Tuesday Night Club Run - 22/03/2011

Another nice night in the Stretton Hills. Tonight I got to choose the route (thanks Tom) so we went up the Cwms Road, across to Battlestones and then along Hope Bowdler Hill to the Gaerstone, through the woods off Hazler Road and up Ragleth Hill before descending down the Skyline fast descent into Stretton.

Nice weather, light enough to run without the head torch as far as Cwms, stars on top of Hope Bowdler Hill, perfect night out. Oh, and I had another really good run despite a few twinges in the calf from Friday's stupidity.

Route and profile are below:

Stretton Sunday Run - 20/03/2011

The little side valley off Ashes leading to Pole Cottage

After the night runs this week I needed to get out in the daylight, so waking early on Sunday morning was the ideal opportunity to get over to Church Stretton and just run for the pure joy of being in the hills.

Despite the effort on the BG recce, I soon was feeling strong again and yomped up through the Rectory Wood and to the top of Burway Hill. It was raining and there was a bit of wind, but I could see blue sky and thought it'd improve as I went round.

I decided to go up Yearlet, but took the traversing path from the top of Townbrook and then doubled back from the Ashlet Col so I could run all the way to the top. From there I descended the way most runners in the Valleys race comes up. It takes a good few of minutes to go down - you can see why in ascent this hill is so tough at the end of the Valleys...

I ran on up Ashes Hollow toying with the idea of going up the ramp to Barrister's Plain, but in the end I decided to head on up Ashes and then take the side valley towards Pole Cottage. I'd not been this way before but there's a lovely grassy path and some beautiful little waterfalls on the way up. The weather had improved by now and I shed the windproof and ran in my thermal up this idyllic little valley.

Looking back down the side valley - the ridge opposite is Long Synalds

I came out on the road and headed on up to the summit of Pole Bank.

I descended by Calf Ridge (not the rocky Cow Ridge). This has a very steep but grassy buttress which makes for good sport and lands you right at the junction of the Mott's Road and Lightspout paths in Cardingmill Valley. I returned to the car by the ramp path and the Rectory Wood to avoid the road.

Route map as it appears in the Trails app on my iPhone

The altitude (blue) and speed (red) trace from the iPhone

 I did 8.0 miles and about 2,150' of ascent in 01:48 today. The week's total is 36.4 miles and 9,450' of ascent; my four week running total is 115.4 miles and 29,270'.

BG Leg 1 Recce - 18/03/2011

This was another new experience for me - going long (ish) on big hills at night. And what a perfect night for it: cool but not desparately cold, and strongly moonlit.

I ran leg one with Ste, a friend of Owen (the contender we're all supporting). We met at Dunmail just after seven, and Ste gave me a lift to the start via a gear stashing session at Threlkeld.

We got a little misplaced at the start, going over the Greta via the roadbridge at the east end of Fitz Park, rather than the recently repaired footbridge. From here on to the top of Skiddaw, the navigation's straightforward though, and we walked up, enjoying the moonlight and the view back to the lake. Progress was fairly quick, and jogging the flatter bits on Latrigg would have seen us well inside the 23 hr schedule.

We found a trod off the north col of Skiddaw, but not the promised quad bike tracks. This got us down onto the heather above the Caldew / Dash Beck col, where things got rough. I caught my ankle in a drainage channel but there seemed to be no damage, so we pressed on across the boggy col and onto the Dash Falls - Skiddaw House path. A quick look at the map confirmed we were east of Dead Beck, so we jogged down the path 200m to the stream.

From here a trod goes initially up the stream then east onto the south ridge of Great Calva. This was fairly good going and we reached the top of Calva fairly quickly.

Another very heathery section followed descending south east to the Caldew. I started this running, but was slowed lower down as cramp was getting into my left hamstring, just as it had after the really rough bit of the Kinder Trial a couple of months ago.

By the time we set off up onto Mungrisedale Common heading for Blencathra, I was struggling a bit. We missed the wee cairn on the ridge, and contoured on tussocky grass (more cramp problems) above Sinen and the Roughten Gills to reach the blue scree under Foule Crag. This was slippery but easily graded and we were soon jogging along the ridge to the top of Hall's Fell.

It all went wrong again about 200m down the ridge as we missed the turn to the left and ended up going down a spur towards Gate Gill. By now the leg 2 team were waiting at Threlkeld and wondering why we were not in the right place. We spent 20 minutes or so contouring back onto the ridge to the path, and finished about 40-50 minutes down on schedule.

