Edale Skyline Reccie

Link to run data

This is the sort of run that would have destroyed me a year or two since. Essentially I don't think I used do long training runs hard enough. Last year I was concentrating on track sessions and not enough on sustained running. The gap in between much of my training and my races was enormous, I seemed to get away with that for many short or medium races but struggled very badly on longer stuff.
Yesterday I found I was still strong towards the end of this 20 miler.

It was a beautiful day but pretty cold; this led to much stopping and starting as jacket came on as an icy blast caught us then stripping off when sheltered but bathed in sun. The area is lovely but not quite the mountainous beauty of the Lakes and the like. Navigation was pretty straight forward on the large scale but getting the right trod was tricky. I may very well go down to Hayfield and take another look at the western section.

No pictures I'm afraid as we were on a pretty tight schedule: I had a party to go to and Dave had an appointment at the velodrome. I didn't go to the party, Tracy had been working all day and just wanted to put het feet up, I didn't argue!

Lake District Mountain Trials (Medium) 9th Sept 2012

I decided to have a go at the trial some time ago, I suppose in a way doing the medium was a bit of a cop out and I'll certainly have a go at the classic in the future.

I set off with no expectations at all. Doodling along focusing on the nav and ignoring all around me; in a sociable way!

To cut a long story short I realised by around two thirds of the way in that I was actually going pretty well and should maybe push hard. I missed the last checkpoint with a bit of stable door-itis, loosing a few minutes in the process. I came in fourth and second vet.

Absolutely loved it!

Ochil 2000s 25th Aug 12

My original intention had been to try and cleverly weave our 2 weeks in Scotland around some great walking, biking and running, concluding with the Ben race. This didn't work out as we needed to be back before that weekend. So i looked for a race and found the Ochil 2000s. An AL race of 20 miles and 5000". That seemed to fit the bill.

Have had a nightmare at Borrowdale a few weeks earlier I needed a fresh approach. I set off very slowly, probably at the sort of speed I'd start a long training run. Absolutely no push at all on a day of sunshine and nice views. Having never stepped onto these hills before in my life and this being a navigation race I wanted to keep a certain focus, I certainly didn't want to follow anyone else, unless........ unless my earlier planned route needed quickly amending, as they sometimes do.

I won't detail all the hills we crossed but I did pick up places steadily and for the most part got the navigation spot on, on two occasions making up quite a few places with she contouring. In the last 4 or 5 miles, with rain now falling, its fair to see I was going pretty much flat out to make up and defend places.  I came in an hour behind Murray Stain and over half an hour behind Yasmin Paris. I was 27th out of 76, to be fair as a counter in a Scottish GP it had a class field at the top.

Did I enjoy it? Certainly. I was happy with my performance, boosting my badly dented confidence. However, I probably wouldn't make the long journey for a very pennine like race.

Catching Up

After moving house and having no Internet for several weeks I'm catching up on things very slowly. I do want write up both the Ian Hodgson Relay and the FRA relays as soon as I can. In the pipeline is a rec of The Edale Skyline and next month one of the Dark and White Mini Mountain Marathons, this one starting from Coniston.

I seem to have managed to become my own second follower?! No idea how I did it or how to change it!

Borrowdale Balls Up

This was meant to be my big race! Somewhere this year the plan came off the rails, in fact it crashed and overturned. I won't go into the whole catalogue of excuses but it boils down to insufficient time on my feet at the wrong intensity.

