Adventures of a Fellmonkey

Tonight I Shall Run

2012-02-02T11:42:00.000Z

The running hiatus ends today. A week and a half of (relative) rest has served me very well, and I am left with a niggle at worst. So the plan is for a gentle trot out followed by some of the excruciating Piriformis stretches I've learnt over the last ten days, and I'll see how I feel in the morning.

Buoyed by what seems to be an upturn in the injury situation, I've started to tentatively put together the 2012 race calendar. Already booked are the New Chew at the end of February (Orienteering?!), and the focus event of the year; the UTSW in June. I cannot wait to get trainnig for that one. I've also sent off an entry for the Leaden Boot in May (LDWA event) and I am definitely planning to race at Kinder Downfall in April which I missed last year because of entering too late. I also have one eye on the Ladybower 50 for late September but as yet the organisers haven't got back to me regarding entry...the website doesn't give too much away...

...obviously, once the evening fell racing season cranks into gear I'll be interspersing all the above with short jaunts up the local hills too.

Feels nice to be getting some sort of plan together and a few events to work towards.

Heavy rotation on the ipod right now, mainly thanks to the "Unbreakable" soundtrack...

Regrets

2012-01-24T11:18:00.003Z

I'm not a big one for harbouring regrets. I've always felt that life is one big steep learning curve and as long as you're picking up on the lessons and hints as you go along then you're doing OK. I don't regret any of the injury situation that screwed up the second half of last year in terms of my running, because I've learned more about myself, my body and my limitations than ever before.

However, I am slightly regretting last week's very good running stats, as it seems I've missed a lesson somewhere and run myself into another injury. Or back into the old one. Just a bit. I guess that is what happens when you are running at 90% wellness. With a little more patience and time on the sidelines I could be back up to 100% very soon. Hey, it's been almost six months, another few days isn't going to hurt. So I'm taking a week off to heal again, this time completely.

Out with the PVPs

2012-01-17T12:47:00.000Z

Minus six degrees on the car dashboard, out into the chilly air, eight friends huddling together whilst a plan is formulated. Just the ten miles today, tea and cake await in Hassop. But before we get there...

You've got to love the Peak District. And crisp winter mornings. And friends that run. Good Times.

The crappier two photos here were taken on my iphone. The two awesome landscape shots (2nd and 4th pics) were taken by my friend Martyn, who clearly has a better eye for these things and better equipment too...

Unbreakable

2012-01-11T14:30:00.003Z

Looking for some inspiration to take you forward in 2012?

You are probably all very aware as to what this is and what it's all about. So just a quick post to say that I have it, I've watched it seven or eight times, and it's hands down the best running film I've ever seen. Much more than the usual documentary style of most adventure productions, here filmmaker JB Benna actually takes the time to establish a context and tell a story, and not just a story of running an Ultramarathon but one of belief, commitment, camaraderie and ultimately celebration, not to mention some quite moving scenes (I defy anybody not to feel a tug at the heartstrings as we see the contrast between Hal Koerner's and Geoff Roes' pre Western States evening meals, or the sheer guts displayed by Hal as he starts to succumb to injury in the later stages of the race; you can practically feel his pain as he makes his way down to the river crossing) as we explore four very different runners, their home lives, their preparations for and their experiences in running the WS100. Oh, and the soundtrack is absolutely brilliant too. Oh, and I have a hardcore crush on Jenn Shelton. If somebody could put in a good word for me with Jenn it would be very much appreciated.

Here's the trailer

Here's the link to buy it http://www.journeyfilm.com/servlet/the-53/Unbreakable-cln--The-Western-States/Detail

Mine only took a week to arrive from the States. I promise, it's worth the money and the wait. Treat yourself.

New Year, New Look

2012-01-06T14:49:00.003Z

Happy New Year to anybody kind enough to check in on here. As you can see, I've given the blog a coat of paint, and I'll be moving a bit of furniture around over the next few days too. The old girl has been a bit neglected these last few months, mainly as she's supposed to be a running blog and I've not done a heap of running without encountering an even bigger heap of ongoing injury problems. And you don't want to read my moans and grumbles every week. But fingers crossed, I'm finally back on track, presently 80% pain free and improving daily. The breakthrough? I'm no minimalist runner. I've swallowed that pill and I'm back on the trails with some nice comfy foam and a wedge of support under my feet, and consequently a spring in my step. And once my Piriformis situation settles completely the serious stuff begins again...

...plans are formulating, races are being entered already. A focus on the longer stuff and an interest in the runners' categories of LDWA events. All leading towards making 2012 the running year that 2011 wasn't. As in, consistent.

And as for the blog, I'll be trying to write more frequently than I managed in the last few months of last year, maybe including a few gear reviews, more stuff to do with the Plodders, way more pictures, and pretty much any other japes I get up to that might be of interest.

More to come soon...

Christmas Chippy Run 2011

2011-12-22T16:11:00.004Z

Last night was the annual Christmas Chippy Run for the Porter Valley Plodders. Scary to lead out a group of around 30 guys and gals (in fancy dress, in the dark...) but times have changed and we've got a fair few members these days.

Quick trip up to see the OTT Christmas lights on the posh roads, a bit of a picnic feast down at Forge Dam, a charge down to the chippy and a stroll back up to the pub. And for me, all dressed as a giant christmas pudding.

Good times. Good friends. Can't ask for much more than that.

That Time of Year Again...

2011-12-10T17:48:00.004Z

This morning, I ran the first half of the Grindleford Gallop with my friends and clubmates Sam and Jamie. We ended up taking lots of pictures, and about halfway through the run, starting recording some video too. That's all well and good, but once you have a bunch of videos you then have to do something with them. So to cut a long story short, I had my first ever bash at putting together a video compilation today. Aside from a bit of dodgy audio editing at the beginning, it's not that bad.

As you can see, plenty of snow around these parts at the moment!

Weekly Roundup 14th - 20th November

2011-11-24T12:40:00.005Z

Monday
Rested after High Peak Relay and impromptu add-on run. Felt smug.

Tuesday
8 miles, 800ft, headtorcher
Home - Porter Valley - Ringinglow - Limb Valley - Home
Felt very strong and ran hard. Beautiful evening to be out.

Wednesday
Enforced rest day after arduous trip to the dentist. Having detatched my head from my shoulders, he went on to advise no exercise or alcohol for 24 hours. Which is a shame because exercise and alcohol pretty much sum up my usual Wednesday. So no club run.

Thursday
Hill Sprints, 3 sets of 6X250m
Felt strong again. Intent on not doing these to death as I'm sure they contributed to my injury problems in the past.

Friday
Rest day. Friday = cake.

Saturday
16.5 miles, 2800ft
Home - Oxstones - Foxhouse - Longshaw - Surprise View - Over Owler Tor - Higger Tor - Burbage Rocks North - Houndkirk - Home
Felt really good all the way round, didn't run too hard and stopped for a few photos. Only really felt remotely tired for the last mile or so.

Sunday
5 miles on the Wirral
Nice steady trot out with brother in law John. No idea of the climb, there was a bit, but more of a cross country outing than anything else. Despite the previous day's run, my legs felt absolutely fine, and John is tough to hang with.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'd planned on upping the intesnity and the volume this week, I achieved the former despite missing the Wednesday run I'd planned on. So fairly happy. I have some mild foot pain and a bit of Piriformis discomfort but I reckon a bit of extra stretching and foam rollering will sort that out. Having read around a bit and asked myself a few questions I don't think I'll be striving for more than forty mile weeks for some time, if at all.

Some shots from Saturday's run which was a cracker...

Stanage Edge stretching into the distance, taken from Higger Tor

Higger Tor, always a pain in the arse to run up from whichever side I attack it

Over Owler Tor sitting above Surprise View

Higger Tor with Carl Wark beneath it in the foreground, taken from Foxhouse

Oxstones. Four miles exactly from my front door, via the Porter Valley

I'm looking forward to more longer runs now as I get my fitness back, particularly as these next few months are my favourites for getting out and disappearing in the Peak for a few hours on the hoof. There's no better feeling than wrapping up in cold weather kit, strapping on a race sack and getting lost. More of which later...

Time to Get Back Out There

2011-11-04T13:28:00.003Z

Pic courtesy of my friend Glen Borrell; Me at Derwent Stones, April 2011

Injury update: Feeling better. Weak when running but only time and miles in the hills can put that right.

Let's get to it.

Caballo Blanco

2011-09-30T16:27:00.003+01:00

There has been a distinct lack of running going on over here at Fellmonkey HQ, for reasons already established and much maligned in previous posts. I won't bore you with all that today, save to say that I'm undergoing some regular physio and intensive soft tissue therapy at the moment and it is even more painful than the actual injury itself! Hopefully an underlying issue has been identified and I can start to build up a bit of mileage again in the forthcoming weeks. All race plans for 2011 have been wiped from the board.

I drove up to York last night to attend a talk by Micah True, aka 'Caballo Blanco', the grizzled ghost-like ultra running badass and friend to the Raramuri people of Mexico. Many won't be familiar with him, but if you have read 'Born to Run' then you will know that he is one of the central characters in the book. Well, the central character really. El Caballo Blanco. The White Horse. The bummed out tough as nails hobo living reclusively in a cave in the Copper Canyons, running from village to village and existing only in a near mythical sense to locals lucky enough to see him pass through, not taking any shit from anybody and shunning the 'developed' world in favour of a nomadic lifestyle.

Except that's not quite the actual truth. Much to his chagrin, and somewhat unsurprisingly, it seems that the book takes a few creative liberties in the pursuit of selling a few extra copies. Sorry to disappoint any fans of the book that might have thought otherwise, but Micah True is not Rooster Cogburn in shorts. Far from it. His own interpretation of his portrayal in the book was fairly straightforward.

"I read the first fifty pages and I was like...what?! Who is this guy?!"

Micah is in fact a very humble and gentle man, clearly surprised with the success of Chris McDougall's book and the position it has put him in. He is grateful for having been given a platform to speak about the things that matter to him, chiefly the preservation of the traditional Raramuri way of life and the opportunity to bring much needed cash and food into the area (the infant mortality rate is staggering)through organising races that attract great numbers of runners. Although they seem more like big communal celebrations than races. So if you finish his Copper Canyon Ultramarathon, you win half a ton of corn that you are expected to give to the village. And if you finish high enough in the race order to win actual money, you are also expected to give it to the village. There was some very moving footage of an American winner a few years ago handing over his cheque for six thousand dollars to the Raramuri.

He spoke passionately about the Raramuri and their philosophies, and about the beautiful area he lives in (take note, in a house not a cave) for six months of the year, the other six months he lives and works in Boulder, Colorado. He told some very engaging and funny stories about his life, how he got into running, how he met the Raramuri, and his experiences at various ultra races. There was also a Q&A session at the end where he invited questions from the floor and he was at great pains to ensure that not only did he answer all the questions thrown at him, but that each answer was satisfactory for the person asking the question.

He was a very engaging and immensely likeable person. I left thinking that although the 'badass' persona made for a great read, had McDougall written about the real Caballo Blanco then his story might have been even better and we would have all probably learned a little bit more in the process.

I hooked up with a few friends also attending the talk, it was great to see Glen following his successful (unfortunately for a crocked me, solo) round of the 15 Trigs, and also Stu and Ruby/Ruth (either is OK ;) ) who I haven't seen for a while but are always great to spend time with. I can't wait to get back out on the trails with all of them.

Myth Busting
Just to pick up on one or two of the book's more important embellishments, don't look if you don't want to know the truth or haven't read it yet!

Barefoot Running. He really doesn't care about it. In his own words, he couldn't care less about the whole "minimus/maximus" thing. He thinks that running with nothing on your feet is a bit silly, but that a minimal shoe is better than a built up one, at least for him. The most important thing is a person should run in whatever they are comfortable with, be it minimal, built up, sandal...whatever!

The race. It didn't happen as written in the book. The 2006 event which McDougall is writing about was not the crazy dream of an old guy to pit the best US runners against the Raramuri, but was actually the fifth annual running of an already moderately successful event. Here. http://www.caballoblanco.com/

There were many more but let's face it, it is a ripping yarn, so I'll not go picking holes in it for hours on end.

I've been looking for the spanish translation of fellmonkey, the nearest I can get is 'El Mono Monte'. I'll have a think about changing the title of the blog...

Short Sheffield

2011-09-16T20:19:00.006+01:00

Having spent the last three weeks in America, in which time I've racked up time in Boston (lovely) and New York (big, noisy and smelly), it struck me when I stepped off the train at Sheffield Station yesterday just how, well, short my city is. Nevertheless, it's good to be back.

I've been touring around New England, having adventures and japes. It's been a lovely and varied trip taking in Boston, Cape Cod, New Hampshire, Maine, Acadia Natinal Park and New York. Lots of mountains, raging rivers, stunning coasts, massive cityscapes and exciting wildlife (although the Moose remains frustratingly elusive).

Having not run a step in near on four weeks, I shot out of the door yesterday evening to try and catch up with the Porter Valley club run. I've been doing lots of stretching and massage on the PF injury, and I'd say it's 85% better. I also read 'Born To Run' whilst I was away, and now convinced myself that contrary to my pre-holiday ramblings, minimalist running is actually where I need to be. Like, yesterday. So I ran the whole seven miles of trail in minimal road shoes, concentrating on striking with my forefoot, keeping the back straight and powering through the Glutes. My heel didn't touch the floor once (which is technically not the correct way to do it but I was testing out the theory). The net result was a completely pain free run, no after effects in the PF foot. Just really trashed calves.

I'm going to take this reconditioning of running form slowly, not rush back and bring about another round of PF. Patience and perseverance. I aim to close out 2011 like I started it; injury free and running strongly.

Nothing Monumental But...

2011-08-23T13:52:00.005+01:00

OK, so I'm posting again when I said I wouldn't for a few weeks but for those of you that don't follow Geoff Roes' brilliant blog, I had to share his latest offering with you.

Geoff Roes on Long Term Consistency

Whilst his post is directed towards ultra running, I think there is applicable wisdom in what he writes for all runners; from 5k park racers to 100 mile ultrarunners, front pack racing snakes to back of the pack Plodders.

I've learnt this the hard way this year. Only last night I was rabbiting on to Helen about how 2011, whilst faster in terms of individual performances, has been a much more interrupted year than 2010 what with various illnesses and injuries (she wasn't very bothered. X-Factor was on ITVPlayer..).

Time to get back to basics.

And...Rest.

2011-08-21T13:06:00.005+01:00

2011's ridiculous running rollercoaster has taken another big plunge this week as I've now developed full on Plantar Fasciitis. And the online forums and message boards are right. It's freaking painful. Painful to the point of making me a little nauseous.

Flying high and feeling fairly invincible in training of late, I started to develop some pain in the heel and midfoot last week. PF type pain. Thanks to Tim and Lynne over at Global Therapies I was presented with a solution to this problem, their excellent advice (and also excellent infoblog - well worth a read) on particular stretches worked very well when I took a couple of days off on Thursday and Friday. However yesterday I ran a hill sprints session, felt great whilst running, ran an extra slow couple of miles as a shake out, got home to stretch and then ice the injury, but then by the evening was in quite a lot of pain again. I'd say I've set my recovery back a good week at least.

I know why and how this has happened, but I won't bore you with a lengthy diatribe here. Suffice to say that whilst I understand and agree with the principle of "minimalist" running, I have come to the realisation that it's not for everybody. Particularly those with permanent pre-existing injury problems. A shop assistant said to me a few days ago, as I was casting my eye over a pair of Inov8 Baregrips, something along the lines of, "Minimalist shoes don't work for me. Broke my ankle a couple of years ago. It just aggravates the damage."

Lightning bolt.

Snap.

A few years ago I broke my left ankle for the third time, and made a rather good job of it with a triple break. Whilst the bones have healed the injury's legacy lingers in other ways; the ankle aches when it is cold or after a long session, the calf muscles are noticeably smaller than those on my right leg, the calf muscles are always tighter than those on my right leg, it is usually the first leg to cramp, it's usually the left leg that presents a muscle or tendon related injury (Last year's Achilles Tendonitis). Yes, I see how a minimalist approach to running can strengthen and improve a runner. But I can also now see how in certain circumstances it can also aggravate and provoke a negative physical reaction.

Mercifully, I'm off on holiday on 29th August, and I was planning on a complete running break during this time like last year. Looks like the planned two weeks off however have started a week early out of necessity, and will instead be a three week recuperation period. Over the next seven days I'm going to focus on keeping the stretches going, getting some face time with a physiotherapist and reassessing my approach to running. I'll also be finalising the paperwork for affiliating the Porter Valley Plodders with England Athletics and making it a 'real' running club. Then we'll fly to Boston and backpack around New England, where I'll just be stretching and walking (And riding horses if Helen gets her way). I've also bought quite a few new running books to read whilst travelling to provide a bit of inspiration, the idea being that I'll return on 13th September shorter on fitness but brimming with optimism and *fingers crossed* injury free.

In the meantime I probably won't be posting until I get back, unless something monumental occurs. So to my Blogger friends, peace out for now, happy adventures, and I'll catch up with you all in September.

Stuff that worked, stuff that didn't...

2011-08-16T14:01:00.004+01:00

As promised, here is a very brief follow up to the long Tour of Bradwell post with a few thoughts that I've tried to put in some sort of order regarding the race, and also 'Ultras' in general.

In terms of the race, it wasn't the longest, but it was a good introduction to ultrarunning and all that it entails nonetheless. On that note;

Preparation
Non-existent, but you already know that...

Kit
Firstly, I was far too hot. As somebody that tends to race topless I should have at most worn a vest, not a tee, and left the waterproof cap at home, but we ended up with warmer weather than the forecast had indicated and practically no rain at all. I was utterly sodden with sweat when I'd finished, but I still don't think overheating had a hugely influential role in my race. As usual my Go-Lite race sack was excellent, although I didn't use any of the kit I had stashed away, and there wasn't even a kit check! My home-specced up Bumbag would have been better.

Shoes
Despite destroying my first pair in about eight weeks, I ran in New Balance MT101s, kindly supplied by Accelerate the day before the race with instructions to monitor my usage and report back with any future frailty issues. Time will tell. But in terms of the race, I cannot speak highly enough of this shoe. Very lightweight, low profile, but with just the right level of minimal cushioning. The grip is superb on a variety of terrain. And they look ace. Not a hint of a blister at the finish. They'll probably be falling apart by next Tuesday.

Nutrition
For me, given my recent problems, this was the biggy. I think I nailed this on the day, other than a few timing issues for feeds which were only down to my ignorance I ate and drank frequently and my food and drink choices were spot on. Obviously, I'm still not allowed anything containing artificial sweeteners, so the carb powders, Nuun tablets and energy bars had to go into the bin and a rethink was required.

I opted for a mix of food, combining Nakd bars with home made granola. Nakd bars are an awesome find, there is absolutely nothing processed in them, they are not even cooked! Instead they are cold-pressed combinations of nuts, dates and other goodies; perfect race food. I took out two of the cashew cookie and two of the mint chocolate bars, and a couple of pieces of homemade granola, or 'Graflumble' as I've christened it, as it is more a hybrid of Granola, Flapjack and Crumble packed into cake like pieces. Awesome. I ate all the Nakd bars and saved the Graflumble for after the race.

Accelerate came up trumps again with 'elete' electrolyte add-in. No gunk in this, just naturally occurring electrolytes to add in to water. The bottle is also really small so that you can race with it in your pocket and squeeze a couople of drops into your mouth if you're really flagging. I didn't have any hint of cramp or dehydration at any point, which for me is unusual. A great find this, and lo and behold I won a spot prize on the day of...Elete electrolytes! I got through two litres of Elete water in a hydration bladder and ran out at about mile 30. I still much prefer running with bottles though.

Recovery
I was good to go the following Monday. I didn't want an unforseen blow up, so I left it till Tuesday, but I got over it really quick. Part of me thinks this might be to do with the recent changes in my diet. I'm trying to get my amino acids back up to the right level, I'm consuming more fat, I've cut out a lot of the artificial crap that was contained within the 'healthy' products I was eating before. I thought it would take me a good week to get back up to speed but seriously, forty eight hours after finishing I could have hit the trails again. Part of me thinks that might also be just a bit of a fluke?

The Ultra Running Community
They are a friendly bunch. There was a distinct lack of pre-race tension that arises at most fell meetings, where (friendly) competitors are eyeing up their opponents, figuring out how to get a couple of places closer to such and such, working out how to gain precious seconds here and there. And I consider fell racing to be friendly. If you've ever done a UK road race then you can multiply that pre-race intensity by a few thousand. At LTOB the mood was far more relaxed, there was a definite sense that we're all heading out together on this big adventure, and the only people we need to beat are ourselves, our own targets and expectations. There was a lovely peace about all that that appealed to me, and I felt comfortable straight from the off. OK, so I had a mini breakdown at Bamford, but you can't legislate for a nav error that coincides with the steepest climb of the day. And it was in no small part due to the kindness and consideration of other runners that I was able to have a word with myself and get going again. Every single person that passed me in that bad patch asked how I was and whether I was OK. I took a lot of heart from that.