I thought I might hold the others up on the next leg so opted to jog back to Dunmail along the road and wait at the car for them. The excitement wasn't over when I got there though; as I got a call from Owen asking me to relocate to Thirlspot - they'd lost a dog and were coming down from Raise / Whiteside area.

I moved the car and waited as the moon set and then the first light of dawn came into the sky. The guys headtorches soon appeared by Fisher Gill, and I put the stove on so the brew was ready when they got down. The dog was still AWOL, so I helped with the car shuffling so Gav could get off home and a couple of the guys could walk up from Glenridding meeting the rest on top to look for the doggie, then I headed off home.

I got a text later on saying doggie had been found and everyone was down.

In the end I ran 21 miles and climbed 5,700' including the road section. I was a bit disappointed with my performance, but I've had a few really good runs on the trot, and I guess this is much rougher terrain than I usually train on. A few days on I'm not feeling so bad about it now.

Club Run - 15/03/2011

Just a little wander up the Long Mynd again!

This week Tom was back with us (some positive leadership and less chance of getting lost), and he had an excellent plan: Cunnery Road across to Little Stretton, then run up Ashes Hollow and back down Townbrook Hollow. Sound simple doesn't it?

After the first couple of 50m climbs (up the rectory field and then from the road up into Cunnery Wood) I was feeling pretty good. We stopped to regroup on the little plateau above the drop into Ashes Hollow, then ran through the campsite at a fairly sensible pace.

With Chris and Leyton well ahead of the main group, Naomi led us on up Ashes Hollow at a good but fairly sensible pace until the point where it starts to steepen significantly two thirds of the way up. I was feeling good and had the score to settle with this route from having to walk up at the end of Saturday's excursion, so took on the pace making and ran on up, feeling really strong.

We regrouped at the top just before the road, and after a quick (and not particularly clear) conference, decided to go over Pole Bank, so off we went to Pole Cottage and up to the top.

The descent was uneventful (thankfully after missing the same route last week and then having to contend with Paul's broken shoe); I had a really nice chat with Tom on the way down.

Another great evening out on the hills - sometimes I wonder why everyone isn't out doing this!!!

7.9 miles and 1,600' of ascent in 1 hour 35 minutes.

Pontesbury Potter - 12/03/2011

Heel strike horror! Badly lost form on the run in...
The photos are by Rob May of robwmayphotography.co.uk

Firstly, this post is a bit of a landmark - the 100th entry in my blog. Thanks to all of you who've read it or posted comments and encouragement. Through the blog I've kept a decent diary of my training since September. It's the longest period I've been able to do this, and coincides with a considerable improvement in my performances and enjoyment of fellrunning.

Yesterday I participated in the Pontesbury Potter. I would say "completed in" but it's a fund raising hike/run for Severn Hospice, so I guess everyone who takes part wins.

The route is advertised as being 13 miles. I arrived at 0830 and registered, collecting my route card. Unlike most of the events we compete in as fellrunners, you get a detailed set of instructions rather than a map and a set of checkpoints.

Fit, relaxed, registered, ready and clock running! The windproof didn't stay on long once I did get started...

At 0848 I was off, running out of Pontesbury School to the south, through Polesgate. I found the navigation tricky to start with; the directions were not as clear as I felt they might have been and I didn't really know what markers to look for (yellow and green tape on gates and stiles and red/white plastic further on, it turned out). Also I was having to pass a constrant stream of walkers who'd started earlier. From Polesgate, a steady and continuous 2 mile climb took us up from 750' to 1,600' at Shepherd's Rock in the Stiperstones Nature Reserve. By the top here, I'd passed pretty much all of the walkers and only had joggers/runners in front.

On the initial descent, I had a nice chat with a guy who'd run steadily all the way up about 50 yards in front of me, setting a good pace, but then left him as I realised I was descending quite a bit faster. I caught and passed another couple of groups of runners on the descent, then ran into a guy in a Telford AC T-shirt who seemed to know what he was doing in terms of the navigation. With only a couple of very minor mistakes we made it across a very muddy section around Lower Vessons to Habberley.

North east of Habberley, the route climbed into Oaks Wood, and I gradually left my Telford AC friend behind. The next section was the best bit of the route, starting with a steep drop down in the wood which led to a nice traversing (but undulating) single track which I enjoyed and ran pretty hard. This came out across a field at "The Radleth" and then another section of traversing through a wood led to a steep descent to reach and cross Pontesford Brook just below a pretty waterfall.

