Shorts and tee shirt were the order of the day. It was too nice not to take lots of photos. The following photos are all taken on the route and face the direction of the runner. Most of the photos will enlarge if clicked on.

Above Crookstone barn. Win Hill in the distance.

Hope Cross looking towards Win Hill

Win Hill summit looking toward Lose Hill and Mam Tor

Climbing Lose Hill

Lose Hill summit looking towards Mam Tor and Lords Seat

Hollins Cross looking towards Mam Tor

Mam Tor summit looking towards Lord's Seat on Rushup Edge

Crooked tree going up Rushup Edge

Turn right here (to the left if you see what I mean)

Brown Knoll summit looking towards Kinder Scout

Pym Chair

Wool Packs

Top of Grindsbrook Clough looking South back to Grindslow Knoll

I then ran past Ringing Roger where the official race drops down to the finish and continued along the top then dropped down Rowland Cote Moor to the youth hostel some 5 hours after I started. A fine day out.

P.S. In case you're wondering, I'm not running the actual race as I'm doing a recce of the Ambleside to Coniston section of the Lakeland 100 on the same day.

Grindleford Gallop (Re-run)

2011-03-13T14:27:00.006Z

Had another crack at the GG (21 miles, off-road, 3000+ feet ascent) yesterday. After last year's pleasing performance I thought I'd be able to break that time, hopefully cracking the 3 hour barrier, but apparently it takes a little more than hope to pull that off.

The weather was an exact repeat of last year where it was cold enough to think about putting on an extra or warmer layer but then turned out sunny. Fortunately, I guessed right as I went for the t-shirt under club vest instead of the Helly. I didn't go for the club coloured shorts which caused so much mirth last year. I was in stealth mode (all black) apart from the club vest.

There was a good club turn out again of some 20 runners, with this being a club championship event. There were some notable exceptions though with Andy (last year's outright GG winner) having to work, Neil (last year's club champion) not able to make it and Julian (Duracell bunny) also not in.

After getting held up in the bottlenecks near the start last year I made sure I was near the front this year. Even so, Al (running as a very poorly disguised Mat) took off like a bat out of hell (clearly too much London Marathon training under his belt). Pete D soon overhauled me after a mile and they soon disappeared over the first hill up to Eyam.

I thought I'd be stronger on the hills this year but was soon reduced to a walk as the stronger runners over took me. As usual I retook some of them going down into Eyam but the old freewheeling downhill technique has well and truly deserted me after my major face plant last April.

This year I used a different feeding strategy. I carried a 500ml bottle but instead of isotonic drink I started with 500ml of energy drink. I also decided not to stop and top up at the checkpoints. As with last year there were three drink stations, the latter two of which were also cake stations. I had half a plastic cup of orange juice at each of them and took a piece of cake from both cake stalls which I ate while walking up to Ball Cross and Baslow Edge respectively. I also popped the occasional glucose tablet. I'm not sure this was enough. Especially on the fluids.

Most of the walkers this year were very good, opening gates and waiting at stiles etc but I had a few cases of them blocking the route which brought out the trail rage in me. I admit to expressing a few expletives in their direction.

I think one or two bad words also slipped out as I slipped on one of the stiles and skinned my shin on the rock step on the way up to Longstone Moor.

Looking at last year's splits if I was to get anywhere near 3 hours I'd have to get to the third checkpoint (Longstone Moor) inside 1:05 and the sixth (Baslow) inside 2:10. I managed the first (just, at 1:04:46) but failed the second (2:17:42), largely due to having trouble on my downhills. I used to rely on them to make up ground but I really struggled this time with achey quads and a sore (only downhill) left knee. Instead of racing down the lovely grass slope to Edensore I tottered down like an old man (yes, I have looked in the mirror recently).

So, down through the lovely Edensore and into Chatsworth House grounds. I remember running out of steam on this section last year but I found I was OK this time. I could see the runners in front me and one o fthem was getting overhauled by the others. As I approached him I suddenly realised it was Pete. I wasn't expecting to see him again, although he had cycled from Whaley Bridge over to the start of the race so it was all beginning to tell in his legs. (He cycled back after the race as well.) I offered him a glucose tablet and we went through the spinning gate at Baslow together. That was the last I saw of him until the end but I was fully expecting him to pass me as I struggled over the last leg.

The run along the edges was a little shorter than I remembered it but the run through the trees coming of Froggat Edge went on forever. Then it was down the rocky path through the trees where I lost a good minute or two. I nearly came a cropper on this path as I clipped a rock and tripped my self up (Pete saw a runner who did fall being seen to by some walkers and I saw him by the ambulance at the finish later.) Safely reached the bottom, past the car park, over the bridge then finished ( a good ten yards shorter than last year).

My splits (below) show that I was up on last year (by a whole 19 seconds) at checkpoint 4 but gradually lost time over the next few sections ending up three and a half minutes slower. All in all not too disappointed considering that the evening before I thought I might have to pull out due to a severe pain in my right side (suspect it was my bad kidney) which didn't disappear until I started the race. I also think I allowed myself to become severely dehydrated which wouldn't have helped especially in those final sections.

2010 Splits

46th	602	Mick Wren Goyt Valley Striders	M50	03:08:56	00:29:13 00:29:13	00:52:58 00:23:45	01:05:41 00:12:43	01:26:34 00:20:53	01:43:45 00:17:11	02:14:58 00:31:13	03:08:56 00:53:58

2011 Splits

61st	383	Mick Wren	M50	03:12:24	00:28:03 00:28:03	00:52:26 00:24:23	01:04:46 00:12:20	01:26:15 00:21:29	01:44:14 00:17:59	02:17:42 00:33:28	03:12:24 00:54:42

In terms of preparation for the Lakeland 100 I'm quite pleased with my level of fitness considering that I've been concentrating on core and short sharp stuff so far. I was even able to go for a run over the Chilterns with the dog at 8 this morning. Need to get some more miles in though.

The rest of my clubmates put in some great performances with many breaking previous bests and others finishing their first attempts. Notable amongst these was an amazing 3:29 from Katy (last years Ladies club champion). There's been some serious training going on over in Whaley Bridge.

High Peak Minithon

2011-03-07T16:22:00.001Z

Had a very interesting night on Friday. Instead of going to bed like any normal person I joined 100 or so similarly inclined runners in the High Peak Marathon. As mentioned in my previous post on our recce this is 42 mile run around the Peak District (a big loop encircling Kinder Scout and the Derwent and Ladybower reservoirs to be precise). Our team, the Goyt Valley Striders (one of the less imaginative and humourous team titles) consisted of Clare, Paul and Will as well as yours truly. The event used staggered starts with teams setting off every couple of minutes. Our start time was 11:15 (yes that's p.m.). I'd travelled up to Whaley Bridge that afternoon to Paul's house where our team was meeting up so I'd not had any sleep since getting up at 6:00 that morning.

The night sky was clear and moonless as we arrived at the start HQ in Edale village hall. The temperature was down to a sharp -2 degrees Centigrade so everyone was crowded into the HQ hall trying to keep warm before setting off. The lycra, goretex and pertex density in that room was pretty high. I decided to go for the layered approach to keeping warm with two thin Helly Hansen tops and the event t-shirt that I'd just bought, topped off with my Salomon gore-tex shell jacket. On my legs I was wearing my compression socks, Gore lycra shorts and Gore leggings. Shoewise I went for my Salomon Speedcross 2s. Paul and Clare were similarly attired but Will had gone for the braver cool summer's evening look with sleeves rolled up and no outer shell.

Having hung around killing time for an hour our start time came up before I was ready so I was still putting my outer layer on as we set off into the cold dark night. Will, who had repeatedly asked that we start slowly set a stiff pace up to Hollin's Cross then up Lose Hill. I was hoping that this wasn't Will's idea of slow or else I was in trouble when he decided to speed up. At the Lose Hill checkpoint we came across the first of the fancy dress checkpoint marshals. There were two young lads (the event is organised and manned by Sheffield students) dressed in suits, ties and bowlers hats. They were also busy ironing (?).

Will kept the pressure on down Lose Hill and on up Win Hill. Clare kept on his tail, both lit up with gender specific (blue for boys, pink for girls) fairy lights (kindly supplied by Clare), with Paul and me in their wake. The Win Hill checkpoint was manned by a six foot teddy bear. A bit early for sleepmonsters.

Climbing Win Hill was a warm effort in my many layers so, on the way down, I unzipped my jacket and was immediately engulfed in my own personal steam cloud. Out of the wind it just hung around me and combined with my already steamed up glasses to make visibility a tad tricky especially trying to negotiate the very steep and root ridden Parkin Clough. It was here that I tempted fate and commented to Clare that "At least we don't have to come up this". More on that later.

So, down into and out of Bamford it was up New Road heading in the direction of Stanage. This 2 mile road section is largely uphill. The steady stream of other teams overhauled us as the fast boys caught us up. Steve Watt's team came through at this point. Well at least three of them did. As they disappeared we were commenting on whether they'd been given permission for a team of three when a voice out the dark behind us said "No, I'm the fourth, huffing and puffing at the back". This turned out to be no less a legend as Mark Hartell, holder of the record number of peaks in the Bob Graham Round. He similarly disappeared into the dark.

Our route came from the top right in the above photo, then to the right of the trees before coming up through the bracken where the figures (me and my wife) are. Remember it was pitch black.

Onto the High Neb checkpoint (manned I believe by Spotty Dog and Lubby Lu) then a steady jog to the A57 road and Moscar checkpoint where we grabbed a quick cup of tea and couple of sandwiches. It was at this point that Will started to go downhill (metaphorically as well as literally speaking). His stomach got the better of him as he dashed into the bushes alongside the road. As we waited for him at Cutthroat Bridge I could feel the sweat around my backside start to freeze. Not the nicest feeling at 2:00 in the morning with 9 hours to go. You'll be relieved to hear it thawed out as we got moving again up onto Derwent Moor. On the moor top we set off in a steady jog. Past the Wheel Stones and on towards the Salt Cellar we stopped to check we were all together. Will was missing amongst the mass of lights from the teams on our tail. When he caught us up he looked liked someone had pulled out his plug, drained. Paul said what the rest of us were thinking. There was a long hard 6 hour stretch ahead of us where it would be difficult to drop out without a very long cold walk so it was time to make a decision: continue or pack. We all concluded that it would be dangerous at worst and very miserable at best if we continued so we packed.

We backtracked down to the Cutthroat Bridge checkpoint where we deposited Will into the care of a pretty young lady who drove him back to Edale. (Someone has to do it Will). The rest of us then ran back to Edale via Win Hill (and up the afore mentioned Parkin Clough!), Hope Cross and Jaggers Clough (last visited by me with my dad (who, coincidently, died 33 years ago today. RIP Dad.)) The sleep monsters made an appearance on the track down to Jaggers Clough when a dark puddle lifted itself up and turned into a black panther.

High Peak Minithon

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It was then a couple of miles back along the road to the event HQ where we picked up our kitbags and back to Paul's and a very welcome hot shower. Bliss. The silver lining of finishing early (in addition to the early shower) for me was that I could get home early to celebrate my daughter's birthday. I'll also be a little less tired for next week's Grindleford Gallop.

Overall, we ended up having a good, albeit shorter, run. It was good practice in night running for the Lakeland 100. It was a shame not to have finished but I was feeling good and am sure I'd have had no problems finishing the event. I'll not be doing it again though as I believe, from what I saw on our recce, that the terrain on Bleaklow is in a very fragile state and I don't want to contribute to it's destruction. It's over thirty years since I was last up there and it's going to be another thirty (i.e. never) before I go back again.

Well done to all those that finished though. It was a testing night in those temperatures.

On the Road Again

2011-02-27T11:49:00.000Z

Intended to do the London Marathon Training run from Hemel today but left it too late so I went out and did this on my own (saving a few quid in the process):

A run mapped on 27/02/2011

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Calf muscles were a bit tight towards the end. More miles required.

English Fell Running Championships 2010

2011-02-19T10:55:00.002Z

Just thought I'd share this excellent video. Enjoy.

High Peak Marathon Recce

2011-02-18T23:33:00.003Z

Being a sucker for punishment I've somehow ended up entering the High Peak Marathon (42 miles of bogs, heather and rocks at night) as part of a four person team (with Clare, Paul and Will from Goyt Valley Striders). So, in an attempt to get a feel for what we've let ourselves in for (well me anyway, the rest have done it previously) we decided to recce the more interesting middle section of the route. Will was supposed to be with us but he opted to go to California instead. Can't imagine why.

This is the route:

A run mapped on 17/02/2011

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This is the fly through:

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And this is the video:

A grand day out. Let's hope it'll be a grand night out.

The Race is On (so get your wallet out)

2011-01-12T13:01:00.001Z

As mentioned previously I'm going to raise some sponsorship for the North West Air Ambulance who were good enough to airlift me to hospital when I crashed out of the 3 Peaks Race last year. They saved 84 lives last year so please help them keep going.

I'll be attempting to run over 100 miles round the Lake District in one go in July. So please give me some encouragement. Thanks.

Feet First

2011-01-03T21:26:00.000Z

I read 'Born to Run' by Chris McDougall ages ago and tried running barefoot on my treadmill. It did feel very different and I felt that 6 minute miles pace was much more comfortable without the shoes. (The bottoms of my feet were very sore afterwards though.)

So, today I thought I'd do some analysis and filmed me running both with and without shoes. The barefoot purists will hold their hands up in horror as they advocate special training and careful transition between the two styles, but I thought it was worth seeing what difference it makes without training in new techniques. Anyway, here's the result:

Wrapping Up 2010

2010-12-25T21:55:00.000Z

All in all its been an eventful year but I'll be glad to see the back of it. I lost my favourite uncle in October and my mother in November, the first a credit to the care and attention of the health service for keeping him going for forty years after a major heart attack, the second a tragic, and all too familiar, tale of indifference and lack of care from the same health service.

This blog has been a bit quiet lately, largely because I've been resting my knee, in the hope that it will repair itself, since completing the OMM at the end of October. I'm not sure the rest is working as my knee has been making its presence felt in the last couple of days. We'll find out in January when I start training again.

The OMM was another of those "why the hell am I doing this again" experiences that are great in hindsight. Dave and I had upgraded to the A class this year, just when the planners decided that as the hills of Dartmoor aren't so big they'd up the distances. We must have done 32 miles on the first day and 20 on the second. Day one was tussocks, bogs and gorse with reasonable weather (cool and dryish) while the second was a day of more tussocks and bogs with a few swollen rivers thrown in all topped off with driving rain and hill fog. I'd invested in a new Terra Nova Laser Competition tent which is a nice one man tent but is very cosy for two. Even so I must have slept for the best part of ten hours. All in all a good weekend.

So, looking forward to next year, apart from a possible participation in the High Peak Marathon (40 odd miles of night time peat bogs)in March I'm going to stick to more runnable trails. I've entered the Grindleford Gallop again (go to go for that 3 hour time) and I've just gone and entered the Lakeland 100!

So watch this space.

Snowdon Revisited

2010-10-19T22:03:00.002+01:00

After my first visit in March I returned this weekend with reinforcements in the shape of eight fellow Goyt Valley Striders. This is the film of our run on Saturday. Enjoy.

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Unfortunately I don't appear in it as I'm behind the camera but I am the first runner in this one (courtesy of Mark Whelan):

Two and a Bit Marathons

2010-09-05T18:41:00.027+01:00

Just back home from running (and a smidgen of walking) the Bullock Smithy (profile). This is officially a long distance hike (over 56 miles (90km) and 8000 ft(2400m)ascent) but like most such events the runners have taken it up as a challenge. This year it was a qualifying race in the Goyt Valley Striders club championship so we had a good club turnout of 16. Thanks for this goes largely to the tireless Philomena who organised numerous recces of the course to make sure we didn't get lost.

I've always fancied a go at these long events (see last year's post) So dutifully volunteered myself. What I then forgot to do was actually train for it. With working away from home I didn't manage to get any long weekend runs in so I was relying on a couple of club runs a week (less than 20 miles/week). Not ideal but I still reckon that with reasonable fitness, lack of a fear of distance (acquired due to lots of long distance cycling in my youth) and the right nutrition/hydration it should be possible to put in a reasonable performance.

The event rules require everyone to take a minimum kit list consisting largely of waterproofs, warm clothing, maps, spare food etc. I decided to use my new Haglof Intense rucksack. At 20 litres the walkers were thinking "How do you get all your stuff in there?" and the runners were thinking "Are you going for a week?". Compared to everyone else's bags in the club mine was heavy. This was due to me taking lots of energy foods (energy bars, Kendal mint cake, 50g energy drink powder, 2x50g recovery drink powder, stock cubes, dried banana chips, a freeze dried meal(!), nuun isotonic drink tablets and other bits and bobs) . Most others were relying on the food provided at the checkpoints but I'm glad that I didn't as, whilst it might be OK for hikers, you need high carb/calorie fodder when running as the appetite is suppressed so you have to maximise your intake. It's a difficult balancing act getting enough food and fluids on board to keep you going but not so much that you throw it all back up again. I was also very conscious that I had to keep my one working kidney properly hydrated so made sure that I always had fluid in my camelbak drinks bladder (plus nuun tablets).

So, race day arrived yesterday with some serious nerves by us Bullock Smithy virgins. I was a little excited to be finally doing a decent distance. I really do believe that the 'magical' distance of 26.2 miles has been burnt into the public's psyche by the media making anything beyond seem out of reach, but people all over are quietly ignoring that and running enormous distances and we were about to join them.