And of course, it's rare that you are able to have such lengthy conversations during a race! Even when I was briefly in the lead the chatter flowed fairly easily between the front group. I met a lot of friendly like minded people and I look forward to seeing them again at the Round Rotherham in October. And it would be remiss of me not to mention my new friend Pez, with whom I ran most of the final eleven miles of the race. We've already done another training run together since race day with the promise of many more to come. Good times.

The key now is to get back to full fitness ASAP, which means plenty of varied sessions and time in the hills. I think I'm getting there. I was talking with Glen last night and we're looking at late September for our 15 Trigs attempt, which will be just after I return from holiday. It will also serve as the perfect set up event for the Round Rotherham just a couple of weeks later. And then? I've been looking at future Ultras and pencilling a few in. The Fellsman looks good...

Oh, and something I need to clarify. Glen also pointed out last night that Nicky Spinks, whose 2010 splits you might recall were the ones I was using for LTOB, actually ran the race THE DAY AFTER she ran Borrowdale fell race. That lady takes tough to a whole new level.

Long Tour of Bradwell.

2011-08-08T13:12:00.008+01:00

Well, it went remarkably to plan, although half way in I was starting to regret the plan. Or rather, any plan at all. Maybe it's sometimes better to go in to these things with an open mind.

Saturday morning was cool and still, with the promise of light rain showers hanging in the air. Perfect conditions really. I registered, suited up, introduced my self to Nick Ham (very nice to meet you Nick) and even had time to make a couple of phone calls before ambling along the road in Bradwell village to the start line. Before long, we were off.

Front and centre, rocking the green. Picture courtesy of Dark and White Events

Now, eyeing a six to seven hour round, I'd noted down some six hour splits from last year as a rough guide, something not so much to aim for, but to keep within touching distance of. This may have been a mistake. They were Nicky Spinks' 2010 splits, and as anybody that knows Nicky will confirm, she starts slow and finishes fast. Really fast. Why this didn't occur to me at the time I do not know. The problem is that I do the exact opposite to Nicky, firing away at the beginning, running myself ragged and then fading towards the end. Without fail. My gauge therefore for monitoring my progress in what was my first Ultra was somewhat awry from the start. As I wasn't quite at full fitness I had decided to run hard as far as Bamford, which I'd reckoned on as being the half way point, then taking the second half steady and (in theory) enjoying the run in.

We shot out of Bradwell, through the Cement Works grounds in Hope, through the first checkpoint and up to the top of Cavedale. I hit checkpoint one a minute under Nicky's split time and then found myself jointly leading the race with four others. I felt fine, but was certain we'd gone off too quick to be able to maintain pace. I raised this with the group, and they all agreed, but we kept going anyway without adjustment. A bit of further conversation confirmed that we were all looking for around six hours, with only a Durham Fell Runner looking for something quicker at around 5:30.

Heading down Cavedale we dropped one member, ran four abreast for a while and then filtered into a line, with me taking up fourth position. The slippy descent gave way to tarmac once we hit Castleton, and we maintained this form through the checkpoint and the village and up the first serious climb to Hollins Cross. Straight over the top and down towards the Edale Road, and I was passed by somebody on the descent, then I clawed back fourth as we charged up through Edale. Eventually the inevitable Kinder climb reared it's head and it was hands on knees to open up the lungs and power hike up on to the Nab.

As I ascended, chatting to Saul from Belper Harriers, we were passed by the guy we had dropped in Cavedale. Apparently he'd stopped to be sick and then decided to plough on regardless. Tough stuff. By the time we'd hit Druid's Stone and the fifth checkpoint I was more or less tied for fifth position, dropping down to sixth on the long descent all the way back down to the Edale Road. I felt very comfortable, and the gap between me and seventh seemed huge.

Another big climb up to Back Tor and then on to the Lose Hill checkpoint, now at the twelve mile point and seventeen minutes under Nicky's six hour schedule. I was almost impressed with myself, but I knew it couldn't really last. We shot down to the village of Hope to the next checkpoint and started to contour around the low part of Win Hill, building into a gradual ascent. Mistake number one occurred here, as Saul and I slowed to a walk to get some food and fluids on board, then kept the walk going for much longer than was necessary. By the time I looked around again I was alarmed to see a chasing pack fairly hot on our heels.

Having skirted around the bottom of Win Hill Pike, a lovely gentle and fast descent followed. I stopped for a quick toilet break and Saul rocketed off down the path, but by the time we'd got to the Touchstone Trail I'd caught him up again. After a good section of running I arrived at the Bamford checkpoint safely in sixth place, feeling pretty good and with the Garmin registering 18 miles. Part one of the plan was complete. From here on it should just be a steady pace, and hopefully holding out for a top twenty finish.

I left the checkpoint, cantered down an embankment and across a field, then froze as I realised that I'd gone in totally the wrong direction. Bugger. I retraced my steps and got back on to the correct path, just as my chasing group rocketed past, led by a rampant Mark Hartell. You know, THE Mark Hartell! Bob Graham most peaks record holder (77) Paddy Buckley record holder, South Wales Traverse record holder...Bugger again. Now I was the one playing catch up.

Mentally, this error hammered me, and I found myself floundering through Bamford. A horrible climb up Bamford Clough got no better once I'd topped out and shuffled my way around Bole Hill. I was getting passed by one, two, three runners. I was very suddenly in a bad place. Next up was the extended climb up Long Causeway to Stanage Edge, and I decided to put the time to good use by switching off, slowing to a manageable walk, getting some food on board and trying to get some perspective. A couple more passed me, quick mental calculation, 13th place. Right. Come on Simon. Crack on.

Stanage Edge is more or less my home ground. Once I'd had a word with myself I was soon picking up the feet again and skipping across the familiar rocks and boulders. Before long I was actually enjoying it again, although I will confess that I was more than a little tempted to branch off to the left, down the Porter Valley and go home. I didn't, and instead, caught 12th and 11th places.

Burbage Bridge, route choice to make, in for a penny and all that, so it's the most direct and therefore steepest route. The other two guys decide to rely on my local knowledge and join me for this. I'm checking the splits and I'm now bang on Nicky's schedule, so somehwere I've lost upwards of seventeen minutes with probably more to come. We stick together all the way through to Leadmill Bridge, whereupon one of them made a successful break.

At Leadmill Bridge, looking fairly disgusted at something. Picture courtesy of Dark & White Events

We crack on. Mentally I'm feeling a bit low again, but my now sole companion, Pez, proves to be a great running partner and before long we are chatting and laughing our way through the final miles of the race. It was a massive help. A big climb up from Hathersage, some lovely woodland running before the final checkpoint, and then a big long slog to get out of the valley and up to Abney. But we're not done there. To get out of Abney there is a sting in the tail and even at 31 miles in to the race we have to climb yet again up and up a narrow lane. We top out. I'm flat out. We're on Bradwell edge, and the finish line is only a mile or so away. A steep descent off the edge and a canter back through the village, Pez makes a bit of ground and I'm content to roll in at a time of 6:11 in 13th place. 33.6 miles, 6500ft.

Tea and Cake never tasted as good as it did from that pavilion by the finish. I was so delirious that I even kicked Mark Hartell's cup down the steps as I bumbled my way around to the cake stall. A hasty reordering of his tea and then a nice relax in the afternoon sun, the swapping of race tales, the exchanging of details with Pez and the promise of more runs out together. A fitting end to a hard but very enjoyable day's racing. Oh, and I won a spot prize too. Some Elete electrolytes, which was quite ironic actually and I'll cover why in my next post. This was just a blow by blow account, I intend to follow it up with a bit of a dissection of what worked for me on the day and what didn't, as well as my thoughts on ultra running in general and the ultra running community. It was a very different racing experience, I only performed at about 75% (see earlier posts), but whilst I have absolutely no problems with more conventional fell racing at all, I REALLY enjoyed it.

Adventures of an Ultramonkey anybody?!

LTOB. Oh, go on then...

2011-08-04T10:02:00.005+01:00

I had decided not to run the Long Tour of Bradwell this coming Saturday. Whilst the recovery from recent, ahem, illness is going remarkably well, I've still missed a lot of key distance sessions this last month and I'm struggling to get above 18 miles of fairly quick pace running at the moment.

But two things happened this morning that changed my mind.

Glen texted me to wish me luck for the race, I hadn't yet told him I wasn't going, and to suggest that we hook up soon for a run. I replied, explaining I was wussing out of LTOB, wishing him luck for Borrowdale which he is hitting at the weekend, and agreeing that we should get some miles in soon.

Then he texted back, wondering why I don't just run LTOB as a training run and forget about trying to race it. I couldn't think of a suitable excuse to justify a 'no'.

Then, over breakfast I was discussing this weekend's plans with Helen. She has a friend visiting from London and I was wondering what they were intending to do. She said that it wouldn't affect me, because I was running 'that silly race' on Saturday wasn't I? I said no, I'd forgotten to cross it out on the calendar, and she flipped out, having apparently based her own plans around me disappearing to Bradwell early on Saturday morning.

As I drove to work, I turned recent events over in my mind. I ended up asking myself a few questions;

Q: Will I be able to get round and finish?
A: Yes.

Q: Will I be able to attack it at my normal race pace?
A: Absolutely not.

Q: Does that really matter? Will the world end if I'm not pushing the top ten?
A: Erm, no. Stop asking silly questions.

Paul over at 4winds recently commented on one of my posts, very wise words along the lines of 'putting the watch away, forgetting about PBs and timings and getting back to simply running in the hills for the love of it'. He's right.

Mrs Doyle was chirruping away in my brain...

By the time I'd got to work, I'd decided to stop being a martyr and just run the sodding thing. So there it is. The Long Tour of Bradwell. 33 miles and 6500ft of climb. My first ultra. The distance isn't worrying me, but given a lack of quality miles of late I think it's the climb that will knock me back. But you only live once, and I'd been looking forward to this one for a long time.

I'm off to pack my bag...

Problems Commenting?

2011-07-18T12:12:00.003+01:00

Anybody else having issues when trying to comment on other people's posts? Beecause I've been trying to comment on 4winds, Calva or Bust and RunForestRun and I have to keep logging in, re-commenting, re-logging in, re-commenting etc etc with a net result of nothing appearing!

Any ideas guys?

Bamford Carnival Fell Race. Reset.

2011-07-14T15:46:00.005+01:00

After a fairly disastrous distance session on Saturday, I had to hit the reset button and take it easy for a few days. Blisters to nurse, calves to massage, that kind of thing (My New Balance Trail Minimus are definitely not the world's greatest shoe after all, but more on that another time). So aside from a very gentle shake out run with Ozzy on Monday I was fairly rested going into the Bamford Carnival Fell Race last night.

I missed all of July with a mashed up knee last year, so I'd never run Bamford Carnival before. It is essentially two straight climbs totalling a thousand feet up Win Hill and onto the Pike, followed by a belting descent through fields, gorse, and tracks back to the Recreation Ground. At just 4.5 miles it's a toughie, and the course record sits at 28:07. For me there is a bit too much road thrown in for comfort, particularly at the beginning, but I suppose there is no way of avoiding that when Win Hill is the target. We are, as ever, at the mercy of landowners' permissions to run these races.

Win Hill, the Pike sitting on top, which makes for a punishing extra climb!

Lined up in the field at the start, the organiser told us we'd be setting off in a couple of minutes, then shouted 'GO!' immediately afterwards, which caught a fair few of us out and resulted in some baffled grumbles from the masses on the sprint across the grass. And it really was a sprint. We charged out of the field and onto the road, the climb was gradual at first as we made our way up to the hamlet of Thornhill. The pace was a bit quick for my liking (I detest these sprint starts on roads) but before long I'd whipped off my vest and settled into a rhythm. Road turned to track, and easy climb turned to moderate slog. My chest felt tight but I was in touching distance of some great runners ahead which gave me a bit of a confidence boost.

A startled yell from behind me caused me to turn, the guy immediately following was charging up the hill looking panicked, hotly pursued by three cows which had somehow made it on to the track. I shouted 'RUN!' to the guys in front and we all got a bit of a spurt on, and before long the spooked cattle diverted off and took refuge between some trees and a wall. Panic over.

By the time we levelled out at the top of the first climb I was stuck in a group of four or five but still in sight of the front runners. Well, Daz Holloway was about thirty metres away so I knew I must be doing something right (I later found out he was 'struggling'. Hmph.). We contoured around the side of the hill until the crossing of paths at Parkin Clough and then hit a hard left to begin the steepest climb. Regrettably, I followed the lead of the group and slowed to a power-hike for most of this section. My chest still felt constricted and I was very hot. In retrospect things were not so bad that I couldn't have pushed on a bit, but I didn't. After a few minutes we emerged from the woodland to be confronted with the Pike, and it occurred to me that I didn't actually need to be walking, I felt OK, so I cracked on and ran up to the summit, gaining places and dropping my group at the same time. I knew the long descent was near, and that's where I'm usually strongest.

Quick hello at the top as I saw a mate taking pictures that I didn't realise would be there, and then down, a hairpin turn left to cut beneath the Pike, and just go for it. Open out the stride, turn off the caution, full charge. Fields flashed by, as did other runners as I overtook. The panting breaths and occasional gasp for air that had been just behind my shoulder all the way through this race quickly disappeared and I knew without looking back that I was pulling away. I remember thinking that I would simply not drop this pace until I crossed the finish line. And so it was, despite my chest still feeling tight. I just couldn't take a deep breath, my diaphragm felt sore and rigid.

Fields turned to track, track to road, more club vests overtaken and then it was a short return to the footpath before running through the finish back at the Recreation Ground. 21st place in 33:22. I'll take that, although ideally I should have pushed harder on the climbs and put myself five or six places higher in the order. Never mind.

Another six Porter Valley Plodders turned out, all ran really well again. Incidentally, this was my first race since resigning from Dark Peak FR too. As ever, a real bonus was catching up with some familiar faces; Daz Holloway, Badger, NotMadEnough from the FRA forum (huge turnout from Glossopdale) to name a few. And I was also properly introduced to 'Second Placed Lady' from the Edale Skyline, who you may remember I ran with for a while back in March before she dropped me on her way storming into second on the day. Her name is Heather and she was just as friendly. And of course, I also met Tim Budd for the first time, which was a pleasure. Tim ran a stormer and came in 26thish I think.

After tea and cake at the recreation ground we retired to Hathersage to meet another six Plodders that had been recceing the Hathersage Hilly route for a pint. I Didn't get home until gone 10pm!

So all in all a slightly below par performance but a great evening's racing. I'm eyeing Sheldon Fell Race for next week but will be fitting in a Kinder Killer at some point before then so we'll see...

Far Behind

2011-07-08T16:36:00.007+01:00

I left the tarmac a while back now. Ahead of me the loose track continues climbing, steady at first and then steeper. The valley to my right is getting deeper, and I'm getting higher. I'm working hard but smiling all the way. I disappear into an ancient forest and swirling light mists. I can hear the crashing water way before I reach it. I keep climbing. The air is close. Suddenly, through a gap in the trees down to my right, Eas Mor Waterfall.

Water plummets down the thirty metre drop, memories of Canada come flooding back, my smile gets even wider. But this isn't the pay-off I'm out for today. So I keep climbing.

The trail winds onwards and upwards. I leap streams and dodge branches. I'm melting into my surroundings and I'm giddy with awe at what I'm experiencing. A stag bolts off to my left, at first a few steps towards me and then turning and running the other way. Can this get any better? I keep climbing.

Eventually, I make it. A whole minute quicker than the day before yesterday, when it was covered in mist and I couldn't even see the other side. Loch Garbad.

Today I'm above the belt of mist, it's just me and the loch.

Actually, that's not quite true, because I get the feeling that I'm not alone, and I'm being watched. Could be the isolation making me a bit paranoid, but its not. After a quick scan around and about, I see it up in a tree, in fact I've run right underneath it to get to the loch. An eagle. But it's not happy that I've spotted it, and almost the very moment my brain catches up with my eyes and my mouth forms into an awe struck gawp, it takes off, the branches it was perched upon shaking violently as it soars away and out of sight. Yes. This run just got a whole lot better.

I make a silent pact to run back here one day and visit again. Then I turn and start the descent back to the coast road. Jumping streams, dodging branches, faster and faster. Smiling all the way.

Before too long I'm back on the tarmac but I'm not done there. I decide to skirt along the coastal road for a bit and see what I can find. After a couple of miles I drop down and onto a trail, eventually ending up at Brennan Head. The rocks jut dramatically out of the sea and the cliffs now rise up behind me, caves puncturing their sheer walls and a few more waterfalls cascading down. I begin the run back across the beaches and shingle towards my campsite. Off to the right, more wildlife.

She's clearly not too happy that I've rolled up out of nowhere, but other than a disapproving glance she agrees to a photo as long as I keep a respectful distance.

I plod on, pushing the pace as I leave the beach and reach the campsite having finished with a sub six minute mile. Wearily, happily, I recount my adventures to Helen, hit the shower, then settle down outside the tent to enjoy the dusk Arran sky.

Beer in hand, having left everything far behind, is there anywhere I'd rather be?

Western States 100

2011-06-24T13:06:00.003+01:00

Quick one. And it ties in quite nicely with a recent post by my friend Steve.

Many of you will already be aware, but this weekend sees the running of the Western States 100.

I've lived vicariously through the exploits of some of the foremost ultrarunners in the US over the past few months, and what strikes me most, aside from the incredible athletic and mental prowess they consistently put forward, is how a lot of these guys enjoy just being connected to their environment, specifically through their running, and how grounded and humble they remain whilst being at the top of their chosen sport. Their day to day experiences are often inspirational, and I'd strongly recommend checking out the blogs of Tony Krupicka, Hal Koerner and my pick for the WS100, Geoff Roes. Here is his account of the 2010 Western States 100 race.

2011 should be a really good battle, although unfortunately Tony Krupicka is injured. We'll be driving up to Arran this weekend, but I'll be checking in for as long as my iphone will allow access to see how things are going and whether Geoff can retain his title and maybe even break his own course record.

As if further inspiration were necessary, check out this trailer for a film about the 2010 Western States 100 scheduled for release this Autumn.

Now tell me you don't want to get out for a run!!

Training has been OK, I've missed a couple of midweek races because of my crappy new commute but I'm still logging some decent miles. Mentally I feel ready to run an ultra. Physically I reckon it's probably a different story. Maybe I'll start with the Long Tour of Bradwell in August; not the longest at 33 miles but some solid climb with 6,500 feet. Stick in a Kinder Killer just before, a 15 trigs just after, and then it's full steam ahead to the Round Rotherham.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Arran will bring. Helen has told me I'm not allowed to run for the week we're there, but to be honest taking me to a beautiful mountainous island and expecting me not to to strap on a pair of Kinvaras and disappear for a few hours, well, don't be silly...

Long Time No See...

2011-06-14T16:45:00.004+01:00

Hi everybody, apologies again, I've been having far too much running fun lately and not enough blogging time, as well as a heavy duty few weeks at work. To be honest, there is probably too much to tell in the space of one post but I'll be back up to speed in the next few weeks and hopefully checking in a bit more regularly.

The highlight of the last few weeks since I was last on here was a successful completion of the fabled Kinder Dozen with my bud Glen. We whipped round in 6:48, which was about an hour quicker than we'd planned on. Despite a favourable weather forecast we ended up with gale force winds, driving rain and even hail!

I felt fine right up until the ninth climb or so, when the enormity of what we were trying to do really set in. It became a mental challenge as much as a physical one, I felt drained, and I have to say that had I not had Glen there I would have probably jacked the whole thing in around the tenth climb. I think we spurred each other on to complete the round, and although my quads would not let up for about a week afterwards I have to say I'm really pleased with what we did. The distance of 24ish miles seemed to pass by fairly easily. It's the 10,000 feet of climb that really puts you through the grinder.

The following weekend, Helen Ozzy and I went up to Northumberland for a few days, just the tonic for getting my legs back into something like working order. I've trained fairly steadily since, even fitting in a couple of races. I had a thrash round the local Park Run, finishing 4th in 17:50ish, and then got back to my roots by racing at Calver Peak midweek with a bunch of Porter Valley Plodders, finishing 16th but a whole minute and a half faster than last year so good times.

That yellow Rab top has gone for it's fifteen minutes of fame this post...anyway, all the Plodders had great runs too. Looks like we'll have a good turnout at Grindleford too. Affiliation is happening imminently which means a decision needs to be made about my brown-vesting...

