A beautiful day - I have not been out on my bike for a couple of weeks now so head out on the my usual Arnside loop - it's great to be out again. Coffee and cake at Arnside and then head back, it is late afternoon and is getting cold - the soak in a hot bath when at home is great.
Monday 30 January 2012
Work.... - Friday 27th January 2012
Another long work day. Had hoped to get out for a run when I got home but I am tired, it is dark, wet and very cold - shopping at Asda instead...hmmm.
Lunchtime run - Thursday 26th January 2012
A good day - I head out along the river and back along the canal - very muddy in places and some heavy, cold downpours along the way - good to be back out on my local routes.
Training - Wednesday 25th January 2012
Back from London in time for training. Another long, hard session - fartlek around town with lots of hills - great fun !
Tuesday 24 January 2012
London - Tuesday 24th January 2012
Conference and lunch at the Savoy today, it's a hard life. And then meeting up with a mate for beers tonight....training takes a back seat today !
Lunch run - Monday 23rd January 2012
Won't make training tonight as heading to London for a few days so manage to get out at lunchtime instead. usual route, along river to Hawes Bridge and back along canal, it's still muddy but the shine shines, albeit for only a brief time.
A local run - Sunday 22nd January 2012
Decide to run the same route as last Sunday. From home. along river, from Sizergh, onto Scar, across to Cunswick, back to Scar, down to river and along to Hawes Bridge.
It is hard going to start with but I get once on the Scar it gets easier.
About 13 miles and back in just on 2 hours. It all helps.
Crosby Commoner - Saturday 21st January 2012
So a new race in the calendar and Russ has been persuaded to include it as a Club Championship counter - this proves to be a good choice !
Only 10 Helm runners (that works in my favour) head to the small village of Crosby Ravensworth, East of Shap. The race has been organised by Nina and Jonathan and money raised so the for the village school. I am expecting a wet and muddy cross country style race, about 7 miles and only 250m of climbing.
The wind is very strong but it is clear and dry, also the route is surprisingly dry and a lack of mud...at last relatively clean fell shoes.
I set off well, perhaps a little too fast, shouldn't try to stick with Carl Bell. The field soon spreads out and I settle at a comfortable pace. After the initial climb, the route follows the top wall around Crosby Ravensworth Common. Into the wind is really hard going, a bit like being on a treadmill...a lot of effort and not much gain.
A really annoying fellow competitor stays right on my heels, literally on my heels to shelter from the wind - unlike me, I give him abuse and after the third time of almost tripping me I let him know exactly what is on my mind - he takes the hint and drops back.
I race well and finish 4th overall and, more importantly, 1st Helm runner....max points. Kath has a great run and is 1st lady overall and other Helm runners put in good efforts.
The cakes and coffee back at the school are much appreciated and the winners take home very unique, home-made trophies.
A good race.
Early evening run - Friday 20th January 2012
Don't make it out at lunchtime so decide to have a quick zip out after work.
It is dark, a bit wet and very muddy but there is no stopping me today. Head down to Hawes Bridge then along river to Levens Bridge and back along the canal path.
A good run.
Thursday 19 January 2012
Lunch run and then training - Wednesday 18th January 2012
Head out again for usual river / canal route - what a difference a day makes....the mud has returned.
Still keeping up with Billy's group ! We head up to Sedbergh Road and 10 reps to the Castle Green Hotel - this is tough going....maybe I shouldn't have run earlier !
River / Canal Run - Tuesday 17th January 2012
A lunchtime run, usual route along river and back along the canal - the ground is still frozen - good to be out.
Training - Monday 16th January 2012
The playing field is rutted and frozen hard - I take it steady at training tonight, it would be very easy to twist an ankle. as always a hard session.
Scar Run - Sunday 15th January 2012
Head out from home, along the river and up through Sizergh. Onto the Scar and over to Cunswick. back to Scar, down to river and home. Late afternoon runs on clear, cold days like this are great - 13 miles in all.
Coniston Fells - Saturday 14th January 2012
So 5 of us, Steve, Russ, Kath & Lindsay, head over to Coniston for a round of the fell - this is one of my favourite runs.
The weather is great, cold and clear, as we set-off for our first objective, Wetherlam. We move well, onto Black Sails, Swirl Hows, Great Carrs, Grey Friar, Brim Fell, Old Man of Coniston, Dow Crag and Buck Pike - great stuff :-)
Desecend via Walna Scar road and then into the Sun Inn for beer and soup - a good day on the fells with good company.
Monday 16 January 2012
River / Canal Run - Friday 13th January 2012
Sunshine at last, I head out along river to Hawes Bridge and back along canal - it's good to be out.
Barney - Thursday 12th January 2012
Little fella not well....need to get him looked at.......he's on the mend :-)
Training - Wednesday 11th January 2012
A bit different tonight - a strengthening session with the English Athletics Flying Coach - this was hard, using muscles that I'm not used to using or didn't even know I had....interesting though...wonder if Billy will use this in his sessions ?
Wednesday 11 January 2012
A rest day - Tuesday 10th January 2012
No running or biking today - for lots of reasons, today is not a good day :-(
Training - Monday 9th January 2012
Back to Monday night training - it hasn't got any easier. The ground is a little drier than it has been but the going is still tough. I work hard but can feel yesterday run in my legs.
Buttermere Sailbeck Race Route Recce - Sunday 8th January 2012
So Russ and I decide to recce this race; he has run it a couple of times previously, for me it is a race that I intend to run for the first time this year. I know these fells relatively well but a recce is still good preparation.
The forecast is not great, turning worse as the day progresses. So we decide to park close the the Purple House, that was, and start / finish the route from CP 2. This gives us a tough ascent of Sleet Hause and Causey Pike straight out of the blocks, just a couple of hundred metres along the valley bottom as a warm-up.
