Edale Skyline Fell Race - 25/03/2012

To follow...

Training to 23/03/2012

Working away up the scree gully on the Wrekin

So, after the excitement of Lad's Leap I headed off to stay with Zoe in Upton. She's doing the London marathon on April 22nd so she has been building her mileage with long weekend runs at just slower than marathon pace. We aimed to do 20 miles at 8:53/mile, but I got the pace wrong so we ran at 8:13. This pretty much did for me - after the previous day's race I was feeling tired by about mile 9 and just about managed to keep going to a HM PR of 1:49:41 (but it was pretty damn hilly!) Anyway I ducked out at her brother's house after 15.2 miles and 400' of climbing (total time 2:10). Zoe had a really good one, powering on to her 20 miles still at 8:13s.

That took a little out of me, but I turned out on Tuesday night, where Dr Tim volunteered to lead the run on a route of his devising. This seemed to take us over/round the Bowdler Hills and into the area I would technically term "out back". I wasn't quite sure where we were, I know we crossed the Wenlock Road a couple of times, but it was a nice steady run, cruising along chatting most of the time. I'd do the route again in delight just to work it out! Thanks Tim for a good 7.2 miles and 1,200' in 1:26.

Tim's route - the numbers are quarter miles so 24 is 6 miles in.

On Wednesday I managed to get away early enough to reccie the Wrekin Fell Race route with Em. We had a lovely steady run, just cruising around and messing about. Em was trying her new Merrell Pace Gloves (a very minimalist shoe) out. We ran over the Ercall, not quite getting the route spot on as we descended, but noting where we should have gone for the return (it's an out-and-back race). Then a steady churn up the scree gully and then the main drag to the top...

At the summit with Needle's Eye Rocks behind

Em doing the palm tree yoga pose on the view indicator

Erm, yes, we're not brave enough to try this on the trig column!

A nice steady run down an a bit of a blast of the top of the Ercall led us to this amazing tree, lit by evening sunlight. We both had a bit of a climb around...

x-Talons are excellent tree climbing footwear

... then ran down to the Wickets for a cooling pint of lime and lemonade. 5.1 miles and 1,500' in 1:09.

Deadlines were pressing at work all week, so it was good to knock off at had five on Friday and head back to Stretton, getting a quick run in on the way home. I went up Townbrook and then down the first mile or so of Ashes, before doubling back up the side valley to Pole Cottage. From there it was over the top and out past Shooter's Knoll to the summit of Calf Ridge and on down to Mott's Road and CMV. 7.7 miles and 1,500' in 1:20. I felt just about prepared for what was to come after this...

Lad's Leap English Champs Fell Race - 17/03/2012

Climbing up the first ascent (photo: Ian Oates)

Crumbs, mid March and this was my first fell race of the year! I went up with Colin Williamson, who might be having another crack at the MV65 champs. There was a great Mercia turnout, and we watched our four ladies start before warming up by running round the bottom loop. As I was coming down from the warmup the ladies were finishing so I gave Mel a good shout up as she came in.

We got ready to start, and we could see Susan and Kim finish for the ladies just before we were off. I probably lined up a bit too far back, and David M and I were both held up a fair bit on the first ascent. Tis was pretty steep but one of those half and half running and walking slopes, although today it was pretty much all walking :-(

Long train of "runners" heading for the skyline - I'm in there somewhere,
stuck in traffic (photo: Ian Oates)

Once on top it looked like there was going to be some good quick running on a peaty single track. This was quite firm in places but quickly degenerated into ten yards of running followed by one stride into a deep hole of black peaty water and a desperate thrutch out to try to maintain a bit of momentum. After a mile or so we descended slightly to Lad's Leap, where the path crosses a stream at a gritstone notch. There was a very short climb out of this and then I found myself 50 yards behind one group and 30 yards ahead of another for another mile across the rough wet trail.