Slight Return

2011-05-08T18:17:00.004+01:00

Hi. First of all, apologies, I haven't blogged for ages. Truth is I've been ill, and rather than turn this blog into a three week rant about swollen neck glands and sleeping all day I thought it best to hold off for a bit. Anyway, I'm nearly better. Proper real flu is no trifling thing. I think I got it at a wedding I was at a few weeks ago. My three year old nephew (in law) clambered up onto my knee, looked me straight in the eye and said, "Uncle Simon, you're my best friend." Then he sneezed in my face. I remember thinking as I wiped away the mucus and spittle, "I bet I'll catch something from that", and lo and behold just a couple of days later I had a throat like the elephant man and was producing more snot than previously thought possible. I slept through the WHOLE of Easter Monday. Didn't wake once. And it's been a slow recovery from there.

Right, it was bad timing really, especially as shortly before the wedding I ran one of my favourite routes ever, the Derwent Valley Skyline. You might remember from my Edale Skyline essay that I met a bloke at the race called Glen who I got on well with, and we ended that day with a rough idea to get some running in together. Well we did get some running in, and we kicked off with this beaut, setting off at about 7.30 am on a hazy Saturday morning. Only the mountain hares for company for most of the way, still with their winter coats, although we did also see a couple of lizards too. Part of the route picks up the HPM course, and my hat really is off to anybody that runs that. Navigating around the watershed in the dark, often snowbound...well, it was tough enough in daylight!

Shortly after starting, on the way up to Wheelstones. It was like this all the way around. Brilliant!

Turns out that Glen has a lot of the same running goals as me, and so plans have been formulated for a few attempts on some hardcore Peak District challenges. We are looking at the Kinder Dozen for approximately mid-June. Then the 15 Trigs for early August which is the one that has got me really excited. 55 miles. Count 'em. And just to up the ante a bit more, I've entered the Round Rotherham for October. OK, so it's not the most scenic route, but it is the only of the Run Further Series in the 'Long' category that I can make what with holidays etc. And anything that is a qualifying event for the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc has got to be pretty hardcore right? Anyway, if you are reading this and fancy a run out on one of the first two, supporting for a leg or similar, please do give me a shout. We'll need all the support we can get!

Getting back in the saddle with the running is proving trickly. Broke my hill reps PB yesterday so was very pleased, but headed out today intending to get a hard 22 miles under my belt only to return an hour early having staggered round a soft 13 miles. I'd spent the morning down on Ecclesall Road watching the Sheffield Half Marathon and taking pictures of the Porter Valley Plodders that had entered. Should have stayed down there! Oh well, I'm sure I'll get back into the swing of things soon enough.

The Roving Calendar Box

2011-04-11T13:27:00.007+01:00

Through a combination of my own poor organisation and a massive oversubscription of runners (but mainly my own poor organisation), I didn't get to race at my favourite event this weekend, the Kinder Downfall. I was a bit peeved, but life goes on, and so I used the time productively to pursue another quite different running challenge, the Roving Calendar Box.

This is the genius idea of a couple of Dark Peak Fell Runners, who hid a box in the middle of the Peak District in January and then posted a cryptic clue on the Dark Peak website and the FRA forum challenging runners to solve the riddle and find the box. Once the box is found, the runner needs to sign in, maybe leave a present for other runners searching for it, and make a note of the next riddle contained therein which, once solved, will lead them to where the box will be located the following month. The two chaps responsible for this brilliant idea then move the box to it's new location on the first day of the following month and so it continues. Clear?!

I was aware of February's location but didn't get a chance to run out to it. That meant that I didn't get to find out where the box was in March. However the powers that be put April's clue back on the Dark Peak website so after a very quick bit of puzzle solving (this month was relatively straightforward) I was able to head out on Saturday morning, intent on getting my name into the little black book that the box contains.

For those interested, or that might want to head out looking for the Calendar Box, this is April's clue.

Once I'd figured it out, I reckoned this would be a rough eighteen mile round trip if I took the scenic and hilly route. Well, a boy has to train! Saturday morning was blisteringly hot, and it felt good to be out in summer running gear. I'd taken my race sack and a fair bit of kit, mainly because I didn't want to dehydrate in the intense heat and I had also heard that the area I was headed to was notorious for its wildlife, meaning that I took the decent/big camera out too. It was debatable whether I was more excited about the box or the prospect of wild Deer.

Good running out over Houndkirk Moor, a detour down and up through the Blackamoor Plantation and then the long climb up to Totley Moor trig. I was running really well despite the heat and timed this big climb at thirteen minutes. Away from Totley Moor trig for some brilliant running over to the area that the riddle had led me to. Scenic route taken, now ten miles in to the run, I arrived within striking distance of where the Roving Calendar Box should be.

Take the compass reading, identify where I'm heading. Simple. Sorted. Just as I'd thought. Open moorland, large swathes of sun-dried knee-high heather branches interspersed with patches of deep tussocky grass. But something catches my eye on the horizon and I wonder whether I should deviate from my original plan. 'Head Towards Lincoln'. I'm caught between instinct in one direction and a possible red herring in another. They only lie in slightly different directions, but I'm trying to find an item no bigger than a shoe box here, this could make all the difference.

From my vantage point my eyes are drawn towards brown blotches set against pale grass, slowly bowing and rearing heads, foraging in the undergrowth. Behind a lonely tree standing in the middle of the tussocks, a small group of wild Deer.

The calendar box goes right out of my head, and I slow down to a very deliberate walk as I move towards the Deer, creeping carefully so as not to startle them. But Deer are wily. They notice me, and are immediately wary. I'm still able to get a little closer. Before long, I'm almost at the tree. The ground has given way from firm to boggy, and my feet are soaking. If nothing else comes from the day I'm grateful enough to have had this glimpse but it then occurs to me that they are standing right in line with my original compass bearing, as is the tree, and as I draw level with it I'm amazed and delighted to find the Roving Calendar Box nestled at it's base.

I unwrap it from it's polythene blanket and prise it open. A large beetle sits on top of the book. I liberate it. The box is crammed with offerings from previous visitors; two mini-bottles of single malt whisky and bags of sweets. I add a small bag of jelly babies to the stash and pull out the book.

I add my name and a brief message, before putting everything back in the box (rather difficult with all those sweets, it's an effort to get the lid back on!) wrapping it back in the polythene, and placing it back where I found it. May's clue is tied to the tree. I take a look, realise it's going to take a fair bit of research, take a quick photo of it and I'm done. Just time for another couple of shots of the Deer.

I was reluctant to leave really, and ended up lingering a while to watch them. Eventually I turned and headed for home, more great running underfoot, although I picked a slightly shorter route back. I had a nightmare final mile having run out of water about three quarters of the way round but made it back in about two hours fifty minutes having covered nineteen miles. A really great morning out.

Today, having checked online for Kinder Downfall results, I was a bit shocked to see that two other visitors to the Calendar Box this weekend were asking if anybody else had seen the snake! One of them got there about half an hour after me and apparently there was an Adder sunning itself next to the Box! I hope I didn't just miss this in my excitement and that hopefully it popped out after I'd left. Anyway, if you are planning a trip to the box this month you have been warned; POISONOUS SNAKES ABOUT!!!

Quick message for Jessiepants - Congrats, you win the prize for my last post!!

Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose. Edale Skyline.

2011-03-29T10:51:00.017+01:00

Well, the intended gentle trundle out and around the Skyline on Sunday turned into something a little more. And in retrospect, rightly so. It's a race. You all know the injury and fatigue preamble so I won't go over old ground, but prior to setting off I'd settled on attempting a steady four hour schedule and was intent on running well within myself.

The start was surprisingly slow, it's a big climb up to Ringing Roger and for the first two hundred yards I was content to run/walk up there in the midst of the throng of runners. I must say, there was some brilliant banter flying about, it was a really lovely atmosphere. Then out of nowhere my friend and Dark Peak clubmate Ian (IanDarkPeak on the FRA Forum) shouted over to me that the forum race ladder was 'up for grabs' today.

The Forum Race Ladder is a league table operated over the Fell Runner's forum. We post our upcoming races, and then when they coincide, we compare results and move up and down the league table accordingly. As at Sunday I was top of the league, and the only person that could knock me off top spot was...Ian. Something clicked. Game on.

I decided to up the ante and not so much run it, but semi-race it instead.

After the first climb it's really good running underfoot all the way to the trig on Win Hill. There is a lot of height lost and gained, but the climb up Win Hill is very gentle on good paths and therefore very runnable. I was joined on the ascent by Glen Borrell from the forum and also Dark Peak. Top gent. Coming down the other side is a different matter, it's very steep and I found myself fighting gravity all the way down to Twitchill Farm before the gradient eases a little. Eventually we bottomed out and after a short road section began the day's biggest climb up to the summit of Lose Hill. Only around six or seven miles in and I felt good, but I was burning up, so slowed to a walk whilst I did a quick strip and change down to my club vest. Glen powered on and looked very strong. I continued the walk up to about eighty percent of the way, when Ian drew level with me. We ran the rest together and after the trig point contoured our way just underneath the Peak Ridge to Hollins Cross. Ian knows all the best racing lines and we were able to make good time here. The slog up to Mam Tor was punctuated with a surprise group of supporters - a few Porter Valley Plodders had turned out to cheer me on which was a great boost. Then it was down into Mam Nick, Ian and I still neck and neck.

Arriving at Mam Nick. Ian grinning madly, me looking worse than I feel.

I'm told that Man Nick is where the racing really starts.

Up we climbed onto Rushup Edge, and Ian mentioned he was starting to feel it a bit. We stayed together for a while but I eventually edged ahead. However once we started to traverse the peat bogs across to Brown Knoll Ian clawed back my advantage. In-depth knowledge of this section makes all the difference, and although he'd been right next to me I suddenly lost sight of him completely. After a few minutes of silence he reappeared sharply from behind a Peat Grough to the left about thirty metres ahead. Somehow he'd found a brilliant racing line and totally mugged me.

I ran straight through Brown Knoll and then started the climb above Jacob's Ladder, but cut across to follow a better racing line that I could see Ian had taken. He'd floored it and gained a couple of minutes on me by now. Once back on the path I was at Woolpacks and found myself alongside second placed lady (apologies - I don't know her name, I'd never seen her before). We found the racing line behind the rock formations (my first time ever - good time to finally find it!) where we came across Glen, who unfortunately was having a bit of a bad patch and was feeling sick. There was time for a quick chat as we ran before pushing on, leaving him to hopefully get back into his stride, and on through to the next section.

Second lady was going like a steam train and left me in her wake around here, so I ran the approach to Grindslow Knoll starting to feel a bit weary and having a chuckle about being knocked off the top of the league table by Ian, who was now out of sight. I picked up some pace from somewhere, and by the time I reached the Knoll, Ian was just coming down the other side. I shouted some encouragement and told him that sub 3:30 was on. It occurred to me that I'd closed the gap and might be able to catch him so I kept the pace up, but around three miles from the finish I had a mini-disaster when I lost my shoe in a bog! I had to go in shoulder deep and fish it out, then fiddle with the laces and get it back on, in the meantime four or five people shot past me including Nicky Spinks, third placed lady.

Chances of beating Ian gone, I focussed on keeping up with Nicky (no mean feat), and with me trailing a few yards behind we overtook all the people that had passed me when I was stuck in the peat. I couldn't get past Nicky though, so I eased off a bit as she powered on and just started to enjoy the descent and run-in back to Edale. I was positive a sub 3:30 was in the bag, and I'd had a brilliant morning of running, so I was very happy and contented as I skirted down the switchback towards the field above Edale.

But 200 yards from the finish, somebody was yelping, clearly in agony. To my amazement it was Ian. Cramp had hit, he'd pushed it too hard and the poor guy was at full stop (although still smiling through the grimaces). Once I'd reached him I stopped too, grabbed his arm and told him we'd run it in together. But he couldn't really move, so he told me to crack on. I said no, if we have to walk we'll walk, and bade him to follow me down slowly, he took a few steps, pulled up once more and then insisted that I should crack on and finish, he'd follow. I felt really bad for him, but I started to reluctantly run down the steps. After a few metres I turned to see that he'd managed to get going, albeit a painful hobble, so I got a bat on and finished off the race.

Trying to get Ian (out of shot) to finish the race together when he'd stopped.

Crossing the finishing line, Ian immediately behind me.

I finished in 3:25, a full 35 minutes ahead of schedule. Ian got in under 3:26, and I think he said that might have been a PB, which is great, although I did feel terribly guilty about securing top spot on the ladder again in such peculiar circumstances. Not long after, Glen came powering home looking like he'd overcome his bad patch really well. It was nice to sit and chat in the field afterwards, before a weary shuffle down the road into Edale. Soup and tea at the village hall was followed by buying a box of Rescue Ale, although I was parked about half a mile away so the walk back to the car with a box of beer in tow having just run the Skyline felt a bit traumatic!

Cheering Glen home as smashed through his bad patch and finished very strongly probably only a minute after me. It was a pleasure running with both him and Ian.

I have to point out that this race is amazing. Truly amazing, and probably the most fun I've had at a race. OK, so I didn't go full tilt, but I also didn't run as steadily as I'd intended, the net result being a good hard run without any signs of the usual race-cramp. And let's face it, it's one of the classic races. What's more, the blister stayed reasonably in check. I'll put that down to a combination of taking it steady, new socks and new shoes for the day. I've taken a lot from Sunday, and now I'm looking forward to pushing on again. Even better, Glen and I have arranged to meet up and get some long distance work done out in the Peaks in the near future, so the Skyline has heralded plenty of new and different adventures to come.

Extra marks today for anybody getting the slightly obscure title/theme/music reference ;-)

In other Skyline news, Lloyd Taggart broke his own race record to win in a superhuman 2:36, Judith Jepson won the ladies category. Turns out that Second Lady ran a whole HALF AN HOUR faster than last year to finish runner up which is a hell of an effort by anybody's standards.

All pictures courtesy of Dark Peak Fell Runners - www.DPFR.org.uk

Japan

2011-03-21T16:09:00.003Z

It has been really weird watching events unfold in Japan these last couple of weeks. It is only six months or so that we were backpacking around it. It is one of the most beautiful and inspiring places I have ever had the privilege of visiting, coupled with such wonderfully warm and generous folk. The havoc and destruction that the earthquake and tsunami have wrought over this amazing place and its people is beyond description.

From wild deer roaming the streets (and shops!) of Nara to floating ocean-borne temples, towering volcanic landscapes to noodle bars in Tokyo, Mountain-top Buddhist 'towns' to Geishas scampering through the old parts of Kyoto. Every memory and experience brought into sharper focus in light of the tragedy and made all the more important. Life is indeed a fragile thing.

At the time I wrote that I would put some pictures of our travels around Japan on here, and then I never did. So here they are now. Late, but perhaps timely. Let's hope that they can overcome this trial and return to the normality and beauty that we found there one day very soon.

Blistering Pace

2011-03-21T10:05:00.003Z

If you have a blister on your forefoot the size of a fifty pence piece, and it's still very sore a week after running it in in the first place, and you have a huge race coming up in seven days, at what point do you start to be a bit concerned?

Taped and plastered up to the hilt, I ran a tough twelve miles yesterday. It only started to feel painful for the last four or five, but when I got home...raspberry jam.

Now, this annoyed me on two counts. Firstly, I'm worried about the Edale Skyline. As at today, I cannot run distance without some serious pain. And blood, so it would seem.

Secondly, that was a brand new pair of running socks ;-)

Oh well, at least the knee strain has cleared up!

Grindleford Gallop. Roaming.

2011-03-13T09:35:00.009Z

21 Miles, 3500ft

Ditching kit at Checkpoint One in Eyam

The race hangover is in full swing. As I write this it feels like I've left my legs in another room, and I have a blister the size of Poland under my left foot that is giving me a bit of a John Wayne gait. I still feel a little bit sick. But all of this will pass, and to be honest doesn't really matter at all. What does matter is that my one overriding feeling is one of satisfaction and happiness, for lots of reasons off the back of yesterday's race.

Rewind to Saturday morning. I met a few clubmates (Porter Valley today, this isn't an FRA race so no Dark Peaking) early to carshare across to the starting point of the course, where I mixed a gentle warm-up with various conversations and catch-ups with familiar faces. All too quickly the organisers called the starting pack together and after a quick run down of the rules and regulations it was time for the off. The whistle blew, and four hundred runners launched into a charge across the fields of Grindleford.

For an overall comparison, you can read last year's race report here . I won't bore you with the details of last year's splits in this post other than to say that the checkpoints come thick and fast in the early stages, and if I was to stand any chance of beating my 2010 time I'd have to start exceptionally well and get to checkpoint one in under 28 minutes.

I floored it through the early fields, as there are a lot of narrow stile crossings and consequently, bottlenecks, where congregations of runners have to wait patiently to pass. The only way not to get held up is to get to the front of the pack and get there first! This tactic worked quite well, and by the time we reached the first big climb I still had the leaders in sight, no more than 100 metres ahead. We slogged up to Riley Graves and then came a very steep and welcome descent into Eyam. Checkpoint one came, and I passed through in 25 minutes. So far, so good, but I was working hard and burning up so a quick kit stop was necessary. Thankfully my parents were in Eyam, so I was able to chuck my Helly Hansen at my mum and then get a bat on out of the village.

I held steady through to checkpoint three, which coincides with a great descent down into Great Longstone. As I hammered it down a friend was walking up the other way, a timely friendly face, and then once in the village, the first of the Porter Valley Plodder army of supporters had taken up position by the pub, which was a great surprise and a huge boost. I was nine miles in, I'd just burned through a 5:35 mile and I needed a bit of impetus. Somebody shouted that I was sitting in seventh position, which really confused me as now that the course had become hilly and twisting I couldn't really see who was in front and I'd assumed I was about ten places further back than that.

I cracked through the next couple of miles in fairly short order, overtaking somebody, and at checkpoint four, halfway down the flattest section of the race on the Monsal Trail, more PVP supporters were stationed. I think I appeared fairly fresh but I was actually starting to feel a bit rough.

Arriving at Checkpoint Four, not looking as naff as I was starting to feel

I was five minutes under last year's time at checkpoint four. Not far beyond there is a killer climb up to the fields above Edensor, where checkpoint five is situated. It was a painful slog up, but once there I'd shaved a further three minutes off last year's time to be sitting in sixth place, eight minutes up on 2010.

The subsequent descent to Edensor felt fast, but I knew that my least favourite section was next, a horrible flat compacted track through the Chatsworth Estate that leads to Baslow, where tourist-dodging becomes an art form out of necessity. I always struggle here, and I could feel myself fading. Even worse, I was starting to feel a bit gel-sick. My fuel was sitting heavy.

I arrived at checkpoint six nine minutes up. But a quick look behind made my heart sink. I'd had a good couple of minutes lead over my chasing pack, and this had been cut right down to about twenty seconds on that Chatsworth stretch. Somebody asked me if I felt OK, and all I could reply with a shake of my head was "They're chasing me down!" before cracking on.

Breaking Down in Baslow - Checkpoint Six

I got to the bottom of the biggest climb of the day seventeen miles in, also the final climb. I expected to lose time and places here, and unfortunately that proved to be the case. Slowly, as I plodded my way up, calf spasms kicking in, gels threatening a sudden reappearance, I was passed one by one by my chasing pack. By the time I finally topped out I was sitting in tenth place.

The final stretch along the edges is wonderful running, and I was able to get my head down and just enjoy the last three miles. That's "enjoy" in the retrospective sense of the word, it actually felt very tough at the time. Having skirted across Baslow, Curbar and Froggatt edges the race concludes with a steep descent through woodland, down a track and back into Grindleford. It was only when I hit the track that the cramp hit properly, but I got across the line having held onto tenth position, in 2:46:26, which is a full ten minutes quicker than last year. It hurt like hell, but the sense of a job well done far outweighed the physical battering.

Another platoon of PVP supporters were at the finish, and I really have to thank all of them for turning out and helping us all along and taking so many pictures, as well as my parents who did the same as last year by supporting at Eyam then driving over to Baslow to support at CP6 again. Also, thanks to Kate Morris from the Smiley Paces for the same, as well as the photos.

All the PVPs achieved their respective targets for the day, which was a great achievement. The pints in the Rising Sun yesterday afternoon were well deserved. All that remains is to put all the photos on the website, I'll post a link when I've got them all together.

Yesterday's now traditional race "theme tune in my head" propelling me through the peaks was this kick-ass acoustic version of a classic...I have no words for how much I love this. Please play LOUD.

Taper Schmaper.

2011-03-09T10:15:00.004Z

I hate tapers. I hate sitting here thinking I should be out hitting a trail or a fell, when I am forced to just, well, sit here. But this taper might actually be doing me a bit of good. I've definitely lost a bit of my running mojo recently, it has been an effort to consistently get out of the door and get running other than at the weekends. I'm fed up of cold, dark evenings. The clocks changing at the end of March cannot come soon enough for me. It's like I have some latent form of Seasonal Affective Disorder. I read back my last few posts on this blog and they're a bit, well, miserable really (sorry about that!), other than last weekend's jaunt. Some of the joy of running the fells has fallen away of late. But sitting around not doing any running is pushing me the other way, and right now I would quite happily take a cold dark evening to blaze a trail up the valley and onto the moors.