Anyway, the race. Quite a few of us travelled up together and discussed the route and approach in detail. I'd descided to start pretty quick to avoid the crush then slow down to a pace that matched my fitness. The weather seemed promising although there were some warnings of thunder storms. As planned I moved quickly after the start until the start of the climb up Bessyboot. I slowed down and happily let folk past, trying to stick to my plan. At the start of the climb I was about sixtieth. I was determined to climb to Esk Hause steadily and enjoyed a bit of banter as we went. I did notice my heart rate was high for the pace I was going. I wondered if the speedy start was to blame.
I think climbing Scarfell Pike I started to feel slightly under the weather. Was it the heat? There are plenty of other excuses available! Down the scree okay and onto the Corridor Route. I seemed to be maintaining my position along here but thought I'd follow Jackie Winn on a few little trods, I think he's a bit nimbler than me, I'd have been better off on the path at times.
Gable. First half of the climb was fine, I chatted to a Peninne runner picked up a bit more water. Some mates were on the bottom and they gave me encouragement as well as some jelly babies. Second half of the climb I slowed considerably. I started to bleed places but wasnt overly bothered as I was still moving and my expectations weren't too high. On the flat towards Grey Knots I kept moving reasonably well although I was starting to get hints of cramp. Desending down to Honister my legs were suffering and just before the car park Pete Booth; 62 and Cieran Carr; 68! Came past me. Onlookers may have been puzzled by my gerning expression and hobbling or I dare say they'll have seen a few others who also had a crippling attack of cramp.
I should have called it a day there and then, why I didn't I'll never know. I won't go through all the miserable details but I walked and sat more than I ran up Dale Head and through the mines. It took me over an hour and a half to get back from Honister. Friends who I normally beat by quite a margin trotted past me, some concerned, most amused!

I eventually finished in 4:45, can't remember the position and don't want to look. The post mortem; better planning, probably with more mileage and be a bit less greedy with races. I'll be back next year!

Rydal Round

Still not seen the results for this but did come in third V40. Ran it about 8 minutes slower than the last time I did it 2 years ago, taking 5 minutes more to climb to the top.
It's a great race with all the atmosphere that a gala race has and a cracking route. I wasn't concerned with running too hard as I know I'm just off the pace a bit with patchy last few months of training and more than half an eye on Borrowdale. Most of the climb was in the flag and I found it probably more difficult than I should. From the top I turned with a runner just behind me and although I've been up there more than a few times I had my map and compass out to make absolutely sure I went right. I must admit I got a bit tetchy when the guy behind started quizzing me about the line. He didn't have his map out! I decided not to go over Hart Crag as I remembered following two Ambleside runners on a decent line contouring around it. Maybe the fell gods wanted revenge for my tetchiness but it didn't go well, it got very scambley and I almost got crag bound! I don't think my shadow followed me so maybe he had the last laugh. I emerged back on the path way behind a runner I'd past half an hour ago.
I decided I was trying to be too clever I maybe I should just enjoy the race. Needless to say my new found easy doing attitude back fired. I followed a couple of guys down the wrong line after wrong line. Now up until this point I'd not been really pushing the pace but as I emerged from behind the wrong side of Low Pike and x club mate who I'd left behind at the start of the main climb appears in front of me! We get on but there's history and banter; I was not happy to be behind him. So pushed on  very very hard now. Although not really part of any plan I enjoyed a final section of the race that saw my heart rate climb to an impressive 195!
The £10 prize was spent on a sausage sandwich for me and some fudge for the wife. A great afternoon was spent debriefing mates and watching bike races and wrestling.

Comptons Cross 30 June 9 miles 500"

The last time I did this race I seriously bonked, within minutes of setting off! I'd had a tooth out in quite a traumatic fashion and mustn't have been eating properly. I was determined to be relaxed with this one and just get in a good tough run to help my Wasdale preparation but not over reach. With a very small field of 34 I found myself in second after the main climb and the winner looking very determined and disappearing. I had no desire to try and chase him down and really was trying to relax. The guy behind me had a different approach and about 3 miles in he edged past me and tried to pull away. I had a fair bit in reserve so I just stuck to him. He surged again pulling away a bit but I reeled him in. This continued until he tried slowing! I had no intensional of going past him though at this stage and was really quite enjoying myself. I do sympathise with him I could see he was getting pretty hacked off with me but I was not after too tough a day out. This is not to say I didn't want to beat him, in fact I was pretty confident I could. It was becoming reminiscent of the last few miles of a bike race and I was the selfish git who wouldn't do any work. Eventually with around 3 miles to go he went wrong, I wondered whether on purpose? I told him the right direction and took off. I figured I could put the hammer down a bit now. Came in second about a minute in front of a quite unhappy third. He wanted to know why I didn't share the work and why I took off? I probably said the wrong thing by explaining I wanted an easy run! Anyway we had a good chat about the Great Lakes Run and made up. A good speedy Pennine fell race,with not too much climb and a friendly atmosphere?