Leg 1 - Hazel Grove to Bowstones

Here are 13 of the 16: Pete, Jo, Paul, Neil, Mat, Sarah, me, Steve B, Philomena, Tracey, Steve H and Karl with Clare kneeling next to Alistair Fitz's minime. Missing are Stephen and Alistair Watts and Julian. (photo: Alistair F)

The event starts in a playing field in Hazel Grove and the start is announced with the striking of an anvil (hence the Smithy). The field (that's people not grassy area)immediately split as some went down the side streets and across the golf course whilst the rest of us took off down the main road (at much too fast a pace in the excitement) and then alongside the golf course before cutting off the corner. Both groups met up coming off the golf course and headed off towards and over Lyme Park to the first control at the Bowstones.

This is Mat and me in a Persil ad. I spent the rest of the run drooling tea down that nice white shirt. (photo: Stu)

My basic strategy was too keep things comfortable which meant walking up the hills. (Not that there was any other option in the latter half.). The downhills however were there to be taken advantage of (rocks permitting) so after topping up my camelbak I took off down towards Moorside. Immediately I could feel drops of water on the back of my legs. I'm not sure how but my camelbak was leaking and the bottom of my rucksack was full of water. My backside was soon soaking. Fortunately I'd invested in a drysac so the contents of my rucksack were still dry.

Leg 2 - Bowstones to Chinley Churn

Leg 2 was very familiar as it went through our club run territory up to Chinley Churn. I opted for the suggested route down through Furness Vale rather than my alternate via Buxworth which is a bit more fiddly. Pete W was very kindly dispensing jelly beans near the top and Stu was there again with his camera on the Big Rock. (photo: Stu)

Leg 3 - Chinley Churn to Edale Cross

That's me in the foreground near the tree, leaving the Chinely churn checkpoint.(photo: Stu)

Leg 3 included a drinks station immediately after Chinley Churn at Peep o' Day. I passed a runner approaching the drinks station and everyone there seemed to know him. They said that he was first in his age category to which I replied "What about me?" not knowing this guy was in his late sixties. He took off before me as I was filling my camelback and I passed him again on the way to Edale Cross. The next time I saw him was at the finish when he'd beaten me by a few minutes. I've no idea where he passed me.

From Peep o' Day it was a drop down to a stream then a real drag over a rocky path up to Edale Cross (where apparently a competitor spent nine and half hours wandering round lost until the mountain rescue found him).

Leg 4 - Edale Cross to Edale

From Edale Cross it was down Jacob's Ladder where I passed Jo (Julian's partner) in her bright pink top, then along past Barber Booth to Edale. Steve H was leaving just as I approached the checkpoint. As I turned in to the checkpoint Julian was stood there. My immediate thought was "Wow, I must be doing better than I thought" (Julian was last year's winner), then "He must take it easy in the first half then burn them off in the second". No such luck. Apparently they had done a hundred mile event in the Pyrenees the previous weekend and were just treating this as a steady jog (only to beat me by half an hour). I spent the next 15 miles watching that pink top disappearing over the hill in front of me.

It was at Edale that I started taking my hot drink down the road rather than waiting to drink it at the checkpoint. (This was after taking a rice pudding and fruit salad at the checkpoint). Whilst this obviously saved time compared to waiting, it cost me time in that all the checkpoints were before very runnable flat or downhill sections which I ended up walking. I'm now on the lookout for a lightweight cup with a top so I can run with it. I found that sweet tea was eventually the only thing that I didn't mind drinking in the latter stages of the run.

Leg 5 - Edale to Castleton

This leg was quite poignant for me as it was the route of my first walk in the hills (albeit in reverse) as a kid from the flatlands of Doncaster. It left a big impression on me and was probably the beginning of my love affair with hills and mountains.

Anyway, after walking along the road with my hot stock cube drink(another five minutes lost) it was up the path to Hollins Cross then down the other side to Castleton. As I approached Castleton both my calf muscles started cramping badly so I had to stop. I walked ten yards then started running again. The cramp had disappeared and didn't reappear the whole way round. Maybe the stock cube worked. I arrived at the Castleton checkpoint in time to see Julian and Jo leave.

Leg 6 - Castleton to Peak Forest

A quick jog through the tourists in Castleton and it was up Cave Dale (which appeared to be full of Polish people for some reason). Past a few frisky cows then it was over the top (after a much needed pitstop) and down to Peak Forest. The field was very thinly spread out by now. I could occasionally see someone in front of me and someone was chasing me a couple of minutes behind. Once again the two J's were leaving as I approached the checkpoint.

Leg 7 - Peak Forest to Millers Dale

A cup of tea and a banana later and I was on the (not completely safe) walk up the A623 road to the bend where the path took off towards Wheston. The pink top disappeared over the top stile. As I reached the high point I could see the runner ahead of me being held up by a road full of sheep. I've since found out who it was as he mentioned it in his blog. Over half a dozen stiles later I was onto the road to Wheston. The next few miles were probably the lowest for me as I began to feel a bit whoozy. It had me worried for a while. I'm very conscious of my dodgy kidney and am always on the lookout for any 'episodes' which might indicate it going bad. So, I did a systems check to see what was up. Pulse OK, still breathing, temperature OK, no trembling. Can't be too serious so I put it down to having just done 25 miles. I was then at the Millers Dale checkpoint.

I was looking forward to the soup at Millers Dale, expecting a nice thick minestrone with lots of noodles, but was presented with a very incipid looking sample. The tea was nice though. After my funny spell I decided to take my time over this stop so I took a seat. As I sat down in popped Philomena. "Paul's right behind and Clare's going to pack in as she's been vomiting" says Phil. Sure enough Paul came in, took a drink then was off. Phil soon followed him after offering to wait for me but I still had my lovely soup to drink so I told her to get going. I spent the next ten miles watching Phil's white top disappearing into the distance (the pink top had long since gone).

Miller's Dale was the half way point. I reached it in 6 hours so I reckoned I'd be pushed to break 12 hours.

Leg 8 - Millers Dale to (near) Chelmorton

After a quick drop down into the bottom of Millers Dale (cup of tea in hand) it was a long walk up the road (ignoring the suggested route which goes off up a track). Straight over the A6, a couple of fields then it was along a fairly straight set of green tracks and lanes, part way along which was the Chelmorton checkpoint (a trailer and tent).

Leg 9 - Chelmorton to Earl Sterndale

Continuing along the green tracks I had to step aside for a landrover coming th other way. It wasn't until it was past that I realised it was Rick, Clare's partner. I kicked myself for not recognising him earlier so I could tell him Clare has packed at Miller's Dale. As it turned out Clare continued to Chelmorton having phoned Rick to meet her there. She'd run from Edale vomiting and feeling crap all the way to Chelmorton. At one point the fruit salad from Edale made a reappearance with a cherry coming out through her nostril!

Over the A515 then up over the ridge towards Earl Sterndale. At the end of the lane there was a path across a field which cut off a large corner but I'd been warned by Phil that the cows were especially frisky and could be dangerous. So, I went the long way round only to lear n later that Phil had been running with a dairy farmer who took her over the field.

The route was then along a set of lanes to Earl Sterndale. Halfway along here I had my only navigational doubt. I suddenly got the feeling that I'd bypassed Earl Sterndale and was heading back towards the main road. I had to drag my memory of the map of this area and reasoned that there wasn't such a road so I kept going and eventually came to Earl Sterndale to see Phil leaving the checkpoint with a stranger. This turned out to be Mark, the club secretary, who had come to help pace some of the members. He ended up running the next 20 miles to the finish.

Leg 10 - Earl Sterndale to Brand Top

I'd been carrying a freeze dried meal (Fish with potatoes and parsley sauce) with me. I decided to have it at Earl Sterndale so I opened it up put in the required amount of boiling in then seal it up to let it rehydrate. I took it up the road with me intending to eat it on the uphill section below Chrome Hill. I tried but I don't think I'd put enough water in it. The fish pieces were very chewy so I ended up spitting them out as I walked along. I decided to seal it up again and add more water at the next checkpoint. The rest of this leg was through hill billy country. The farms look very poor, all littered with broken down vehicles and in desperate need of repair. Not one of the better cared for areas of the Peak District. Going past one such place, which the owner had apparently been renovating for 10 years although it looked as if he'd just started, the dog was barking madly. The owner must have wondered what was going on as runners and hikers kept his dog barking for the next 20 hours. It was at this point that it started getting dark. I got to Brand Top before getting out my head torch.

Leg 11 - Brand Top to Cumberland Cottage

At the checkpoint I topped up my freeze dried meal hoping to resurrect it after the failed attempt at Earl Sterndale. I grabbed the usual cup of sweet tea and wandered off, headtorch on, down the track towards the Dove Head road while the meal hydrated. Once onto the lane I stayed on the tarmac choosing the road rather than the faint path up to Hilltop. The meal was now more like a soup and the fish hadn't improved. I eventually gave it up as a bad job and dumped the contents on the side of the road no doubt making some fox or other critter happy then dropped the packet in the bin next to the bus shelter on the Axe Edge road (A53). As I dropped down towards Knotbury a police car came towards me clearly checking me out but it didn't stop. Five minutes later I saw it go up the turning before the Knotbury turning with it's blue lights flashing. I soon find out where it was possibly heading. Dropping down the track after Knotbury towards the Three Shire Heads I could see some very bright lights in a field and hear what sounded light a drunken party going on. According to a write up by one of the Stockport Harriers they got lost here and ended up talking to these revellers.

So, past the Three Shire Heads then a jog/walk up to the steel steps onto the A54. No navigational problems thanks to Philomena's recce. Over the road then onto the rocky path down and a careful trot down to Cumberland Cottage. I found a fleece hat on this track (which I later found out belonged to our club secretary Mark!). Paul H fell here a few minutes in front of me thankfully without too much damage.

Leg 12 - Cumberland Cottage to Walker Barn

As fascinating as the deep discussion over the merits of various heavy metal bands by the scouts in Cumberland Cottage was (to me a Northern Soul fan) I'd rather they devoted more than a grunt or two to helping me with refreshments. Helping myself to a cup of tea I departed to find a pair of runners entering the cottage. They must have found the cottage just as welcoming as they came right back out and passed me as I drank my cup of tea. I finished my tea as we hit the road. They were just in front of me. One was clearly struggling and the other was obviously keen to get going. It's a sign of the great distance involved that I thought with only a half marathon left to go I'd cracked it. I got my head down and passed them as I took the road route round to Walker Barn. This was proven to be faster than the lane over the top by Paul H on one of our recces. It's also mentally a lot easier at this stage in the race. Wlaker Barn proved to be my only navigational error. I hadn't noticed that there were two lanes off the main road and, attracted by a very brightly lit house down the first one, I headed for that. It didn't look right when I reached it and, on looking across a field, I saw the real control.

Leg 13 - Walker Barn to Whitely Green

Another cup of tea and banana later I was off down the road. It's almost all downhill from here I told myself. Another runner entered as I left and he was on my heels as we went down the main road towards Rainow. Off the main road I managed to loose him on entering the field that cut off the corner in Rainow. Over the last real hill to speak of it was down into Bollington. At this point my headtorch started flashing which is the low batery indication. I used some new Kodak heavy duty batteries but these proved to be very short lived. I'll not be using those again. Fortunately I'd brought along a spare Petzyl Zipka headtorch so I was OK. Expecting to get hassle from revellers leaving the pub in Bollington, as Al did one year, I was relieved to have a very quiet run through the village. Onto the canal it was heads down until the Whitely Green control. I somehow caught them by suprise. At first they thought I was two runners then they hadn't got the kettle on. I ended up taking their cup of tea.

Leg 14 - Whitely Green

How many bridges do they want to build over the bloody Middlewood Way? Rather than count the bridges to the point where I needed to abandon the Way I'd memorised the exit point ('Miners Arms' sign post and steps after the bridge). There seemed to be dozens of bridges and I ended up thinking I was going to find myself at the A6 road but eventually the right bridge turned up and I was off onto the last few roads to the finish. Thank goodness I'd recced this section. I steady shuffle saw me through to Towers Road. Was it only 12 hours ago that we were here rushing away from the start? Towers Road is endless but it helped that I could see another runner in front of me. As I approached I could see that he was running backwards. "I'm knackered" he declared as I passed him. "Me too" I thought although I was getting a bit of a second wind at this point. The run up Macclesfield Road felt good. As I reached the finish there was a group of blokes on the roadside. They clapped as I approached and formed a tunnel for me to run through. "What service" I thought but it appears that they were a group of drunks on their way home. I bumped into Mark W and Pete D just outside the Scout HQ gates. They were on their way home. Pete had finished in just over 11 hours and Mark had supported other runners from the club for over 20 miles. I waltzed into the finish, feeling like I'd got loads more miles in my legs, in a time of 12:37. (Those legs refused to work the next day!)

All in all I'd really enjoyed the run. I'd learnt a lot both about myself and about how to tackle a really long run. So, next year a sub 12 is on the cards. Just got to get the knee sorted out and find a giant feeder cup so that I can run with my cup of tea.

Boy Racer

2010-06-13T21:19:00.007+01:00

Well more like Old Git Racer but that hasn't got the same ring to it. I seem to have caught the race bug recently. In the last four weeks I've run the Vanessa Chappell, Castleton and Boar's Head Fell Races and today I ran the Chiltern Chase multiterrain 10k. I think that that is more races than I did in the whole of 2009. This is me in the Boar's Head closely followed by two of my clubmates.

The results illustrate the fact that, as much as I love hill running, I'm not actually very good at it, or rather, not suited to it. The more climbing in a race then the lower in the field I finish, exactly halfway at Castleton (6 miles, 1500' ascent), better than halfway at Boar's Head (7-8 miles, 1300' ascent) and top 10% in the Chiltern Chase (10k of low rolling hills). Other factors, such as the lack of joggers (and ipod plonkers) in fell races and my reluctance to run over rough ground after my recent fall, do have an effect but I do go backwards uphill and catch up downhill and on the flats. My performance in the Grindleford Gallop further illustrates this. I was way in front (2 minutes per mile faster) of people who are beating me in shorter fell races.

Having said all that I am enjoying the competition with those around me in the races. There's a cluster of us in the club who are of similar abilities so we are getting some good toing and froing in the races. Great fun.

I'm looking forward to some much longer races over the next few months.

Back on Track (or Snail on Trail)

2010-05-24T20:24:00.003+01:00

After two enjoyable club runs during the week I decided to go for a long run on Sunday despite the hot forecast. In the end I did around 19 miles (~32km) on hilly trails around the Chilterns on an absolutely gorgeous spring morning. I managed to stay in shady woodland for a good part of the run but despite this I lost 7lbs (3.2kg) in weight (sweat) even after drinking 1500ml of isotonic drink. I was seriously dehydrated when I got home. Here's the route:

Chilterns Figure of Eight - Tring, Wendover Woods, Dunsmore, Coombe Hill, Ridgeway.
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The face seems to be mending OK. It wasn't a problem during the run although the nerves are still numb in places.

So, all being well I'm back to where I was pre-crash. I've even managed not to put back on any weight.

Old Red Eye is Back!

2010-05-06T11:26:00.029+01:00

Ten days on and I almost look normal again although I'm climbing up the walls from not being able to run (more on that later). Still a bit numb around the cheek but every day brings an improvement. Went back to work yesterday and it's good job that my eye is still seriously bloodshot (although it mysteriously swapped sides two days after the injury) else they wouldn't have believed I was injured.

I've just returned from seeing the maxillofacial consultant and we've agreed that I don't need corrective surgery as the bones don't appear to have been displaced much. The icing on the cake is that he said that I don't have to wait 6 weeks until I go running again (just to make sure it is not uncomfortable to run, which it still is unfortunately). Happy days!

So, back to the actual run. As usual I stayed in Bingley at Dave's house on the Friday night and managed to remember to take my drinks with me this time. My nutrition and hydration strategy was to stick with my Kendal Mint Cake nibbling for most of the way round topped up with a gel at roughly the Ribbleshead and Hill Inn checkpoints. Fluidwise I prepared two 500ml bottles for each of the aforementioned checkpoints. One bottle had energy drink and the other isotonic. The plan was to down the energy drink (as the two checkpoints are just before the Whernsdie and Ingleborough climbs respectively) and to top up the bottle that I carried in my belt with the isotonic which I would sip all the way round. This was especially important as the forecast was for 20 deg. C. It's not often you get to wear sunglasses on the 3 Peaks.

I was looking forward to this race. I'd had a couple of nightmare attempts in the previous two years, dropping out in the first year on Whernside after my shoes were too small with my orthotics in them (as well as screwing up my energy intake) and completing in the second year but only after spraining my ankle while descending Penyghent and practically hopping the next 20 miles. This year I was well prepared after spending many months running in the Peak District and managing to lose about 4kg in weight. I was looking to knock a good 30 minutes off last year's time. This would take me just outside 4 hours. So, I had to get up Whernside in 40 minutes. I managed it in 40:50 so still on target. The weather was warm hazy sunshine but there was a nice cool breeze which made it a lot more bearable.

Prior to the start I'd had a dilema as to which shoes to wear as the course was likely to be very dry (for the Pennines anyway). It was either the Speedcross 2s which had served me well in the Grindleford Gallop or the as yet untested (apart from a couple of short runs) XT wings. In the end I went with the XT Wings as I thought they'd be more comfortable especially on the mile or so of road leading up to Ribbleshead viaduct. This may have been a costly decision. I'd had to go up half a size from my normal Salomon shoe size and get a 13 as the 12.5s were a smidgeon too small. This resulted in there being too much play in the forefoot which kept moving around on uneven ground.

By the time I got to Ribbleshead I could feel a blister forming on my right little toe so I lost a couple of minutes trying to adjust the sock and shoe to relieve it. I also had a suprise with the drinks. They'd both settled and looked identical so I couldn't tell the difference between the energy and the isotonic, even after tasting them so I cut my loses and drank half of each and put the rest in my belt bottle. Then it was off up Whernside.