Haruki Murakami calls it the "Runner's Blues". That feeling of resignation after you've been training hard for an extended period, and literally run yourself into a rut, physically, but most especially, mentally. The last time I was struggling for inspiration like this was the Summer of 2009, just before we went away to Borneo for a few weeks. I had been training very hard for a very long time, and it had become a chore rather than a pleasure. Then whilst we were away I read Murakami's pseudo-biography/running journal "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running", and it was a great inspiration. It reconnected me with the simple, basic premise of why I run. I forget that sometimes. I returned home renewed and ready to get at it again.

I have many great memories of Borneo, but sitting in a hostel in Sandakan reading that book after just leaving the jungle is one that really sticks out. It really struck a chord with me. So now I'm reading it again, and I'm finding it equally relevant. Stuck for a good read? Struggling with motivation? Go and find it!

So Saturday is the real start of my racing season with the Grindleford Gallop, 21 miles and approx 4000ft ascent. Which will be an interesting test. As long as the conditions remain runnable, I'm aiming to beat 2:56, last year's time. At the moment, given a few poor weeks, that doesn't seem anywhere near possible but I'll give it a go and no doubt learn a few things along the way. All part of the fun. I have another Skyline recce planned for the following Tuesday with my old mate Stu, who has also just started blogging, and I would urge you to check it out at 'The life and times of a fell runner' , it is a great read. Stu is aiming to run all the English Fell championship races this year which is an awesome feat and will make for some great adventures. As such, I have no doubt that he'll be absolutely beasting me on the climbs next week! A few hard sessions will follow on from there, before another taper the week before the actual Skyline. I am nervous, excited, daunted, invigorated. All the things I should be.

Sunday. Not a day of rest.

2011-03-07T12:24:00.009Z

Last week was low mileage but a decent frequency. Hopefully I'm starting to regain a bit of motivation.

Monday PM 5m run + Hill reps - Porter Valley
Steady five miles with Ozzy, took him home then went back out for a hard hill rep session. Felt very strong, I've doubled the volume of these in each session from six months ago.

Tuesday PM 3.5m jog - Fulwood
Very easy recovery three and a half miles with Ozzy, calf, core and quad weights session afterwards.

Wednesday PM 5m run - Porter Valley
Steady five miles with the PVPs.

Friday AM 6m run - Porter Valley, 1460ft 40 mins dead on.#
Fast six miles up and down the Valley. Felt crap but got some hardcore speed up and nearly lifted off on the descent. Nice to be working hard again.

Sunday AM - Edale Skyline 2nd Half, 11/12 miles?
I'd gratefully taken up Steve's offer of a run through of a section of the Edale Skyline, and after a bit of discussion we'd decided in the week to run from Edale up to Hollins Cross and pick up the second half of the course from there.

We met in Edale car park early Sunday morning. It was chilly but Saturday's clag and drizzle had lifted to give near perfect visibility and conditions. A quick climb up to Hollins Cross and we were away. the Peak Ridge looked immense.

Once over Mam Tor, always a slog, we settled into a nice steady trot up onto Rushup Edge. I was glad to have Steve there as he's much more astute with the nav than I am, and he picked a near perfect line across the hillside and eventually up to the Brown Knoll trig after fighting off a few bog monsters on the way, which was a good laugh.

We moved quickly down and hit Swine's Back in good time, clambering up and onto the path that leads across to the Woolpacks. We aimed for the racing line above them, but couldn't find it, and so ended up ducking and diving through the middle of the rock formation. It's a very strange place. I've never gone through from that direction before, I've only hit the Woolpacks from the opposite side on my way to Swine's Back, so I hadn't had any concerns about what the best line would be, as far as I was concerned it was obvious. I was wrong.

We eventually picked up the main path again and ran across to Grindslow Knoll. Again, the views were stunning up here, and I think this section over to Ringing Roger was my favourite running of the morning, skirting the edge of the hills with views across to towering mountains and rocks bathed in glorious sunshine. That feeling of being immersed in your surroundings...of course, it helped that it was much firmer underfoot too.

Dramatic shot of Steve on Grindslow Knoll, looking across the valley and contemplating our route across to Ringing Roger. Lose Hill is the pointed one to the right, the Peak Ridge extends from it to Back Tor, the next 'bump', and further on past the edge of the picture to Hollins Cross and Mam Tor. Win Hill is a bit harder to make out but is immediately to Lose Hill's left and beyond

We wrapped up by avoiding the famous 'up and down' and ploughing onwards to Ringing Roger (inundated with walkers) and back down into Edale. Unfortunately, Steve's knee gave out right at the end so we walked the last half mile or so back to the car park. Hopefully it's just a minor pull and he'll be fighting fit again in time for race day. Soup, pasties and chocolate biscuits followed at an impromptu base camp before we said our goodbyes and headed off. It was a cracking morning's running, and I hope I can get out running again with Steve in the near future.

I had to get back in fairly short order, as in the afternoon I went to get fitted for a suit for my brother's wedding. Best Man and all that. And then, we capped off an already great day by popping down to Shaff to watch the two hours of running films presentation. Some incredible stuff in there, including a couple of documentaries on Anton Krupicka and Kilian Jornet, the latter being simply extraordinary, and very inspiring.

Met some friends, pub followed, then dinner at Waggamamas. Finally made it home, where I slapped in another leg weights session for good measure. Who said Sunday was a day of rest then?

Next weekend is the Grindleford Gallop. I feel nowhere near as fit as when I ran it last year. It will be an interesting test if nothing else...

OK. Who ordered the snow?

2011-02-21T14:47:00.009Z

The week passed by easily enough. There were a couple of slow five mile plods, one of which was the club headtorcher, and I felt so lethargic running it that I delayed the trip to the pub afterwards and thrashed out a hard fast four mile hill run on my own before allowing myself back down to the Rising Sun for a pint. I must have looked like I'd put a good shift in, as in addition to crisps and beer the barmaid also pushed a large glass of water across the bar to help sort me out. There was also a bit of weights work and then a long nineteen miler over the weekend.

Having been out quite late on the beautifully clear previous night with Helen, it was a bit of a shock to wake up to six inches of snow in the morning. I had to abandon my plans to run up Win Hill, Lose Hill, Peak Ridge etc as the snow was so deep that I couldn't get the car off the street. So I packed up, wrapped up, and headed out from home with the intention of making it up as I went along.

The first three miles up the Porter Valley were very heavy going. Despite the deep blanket of white and ongoing snowfall, I felt very hot and I kept having to adjust my kit. It was only when I got up to Houndkirk Moor that I felt more comfortable. Up there the clag was down, and it was a beautifully spooky and silent trog across the bridleway and over to Foxhouse, although the ankle breaking divets and rocks in the ground were completely undetectable in the whiteout. From there I picked up the path to the top of Padley Gorge and diverted left up on to the Longshaw Estate and eventually down a little known path that after a fair bit of tentative snowy descending brought me out across the road from Grindleford Station. The snow was thinner here, but the mud and icy slush was ankle deep. My feet were throbbing in the cold and wet.

I ploughed on past the station cafe and eventually up as far as the road crossing at Whim Wood. I felt like I hadn't put enough effort in, so I dropped down the road into Hathersage. Once in the village I ran out across the fields, intending to pick a route up on to Stanage Edge. Although there was much less snow here I was struggling a bit and so I chickened out of the up down up version, preferring instead to just do a big up and get it over with. This meant passing through the North Lees estate.

This is North Lees Hall as I passed up the hill, probably most famous for being a favourite haunt of Charlotte Bronte and being used (under the guise of 'Thornfield Hall') as the residence of Mr Rochester in 'Jane Eyre'.

Onwards and upwards, back into the snow belt and eventually the clag on the tops. Here is my route up onto Stanage Edge before I disappeared into the mist. I think the Stanage Struggle in September follows this path.

Once up on the top, I ran the edge back towards Burbage Rocks. The only people I encountered were a couple lost in the mist. A quick stop to point them in the right direction, then back on my way, although after a while the visibility reduced even further and I even began to doubt my own navigation! Thankfully I eventually emerged onto a deserted road crossing at Burbage Bridge. This, the main corridor from our side of Sheffield to Hathersage, was largely impassable to anything but a snowplough. So for a bit of a change I ran the snow covered road for the few miles back down into Ringinglow. Don't think I would have stood a chance getting across the moor problem-free in those conditions. It was very odd to see the road littered with hundreds of sheep, furiously hoofing at the snow hoping to expose grass underneath but only reaching tarmac. Once in Ringinglow I skirted past the Alpaca farm and then back down the Porter Valley to home.

Nineteen very difficult and often treacherous unplanned miles in 2:52, which on the whole pleased me. In normal conditions it would have been a much quicker expedition, but as a run this was more a test of resilience and durability than straightforward speed. Hope this means I'm heading in the right direction. I'm intending to run the Grindleford Gallop course next weekend at a decent pace, my last run through before the race, and hopefully hook up with a friend for an Edale Skyline recce the following weekend, then another friend for a possible similar midweek jaunt. Bring it on!

Ozzy Says "Thank You"

2011-02-21T14:28:00.003Z

Cheers from both me and Ozzy for all the recent messages and well wishes what with his recent his recent health issues. It's taken a fortnight and enough medication to floor a baby elephant, but he seems to be almost better now. Just a bit subdued.

In the end, the vet remained undecided as to whether it was a blocked stomach exit or chronic Pancreatitis, but the latter seems more likely. I'll be honest, he had me very worried at one point. We'd taken to sleeping on the sofas and nursing him through the night at his worst (when you have a dog chucking up blood, the wooden floor in the living room is a much better option than the carpet in the bedroom!).

So the bank balance is a lot lighter, we've missed a lot of sleep, and poor Oz never wants to see another syringe of antibiotics as long as he lives, but we've got the little chap back to something like his normal self, so much so that I'm going to take him for a gentle run tonight to ease him back into the swing of things.

Thanks again :-) .

Let's Get Physical

2011-02-14T15:34:00.005Z

I've had a fairly sedate week compared to last. Ozzy has been rather ill with a nasty case of Pancreatitis, so much of it has been spent (in both senses of the word) down at the vets. No running for him.

So I plodded through a few gentle sessions in the Porter Valley including Wednesday's headtorch club run, and then a good hard nine mile/2000ft thrash on Thursday. That was followed by a weekend away in Bury to visit Helen's family, where apart from eating and drinking far more than your average human should eat and drink, we learned that we have another nephew or niece (in-law in my case) in the oven that should be done in time for late Summer. Lovely. That will be five in total, which means Christmas is now starting to get expensive ;-)

Rounded the week out yesterday with a good eight miles with (sort of) brother in law John up and down the hills around Bury. I can't be more accurate than that about it, as I'm a bit of a dullard with my Lancashire geography. All I know is that it was wet, steep, boggy, and involved us getting lost and running across areas that we probably were not allowed to run across. But nobody yelled at us so we live to run another day.

Oh, and I put in a couple of leg and core weight sessions too through the week. It only struck me this weekend that I didn't have any cramp issues last week at the Mickleden Straddle at all, whereas the fourteen mile point at full on race pace is usually where I come to a grinding halt in pain and have to take drastic action to prevent my calves from exploding. I'm greatly encouraged by that, hopefully the weights are starting to make a bit of a difference.

I'm now touching every bit of wood in the immediate vicinity so that I haven't just jinxed the calf news...

I've even found the time to update the 'Upcoming Races' page on this blog, which is the first time in about a year.

Back to 'proper' training this week. Feeling quite relaxed and optimistic, although not at my fittest. I've got four weeks to slam in the work before Grindleford Gallop which should hopefully carry me through to Edale Skyline a fortnight later. It really is a case of 'Let's get physical' and go for it a bit.

Don't worry, I'll spare you the obligatory Olivia Newton-John track, and throw a bit of a curveball instead courtesy of Wales' finest...

Mickleden Straddle. Back in Brown.

2011-02-08T12:40:00.007Z

First race of the year, so please forgive me if this goes on a bit.

I ran on Sunday at the Mickleden Straddle, billed as just short of fourteen miles and with a couple of thousand feet climb. I wasn't actually going to do any racing until March, but my mate Sam talked me into having a trot around this one, and I figured it would make a nice change from just slamming in the long slow mileage I've been doing every weekend in anticipation of March's events.

So, a bit of context first, I've been training fairly hard over the winter, and I've made significant gains in stamina by upping my general mileage and implementing an actual routine of varied sessions. In turn, I've shed another half a stone in weight since I last raced, and that has had the knock on effect of increasing my overall speed slightly because there is less of me to carry around! The next project is to build on my power base with some targeted weight sessions to improve my core, quads and those old troublesome calves. I am still 'weaker' as a runner than I would like. Hopefully by mid-March I'll start to see some improvement in general strength.

2010 was a good running year for me. I did lots of new races and made a ton of new friends. I joined Dark Peak FR and also started my own Wednesday group, the Porter Valley Plodders. Race results were very good but sometimes varied, from the disappointment of messing up at the Burbage Skyline and finishing sixty something to the euphoria of finishing second in the Nine Edges Endurance race (still can't believe there was no trophy!), I covered the whole spectrum of performances and learned a lot. Generally, I could pretty much be relied upon to finish in the top thirty of any given event.

In light of the gains I feel I've made over the Winter, my aims for 2011 are simply to improve upon last year and to continue loving it. This means that wherever possible, I'm now going to be gunning for top twenty finishes. It also means more group runs, more interesting and exciting new races and a few new running projects that I've been thinking about for a long time.

So, back to Sunday. In many ways, the Straddle summed up everything I love about fellrunning. It ended up with four of us; me, Sam, Tim and Steve (all Porter Valley Plodders) piling into Steve's car at 9am and driving over to Langsett Barn for EODs. A spot of bother getting parked meant we only just made it in before the race filled up!

I pulled on my Dark Peak vest, it felt like returning to an old friend. Back in brown. And all at once the feeling of simplicity and the unique nature of racing on the fells came flooding back as I stood in the gear storage/changing area before the start. To the left were Sam, Tim and Steve. For Sam and Tim, this was their first ever fell race. They were excited. Steve on the other hand has fell raced in the past, but had never before run fourteen miles at once as he would be expected to do over the next couple of hours. Then, getting changed next to me on my right was Pete Vale of Mercia FR, perennial top ten finisher in the English and British FRA Championships. We all chatted away. Egos don't exist here.

Nods and shouted 'Ey Ups!' to friends across the room, chats and catch-ups with others. More of the same outside at the start line. A few FRA forumites circulating the throng; Daz Holloway looking focussed, Ian Winterburn not too hopeful with a touch of man-flu, Willy Kitchen adjusting his kit. The mood was relaxed. I felt grateful that the racing season was kicking into gear again.

I'm told that two hours is a good strong benchmark for this race. So I set that as my target. It was achievable, truth be told I was secretly thinking I could run 1:50. The only point of concern was the weather. We had had several days of rain leading up to the race, and although it was holding off on Sunday morning, the wind was fierce. Ian nodded over to Langsett Reservoir where the waves were being whipped up into the air and spraying onto the banks and said smiling, "Force six that." God knows what it was going to be like on the tops...

A shout from the organiser and we were off. A gentle track through woodland and across a stream gives way to a small hill and over it's brow, open moorland. The wind hits us full on immediately. And my word, is it strong. I'd skipped easily through the opening section at 7 min/mile pace but this headwind slowed me right down. It was the same for everybody. The early charge was reduced to a laboured stumble across the moor of Hingcliff Common. Some runners tried to be a bit savvy and attempted to slipstream those in front, but it did little to help. We later found out from Mountain Rescue that the average speed of the headwind in the race was 65mph!!

The climb continued up onto Mickleden Edge. I think this was the worst part. The headwind became an even stronger crosswind. I was actually lifted off my feet and planted onto the bank. Runners were staggering and falling all over the place. I'd been planning on running this section at 8:30 min/mile pace, but my watch was reading a depressing 11:30 min/mile. I was finding it very difficult. The Mountain Rescue wind reading on this section? Only 94mph!!!!! No wonder it was hard work!

We plodded on. The Cut Gate path dissolved into half bog half running stream. A few people sank in up to their knees. I was grateful to finally reach the main descent at Howden Edge, but found that even though I was giving it absolutely everything my speed was only a little above a plod, such was the force of the wind against us that had now reverted to head on. This race was requiring some serious effort, and most definitely was not going to plan!

The wind dropped as we got lower, but despite running hard I took some poor lines on the descent. The guy behind me darted off to the right and soared off the side of the hill by the disused quarry in what looked like a suicidal leap, nonetheless it worked and he was suddenly about a minute up on me at Slippery Stones with that one savvy manouvre. Couldn't help but admire it really. We skirted round Howden Reservoir before a cracking little climb up Howden Clough brought us back onto the open hillside and more steady ascending. By the nine mile point I resolved that the two hour completion had gone out of the window and revised it to 2:05.

More climbing, and eventually we got to CP5. Quick check of the watch, four miles to go and twenty eight minutes to get back under the two hour target. I kicked, and absolutely hammered it, intent on getting back on to the original schedule. The terrain was technical, lots of large boulders, deep bogs and fast streams, but I was making decent time and clocking sub 7:00s. Then came the return across Mickleden Edge and that crosswind. It slowed me down quite a bit, but I certainly dealt with it better than on the way out. It was going to be tight.

But at thirteen and a half miles, quite suddenly, my body capitulated and would not maintain my speed. It just didn't want to know. I didn't eat or drink anything the whole race, that was possibly a factor. But the final section through the woodland seemed to last an eternity, and I ended up staggering through the final mile (of 14.5 - organisers take note!!) in something anomalous at around eleven minutes. My final position was 27th, sixth Dark Peaker home, in a time of 2:05:32.

I was a bit gutted. Conditions were bad and times were much slower overall on previous years, but 26 others still managed better than I did, 17 of which went under two hours. It was the same for everybody. On a clear day I know for a fact I could break 1:50 on that course. But it wasn't a clear day, and I wasn't able to cope with that. Still, lessons learned, chiefly that I couldn't cope with the conditions, most probably because of a lack of overall power. I'm fast, I'm light, I'm tough, but I'm just lacking that extra bit of leg and core strength to compensate for, say, getting blown about by 94mph winds or slogging it out in extreme conditions on Pendle Hill (See 'Full Torture of Pendle post from last November). No point moping. It's Time to address these shortcomings and become better.

The post race spread was wonderful. I can't remember ever seeing that much food!
It was another good opportunity to catch up with friends I haven't seen for a while, meet a few new faces and forumites for the first time, and stock up on Rescue Ale from Ian Winterburn. A fitting end for a difficult but very enjoyable morning's racing. Thank goodness the racing season is kicking in again!

First race of 2011. Top twenty finish? No. Did I continue to love it? More than ever.

Edale Skyline. Erm, actually I am running it...

2011-01-31T21:51:00.002Z

Well, just logged onto Facebook and the final entry list for the Edale Skyline was up. Bizarrely, I'm on it. My entry went off at the beginning of December, and this is the first time I've appeared on it!

So it looks as though my lost entry has been found, and I'll be having a go at this famous old race for the first time. And as luck would have it, Grindleford Gallop is run a fortnight before, meaning it can be used as a very valuable training bridge.

So who is up for a recce?!

Galloping (Again)

2011-01-25T10:40:00.004Z

On Sunday I led seven Porter Valley Plodders on the recce of the second half of the Grindleford Gallop, same premise as a fortnight ago whereby we all run together for half of the whole route and then I bugger off and do another eleven miles solo and close the loop.

The group moved a lot more quickly this time out. starting at CP4 (ie the halfway point) at Hassop, we ran a nice flat section along the Monsal Trail before a steep climb up by Bakewell Station took us to the fields high above the Chatsworth Estate. There was a steep wet descent down to the village of Edensor, lots of deer out grazing as we passed, and then we ran through the estate grounds. I grabbed a quick shot on my phone with the house in the background...

We briefly paused in Baslow (CP6) before that long, tortuous climb up from the village onto Baslow Edge. It's the first time I've ever enjoyed that bit. Once up on the top, we plodded across Baslow, Curbar and Froggatt edges, stunning views as always, before ending with a sharp descent through woodland down to the race start/finish at Grindleford. The Garmin clocked 10.6 miles in two hours for this first section.

Everybody seemed very pleased with their run. I said my goodbyes and then set off on the second leg, Grindleford to Hassop. First climb was ok, but I then laboured a bit leaving Eyam. Had a word with myself and soon clicked back into gear. I shot up onto Longstone Moor (much warmer and less windy than last time out), through what would be CP3, and then it was that great fast descent down the stony track that I fell on a fortnight ago. No such problems today! I felt good so decided to push the last three miles, which I cranked out at between 6:20-6:30 min/miles.

Collapsed back into the car at Hassop, Garmin said 21.1 miles, 4070ft climbing. A good morning's work. Even better, I whizzed through that second half in 1hr 22 minutes. I sat there in the car park for a very contented half an hour, radio chattering gently in the background as I sipped at my hot chocolate and nibbled on a biscuit, reflecting on a lovely run.

