Truncated Stretton Skyline - 11/12/2012

The wonderful path down past Callow with Ragleth Hill right in front.

I thought I had the day to myself so had planned originally on trying a Gill Harris Challenge run, but then didn't get up particularly early, so realigned my training idea for the day to a steady paced Stretton Skyline. With all the running I've been doing recently I should ba able to improve on my race time of 4:16 from early September.

I set off at a nice steady speed up Cardingmill Valley. There's still some ice on the paths, particularly by the Lightspout waterfall (I scrambled up the heather here). Just at the turn into the side valley I got a call that I was needed back in Telford, so I decided to cut the session short after Ragleth Hill which'd get me back to town in time.

I kept running right the way on the climb up to Pole Bank, making this point in 34:23, just inside the cut-off, but with some comfort. I took it steady coming down the Callow path too, stopping to take a couple of pictures.

Centre frame are Caer Caradoc and the Lawley, ascents 3 and 4 on the Skyline

I ran the ascent of Ragleth to the stile, except for the steepest 20 yards, and hiked the rest pretty quickly and with no stops. The time to the checkpoint here was 01:23:12, three minutes outside the race cut-off and the easily the fastest I've done to date. If I keep training I'll have no problems here next year. A quick and committed descent got me to Sandford Avenue in 01:37:12.

Distance today 7.9 miles and 1,670' of ascent. I also jogged just over a mile from the car on Watling Street to the race start, so call it 9 miles.