At the end of this a marshall directed us down a short steep descent, where I finally got myself moving a bit and caught the group in front (I could see David at the head of this). After a nice technical half mile of running under a rocky edge, we headed up a wide forest track. This was a really tough ascent, maybe around 1:6 and so rather runnable. I finally ran out of steam a couple of hundred yards from the top and had to let the group I'd caught up go while I walked a short section.

Running along under the edge
(Photo: "Shaun")

At the top we joined the outward route for half a mile and then launched down the final descent. This was really good, and I ran it pretty quickly under pressure from another runner. Shame someone walked across my line right in front of me at the stile and straw bales, I had to wait and yer' man ran right past. Anyway I was happy enough with the result of a not-quite full on effort: 1:05:58 for the 6.1 miles and 1,650' of climbing which put me in 237th out of 309 men.

Training Update to 15/03/2012

An interesting couple of weeks!

Started off the day after the Circular (Sunday 4th March) with a nice run around Little Stretton with Lucy. We ran over to Little Stretton along the woods path from her house, then up Ashes Hollow as far as the Valleys Descent. Then we climbed up the south side of the valley a hundred feet or so and took Andros' Trod round to Small Batch. We took a nice little traverse out to the Callow / Grindle col and then the path up to Barrister's Plain. Lucy wanted some descending practise so I led down the Valleys ramp fairly quickly - she made a good fit of that despite it being pretty cut up and wet, and then we sailed down Ashes via the ravine rather than the easy higher path and back to Lucy's for a well earned cup of tea and a warm up. 6.5 miles and 1,200' in 1:11.

Tuesday night's run was a trip through the woods to Little Stretton, then the climb up Ashes, but forking left near the top into one of my favourite side valleys to come out at Pole Cottage. We ran over Pole Bank and back via Boiling Well, the top of Synalds and Townbrook Hollow. 7.5 miles and 1,450' in 1:25.

On Wednesday 7th I made a bit of a training cock-up. Em's been experimenting with minimal foot ware, so I got my beach shoes out for a short run, heading up the bridleway from Affcot and then along the road to Upper Dinchope and back down to the ford, thence home. Unfortunately it was all going swimmingly in the woods and I went a bit too fast on the road to Dinchope (about 7:30/mile pace) and got a twinge in my left calf on the way down. It got worse, I stopped and stretched it and jogged the rest of the way, but the damage was done and it was very stiff and sore the following morning. 3.4 miles and 350' in 0:33.

So the rest of the week and the weekend were a write off in terms of running, I didn't even really get out on the bike, but the calf had settled down enough for a trial run on the evening of Monday 12th. I headed up to Dinchope and then down to Halford in my Peregrines (the kindest footwear I have for my lower legs and feet). On the way back I lost my way in the fields a bit and ended up on a 2 mile steeplechase, but not to bother too much. I passed a few bonfires near Strefford where the landowner was burning brash. Why don't the offer it to people as fuel / kindling rather than just torch it in the fields?? 4.9 miles and 400' in 0:44.

On the Tuesday night, we headed out to Pole Bank via New Pool Hollow, Synalds and Boiling Well. I climbed well up the Hollow, quite pleased with that. On the run out along the Portway we missed the Haddon turning altogether (how do 30 people miss an obvious junction?) and ended up doing a couple of bonus miles, returning to Stretton via Jonathan's Hollow (we missed the top of The Batch by about 50 yards), Cwmdale and Madeira Walk. 8.7 miles and 1,450' in 1:37.

I had a massage session with Dianne on Wednesday 14th, and managed a quick run around and then up Middletown Hill on the way over. Just jogged really, but felt quite pleased with my climbing. I got a bit disorientated on the way down and had to ask a guy at the quarry directions. Moral: take a map even when you go for a short run somewhere you don't know that well. 3.5 miles and 850' in 0:39.