In fact, it's been a good running week in general, interspersing threshold sessions and solid middle distance runs. Best of all, I've finally got Ozzy into a running routine, meaning that I'm now also plodding on the days when I'd ordinarily be walking him. It forces me into recovery runs I'd otherwise miss, so it's all very very good.

Quick recommendation for Junip - saw these at the end of last year at the Plug in Sheffield and they blew me away. They've rarely been off the iPod since. Yeah I know, nothing to look at in terms of a video, but just close your eyes and get carried along...

Galloping

2011-01-10T10:37:00.007Z

Last week was pretty good in terms of running, not the highest mileage I've ever cracked out but a lot of good quality miles nonetheless. I capped it off this weekend with a good ten mile walk around Kinder from Edale on Saturday and then a recce of the Grindleford Gallop course on Sunday.

Looking back after the first big climb from Froggatt to Eyam's Riley Graves.

I ran the Gallop last year and had a ball, here's my somewhat lengthy report written at the time: Grindleford Gallop 2010. I've entered again this year, and I'm looking to run around the 2:45 mark. I've persuaded a few others from the club to have a go too. So Sunday was the first joint recce of the course, the idea being that after a bit of car juggling, I'd lead a group of ten runners through the first eleven miles, drop them at Hassop station (CP4) and then run the remaining eleven miles solo. Half the race for them, the full loop for me.

It all went fairly well. The first slog up into Eyam was nowhere near as challenging as I'd remembered, and there is so much good running in the first half of the course that even sub-zero temperatures, high winds and being easily passed by another group on the same recce on top of Longstone Moor did little to dent morale. We ran very slowly, but consistently.

Leading the descent into Great Longstone. Photo courtesy of John Wright.

The only 'event' was a fairly major tumble I took whilst descending very quickly down a rocky track into Great Longstone, having thirty seconds previous eulogised the advantages to the group of really hammering it once leaving the grassy slope and hitting the farm track. Thigh, hands, shoulder and pride bruised.

We plodded into Hassop in 2:20. As I say, very slow but consistent, and I was pleased given the wide range of abilities we had out running. We didn't lose, maim, kill or make anybody cry. Plus they were able to get tea and cake at Hassop when they'd finished. That is the mark of a successful group run in my book.

After leaving the group at Hassop I cracked on at something much more akin to normal pace, catching, passing and leaving the other recce group that had passed us on Longstone Moor just above Edensor. The climb from Baslow up on to the edge was painful, but the subsequent run across Baslow, Curbar and Froggatt edges was great fun. Lots of boulders and very undulating. A steep descent through the woods brought me back into Grindleford in a second half 'split' of 1:30. As the second half is tougher terrain than the first, I was quite happy with that. I was even happier with my flask of coffee and flapjack in the car once I'd got my soggy socks off. A good plod with good company followed by a great run and a chance to push myself a bit. 22 miles and between 3500 and 4000ft of climb, depending on who's GPS you happen to be reading.

I slept like a log last night!

Happy New Year

2011-01-02T21:17:00.002Z

Well, I didn't realise but it has been over a month since I last posted. Mental block. So just a short one to wish everyone a happy new year, and say a big thank you to one and all.

Thank you for stopping by and reading these ramblings however often, and thanks if you've taken the time to leave your thoughts and comments. And thank you for all your own posts too. Reading all your respective tales of derring-do has been at different times inspirational, hilarious, heart breaking, awe inspiring and always fascinating. Being able to share in a small way in your triumphs, disappointments, plans and adventures has been a pleasure. I'm looking forward to more of the same in 2011!!

Me, well I'm training hard and looking forward to 2011 on the fells. Targets, plans, races and madcap schemes are already formulating at Fellmonkey HQ. So strap on your Walshes, pull on your Buff, stick a flask of whisky in your bumbag and let's hit the hills!

Ox Stones

2010-12-01T09:00:00.003Z

Easily runnable from home, the Ox Stones on the edge of Burbage Moor mark the point where I always feel like I'm leaving Sheffield behind and running into the Peak District proper. With the commute to work rendered impossible by the snow yesterday, what else was there to do but run one of my favourite routes up to them?

The Porter Valley was lovely in the whiteout. The climb up was a little harder than usual because of the conditions underfoot but the Walshes made relatively light work of it really. On higher ground, wrapped up to guard against a biting wind and driving snow, I eventually picked a trod across the moor and over to Ox Stones.

Unwittigly acting as a Rohan billboard...ah well, cheaper than a real Buff!

After that I skipped over to the trig, barely visible in the swirling snow, and then picked my way back down across the moor, into the valley and onwards to home. Approximately eight miles of snowy fun. I pulled a calf on the descent and it has remained a bit sore, but no matter, it was lovely being out in it.

Looking across from Ox Stones to the trig...somewhere!

It has snowed constantly for the last two days now. I woke up this morning to about a foot and a half. I love the stuff, but not everyone seems so keen. Poor Ozzy was in it over his head this morning! Here he is after his morning walk waiting in the alleyway to get back into the warm house, clearly unimpressed.

Fine Fettle

2010-11-29T16:50:00.003Z

Glorious trog on Saturday in the most brilliant conditions. Absolutely freezing at times but breathtakingly beautiful. And I only fell over once.

Looking towards Higger Tor from just below Stanage Edge

The iphone isn't usually too hot with landscapes but this one turned out fairly well.

Roughly eighteen miles starting from home and running up to Oxstones, across to Foxhouse, over to Surprise View, up to Over Owler Tor, over to and up Higger Tor, took the NW path down to eventually take me half way underneath Stanage Edge, up on to the edge, back across to Burbage Rocks, half way down North section before running across Burbage Moor back to the Houndkirk bridleway and back down the Porter Valley home. Beans, eggs and bacon on toast and a mug of tea, thighs and calves burning and buzzing contentedly. A perfect morning.

Full Tour(ture) of Pendle

2010-11-26T09:26:00.002Z

This post has been delayed by various things; waiting for official results, waiting for photos to appear (none have) and waiting for my overall sense of disappointment to dissipate a bit. I didn't do as well as I'd hoped, and for once I didn't really enjoy it very much either.

I'd been battling the onset of a cold all week, trying to keep the sniffles at bay long enough to get me through Saturday and the race, and I felt that I'd done a reasonable job. But Saturday morning was gloomy and cold, and it hammered down with rain all the way on the journey over to the village of Barley, which sits at the foot of Pendle Hill. I felt nervous.

For those not familiar with it, the Full Tour of Pendle is renowned as one of the most demanding races in the calendar, certainly of the events not taking place in the Lake District. It is seventeen miles long with just short of five thousand feet of ascent. What sets this apart from other long races I've attempted is that there is little in the way of graduation in the climbs. You run along the flat for a bit, then its near vertical for a thousand feet. then you descend down a sheer bank, run along the flat for a bit, then its near vertical for a thousand feet and then you descend down a sheer bank...and the cycle continues. It is also famous for it's contrived route. Navigation is a big issue here, particularly in the thick clag that covers most of the hill, erm, most of the time! This is from the 2009 race...

I only arrived twenty five minutes before kick off, and so registration and getting my gear on was done in a bit of a hurry. When I lined up at the start line I suddenly realised I'd forgotten my checkpoint tags. Cue a mad sprint to the car and back, returning in time for the actual start of the race by mere seconds. We were off immediately, and I was knackered already! A steady initial section past a reservoir gives way to a sudden right turn and the first climb up to the trig point. Ordinarily I would consider this to be runnable all the way up but I felt so incredibly weak that I ended up walking the majority. As I trudged up I thought about my cold, and felt a bit silly that I'd even turned up to run. Thoughts of retiring flashed through my mind and we hadn't even got to CP1 yet!

A pal from the FRA forum ran past me, asking if I was OK. I mumbled something to Jez about being ill and not feeling good, I must have looked a right sulky sod. I was feeling very sorry for myself. He ran on. Eventually I topped out at the trig just as a light fog started to descend. I decided to carry on for a bit and see how it went, and I'm glad I did. I finally started to perk up and get into my stride. The long runnable section from CP1 to CP2 flew by and I passed a lot of people, in spite of the hail, rain and freezing wind. Down to CP3 was a breeze and then a long slog up the first of the hard climbs which went fairly well. Then it was the famous 'Geronimo' descent, take a look at the footage from last year to get a sense of why it has that nickname...

I flew round to CP5 with no problems, then came the horror of an absolute b*stard of a climb. It hurt like hell, and it would just not end. I decided to use it to my advantage, drinking and eating lots to keep the old legs in order. Once at the top there were a couple of cramp spasms but nothing too bad. But then more of the same after CP7 - another painful, interminable climb. I was now really flagging. Cramp was attacking at regular intervals, I was producing gallons of snot, and all I wanted was a nice warm bed. I was focusing on getting to CP9 where a fellow Dark Peak alumnus was marshalling. If I was going to opt out anywhere, it was there.

The descent down to CP9 was very hard, and I'd made up my mind to jack it in. Definitely. But once I got there that plan went out the window. I don't know why but I gave just a brief nod to Dave Tait as I passed through the CP and before I knew it I was into the final major climb.

'Major' doesn't really do it justice. People were on all fours. Crawling. I swear one person was in tears. More than a few looked as if they were about to give up the ghost right there on the hillside, me included. But my luck was in, Jez and I suddenly found ourselves neck and neck, and together we mumbled, stumbled and advanced our way up the hillside. Having somebody there to 'chat' to, by which I mean grumble about, reflect upon and dissect the race so far as well as motivate each other for what was to come, really helped me focus on something other than how utterly shattered I felt. It made a massive difference. Eventually we made it.

CP10 punctuated another session of calf cramps (the marshall offering out the flapjack will be eternally in my thoughts) and then it was a steep but steady run down in to CP11 (I saw two men literally collapse as if they'd been shot and crumble to the ground with cramp pain here) and then back on the track by the reservoir into Barley and the finish in a time of 3:13. That put me in 75th position. At the time I was delighted with that but when the official results followed a week later and I had a bit of context, I now think that is ten to fifteen minutes too slow.

I had a very welcome soup and cake in the village hall afterwards, before a dreadful sixty mile drive home where my thighs and calves would not stop with the involuntary spasms. I had to stop the car, get out and stretch them out four times!

It was a bloody awful experience, but I think that has more to do with my own poor preparation and lack of general wellbeing rather than the race itself. I've found myself almost recommending it to people in the fortnight since. As for me, well, one for 2011? I'd certainly approach it a bit differently having had the benefit of running it in 2010. Unfinished business? Hmmm, we'll see...

Mile by Mile; Breaking 80 (Or, 'Doing a Paula'...)

2010-11-02T11:53:00.007Z

The Worksop Half Marathon then. Brilliantly organised as ever by the Worksop Harriers, it is the only road course that I actually enjoy, mainly because the vast majority of the race runs through tranquil Clumber Park. I make a point of running it every year now, as it was the first race in the dim and distant past where I decided to start taking the old running business a bit seriously. Its a good day out on the hoof, and a personal marker for any improvement (or decline) in my overall running year on year. In 2009 I ran 1:26, so I was hoping this year to push the envelope and try to go sub 1:25.

This year I was joined by Al and Sam from the Porter Valley Plodders. It was nice to roll up as part of a group and have a bit of pre-race banter rather than flying solo. We had a perfectly brief warm up together and then filed into the masses at the start line to get down to the serious business of the day.

The first mile is uphill, and has a nasty kick where it suddenly gets a lot steeper about halfway in. I took it steady early on and established a decent rhythm. Once we'd topped out the next three miles follow the A57 down past Clumber. It's the quintessential 'undulating' section, lots of steady ups and downs that don't kill you but certainly thin out the pack. I hit this road hard and really opened out my stride on the downhills. There was a bit of a nag in the back of my mind telling me I'd gone out far too fast but I felt very strong and confident. I was passing a lot of people and doing well.

At the four mile point there is a sharp left turn and you suddenly start running into Clumber Park itself, which is great. I was still going well and attempting to maintain the same pace, but at six miles I could feel myself starting to flag. Perhaps I had run miles 2 to 4 too fast. Strangest of all my bladder had swollen to painful proportions and I really needed a conveniently placed portaloo. Nonetheless, it was great to be running through Clumber again, its a really lovely forest park and it makes for a very pleasant backdrop. To thirteen miles of torture.

At seven miles I decided the bladder was slowing me down so I ditched all semblance of dignity and jumped off the course, round behind what passed for the nearest bush, and had a wee. It is an indication of how seriously I was taking this race that I actually timed it in my head. 34 seconds. I know how Paula felt.

Once back running I necked a gel to boost my flagging legs and cracked on. Here I am. I'd really gone for the orange...

At eight miles I latched on to a Sheffield City Strider with a watch (I was running without one - long boring story...) who had a welcome habit of shouting out the time for each mile we had just run whenever we passed a marker. I was a bit shocked when he yelled '5:50!' at the ten mile point but we ploughed on nonetheless. It became a real test of stamina but it was nice to just focus on running as hard as possible and getting a sort of mile by mile result from my intense companion. It took away that monotony that hits in the last few miles when you begin to wonder if the race will ever end...

The twelve mile marker appeared which was excellent news, as the final mile is a reverse of the first and therefore all downhill. We'd run so hard though that this hurt even more than the flats. Focusing on getting down as fast as possible, before long I rounded the last corner and made the hundred metre sprint for the finish. I noticed the clock as I ran in and couldn't help but laugh maniacally for the last few yards; 1:19:25, 26, 27, 28...I eventually came home almost hysterical in 1:19:32. I'd broken 80 minutes.

Once I'd stopped laughing the first thought was to get back up the course and wait for Al and Sam. They both ran stormers too and finished within twenty seconds of each other having run almost the whole course in tandem. They clocked just over 1:33, which is superfast by anybody's standards. We recovered in the nearest pub with hydrating pints of Guinness and enjoyed a post-race analysis akin to Hansen, Shearer and Lineker on 'Match of the Day'. Then, job done, we beat a hasty retreat from Worksop; Al and Sam back to Sheffield, me to nearby Gamston to visit my parents.

If only I hadn't stopped for that wee...

...Anyway, my annual tarmac assault is over and its back to the fells with a sense of achievement. No doubt the Full Tour of Pendle will bring me crashing back down to earth in a couple of weeks!

Tumbleweed...

2010-10-25T21:10:00.004+01:00

Not much blogging going on lately at Fellmonkey HQ, mainly because there hasn't been that much to blog about. No races to report on since Endcliffe Park and my subsequent training has been a bit of a mixed bag I'm afraid. I'm either absolutely flying or I'm as weak as a kitten, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of middle ground at the moment. Still, I'm sure I'll Find my groove again fairly soon. Other than a mild ankle sprain last weekend in my distance session, all is fairly quiet. On the plus side we are now in headtorch season, my favourite night-running part of the year!

I'll be racing this Sunday at my one annual road concession; the Worksop Half. I'm fond of this race, the majority of it runs through Clumber Park/Sherwood Forest so it doesn't feel like a road event. This year there will also be another couple of Porter Valley Plodders running too, which I'm a bit proud of to be honest. After that its back to normality and losing myself in the fells and back to my lovely brown Dark Peak vest for the Full Tour of Pendle in mid November. I'm hoping my training levels out in time to make a decent fist of that one!

Endcliffe Park 10k - Guinness Power

2010-10-11T16:03:00.012+01:00

I raced on Sunday at the first ever 'Endcliffe Park 10k', aka the 'Sheffield 10k', aka the '10 10 10'. I don't know what it's actually called as I've seen all three of these names on various websites and signs. The main thing is not to confuse it with Sheffield's other 10k, the laughably titled 'Great Yorkshire Run', which is rubbish.

So the Endcliffe Park 10k (lets go with EP10k) runs from outside the cafe in the park near Hunter's Bar, around Endcliffe Park, heads a little way up the Porter Valley before shooting off up into the woods and then climbing up onto the high path through Bingham Park. A steep descent and then a short fast road section takes you back to the starting point, whereupon you do it all again. Two 5k laps of park paths and muddy trails with a surprising 1200ft of ascent. And best of all, it practically goes right past my doorstep. Well, it would have been rude not to run it...

I decided to up the stakes a bit in this one and run the race with a hangover. Hardcore. This took some serious Guinness drinking leading up to the big day, and I'm pleased to report I was more than up to the challenge. So, bleary eyed and a little bit nauseous, I pulled on my orange PVP vest and ambled down the road to the start.

I had a very rough race plan given that I knew the course and terrain particularly well, and it was a good job really as I was surprised at how quick the front pack went out at the start. For the first 2k I was just trying to hold on to the frontrunners (all part of the plan), taking up what felt like a strong position in seventh place. The first lap went by fairly easily and I opened up a decent gap on eighth place. I pushed a bit harder and eventually fought my way up to fifth. But I started to falter around the 6k mark, a very sick feeling started to bubble up and I was silently cursing the hangover. Here I am, you can probably tell by the worried look on my face that I'm wondering whether or not the marshall just out of shot has a bucket to hand and whether its acceptable to vomit in front of a spectating pensioner.

I cut back on the pace and coasted along for a while, trying to suppress the urge to chuck. This actually worked quite well and the worst of it passed, but when I turned around to check on the chasing group I was a bit surprised to see that a pack of about five of them were actually very literally on my heels. They were all considerably younger than me and menacingly athletic looking. We plodded on for a while until the 8k point which coincides with a big climb and I remembered that part of my plan had been to kick hard here and try and leave behind anybody around me. I'd have been disappointed with myself if I didn't even try, so I got my head down and hit the hill very hard. I turned my head again for a look behind when I got to the top and was genuinely amazed to see it had worked. So from there I kicked on, running the last kilometre as hard as possible and eventually finishing in 5th place. Here I am again, considerably fresher, crossing the finish line which confusingly says 'Start' on it.

I used to own a poster that said 'Guinness is good for you, gives you strength'. That's only partly true, they missed out the bit about the headache and the feeling sick. Nonetheless it did power me on to my third top five finish since getting back from my holidays, which is a very weird thing. I still don't understand quite what is happening.

Of course, after the race I then went back to the pub with the rest of the Porter Valley Plodders that had run in the race. Nine of us in total. Its been a bit of a heavy weekend...

Nine Edges Endurance Race - Uncharted Territory

2010-09-27T10:39:00.004+01:00

I have no idea how it happened.

Saturday brought the Nine Edges Endurance race. A beautifully simple concept, it starts in front of the dam wall intersecting Ladybower and Derwent Reservoirs, climbs up until eventually reaching Derwent Edge, before proceeding to track the course of Derwent, Stanage, Burbage North, Burbage South, Froggatt, Curbar, Baslow, Gardoms and Birchens edges respectively. It finishes at the Robin Hood pub outside Baslow, and is a full 20.5 miles long. Its organised by Edale Mountain Rescue.

A few hundred of us lined up to start. Usual array of club vests, although Dark Peak were very thin on the ground. A fairly steady pace under the wall up the steps along the track and then into the first climb. Its a beast of a first mile once you hit the hill. I'd made my way to the front pack of ten or so runners, and as we started to ascend I actually started to pick a few off from in front, which is unusual for me. The pace slowed right down as we kept climbing and I overtook a few more, and by the time we'd topped out and started to make our way onto Derwent Edge I'd pushed into third place. A bit more gentle climbing ensued and after a few more minutes when I looked behind expecting to see a trail of runners on my heels I was shocked to see that the front three (including me) had dropped the group and opened up a gap of at least a minute. We weren't even at CP1 yet. For me, this was uncharted territory.

We three were comfortable and chatting. I learnt that I was accompanied in this trio by a Cosmic Hill Basher who was third overall last year and first Vet in this event, and was hoping to improve upon that this time around. He was friendly but quite intense. My other companion was a Glaswegian chap that runs for Westerlands Cross Country Club, first time at the event but with an impressive back catalogue of races. He was very chatty and friendly.

We coasted along, running fairly hard, talking and motivating each other relatively frequently, particularly Westerlands and I. We alternated the lead between the two of us every couple of miles, with Cosmic staying ten metres or so behind all the time. Edges and checkpoints came and went and our pace stayed pretty constant at what looked like a possible 2:55 overall time. I didn't feel I'd be able to run a full twenty miles at that pace and fully expected to drop off the front at some point, but I was heartened enough by that advantage over fourth place (fifteen, twenty minutes by CP5? Who knew?) to significantly scale up my anticipated finishing position of 20th to somewhere in the top ten.

So, I'll not bore you with any unnecessary stuff; apart from a very minor tumble I took on Stanage Edge, this scenario of an isolated front trio lasted until about the fourteen mile point where I suddenly succumbed to debilitating cramp in both calves. I had just reached Curbar Edge when it hit, reducing me to a full halt. I couldn't even walk. I desperately tried to stretch out the muscles, massaged them, smacked them around a bit, but nothing helped. Having got to the fourteen mile point taking turns at leading the race, I'd been reduced to a gibbering wreck in the space of four or five paces. I was totally stuck. Naturally, Westerlands and Cosmic flew off into the distance. I told myself that third place would be amazing for me. Then I realised that unless I did something quick I wouldn't make third. I might not even finish the race at all given that I couldn't even walk.