A final short climb and traverse across fields led to the Pontesford Hill car park and a fast half mile back to the school.

I was pretty pleased with 2:07 - there were a couple of lads who were training for the Stafford Half Marathon next weekend who'd gone round in 2:03. (Now I've had the results I see I was the ninth fastest of around 420 completions - Joe Donnelly was again fastest, and this year went under two hours). It was nice to see some folk I knew at the end: Dave from Church Stretton (who rescued my gloves after I'd dropped them in the Morning After Race, and was marshalling at CP2 on the Valleys last weekend) and Mark Deighton from Newport & District, who'd got round in good shape despite a niggling Achilles problem.

I reckon the route was around 11.8 miles and about 1,800' of climbing: the map and profile are below.

Pontesbury Potter Route (2011)

After a bacon butty and a couple of cups of tea, I drove over to the Mynd and parked up by Boiling Well for a little warm down / easy run, going up to Pole Bank and then down via Barrister's Plain to the Ragleth (2 pints of squash), before jogging very gently back up Ashes Hollow to the car (6.0 miles and 1,220' of ascent).

Assuming I do nothing today, the week's totals are 32.9 miles and 5,450' of climbing.

Cannock Chase Intervals - 10/03/2011

Rifle Range Trig

I had a fairly intense meeting with a client yesterday afternoon and needed to wind down. On Tuesday, Sandy and Noel had been trying to impress upon me the virtue of a bit of speed training (fast 400m intervals). On the basis that they're both quicker than me I thought I'd try it out, somewhere where the running is realtively easy but not so boring that I'd get fed up. Cannock Chase fitted the bill and was on the way back.

I ran my usual half-a-Trig-points route, but this time with a twist. I ran steadily to the Rifle Range Trig feeling quite strong, and the started the intervals. Because I didn't have a measured distance I just decided to do 60 second efforts with 90 second recovery jogs in between. The first two efforts were fairly quick, on the level. The third was downhill and although I tried I coudn't run quite as hard as on the first two. The fourth and fifth co-incided with the climb out of Sherbrook Valley towards the Glacial Boulder trig. Eyeballs out stuff. The final, sixth, effort was on the flat - I put as much effort in as I had with the first but I think the hills had got me.

Satisfyingly I'd recovered my composure, form, and breath within about 3 minutes of finishing, and enjoyed a nice fast jog to the trig and on down. I saw four stag deer just down in the hollow by Brockton - they reminded me of the logo on the club vest, and then of how I'm probably not quite that graceful yet! There's hope for us all though.

This was a good, if hard session. Hopefully I'll be recovered in time for the Potter tomorrow.

7.4 miles; 850' (OS map, but 1,280' according to the GPS); 01:14. Map and profile below:

Club Run - 08/03/2011



Note strange detour towards the wrong valley!

Despite fairly heavy legs after the weekend's racing, I managed to drag myself back from a training session in Warrington to Church Stretton in time for the regular Tuesday night run. This one turned out to be rather more eventful than usual.

None of the regular lead guys (Andy D, Tim Roo, etc.) showed up, so Terry Davies took us up Madeira Walk and over the golf course onto Haddon Hill. Suprisingly, I went well on the hills managing to run virtually all of this ascent fairly comfortably.

We picked up Mott's Road and all was well until Boiling Well where a splinter group suddenly shot off towards Pole Bank. The rest of us were aiming for Townbrook, and I had Paul's stuff in my car, so I wanted to get down in time for his train back to Shrewsbury at half eight.

I led off over Long Synalds towards the head of Townbrook, but somehow managed to turn right about half a mile too soon and Paul and I were soon pretty far down with no sign of the Townbrook Path. The other shouted us but were a long way back up the hill. To compound our mistake, one of Paul's fell shoes chose this moment to give out.

I realised that we were now not far above Ashes Hollow: descending this would have brought us out in Little Stretton with a couple of miles of road to do to get back to the car, and with Paul's dodgy fell shoe I thought it was better to head up and over to the Burway Road where we could jog back down to Church Stretton.

Hopefully that's a lesson learned. Look out for the second fingerpost before turning right onto the col at the top of Townbrook - otherwise you aren't actually on the col.

