Sunday, 26 February 2012
Christmas Gill Harris Round - 25/12/2011
As I didn't have any responsibilities to please anyone other than myself this year, I thought I'd celebrate by spending some quality "me time" on the Long Mynd, doing an anti-clockwise Gill Harris Challenge Round. Rising early meant I could enjoy a cooked breakfast and open my presents over coffee before heading over to Church Stretton to start.
The weather was mild, but quite windy, as I headed up onto Stanyeld (via the road up to the golf clubhouse this time). I'd soon got over to Novers Hill where I wondered whether to knock it on the head in view of the strong southerly wind which would be in my face all the way along the highest part of the route. I decided to press on and tried to discipline myself to focus on the next objective rather than the whole of the round, which seemed a little daunting at the time.
In this way I made pretty good progress until just after Calf Hill, where I turned off the Portway a bit too soon and gave myself a few hundred yards of unneccessary heather bashing on the way over to Wild Moor. I soon got my spirits back up with good lines over the very indistinct tops of Long Synalds and Round Hill, before the long trot out to Knolls. One advantage of a Christmas Day round was that there was no flying at the Glider Club, so I was able to run the lovely grassy Portway in both directions on this leg.
Back at the Glider Club gate, I forked right and ran along the Minton Hill ridge down to Shooter's Knoll before retracing somewhat and joining the Valleys race for the descent from below Packetstone Hill and the climb of Callow.
I took a poor line up Grindle from about half way up the path and gave myself more heather bashing, and another bad line off Nills (too far right) and had to traverse through deep bracken to reach the path down to the footbridge in Ashes Hollow.
I climbed Ashlet via the Callow race route ascent which was tough going at the bottom and windy towards the top, but the summit did eventually come. The traverse around and up to Yearlet was very windy and this was the only time I was reduced to a walk on relatively easy ground. It's strange, but it seems to me that the wind can often be very strong on the Grindle, Yearlet and Haddon Hill, and in Cardingmill Valley, and yet quite gentle on the main spine of the Mynd…
I looked at the watch on top of Yearlet and realised that I would probably break the five hour mark, so set off fairly rapidly down to the col at the top of Townbrook. The wind was mostly behind me as I streaked round the easy ground towards the Devil's Dyke, really enjoying the running. A little rise over Burway Hill, and the one an only fall of the day just above the cattle grid got me to the road for a quick final effort into town. I was back in the square 4 hours and 44 minutes after I started, 58 minutes faster than my previous effort!
As I sat on the pavement panting and a little emotional, a lady came over looking concerned and asked me if I was ok. I think she was a little non-plussed when I smiled up at her, said "Never better", and wished her a Happy Christmas.
Thanks as ever to the creators of the route, and also to the friend who's gift of a "We can do it" mug for Christmas gave me the inspiration to stick at it when things got a little tough early on and again on the Callow and Ashlet climbs.
 |
| Glad the men in white coats didn't arrive at this point. What the *** do I look like? |
In this way I made pretty good progress until just after Calf Hill, where I turned off the Portway a bit too soon and gave myself a few hundred yards of unneccessary heather bashing on the way over to Wild Moor. I soon got my spirits back up with good lines over the very indistinct tops of Long Synalds and Round Hill, before the long trot out to Knolls. One advantage of a Christmas Day round was that there was no flying at the Glider Club, so I was able to run the lovely grassy Portway in both directions on this leg.
 |
| Looking very uncertain, not sure why, at the summit of Knolls. |
I climbed Ashlet via the Callow race route ascent which was tough going at the bottom and windy towards the top, but the summit did eventually come. The traverse around and up to Yearlet was very windy and this was the only time I was reduced to a walk on relatively easy ground. It's strange, but it seems to me that the wind can often be very strong on the Grindle, Yearlet and Haddon Hill, and in Cardingmill Valley, and yet quite gentle on the main spine of the Mynd…
I looked at the watch on top of Yearlet and realised that I would probably break the five hour mark, so set off fairly rapidly down to the col at the top of Townbrook. The wind was mostly behind me as I streaked round the easy ground towards the Devil's Dyke, really enjoying the running. A little rise over Burway Hill, and the one an only fall of the day just above the cattle grid got me to the road for a quick final effort into town. I was back in the square 4 hours and 44 minutes after I started, 58 minutes faster than my previous effort!
As I sat on the pavement panting and a little emotional, a lady came over looking concerned and asked me if I was ok. I think she was a little non-plussed when I smiled up at her, said "Never better", and wished her a Happy Christmas.
Thanks as ever to the creators of the route, and also to the friend who's gift of a "We can do it" mug for Christmas gave me the inspiration to stick at it when things got a little tough early on and again on the Callow and Ashlet climbs.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Training Update - to 03/12/2011
Just three activities to report for the week between the Time Trial and the Cardington Cracker.
The Tuesday night run was an ascent of New Pool Hollow, followed by a run up to Pole Bank and back over Haddon Hill, with a descent by the gully next to the Valleys ridge, which was pretty darn slippery!
7.3 miles, 1,540' of ascent and 1 hour 16 minutes.
On the Thursday I took the morning off and ran a really nice recovery run all around (but not up) the Wrekin. Em had planned this one and it turned out to be a great route on a lovely clear morning.
7.8 miles, 1,200' of climbing and one and a half hours.
Finally on Saturday I felt I needed to turn my legs over so I got out for half an hour on the Tricross and cycled 7.3 miles.
The Tuesday night run was an ascent of New Pool Hollow, followed by a run up to Pole Bank and back over Haddon Hill, with a descent by the gully next to the Valleys ridge, which was pretty darn slippery!
7.3 miles, 1,540' of ascent and 1 hour 16 minutes.
On the Thursday I took the morning off and ran a really nice recovery run all around (but not up) the Wrekin. Em had planned this one and it turned out to be a great route on a lovely clear morning.
7.8 miles, 1,200' of climbing and one and a half hours.
Finally on Saturday I felt I needed to turn my legs over so I got out for half an hour on the Tricross and cycled 7.3 miles.
Time Trial - 27/11/2011
 |
| Just getting into my running in Ashes Hollow Photo: John Richards, http://uksportpictures.com |
With the novelty of computer timing this year I kicked off just before Em and headed up Ashes, using the main valley almost all the way to the top and then trying to pick up the Valleys trod. I missed it and had a heather flounder for a minute or two over to the road. I saw Giz on a much better line on the way up and will use that next year...
Down the grassy path from Wild Moor I was really flying, passing Dawsy coming back...
Unfortunately I ran out of steam a little over the hills between Ratlinghope and Hollies Farm, and had to struggle to catch Phil Blatch on the way up to Shepherd's Rock. Em came storming past me just before the top and I couldn't stay with her on the way down, but I had a good run nonetheless and took 11 minutes off last year's time.
Achilles still slightly sore and weak on the last couple of climbs, but improving!
8.7 miles, 1,970', 01:29.
Time Trial Recce - 24/11/2011
Nice steady run over my normal route with Em.
8.8 miles, 1,910', 01:42 (pleasingly pretty much the same time as last year's race time but much easier and with a couple of stops).
8.8 miles, 1,910', 01:42 (pleasingly pretty much the same time as last year's race time but much easier and with a couple of stops).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)