I did a quick recce of my remaining supplies, which consisted of half a litre of Nuun water and a flapjack, and then downed the lot in one go. I needed to get something into my legs and get moving. I stayed on that cliff edge in agony for almost ten minutes (yes, I timed it!) before the pain eased, all the while scanning the edge behind, keeping an eye out for fourth place getting nearer. I didn't see him. I really had no idea how hard or well we had run to that point, but the gap had increased sufficiently to allow for a mini breakdown and recovery. As soon as I was able I got moving again, stiffly at first and then easier until eventually I was back to normal and feeling fairly good. But with nothing to lose I threw caution to the wind and started to run even faster. I flew through the Curbar Gap CP and then started to push hard. Really hard. Way above normal race pace. I was suddenly feeling great and had lurched from imminent disaster to sheer elation. I was a bit surprised when Cosmic eventually came into view in front, I could see he was starting to fade, and so I kept going.

After a bit of Highland Cattle dodging, at Wellington's Monument I caught, passed, and then pulled away from Cosmic. Down to the final CP before the finish and with only a mile to go I was really on my limit and felt another blow-up approaching. Only a hundred yards before the finish the cramp hit again but I managed to stagger home and finish the job in second place overall at 2 hours 56 minutes. Westerlands was waiting with a big grin on his face and a massive handshake and pat on the back. I liked him.

I am amazed, delighted, shocked and still not fully accepting yet of this result. It is my best ever. More than the position, what really pleases me is that my time was good enough to win this race in both 2008 and 2009, and was only two minutes slower than Mick Stenton's winning time in 2007 (If you don't know Mick he is a Dark Peaker, top gent and tremendous fell runner. He won the Exterminator a couple of weeks ago).

No prizes for second and third in this race (boo!) so I made my own Fellmonkey trophy.

It won't be going on the mantelpiece, as we don't have one, and I ate the banana shortly after presenting it to myself.

Again, I have no idea how it happened. I've given up trying to predict these things. Saturday's race took me into uncharted territory. It was intense, surprising, life affirming and really, really difficult. Really difficult. Bring on the next one.

PS - Japan photos to follow soon :) ...

Homegrown

2010-09-20T17:06:00.005+01:00

Well, I'm back from my adventures in Japan. The trip warrants an entire post in itself, although this isn't it, perhaps I'll stick a page on here with a bit of info and some photos so that you can choose to be bored with the details rather than having them thrust upon you. That may qualify as blog abuse. Suffice to say that it was an amazing and inspirational experience full of brilliant mini adventures and I fully intend to go back one day and do it all again.

But this is mainly a running blog, so on to business.

We arrived home Thursday lunchtime, at which point I lay down to grab half an hour's sleep and then didn't wake up until 9am on Friday morning. That's what long haul in cattle class will do for you.

But what a difference three weeks makes! I hadn't run one step whilst in Japan. On Friday evening's run I puffed, wheezed, laboured, panted and staggered my way up the valley and across Burbage Moor before taking a brief detour down part of the Limb Valley and heading home. The hardest nine miles I've done for a long time, I even felt faint at the end! The old legs, which have noticeably thinned over the last couple of weeks, really ached all the way through Saturday and even into Sunday morning, which was bad news as Sunday was race day.

Ordinarily I'd have skipped over to Hathersage for the Stanage Struggle but an even more local race was being run that I have a special affection for - the Whirlow Hall Farm 10k. Its a trail race with two of the most murderous climbs I've come across. I ran last year and finished fourth, and after a good year's racing inbetween thought I could improve on that this time around. Apparently in the dim and distant past this was a stalwart Dark Peak FR event awash with brown vests, then it was cancelled for a few years in succession, essentially forgotten about, and was only reintroduced fairly recently. It's run in conjunction with the Whirlow Hall Farm Fayre, and as such I'm keen to support and run it as I'm a big believer in the educational work they do up at the farm. The place is run by volunteers, and it needs support from the local community.

I walked up to the race with Matt, Helen, Annie and Joe from next door. Matt was also racing. We had a chuckle when we arrived so early, as when Matt and I race together we usually turn up thirty seconds before the start in a mad panic. We've even been known to turn up after the start and still race. So a full hour to play with pre-race was a real luxury although I was unhappy to still have Friday's run sitting heavy in my legs and to be feeling generally jetlagged and crap.

Conditions were chilly and damp, the field of runners had just about doubled from 2009 which was great to see, so there were around 70 of us lining up to start. A few Totley AC, a few Hallamshire Harriers, no Dark Peakers. We set off at what seemed like a fairly moderate pace into an immediate gentle climb that eased us into proceedings followed by a lap of the playing fields. Four of us broke away from the throng and then unbelievably, suddenly, magically, sensationally, I'm winning. Its a strange, wonderful feeling. It doesn't last. The guy that beat me to third place in 2009 suddenly kicks and keeps going. Nobody goes with him.

The first descent, and I was holding onto second place reasonably well. However I felt terrible; very lethargic and stiff legged. I decided to ease off a little bit (or else vomit) and make up a chasing group of three rather than put the boot in too early. And thats really how it remained for most of the race, a scrap for second and third between three of us. I thought I'd have them on the two horrible climbs but they were obviously used to the hills as they skipped up them quite happily. It was me that was labouring. And I'm a bit disappointed to report that when it came to the last 300 metres I just couldn't finish the job and was closed out of third by a Hallamshire Harrier and better runner on the day. The guy that broke early maintained his advantage and cantered home in first by quite a distance. Matt stormed home in ninth place looking very comfortable. It was great to cheer him in.

Helen (neighbour and PVP) told me that as I crossed the line I looked deathly pale. I told her that I felt it too.

Helen (girlfriend) was at the finish having walked up with Ozzy and her friend Ruth. She scolded me (typical!) for being 'disappointed' with fourth place and pointed out that it was still a really good result. She's right. I'm still disappointed.

Nonetheless its a great little race that is much harder than it should be, if that makes any sense. I reckon its one of the harder events in the races that I do, but I still haven't figured out why I find it so tough because on paper it's fairly easy. It was the same story last year. Regardless, its still very enjoyable. I'll be back in 2011 for what might hopefully be third time lucky.

Post race was great and I was soon smiling again, quaffing Moonshine and burgers at the fayre before buying a shed load of cakes and taking loads of friends back to our house afterwards for a tea and cake party. Just as it should be. I love racing and the collective fun it brings, even when I get the running bit wrong!

Bobbing It.

2010-08-26T16:52:00.005+01:00

Four days till I'm off on this year's big adventure, and I'm bobbing it. Now its here, Japan excites but scares me. Not sure why. I'm definitely worried about the language. Maybe I always get like this before heading off into the unknown, can't remember how I felt the last time we did something like this. Running takes the edge off. Fast nine miles on Tuesday, easy five with the PVPs yesterday. Threshold session tonight. I'll be repeating the lines from my 'Get By In Japan' CD in my head all the way around.

My name is Simon. I am an office worker. Where is the train station? Do you have any cake? I am from England. A double room please. Do you have any cake? Two tickets to Tokyo please. How do you do. Do you sell any cake on this train?

And so on and so forth...

We're out for dinner and drinks with chums tomorrow night, and then I'm off for some serious distance on Saturday, during which I'm going to re-recce a section of the Exterminator for Stu and Ruby, unless Stu beats me to it. Its en-route for what I was planning to do anyway so no great shakes. Final pre-holiday run on Sunday.

I've suddenly entered lots of races, and I've had to write them all down rather than just wing it (as per usual) as I'm losing track. Old age. I turn 32 while I'm away. Maybe I'll stick a page on here for upcoming stuff. For some reason, there's not much fell racing involved.

Sep 19th - Whirlow Hall Farm (trail)
Sep 25th - Nine Edges Endurance (fell)
Oct 3rd - Hope Moors & Tors (fell) - still only a maybe
Oct 10th - Endcliffe Park 10k (allegedly trail)
Oct 31st - Worksop Half Marathon (road) Great race this for a road event
Dec 5th - Percy Pud 10k (trailish) Local 'classic' that I've never done before

No doubt there will be others added in. Need some more fell stuff to balance it out. In the meantime, to maintain a loose Japanese theme and also to assist in chilling the flip out, here's an often overlooked modern classic...

Cool tune. This is the second best music video ever to feature adults in crap animal costumes. The best one will be revealed in my final pre-Japan post. I can sense your excitement from here.

The Best Adventures Are The Ones You Share...

2010-08-23T10:20:00.010+01:00

I didn't run very much through the week following the Trunce, save for an easy five miles with the PVPs on Wednesday. Felt like a rest.

A mate of mine, Stu Hutchison (Starsky on the FRA forum), is running the Exterminator in September, a notorious Peak District race covering 16 miles and 4050ft ascent. I like Stu. Aside from being a really good runner he also has impeccable taste in music. He'd emailed me and a few others to see if we were up for a recce of the course this weekend, and I was only too happy to oblige. After a restful few days I now need to get as many miles in my legs as possible before we go on holiday on the 30th to give myself a fighting chance at the Nine Edges on September 25th.

So on a warm and clear Saturday morning, four of us headed out from the Cricket Inn in Totley; Myself, Stu, Stu's girlfriend Ruby (a mountain marathon runner), and Steve (local fell runner. I recognised him from a few PD races). They will all be competing on race day.

First of all, what a lovely bunch of people. It was clear from the off that this was going to be a good ride. Lots of early chatter and laughter set the tone for the day.

We took it at a nice leisurely pace so that even that awful first climb out of Totley and up to the trig (CP1) passed by fairly easily. Continually checking the map, looking for the best lines and throwing ideas around for alternative routes. The usual kind of recce stuff. Some really good running took us all the way through a few hours later to CP7 (of nine) at Millstone Edge problem free and at a steady canter.

CP8 proved to be a bit more elusive. After heading down to the bottom of Bole Hill we realised we'd taken the wrong path. By this point we'd covered some serious distance already and didn't fancy running all the way back up the hill, so we resolved to amend the route by heading down to Grindleford Station, over to the Grouse Inn and then across White Edge Moor. We slowed down a lot for this part, nav proved a bit tricky as we struggled to get our bearings having ended up so far off course. In fact, we'd run off the edges of the maps that we'd taken along! The clouds burst and a light drizzle came down. It was quite pleasant.

We eventually got across White Edge Moor but then took another wrong turn (!) and ended up traversing the edge instead of heading across to Totley. Bugger. We were all getting a bit tired by now, but the mood was still buoyant. Getting lost was part of the adventure really. This time we did retrace our steps, eventually finding our access point and getting over to Totley Moor and then finally and happily for the second time, Totley Moor Trig. CP9. Job done.

L-R Ruby, Stu and Steve at CP9. Tired but still smiling. We did it (Eventually)!

A steady canter back down into Totley was followed by some weary but contented goodbyes and promises of more adventures. The total stats having gone off course were about 20 miles covered with 4500ft of ascent. It was great to be out there with three such lovely folks and I had a great time. Even if we're crap at nav.

I usually do distance work alone. But sometimes the best adventures are definitely the ones you share.

The Greatest Pork Pie Ever

2010-08-19T12:49:00.006+01:00

Here it is. A pork pie about 20cm across, with a thick layer of cheese and Branston pickle through the middle. No nasty jelly between the meat and the crust. Just pork, pastry, cheese and Branston. It was so good I had to take a picture to preserve its majesty eternally.

A gift from my dad, and gleefully devoured by Helen and I as part of our anniversary celebrations. Who said romance is dead?

There's a butcher somewhere in South Yorkshire deserving of an OBE for services to the pie industry...

Trunce 8. Slower but better. I think...

2010-08-17T15:17:00.009+01:00

It was a good idea in theory, but I'm afraid four days hard running on the bounce didn't sit that well at last night's Trunce, and I wasn't able to beat my PB. Never mind. It was a great race.

It was a really warm evening and the field of runners seemed smaller than usual. I think that is down to the holiday season being in full swing. Anyway, the usual mix of Trunce veterans were happily mingling with the nervous looking first timers and there were lots of smiles and laughs before the start. Not enough time for a decent warm up, so I don't get to go through my usual pre-race routine. I shuffle apologetically into the middle of the starting pack. The organiser (who is always great value and very funny) gives a shout, something like "Well? Off you go then!" and we set off quickly up the farm track.

For the first half of the race I'm flying and doing a lot of overtaking, and feeling fairly confident that a PB and another top ten finish could be on the cards after all. But by the time the big climb arrives (the second of three ascents) my legs remember what I've put them through over the last week and I'm left walking and cursing up the steep bank. I actually had to stand still for a couple of seconds at the top too. A deep breath before cracking on, and I make a good job of the mad second descent (very fast, very muddy) which was a huge return to form after my tentative descending at Bradwell, but by the time the third and final climb comes around I've settled into a plod and resigned myself to a respectable but not earth shattering time.

I finished in thirteenth place, in a time of 27:48. My slowest time to date. My PB in this race is 27 minutes flat, but I'm a better runner now than I was when I ran that. If I was fresh I think I could break 26:30 and sneak into the top five. Nonethless, as ever, I loved every second of it. Why? Well for one thing, as I always seem to say, its a great place to race. Its informal, its friendly, its a really good evening's racing. Some people turn up to the Trunce to run it as hard as possible, a few sometimes turn up to just run it as a recovery session, meet up with running mates and take in the atmosphere. I'm sure of this. At £1.20 its the sort of thing you can do.

But moreover, I'm pleased because I've trained very hard throughout the last two weeks and despite feeling very weary in the legs I still managed to put in a good time. I've targeted my training a little bit more and I've had a good mix of solid threshold sessions, hill sprint sessions and some really good and difficult distance work whilst doing recces of the upcoming 'Nine Edges Endurance' race. Consequently last week I ran Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and now Monday night at the Trunce, and I've been running hard. I was knackered going in to the race. So its all good.

Also, I finally got another Porter Valley Plodder to come along and have a go at the race. Helen Carter had a great Trunce debut, coming home as eighth lady in 38:42 with a smile as wide as the Cheshire Cat at the finish. It was great to watch her storming down the track at the end and cheer her in. She'll definitely be back at future Trunces, possibly with a few more PVPs in tow. I'm really pleased with what we've achieved with this 'club'. Helen has been a runner for a long time as have many of the group, but we have also taken people with no running experience at all, got them into a training pattern and encouraged them to take things forward, to the extent that the Endcliffe Park 10k trail race in October will probably have around twenty Porter Valley Plodders taking part.

And to think that it all started with Al, Matt and I gadding about in the Hesley Woods Hogdash at the end of 2008. As Rob Moore, the club secretary at Dark Peak told me, "from tiny acorns..."

I love this tune and band. And musically it kind of sums up my state of mind at the moment, particularly with running. Lyrically, with stuff in general...plus I would literally bust a nut to get my hands on that Fender Jazzmaster!

A Modern Way of Letting Go

2010-08-03T22:55:00.009+01:00

Seven weeks to the day since I mashed my knee up at Calver Peak, and time to get racing again after a few recent false starts. I rolled up at Bradwell fell race expecting a fast and frantic half hour of fell fun, and even Helen and Ozzy came along for the ride on the pretence of watching, when actually they were after a decent evening walk in the Peaks.

Not racing has been sending me a bit stir crazy, and after last week's particularly hard few days at the office my need to get out onto the hills and pit my wits legs and lungs against a few others, mother nature and most importantly, myself, had gone through the roof. It seems ironic that to escape today's rat race so many of us turn to the very things that our ancestors did daily just to survive.

Bradwell is a shorty at just four (or is it four and a half?) miles, with 750ft ascent. I'd taken a look at last year's results, and set myself a target of a top twenty finish and sub twenty-eight minute time.

We line up to start on the main road in the village. The mood is buoyant, the banter good. A yell from the organisers and we're off, and straight away I'm a little surprised at the early immediate pace - we seem to be heading out much faster than usual. I keep pace with the front pack, spotting a blond haircut atop a Pennine vest straight in front of me and wondering whether this is Daz Holloway from the FRA forum. I decide to stick with the front pack and see how I go.

The tarmac goes on and on, I reckon the first mile or so is road. Eventually we reach the bottom of a rocky track and the climb to the top of Bradwell edge begins in earnest. Now we're fell running. The Pennine runner in front suddenly whips off his vest, tucks it into his shorts and kicks it up a gear, and I realise that this is indeed, or was, Daz H. the tattoo of the Moot Hall on his back begins to get a bit smaller as he starts pulling away, taking a few names in the process.

I plug away at the climb, feeling fairly strong actually, and getting a bit peeved with the guy now in front who keeps slowing to a walk but won't grant me the room to get past on the narrow track. In terms of ascent, this is the only real major event. Once we top out I make it the first job to overtake and then establish a steady rhythm for the remainder of the race.

We curve around another track before a sharp left onto undulating moor land. The views down into the valley to the right are lovely, but no time for sightseeing tonight. I press on and before long we hit another track and begin to descend, a loose gravel covers the road and several runners slow down for fear of slipping. Can't see the point of this, its the sort of surface where being overly tentative actually works against you and increases the chance of a mishap. So its head down and hammer the track. A sharp left and we're onto a steep tussocky field and the sharpest descent of the race, but something strange happens. I start to feel a bit nervous. Usually I would absolutely batter a section like this, descending is the best part of my racing, but tonight I'm really considering the foot placements between the tussocks and taking more care than usual. Has the fall at Calver dented my confidence more than I realised?

Luckily, and I really do mean luckily, I'd made a decent enough job of the preceding couple of miles to open up a rough fifteen second gap between me and the chap behind, and as I flatten out at the bottom of the tussocky descent (passing Stuart Bond in the process - don't get excited, he was only spectating) and work my way around to the playing field finish line the gap proves plenty big enough to hold my position to the end.

I place 15th. Tick. The time? 27:59. Seriously. One second inside my target.

Afterwards, I introduce myself to Daz, and we have a pleasant few minutes chatting. He seems a refreshingly grounded and laid back bloke, and I can see why he's a popular chap in the fell running 'community'. I also grab an opportunity to say hello to Steph Curtis (1st Lady again) who I'm very amused to find out even refers to herself as 'Mrs Noel'. I warm down with a few laps of the playing fields, barefoot (the grass surface was like a carpet). What a great feeling to lose the shoes! I hang around for the prize giving and then its off to the chippy for tea.

All in all, a perfect evening's racing. A hard fought run, great scenery, good company, high spirits...seven weeks is too long but I feel so much better now. Seriously, whether its training, racing, or even walking, when it all gets a bit much, take to the hills and let go of everything else.

Bit disconcerted that the NBs were a bit painful for the last half mile in the heels. Might have to tinker with the setup a bit...

Still searching out some more longer races for the second half of the year. My entry for the Nine Edges Endurance race (20m) went off today, hopefully I'll sneak in before it fills up. It takes place quite soon after we get back from Japan in the middle of September, but should provide an excellent training bridge for Hope Moors & Tors in October.

In the meantime...

Awesome stuff. Very fitting. I had this in my head all the way around the course...

Bad Day At Work

2010-07-29T14:30:00.004+01:00

Really bad day at the office. Thought about reaching for the Talisker. Opted for the Um Bongo instead.

Fells vs Trails. 'Fit to Faff' gets inky...

2010-07-28T09:54:00.005+01:00

Been giving this a lot of thought lately. All of my racing, bar one event, has been in fell races since December 2009. Roads don't interest me, but have I missed out by not entering any trail races?

The one exception to the fell race pattern was the Grindleford Gallop in March, which I suppose was more of a trail race. I did fairly well in that (2:56, 19th on the day, 24th after adjustments) and I really enjoyed it, so perhaps its time to get my trail groove on more frequently.

So I've entered a couple of short trail races for later in the year; Whirlow Hall Farm (4th last year, but its now under the wing of the TRA for 2010 so expecting a bigger and stronger field this time out) and the first ever Sheffield 10k in Endcliffe Park, not to be confused with the Great Yorkshire Run 10k (which is rubbish and entirely tarmac). However, its the distance events that are really firing my imagaination at the moment. Were it not for a fortnight's holiday at the beginning of September providing an interruption to serious training I would have almost certainly entered the Round Rotherham 50. So the next job is to find something equally challenging that I can have a clear stretch at working towards.

Been training hard this week and last, although most of my focus has gone on printing up club vests for the PVPs. We're finally getting somewhere. Wendy raised the issue of nicknames a couple of weeks ago at the pub. I was hoping to get something suitably butch and running oriented; 'Tor Machine' or something similar. I was a bit disappointed when she settled on 'Fit to Faff', in honour of the fact that I like to faff around with logos and vests. A lot. Apparently. Anyway, this printing business is a bit of a pain and I'm bored of it now. I've done the reverse prints and next on the agenda is to get the club badge on the fronts. Then I'll show everybody and hope they are satisfied. Until then, sneak preview...

Cutting out the template. Boring.