Finally I managed to get to another Sy Tri track session on Thursday. This one was 3 sets of 3 minute, 2 minute and 1 minute intervals, with the 3 & 3 done at 5k pace (whatever that is for me - I did sort of 5:50 to 6:20/mile pace) and then the last one "flat out" (for me this was 5:05 to 5:20/mile on the first, 5:40 to 5:55 on the second - who did the first set too fast again? - and 5:00 to 5:20 on the third, pleasingly). Another excellent session, must try to get up more often, although this may not have been best prep for the race coming up on Saturday. Total of 6.6 miles in 0:51.

South Shropshire Circular - 25/02/2012

In the lead group, traversing after SC2

This one wasn't exactly a target "event" on my list, I more intended it as a steady long run, but sometimes it doesn't work out quite that way.

The SSC is a Marches Area LDWA event which has a very strong following amongst local fell runners. Noel, Sandy and Terry had all raved about it, so I was pleased to remember to get an entry in on time and have a place for this year's event. The format uses a different area each year, with the route only being disclosed on the morning of the event. Each participant is given a route card with directions when registering. This also has the locations of each checkpoint on it. This year there were eight, six self clips (orienteering style checkpoints) and two manned checkpoints with water and sustenance.

The 25 mile / 3,600' course started from Cleobury North and took in a lovely traverse around the north end of Brown Clee and then up to the summit, then a further traverse under Abdon Burf down to the main road. Crossing this, the route up Titterstone Clee (there was a faster going around the hill option, but no self respecting fell runner would do that, would they?). A fast descent down to Cleeton St Mary led to a rolling section through fields and farmyards and on to the second manned checkpoint. From here a steady climb would take us to the top of Abdon Burf, and then down a beautiful descent, both picturesque and fantastic running, and a tough level 2km road section before the final drop back to Cleobury North and the finish.

I had a good start, feeling strong, and ran with the lead group until the first manned checkpoint. A quick bottle fill here saw me away as the front runner - something which has NEVER happened to me before in an event. I managed to hold on for at least a mile before the ultimate winner (or at least the guy who was first home - it's not a race) passed me as we moved onto the open hillside. Nigel Glaze and I navigated off the top together, and located the next self clip fairly easily, but we got caught by a couple of clever folk who spotted that the "around" option was going to be quicker than the "up and over". Never mind, it was a great view...

Walking to the start with Terry Davies (pic by Em) 

10 yards to SC2 at the top of Brown Clee - Lawrie Jones in front

Descending from CP2 - thanks to everyone coming up who
gave me a shout.

Weirdly finding myself in the lead, I thought I'd better take a pic for the
record. On Callow Lane after CP1.

Arriving at the top of Titterstone Clee, a few seconds before Nigel Glaze.

A short bit of disused road led to a rough boggy moorland section and the descent to Cleeton St Mary. The others from the lead group started to pass me here, and my poor patch continued across fields as I dropped off the back of the group, only to be saved when everyone went the wrong way at a farm about a mile short of CP2. This brought the field back together and helped me as I lost only a minute or two when some lost four or five. They soon pulled away on the farm track though, and by CP2 must have had a couple of minutes. I got some energy on board, refilled the bottle quickly and got going, although it was slow going...

Just after the farm where we all got a bit lost!

After a mile or so I had another problem as I'd lost visual contact with the guy in front of me (who was the guy who won, again). I didn't trust the instruction to turn half left after the Old School House and thought I must have missed it, so stopped at a crossroads the instructions didn't mention, and lost two or three minutes reading my map. This section was all uphill, and after a grim clayey muddy slime fest up a byway, we crossed the Ludlow - Bridgnorth road and started up Abdon Burf. I was still struggling, but round a bend the track straightened and steepened, and ahead I could see the lead group again.

This spurred me on and I climbed fairly hard right the way to the top, catching a guy called Richard who'd come up from Wiltshire to run, and nearly catching my friend Adrian Donnelly. On the way off the top I could see Noel, JT, and Dawsy too, maybe 300m ahead. I followed Adrian down to a lovely grassy descent through landscaped parkland, and flew this, passing Ad after a bit. There was a sting in the tail as the route cut left onto a fairly level tarmac estate road, Ad got a better line onto it, came out 50 yards in front, and I had jelly where my legs should have been. I kept pushing on, but the jelly was turning to lead, and I just couldn't catch him. However I held Richard off and ended up finishing in 4:32.