Anyway, all's well that ends well, we all got back ok and I found and recovered a "Caution Runners" sign that had been accidentally left by Burway Road after the LMV race. A nice pint and excellent steak and ale pie in the Ragleth soon had me sorted.

7.7 miles (I started my GPS half way to Madeira Walk), 1,580' of climbing, 01:41 including stops for navigation and toilets and some walking on the rougher ground after the shoe fell apart. Profile below - second climb is the result of the detour.

Long Mynd Valleys - 06/03/2011



Getting my prize (a special T-shirt) for completing the Valleys weekend,
with Stuart Tromans of Dudley Kingswinford
Picture by courtesy of Alastair Tye: http://www.fellrunningpictures.co.uk/

I wonder how you sum this one up?

It's the first time I've run in a Championship fell race, and I nearly scored a point - 2 mins faster would have done it! I suddenly seem to be capable of running better than my 10 minutes per mile or per 1,000' of climbing rule-of-thumb suggests. For 11.5 miles and 4,500' of ascent that would give 2 hours 40 minutes, which was my target at the start of the day.

For the third race in a row I got the tactics close to right - I started fairly hard to be in a reasonable position where the single track paths start dropping to CP1, then backed right off. There was a lot of walking on the ascent from CP1 onto the Mynd anyway. I was a bit held up here.

I took it easy along the top, very slowly catching Ruth Stafford, but letting Terry Davies get away from me after a short chat. I ran down to CP2 at the bottom of the Barrister's climb very steadily.

Passing CP2 with Ruth Stafford - the strange expression is because
everyone seemed to stop at the stream and I had to take an odd line to
avoid crashing - this meant staggering up the bank most un-photogenically
Picture by courtesy of Alastair Tye: http://www.fellrunningpictures.co.uk/

I found the climb to Barrister's a bit frustrating as I know I can run a lot of it, but we walked all the way: it was hard going when I stepped off the path to pass folk. I nailed the descent nicely past CP3, although I had to run out sideways to lose some speed at one point, and then caught Terry up again by the start of the climb over the Minton Hill ridge. On top I followed everyone else like a sheep and made it a little harder for myself. Their line was more direct then the one I'd recce'd but heathery and only just runnable, I think my route would have been easier if not faster.

Dropping down to CP4 at the top of Minton Batch there was an injured Ambleside runner receiving attention - hope you're ok matey.

The run down Minton Batch from CP4 to CP5 is lovely, and the sun was starting to break through, but I felt a little jaded. Ruth caught me up, and I just tucked in and let myself be swept along for a while. I think the heather bashing might have taken a bit of spring out my step.

From CP5 the first of the bigger climbs took us up Windy Batch and then right into a side valley which is really steep. I felt quite strong and climbed this steadily but without easing off at any point, starting to leave Ruth behind and passing Adrian Donnelly near the top. I followed Kim Braznell (a local runner from the Halesowen club who was first LV55) over the shoulder of Packetstone Hill and down the descent to Callow Hollow. I don't really remember much of this bit except looking across at Callow, which looks impossibly steep from this angle.

The NT must have recently burned off some of the heather and gorse either side of the stream crossing in Callow Hollow - you could still smell it a bit. Once you get over the stream onto Callow, there's a reasonable path and even a few muddy steps, although the ascent goes on for ever (it's actually about 560'). I was quite suprised to pass Gary Gunner, Croft Ambry superstar supervet near the top. There were about 20 clippers at the top so you could clip your number to record passing CP6 on the summit. This was handy as several of us arrived at once. I had a quick look at the watch and realised sub-2:30 might be possible if I pushed on so clipped quickly.

I was the first away and ran hard down the gentle descent to the Callow-Grindle Col. Here I took the advice I'd been given earlier and ignored my recce route, preferring to run the "suggested route" up to Barrister's Plain along the good path. I mostly ran rather than walked and caught another couple of guys on the way up. The descent from BP into Ashes Hollow is awesome - so fast and with soft peaty ground to bang your heels into when you feel like you're slipping. Despite the distance and climbing done by now, I jumped the stream feeling quite elated. Al Tye was here taking photos, and got an excellent sequence of my jump.


This is the best valley crossing on the Mynd - one (large) stride!
Picture by courtesy of Alastair Tye: http://www.fellrunningpictures.co.uk/

A right in the bottom of the valley and a short section of track leads to the start of the Yearlet climb, initially up a side valley, and then a traversing ascent to reach the top. There was a long string of "runners" to guide us up, and a few locals I know at the top lending support, so the trig (CP7) was easy to locate. I passed several more people on this ascent.