Inking up for the first time. I'm a bit worried at this point...

The best thing about my ass? It says 'Porter Valley' on it.

Always time for a jam tart...

Catching Up

2010-07-19T20:25:00.010+01:00

Carl Wark from Higger Tor, Burbage Rocks in the distance to the left

I've been training well this last week and a half. Decent mileage, varied sessions and some good hills. I've also thrown in a bit of general core strengthening work to gain a few seconds. We'll see. Was planning on racing at Sheldon on Thursday but looks like a scheduling issue with Helen is on the cards, so maybe I'll have to wait until Great Hucklow on Sunday. No great shakes, just glad to be out and about and feeling strong again. The new shoes are helping. I'm definitely a New Balance convert. I've even named the blue pair.

Some damn fine brown and so unnamed Fellmonkey shoes, complete with Dark Peak socks

Speaking of which, Saturday's run was a blast. Conditions were perfect. Everything clicked into place, one of those days where you really feel connected to your surroundings and a part of the moors and fells. Spiritual.

I set out for the first four miles with fellow PVP Matt, who is great at pacing me into a sensible rhythm for a decent bit of distance, I tend to hammer it too early on my own. He turned for home once we were out of the Porter Valley and had reached Oxstones. I went solo from Burbage Moor, over to Burbage Rocks and then followed the line of Burbage Edge down to Foxhouse, dropped down onto the Longshaw estate to the top of Padley Gorge before climbing up again to Surprise View and then on to Over Owler Tor. Hoofed it over to Higger Tor, then across to Burbage Bridge, looped round to Burbage rocks again and then back over Burbage Moor to finsih with a fast descent home. So so good. 15 miles, 2000ft ascent.

The route from Over Owler Tor to Higger Tor, which is rising in the distance. Runners of the Burbage Skyline will recognise this section

That makes about 55 miles in eight days, so I'm very pleased. We jumped in the car when I got back and headed over to the Wirral to visit Helen's sister, and I managed a hard five mile threshold session the next day with John which pleased me even more as I usually can't even walk the day after running 15 miles. So I reckon something is working...

Respite in the Lake District

2010-07-10T08:46:00.005+01:00

We spent last week in the Lake District, primarily on a walking break but it was also a great opportunity to get some decent running in too.

I love the Lake District, and this holiday took in a few of my favourite bits by starting in Buttermere, shifting slightly up the road to Borrowdale and then finishing with a brief stint in Great Langdale. Only thing missing was my absolute favourite - Wasdale - but it will still be there on the next visit. It was also Helen's birthday whilst we were away, which meant we had a good excuse to splash the cash in Ambleside and indulge any gear cravings.

Here is the horseshoe of mountains at the SE end of Buttermere. My favourite run of the week was a lovely loop of the lake before heading up Haystacks (the knobbly one on the right), heading over the top across the ghylls and then coming down Fleetwith Pike on the left.

Wainwright noted Haystacks as his favourite of all the Lakeland mountains. Its certainly not the biggest, but the views from the summit are amazing.

It doesn't get much better than a week of camping, running, walking, cake, tea, beer and laughs. I'm a lucky chap. The luck carried on through into the weekend. We got home Friday evening and headed straight out for the latest Porter Valley Plodder social, which this time was a curry followed by a stint at the local beer festival. Good times. Saturday brought more running and then Helen's official birthday night out, cue a house full of guests and another meal and beer session. Good fat times. I'm sat here on Sunday knackered, stuffed and contemplating another run this evening...

Carry on Regardless (and a shameless plug)

2010-06-28T10:48:00.006+01:00

No racing since Calver Peak. The knee took a bigger battering than I realised and its taken a fair while to properly heal. It was 'unstitchable' apparently, as the cuts are more like gouges than splits or tears. Just when I'd got it looking ok I went out training and fell AGAIN, this time into a river in front of a group of six or seven lady runners. They were lovely in so far as they waited to laugh at me until after I'd run off, their giggles echoing through the forest and chasing me home. Apart from a significant body blow to my pride, this tumble also re-opened the knee and meant another few days on the shelf.

The whole incident was a little like a scene from a Carry On film. Helen thought it was hilarious when I turned up at home like a drenched and bleeding Charles Hawtrey. What a sicko.

So, rather than be completely idle while the knee healed again, I headed down to Accelerate and for the first time ever got properly assessed by Stu Hale - gait, posture, foot size and shape. Turns out I'm a bit of a freak with different length legs, widely bowing shins and 'flared' feet. What a week. Not the sort of write-up I'd post on a dating website but hey, nobody's perfect. Stu also reckoned that all the running shoes I've bought over the last ten years were fundamentally incorrect, and were adding to the overall problem of when the old Achilles Tendonitis strikes, as it often does. The upshot of all this was that rather than buy the X-Talons I had planned on (which will only exacerbate the problem), I ended up with a pair of cheaper and apparently far more appropriate racing shoes - New Balance MT840s, which are more of a trail shoe but can also cope with the fells through Spring Summer and Autumn. Two pairs actually. With a 2mm heel lift for my miniature right leg.

So I'm rested, healed, skint, and anxious to get back on the hills and get racing again in the NBs.

Now for the shameless plug. Some of you will know that as well as being a Dark Peaker, I also organise a Sheffield based running club - the Porter Valley Plodders - notable for being the friendliest and heaviest drinking 'athletes' anywhere in South Yorkshire. It has been going rather well lately, and so I felt it was about time that we had a proper website. Drum roll please...if you get a spare five minutes at any time, please visit;

www.portervalleyplodders.com

There will be a lot to add to it over the next few months, kit is on the way and we have another social arranged for 9th July (curry and a beer festival. Now that is a night out.), not to mention the various training runs etc etc. Any feedback gratefully received. Oh, and if any of you are ever in Sheffield and at a loose end on a Wednesday evening or Saturday morning, please feel free to come along and have a blast. You would all be very welcome...

Raspberry Jam!

2010-06-10T11:07:00.010+01:00

Three weeks since I last posted? Where did that go?!

We spent the bank holiday weekend in the Yorkshire Dales, camping at Horton in Ribblesdale which is the traditional start and finish point of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. The campsite was a bit manic, a mixture of Three Peakers, folks just wanting a good weekend's walking (us), and a few groups just out on a weekend jolly that only wanted to sit in a field all day with a can of lager. Each to their own. It was a bit rowdy at night.

The weather was a challenge, Saturday's jaunt up Pen-Y-Ghent was undertaken in thick clag.

Spectacular Views From the Pen-Y-Ghent Trig

Sunday was spent on a ten mile round walk taking in Ingleborough, before throwing on some running gear and doing an eight mile running repeat of the Pen-Y-Ghent route from the previous day. Monday was just a gentle five mile walk followed by a cracking fry up in the Pen-Y-Ghent cafe before heading home. A nice weekend.

Castleton Fell Race
Various training runs through the week culminated in the Castleton Fell Race on Friday, and a bit of a disastrous evening. I won't dwell on this one. I'd had a stomach bug all day and almost didn't show up at all, but I couldn't resist in the end. It was a silly move really as I spent most of the route bent double with stomach cramps having a miserable old time. I placed reasonably but my time was a long way outside of what I should be running. I will just have to go back next year and have a clean run at it.

Calver Peak Fell Race
Recovery run with Ozzy on Saturday, eleven miles on Sunday, and a couple of days rest leading up to Calver Peak Fell Race. Five miles and 900ft. I've had a bee in my bonnet about this race for ages, for some reason I set it as a benchmark when I started scheduling out my races for the year and so I was keen to do well. Calver is a nice little place and a great starting point for a lot of good walks.

There was a decent turnout in what were strange conditions. It was very misty and a constant drizzle was coming down, but it remained quite warm. Definitely still vest temperature. Lots of now familiar and friendly faces at the starting line.

There are two significant climbs; the first right at the beginning and then a really long slow plod up a rocky track about halfway in. However, its a relatively quick race, as these are punctuated by some decent flat stretches and a couple of quick descents. If you like speed and a bit of hard graft then I'd recommend this one.

As ever, the race was won by Stuart Bond, who continues to go from strength to strength whilst remaining one of the most polite, gracious and annoyingly good runners on the circuit. He broke his own course record by four seconds.

I felt that I ran fairly well. I set out to just run solidly, no fireworks. The stomach bug has just about dissipated now, and apart from a bit of a twinge around the halfway point I felt relatively strong. I took a tumble after slipping on a boulder on the last descent which really mashed my knee up. Didn't notice at the time but post-race the pain set in and I realised that there was a bit of blood, or raspberry jam as my brother Tom calls it. (If you've ever seen the film 'Ronin' you'll know what that's about - God bless the inimitable but one-dimensional Sean Bean).

I finished 18th, which is much more like it, and I went home bloodied but very pleased having enjoyed a good hard evening's racing in very pleasant company. Calver Peak is exactly the sort of set-up I like.

Only problem now is that the knee won't stop bleeding, raspberry jam all over the place. Might be a case of getting stitched up I'm afraid...

Race Report - Totley Moor 18th May

2010-05-21T10:46:00.006+01:00

A warm evening for this one, good turnout of 200+ with a big showing for Totley and Dark Peak runners. I Registered, and bought a pair of DPFR-coloured Running Bear socks which appealed much more than the boring Inov8 socks I was wearing. Warmed up, ready for the off.

"You don't want to be stuck back here lad with all us Vet55s" said a fellow Dark Peaker as we lined up to start. As always, I'd inexplicably gravitated towards the back of the pack. I considered this for a moment but it was too late, a whistle blew and the race was underway.

The Totley Moor race is 5.5 miles with around 1400ft climbing. Its a slog and it hurts, but its bloody good fun and you really feel like you've earned your pint at the end. It starts in the cricket field next to the Cricket Inn at Totley. The course starts with a lap around the field, a short road section and then its off up into the hills. First big climb, I'm holding my own. A brief respite as we contour around the fell halfway up. Second big climb, I'm starting to feel it, and I start to lose a few places. We eventually reach the trig, then its off across the top of the undulating moor. I'm recovering ground. We dart off down to the right and start a steady looking descent. A DPFR spectator shouts to me to catch the group of four in front, and this stirs something inside. Suddenly I'm going like a rocket, and not only do I catch them, but I leave them behind. I pass another group of three, and I'm feeling very strong. This is good. We run steadily down through a forested section but then comes the sting in the tail, a very steep climb back up to the point that the first climb finished. I have to cut right back, and the second group I'd just passed overtake me, but over to the left I can see up to where this climb finishes and the final descent begins, and I'm cheered to note that its a very steep and heathery one. I've found recently that I seem to be over-performing in the steep descents. I push on, and soon I'm at the top. Switch the brain off, open the stride out and just hammer it, all the way down. I pass four others. Short road section back to the cricket field and I pass a couple more before crossing the line in 24th place.

Matt (aka Herakles) from the FRA forum was at the finish, nice to finally meet him and have a chat and a pint. The race was great fun and I was very pleased with my run, its also given me plenty of food for thought afterwards; Starting positions, my imbalance in ability between ascending and descending etc etc.

Wednesday was a slow six miler with the Plodders, last night a hard eight up the valley and onto Houndkirk Moor. No training tonight, its the inaugral Porter Valley Plodders social. Beer and curry, we're a classy bunch, also the AC/DC design has been agreed upon so its full steam ahead. Helen and I are walking from New Mills to Edale on Saturday, so next run will be Sunday, probably fifteen miles or so. Got my mojo back, can't wait.

Update: since first writing this some photos have appeared so I've crammed them in...

PC/RC. And Ozzy Does The Burbage Skyline...

2010-05-17T16:49:00.008+01:00

For those in the know, draft club kit above for the Plodders. Although it would mean a slight name change for the AC/DC rip-off to 'scan' properly. Porter Clough Running Club. PC/RC. I like the black, but other members seem to prefer the red version. Anyway, on to business...

I've had a couple of off days with the running so decided to go with the flow over the weekend and not push anything. No idea what is going on with my body at the moment. I ended up taking Ozzy for a walk on a reverse version of the Burbage Skyline.

He was fairly impressed to hear of how we actually run up those Tors with just two legs, but was more impressed with the vast selection of sheep and lambs that really piqued his interest in the day's proceedings. He only wants to play, he really is the friendliest chap. He doesn't understand when I try to explain about farmers and guns. A pleasant trog nonetheless.

Racing at Totley Moor on Tuesday if I can get out of this physical lull. Only significant change to my routine and grasping at straws explanation is that I gave up the caffeine last week. I consume a freakish amount of coffee through the day and it really is time I gave my poor kidneys a rest, but I am JUST SO TIRED!! I'm sure it will pass. I'm off for a nap.

Form is temporary (class is permanent ;-))

2010-05-13T09:39:00.008+01:00

Apologies in advance - bit of a long post this one!

A mixed bag over the last week. I took a few days off from the running schedule folowing the crunchy ankle episode, but on Wednesday I bought a pair of Wave Harriers, and it would have been rude not to try them out the very same day so I went for a gentle six mile plod with the PV Plodders. A few twinges from the offending appendage but on the whole a satisfactory trial. And my word, those shoes are comfy. Well done Mr Mizuno. It must be tough being a cobbler in this recession, but he is setting a very high standard nonetheless.

Rounded out last week with a really good threshold and hill sprint session on Friday and a steady nine miler on Saturday afternoon, which set me up perfectly for a couple of races this week.

Trunce 3 10th May
I set out with the intention of hammering this one and hoping to get somewhere near my previous time from three weeks ago. Something worked extraordinarily well, and I ended up finishing 13th out of about 200 and wiping 35 seconds off my previous PB, running 27 minutes flat. Could have been Mr Mizuno's Marvellous Shoes. Could have been the three quarters of a battenburg I'd eaten at lunch in order to 'fuel up' (there are definite upsides to racing). Could have just been the fact I was in better shape for this one. Whatever, I was really chuffed with the race. You will already know that I love the course and the premise of this race series from previous posts, and I still just can't say enough good things about it. Only problem was that I wrote my own race number out and got it wrong, so at the moment I'm appearing as 'Colin Bostock' on the results page. Muppet. One grovelling email to the organisers later, and it might be rectified this week!

Burbage Skyline 11th May
My first time at this, and as close as it gets to my 'back yard'. A lot of my training is done around this area, so I was hoping for a strong showing. Pre-race was chilly with a couple of brief showers but it cleared in time for the start, and it was a huge and unexpected turnout with around 340 runners. This in turn gave the majority of that 340 a very slow start, as the track at the beginning is not particularly wide and if you weren't placed near the front you were left twiddling your thumbs for twenty seconds or so after the front row had set off. Yes, I was a thumb twiddler.

Anyway, it was clear after the very first river crossing and climb that whilst my head and my heart were up for a scrap, my legs simply didn't want to know after what I'd subjected them to the day before at Trunce3. I resigned myself to a steady canter rather than race pace and just tried to enjoy the course, which was fab. Decent climbs, one particularly barmy descent, some technical sections, some boggy sections, some flat boulder strewn stretches, some darting through the heather and undergrowth in order to gain a few places. Lovely.

The view of the sun setting above the Great Ridge as we ran across from Over Owler Tor to Higger Tor will stay with me for a long time.

This is a lovely race. I ran poorly, as I write this the results have not yet been published but I don't think Stuart Bond will have been glancing nervously over his shoulder for me. Nonetheless, I've found a sort of peace with myself and my running that I never used to have when I ran on the roads. Last year, if I had a bad race I would obsess and worry about it for weeks afterwards, analysing what went wrong, why it went wrong, what I must do to fix it the next time. But now, if I'm aware its going to be a disappointing day at the office I'm content to sit back and just enjoy the comradery and the incredible surroundings. Perhaps I've grown up a bit. More likely is that fell running is just a better fit for me. There I am on the left in the silly white shorts; calm and serene. And knackered. And apparently a midget.

Didn't run with the Plodders last night but met a few of them in the pub later on. I might have finally persuaded them to take on my AC/DC inspired logo for the group when we actually get around to ordering some vests. Highway to Fell. I'm quite enjoying being a Dark Peaker and a Porter Valley Plodder at the same time.

All pics courtesy of DPFR website www.dpfr.org.uk

Things that happened this week

2010-05-04T13:10:00.003+01:00

Not a lot really. I was training well following Kinder Downfall; hard nine miles on Tuesday, steady five and a half miles on Wednesday, Very hard threshold four miles with hill sprint session afterwards on Friday and a solid eighteen miles on Saturday.

I damaged my ankle on the long Saturday run, there was an audible 'crunch' as I misplaced my footing on a large stone and ended up with my toes almost touching my shin near Stanage Plantation. No serious or long term damage but it is quite sore so I'm giving it a rest for a few days. That means no Tiger's Todger race on Wednesday, which is a shame but there you go. It also meant that my plans for some further serious mileage over the bank holiday had to be set aside. Ah well. I took comfort in some retail therapy and large pieces of cake in Hathersage yesterday instead so its not all bad. And lets face it, we all need ANOTHER Rab trail top don't we?!

Race Report - Kinder Downfall 25th April

2010-04-26T14:26:00.006+01:00

Another first for me, and a bit of an experiment really. I can do long and slow. I can do short and fast. But can I do medium distance with some serious climbing? Balancing out speed and distance is fairly straightforward in a road race but a different beast entirely on the fells, especially when you don't really know what to expect.

The Kinder Downfall race is just short of ten miles with 2000ft of ascent, the bulk of which it turns out takes place over three sharp climbs within the first three miles or so.

Conditions were a little on the warm side down in Hayfield village, and it was nice to get up onto the hill above Kinder Reservoir to the cooler air. The first climb passed fairly easily and I felt strong although I had probably headed out a little too hard. The second climb was steady but long and I was starting to flag a bit, the third climb I found very steep and hard work. I made heavier work of these early climbs than I should have and ran the next couple of miles along the undulating edge a little haphazardly. Whilst not necessarily losing much ground, I certainly wasn't gaining any either.

However, by the time I had reached Kinder Low I had started to click into gear and I began to run more strongly, catching and passing some of the runners in front of me in an attempt to chase down a 1:25 time as I had promised myself at the outset. This was helped by a very strong subsequent descent in which I threw caution to the wind and encapsulated the 'Brain off Brakes off' attitude. It seems I'm great at going down the hill, not so hot at going up!

Ran fairly well back into Hayfield, had to pause to dislodge a stone in my shoe about half a mile from the finish(!) but all in all was very pleased with my race. Don't have the official time as yet, but I'm pretty sure it was fractionally sub 1:23.

As an event, the KD is brilliant. Very well organised and marshalled, beautiful surroundings and a good varied field of runners. Nice to see some now familiar faces and meet a few new ones too, all of which added to the charm of the occasion. Definitely one for the calendar next year.

Race Report - Trunce 2 19th April

2010-04-20T20:07:00.004+01:00

What a great race. Well, series. The Trunce is a nine race series based in Oxspring just outside Sheffield. There are no team prizes, the concept is that each runner is given a number 'for life' and their results recorded and monitored on an ongoing basis. Points are awarded for the highest finishers, and an extra 10 bonus points go to anybody that runs a Trunce PB at any point. I like this concept, it means you could finish last and still score points.

You keep your number indefinitely, so for the 2011 series you can score bonus points for beating your 2010 time and so on and so on...

Only 4.25m and about 550ft of ascent, the whole thing is a blast from start to finish. There are three river crossings, which were mercifully straightforward yesterday but can apparently be a lot more difficult depending on the weather. Accordingly, there are only three real moderate climbs of note, of which the second was probably the most difficult. The rest of it is a fast paced bash across fields and tracks with a mandatory sprint finish.

I was very pleased with a Trunce debut of 27:35, which put me in 24th position out of 227. I was even more pleased to meet some more new faces and be a part of a really friendly but competitive event. Although you wouldn't know it with how serious I look in the picture. On to Kinder Downfall this Sunday!!

Race Report - Herod Farm

2010-04-17T14:21:00.005+01:00

A recovery run on Monday to alleviate some of the aftershock of last weekend's little odyssey eased me into Wednesday and the Joe Barber Herod Farm race in Glossop. First time at this one, and my first race as a Dark Peaker.

Three miles and 1200ft of ascent, split between two climbs. I was a little surprised with the pace, once the first climb was out of the way it was a mad sprint down the hillside with no time for getting yourself together and taking stock at all. The second climb was VERY steep and VERY long, and it hurt. Again, there was no time to really reflect on this at the time as the pace was so frantic. Pausing for just a few seconds lost several places in the race order.

A dash back down the hillside brought us to the finish, it was all over very quickly. I managed to scrape 29th position in a time of 28:45 (fourth DPFR home). I was reasonably pleased with that. I won't list my excuses, suffice to say I wasn't at my strongest, but my target at the outset was top thirty so I can't grumble (for once!). Stuart Bond won by a whole four light years.

Really well organised and marshalled. It was also nice to put some faces to FRA forum names / pseudonyms. I met IanDarkPeak, Grouse, TurboTom and a few others. I also identified retrospectively 'Mrs Noel'. My hamstrings have complained terribly in the days afterwards, and my bloodied shin revealed an eight inch gouge once showered down (very proud of that one but I'll spare you the pictures!), but it was a really great evening.