I was pleased with the approach to Whernside as I was able to run up paths I'd walked the previous year as can be seen in this video (look for the green shorts and white hat 40 seconds in.):

Once onto the steeper slopes it was back to walking for everyone. It was half way up Whernside that Dave overhauled me and disappeared up the slopes. He's a strong climber so I was expecting him to catch me (I knew I was a minute up on him at the top of Penyghent and the timing chip splits show me seven minutes up at Ribblehead but the video above, just after Ribbleshead, shows me three minutes ahead (Dave is No.214 at 3min 40sec in the video) so I lost some time on him messing about with my shoes and drinks. He was 3 minutes in front of me at the top of Whernside.) The final hands and knees drag up to the top seemed to go on a lot more than last year. I'd started cramping in my calf muscles as well (note to self: wear compression socks in big races) but felt fairly strong and ready to catch up a few who'd passed me going up. I checked in at the top at 2 hours 30 minutes. That left me 90 minutes to get over Ingleborough and down to Horton in Ribblesdale for a 4 hour finish (not likely considering it took me over 2 hours last year although I was a lot better prepared).

Last year I really struggled with the path along the top of Whernside. There are a lot of uneven and sharp rocks which made it difficult to run with a twisted ankle. This year I could run but was very wary of those rocks. I don't know what the geology of Whernside is but most paths tend to have flattened and smooth rocks but here they are arranged at all sorts of angles as if someone's gone out of their way to make it dangerous. So I was being extra careful on this section which makes it ironic that this is where I came to grief.

As readers of this blog will know, I make up for my poor hill climping ability with an above average downhill speed. So, I was picking up speed along the slight downhill along the Whernside top ridge (hoping to haul Dave back in before the climb up Ingleborough) when I found myself flying through the air. It happened in an instant but I remember thinking that this was the last place I wanted to fall and being aware that this was going to hurt. I must have twisted as I came down as I landed on my right hand side and felt an almighty bang on the side of my face as if someone had hit me with a large hammer. I knew there and then that I'd fractured my cheek. I felt it break. I'm not sure why I tripped as I was being so careful. I can only think it is due to the cramp and/or the fact that my shoes were ever so sligthly too big, making it that bit easier to catch the toes on rocks. These are the offending rocks that I broke my cheek on.

I dragged myself off the path and put my hand to my face. It came away covered in blood. My right thigh and shoulder were badly grazed and bruised. Several runners stopped and one or two of them went back to the control tent on the summit where there were radio men and members of mountain/cave rescue teams (whoever you were guys, thanks). In the meantime an angel in a floppy pink hat descended on me.

For the next 40 minutes or so Kate, an Irish nurse who had been watching the race near to where I crashed, took care of me, stemming the blood, cleaning my face, making sure I didn't get cold, supplying me with drinks and even phoning my home so that I could tell Rosie what was happening. Kate also phoned Rosie when she found out where the air ambulance was taking me (but that's jumping ahead too far). Thanks Kate you were my rock (in the nicest possible sense).

Very quickly a couple of guys from the control area came down to see to me. There were from different rescue teams but both called Graham I think (I was a bit preocuupied to take notes unfortunately). They asked me if I could get myself off the mountain but I assured them that I couldn't so they called for an air ambulance. They put my waterproofs on me then wrapped me in a space blanket. They also massaged my legs and feet (I owe them a pint for that) as they were cramping badly now that I'd stopped. I asked one of the Grahams to make sure that Dave got my bumbag as it contained the key to my car else he would be a bit stuck.

That cool breeze turned into a very cold wind as I lay there so I got very cold and shivery. The whirring of the helicopter as it approached was one of the most welcome sounds I've heard in a long time. The air ambulance managed to land very nearby. The paramedics checked me over and, after several attempts to find a suitable vein gave me a morphine injection followed an antiemetic to stop me feeling sick (I think they should have doubled the dose). I was then wrapped up in a nice warm quilt and strapped onto their stretcher. As they lifted me I got a throat full of vomit and thought that I'd drown in it if was actually sick. They had to get me over a wall to get to the helicopter.

I'm afraid it sounded like the wall was pretty much demolished as they passed me over. It was only around 50 yards to the helicopter but the nearer I got the more sick I felt. They got my legs in the helicopter when I managed to break free of the straps and lean over the side of the stretcher to empty my stomach onto the grass. I remember thinking not to bother eating plums again before a race as they don't seem to digest much.

The stretcher, with me still on it, was placed in the well at the back of the helicopter. Even if I was in a fit state to want to look out of the window I'd have had to stretch to do so. Dave the paramedic fitted me with a pair of headphones so that I could hear him above the noise of the engine so I could hear the pilot commenting on the marvellous view of the Lake District. It took them 8 minutes to get me to Lancaster Royal Infirmary.

To wrap this up I was cleaned up, x-rayed and given a bed in the medical assessment unit. Their main concern was my low blood pressure (80/60) which is ironic considering my hypertension. While in the unit Dave turned up. I'd managed to take on lots of fluids and this seemed to help raise my pressure so they let me go at around 7:30 after promising to see my GP for a referral to a maxillofacial consultant.

After a night at Dave's I drove home on the Sunday, in time for Rosie's birthday on Monday. I got to see a maxillofacilist who confirmed that my cheek was fractured in three places. I had to then return to see him after the swelling had reduced, which is where this post started.

Finally, a great big thank you to all those who helped me. It's good to know that in those rare occassions in life when you really need to just let go and let others take over those people are there. My next big race is going to have to be sponsored for these wonderful rescue organisations I'm afraid so start saving!

Between a Rock and a Hard Face

2010-04-25T20:55:00.006+01:00

I'll complete this later when I have all the photos that I need but for now a quick update.

I crashed out of the 3 Peaks Race yesterday by tripping on a very rocky path at the top of Whernside and smashing my face on a rock. I was airlifted out, spent a few hours in hospital and have to see a maxillofacial specialist for a suspected fractured cheek.

I massive thank you to those that helped, especially Kate my angel Irish nurse who just happened to be watching the race, the two Graham's from two different Mountain Resue Teams (I'll try and find out which one's later), the magnificent guys from the North West Air Ambulance service and last but not least my mate Dave (who I was chasing at the time) who rescued me from the hospital and put me up for the night and Angie for putting up with Dave's rescued runners (i.e. me).

If you're squeamish look away now!

That's what I call red-eye! My thigh and shoulder are very sore and grazed too.

Shame, as I was heading to knock half an hour off my last year's time.

Boing ----- Spring is in the Air

2010-04-13T18:23:00.005+01:00

Finally managed to do an evening run in t-shirt and shorts and daylight. I went from Whaley Bridge up to the Bow Stones then dropped down into Lyme Park (used as Pemberley in the BBC's production of Pride and Prejudice).

The sun was setting as I ran around The Cage, back through a herd of deer and past Moorside hotel to Whaley managing to get back before darkness fell.

All in all a lovely spring evening run. How many people just sat and watched TV programmes they didn't really enjoy and won't remember while I was out in the magnificent Derbyshire countryside? If only they knew what they were missing.

Snowed on on Chinley Churn

2010-03-31T21:57:00.004+01:00

Doesn't quite have the same ring as Snowed on on Snowdon but I may have a theme going here if the weather doesn't improve. Just as we thought it was safe to go out (I was running in shorts and t-shirt at the weekend) the bloody snow and freezing temperatures make a reappearance.

I went over Eccles Pike and could see that snow had settled on the hills above 500m when it started snowing. By the time I got up Chinley Churn it was nearly a white out. Nearly froze my fingers off too.

Roll on summer.

Route Plotting - MapMyRun

2010-03-29T13:05:00.003+01:00

I've been playing around with a few on-line route mapping websites. This seems to have the best mapping capabilities (including a very natty googlemaps flythrough facility) but it has loads of advertising on it unless you take out membership (which is fair enough I suppose). Here's my route from yesterday (Sunday 28/3/10).

28/03/2010 Route - Tring, Aldbury, Colesbury
Find more Runs in Tring, United Kingdom

This took me exactly two hours on a perfect running day, sunny with a cool breeze.

Leap Frog

2010-03-24T22:32:00.003Z

I've just been out for a run in the dark and had a very weird experience. Coming down a country lane into a small valley (Kishfield between Kettleshulme and Whaley Bridge) I noticed what I thought was a leaf until it blinked at me. It was a frog. Then there was another one, and another. The whole road for about a hundred yards was covered in frogs. They just sat there as I tried desperately not to stand on any of them.

I think I managed to get through without committing amphibicide. Weird.

Update: Went back down thelane the folloing night withthe club andthere were even more (plus a few toads).

Snowed on on Snowdon

2010-03-24T21:33:00.008Z

It wasn't really a run (apart from the bit I ran to escape the blizzard. More on that later) but it was up a mountain so I suppose it qualifies for the blog.

I'd spent the weekend at a Northern Soul Weekender at Prestatyn. This finished at 3:30 a.m. Monday morning (which was earlier than the 8 a.m. finish the previous two days) so I grabbed a few hours kip then took off for Llanberis. I'd not been up Snowdon before so I thought I'd take the opportunity being so close. I did toy with the idea of running it but after a weekend of a lot of dancing, little sleep and not a little beer I thought it maybe wasn't wise. So I walked.

The weather forecast was for rain clearing later and as predictied I set off up the main tourist path (route of the Snowdon Fell race) under an overcast but dry sky at around 1:30.

Rather than take the road I first took the very picturesque path through the trees that come out at the Pen Y Ceunant Isaf tea rooms. Up the road for a few hundred yards then its onto the Llanberis path proper. As you'd expect the path is well trodden and is currently under repair in several places (presumably getting ready for the summer onslaught).

Being a Monday afternoon in March there weren't many people out. I could see a couple in front of me and half way up a self confessed unfit and overweight runner caught me up. I overhauled the couple who I presume turned back later as I didn't see them again. That was it until I reached the top, apart from the runner coming back down through the snow about a quarter mile from the summit.

Three quarters of the way up the weather improved to the point where I wished I brought the sun lotion. However, the clouds that had been shrouding the summit remained I was soon into them. Just prior to that though I passed under the mountain railway and got a brilliant view down into the Llanberis Pass.

A hundred yards further up I found out why the trains didn't run to the top, and as a consequnce the cafe at the top wasn't open.

From here on in the path was mostly covered with snow plus visibility was down to a few yards. If it hadn't have been for a few footprints I might have lost the path. As it was I met the runner on his way down. He said he'd been to the top but I was a bit skeptical has I expected it to be much further. But there it was soon enough, some two hours after I'd set off (the fell race takes the winner just over an hour to get up and down!).

The summit platform and pillar loomed out of the mist. Right on cue as I got to the top the wind picked up and it started to snow. I came down off the summit platform before it blew me off and took a quick look at the very closed and shuttered cafe. A couple were huddled in the doorway having a drink. They'd come up the Pyg track which they said had some 'interesting' sections in it. I left them to their tea and took off back down as the snow had now turned to very painful horizontal hail. I jogged most of the way down to get out of the cloud but it followed me down. It finally stopped as I approached the Ceunant tea rooms. I decided to pop in for a cup of tea. Good decision. It's like a little farmhouse kitchen in there with a roaring log fire, a little table and bits of antique furniture. The proprietor came and joined me with his cup of tea and dog and we had a good old chat for 20 minutes or so. He's also got a small art gallery in there where he exhibits his collection of Kyffin Williams paintings. After I paid the bill and was about to leave he gave me an apple and piece of fruit cake. That's what I call a friendly cafe.

That just nicely capped off a great day in the hills. Having done that I now fancy a crack at the Snowdon Fell Race. The path is very runnable. Unfortunately, this year's race sold out in 12 days so I'll have to wait until next year.

As I was driving away from Llanberis I looked through my wing mirror and there was Snowdon and surrounding peaks with their crowns of snow in a completely clear blue sky!

Grindle(ford) Fruit Cake

2010-03-24T21:25:00.006Z

A week after rediscovering Kendal Mint Cake (KMC) due to having no gels left for the Berkhamsted Half Marathon, I discovered Grindle Fruit Cake (GFC). The £12 entry fee for the Grindleford Gallop (21 miles, 3,000 ft ascent or 34km, 925m ascent in new money) was easily recouped in the drinks, cakes and soup available both on the course and at the end.

This was my first attempt at this event. I was hoping to get somewhere between 3 hours and 3:30. It was also my first run in Goyt Valley Strider's club colours (including my club coloured shorts which have caused much mirth in the club due to their shortness). There were 28 club members in the event so we had a good turn out. There were over 300 runners as well as a similar number of walkers who'd set off 90 minutes earlier.

It was one of those strange days weatherwise where it was difficult to tell how it would turn out. I'd intended to run in just a t-shirt, club vest and shorts. While killing time before the start the weather changed several times from sunny to cold. (We were also entertained by an usually large number of blokes applying vaseline to places that I didn't realise had friction issues.) I then swapped the t-shirt for a long sleeved Helly-Hansen themal top. This proved to be a wise decision although I did get too warm in sheltered sections. I even had club coloured gloves (which I'd found on a KIMM a few years ago). On the shoe front I wore my Salomon Speedcross 2s hoping that they'd be OK over this distance as I'd not run more than 5 miles in them previously. I had hoped to use my new Salomon XT-Wings but they were late in being delivered. (They arrived over the weekend.) As it turned out the Speedcross were brilliant. To top it all off I carried a large bumbag containing waterproof jacket, 500ml drink, phone, energy bar and KMC.

To start we all gathered in a field with no start line to speak off. The starter made the usual inaudible instructions before a hooter had us off over the field. A stile and narrow track after the first hundred yards explained the mad dash from those in the know. I don't mind being held up a little bit at the beginning on a long run as it stops me dashing off too fast.

My strategy for the race after last week's reasonable half marathon was to treat it like a half with a bit (a mere 8 miles) tagged on the end, rather than a marathon with a little bit (5 miles) chopped off. So once I got the chance I started moving ahead overtaking a few runners. Then it was up the hill from Froggat to Eyam. This was quite steep but I managed to run a large chunk of it. I'm beginning to think that I've made a small breakthrough in hill running. I don't seem to be overtaken quite as much as I used to and seem to be able to run more hills. Still a lot of room for improvement but nice and early in the year.

As usual I managed to pass a few on the downhill section into Eyam and onto the first checkpoint. Then it was out the back of Eyam and into a green lane which was soon spoiled by a gang of X-cross motorbike riders making a right racket and smell. I can't be doing with motorised off road vehicles ripping up the countryside.

This section was quite poignant for me as it was where my dad died nearly exactly 32 years ago (7 March 1978). He was out walking on his own and had a massive heart attack aged 47 and here I was aged 51 running through the same area. I suppose a little part of me runs to get away from a heart attack.

After crossing the A632 Stoney Middleton to Peak Forest road it was up over a series of fields, past control 2 and onto control 3 overlooking Monsal Dale. I started to nibble the KMC at this point. This section was now downhill via a farm track and road to Great Longstone where I spotted a trio of grey haired ladies(cauliflower heads as my mother calls them, and she's one too) that I'd also seen in Eyam. They'd reappear every few miles during the race. I was almost on first name terms with them by the end of the race. Again I claimed a few scalps on the down hill section and a few more on the flat section along the Monsal Trail disused railway line to control 4. This was the first cake stop. A large table was creaking under the weight of a variety of cakes wrapped in clingfilm. So I grabbed a large chunk of fruit cake and a drink. I used the remainder of the trail to ease off a little and eat the cake.

Just above Bakewell we left the trail and up the steep hill to Ballcross Farm (control 5). On the way up we crossed a golf course and had to ring a bell to warn the golfers. I bet they were sick of the bell ringing so much that day. I managed to walk and run my way up the hill. At the top we set off over the smooth grassy Calton Pastures as the sun came out properly. It had turned into a cracking day.

By this stage I'd gotten into a pattern of being caught by the same few runners on the uphills then dropping them on the flats and downs. So it was down through Edensor, past Chatsworth and onto Baslow and the second cake stop where I stopped to refuel (another cake and topping up my bottle). My chasers caught me up here and disappeared off up the Bar Road hill while I was refueling. I thought I'd lost them here as they disappeared up the hill. On the tops they were a good half mile in front of me.

I wasn't making any ground on them until we finally started to descend off Froggat Edge. I slowly but surely pulled them all back in until I was back in the lead. After crossing the A625 the path split and there were no signs so I had to wait for them to tell me which way to go. So off I went again and managed to drop them on the fast downhill section to the finish.

I'd hired a cottage in Hathersage so that my family could come up for the weekend as I wasn't going home due to the race. Unfortunately my youngest daughter couldn't make it but everyone else was there. So, I had a fan club waiting for me at the finish. My wife spotted a Goyt Valley runner approaching the finish. "Look, there's one of your Dad's clubmates" she said to Vicky and Lucy. "It is Dad!" they replied. I must have looked bad for my wife not to recognise me!

I dabbed my dibber at the finish and was handed my printout according to which I'd finished 40th (out of 40, so far) in 3:08. Not bad for my first attempt. I was third in our club (and first M50) after the amazing Andy Pead had won in a new course record of 2:24 and Julian (ultra runner extrodinairre) in 3:04. Looking at the result splits I'd arrived just one minute behind Julian at Baslow. I certainly didn't expect to be that close but if I'd known I might have made an extra effort to try and finish with him. The results when published had me at 46th. I'm not sure how that happened.

Overall, I really enjoyed the run. The course is nice and varied and suits me with its long downhills and flat sections. The weather helped of course. The organisation was good (apart from that missing direction towards the end) and the cakes were especially welcome.