Twenty yards to go! (pic by Em)

JT, Noel and Dawsy coming in to finish. (pic by Em)

As I handed my tally over to the finish officials, I looked around and was very surprised to see so few people "home". In fact I was told I'd finished 7th. There was no sign of my three mates who'd been ahead of me at the top. Richard arrived shortly after me, then Noel, JT and Dawsy - they'd had a nav nightmare on the way down from Abdon Burf.

Anyway I had an unexpectedly good result after a poor third quarter to the event, but I've learned something: you have to get in a good position in the race, but not to panic when things don't go so well because if you keep pushing on as best you can, things sometime go badly for other folk as well, and at different times. You have to be there and thereabouts to capitalise though...

Training update to 23/02/2012

Right! So the week after the Pilgrims' Challenge was pretty much a write off, I really tried hard to stay off running as I didn't think it'd be a great idea after 2 x 33 mile ultra marathons...

Finally on Saturday 11th I managed to get up for doing something. I needed to get my coaching supervised practise sheets signed off, so I volunteered to help Colin with the Saturday training session for his kids' groups. We did a good warm up (1.5 miles), then the kids did two one mile efforts at 5k pace. I joined in the next element, which was four 100 second hard efforts with 150 second recoveries. I ran about 520m on each effort. We finished off with another mile round the field to warm down. (approx 5 miles in 43 minutes moving time)

On Sunday 12th I ran on the Mynd with Tom, Naomi, James, Noel, Paul and Dave W. We did a variant of Andros' route from a fortnight earlier, popping in and out of Ashes Hollow and Small Batch before crossing Callow Hollow and running up Minton Hill. We turned towards Pole Bank and I left the group at Pole Cottage running down to Medlicott and Bridges and then doing a loop out to Ratlinghope as I was a little early to meet my friends for lunch. Found it hard going today... (11.2 miles and 2,420' in 2hr 20mins).

On the Tuesday night (14th) I ran in Birmingham with Zoe, doing a good steady run of 5 miles with about 200' of climbing in just under 40 minutes. I felt quite tired still but wasn't moving too badly according to the Garmin track.

The following day, I had a real head cold, but managed a run home from work. This is around 4 miles with again about 200' of climbing. I felt pretty bad but pushed on and got my reward when I checked the watch and had made it back in just over 30 minutes, so 4 x 7:34 miles which is a really good pace for me.

On Thursday 16th I had a gentle jog around the Ercall with James and Em by way of recovery from all the fast hard miles on the tarmac. We did a very easy 3.6 miles and 630' of climbing in 42 minutes.

After all the relatively flat runs I needed something hilly at the weekend, and I had to get out early, so I was pleased when Gareth posted on Shropshire Fell Running that he and Nathan were planning a run over the Valleys route (but in reverse) starting on Sunday morning at 7am. I set the alarm and woke at 5:30 to a blanket of snow. I'm glad I decided to get moving and go anyway, the snow was worse in Donnington than anywhere else and when I got over to Stretton we had a great run in lovely snowy conditions that didn't really last into the afternoon. Again I didn't feel tip top, but who could not enjoy being out on such a fantastic morning with bright sunshine and soft trails in the snow. We saw Noel and JT out on their Mistletoe Meander run off in the distance, and evidence of David on his dawn Canter recce, but no one else was out until we'd pretty much finished. 12.5 miles and 3,680' (more probably, that's the Garmin) in a nice steady 3hrs 5mins.

21/2 Grindle and Yearlet Tues night

23/2 SyTri Track sesh

Pilgrim's Challenge - 04 and 05/02/2012

A full write up of this amazing 2 x 33 mile ultra run will appear shortly!