From the top everyone drops off initially north east, but then almost all of the runners I was with headed direct towards the steep gully into Townbrook Valley. I decided to take a chance and stick with the recce plan, so continued east over the col and onto the Green Path down from Ashlet. There was no-one on this and it's very fast easy running withou too much strain on the quads, so I could fly down. I overtook someone I took to be an early starter just before the short steep bit into Townbrook Valley.

As I came round the corner I could see three runners on the traversing path above me and to the left, but knew I had the 40' "Little Sod" ascent to do and so I thought I wouldn't be able to catch them. As the paths joined, I tucked in 15-20 yards behind the group and gritted my teeth for the run-in across the Burway Road. 20 seconds later we were at the top of the death-dive towards the finish funnel and I was still a few seconds behind, so I just went for it on the last fifty yards, took my brain out and threw myself down the descent. Luckily I stayed on my feet and I managed to pass all three runners on the way down, just about cleared the river at the bottom and sprinted the 10 yards that were left.


Two runners passed, one (Stuart Tromans, see above) to go!
Photo by John Richards of uksportpictures.com

I'd done it! I was a bit overcome by emotion at the end (not me usually) and it took me a few minutes to get it together again. It was great to stand at the finish and see so many runners I'd passed in the last two or three miles finishing. The Green Path proved to be an excellent route choice as I saw many of the runners who'd been close to me or ahead of me on the way up Yearlet come in two or three minutes after I'd finished.

I wish I'd taken more notice of my splits, but I think I came through CP2 after 52 minutes and CP4 in about an hour and a quarter. I crossed Ashes Hollow between CP6 (Callow) and CP7 (Yearlet) at about 02:06, so I made it over Yearlet and down into CMV and the finish in 21½ minutes. That's pretty good by my standards for 2.2 miles and 680' feet of climbing at the end of a hard race!

My time was 2:27:26, which made me 265th of 378 finishers and 42nd vet 40 male. My percentage score was 65% but it's very hard to get a good score on the Valleys in a normal year, and even harder when it's a champs race. I'll take that. I know there's more potential to realise with a bit more training, and perhaps some speed sessions.

PS: Stuart, if you're reading this I didn't realise it was you I'd passed at the death until after the presentation, otherwise I'd have apologised for nearly flattening you. Sorry mate!

PPS: Week's totals (starting Tuesday, I pinched Monday for last week) were 24 miles and 7,420'. Low mileage is ok given it was a racing week. The rolling four week total is: 112.1 miles (up 1.9 miles) and 27,900' of ascent (up 1,850').

Titterstone Clee - 05/03/2011



Final push to the top, 15 yards behind Rick
All photos by kind permission of Al Tye
http://www.fellrunningpictures.co.uk/

BREAKTHOUGH RACE! I feel like I took another big step forward today, although I think the work has been done over the winter, mostly hard climbing on the Tuesday night sessions. On the first two thirds of the ascent there was a slight element of trying to save myself for the Valleys tomorrow, but that evaporated as I realised I was doing well and keeping up with some runners I always felt were better than me.

I had to dig in hard a couple of times to keep running on the way up, but I could have done more. A good fast start helped though and I got to the top in good shape, a few seconds behind a group with David Jamieson, Stuart Trowmans, Rick Robson and Andrew Mason, and just ahead of Andrew Hearle and Anderson Hirst.

Starting the descent

I was into my running at the summit quickly and passed Stuart, then tucked in behind the rest of the group on the initial run-out towards the dyke and steeper part of the descent. Anderson must have descended to the left and either he's a demon descender or it's quicker that way, because I didn't see him again and he finished 15 seconds ahead of me, after being probably the same amount down at the top!




Into my running and preparing to FLY! 889 is Andrew Hearle, a fellow Mercian



There's a bit of rough ground and a slight reascent the way we went, and I managed to pass David and Stuart here. I kicked really hard as the steeper ground started and passed Rick, hoping I might build enough of a lead over Rick to hold on when the going got flatter. This was a proper committed descent: I love it when you just guide your feet and turn your legs over as fast as you can. It's the kind of ground I like best, rough and rock, but with plenty of grassy places to plant your feet. I was flying, but all too soon the ground flattens and my lack of speed started to tell. Rick passed me just at the little stream 300 yards from the end (I called him a rude name, sorry mate), and from then on I was clinging on to his wake so as not to give away another place.