I'll probably do that one again. After all that 3 hour barrier needs to be broken. (I wish!)

Berko Half Marathon

2010-03-07T16:06:00.013Z

After many years of intending to enter this local race, the Berkhamsted Half Marathon, I finally suceeded yesterday and got myself one of the 100 places reserved for 'locals' (i.e. anyone who got to Berkhamsted and applied in person). I know the roads around there very well and have even done the course as a training run when preparing for my first Jungfrau Marathon. I also ran most of the course in reverse last week when I ran the 17 mile Gade Valley Harriers London Marathon Training Run. Thankfully the weather had made a major improvement on last week when we had freezing rain and snow (and some git in a BMW (isn't it always) who decided that splashing runners with freezing puddles was far better than driving round them.)

Today was absolutely perfect running weather. Cool and sunny. I'm not sure whether I actually broke out into a sweat or not it was such perfect temperature. I was dressed all in black in my Gore lycra shorts, Champion technical tee shirt, Gore running hat and black gloves. I wore my good old Asic Gel Kayano (14?) running shoes. Really must tie the laces tighter as I had to retie each one on the run.

As often happens when you're near to something, you think there's loads of time and end up being late. I parked up and ran the mile or so to the start and was still queuing to store my bag when the starting gun went off. I'd forgotten my watch in the rush but fortunately we had timing chips so I'll eventually get a chip time. So I started at the back amongst the virgins and ipod people. I spent the rest of the race passing runners. As I found last week the miles just ticked off. Since I've been doing longer distance weekend sessions (17 -20 miles) I'm finding a half marathon quite short. Having rushed to get to the start I'd not had time to do my ablutions and spent miles 5 - 8 looking for suitable place to hide. Local knowledge came in handy as I knew exactly where there were some decent bushes to hide behind. I had to watch about a hundred runners pass me as I was occupied. I finally reeled them all back in by the finish line.

I hadn't any gels left for today's run so I resorted to good old Kendal Mint Cake which I nibbled most of the way round. I'm not sure if it was the KMC or just that I'm getting fitter but I felt full of energy all the way round. As I said I was passing people all the way round (even on hills which is unusual for me).

Just as we ran past the marvellous Ashridge House (above) I saw a guy drop his hat so I scooped it up off the ground and gave it back to him as I ran past. I'll be resorting to the KMC a bit more often I think.

As usual, runners weren't using the downhills properly so I grabbed a few extra places on the last mile which is all downhill. Not having a watch I had no idea what time I was doing. I'd hoped to get under 1:40 on this hilly course and was delighted to nip under the clock just as it ticked onto 1:37. So I reckon my chip time should be 1:35 or less. Not bad considering the circumstances.

(Update 8/3/10: Clock time 1:37:07, Chip time: 1:34:48, Clock Position: 174 / 1200, Chip position about 130th).

Overall, a very enjoyable run made special by the weather. Might do that one again.

Salomon Speedcross 2 - Slippers with Teeth

2010-02-27T15:02:00.006Z

Using the excuse of my Inov-8 Mudclaws cutting my heels to pieces I decided to invest in a pair of Salomon Speedcross 2s. As you may know I'm a big fan of Salomons having used their Raids and XA Pros for many years. Until now however, they have not ventured beyond trail shoes. The Speedcross have a much more agressive tread somewhere between Adidas Swoops and Mudclaws.

Finding my size (12.5 UK) was difficult but managed to find a pair from Wiggle at £10 off street prices. Ordered them on Thursday and they were waiting for me when I got back from Manchester on Friday. The fit has the classic Salomon cupping of the heel but the forefoot is a lot more snug than the XA-Pros, presumably to stop the shoe slidding around as it grips the ground. Admittedly I was a tad worried they might be too tight but after wearing them around the house in the evening I then put them on in the morning and they felt fantastic. Salomons really suit my feet.

So, Phoebe dog and I (matching dog and shoes) took then out for a test run over the Chilterns. Lots of slimy chalky mud. My test of good kit is that you forget you're wearing them while they're doing their job and these passed with flying colours. They've managed to keep the cushioning of the XA-Pros while giving them the required grip. If I'm honest the grip is not quite as good as the awesome Mudclaw grip but the fit (like a pair of slippers) and a excellent grip make them an amazing shoe. I can't wait to give them a longer run.

Meanwhile, I've also got some Salomon XT-Wings on order. What the hell. I've only got one vice, running.

There but for the grace......

2010-02-22T09:36:00.005Z

At the risk of this blog turning into a depressing series of health scares and whinges I feel the need to write about a recent event. My mate Chris (my wife's cousin's husband) has just had a heart attack at the age of 49. Like me, Chris has the misfortune of inheriting some bad genes and despite a healthy lifestyle (not unlike mine although maybe not such a saturated fat facist) he went for a run on Saturday morning and came back with a heart attack. He was whipped into hospital where they put a stent in the offending artery and stuck him on statins and aspirin for the rest of his life. To my knowledge Chris has had no warning signs that there was a problem.

This was a reminder of the lessons learned when my dad died of a massive heart attack whilst out walking in the Peak District (near to where I'll be running in the Grindleford Gallop in 3 weeks time). Don't take life for granted for one second. It is far too precious to waste.

This put my intended run on Sunday in a completely new light. What if I'm on the verge of an attack? How would I know? Should I go? Of course I went. Better to drop dead out on a run pumped up with endorphins than in an office or railway station. My dad had the right idea. He was just about 40 years too early.

So off I went on a hilly on/off road 18 miler around the Chilterns. Had a nice time but was a little weary towards the end. Drank 1.2 litres of isotonic but lost 6lbs in weight. No chest pains though.

So, the next time you don't feel like going out on a run remember, that's one less chance if you don't go. You'll never get it back. And, who knows, maybe that run will add a few more days to your life. Touch wood.

Get well soon Chris.

Keep on running.

Events for this Year

2010-01-31T19:45:00.004Z

As you may know if you follow this blog I'm not a massive race junky. I generally just like to run but it's good to enter the odd event as an excuse to run somewhere new or interesting. Last year for example I only did three events, the Ridgeway Run, the 3 Peaks Race and the OMM (Day 1 and day 2). However, this year I've already entered 2 (Grindleford Gallop (21 miles) and the 3 Peaks (24 miles, again)) and am eyeing up at least a couple more already, the Swiss Alpine K78 Ultramarathon (50 miles) in July and the Ridgeway Challenge (85 miles)in August.

I might get in a few others (Saunders LMM, OMM, etc) and maybe the Zermatt Marathon as well. That should keep me busy.

Bloody Pressure

2010-01-31T18:36:00.007Z

If I was the "my cup's half empty" type instead of the "my cup's half full" type I could have a real good whinge about my lot. In addition to my dead kidney, urethral stricture (you don't want to know how I deal with that), bradycardia and high cholesterol it appears that I now suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure) which is, amongst other things, not good for kidneys. This is despite having an extremely healthy diet and doing lots of running. If I'd left it up the doctors I'd be on cholesterol and pressure lowering drugs, have a heart pacemaker fitted and would have opted to have my dead kidney removed.

I know that there are people out there who are far worse of than me. That's one reason I run (because I still can and for those that can't), but with this new condition I'm getting less and less tolerant of people who abuse their health. I lost both my father and brother (aged 47 and 42 respectively) to diseases that were not of their own making so I get really wound up (I know, not good for my blood pressure) when I see people abuse their bodies with cigarettes, crap food and a sedentary lifestyle. The morbidly obese guy I saw last week being given the kiss of life on platform 13 at Manchester Piccadilly station will no doubt agree with me.

So, I've got myself a blood pressure monitor (Omron M6 Comfort)and am monitoring it twice a day for a month before taking the results back to the doc. I've done it for over two weeks now and the results are looking very interesting. It appears that running has a significant and almost immediate effect. After a couple of runs my pressure comes down out of the danger zone (For example it dropped from 156/103 to 124/83) and stays there until I have a rest day during which it shoots up again. So, that means that I have to run every day for the rest of my life if I want to stay off the drugs. Ron Hill must have known this all along (as he's run every day since December 1964!).

I'm getting some weird results in terms of the correlation of heart rate to blood pressure. All the texts say that if heart rate rises than so does blood pressure, but not mine. My very low pulse (35 in the mornings) may have something to do with it but I can't find anything that throws any light on this. Instead of the heart rate and pressure graphs following each other, mine are a mirror image of each other. The higher the heart rate (resting) the lower my blood pressure. As my wife says, I'm not normal.

Anyway, I now have another reason (aka excuse) to run. Can't complain about that can I?

What did you do today?

2009-12-22T17:28:00.003Z

Healing Heels

2009-12-07T22:51:00.004Z

Not one for the squeamish. The day after getting back from Wales (see previous posts) I had to go over to Liverpool to view a flat my daughter Vicky was looking at for her new job. This meant me wandering around for a few hours after work. On the train back to Manchester my heels were teeth gittingly painful. I had to wait ages for a train in Manchester and was dying to take off my shoes to releive the pain but daren't as I knew I'd not get them back on again. By the time I got back to my room in Whaley Bridge it was nearly midnight and my heels were swollen. I could hardly walk and was nearly in tears. Back in the B&B I performed minor surgery on my heels cutting away the loose and dead skin. This was the result:

Needless to say I couldn't get my shoes on the next day.

As for the black toenails, they came off a couple of days later.

OMM 2009 - Class B - Day 2

2009-12-07T21:37:00.008Z

The pain in my knee didn't prevent me dropping straight back off to sleep. The 6 o'clock alarm woke us up just before the megaphone man wandered round the field announcing start times. The pain didn't make a reappearance so, not wanting to tempt fate, I didn't mention it. As it turned out I had no knee problems all day, unlike the day before.

The new sleeping bag was fine in the night but it probably didn't drop below 5 deg C. I'm not sure it would be comfortable at 0 deg which is what it's rated at but down filling apparently reacts to temperature drops and fluffs up. I'll have ot wait and see.

Breakfast consisted of Expedition Food's porridge and strawberries. It was a bit on the sweet side but very filling. The rain had stopped and the sky was clear but there was a bitter wind blowing. We were ejected from sheltering in the barn while killing time before the start. So we wandered up to the start ten minutes before our time.

The first control was straight up onto the top and along a shoulder heading south. As with the day before route choice was very limited. A mixture of grass, bogs and tussocks took us over an undulating route, west of Drygarn Fawr, to controls 2 and 3.

Things started to go awry at control 4. The woods we thought we were heading for were actually hidden out of sight behind a hill, so we overshot. The fence was a clue but we thought maybe they hadn't put it on the map. Note to self: "Trust the sodding map!!!". Ten minute later we're back on track. At this point I can feel my right heel starting to blister. It was bearable so I kept going. It was at this point that we came across the first of the many dead sheep that we found. There's often one or two sheep remains on a run but we must have come across a dozen by the end of the day. I later heard that one competitor fell into a decomposing sheep carcase.

From there on in the blister was joined by another on my left heel. We had to stop at control 7 to patch up my heels. The compeeds lasted about 5 minutes before coming off. It was a case of grin and bear it from then on. We picked off control 8 then headed across to 9 and on approaching it the tightly packed contours on the map manifested into the world dropping away under our feet. Control 9 was a little dot down at the bottom of one of those slopes you wouldn't attempt without some nice spikey soles. Dave dashed off down while I gingerly eased my way down. We climbed back up at a tangent rather than go straight back up.

Back up on the top we picked off control 10, found 11 in its 'stoney renetrant' and picked up the zig zag path down to 12. Then it was down into the Elan Valley and a flat run of about a mile to the finish line.

A short walk to Elan Village later we found ourselves in a queue for the bus back to the event centre. There was a soup tent serving delicious soup so we indulged in a couple of cupfuls while waiting. What we couldn't see was the queue winding itself down the road.

An hour later we reached the front of the queue. The weather was on our side but had it been cold and wet I reckon there'd have been a few cases of hypothermia. The warmth of the bus was very welcome.

Back at the event centre I had my first ever shower at an OMM. They were lovely and hot if a little grimy after several hundred other competitiors had used them. My feet were in a state. I'd ripped the skin off both heels and had two black toenails.

Our overnight 38th place had dropped to 63rd after our day 2 glitches. All things considered though not a bad weekend's work.

Post script: Dave went on to win the Bingley Harriers' 2009 club championship which shows that he was on a roll this year.

2009 OMM LIMP PICS

2009-10-29T22:37:00.004Z

Official piccies from the end of Day 2.

Not sure why I'm smiling, I've got no skin on my heels and two of my toenails are about to drop off. Those endorphines work wonders.

OMM 2009 - Class B - Day 1

2009-10-27T18:32:00.007Z

I'll say one thing for the OMM/KIMM. You get to see places you wouldn't normally visit. It's just that now and again there's a reason you wouldn't normally go there. Take the 2001 KIMM for example up in Clydes MuirSheil Regional Park, Scotland. A trackless wasteland of bogs and tussocks. Being so close to Glasgow et al you'd expect a few paths but no. Who'd want to trudge through that when there's the Highlands within reach. Expectations for this weekend were pretty much based on that experience and to a certain degree I was pleasantly surprised that some (around half) of the course was fairly pleasant runnable terrain with the odd non-OMM created track here and there. However, the other half of the course however made up for that in shedloads. Miles and miles of gloopy shoe sucking wobbly featureless plateau. The anticipated tussocks were no match for Muirsheil's ministry of silly walks monsters but they were just as lethal in their own ankle snapping way. Taking your eye off the path immediately ahead resulted in a twisted ankle or a dip in a particularly deep trough of black sticky goo.

One of those weird coincidences happened at the event centre. While waiting in the queue for the gents I saw Rick Ansell from Tring (where I live). He's unmistakable in the fell running circuit as he has a large ginger afro hairdo. I asked him how many Tring runners were taking part then he asked me which club I was in. I explained that I lived in Tring but had actually recently joined the Goyt Valley Striders as I'm working up there (160 miles from Tring). Blow me if he didn't then introduce his partner Mark Richards who's in the Goyt Valley Striders. How weird is that?

So, back to the event where a fun time was had by all (except those who had their tents knicked from the Friday night campsite). Thanks to last year's media bollocks, this year saw a few changes. The event centre was in the Welsh national showground with proper buildings and everything instead of in a barn. This resulted in us having to be bussed to the start. A half hour trip to the Elan Valley. Everyone assumed that we'd be taken to the Elan Village but instead we were unceremoniously dumped in a layby and had to walk half a mile or so up a hill to the start gates.

Dave and I had very late start time of 11:23 (or 11:33 as Dave thought). As luck would have it we checked our time at exactly the time we were due through the gates. We seem to make a habit of that.

One advantage of a late start was the clearing up of the low cloud that hindered the early starters. Visibility was good for the whole weekend. Dave did all the navigation this time apart from a couple of incidents when his spatial awareness wires got crossed. I didn't even get my compass out the whole weekend. To be honest being so late the routes were well trodden leaving navigation choices, with one or two exceptions, simply a matter of choosing which OMM-path to take when we came to a split.

Equipmentwise, I was back to my old KIMM SAC after snapping the waist belt on my Salomon rucksac during last year's OMM. I wore my GORE shorts and a HH top and, for the first and last bits, my green Salomon goretex jacket. On my feet I wore my Hilly mono socks on day 1 with my Inov-8 Mudclaw 3-something or others. For the overnight camp we had my good old North Face Westwind tent and I was carrying my new PHD Minim 300 sleeping bag and Minimus down jacket. As I've mentioned before in this blog the shoes have a grip to die for but they don't really suit my feet. By tying the lace really tight I can eliminate the heel lift but they don't give my heels the support they need. My over pronation caused the left side of the left shoe to dig into my foot just below the ankle bone. Fortunately I'd brought some long lengths of plaster that protected that. Our bags came in at 21 lbs this year. Far too heavy but it's difficult to know what to cut down on without making the long overnight camp a miserable experience.

So, the course went from the start up and along a ridge before dropping across a shallow valley and over the other side to control 1 conveniently placed on a bridle track.

Then it was along the track, over a road, more track then off the edge down to the side of one of the reservoirs to control 2. Another easy find.

The direct line to control three was straight across the reservoir but unlike a ladies team in a previous LAMM who swam across a lake rather than run round it we opted for the dry (well drier) route. North along the side of the reservoir, over a road bridge, up the road for half a mile then onto yet another track.

We followed this to the top then dropped off to the right into a re-entrant and control 3. Down the side of a valley heading north, past an out of bounds farm and up over the other side of the valley to control 4. As usual Dave was the stronger ascender and he left me on this climb and had found the control before I found him again. A slight bending of the 'must stick together' rule there. More track, getting a bit boggier (is that a word?), took us along a ridge to control 5. Apart from a few of the steeper uphill sections we had managed to run a large part of the course and felt we were making good time. Next was the monster leg, 9k of relentless undulating soggy plateau. Moving across this terrain is drudgery of the highest order. Relying almost entirely on my aerobic ability for my running this slow sapping strength work is not my cup of tea. Especially as my largely dormant bad knee was making its presence felt. I couldn't apply much pressure on it and ended up up developing a sort of peg leg running style where I'd simply pivot on my left leg rather than push with it.

Run a bit, walk through the swamps, run a bit, up the side of a valley head, run a bit, more swamp, more swamp, run a bit and so on. On this section we passed Adrian (see 3 Peaks) and his partner Martin doing the C class course. Looking at their results it seems that they packed at around that point as they missed all of the remaining controls.

Eventually it was round a knoll and control 6 was dibbed. I bonked at this point and had to have a gel, a fruit bar and some malt loaf to bring me round again. Finally it was over the last ridge then down into the valley for the last control of the day (before the finish one)and onto the campsite.