Still we climb well and make good progress. In and out of the clag on Causey Pike, then to along to Sail and Eel Crag. We decide to take a rough bearing from here, perhaps to rough as we drift a little low and hit the main path coming from the Hause rather than the contour path. As it is a recce, we head up to find the trod and then make good progress descending to Buttermere where, ordinarily the races starts and finishes.
The climb out of Buttermere is up the Newlands Pass road and then a long contour on a muddy trod. A steep climb takes us back onto to the fells and along to our last checkpoint on Ard Crags. The wind had picked up a bit and it was turning wet, the descent back to the valley and the car was very slippy, even Russ's new Inov-8's were struggling to cope.
A good run out, about 3 hours, Russ predicts well inside 2 hours for me on race day. We wash off in the beck, change drink coffee and then head to the Hawkshead Brewery for a quick pint - we're in luck, a new brew - Drystone Stout.....great.
Saturday 7 January 2012
Ride to get breakfast - Saturday 7th January 2012
I can hear the rain...it is becoming difficult to get motivated but the thought of a bacon & egg roll and a latte at More does the trick....I just have a 10 mile ride to get there !
Actually it's not too bad, I head through Prizet, Brigsteer, Underbarrow, Crook and down into Staveley. Breakfast is good and I take shorter route back; through Bowston, Burneside and through Oxenholme.
Not been out on bike for a few weeks and feel it, must make more effort - it is good cross training.
Scar Run - Friday 6th January 2012
A brighter day at last, well at least until early lunchtime....I head out late lunch !
Head onto Scar, there is a heavy drizzle and it's windy but it's good to be out running on the Scar.
Back to training - Wednesday 4th January 2012
So back to training and fortunately a break in the weather for a short period. We head to Kendal Green, 19 reps on Green Hill, then a lap of the Green, 5 reps and another lap...that's enough for me - thanks Billy, the fun has started again !
Canal / River run - Tuesday 3rd January 2011
Mud, mud, mud !!!! So I head off from the office for a run along the river and back along the canal. The ground is wet and muddy and I get caught in a hail storm - can't wait for summer !
Head out again later, Loughrigg Fell. It is a cold and windy night with heavy hail showers - makes me feel alive !
Head out again later, Loughrigg Fell. It is a cold and windy night with heavy hail showers - makes me feel alive !
Whitbarrow Scar - Monday 2nd January 2012
The That's Lyth route has changed a little and so a recce is required. I set-off late afternoon...it is cold, windy, bit wet and very muddy...no change here then.
From Millside I trace the route back through Witherslack to the Memorial Cain on the summit; from here, I follow the new route, it is on paths and tracks I have run before; it seems shorter but no less muddy. Out for about an hour and a half...another set of wet and muddy clothes and running shoes.
Nine Standards - Sunday 1st January 2012
So New Year's Day and I start it with a clear head; this is good, as I am heading to Kirkby Stephen for the Nine Standards Race. I ran well last year, coming 4th overall and, for the first time, 1st MV40....no pressure then.
I have not felt great for a few weeks now but have pressed on with my running regardless...a bit silly really and as I predict this does not bode well for today's race.
Craig kindly drives, we arrive early and the rain is torrential. However, it does ease by 12pm and, although a little windy, the weather is reasonably kind, but, again, the ground is saturated and the mud makes for hard going.
I run okay, but can't keep with Rick (so no chance of being 1st MV40 !), he runs well and picks up this prize. I finish just under a minute behind last year, a little frustrating but should not let this get to me. Craig, Paul and Chris all run well, as do the Helm ladies.
Soup and beer at prize giving goes down well.
Results:
http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/results.php?id=1136
A road run ! - Saturday 31st December 2011
So New Year's Eve and a quite day. I head out late around the lanes from home. It is dark, wet and gloomy but at least, this, time, I avoid falling into the cattle grid. I wonder what 2012 has in store for my running ?
Kentmere - Friday 30th December 2011
Me and Russ decide on the Kentmere Horseshoe - the wind has dropped but so as the cloud base. What fell as rain in Langdale yesterday fell as snow on the higher fells, it also froze overnight !
We make steady progress up Garburn and as soon as we are at the top of the race route climb it starts to snow, but little wind so the going is good. However, the path is icy in places and we find it better to run a little to the side. Only a few people about so far, we take in all the tops and make it to the lonely summit of High Street, the cairn plastered in ice.
Although I thought it was not windy, this is because it was behind us ! So now running into the wind and falling snow but we press on to Harter Fell and then follow the race route back down to the Church. A good run out, followed by lunch in the Eagle & Child....thanks Russ.
Lingmoor - Thursday 29th December 2011
The intended plan was for a full day out on the Coniston fells..however, the weather is grim and it would be a full-on battle so the B plan comes into play.
We park at Elterwater and set-off in the rain through the quarries. Take the usual route up onto Lingmoor, it is very wet underfoot, a little rain and windy but we know that it would have been much worse on the higher Coniston Fells. At the summit of Lingmoor a big gust almost blows off our feet and it is a struggle on the way down.
Drop down to the Blea Tarn road and then towards the Langdale campsite. It is difficult not to slip, the ground is saturated. Through the farm and then to the road. From here we take the track along the valley, then double back on the road to bear off right on a path to gain the Blea Rigg / Silver Howe ridgeline.
It is less windy along here and we follow the undulating path to Silver Howe. So many different paths here but we pick a good one and it soons drops us back down to Elterwater Common. Just as we get back the rain really starts to come down; we take shelter by the fire in the Britannia Inn...lunch, beer, open fire and good company....this is the way to end a good run.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)