I've rounded out the week with a good paced seven miles on Friday, slow and steady twelve this morning, and I'll probably chuck a couple of miles in tomorrow. Trunce 2 on Monday!

They're trying to make me go to rehab...

2010-04-12T14:25:00.002+01:00

...so I said OK. I've over-complicated this whole achilles tendonitis thing and got myself in a bit of a spin about what is essentially a straightforward and treatable injury. So I've cut back this week, running Tuesday (seven miles steady), Wednesday (four and a half miles slow), and Saturday.

Oh, Saturday. My 'Rehab' run, where I was supposed to start seeing the benefits of the calf exercises and achilles stretches, and debut the Sorbothane heel inserts. I planned a twelve mile route, dubbed it 'The Winehouse' and set off full of hope.

It was good going at first. Very enjoyable, very hot. At about the ten mile point (Stanage Pole) I paused for a drink and got chatting to a group of lady runners (I swear it was coincidence that I stopped there) who were heading for Grindleford. And I thought, "yes, that's the spirit. Lovely day, why don't I get some proper miles in the bag?" or words to that effect. So I extended the run on an ad hoc basis, heading for Hathersage instead of home.

By fourteen miles, whilst experiencing no discernible heel pain, the negative effect of the inserts had really kicked in; the shift in pressure within the shoe meant that I had been unwittingly running almost entirely on the balls of my feet. My big toes were like mincemeat, quads were totally butchered and the final few miles home were absolutely agonising. I ditched the inserts at about sixteen miles. Total jaunt was about eighteen and a half miles with 3000ft ascent. I felt awful afterwards and a bit daft for deviating so far from my original plan on what was supposed to be a steady and manageable rehab run.

Steep learning curve this fellrunning.

Next adventure: Herod Farm on Wednesday. If I've got over Saturday!

Man-Flu and Achilles Trouble. Not Related...

2010-04-05T17:51:00.005+01:00

A bit of a strange week. I've noticed my heels have been aching first thing in the morning and straight after a run, and have self-diagnosed the possible early stages of Achilles Tendonitis. You are at risk of AT if you;

Have recently significantly upped your hill work. Tick.
Have been breaking in new shoes. Double tick.
Have particularly weak calves. At least ten ticks right there.

I have really weak calves (see the Grindleford Gallop post), brought about through years of running on flat roads where the only ascent was the climb up onto the pavement, and also even more years of ankle break followed by ankle break...oh you get the idea. Fell running has put a bit more steel into my legs but I'm still very much a work in progress.

Cue the steaming of the heel cups in my Inov8s, purchasing of heel inserts and a new add-in to the daily exercise routine, focusing on the dorsiflexion of the foot over a step and the subsequent building up of the calf muscle (hopefully).

But the terribly serious news is that this week I succumbed to deadliest Man-Flu, and have spent a large proportion of my time in bed. Obviously this has hampered my running and I've only managed about twenty two laboured miles all in all. Still feeling a bit rough. I was planning on doing some races 12th April onwards, but might shove those plans back a week to get some proper post man-flu running recovery done. Scrap that, I'll probably show up anyway!

Oh, and one final nice thing, got an email this week from the chap at Dark Peak Fell Runners confirming my registration. So its all good.

Training...

2010-03-29T13:29:00.002+01:00

A decent week then, although no pics; Sunday's ten miler followed by a hard threshold three miles on Tuesday with added hill sprint session, PVP run on Wednesday of around four and a half miles, a bit of a break and then a lovely sixteen mile stretch on Saturday from home into the Peaks via Porter Valley, Foxhouse, Longshaw, Surprise View, Over Owler Tor, Higger Tor, Stanage Edge, Stanage Pole, then down past Redmires Reservoirs and through Lodge Moor and Fulwood back home. Saturday's views brilliant. Took the camera. Batteries dead. Useless.

DPFR and a Return to Form

2010-03-23T10:20:00.010Z

Hooray! Things are returning to normal. After a laboured five miles up the Porter Valley on Saturday, your somewhat unmotivated reporter was dragged out of bed on Sunday at 7.30am by Helen's sister's husband, who also happens to be a former international runner. Cue a strong and fast ten mile blast up the valley, across to Lady Canning Plantation, across Burbage Moor and then over towards Lodge Moor and Fulwood before returning home. Trails, fields, moors and hills...I was totally absorbed and felt much more like myself again.

Just the kick up the arse I needed.

So much so, that I finally popped down the road later on and put in my application to Dark Peak Fell Runners, which was about a year and a half overdue. Not an earth-shattering revelation I appreciate, but its been a bothersome decision for a while given my obligation to the Porter Valley Plodders, having set the group up in the first place. But I've decided to continue to 'organise' the PVPs on a Wednesday in its present format, and run 'properly' for DPFR as my main concern. So hopefully I'll soon be donning the famous peat coloured vest...

Feeling Sluggish

2010-03-19T16:24:00.002Z

After last weekend's japes I was a bit unsure as to how to approach this week, and so just decided to play it by ear and run if and when I felt like it. So far, I pounded out a fast five miles on Tuesday, and a recovery pace four and a half miles with the PVPs on Wednesday. Since then, absolutely nothing, and my legs are insisting that it stays that way.

Hopefully I'll have a bit more zip in my step tomorrow and can get out on to the moors. Helen's sister and family are visiting this weekend which is good news - John is a great runner and we usually make time for a bit of a blast whenever we get together. I need a bit of motivation...

Grindleford Gallop

2010-03-15T09:46:00.011Z

A great day!

Set off at around 8.45am with Matt and Joe from next door, who had kindly offered a lift and moral support duties. Arrived in Grindleford around 9.15am to find the pavilion area very crowded with runners all busy registering. Got my dibber and race number and had a gentle jog around the field to loosen the legs. The low-lying cloud and mist that had looked rather threatening on the drive over had dissipated by this point, and conditions were slightly chilly but clear (perfect for me). Then it was over the road for a few light stretches and the start of the race.

I had planned on a rough 3 and a half hour schedule for this one, and had scribbled my target splits on my hand.

The first few fields were a bit stop start, the narrow stiles and footbridges were not built with a few hundred charging runners in mind, but by the time we reached the foot of the first climb up into Eyam the pack had already stretched out a fair bit. A decent (and deceptively long) first hill, followed by a brief respite as we descended into Eyam and Checkpoint 1. Quick check, good news, I was four minutes ahead of schedule. Also, my parents had come along to Eyam to cheer me on, which spurred me on into the next section.

After an uphill walled track out of Eyam, I eventually got to the bottom of Longstone Moor, by which point I had started to click into gear and feel properly warmed up. The route across the moor was actually a slow and gradual climb with a fantastic view from the cairn at the top and I really enjoyed this section. By the time I hit checkpoint 3 I was a full thirteen minutes ahead of schedule and having a blast. Even better, the course between checkpoints three and four consisted of a long and steep descent followed by a couple of miles of Monsal Trail, the old railway line (and therefore flat as a pancake). Flew through this section, then stuck to my plan and paused for a minute at checkpoint 4 (approximately halfway) to take on fluids and some pureed banana.

So far, so good. Just before the very steep climb out of Bakewell I came across my brother and his fiance who had turned out early to catch me running by. Tom ran along with me for a couple of hundred metres and let me know that I was sitting in about twentieth place overall, and I told him he must be mistaken, there was no possible way that I was that far up the field...

The climb out of Bakewell was a right sod, and I ran straight past checkpoint 5 at the top before a kind walker shouted me back to point out I had missed it. Phew! Ran back, dibbed in and pressed on towards Edensor. Started to feel a bit of cramp in my calves around here but quickly stretched it out. I also saw Paul, a colleague from work on this section who was walking the course. We exchanged brief "How's it goings" and status updates (he'd set off at approx 8am as the walkers didn't have a fixed start time, he was ahead of schedule and going strong), and then it was on to Edensor, Chatsworth and eventually Baslow where I was pleasantly surprised to see my parents again who had driven over from Eyam. Baslow was checkpoint 6. I was about twenty eight minutes up on my schedule at this point and feeling pretty good.

I had been warned about the climb up from Baslow village to Baslow edge, and although I have walked it in the past it was still a bit of a surprise killer at this point and it took a fair bit of effort. I cramped up in my calves at the top of the climb again and lost a couple of minutes stretching them out. The first half of the run across the edges was tough, but I eventually found a bit of rhythm and ended up really enjoying this section by the time I had got to Froggatt Edge.

The last mile and a half, although almost all descent, was a bit tough. Matt and Joe were watching about a mile from the finish which was a nice final boost before heading down through the woodland, and then a track in to Grindleford village. When I hit the road at the bottom my legs seized up entirely with cramp, and I ran/hobbled (rabbled?) the last 150 metres or so. Lots of smiling faces at the finish made it easier.

Finished in 2:56, a whole 34 minutes ahead of schedule. My printout at the finish puts me in 20th position, but subsequently I've dropped a couple of places to 24th according to the website. A few people missed checkpoint 5 entirely and so were discounted, but were then added back in, which I think accounts for the difference. (It was a daft place to put an unmanned checkpoint, and had I not had it pointed out to me by a walker I wouldn't have noticed it!)

The post-race set-up at Grindleford was first class; great food, drinks and cake for all the runners and a really nice way to close proceedings off.

Once back home, my parents and brother were waiting at my house, and we headed off to the pub to celebrate a job well done, and I include everybody in that. Family and friends have been very kind and supportive, and it made a real difference on Saturday.

The Grindleford Gallop is not run under FRA rules, and some don't even class it as a true 'fell' race (there are a couple of road sections, but on the whole I think I disagree), but I would recommend this one to anybody and I'm looking forward to doing it again next year.

But what was with the calves?! My water had a nuun tablet dropped in it, but I think I just didn't drink enough on the day. Half a litre over twenty two miles seemed ok at the time but might have been too little in retrospect. Cramp has never been an issue before.

That wasn't brief was it?! And no photos yet! I'll post some pictures if and when they surface...

Tapering

2010-03-06T20:58:00.004Z

A decent running week - hard eight miles on road on Tuesday, steady 4.5 miles with the Plodders on Wednesday, very fast threshold 3 miler on Friday evening and a pleasant (and unintentionally rather quick) 12.5 miles around Redmires Reservoir & Rivelin Valley this morning. According to the tapering advice on offer at various websites that might be a bit on the heavy side, but thats it now, no more running until the Grindleford Gallop (22 miles) next Saturday. Can't wait!

ps Was pleased to see the HPM was run successfully again, and that the conditions were not too intolerable for those involved!

Kinder Scout

2010-03-03T21:04:00.004Z

Thought I'd share the view from the top of Kinder this last Sunday, the pinnacle of a hard but rewarding ten mile round walk from Edale.

Still a lot of snow up there, brought to mind the HPM which follows part of what was our route, and what sort of conditions the runners might have to contend with. Ozzy didn't seem to be too fussed though, and even found the time to pull out his best 'good dog' pose for this one.

A Bit of a Shocker of a Run...

2010-02-27T20:30:00.007Z

Higger Tor, caught just as the fog began to descend and the snow started to fall

Very poor outing today. I was on a deadline as I had arranged to meet some family, and so set off early intent on getting a good fifteen miles in the bag, returning home in plenty of time, leisurely shower, maybe a cuppa...

First of all, I ran poorly. I'm putting that down to last night's fast seven miler on the roads. I knew it would have a knock-on effect whilst I was doing it, but I felt really strong last night and just saw the whole thing through, convincing myself that with a bit of post-run static stretching I could get my body back into decent shape for a long haul twelve or thirteen hours later. I was wrong.

Things were going okay for the first nine or ten miles, but once I'd got up onto the moor and headed towards Higger Tor they went pear-shaped all too quickly.

The fog came down in a matter of minutes, and visibility was reduced to something stupid. I got across to Higger Tor and it then began to snow too, and I decided to cut the route short and get back to the car. I just couldn't see. Once I'd got to the point where the path back to base should be on my amended route, I found that it wasn't actually there at all. Nor could I locate it. Hell, I was having trouble seeing my own hands in front of my face in the fog. To cut a very long story short I ended up lost and wandering on the moor in freezing fog and snow, my legs had totally seized up at around the twelve mile point because of my stupid run the night before, and just to compound my woes even further I ran straight into a bog and ended up waist deep. Now that was cold. And a bit scary.

First time I've ever been slightly panicked when lost. It will not happen again.

I got back eventually, and have rarely been so grateful as to see my little red Golf inching nearer as I legged it back through Ringinglow. Probably got through the intended fifteen miles in the end but not in the manner I had hoped for and certainly not the time. Nonetheless, a valuable lesson learned. Its time I took that mountain navigation course I've been promising myself for the last six months.

A Logo? So It's Real Then?

2010-02-25T17:00:00.003Z

Its official - we have a logo for the Plodders. The Porter Valley is known in Sheffield for the 'Shepherd Wheel', a water wheel dating back to (quick Wikipedia check) at least the 1580s. So that explains the huge wheel in the middle. And its blue, because as we all know, blue is the 'colour' of water. Sort of. You see, a lot of thought has gone into this. Probably too much actually...

This whole post is really just an excuse to get a picture back on to my blog...and also because I'm in the middle of a massive VAT job and its a welcome diversion from the near thousand purchases transactions that I'm currently analysing out. I will be doing this well into the evening - don't ever let anybody tell you that accountancy isn't tremendous fun...

Thought For The Day

2010-02-25T13:16:00.003Z

I'm currently reading 'Feet in the Clouds' by Richard Askwith. In it, he devotes an entire chapter to Joss Naylor, recounting his many incredible achievements and relaying snippets of an interview he was granted in the early noughties. We get many interesting insights, thoughts and tips from the great man, none more so than the dietary secret that fuelled his success over the years;

A LOT of cake, and A LOT of Guinness.

Now that is a plan I can live with!

Getting Behind...

2010-02-24T12:29:00.002Z

I don't know my backside from my elbow at the moment. I've been hammering the training but totally lost track of any sense of schedule or routine. My gran died last week after a short illness and its thrown me completely out of sync (She was my biggest fan - used to come to all my races rain or shine). But I count myself lucky that I've got to 31 and still had a gran, my girlfriend and many of my pals haven't been as fortunate.

What I do know is that in anticipation of the Grindleford Gallop, I've upped the mileage considerably. Last weekend I churned out a twenty miler on the Saturday around the Peak District (2h40mins, I have no fell-frame of reference for if that is good, average or poor!)preceded by a couple of fives and one nine miler in the week. Weekend before that I did a sixteen miler around Ladybower and Derwent reservoirs, preceded by a similar midweek bunch of runs. So all in all, looking alright for 13th March at Grindleford. If I can get round in three and a half hours I'll be satisfied. Also entered the Dronfield 10k for the week after.

The 'Porter Valley Plodders' continue to go from strength to strength. We've got a really friendly bunch of runners of various abilities, and everybody seems to be enjoying themselves. I'm getting a lot out of it. They are all looking forward to the lighter evenings when we can get up the valley and out into the Peaks rather than trogging round the roads. I offered to lead a headtorch run but no takers just yet...

Other random thoughts this week:

1. A purely fell-based 'club', primarily for banter and races. Alex likes 'Highway to Fell RC' (Red and Black) but I'm now erring towards 'Fellhounds'(White and a bit of Brown). Don't necessarily train, just have an identity, vest and some adventures...run it over t'interweb...

2. Must start taking the camera out again. Its a good excuse for a breather on those longer runs!

Updates...

2010-02-04T10:31:00.002Z

I'm getting behind with updating on here! Last week - 4.5 miles with the Plodders, hard 8 miles on Thursday, est 11 miles around Penicuik on Saturday and then lord only knows on Sunday - 5 or 6 miles up the Carnethy mountain on the outskirts of Penicuik. And I really mean UP the mountain. Thighs like quivering wrecks for a couple of days.

Supposed to be out with the Plodders last night but the sudden snow brought town to a standstill and meant I got home a full two hours later than usual. So, I'll have to make up for it with a decent slog tonight! On a side note, I'm dead chuffed with the Plodders rate of growth. Its shaping up to be a 'proper' club now, and if we carry on along these lines we might consider affiliation in the next couple of months.

Entered the Grindleford Gallop last week, 22 miles undulating trails and fells on 14th March. Can't wait. Was thinking I might go for the Sheffield Half as well in May after a couple of years absence.

Weekend Shenanigans

2010-01-25T16:19:00.002Z

Good weekend for running - 8 miler on Saturday around Lady Canning Plantation and then a 12 miler on Sunday from home to Redmires Reservoir, Rivelin Valley, Wyming Brook and back home via Lodge Moor. Helen was visiting a friend in Brighton so I was out two days in a row! Sunday was a good route with bits of road, trail and fell all thrown in. Forgot the camera again though so another boring post! Going to get some races entered this week, not running again now till Wednesday's club plod...

Weekly Plods

2010-01-22T12:39:00.002Z

Evening runs this week; Monday 8.6 miles on road, Wednesday steady 4 miles on road with the PVPs, Thursday above race pace 4 miles on road with hill sprint seesion afterwards. Looking forward to getting out onto the fells this weekend!

Flood!

2010-01-16T12:21:00.003Z

What's harder to run in than thick snow? The ice-cold floods when the snow melts! Set off on a repeat run of the New Year's eve plod from Hathersage today but had to abandon the intended route only a mile in. The footpaths were deluged in water running down from the fells and thick snow-slush. Couldn't feel my feet. Diverted at Bronte Cottage to take the hill road up toward Bamford Moor and then across to Bamford, past the train station, before taking the main road back to Hathersage. 6.6 miles, 1170ft of ascent and mild disappointment, but a decent run-out nonetheless. Need to get some longer slogs under my belt though, like last week's 11.5 miler.

Weekend Runs

2010-01-11T13:26:00.005Z

Covered some miles this weekend. Ran to Foxhouse & back on saturday (11.5 miles) and then a circular route taking in Lady Canning Plantation solo on Sunday (8 miles). Snow still a big issue, ran into some thigh-high snowdrifts on Saturday and some of the regular paths on the moors have completely disappeared. The Hathersage Road from Ringinglow is still closed.

Whiteout

2010-01-05T15:50:00.008Z

Total whiteout today rendering the journey to the office impossible. Spent the morning going through some book-keeping and working on my whizzy new news feed for work before heading out at lunch time for an exploratory run to see what state the surrounding area was in.

Some of it was lovely, like this view heading up Porter Clough.

Some of it was a bit disconcerting, like the view of my intended route across Burbage Moor.

But it mainly just confirmed that this side of town was at a complete standstill! (that car had been abandoned!)

Route: From home, up the Porter Valley, up Porter Clough, right onto Burbage Moor, Lady Canning Plantation, Causeway, Ringinglow, Alpaca Farm, down Porter Clough, Left into Mayfield Valley, back down Porter Valley and home.

The snow is about a foot thick but the running wasn't as hard going as I had anticipated. All this fell running must be doing some good! Showed the importance though of knowing your area well and doing a thorough recce of it first if not, I have run these routes for a couple of years and it was meaningless at times in terms of navigation and bearings. Still, made it home safe and sound. Now for some more book-keeping (yawn).

World Record

2009-12-31T16:12:00.001Z

Think I set a new world record today for slowest ascent of Stanage Edge ever. There were a couple of true mountain lions bounding up the cliff in the distance so the challenge now is to get up to their pace without a) oxygen, b) sherpas, c) air ambulance.

Still, good long route today with great scenery. Misjudged the temperature a bit and began to overheat a third of the way up, and ran into those familiar pacing issues again in the early stages but all in all a good morning's work.

My destination...Stanage Edge. The snowline is pretty apparent in these parts!

Once at the top, where some of the snow was knee high(!) I descended along and then underneath the edge, and had a great view back across it, pic below.

So, rough route: started at Hathersage, headed across to Bronte Cottage, up to Green's House then right and down into the valley, up the other side and on to Stanage Plantation. Then up onto Stanage Edge, ran along the edge for a bit, then left turn to descend but followed footpath instead of Long Causeway. Sharp left down to Dennis Knoll(great for cutting loose and descending fast) then back down to Green's House and down and up the valley for the second time. Then hung a right and headed down to the North Lees Estate, across to Cowclose and back on across the fields to Hathersage. Coffee and flapjack to celebrate the New Year in style and a look round the shops!

Christmas Cobwebs

2009-12-27T23:02:00.000Z

Ran a cracking circuit of Ringinglow, Fox House, Surprise View, Over Owler Tor, Higger Tor, Carl Wark, Toad's Mouth, Burbage Rocks and back to Ringinglow this morning (Start OL1 2983). No marathon, but a great way to blow out the Christmas Cobwebs nonetheless. Plenty of snow and ice on the ground to complicate matters and a light snow flurry atop Higger Tor (great views from there as ever).

Lots of walking Christmas well-wishers as I ambled by!