Our fears of finishing in the dark (for which I'd forked out a vast amount of dosh on a decent headtorch) were unfounded as we finished with an hour's daylight left, as were our fears of not finding a (relatively) decent spot for our tent. The campfield was enormous with loads of room. The ground was a bit waterlogged but by previous standards it was pretty good (apart from the fact that my trusty Westwind seems to have a weepy groundsheet). We were trying out some new freeze dried foods this year from Expedition Foods. These just need boiling water to be added and don't require boiling for ages. We ended up with loads of spare gas and the foods were pretty good. We'll be using them again I reckon.

Checking the results board on Saturday night we found we were 38th in the B class (out of some 400 teams I think). Not a bad days work. Slept like a log for 10 hours apart from waking up to turn over and having a horrible pain in my left knee. It felt as if it had seized up and I had images of telling Dave that we had to retire in the morning.

Ridgeway No Way

2009-10-13T20:50:00.012+01:00

Pictures borrowed from the excellent 'TheRacePhotographer'.

Just as I thought I was making a breakthrough I come down to earth with a bump. Expecting to knock a few minutes off my Ridgeway Run time on Sunday I went and added 3 minutes to it instead. I just had no strength on the hills and stopped on two of them (at the bottom of the first one to be honest), used both drink stations as an excuse to stop and even went behind bush for a pee as an excuse. I was so close to packing in trying and just jogging back. Felt a bit better in the second half and even pulled a dozen places back but it was too late by then. Ironically I had no problem with the knee or the calf muscles or anything else for that matter. I just felt crap.

Official image in the post.

The stats are 9.6 miles hilly off-roader, 1h 15m, 95th out of 473 finishers. (See course here) Still upper quartile but not an enjoyable run. Only just beginning to feel normal over two days later. Having a rest this week. I might go out on Thursday night.

Not sure what the explanation is other than I might have overdone it last week with four hard runs over four nights. I felt sluggish on Thursday night (having felt great up to then (see previous post)) but I thought it was because I was with the fast lads in the GV Striders. Also need to look at my diet as I'm living on Marks and Spencer's sandwiches and pasta dishes during the week living away from home as I am.

The weather was fine. Looked like it would stay cloudy with a cool breeze so I togged up in black only to have the sun come out as soon as I walked out of the door. Where's a nice green and white vest when you need one? One runner was togged up in long tights, long sleeved top, hat and scarf (he's at the back of the middle picture). I'd have died wearing that lot. I ran the mile or so to the start and felt ok. The late start (11:00) wouldn't have helped either.

Finisher's tea-shirts were OK this year. Black with and orange design on the front.

I guess I'll have to put that one down to experience. Got the OMM in a couple of weeks.

Changing Shape

2009-10-08T22:14:00.005+01:00

Something weird is happening. Followers of this blog will know that I hold more store in losing a bit of weight rather than getting fitter as a better way of increasing speed and stamina (think bags of sugar). So I'm trying to keep under 2500 calories a day while also running most nights. The result seems to be that my waist is reducing as I've gone down two notches on my belt (no it isn't stretching) recently but haven't lost an ounce (so far).

I'm thinking that perhaps I'm putting on leg muscle with all this hill running. I've noticed a change in my running this week too. I seem to be able to handle the hills a lot better (although I still struggle with the faster boys in the GVS). I feel a lot lighter on my feet. I'll be interested to see what the weight is doing when I get home this weekend.

Doing the Ridgeway Run again this Sunday (See 2008). Suspect I'll be the only GVS runner in that one.

The Lure of the Green and White Vests

2009-10-08T21:42:00.005+01:00

Having just had my contract extended another three months and regularly going on the GVS training runs I felt obliged to join. I wouldn't mind but I don't like green and white kit. The last time I was a member of a running club was back in the 90's when we still lived in York and I joined Wigginton AC. Their colours were green and white: dark green shoulders, light green chest band, white bottom half. The Goyt Valley Striders is the same except there's no dark green bit. I could have joined Bingley or Tring with their nice blue and white vests but I seem to end up in Green and White. C'est la vie. Regardless of their colours they're a good mixed bunch. I enjoy my evenings out with them.

(Picture borrowed from www.goytvalleystriders.org.uk)

Just as an aside, when we lived in York we were about three miles from both Wigginton and Long Marston (site of the battle of Marston Moor). We then moved 200 miles down to Tring and now live a couple of miles from Wigginton and Long Marston. How weird is that?

Hot and Sweaty (and that was just the barn dance!)

2009-09-20T11:26:00.009+01:00

Having been tempted to run the High Peak 40 by my new friends in the Goyt Valley Striders I was reliably informed by my lovely wife Rosie that I had a prior commitment to attend the birthday barn dance of our friend Sue 150 miles away at home. So, as a compromise I decided to have a go at running the eastern half of the Ridgeway National Trail which starts a couple of miles from our house. I planned to run from Ivinghoe Beacon to South Stoke near Goring, a distance of around 42 miles.

The furthest I'd run before in one go was 28 miles while training for the Jungfrau (although I have cycled 240 miles in a day a few times but that's another story). Having jogged round the Bath half marathon with my daughter Lucy and not even breaking into a sweat I reckoned that at the right pace and with the right hydration and nutrition it should be possible to run a very long way without too much effort or damage. That was the theory. I was also conscious that I had to be careful to keep my one remaining functioning kidney safe from dehydrating.

My plan is below showing the stopping points where I would refuel (apologies for the format):

Time per leg - Place - Distance - Longitude - Latitude
n/a - Ivinghoe Beacon - 0 - N51.841717 - W0.6047630
1h 40m - Wendover (Hale Rd - Church Ln) - 10 miles - N51.756136 - W0.7350920
1h - Whiteleaf Cross (Car Park) - 16 miles - N51.724976 - W0.8093060
1h - Chinnor Hill - 22 miles - N51.695834 - W0.9012360
50m - Watlington, B480 - 28 miles - N51.633627 - W0.9992090
50m - 'The Crown', Gangsdown Hill (A4130) - 33 miles - N51.584183 - W1.0267440
35m - Mongewell A4074 (old road/layby) - 37 miles - N51.585102 - W1.1109520
45m - Perch and Pike Pub, South Stoke - 40.5 miles - N51.546950 - W1.1371820

My intention to start at 7:00 a.m. didn't go down to well with my support crew (Rosie and daughter Vicky) so I changed that to 7:30. This was still a tad ambitious as, working away from home during the week and not getting back until Friday evening, I had to prepare in the late evening (not helped by going to watch District 9 at the cinema that evening) and first thing in the morning. I eventually started at 9:40. Better late than never.

The weather was overcast but warm to start. I took our dog Pheobe on the first leg (10 miles to Wendover). I tried to keep the pace down but occassionally found myself running at normal pace. Conscious that dogs can overheat I took a couple of small detours to let Phoebe dunk herslef in cattle troughs. She loves to go running and spends the first hour dashing around sniffing at everything but then get a little bored and trots alongside. The run to Wendover was nice and steady. I was worried about a field full of cows that the Ridgeway runs through the middle of but they were all lying down in a corner. Rosie was there to meet me at the agreed place near Wendover church. I topped up my camelback with another litre of water and threw in a couple of Nuun isotonic tablets (cola flavoured), drank a bottle of Lucasade isotonic, ate a muller rice and had a sip of miso boullion (a tip picked up fromthe Jungfrau, to replace the salt lost in sweating). Rosie took Pheobe home and I took off on my own.

It was starting to get warm. The clouds thinned and temperature rose steadily to the mid-20's and there was absolutely no wind. This results in massive amounts of sweating as the body tries to keep cool. I was constantly sipping from the camelback to replace it.

From Wendover it was up over Coombe Hill, down past Chequers (first pit stop (in a bush not in Gordon's loo)), over the shoulder of Pulpit Hill then up to the top of Whiteleaf Cross hill (16 miles) where I met up with Vicky for my second stop. I changed my shirt (wringing out at least a pint of sweat), shorts, socks, shoes (road shoes after trail shoes) and hat. Another Muller Rice and a variety of drinks went down the hatch.

From Whiteleaf it was down and along the back of Princes Risborough then followed the Ridgeway in a big loop to the south. A brisk walk up Lodge Hill then down towards Chinnor. On the way down I was checking out some signs to make sure I didn't miss a turning when I went over on my right ankle. As has happened quite a few times I thought I'd really damaged it only to find that there's no problem (unlike on this year's 3 Peaks). I then started on what must be the longest straight stretch on any national trail. Nearly eight miles without a bend to speak of. I could see a prime example of iPod man jogging up ahead along this stretch so I couldn't resist burning him up (I know it's not funny or clever but I can't resist it. Sorry.). A couple of miles along this stretch I arrived at my third stop near the Chinnor quarries (22.5 miles) to find that Vicky wasn't there. Fortunately she turned up a few mintues later. Another top up of the camelbak. I was drinking about a litre for every 6 miles plus drinks (isotonic, recovery, coffee, boullion) at the stops. Then it was off again. The old legs were beginning to stiffen up after these stops including the knee making its presence felt but soon loosened up again. Half a mile into this strech a couple of policemen were searching the ground. Not sure what for but they looked pretty bored.

This stretch is gently rolling for ages, occassionally in the open and occassionally through trees. I recognised certain points from when we had to navigate the mud (now dried up) while cycling the Ridgeway with friends a few years ago. I passed through the marathon distance just before running under the M40 as it emerged from the cutting (as seen on Vicar of Dibley opening shots) on its way to Oxford. It was here that I noticed my ankle was very sore from having clipped it with my other foot. The skin on the ankle bone was rubbed raw so I rolled my sock over it intending to stick a Compeed plaster on it at the next stop. The weather by now had settled into one of those rare sultry days ideal for sitting out by a riverside pub but not what you want for running in all day. I was getting a bit bored with sipping the isotonic stuff by now but I forced it down anyway. So it was on to the next stop south of Watlington where I arrived at around 4:00.

When I arrived Vicky said that she had a confession to make. She was going out at 6:30! So, not wanting to spoil her evening (and the fact that I was supposed to be at that barn dance at 7:30) I decided to cut my run short. I would do the next leg then we would go home. I had proven to myself that my theory about hydration and nutrition works even on such a hot and sweaty day. I was a bit weary but had cracked the run. The last 7 miles that I would miss were downhill to the River Thames then flat along the river. There was no way I wouldn't have been able to finish the run. Point proven.

So, into the last leg. Finish off the straight bit then left up into an undulating five miles past Swyncombe church and house. This section was a relief after the relative monotony of the straight section. A nice mixture of hills, fields, buildings and woods. The last section to the Crown on the Gangsdown Hill road near Nuffield was across a couple of large freshly ploughed fields then through a wood onto the noisy A4130. Vicky was waiting across the road in the pub car park. A quick change then we were off taking a short detour to visit Turville which is the setting for the vicarage and church in the Vicar of Dibley. Driving back made me realise how far it was that I'd run. I suppose that's the beauty of a point to point run. You can see how far it is. I'd run across the width of two OS Explorer maps (sheets 171 and 172).

Back home I was amazed at how good I felt. I did ache a little and was a bit weary but I could easily get up out chairs, run up the stairs and not the slighest hint of cramp. I had a nice bath, a bowl of Rosie's home made veggie soup and a bowl of pasta then got ready for the barn dance. Unlike my expectations of sitting in a corner feeling sorry for myself I took part in several dances without any signs of having just spent over seven hours running. Marvellous.

The next day I drove back up to the B&B in Whaley Bridge and this morning I had to sprint uphill to catch the train and jumped onto the train just as the door shut. No problem, no aches and pains, no heavy breathing. Not bad for an old git. After all that I still don't know how far I can run but it's a good start. Next time I'll maybe do some pre-planning and preparation.

Up(hill)date

2009-08-21T12:50:00.005+01:00

Just a quick word to fill in the last few weeks. I'm now working in Manchester on a 3 month contract and am staying in a B&B in Whaley Bridge during the week. This is in the Peak District and has plenty of hills to play on. So, four weeks ago, with my knee more or less behaving itself I took myself for a run over Taxal Moor. I nearly stopped at one point with the pain but continued and found that the pain receeded. Since then I've been out at least four times a week and have started going out with the Goyt Valley Striders on their mid-week training runs. A fine bunch of runners (which is a relief after encountering some right miserable gits while out on my own). I even had a crack at their Eccles Pike fell race on Wednesday. This is a quick sprint straight up and down the pike (3 miles, 817 feet), much too short for me but the knee held out. I find that I've altered my running style since the knee injury. I can't storm downhill any more which was my one defence against being crap at running uphill. It still feels like there's a fluid sac under the knee cap and it is a little sore after a strenuous run but it's more than manageable. It's just such a relief to be running again.

I'm now being tempted by the High Peak 40 in September. Sounds like kill or cure.

Knees and Oils

2009-06-21T20:19:00.003+01:00

Six weeks in and the knee is not fully fit still. This is doubly frustrating as I'm 'between contracts' at the moment and could have really got some decent runs in. However, this morning I wnet on the treadmill to test out the knee. I could still feel it (a bit of pressure under the kneecap and the odd twinge at what I think is each end of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This is on the outer edge of the tibia and inner edge of the femur.) but managed to complete a mile at 5 mph then 7.5 mph. It seems to have loosened things up a bit and certainly hasn't appeared to have done any damage. Hopefully have another go tomorrow.

Anyway, whilst I've been laid up I'm been persuing my attempts to learn how to paint. I'm now onto my sixth painting and have just set up a blog to share the results and my experiences. Take a look at Slapping Oil on Canvas

The next stage is to become official painter to the FRA and OMM!

Woe is Me, I've Hurt my Knee

2009-05-23T15:41:00.003+01:00

Feeling a bit cheesed off as I'm out of action after doing something to my left knee. I was hoping to springboard off the 3 Peaks and start putting some proper miles in. Maybe I should have done that before as I reckon it was the lack of miles that has done me in.

I'm suspecting the extra stress I put on my left leg after spraining my right ankle on the 3 Peaks has caused this. Post 3 Peaks it took me four days before I could actually walk again without wincing over my extremely aching legs. Once I could feel my legs again my left knee would click while I was walking. There was no pain or discomfort so I went out for a run in the Foret de Soigne near where I was staying in Terverun. Thirty minutes in and my knee was playing up. I then ran another thirty minutes back by which time I was in a bit of pain (I know, I'm stupid and should have walked but it was getting dark and I was in the middle of an enormous forest).

So, I've rested it for a week or so and I can still feel it when using stairs and it still clicks occasionally. If it's not improved by next week I suppose I'll have to go to see a specialist.

Bummer.

Coincidental Heart Club

2009-04-29T20:05:00.007+01:00

I forgot to mention that Dave's excellent 4:04 in the 3 Peaks on Saturday was gadget assisted.

Remember the pacemaker and heart monitor episode before the 2007 Jungfrau Marathon? Well the only other person I know to have one of these monitors was Dave and he had both the three day and seven day monitors at the same time as me. This was completely coincidental. Well he went on to have his heart zapped to stop it beating irregularly. That worked for a couple of years but now its back and he has had another 7 day monitor fitted. He ran the 3 Peaks with this thing strapped to his chest.

Talking of coincidences our race numbers in the 3 peaks were invertions of each other. Dave was 168 and I was 891. Wierd. Also, number 666 was a guy called Wulf. Now that can't be coincidence.

Talking of heart monitors. I've only recently (two years late) found out that the results from my 7 day test (back in April 2007) were fine (in so far as they don't want to fit a pacemaker). Nice of them to let me know.

While I'm on a roll I'd just like to note that there was a handful of runners from my local club doing the 3 peaks on Saturday. One even got onto page one of the results sheets. Many years ago I went on a couple of training runs with the club but they weren't very good so I didn't bother joining. They all beat me on Saturday so now they're too good so I won't bother joining! Only joking. I may wonder down one training night if I ever get back in the UK on a week day.

Keep on running (or at least thinking about it).

The Woodentops

2009-04-28T20:28:00.009+01:00

Just a quick plug for a couple I found out about this weekend: Dave and Eileen Woodhead.

On our way up to the start of the 3 Peaks at Horton from Bingley we came upon a tiny collapsible motorhome tilting round a roundabout. Dave said "It's the Woodentops" and went on to explain who they were.

Basically they live and breath fell running especially around Yorkshire and attend most of the events (as well as organising a few especially for kids) taking photos and posting them on their website. They run the Woodentops website from where (with their very kind permission (see their copyright statement)) I copied this picture of me.

This is either just before or just after Ribblehead Viaduct. That's Penyghent in the background. We'd just run up that then across to Ribblehead and were nearly 2 hours into the run which might explain the look on the two guys either side of me. I must say I'm looking rather cool and collected at this point. Probably very relieved that I'm not feeling as crap as I did last year as this is near where I dropped out on my first attempt.

3 Runners, 3 Peaks, 3 Finishers

2009-04-26T10:11:00.024+01:00

Well I finally laid that ghost to rest. Finished the 3 peaks in 4h 43mins. Very glad to have completed but disappointed as I sprained my foot coming down Penyghent (first peak) with about 20 miles to go. It didn't bother me on flat ground (which was about 5% of the race) but on the rocky paths and downhill sections (where I normally make up for my slow ascents) I had to slow down and spent half my time hopping and hobbling when I caught the sprain. I also find it a lot more tiring to slow down on the downhills than just letting rip. It had me seriously worried just after I did it as when I got it it was so painful I had to pull up but eventually I realised it eased off after about 50 yards (until the next time). I reckon I could have cracked 4 30 without the sprain.