Fortunately there was enough in the tank and I managed to stay ahead of Gary Gunner, another one who must have had a great descent, as he was way back at the top. I clung on for a really satisfying 14th place (small field though!).

When I finished after I shook hands with Rick and went through the mandatory gasping routine, it gradually dawned on me that I might have had a really good run. There weren't as many people around as I expected. I asked David what his time was (25:23) and for a moment I thought I must have done a good time and finished in about 26 minutes. David had to remind me that I'd passed him. It gradually dawned on me I'd had a really good race... 



I actually finished in 25:10 and my%age score, despite an amazingly fast winning time from Lloyd Taggart (he broke the record easily in 16:42 and won by over four minutes) was 85%. I've never had better than 75% before...

My previous times for this race were 34:23 (63%) in my first proper fell race in 2008, and 32:41 (70%)  in 2010. I've made a step improvement in the last year, and this is really encouraging. I think there's more there - I could have taken 30 seconds off today if I'd run a little more above the dyke on the ascent, and maybe another 30 seconds if I'd used the "quick route", and I'm sure with some speed training I could go faster on the gentler parts of the course. 24 minutes should be realistic for next year if the conditions are ok. Now I know I can do it...

I'm not too bothered how it goes tomorrow as long as I finish and get my T-shirt now - running really well twice in two days might be a bit much to ask.

The Clee Hill race is a really friendly old fashioned turn up and run sort of event, and I really love it. It was nice to see so many familiar faces (Lightning of these parts was out and about doing his stuff, and Al and Pete Douglas photting, Charlie's had his hip replacement and was starter again, Elaine did the results etc. etc.) It's a shame there was such a small field but perhaps that's part of the attraction. If the quality of the beer and pork pies in the Horseshoes gets out then we'll be inundated with runners next year...

Tuesday Club - 01/03/2011

A fairly gentle club run this week in the count down to the rigours of the Valleys Weekend. We headed up towards Caer Caradoc and then contoured around the west face on a really lovely undulating single track path, before launching up the ramp (actually I played it really cool and walked most of the ascent) which comes out a little above the Little Caradoc Col.

We turned almost back on ourselves and climbed to the top of Caradoc - despite walking there were only six of the 20 or so in front of me at the top. The descent was a new one on me: 200 yards south then straight off the edge clambering over rocks at first and then charging down a grassy alp and across a marshy area to reach Cwms Cottage. There's no longer a cottage here, just a stand of trees remains next to the main Stretton - Cardington track. This reminds me of the setting of Pole Cottage. except that's up on the ridge. Cwms is pretty much on the col between Caradoc and the Hope Bowdler Hills.

And it's towards these we headed next, before a quick conflab and the obvious decision to return to Stretton over these. Again I walked the ascent quickly, arriving towards the front end of the group. Indeed from the top of HBH (Hope Bowdler Hill) I led the group down to the Gaer Stone...

The descent from here is brilliant - first a headlong rush, then an emergency brake application to stop for the wicket gate half way down, and then a gentler section on close cropped grass which runs out nicely to the gate out onto the lane. We returned to Stretton via Hazler Road, which is a good deal more civilised than Sandford Avenue.

The route was 5.9 miles and 1,640' of ascent, in a leisurely 1hr 24min. My legs were heavy after the thumping on the Wrekin on Monday, but I felt strong and ran well. There was quite a lot of waiting around and a general easy mood: no-one wants to hurt themself or over train this week before the weekend's racing...

Wrekin - 28/02/2011

I had a very busy weekend doing non-running stuff and sadly never managed to get out for a long run, but did get the afternoon off today. I was still under some time pressure so a jaunt on the Wrekin had to do.

Photos and more route details later but for now I'll just record that I went round from Forest Glen to the Firing Range, then out to the far side of Little Hill. I went up the steep end of the Wrekin and came down the main drag to the top of Beeches, returning to the firing range and then to the Little Hill/Wrekin col. From there I ran back past the bottom of the Goaty path to Forest Glen.

7.0 miles, 2,020', 1hr 29mins.

Week's total (this counts as last week!!): 22.3 miles, 6,950'
Rolling four week total: 110.2 miles, 26,050' (down 9.2 miles, up 50')
Month's total: 110.2 miles, 26,050' (down 6.3 miles, up 2,680')