This photo shows my mate Dave (right) and his teammate Adrian (both Bingley Harriers) getting ready for the start. In the background you can just make out Penyghent through the haze. This was the first and by far easiest peak. We got to the top in 43 mins. As you can see the weather was fine. It was perfect running weather, sunny with a cool breeze (gale on the tops). I was aiming for 45 mins so a good start. It was then a long drag across to Ribblehead Viaduct before the climb up Whernside (where I packed last year). I reached Ribblehead in 1h 47m, ten minutes up on last year and feeling in a much better state. I was running just behind Adrian after Ribblehead when he did a spectactular face plant (fall). He was a bit shaken but otherwise OK (apparently he then fell again a mile later while crossing a stream). He picked himself up and managed to finish OK. Another Bingley runner crashed in a similar fashion on the top of Whernside, and on the way down a woman runner was being attended to after tripping. A lot of the path surfaces were very dangerous being covered in sharp irregular rocks. It made running with my sprain almost impossible in places.

So, it was up Whernside. I took it steady (not much choice really)and passed last year's drop out point without too much trouble then it was onto the vertical bit. It was quite a relief to drop onto all fours. So much easier on the legs. See the video of this year's (and four time) winner Rob Jebb from 2007 climbing the last section of Whernside:

The wind was so strong on the top that I had to fasten my hat down with my buff diadem style. The track down off Whernside gave me some serious problems with my sprain. I could hardly move without setting it off. I must have hopped most of the track along the top then dropping down the steep rocky edge was a nightmare. Eventually made it to the bottom and was fine on the track to the Hill Inn checkpoint. This was my main target as it was the last checkpoint where you could be timed out. At the start I'd hoped to make it inside the 3:30 cut off. I made it in 3:04. From then on it was just a case of keeping going to the finish. Just the small issue of Ingleborough to contend with.

The ascent was similar to Whernside with a steady drag up to a vertical hands and knees section onto the shoulder then the final climb onto the top. I was at the top in 4 hours. Then it was what should have been an enjoyable cruise down to the finish at Horton but turned into a cautious hobble. My foot went about a dozen times, each time me having to stop or limp until the pain wore off. I made it down in 43 minutes but reckon I could have done it a lot faster in normal conditions. Managed to grab a good half dozen places on the final sprint for the line. I finished 399th out of 614 finishers from 688 starters and 45th out of 120 in my age category. Overall I'm pleased with the results especially considering my lack of hill training and mileage. Dave did a cracking 4:04 taking something like 30 minutes out of me on Ingleborough. Adrian came in some 5 minutes behind me after his two tumbles.

Unlike last year when I made some stupid errors, this year it all went to plan (apart from leaving my prepared drinks behind in Dave's kitchen. I had to rush around getting replacements before the start.). I ended up running in my Salomon XA-Pros instead of the Inov-8 Mudclaws as the ground was so dry. They were fine (only one black toenail). I got the drink, gels and bars just right. I had 2 litres of isotonic drink, a few cups of water, four energy gels and an energy bar. My thighs ache a bit today but that's to be expected considering the training.

After a lovely recovery meal at Dave's (thanks to the lovely Angie) I drove back down south (3 hours on cruise control) to be home for Rosie's birthday (today).

Not sure I'll do it again as it clashes with Rosie's birthday, unless she wants to join me of course. Yeah right!

3 Peaks, 2 Attempts, 1 Runner

2009-04-23T12:36:00.004+01:00

Those that have followed this blog in the past will know that for various reasons / excuses I DNF'd last year's 3 Peaks Race . This year I'm back for revenge.

I'm no fitter (I don't think) but I am wiser and in a new age category, M50. I also have a pair of Inov-8 Mudclaws. Not totally sure this is a good thing as while their grip is fantastic they are a questionable fit around the heels. This is apparently a common problem with them. I have to tie the laces very tight which doesn't seem to affect me but I ended up with a sore achilles after a longish (2 hour) run in them and still have it. The weather is looking a bit dodgy (wind and rain) as well. Don't mind that as long as it is clear what it's going to do. Last year it wasn't clear whether it would be bright sunshine or heavy rain at the start. As it turned out I over-dressed.

Watch this space.

OMM 2008 - Look Mam, I'm on t'tele

2008-11-03T22:21:00.004Z

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7691403.stm

The news reports might have been a complete load of codswallop, but at least I got on the tele so Rosie knew I was OK.

OMM 2008 – B Class - Day 1

2008-10-28T22:07:00.008Z

“It’s mizzling” I say as I stick my head out of the Friday night tent in the field next to Seathwaite Farm. “Mizzling?” responds Dave still tucked up in his sleeping bag. “Yeah, you know, like sticking your head in a cloud, being wet without actually raining.” It’s six in the morning and it’s still dark but the forecast downpour and hurricane strength winds hadn’t arrived, yet.

One cup of tea and a bowl of porridge with sliced banana and dried fruit later and we’re getting ready in the car and waiting for daylight to arrive. Our bags are packed at a hefty 10kg/23lbs each (how do the elite runners get all their kit in those lunchbox sized rucksacs?). We’ve got all the compulsory kit, including the tiny spare gas cylinder having been disqualified in the Brecon Beacons KIMM for not finishing with spare gas (a then new rule we hadn’t spotted) and enough energy gels and bars to power a small city. We’d seen the weather forecast the night before, namely hurricane force winds and heavy rain so we didn’t skimp on any kit. As a veteran (and finisher) of the ‘Howling Howgills’ KIMM I knew what to expect.

Daylight duly arrives revealing the clouds skimming the higher hills but not depositing their contents. With 20 minutes to go to our 9:05 start we go and drop off the car keys at the event HQ then walk up to the starting gates. We can see a trail of earlier starters working their way up the side of Glaramara.

We arrive bang on time as the marshal calls “9 0 5” and walk through to the first gate. The gate marshal then informs us that we will be using the Bad Weather courses with controls 2,3 and 4 deleted. “So it’s a Very Bad Weather course then” we quip prophetically . One minute later and we move up to the next gate to receive our maps. Back in the good old days these maps were untreated paper which we then copied the controls onto. Attempts to keep them dry were useless as they slowly turned to mush. How we ever finished a course I can’t remember. Nowadays they are preprinted with the course details and laminated with a thin plastic coating. Luxury. As we’d been told, three controls had been crossed off the course details. Some poor booger has had to manually amend the course details on 2,500 maps. One more minute and we’re off up the track.

A quick look at the course and I could see it was nearly identical to that of my first mountain marathon, the 1997 (I think) Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon, Kirkfell class. We weren’t destined for Glaramara. That must be some other class. Control 1 was up Styhead Gill then left up to the tarns on the top. Halfway up the rain started accompanied by an increase in the wind to a light gale force. As in 1997 Dave leads the way. As much as I love climbing hills my power to weight ratio leaves a lot to be desired and I struggle on climbs compared to other runners, not that anyone was running up this one.

At the top the wind introduces itself driving the rain into our faces like tiny needles of ice. We hunker down behind a rock to take a bearing to the control then it’s up into the wind. “Jesus” is whipped away from our mouths as we stoop into the wind. The peaks on our caps make good face shelters. Up and over the few low rocky outcrops on the top and we find the right tarn and control 1. Dave does the honours with his dibber and we’re off to control 5, thankful in this weather that we didn’t have to visit 2 to 4 which lay in a big arc round Scafell, over past Bowfell, across that soggy quagmire known as Great Moss (what must that have been like today I dread to think) and across the tops above Wasdale Head.

“North Western Wall Bend” was the description for control 5. That particular wall starts across the river from Wasdale Head and runs straight up 550m and over Lingmell heading in the direction of Broad Crag. The control sat on the 375m contour. So, how to get there? A straight line was out as it took us over the cliffs of The Band and Spouthead Grag. So it was down to Styhead Pass being blasted by the wind funnelling up the valley, to shelter behind the Mountain Rescue box.
The wind was fierce.

Having been in the AirKix freefall tunnel recently I reckon if Dave had tied a rope round my waist and I’d spread-eagled into the wind he could have flown me like a kite. Needless to say we didn't try that particular trick.

Time for a bit of route choice. We had two options, either drop down the Wasdale path then climb up the heavily contoured hillside or contour round the valley head then along the side without losing too much height. A real swings and roundabouts choice this one. The advantage of the fast path to Wasdale was negated by the headwind, two step forward one back. The countouring option had a few gills to cross, most worryingly Spouthead and Greta, as well as a fair amount of scree. I knew what the gills were like further up (uncrossable) but not down at this level. Not wanting to lose the height plus the potential of a bit of shelter on the north facing slope we go for the contours.

Back out into the wind we drop down across the head of the valley staggering like a pair of drunks as the wind plays with us. Luckily the gills didn’t present too much of a problem but contouring across what was mostly open scree or scree covered in a bit of grass was slow work. As hoped the wind wasn’t too bad here. Towards the end of our traverse we cross five smaller gills, all bursting at the seams with water, and round the curve of Lingmell back into the wind where we see other competitors ascending or descending the hill.

We’d come out a bit low due to avoiding as much scree as possible so it was a stiff and slippery climb up the very steep side of Lingmell to control 5. Going up was bad enough but coming down was a nightmare. The surface was so waterlogged it had turned into mush. There was no traction to be had (note to self: get some proper studded shoes next time). Every ten seconds we were flat on our backsides. It was too steep and rocky to slide down. Dave maintained his position as champion bogtrotter by finding the goopiest bits to fall into. As we approached the bottom I was thinking “thank god was didn’t land on any rocks when we slipped” when, right on cue, I do just that, right on my arse. A minute later my feet shoot from underneath me and I land on my rucksack snapping my waistband in the process. Good excuse for a new one.

Down in Wasdale Head the call of Wasdale Hotel wasn't strong enough (what I'd have paid for a bit of hindsight) to pull us off our course. So it was off to control 6, up and over the western shoulder of Great Gable (rather slowly on my part), past Windy Gap (I bet it was) and round Moses Trod to Tongue Beck (before it drops down into Ennerdale on its way to the Irish Sea). This control was manned by a radio marshal. He was ensconced in his little one man tent (complete with a couple of eggs (presumably hard boiled) that had rolled out onto the grass) in a very dodgy looking spot that looked like it would be very soon under water. He must have heard us trying to communicate over the howl of the wind as a hand appeared from the tent pointing at the control five yards away. We’d already seen it but were debating where to cross the raging stream between us and it. I’ve got a fear of these things after having to cross a swollen river in the aforementioned Howgills KIMM. That was an experience I never want to repeat. So Dave jumps it while I go upstream to where it splits and jump the two smaller streams. As I turned to do this the wind caught me and dumped me unceremoniously on the ground. Having bagged that one it began to feel like we were on the homeward stretch.

Control 7 was in a ruin below the old mining track running southwest from Honister Mines but first we had to find the track. Rather than follow the path marked on the map we took a bearing and cut the corner off by heading over the scree covered shoulder of Brandreth. Just as we reached the top of this the wind decided to get serious and Dave and I had to grab each other to stop being blown away. Even then it slid us along the ground. “Let’s get off this sodding mountain!” I screamed in Dave’s ear. So, it's over the fence and down onto the path. As we approach the mine track I looked over to the north and could see a waterfall over on the side of Dale Head. The water was falling half way down the hillside then it turned in a perfect U shape and rose back up before being dispersed in the wind. I’d seen this in the Howgills but this one was a beaut. Guess who forgot to take a photo.

We found the track easy enough and headed down looking for signs of the ruin. As far as I was concerned at this point, if it wasn’t obvious I was just going to keep on going down to the finish. As it was a couple of other teams were also looking for it so we veered off the track and found it down the hillside. Back onto the track and heading down to Buttermere alongside an extremely angry looking river cutting its way down through the rocks below Fleetwith Crag. It was frighteningly awesome in a take no prisoners sort of way. I hope to God no one falls in there I thought, especially me.

We’d come down this path in the Saunders back in the 90’s but it was unrecognisable. The whole hillside was writhing in rivers as it shed the month’s worth of rain being dumped on it. We had to abandon the path as it turned into a river and take to the rocks and bracken either side of it.
As we rounded the bend we could see the valley bottom. The Saunders campsite that we’d used back then was under several feet of water and even worse there were runners on the other, the wrong, side of the river. Down there it wasn’t the raging monster we’d seen but it was still fast flowing and unpredictable. We could see the tops of the handrails belonging to the footbridge across the river but now the river extended 20 feet either side of the bridge. As we watched groups of eight or so runners would form a human chain and help each other over to the bridge then across to safety on the other side. I was fully expecting the bridge to be washed away with people on it.

So, it was along the path, pick up the last control just off to the side then down to the finish. The fields to our left were flooded and we could just see the tapes for the finish funnel sticking up out of the water. So, quietly ignoring the official finsih line we continued along the track. We met a marshal as we reached the road. “Just wait for those others to catch up so I only have to say this once” she said. The others caught up. “The event’s been cancelled. Go down to the farm for some soup then go back over Honister to the event HQ” she instructed us.

And that’s when it all went tits up.

OMM 2008 - Wet, Windy and Blown Up by the Media

2008-10-27T10:18:00.003Z

Just a temporary post to vent my spleen a bit. I'll do a full job when I get back to sunny Brussels.

Did Class B course (shortened version of the bad weather route) with my mate Dave S. The weather was extreme, violent and savage but was it dangerous? Only if you took completely avoidable risks. Clearly the fact that there were no serious casualties shows that people used their common sense and experience and survived (dare I say, enjoyed) the day. Look, I'm still smiling.

The biggest risk came after we were told that the event had been cancelled. Expecting to be back at the car that evening we dropped our guard and let our dry kit get wet only to be told we then couldn't get back to our cars. I spent an extremely uncomfortable night in a soggy field in my tent but it was hardly dangerous (there was a farm house 20 yards away!)

More later.....

All systems are go!

2008-10-13T13:04:00.003+01:00

Well I survived the Ridgeway Run, or rather my calf muscles did. It was this run last year in which I tore a calf muscle that then put me out of the OMM. This year I wore the compression sock that I picked up in Switzerland. They seemed to do the trick (but how much was placebo?).

Once again I was Mr Consistency with a time one second different to my time in 2003. However it felt different this time. For once I wasn't passed by herds of runners on the uphill bits. I also had a ding-dong battle with the woman in the photo. We must have passed each other seven or eight times. As we approached the end, one marshall said "You're fourth lady" (not to me I might add), fifty yards on the next marshall said the same then fifty yards on again another said "You're first lady". Not sure how that happened. Anyway she passed me again and I thought I'd let her go then I thought sod it and took off for a sprint finish showing her a clean pair of heels.

All in all I had a really enjoyable run and a cracking day weatherwise

(Not so) Pretty Pictures

2008-09-16T20:11:00.013+01:00

Well the photos are here but I sure don't get any prettier with age.

The compression socks have made their debut this year. No doubt I'll be afraid to run without them from now on. This is just before I nipped into my hotel to pick up my jacket (which you can see in the latter photos hanging from my bag belt unused).

Here's a couple from Chocolate Corner. It's all downhill from here:

This is just coming up to the finish:

Take a closer look at that thigh and knee in the first of the above three photos. What the hell is going on there? Looks like a tendon on top of my kneecap.

I bet that's put you off your tea!

Just call me...

2008-09-08T20:05:00.007+01:00

…Mr Consistency! Five hours of running (or trying to) and I’m within 50 seconds of last year’s time. I’ve always said that I’ve only got one speed and this proves it. I haven’t gotten any quicker of slower over 25 years of running. Maybe I need to review my training techniques! I was 1 minute behind a 71 year old Swiss guy and 30 minutes in front of a 73 year old. There’s hope for me yet.

Anyway, as you can see I managed to finish. Interestingly although my time was the same my position was much better than last year. 1478th compared to 1641st. My official splits (roughly every 10k) were all within a minute or so of last year. The winner was a lot slower at 3:03 so I don't know if it was a slower day. The results are out already, as are some photos. I thought the crowds were slightly down on last year too. Maybe with the weather not being as perfect.

Talking of splits, they added a new feature this year to try and prevent the bottleneck just after Wixi. They split to course into two alternative routes for a couple of kilometers. I took the new route which is probably a tad slower because of the running surface. It would be nice to compare the times of people on the different routes.

The biggest difference this year was that my fan club (aka Rosie, Vicky, Lucy and Polly) were missing. It was quite sad as I passed the 5 points where they cheered me on last year.

I can make one claim to fame: the greatest ascent of any runner. The weather was fine (largely sunny with a few clouds) until we reached Lauterbrunnen when I could see clouds forming ahead up above Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg so I peeled off and nipped into my hotel (conveniently situated right on the route) and grabbed my pertex jacket, a swig of Rivella and a banana. As my room was on the third floor I claim an extra 10m of ascent. I didn't use the jacket in the end but it gave me some reassurance having been on the top section of the route in August in 4 inches of snow. The detour might have cost me a few minutes but what the hell.

One strange thing happended around that point though. I was following the 4:30 pacemaker all the way to Lauterbrunnen but after then climbing up to Wengen I spotted the 5 hour pacemaker in front of me. Not sure how he got in front, as you couldn't miss the big green balloon he was towing, unless it was while I was in the hotel.

As with last year I took full advantage of all the water/food stations. I reckon I had enough energy products to kill an elephant but it seemed to work. I don't know what my stomach thought of energy bars, gels and banana washed down with isotonic drink, energy drink, boullion, coke and water every few miles.

All the bands, cowbell ringers, swiss horn players and steel bands were out in force. Those bells make a right racket. The bagpiper was at the top of the morraine as usual but it was a younger piper this year. Not sure what's happened to the old one.

By the time I got up to the morraine the cloud was down and nothing was to be seen of the mountains or glaciers. I'd been chatting to a few Brits on the way up who were doing it for the first time. It must have seemed pretty crap doing all that climbing and not being rewarded by the views at the end. Glad I'd seen it all before.

At the start I meet my friend Thanh from last year's training week and at the end in the shower tent I meet Danni. A few others from the training week were also there but I didn't see them. Later I was sat on a crowded train in KS waiting to go down to Lauterbrunnen when I saw Thanh struggling and failing to get on the next train down. Hope he got down OK.

So, what about the calf muscles I hear you say. Well I bought a pair of those natty compression socks at the marathon exhibition (photos coming soon)and apart from the odd twinge they seemed to do the trick. I got to the end without crippling myself which is a big bonus. I ache a bit but not enough to stop me running.

I went into Interlaken the evening after the race to watch the prize giving and the Jungfrau Mile. It was tipping it down by then so I, and everyone else, stayed in the marquee which is where the finish line was. I was about six feet from the finish line when the runners came in. It was shocking how fast they were. The winner, an Ethiopian, came in at 4:03. They must have handicapped the women as the rest of the runners all came in together behind the winner.

Another strange thing I noticed. Last year Interlaken was full of Koreans but this year you couldn't get away from the Brits. Three out of four tourists seemed to be British. Hardly saw any last year.

Oh and one last thing. On Friday I started coming down with a sore throat. Fortunately didn't seem to bother me during the run on Saturday but now I've got a full blown man-cold so I'm to bed to feel sorry for myself.

Photos should be coming soon. Watch the birdie.

And now, the time has come....

2008-09-04T20:05:00.004+01:00

...curtains for me! Well, my name's on the definitive start list but without a number.

Not sure I'm ready for this but there's only one way to find out. Went out for a steady 40 minute run last night and didn't feel the calf problems but I didn't expect to. They only play up after an hour's running.

I've just got to pack then off to bed and up at 5:00 to catch my plane.

I wonder what my next post will say.

Phew!

2008-09-02T11:30:00.004+01:00

Back to Plan A. I’ve managed to acquire a place from the wonderful Agnes of Germany who is not able to run this year (although still waiting for my name to appear on the definitive startlist. Good luck for next year Agnes! Thanks to all those who offered me advice on this: Umberto, Thanh, Richard.

So, about those niggly calf muscles. I’m not sure why but I’ll be fine for around an hour then one or both of my calf muscles just tighten up in a worrying ‘just about to tear’ sort of way. Interestingly if I ignore it it doesn’t seem to get any worse but there’s still that awful feeling that they could go at any minute. My mitigation strategy is to spend this week stretching them and then to invest in some of those natty compression stockings. I’m hoping that they sell them at the JM exhibition as they did last year.

Training wise I’ll just be going for a steady run on Wednesday night.

Wish me luck.

Idiot of the Year. Duh!

2008-08-30T19:39:00.006+01:00

This was going to be a post about my niggling calf muscles which seem to start playing up after an hour's running but that's been overshadowed by a much more important (and embarassing) discovery:

I'm not entered in this year's Jungfrau Marathon!

I've spent the afternoon looking for my entry details. I've been on the provisional starting list for months (and have just discovered the definitive list only on the German part of the website!). I have a dim and distant memory of having tried to pay my entry fee using the credit card payment facility on the JM website only for it not to work. I seem to remember emailing them about it as well (I'll have to check it out). [Update: I have checked and found that I did email them but didn't receive a reply.]

Anyway, net result is that I'm not in it. This is tempered only slightly by my niggly calf muscles which I reckoned probably wouldn't last the distance but it would have been nice to find out.

So, with my flights and hotel booked I'll be having a weekend in Lauterbrunnen.

What an idiot :o(

Pakistani Panic

2008-08-07T20:31:00.002+01:00

I nearly forgot to tell you. A couple of weeks ago I was running along a road near the forest when I saw ahead of me a load of posh cars parked up (mostly big fat black mercs) outside a big fenced building. There were a few blokes milling around outside. It wasn't until I was within a few yards of them that I noticed they were all driver / body guard types. As I approached they all looked at me nervously and patted their pockets or put their hand inside their jackets. Inside the fence there was some kind of party going on and a Pakistani flag draped on a flag pole.

So there's me complete with bottle in hand and bag round my waist running at a gang of armed and edgey men. I couldn't stop as that would have made things worse so I just kept running hoping that they would give me the benefit of the doubt.

Needless to say I came back a different way.

Trams, Drains and the Dark

2008-08-07T20:03:00.003+01:00

Last night I thought I'd be clever and get the tram out to Tervuren, which is on the eastern edge of the Foret de Soigne, then run back through the forest to my flat. This would let me get into parts of the forest that would normally be out of my reach. So off I went only to get to my start point at a belated 8:20. This gave me about an hour or so of daylight for a 12 mile run through unfamiliar forest. Ooops methinks.

So off I set. By the way this was the back end of a 30 degree day so it was a trifle warm and sticky. Everything's going fairly smoothly with me having to check the map at just about every junction (couldn't afford a wrong turn). A couple of miles in I hit Runner Central. Near a suburb called Auderghem (or Oudergem for my Flemish friends (hope I got that the right way round)) there were runners everywhere. In the space of twenty minutes I must have seen twenty individuals and three clubs out running. Must be something in the water there.

A couple of miles later and I'm following this track which on the map appears to cross the main railway line only to find my way barred by a ten foot high fence with no other likely crossing point for miles. Fortunately I'd previously been on the other side of this line and knew that there was a storm drain that went underneath the railway embankment. I just had to find it in the woods. I thankfully chose the right direction to look and found it about 200 yards away. This drain allowed a stream to cross under the line. It was about four foot high, a couple of feet wide, a hundred foot long and full of cobwebs. A small price to pay for saving a three mile diversion.

By the time I'd navigated this it was starting to get dark. Under the trees it was doubly dark so It wasn't long before I couldn't see the ground I was running on. Fortunately I was back in familiar territory so I didn't have to read the map any longer.

As if this wasn't enough ny right calf was tightening up in that worrying 'just aout to tear' way. So decision time, do I walk and get back at midnight or keep on running. I decided on the latter keeping a very close watch on the calf. It started to cramp at one point which scared me but I eventually managed to get back to my flat in one piece at 10 o'clock.

Didn't see many joggers in the park funnily enough.

Trees and more trees

2008-08-07T19:34:00.004+01:00

To summarise the last few weeks I've been getting acquainted with the afore mentioned Foret de Soigne (or Zonienwoud depending on which side of the Flanders (Flemish) - Woloon (French) divide your allegences lie). I've got to the stage now where I don't have to take my compass with me (apart from last night (see next post)).

If the truth be known it's actually Dave's compass. He kindly let me have it when I lost mine when I went up to do the Three Peaks. On close inspection the dial is calibrated into 64 divisions instead of the usual 360 degrees. Very useful. Picked it up cheap says Dave. No bloody wonder says I. Anyone any idea what these 64 things are?

Back to the woods. A word of advice to anyone who manages to get a run in these woods. First get a good map then choose a route that follows the sentier (footpaths) rather than the tracks. They are much more interesting and scenic.

I've been getting into the woods a couple of times a week. The first part of the wood that I enter from the direction of my flat is actually a park (pond, cafe, joggers etc.) but you're soon into the forest proper where you see the occasional runner but its fairly empty most of the time. Last week there was a guy in the middle of the forest practising his trumpet playing. Makes a change from birdsong.

I've seen a couple of red squirrels, one of which didn't seem to notice me and just kept shuffling around in the leaves just a few feet away. Not like the grey squirrels at home that scoot up a tree if you so much as look at them. I've also seen evidence of the wildboar where they'd been rooting around a tree making a mess of the ground.

At first sight it all looks pretty much the same but after a few visits you start to recognise the different paths and tracks. There's a couple of paths that follow streams (dry at the mo) that I particularly enjoy as they are twisty and rolling and great for running along. I bet the woods look good in autumn.

Coming back you have to go through the park and you get to play 'burn off the jogger' to your hearts content. I know it's wicked but it's great fun. While I'm at it can someone explain to me why when it's nearly 30 degree centigrade you would think it a good idea to go for a run (sorry, jog) in tracky bottoms, a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, a scarf and a hat? Seen it more than once in the park.

Is it me or what?

P.S. Decided to enter the Brussels Marathon on Oct 5th. Be silly not to while I'm here. It goes past the end of my street.

Concrete Cow Half

2008-08-07T19:21:00.003+01:00

Apologies to anyone who's been on this blog in the last few weeks for the lack of posts. Hopefully I can make up for it a bit now. So where to begin?

Oh yes there's my pw (personal worst) in the Milton Keynes (land of roundabouts and concrete cows) half marathon. This took place on 20th July. The weather was almost perfect and the course was flat (albeit largely on paths and tracks)and I was feeling not too bad. I'd had a few weeks off what with moving to Brussels and the old head cold from the last post. The race was fairly uneventful. It's not a bad course but it does have a lot of twists and turns which prevent you getting your head down and cruising. I seemed to be going fine at what I thought was a 90 minute pace but when I got to the end the clock read 1:35. Taking off the 20 seconds or so it took for me to get to the start line that's still a sub 1:35 in my book. That keeps all of my halfs over the last 26 years between 81 and 95 minutes. Fairly consistent in the circumstances. That's ignoring the Bath Half which I ran in a leisurely 2:25 with my daughter Lucy.

Liz Yelling came second in (I think) 1:11.

So, all in all, not overly disappointed but there is room for improvement.

What a Month That Was

2008-07-10T21:26:00.006+01:00

Over a month since my last blog. Apologies for the lack of posts but I've been a busy boy but unfortunately not on the running front. In a nutshell I've been to two weddings (York and Switzerland), had a big 50th birthday party, got that job in Brussels that I mentioned in my last post. Been here three weeks now, found somewhere to live.

That somewhere is within ten minutes (running) of the very old and enormous Foret de Soignes to the south of Brussels.

I was running into it for an hour tonight and hardly made a dent. Also tonight I downloaded the Nokia sportstracker software onto my phone. This is a GPS tracking software which coupled with the Sportstracker website allows you to load your runs onto the internet. For some reason (lack of satellite visibility?) it only recorded the second half of my run but the results are impressive, especially as you can upload any photos you take on the run and it plots them on the map based on the photo's timestamp and where you were at the time. The phone was free when I upgraded with Vodafone and the sportstracker software is free. Take a look.

Hot and Cold Running

2008-06-08T15:07:00.003+01:00

It's a glorious 26 degrees centigrade outside and I've just come down with a bad head cold. I'd planned a nice and steady long run today to finish off my preparations for the South Downs Marathon next Saturday. Instead, I'm moping around the house feeling sorry for myself. Not only do I have the run next week but I've got an interview for a new contract in Brussels on Wednesday.

Alors, c'est la vie n'est pas.

The Cross, the Crow, the Laces and the Ice-cream Man

2008-06-02T10:54:00.010+01:00

I thought that I should see if I was actually up to running something like the South Downs Marathon (considering my performance (lack of) in the 3 Peaks and it's only two weeks away) so I took myself off for a long steady run over the Chilterns yesterday. I went over four Chilterns ridges (not massive but a total ascent of 725m) to Whiteleaf Cross above Princes Risborough and back again.

On the way out I was running through a corn field on a path just wide enough to put one foot in front of the other when I saw some creature running along the path in front of me. It turned out to be a crow. The path was so narrow between the corn stalks that the crow couldn't extend it's wings enough to take off. In the end I went around it through the corn and left it to sort itself out.

Coming back I followed the Ridgeway path past Chequers (don't think Gordon was in) then up Coombe Hill. There was the usual ice-cream van in the car park, so having brought some money with me I decide to get myself an ice lolly. Ten minutes later after searching in vain in the six million pockets in my Camelbak bag for enough money the ice-cream man, who was clearly a fellow endurance type wearing his cycling top and hat as he was, let me have the lolly and then, bless him, stuck a bottle of water in my bag as well. Running whilst eating an ice lolly was a new but not unpleasant experience for me. The water was a life saver too as my Camelbak was nearly empty and I still had a few miles to go.

Ten minutes after the ice cream van my laces snapped (again). These are the thin Kevlar laces that come with the Salomon shoes. My Polar speed pod clip chews them to pieces and unlike ordinary laces they are a pain to try and rethread. This cost me about ten minutes.

In the end I was out for 3h 45m and covered something like 34km (not exactly sure as my speed pod decided to turn itself off twice during the run. Considering the muddy conditions and the few delays I had I'm fairly pleased with that.

I seemed to have got the nutrition and hydration right. I decided not to over-indulge in the gels and drink for the first hour (having loaded up with an energy drink before setting off). In all I had 1.5 litres of isotonic drink in my Camelbak (plus 500ml of water from the ice-cream man and some rehydration salts I happened to have with me), two bananas and three SIS gels. There was no sign of cramp (maybe due to the potasium in the bananas). After the 3 Peaks cock-up I made sure the Isotonic drink was at 6% solution. That extra 2% makes so much difference. The weather was warm but bearable, overcast with the sun threatening to break through. I lost 5lb in weight during the run but have no doubt put it back on already.

So, overall a bit of confidence restored and looking forward to the South Downs.

South Downs (and Ups)

2008-05-27T15:15:00.003+01:00

I've been and gone and entered the South Downs Marathon on June 14th (exactly 2 weeks inside my 50th birthday). That's only two and a half weeks away. It's not exactly the Jungfrau but it looks like a nice enough route. I'm not sure what the totla ascent is but it does seem to be very undulating to say the least.

Training's been steady. I've been getting out for a good run three times a week. I struggled (aka failed) to do a six minute mile on the treadmill last week which was disappointing (but it was first thing in the morning!).

My weight is slowly but surely coming down. From a high of 12st 10lbs in April I'm hovering at or below 12-7 (and have reached 12-2 after a long run). Need to get rid of that extra 7lbs over the next three weeks. That will make a difference.

Time for some intervals. What fun.

DNF Denial

2008-05-08T17:34:00.004+01:00

It must be old age but I seem to have subconsciously hidden from memory my previous DNF when I tore my calf in October. I know that's as good a reason as any not to finish but why couldn't I remember it when I wrote my previous post? I'm wondering now if there are any others I've tucked away at the back of my mind. Nope.

But then again......

P.S. The picture is borrowed from http://www.kondis.no/index.php?lok=motbakke and shows the ascent up Pen-y-Ghent (first of the 3 Peaks). I'm wearing black and yellow just in front of the guy in white with the orange band. Not sure how all those people got in front of me.

1.5 Peaks - Learning the Hard Way

2008-04-27T16:55:00.012+01:00

Well there's a first time for everything and yesterday was it. My first (and hopefully last) DNF.

The promised low cloud and rain thankfully failed to materialise to be replaced by the most unpredictably weather ever. Is the sun going to break through or are the promised clouds going to appear? What to wear? In the end it was shorts and long sleeved Gore top. Half a mile into the race and the sun was burning me up on the climb up to Pen-y-ghent (ascent 465m). I'm wearing my old Adidas Swoops. Last time I wore these I tore a calf muscle towards the end of a race. I put this down to not having used my orthotic insoles. So this time I had them in the shoes.

Lesson #1: Never use new gear or untested gear in a race.

I'd only used the insoles in these shoes for 40 mins prior to the 3 peaks raceday. Going up Pen-y-ghent I could feel my toes rubbing on the front of the shoes. Not good. Looking at them afterwards it's pretty obvious that the heel cup on the insoles pushes the foot forward about 5mm. I didn't have 5mm to spare in those shoes.

The 3 Peaks course comes back on itself after the Pen-y-ghent summit so we mere mortals got to see the front of the race as the elites came down. The two Bingley Harriers runners who had ruled the 3 Peaks roost for the last 5 or 6 years, Andy Peace and Robb Jebb, had company this year (due to the internationals here as the 3 Peaks was hosting the WMRA World's Long Distance Mountain Challenge). The first woman was also way up front.

Coming down off Pen-y-ghent I did my usual and passed half of those who had passed me on the way up. Obviously they didn't learn about gravity at school. Nutritionwise I was carrying plenty of isotonic drink and energy gels. I was taking a gel every 20 minutes as recommended but the drink was a bit sickly.

Lesson #2: Make sure you get the mixture right in your drinks.

In making up my drinks I'd over filled the powder and ended up with an 8% solution instead of my usual 6%. It'll be alright I thought but it was not nice to drink.

The route from Pen-y-ghent to Whernside is a 7 or 8 mile slog over undulating tracks, bogs and fields followed by farm track and road for a couple of miles. This wasn't kind to my feet and as I was running along the road with my toes subconsciously curled up I could feel my calf muscles tightening in that 'turning to wood' sort of way they do just before they tear (I'm getting used to this feeling having done it three times). I decide that if there's any massage service at the Ribblehead control I'll get my legs seen to. Needless to say there wasn't so as I fill up my camelbak with the drink I'd forwarded to the control, I massage my muscles myself. They feel a bit better so I set off up Whernside (ascent 440m). After crossing Winterscales Beck the trudge starts.

As usual on any uphill section I start to get passed. This time it gets a little worrying as those passing me look a lot like the tail end charlies you see in most races. I though I was carrying a little surplus weight (I'm currently a very heavy 12st 10lb) but some these are decidedly unfit looking. Something's up I think as my legs get weaker and weaker. It was a weird feeling as I feel I've plenty of energy but no strength. Lactic acid? Then, about two thirds of the way up, just before the really steep (hands and knees steep) bit to the summit, my legs cramp up. First my calfs then, as I try and straighten these, my thighs. Not good at all. I take some salt to see if that works but to no noticeable effect. The cramps return whenever I try to move uphill. I check my watch to see that I've got an hour to get up to the top then down to the Hill Inn check point.

Lesson #3: Take heed of warning signs. I'd been having cramps in my feet at night for a couple of weeks prior to the race and took no notice of them. Some mineral imbalance may have been the cause.

Decision time. I either keep going and try to make the cut-off and then still have Ingleborough to climb, coupled with the risk of doing my calf muscles some damage, all followed by a 200 mile drive home or I cut my losses, learn from the experience and live to run another day. I've never not finished an event before but maybe I'm getting a little wiser with age and I opt for the bail out. So, I get the waterproofs on (cramping up more in the process) as I'm starting to freeze in the wind, and contour across the face of Whernside and pick up the race route descending down to Hill Inn. On the way down I get more cramps including one in my inner thigh. Very painful and unusual. I got talking to another runner who's also packed in and a spectator who offered us a lift back to the race finish.

I'm at the finish to take a picture of my mate Dave finishing. "What kept you?" I ask as he leaves the finish tent bedecked in his Yorkshire slate finisher's medal. "Nice trip in the drop out bus?" he asks.

Lesson #4: Prepare properly. After resuming training in February I found that I could run hilly 20 milers in the Chilterns feeling strong at the end and with no after effects. This gave me a false sense of security so I didn't bother putting in the necessary training.

All in all some lesson's well learnt. I need to do a bit more research on the cramp aspect but most importantly I just need to get more quantity and quality back in my running and show a bit more respect to a decent race. Loosing a stone in weight wouldn't go amiss either.

And the race result? Well the Bingley lads didn't win this year. A young English guy by the name of Jethro Lennox won. In fact the first three didn't appear in the list of elite runners in the race programme. Jebb and Peace came 4th and 10th respectively. Billy Burns, a regular on the Jungfrau Marathon podium finished 8th. Of the 25 elite runners listed in the programme only 4 made the top ten.

I'll be back.

Winter, spring, summer or fall.....take your pick

2008-04-08T20:19:00.004+01:00

Two days after biking and running on a glorious warm spring day I was out running in 2 inches of snow. This was a long road run round the back lanes in the Chilterns. It was bitterly cold but it had stopped snowing and despite the cold, by the time I got home the snow had all but melted. I picked a hilly route and was fairly pleased with the run but felt a little jaded having been out dancing at a Northern Soul do 'til gone midnight the night before.

It was the second time that I'd been out in my new waterproof top and I must just say how impressed I am with it. It's a green Salomon Paclite Jacket. It's very minimalist in design with a rolldown hood, waterproof zips and just two hip level pockets but it is great to run in. You forget you're wearing it which is exactly what you want from a running jacket. No chaffing or scraping just excellent breathability and wind and waterproofness.

I'm also very impressed with another recent purchase, my Gore running top and tights. Same thing as the jacket. They do their job brilliantly without making their presence felt.

Bring on the weather.

What is it with Tonys and Tumours?

2008-04-08T17:09:00.007+01:00

On Friday I met up with an old friend and colleague Tony for a bike ride in the forests south of Bracknell. I hadn't seen Tony for several years and recently I spent a whole year thinking he was dead after the last email I received from him said he was going into hospital for a major operation to remove a tumour from his gullet and then I heard nothing. I assumed the worse and was too much of a coward to get in touch with his wife to confirm my suspicions.

Eventually Tony resurfaced having had a successful operation and recovery. This all occured in the same period that my brother Tony (see previous posts) had his fatal brain tumour, so to find that my friend Tony had survived had a great impact on me having thought I'd lost both Tonys. It was as if he'd literally come back from the dead to my enormous relief.

After many months emailing trying to arrange a gettogether we finally managed it on Friday. It was great to see him in the flesh. So off we went into the forest catching up on our different but equally life affirming sagas. The weather was warm and sunny and we lapped up the simple pleasure of biking through the trees with the sun streaming through the trunks. Bliss.

Inspired as I was by the bike ride, later on the same day I took the dog out for a run round Wendover Woods. I chose an up and down course and was pleased with the way I'm handling the hills. I'm tackling them very differently than I was a year ago. I reckon that the Jungfrau experience has not only put the Chilterns into proportion mentally but that I've actually grown stronger since last year. I can actually attack the hills now which is a new experience for me. Another factor I believe is my improved knowledge on hydration and nutrition.

Still can't shift that superfuous 5 kilos though.

I'm Back!

2008-03-31T15:49:00.002+01:00

Well, as I suspected I couldn't resist having another crack at the Jungfrau so what better place to log it all than here in my good old blog. I've just had my entry confirmed so this will be the first of many posts.

Having been disappointed with my time last year (although mighty glad to have finished considering I tore my calf in my next race) I thought I'd go for a 4:30 run (equivalentish to 3hr normal marathon).

I'll be 50 by then but I'm humbled to see that there's a Swiss guy on the start list who was born in 1927 and a couple from St Albans who were born in the mid 1930's. If they beat me I'm taking up golf.

Before that I've got to get over (literally) the 3 Peaks in April. That's got a similar ascent to the Jungfrau but lots more descent. It's also hosting the WMRA World Mountain Running Challenge that was hosted at last year's Jungfrau. I've a feeling that this will be a much more local affair though with only a few hundred runners.

Here we go again.....

The Valley

2007-09-22T13:24:00.000+01:00

Couldn't resist adding this picture down the Lauterbrunnen valley taken by my daughter Vicky (photographer extrordinaire) from the train up to Wengen. Is there another marathon in the world with such an incredible setting?

Jungfrau Wrap Up

2007-09-22T11:08:00.000+01:00

So, it's time to put the Jungfrau Marathon behind me (for this year anyway) and move on to my next objective, the OMM at the end of October, but before I do that I thought I'd wrap up by showing you what we got up to before leaving Switzerland.

The day after the race was overcast in Wengen. Rosie, Vicky and Polly took the train over to Zurich to visit Rosie's sister but Lucy and I decided to take a walk. We could see on the local live TV channel that it was actually sunny on the hills above the clouds so we took the cable car from Wengen to Mannlichen. This took us into the clouds then burst through into bright sunlight. The view was amazing:

We were so lucky that the weather wasn't like this the day before as most of the race would have been below and in these clouds. As it was it was perfect for sight seeing. We climbed to the top of Mannlichen hill and enjoyed a 360 degree view of this sea of cotton wool just below our feet. As we watched the clouds on the Grindlewald side of the hills started to creep up towards us covering the route we intended to take down to Kleine Scheidegg.

So, we walked down to Mannlichen again and into the clouds shown above. The route to KS was a nice broad path mostly sloping downhill. There were no views due to the cloud but it stayed reasonably warm. We came across one or two people wearing their JM finishers t-shirts so it wasn't just me who couldn't just take it easy after the race. In Kleine Scheidegg we bravely sat out in the cloud on the balcony at the Eigernordwand restaurant for lunch. I had one of their soups in which the bowl is actually a scooped-out loaf of bread. As I ate the soup I sliced of the top of the loaf and used that with the rest of the soup working my way down until it was all gone. Brilliant idea. No washing up.

In KS they were dismantling the equipment from the race. The showers were all packed up and the barriers had been removed. The frame above the finish line was still there eerily emerging from the mist as we walked towards it. I couldn't resist running across the finish line for a second time.

We then walked back along the race route. As we did the cloud below us cleared and we could at least see down into the valley if not up above us. Up to chocolate corner then through the dip to the top of the morraine, the highest point on the race at 2311m.

Then it was down the morraine. It looked a lot steeper going down than coming up. I was impressed anyway.

We could hear the glaciers off to our left cracking in the sun but couldn't see them. The contrast to the day before was especially noticably going down the morraine. No crowds, no bagpiper, no runners, no sun and no view. What a difference a day makes.

I was very suprised at how little my legs seem to have suffered. When on the training week they said that it's the downhill running that makes the legs ache so much and they may be right but I'd have expected to be aching a lot more after all that effort. I attribute some of that to my relentless intake of fluids and energy foods during the race.

So, we worked our way down the morraine to the cairns on the ridge above the Wixi. Where I topped off the highest cairn.

Going down from here we noticed lots of litter from the race, mostly the tops from gels and gel packets so we started doing our bit and picked them up. As we got further down, just past the notorious bottleneck where I got held up, the barrier tape from the race hadn't been cleared and the litter increased so assuming someone was going to come back a clear up I tied our stack of litter in a neat pile in the tape. Just around the next bend there was tons of litter, mainly cups, and the 38.25km marker. Between this and the Wixi had been cleared of litter so they'd either decided to come back later and clear up or had abandoned it (I noticed from the train the next day that the tape and km sign were still there).

After a walk down to the Wixi ski lift station and up to Wengenalp we left the race route and caught the train back to Wengen.

The next day we were going home but as our flight wasn't until 21:50 we decided to squeeze in a trip up to the Jungfraujoch on the train. So, leaving our cases in the chalet it's back up to KS then get the Jungfraujoch train. This goes into the Eiger then doubles back up to the underground, and Europe's highest, station. On the way there are two stops. The first is to look through the windows stuck halfway up the north face of the Eiger. This is a unique opportunity to get a climber's eye view from the north face. Amazing. Unfortunately a photograph just can't take it all in. You have to be there. The second stop was on the other side of the Eiger and looked out over the Eismeer glacier with its housesized blocks of ice in a frozen cascade.

Up at the Jungfraujoch you can go out onto a balcony overlooking the Aletsch Glacier, at 22km long it is Europe's longest ice flow. This is the Wren tribe in front of it:

You can also go out onto the snow (or rather ice, as it was compressed by tourists walking on it). I'm not sure it would pass health and safety checks in the UK as it sloped away in all directions and the only thing stopping you from sliding away into oblivion was a very dodgy looking rope fence.

At 3500m the air is noticably thin up here. We had been told that, for some reason, Japanese tourists were particularly suseptible to the thin air and would regularly faint. Sure enough all the seats around the station were taken up by very weak looking Japanese tourists, many holding their heads in their hands. We then had a look round the Ice Palace carved into the glacier.

We just had time to nip up to the Sphink observation platform (even higher than the station) before we had to dash back for a train down. We didn't get time to see the huskies or walk across the snow to the Jungfraujoch hut and look down the Eismeer but we were were happy with our little excursion and glad to get back to thicker air.

Picking up our bags we said goodbye to our wonderful apartment and set off home.

If you ever want a holiday in this incredible region and fancy treating youselves then take a look at this place (http://www.chaletwengen.com/). Our apartment covered the left hand side of the first floor (where my girls are on the balcony above).

So, after 11 months and many hundreds of miles of training, injuries, a not insignificant amount of expense from me and my marvellous sponsors and a large amount of sacrifice from my darling wife and daughters in putting up with my absences was it all worth it? Too bloody right it was. What a fantastic privilege to be free to do such a thing. I have some irreplacable memories, met some wonderful people and found out many things about myself and what makes me tick. It has been a voyage of discovery in many senses. Can't wait for the next one.

Thanks for coming with me on this trip. Stay tuned for the next installment.

Post Race Analysis

2007-09-22T10:45:00.000+01:00

This is the heart rate and altitude graphs from my run in the Jungfrau Marathon. It tells quite an interesting story. You can see how slowly I was going for the first half. My heart rate was hovering around 130bpm when it should have been around 140. Quite a few of the dips in heart rate are from when I stopped at the drinks stations but those towards the end of the race are when I was held up. The point at which we came to a standstill just around the bend from the Wixi drinks station is particularly noticable. My heart rate slowed to 95bpm. How ridiculous is that during a marathon.

I've also superimposed the ascent (height adjusted to account for base height) of the Chiltern Hills where I train. Quite a difference. Even Ben Nevis would only come about 80% of the way up the graph.

I'm seriously considering doing it again next year to see what time I would get with a more focussed attempt at getting a good time. My time of 5h 8m equates to a 3h 20m normal marathon. I'd hope to do a 3h normal marathon so there's clear room for improvement.

Better start training then!

Official Imagery

2007-09-16T13:49:00.000+01:00

Photos from http://www.marathon-photos.com/ (for a fee):

This is me levitating above Lauterbrunnen high street .....

...and this is me impersonating a proper runner .....

...and this is me (1500m higher and 3 hours later) pretending to be tired on the morraine...

...and cruising down to the finish line....

I'd have tucked in my shirt if I'd known I was going to have my picture taken.

Bet you didn't spot the shoe change.

..... and here's me in action (from http://www.finisherclip.ch/):

Click on the play button and look for the white cap coming down the hill.

Thanks for watching.

A Letter to my Sponsors

2007-09-11T21:12:00.000+01:00

Dear Sponsors,

Just a quick note to say thank you again for your tremendous support and sponsorship. It really helped me to put in the necessary training that made the run on the day a possibility and a wonderful experience. Your job was done as I stood on the start line. I was in the right mental and physical state to tackle this amazing run. I'd learnt a hell of a lot in my training. How to handle injuries, what to eat and drink and even what not to eat.

Throughout the last few months I have been very conscious that you didn't have to give anything but have been repeatedly amazed by your generosity. It clearly touched a nerve with some of you who have your own similar personal experiences.

Together you have donated a significant sum of money that will no doubt make a real difference to the lives of brain tumour sufferers and their families either through research or directly in terms of support. Even the smallest token of support or understanding can make all the difference to a family under the death sentence that this condition often brings.

Thank you for helping me to make a difference.

Yours humbly,

Mick

P.S. Some of you will be relieved to know that at no stage in this run did I partake in the use of lycra.

Day 0 - Race Day

2007-09-08T19:35:00.000+01:00

Greetings from from Kleine Scheidegge!

Job done. That's me in front of the north face of the Eiger. The weather was absolutely perfect. It was lovely and sunny but not once did I feel too hot. The scenery was stunning. My fan club were out in force (aka Rosie, Vicky, Lucy and Polly) and managed to see me at five different places by jumping on the (extremely crowded) mountain trains.

After my scary run the other week where I fell to pieces after 15 miles I was determined to make sure I kept hydrated and my energy levels topped up. As it turned out I had a 26 mile long buffet. I took so much fluid and energy stuff at each water station that I'd only just finished it by the time I reached the next one. It did the trick as I didn't have any real lows, no cramps and I feel fairly spritely considering, but I'll be giving energy bars, gels and drink a miss for a few days.

At one drink station I was handed a honey based gel sachet that has been pre-opened, unknown to me. The stuff flooded out all over my hands and got everywhere. It was horrible. I had to keep my fingers spread for over a mile to stop them sticking together. Gross.

Unfortunately, it took me a time just outside of 5 hours (5:08) to drag my carcass up the mountain but (and here comes the excuse) the crowds were horrific. I made the mistake of starting too far back and got stuck behind hundreds of other runners. Interestingly, I finished in a time identical to the expected finish time zone that I started in, just behind the 5 hour marker. Normally, I'd start as near the front as possible and run like hell to get clear but I was worried about tiring myself out on this one. Big mistake. I had no room to move for the first 20km and most of the last 4km. It was like Oxford Street on a Christmas Eve. I did manage to make up about 20 places on the last downhill stretch due to the Swiss reluctance to let loose downhill (and thanks to a wide path). In fairness being held back probably stopped me overdoing it but I reckon on the day I could have done 4:45ish. My fellow blogger Aquaasho did a fantastic run of 4:19. Well done AC. Shame we didn't meet up.

I managed to meet up with a few of my new friends from the August training week at the start, Robert (French), Rolf (Dutch) and Franz (Swiss German). I also bumped into Diana (Swiss French) several times on the run. Looking at the results I was sandwiched between Karl-Ludwig (German) and Denise (Swiss German) by a few minutes. Unfortunately I didn't see either of them.

On the run down to the finish I experienced a very strong wave of emotion. It was the pent up grief I've bottled up since Tony died. I've had similar waves recently. It's as if the pressure has found a way out but I managed to put the stopper back in. This time I found to difficult to breath properly but as I was sprinting downhill at the time I reckon it provided the distraction required to stop the wave. I was expecting to have my own private breakdown at the finish but it was just too crowded and busy to afford that particular luxury. It'll have to wait until another time.

This blog has served its purpose now but I can't shut it down just yet so stay tuned while I decide what to do with it. TTFN

The News from Wengen

2007-09-07T08:41:00.000+01:00

Well we're here at last. The weather is perfect, sunny but not hot and the apartment is fantastic. Here's the view out onto the balcony.

Rosie and I sat in bed with our morning cuppa watching the sunlight creep down the mountainside.

They are setting up for the run just above us on Wengen main street. It's all so close now. Here's Rosie and me in Wengen looking at the preparations.

We're off down into Interlaken this morning (if I can get the girls out of bed). I need to pick up my race number and the girls have shopping withdrawal symptoms having been removed from shops for more than 24 hours.

Finally, they are ready so I have to go now. Watch this space.

Photomap

2007-08-30T19:46:00.000+01:00

Check out the map on flickr that shows where the Jungfrau photos were taken. Very useful for those who are running the Jungfrau. This covers the last half of the race. Zoom in to the map then click on the red dots.

No More Training

2007-08-30T18:11:00.000+01:00

Well, it's all over now. I ran my last training run last night and it's time to taper (and hopefully get rid of this heel problem in the process). I did eventually manage to get a good series of runs in the last few days after all. I did a 20km off roader on Sunday plus an hour on the bike, a 20km multi-terrain run on Monday and last night, while away from home on a business trip to Stockport, I hacked my way round a lovely 25km run along a disused railway track (Middlewood Way) and back via the Macclesfield canal. This included running the down the impressive flight of locks and aquaduct in Marple. The heel probelm is still hovering around in the background but not getting any worse so maybe I can get rid of it while I rest.

Pass the pasta please.

The Back of My Race Shirt - nuff said

2007-08-26T18:59:00.000+01:00